Jews of Tunisia

The history of Jews in Tunisia dates back thousands of years. Some say it began in the days of the Punic Empire, although most trace it to the 2nd century CE. The Jews that descend from this original wave of settlement are referred to as Berber or Amazigh Jews. Later on, Jews from Spain also settled in Tunisia, and this area came under Arab control shortly after in the 7th and 8th centuries. Jews from Tunisia traditionally speak either Judeo-Arabic or Judeo-Berber.

Conditions for Tunisian Jews worsened significantly following the ascension of the Almohad dynasty in mid-12th century North Africa. This dynasty was significantly more fundamentalist than the previous rulers of the area, and imposed significant hardship on Tunisian Jews.

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The history of Jews in Tunisia dates back thousands of years. Some say it began in the days of the Punic Empire, although most trace it to the 2nd century CE. The Jews that descend from this original wave of settlement are referred to as Berber or Amazigh Jews. Later on, Jews from Spain also settled in Tunisia, and this area came under Arab control shortly after in the 7th and 8th centuries. Jews from Tunisia traditionally speak either Judeo-Arabic or Judeo-Berber. Read More

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Articles

The tiny island of Djerba remains the largest outpost of Arabic-speaking Jews today. Found off the coast of Tunisia, Djerba boasts a small but steady Jewish population of around 1,200 people. On the surface, a description of Djerba might resemble what one might see on a present-day tour of other Sephardiccountries like Morocco. However, after visiting Djerba with my father this past June, I discovered that Djerba is not merely a unique side of Sephardic Jewish history or the artifacts of a lost community. In fact, Djerba is a thriving community infused with youth and culture, effectively serving as a […]