Synagogue of the Kohanim of Djirt
| Beit Knesset Kohanim HaDintreisa | |
|---|---|
 Exterior of Beit Knesset Kohanim HaDintreisa | |
| Basic information | |
| Location |
 Djerba, Tunisia |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Rite | Sephardic |
| Status | Active synagogue |
The Synagogue of the Priests of Djirt (Hebrew Beit Knesset Kohanim HaDintreisa Hebrew: בית הכנסת כהנים הדינתרייתא) is a synagogue located in Hara Kbira, (trans: big neighborhood), the Jewish neighbourhood located on the outskirts of Houmt Souk, on the Tunisian island of Djerba.
It is named after the ancient Jewish village of Djirt, modern day Er Riadh, (also known as “Hara Sghira” or the “small neighborhood”), which is located a few miles south of Houmt Souk. According to tradition, it was in this village where the first Jews, members of the priestly family of kohanim who were exiled from Jerusalem at the time of the destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem, settled. The inside is lavishly covered with decorative coloured tiles.
The synagogue is to be distinguished from the El Ghriba synagogue. The El-Ghriba's founding is also traced to the flight of priests from the Roman destruction of the Second Temple, and the legend tells that they brought with them a door of the Temple, which is covered over in a wall of the synagogue. [1]
References
- ↑ The B'nai B'rith international Jewish monthly: Volume 115 B'nai B'rith - 2000 Another version of the legend traces El- Ghriba's founding to the flight of kohanim{priests) from Roman destruction of the Second Temple. They brought with them a Temple door, which they covered over in a wall of their new synagogue.
See also