Or Thora Synagogue (Tunis)
| Or Thora Synagogue | |
|---|---|
 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 / 36.801463°N 10.169655°E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) |
|
| 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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ "Jews in Islamic Countries: Tunisia". Jewish Virtual Library.
- ^ "The Jews in Islam - Tunisia". University of Arizona.
- ^ "INSIDE THE ABANDONED OR THORA SYNAGOGUE OF HAFSIA". February 23, 2017.
- ^ "Or Thora (Nuevelle Hovra) Synagogue and School, Hafsia, Tunis, Tunisia". Diarna.org.
- ^ "בית הכנסת חוברה (החדשה) RUE ACHOUR 35 (אור תורה)]. תוניסיה מורשת" (in Hebrew).
- ^ "Et si la synagogue de la Hafsia devenait le musée de la hara?". Webdo.tn (in French). February 25, 2017.
- ^ "Muslim locals seek Tunis synagogue revival to honor once vibrant Jewish quarter". i24News. June 18, 2023.
| Active | |
|---|---|
| Former | |
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