Or Thora Synagogue (Tunis)
The Or-Thora Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת אור תורה; Arabic: كنيس أور تورا بتونس) is a synagogue located in the Hara (old city) of the city of Tunis.
| Or Thora Synagogue | |
|---|---|
 The Or Thora Synagogue in 2015. | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism |
| Status | Abandoned |
| Location | |
| Location | Tunis, Tunisia |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Aimé Krief Jean Sebag |
| Completed | 1930s |
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,[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 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.
References
- Bismuth-Jarrassé, Colette; Jarrassé, Dominique (2010). Synagogues de Tunisie : monuments d'une histoire et d'une identité. Le Kremlin-Bicêtre: Esthétiques du divers. pp. 268–269. ISBN 9782953304121. OCLC 673784241.
- Jews in Islamic Countries: Tunisia. Jewish Virtual Library
- The Jews in Islam - Tunisia
- INSIDE THE ABANDONED OR THORA SYNAGOGUE OF HAFSIA
- Or Thora (Nuevelle Hovra) Synagogue and School, Hafsia, Tunis, Tunisia
- בית הכנסת חוברה (החדשה) RUE ACHOUR 35 (אור תורה). תוניסיה מורשת
- Et si la synagogue de la Hafsia devenait le musée de la hara?
- Muslim locals seek Tunis synagogue revival to honor once vibrant Jewish quarter. i24News