MENA COMMUNITY CHRONICLE

The Jews of Tunis

The Jews of Tunis and the Hara — Musta'ribi and Grana communities of the Maghreb.

I. Carthage to the Hara

Jewish life in Tunisia reaches back to Roman Carthage. The medieval community spoke Judeo-Arabic and maintained Hebrew for liturgy.

II. Livornese, Grana, and Sephardic Layers

Early modern Tunis absorbed Livornese traders and Grana families alongside Musta'ribi synagogues — all reading the same Torah portions.

III. Protectorate, Independence, and Exodus

Tunisian independence and tensions surrounding Israel led most Jews to emigrate to France and Israel by the 1970s.

Related Notes on This Site

Further Reading