Ile de Djerba-Houmt-Souk. - Intérieur de la Synagogue

Front Text - 18Edit. Anan Turki;Text on the back -Carte Postale Editions Photo-Africaines, 1, rue Feuillet- Alger.;Back Printed Text Translation - Postcard;Production period - ca. 1940 - 1950;founders, architects, painters etc. - Edit. Anan Turki;Front Period - ca. 1940 - 1950;Category - Synagogues;Description - This horizontal postcard apparently depicts a photograph of the El Ghriba Synagogue interior, located in the Tunisian island of Djerba. Ghriba means marvelous or strange in Arabic and reflects the special status of this Synagogue. Indeed, this synagogue is particularly important, because according to the legend, it is one of the first Synagogues and it houses one of the world's oldest Sifrei Torah (Torah Scrolls (Sefer Tora in singular)). The photograph shows the Tevah, which is a large, raised, reader's platform where the Torah scroll is read. The wooden Tevah is located in the west end of the Synagogue, as it is usually in the Sephardic world and it is surrounded by benches. The Synagogue's construction was inspired by the local oriental architecture with arches and interior walls decorated with earthenware tiles. [S.H.]