El Hamma Synagogue
El Hamma synagogue was a historic non-functioning synagogue in El Hamma, Tunisia. It was heavily damaged by rioters during pro-Palestine protests surrounding the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.
History
By 2023, the synagogue was no longer an active house of worship, as there were no longer Jews in El Hamma. As the burial site of 16th century Kabbalist rabbi Yosef Ma'arawi, the synagogue was historically a Jewish pilgrimage site.[1]
In recent years, the synagogue was the target of antisemitic attacks. In March 2011 during the Arab Spring, the synagogue's entry gate, guard house, a Torah scroll were damaged in an arson attack.[2]
During pro-Palestine protests on 17 October 2023 during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, hundreds of rioters set fire to the synagogue building, hammered away the building's walls, and planted Palestinian flags at the site. Police did not intervene.[1]
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency described the 2023 riot as depriving "Al Hammah of a key vestige of its Jewish past." The 2023 attack came five months after a mass shooting at the El Ghriba Synagogue.[1] Activist Rafram Chaddad told Al-Monitor that "In every event that Palestinians get killed, the Jews of Tunisia get attacked in turn. It’s a ritual." Tunisian President Kais Saied called an emergency session of Parliament after the attack, but did not condemn the attack on the synagogue.[3]
References
- ^ a b c Lapin, Andrew (2023-10-18). "Historic synagogue in Tunisia heavily damaged in rioting tied to Israel-Gaza war". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ Axelrod, Toby (2011-03-06). "Tunisian Jews reportedly embrace revolution, don't fear Islamism". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ Zaman, Amberin (2023-10-20). "Tunisia's Jews on edge after crowd torches synagogue amid Gaza protests". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 23 October 2023.