Not only the most famous attraction on the island, but also the most controversial.
There are two completely opposite opinions regarding this object: some believe that the synagogue must be seen, others that this is just a scam of tourists for money and a waste of time. It seems to us that the problem lies in the overestimated expectations.
What is the El Ghriba synagogue in Djerba
To begin with, so that there is no confusion in the future, let's figure out what a "mushroom" is. This is the name of all synagogues in the Maghreb countries: 3 synagogues operate in Tunisia, 2 in Libya and one in Algeria. The word “ghriba” in Arabic means “strange, alien” and this reflects the special status of the Jewish traditions of Tunisia.
The synagogue on Djerba gained worldwide fame for a long time, in any case, it is mentioned in sources dating from the 18th century. Exact time construction is unknown, the most popular and actively promoted version - the synagogue was built shortly after the destruction of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem in 589 BC. Some of the priests managed to escape slavery, fled from Jerusalem and even took with them a stone from the destroyed temple, which was laid at the base of the synagogue on Djerba.
There is no documentary evidence, exact evidence of the age of the El Grib synagogue on Djerba.
The ancient stone laid at the base of the synagogue can be viewed only after special permission, it is also impossible to establish age on it - since it is completely inorganic, the method of radiocarbon analysis will not work.
The synagogue acquired the look that we see in the 18th century - it was thoroughly rebuilt. From the former building, which stood for more than two hundred years, only the foundation remained. The building of the synagogue itself is small, much more space is occupied by buildings for pilgrims (many of the premises are in extremely poor condition).
The interior of the synagogue is impressive - colorful arches, columns, stained glass windows. The interior is quite simple - wooden benches, bookcases around the perimeter. On the east wall of the synagogue there are many silver tablets left by pilgrims. There is also an impromptu "wailing wall" - anyone can leave a note with wishes and requests.
One of the world's oldest Torah scrolls is kept in a special cabinet behind the pulpit.
What you need to know before visiting El Griba synagogue
- you should not plan to visit the synagogue on Saturday - on this day members of the local community gather here, tourists are not allowed;
- you should not visit the synagogue on pilgrimage days - this happens after Passover on the holiday of Lag ba-Omer (dates are floating: in 2018 - May 2, in 2019 - May 23, in 2020 - May 12, the celebration starts 4 days before the date), here numerous pilgrims flock from different countries the synagogue is closed for tourists at this time;
- there is no strict dress code, but the head of men and women must be covered, at the entrance you can take scarves or kippahs, but better stock up on your hats;
- the rules of behavior are the same as in any other cult object - do not make noise, turn off mobile phones do not consume food and drinks;
- you will have to take off your shoes before entering the prayer hall, the floors are covered with mats, but better to bring socks with you;
- there is no paper or pens in the synagogue to leave a note in the “wailing wall”, prepare it in advance;
- admission to the synagogue is free, but a donation of 1 dinar is encouraged, and very strongly. You can immediately take a postcard from the caretaker to whom you leave 1 dinar, on which you write your request (if you wish);
- there is a metal detector at the entrance, an inspection is carried out, because of this, if you come with a guided tour, you will have to stand in a small queue.
You should definitely visit the synagogue, but don't expect anything grandiose! An organized visit takes place within sightseeing tour according to Djerba, at self visit remember that there are still living examples of street art (Djerbahood project) just two kilometers from the synagogue in Riyadh village.
At the entrance to the territory of the synagogue, an inspection is carried out and there is an armed guard - even locals... This is due to two terrorist attacks that took place in 1985 and 2002. During the latter, 21 people died, including 14 tourists from Germany. As a reminder of this - a memorial plaque on the wall at the entrance.
Entrance fees
The entrance to the synagogue is free, if you wish, you can donate 1 dinar.
Based on this, the statements of those who believe that the synagogue on Djerba is only a divorce for money and nothing more are not very clear.
If you visit the synagogue as part of a sightseeing tour of the island (which usually includes visiting the village and museum of Gellala, the city of Houmt Souk), then the cost is determined by the tour operator.
The cost of an organized excursion: adult 20-25 $, child 10-15 $ (more about current prices on excursions, see the appropriate section of the site).
Synagogue El Griba opening hours
summer: 09:00 - 12:00 / 15:00 - 17:00
winter: 09:30 - 12:00 / 14:30 - 16:30
Do not forget that on Saturday and the days of pilgrimage it is better not to come here, unless, of course, you are a Jew.
Location of El Griba synagogue
El Ghriba Synagogue is located in the village of Er-Riadh, 500 meters from the center. TND (depends on the location of your hotel). Whether to use the waiting service or not - decide for yourself, in the center of the village (about 500 meters away) it is not a problem to find a free car.
Self visit Synagogues of El Griba it is advisable to combine Djerbahood with a tour - no more than a couple of kilometers between them.
