Or Thora Synagogue (Tunis)

For similarly named synagogues, see Or Thora Synagogue and Or Torah Synagogue.

Or Thora Synagogue
Hebrew: בית הכנסת אור תורה Arabic: كنيس أور تورا بتونس
The former synagogue, in 2015
Religion
Affiliation	Judaism (former)
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue (1930s–1967)
Status	Abandoned
Location
Location	Hara, Tunis
Country	Tunisia
Location of the former synagogue in Tunis
Geographic coordinates	36°48′05″N 10°10′11″E
Architecture
Architect(s)	Aimé Krief Jean Sebag
Type	Synagogue architecture
Completed	c. 1930s

The Or-Thora Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת אור תורה; Arabic: كنيس أور تورا بتونس), also erroneously called Or-Torah Synagogue, is a former Jewish congregation and synagogue, that is located in the old city of Hara, in Tunis, Tunisia. Established in the 1930s, the synagogue ceased to operate during the Six-Day War in 1967.

History

It was completed in the early 1930s, prior to World War II.[1] It was designed by architects Aimé Krief and Jean Sebag.[1] Habib Bourguiba, who served as the President of Tunisia from 1957 to 1987, visited the synagogue on February 12, 1957.[1]

Decline

After the departure of most of the Tunisian Jews for Israel and France following the anti-Jewish riots during the Six-Day War in 1967,[2] which included the burning of the Torah Scrolls at the synagogue,[3] religious services stopped being offered at the synagogue. It is currently not in use.[4][5]

There are^[when?] ongoing discussions among the Tunisian Jewish community and the residents of the Hafsia to turn the Or-Thora Synagogue into a museum of the Hara,[6][7] with a project led by Leila Ben Gacem[8] and a team of architects from the NGO Association de sauvegarde de la médina de Tunis, with the aim to save the synagogue from total degradation.

See also

Door of the former synagogue.

• History of the Jews in Tunisia
• List of synagogues in Tunisia

References

1. Bismuth-Jarrassé, Colette; Jarrassé, Dominique (2010). Synagogues de Tunisie : monuments d'une histoire et d'une identité (in French). Le Kremlin-Bicêtre: Esthétiques du divers. pp. 268–26. ISBN 9782953304121. OCLC 673784241.
2. "Jews in Islamic Countries: Tunisia". Jewish Virtual Library.
3. "The Jews in Islam - Tunisia". University of Arizona.
4. "INSIDE THE ABANDONED OR THORA SYNAGOGUE OF HAFSIA". February 23, 2017.
5. "Or Thora (Nuevelle Hovra) Synagogue and School, Hafsia, Tunis, Tunisia". Diarna.org.
6. "בית הכנסת חוברה (החדשה) RUE ACHOUR 35 (אור תורה)]. תוניסיה מורשת" (in Hebrew).
7. "Et si la synagogue de la Hafsia devenait le musée de la hara?". Webdo.tn (in French). February 25, 2017.
8. "Muslim locals seek Tunis synagogue revival to honor once vibrant Jewish quarter". i24News. June 18, 2023.