The Jews of Djerba

Djerba (or Jerba) is, at 514 km², the largest island of North Africa, located in the Gulf of Gabes, off the coast of Tunisia.

Djerba is noted as a center of the Islamic sect Al-Ibadhiyah and is also noted for its Jewish minority, which has dwelt on the island for more than 2,500 years, although the Jewish population has declined due to emigration to Israel and France since 1967. Most of the Djerba Jews are Cohanim, descendants of the priestly caste in Judaism, and have maintained this identity for centuries. The El Ghriba synagogue on Djerba is over 2,000 years old and is as such the oldest and one of the most famous in the world.