If you decide to rent a car, then immediately add to the route a visit to the village and the Gellala Museum - it is located not far from here.
One of the main and ancient attractions of the Tunisian island of Djerba, which certainly deserves attention, is the Synagogue Djerba el ghriba (La Ghriba / Synagogue La ghriba).
In addition, this synagogue is not only one of the most ancient landmarks of the island, but also the oldest synagogue in Africa and one of the oldest in the world, the age of the synagogue is more than 2,000 years. According to some historians, the synagogue was built in the 6th century BC, but the exact date of construction cannot be named. Of course, the building, which is more than two thousand years old, has not survived to this day. The synagogue that we can see today was built in the 19th century and replaced the building of the 16th century. All that remains of such an ancient synagogue is history and part of the foundation, which turns out to be right under our feet when we are in the temple.
The El Ghriba synagogue is located in the village of Riyadh / Er Riadh, on the outskirts of the village center. Earlier, the village of Riyadh was a Jewish village and was called Hara-Srira. Hence the appearance of the synagogue, it would seem in such unusual place, on a small island of the African continent.
You can visit the synagogue as with a guided tour, while paying more than $ 25 per person. More often, travel agencies combine an excursion to the synagogue with visiting other attractions of the island: (better known as the village of potters), the ancient Roman road connecting the island with the mainland and the bazaar. Or take a taxi on your own, the taxi fare depends on the distance, approximately 6-10 Dinars.
The entrance to the Jewish shrine is through a small guard booth, in which things are examined and metal detectors stand.
From the outside, the synagogue building is unremarkable, a white building with a blue door and shutters on the windows. Not knowing that this is a famous synagogue, they would have passed by.
The size of the synagogue is also not impressive, the shrine is very tiny. Most of the territory is occupied by rooms for accommodating pilgrims.
Entering the territory of the synagogue, we find ourselves between two white and blue buildings.
The building on the left will have a small arched door, near which you can see a sign with the synagogue's opening hours. This is going to the shrine.
At the entrance, handkerchiefs for women and kippahs for men are handed out. In general, it is not recommended to visit the synagogue in overly revealing clothes, shorts or short skirts. However, this rule as such does not apply to tourists, they are allowed in any dress.
Going inside, we find ourselves in the first hall. The hall is rectangular and small in size, however, it immediately evokes awe. There are colorful arches and columns, walls decorated with patterned tiles, colored stained-glass windows, dark brown wooden benches intended for believers, a ceiling that immediately attracts attention, from which voluminous chandeliers hang. Everything in the room is tastefully decorated, rich and beautiful, but at the same time without pretentiousness and overkill.
The entrance to the synagogue is free and free, however, at the request of 1-2 Dinars, the caretaker is welcomed. It is welcome, this is putting it mildly, there is a peasant sitting at the entrance to the hall, and insistently, almost grabbing the hands, demands 1 Dinar per person. For Dinar, you can take a piece of paper or a postcard (lie next to the man) to write wishes, requests. It is better to take leaflets and postcards as soon as Dinar paid, otherwise, if you come up later and say that he has already paid, the man will pretend that he does not understand anything and will demand payment again. We had several such cases.
In this room is the so-called "Wailing Wall", following the example of the Wailing Wall located in Jerusalem, only in a very reduced size. In this wall, you can leave notes with requests, prayers and wishes. On the wall you can see hundreds of commemorative silver tablets that pilgrims left here over the centuries.
The hall also features rows of wooden benches, a pulpit and many bookcases around the perimeter. That's all the simple furnishings of a small synagogue in Jerbi.
The main property of the synagogue, in addition to the ancient sacred books, is one of the world's oldest Torah Scrolls. In addition, the synagogue is the destination in North Africa of the annual pilgrimage for many Jews after Passover. For these purposes, a hostel operates on the territory of the shrine.
The large building of the pilgrim's shelter is located exactly opposite the temple. You can also go to the territory of these premises.
The courtyards of the hostels, some of them clearly show that they have not been used for their intended purpose for a long time.
And these are rooms for pilgrims. Tiny and old. Most of the rooms are filled with rubbish.
And here are the public toilets and washbasin taps, most of which doesn't work.
Kitchens, oven
Also on the territory of the synagogue, behind the main buildings, there is a small guard point and a cemetery, which is currently deserted.
That's all the heritage, small but quite interesting saints and sights of the island of Djerba, the El Griba synagogue.
If you arrived at the synagogue on your own, by taxi, then in order to return back, you will need to catch a taxi, and at the synagogue, you are unlikely to find a free one, since it is located on the outskirts of the village. The taxi driver who brought you to the synagogue may suggest waiting for you while you visit the shrine, citing the absence of a taxi outside the synagogue. Naturally, he will do it for a fee and will be partly right. But in order not to overpay and catch a car on the way back, you just need to walk several hundred meters from the synagogue to the center of the village.
