Only dozens attend Tunisian Jewish pilgrimage amid security fears

Only roughly 30 people attended this year’s annual Jewish pilgrimage to the Ghriba synagogue in the Tunisian island of Djerba on May 15th, Al-Monitor via AFP reported.  The dampened turnout at Africa’s oldest synagogue comes as security concerns mount and the war in Gaza continues.

Traditionally drawing thousands of visitors from Europe, Israel, and elsewhere, the pilgrimage to Ghriba has long been a cornerstone of Jewish life in Tunisia. But attendance has sharply declined since a brutal attack in 2023 left two worshippers and three police officers dead.

“It has been difficult for people to come, given what’s happening in the world,” said Rene Trabelsi, the pilgrimage’s organiser. He noted that the event has seen challenging periods before.

In 2023, over 5,000 people reportedly participated in the pilgrimage. Attendance had previously reached as high as 8,000. “In 30 years, I have never seen the Ghriba synagogue so empty,” said Khoudhir Hanya, the manager of the synagogue.

“Usually even a week beforehand, pilgrims begin to arrive—sometimes up to 1,000 people,” Hanya added. The activities for the 2025 pilgrimage were confined to indoor practices, with broader celebrations cancelled. Security around the site remains high.

Earlier in May, a local Jewish jeweller was injured in a knife attack, though authorities have not confirmed whether the incident was anti-Semitic in nature.

Djerba is home to the majority of Tunisia’s remaining Jewish population, which is around 1,500. Many members of the community have emigrated over the years, mainly to Israel and France.

In recent decades, the synagogue has seen stronger security after several violent incidents, including a 2002 suicide bombing claimed by Al-Qaeda that killed 21 people and a 1985 attack that left four worshippers and a police officer dead.

This comes after Tunisia announced it is pulling out of the human rights court of the African Union, Middle East Monitor via AFP reported on March 23rd.

The Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) criticised it as “a dangerous step backwards and an attempt to withdraw from independent judicial institutions capable of fighting impunity and guaranteeing justice.”

Al-Monitor, Middle East Monitor, AFP