Location Zarzis, Tunisia Status Active synagogue Construction started 1900 | Rite Sephardic Leadership Eliyahu Sofer Affiliation Orthodox Judaism | |
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Similar Synagogue of the Kohanim, Synagogue de la Ghriba, Hara Seghira Synagogue, Four Sephardic Synagogues, El Ghriba synagogue | ||
Zarzis Synagogue (Arabic: كنيس جرجيس) also known as Beit HaKnesset Mishkan Ya’akov (Hebrew: בית הכנסת משכן יעקב), is located in the coastal town of Zarzis, Tunisia. It was built in around 1900 when the Jewish community of Zarzis numbered approximately 1,000. An arson attack in 1982 by local Arabs following Sabra and Shatila massacre of Muslim Palestinians by Christians in Lebanon, left the synagogue and Torah scrolls totally destroyed. It was subsequently rebuilt and is currently used by the town's remaining 100 Jews.
The lavishly decorated synagogue leads into an open-air courtyard which has adjoining rooms which serve as the talmud torah. The head of the community is currently Eliyahu Sofer.
References
Zarzis Synagogue Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA