Foreign Visitors Return to Jewish Pilgrimage in Tunisia Under Tight Security
Organizers said about 200 pilgrims arrived from abroad as Tunisia kept exceptional security after the 2023 attack.
- On Djerba Island, Tunisia, international visitors completed the annual pilgrimage to the 26-century-old El-Ghriba Synagogue between April 30 and May 6, 2026, marking a resilient return to the historic site.
- Following a deadly 2023 attack that killed five people, attendance had dropped significantly, prompting authorities to impose strict limitations on the festival's activities.
- Roughly 500 participants attended the event celebrating the Lag B'Omer Jewish holiday, with Tunisian authorities implementing enhanced security measures including police checkpoints and vehicle searches for the 200 visitors arriving from abroad.
- Former Tunisian Tourism Minister Rene Trabelsi stated that "confidence is starting to return to this pilgrimage," while the traditional Minara procession resumed for the first time since the 2023 violence.
- Morocco recently introduced a legislative petition to grant citizenship to descendants of Moroccan Jews abroad, signaling potential shifts in North African Jewish communities amid this gradual renewal.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Reviving Tradition: The Resilient Return to El-Ghriba Synagogue
The annual pilgrimage to El-Ghriba Synagogue in Tunisia welcomed international visitors despite recent security concerns following a deadly 2023 attack. Marked by the symbolic return of international guests, the event maintained traditions and reignited hope for Tunisia's Jewish community. Security remained tight, yet the celebrations promoted unity and economic support.
Foreign Visitors Return to Jewish Pilgrimage in Tunisia under Tight ...
The Algemeiner
North Africa Signals New Openings for Jews as Morocco Weighs Citizenship Reform, Tunisia Sees Pilgrimage Return
Jews from Tunisia and other countries of the world complete the annual Jewish pilgrimage to the El Ghriba Synagogue, which is considered one of the oldest Jewish places of worship in Africa and has a history of approximately 2,400 years, in Djerba Island, Tunisia on May 4, 2026. Photo: Hasan Mrad/ZUMA Press Wire via Reuters Connect Jews are seeing cautious but notable signs of renewed inclusion in North Africa, as Morocco advances a landmark cit…
Tunisia: Ghriba Jewish pilgrimage sees increased turnout after years of restrictions
Tunisia: Ghriba Jewish pilgrimage sees increased turnout after years of restrictions Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 05/05/2026 - 12:17 Religious event on the island of Djerba once attracted thousands of Jews from around the world but faced restrictions after a 2023 gun attack on worshippers French Jewish pilgrims light candles at the Ghriba synagogue, on Tunisia's southern island of Djerba, on 4 May 2026, during the annual pilgrimage to the…
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