While Turkey tries to save the end of the 2016 season, Tunisia is hosting a record number Russian tourists... In the first 5 months of the year, more than 74 thousand people visited Tunisia (an increase of 650%), for 6 months already more than 187 thousand, and by mid-August more than 400 thousand Russians had a rest in Tunisia. Those. has already broken the record for the most successful 2013, when 300 thousand Russians arrived. And by the end of the year, the number of Russian tourists may exceed half a million, - said the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Tunisian Republic to the Russian Federation Ali Gutali on August 11. Tour operators also note that tours to the island of Djerba in the Mediterranean Sea have become a hit among Russians this season. Largely due to the fact that Turkish operators (ANEX, Coral and Pegas) delivered charters at very reasonable prices, and Tunisian hoteliers offered such prices that package tour to Tunisia costs in rubles almost cheaper than a similar tour BEFORE the ruble falls! In addition to white sand, warm turquoise sea, an all-inclusive system and the best price / quality ratio in the season, the island of Djerba, like the whole of Tunisia, is interesting excursion program... The highlight I consider the most ancient synagogue in the world - La Griba (El Griba).
La ghriba located in the small village of Khara Segira (town of Riyadh). From the outside, the synagogue building appears unremarkable - an ordinary low-rise building with white walls and blue windows. Typical Tunisian style with many buildings and entire cities (eg Sidi Bou Said). The interiors of the synagogue are unusual inside. The combination of blue and white tiles and carved wooden columns, isn't that surprising for a synagogue? And in translation from Arabic the name of the synagogue sounds like "amazing", "miracle". There is also a variant of the translation "stranger". Everything is so - she is both amazing and alien in the Muslim world. But Tunisia is such a tolerant country that different religions easily coexist here, and the houses of a Jew and an Arab can be located opposite each other door to door. And it doesn't bother anyone. I did not notice any strong religiosity among Tunisians, this is a secular country. In Russia, the attitude towards religion is now much more serious, especially if we recall the adoption of a number of laws, and the most striking of them is about insulting the feelings of believers. In Tunisia, there is no such thing, but the rights of women, including the right to participate in the political process, to the opportunity to take a post at the ministerial level, are respected. For example, the Tunisian Minister of Tourism is a woman.
The history of the La Griba synagogue begins in 586 BC, i.e. the synagogue is about 2,600 years old and is the oldest synagogue in Africa. One of the oldest copies of the Torah in the world is kept here, the relics of Shimon Bar Yaskhai, who is one of the authors of the Talmud, rest, and on the eastern wall there are dozens of memorial silver tablets that pilgrims left here for centuries (a kind of Wailing Wall in Jerusalem). According to legend, the Jews, expelled from Jerusalem after the destruction of the First Temple in 589 BC, brought the stones left from the Temple with them to the island of Djerba. It was from them that the city synagogue was built. After Passover on the 33rd day, on the religious holiday Lag ba-Omer, thousands of Jews come to Djerba. The pilgrimage of Jews from all over the world to the oldest synagogue on this day is an old tradition. As a sign of respect, it is customary here to take off your shoes at the entrance. And the floor is carpeted. Again, an amazing mixture of religious traditions.
In the center of the island of Djerba, there is either a town or a village - Gellale- the center of Djerba pottery. It is here that the traditions have been preserved almost in their original form, and it is here on the hill that the Museum is located folk traditions... The museum tells about the life of the inhabitants of Djerba.
Circumcision of a baby, pre-wedding hair removal, staining of feet and palms with henna, cooking couscous, baking bread in an old oven - all scenes from the life of Tunisians are presented very clearly. These were the most important occupations: stocking up on olive oil, weaving "melhavs" (robes), and preparing medicines for the healers. If you look closely, you will notice that all men wear a flower behind their ear. But someone has it behind the left ear, and someone has it behind the right. And it’s not just that. To my question, the guide explained that this is a sign, and depending on whether a man is free or married, the flower is worn on one side or the other. Convenient, right?)
Gellal is still making ceramics in the traditional way, on a potter's wheel with a foot "drive", they squeeze out oil in underground presses (to keep it better in the heat) and live in authentic "khush" dwellings with a toilet outside the house. An excursion to Gellale necessarily includes a visit to one of the many pottery workshops and a ceramics store attached to it.
They have already prepared for the meeting of tourists in advance and are greeted by playing national instruments, and oriental melodies are immediately immersed in the atmosphere. Past the large-sized clay products displayed at the entrance, they immediately lead to the workshop of a virtuoso potter. He so skillfully sculpts various vessels, decorates them with carvings or stucco moldings, gets a vase from a shapeless blank, which, with a slight movement of his hand, turns into a jug, that you don't notice how he opens his mouth. And all this literally in a minute!
After the master class, they are invited to the store. The owner will be happy to tell you about the manufacturing technology. I really love Arabian lamps. These openwork lantern walls, leaving unique patterns on the walls and ceiling!
But we, of course, come to Tunisia to spend more time at sea. Here you can find the freshest fish, excursions to an uninhabited sandy island with "pirates", swimming in the lagoon and having lunch with seafood, and the famous fortress with a tower of Fort Borj el-Kebir on the shores of the city of Houmt Souk, and a lagoon with pink flamingos ... White sand , blue water and the bright sun in the blue sky ... Photos from Tunisia are almost indistinguishable from shots from the Maldives, Seychelles or from Caribbean islands.
Try to guess Why are huge quantities of earthenware jugs stored near the coast? Moreover, their bottom is not flat and they cannot stand. Are you giving up? These are special pitchers for catching octopus and squid. They are very fond of all sorts of holes and containers, they settle in jugs and consider them to be their house. This is how octopuses are caught throughout the Mediterranean, and these jugs are also called amphorettes.
Tunisia is a very interesting and little-explored region by Russians. But now we have a chance to relax there more often, the country has become more accessible, and, possibly, will become one of the main destinations for us.
One of the main and most ancient attractions of the Tunisian island of Djerba is the La Griba synagogue. La Griba is the main synagogue in Tunisia and one of the oldest in North Africa. La Griba in Arabic means "amazing" (it is really amazing!), Located in the center of the settlement of Riyadh (the former Jewish village of Khara Srira), the majority of whose population has been since the 6th century BC. were Jews. La Griba is a prime example of Tunisian tolerance: Arab and Jewish families have lived here door to door for centuries.
It seems here that you are not thousands of kilometers from Jerusalem, it is interesting to see the white and blue interiors and Jewish artifacts here and to feel the spirit of the leisurely service of religion. Here, the elders, swaying rhythmically, read the Talmud, the walls are dotted with memorial plaques in Hebrew, and ancient Torah scrolls are kept in cupboards.
According to some historians, the synagogue was built in the 6th century BC, but the exact date of construction cannot be named to this day. Of course, the building, which is more than two thousand years old, has not survived to this day. The synagogue that we see today was built in the 19th century and replaced the structure of the 16th century. All that remains of the ancient synagogue is history and part of the foundation that is under our feet as we walk through the temple.
The interiors of La Griba are a combination of white and blue tiles and red and green carved wooden columns - just like in Arab mosques, how amazing the combination of religious traditions is! The furnishings inside are not tricky - rows of wooden benches facing the pulpit (it faces towards Jerusalem) and many bookcases around the perimeter. One of the oldest copies of the Torah in the world is kept in the cabinet for storing sacred books behind the pulpit, and on the eastern wall there are hundreds of commemorative silver tablets that pilgrims left here for centuries.
It is interesting that in the synagogue there is a "wailing wall", following the example of Jerusalem, only in a reduced size. On the wall, parishioners leave notes with requests, prayers and wishes. They say that all requests are heard, and dreams come true!
The synagogue is an important destination in North Africa for the annual pilgrimage of many Jews after Passover.
Numerous pilgrims come to La Ghriba to honor the memory of one of the sages of the Talmud, Shimon bar-Yohai, and colorful processions with Torah scrolls are held in the settlement.
Legend has it that the site for the construction of the synagogue was chosen from above: a huge stone fell from heaven, from which a figure of a woman with long hair appeared, who ordered to build a house of Jewish prayer in this place. The same legend says that when the last Jew leaves Djerba (if it ever happens), the keys to the synagogue will ascend to heaven.
The El Grib synagogue is an important Jewish shrine. This synagogue is considered the oldest in Africa and one of the oldest extant synagogues in the world. Its age is more than two thousand years. According to oral tradition, it was founded by a Jewish priest who came to these places after the first Jerusalem temple was destroyed. According to legend, El Griba was built on the spot where the Paradise stone fell. Tradition says that when the last Jew leaves this place, the keys to the synagogue gates will return to heaven.
On the main Jewish holidays, as well as on the 33rd day after Easter, pilgrims from North Africa and the Middle East flock here. Small rooms for pilgrims have been built around the perimeter of the square courtyard of El Griba.
A massive ebony door with metal braces and rivets leads to the main hall of El Mushroom. The central hall makes a strong impression on all visitors. The walls and arches are tiled with blue tiles. Columns and ceiling are painted blue and white. The white color of the walls symbolizes cleanliness, and the blue color of the shutters on the windows is the color of spiritual calmness and tranquility. In the main sanctuary of the synagogue there is a very old and valuable Torah scroll - a significant shrine of this place. Pilgrims also come to venerate the grave of Shimon Bar Yaskhai (one of the authors of the Talmud).
Of course, the building did not reach us in original form... The building that has come down to us is from the 19th century. She, in turn, replaced the synagogue of the 16th century.
