Tunisian Jewish in Tunisia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The first reliable records of Jews living in Tunisia is from the 200s during the Roman Empire. Their population has risen and fallen through the centuries. After the Western Roman Empire began to crumble in the 400s, the Jews in Tunisia lived peacefully under the Vandals. That was not the case when Tunisia was under the Byzantine Empire. When Arab Muslims conquered North Africa in the 700s, the Jewish population had to pay a jizya tax, charged to all non-Muslims. Through the centuries there were Muslim leaders who protected them while others did not.

As European powers, namely Spain and France, began to make inroads into North Africa, the Jewish population was affected. In Tunisia, they favored the French, especially during the days of the French Revolution. The German Nazis controlled Tunisia for six months in 1942, at a time when there were 100,000 Jews there. As expected, the Nazis send Jews to forced labor camps where many died or were exterminated.

Things became harder for the Jews after Tunisia gained her independence from France in 1956. Commonly the Arab majority wanted Tunisia to be an Arab land. Anti-Semitic persecution led 40,000 to leave between 1956-67. By 1970 most Jews had left Tunisia. However, there is still a small Jewish community in Djerba, Tunisia. They want to stay in Tunisia, though there are terrorists who have attacked synagogues with the intention of driving them out.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Jewish community in Tunisia is small, yet it is the second largest in the Arabic speaking world. Most of these Tunisian Jews are Orthodox, thus they live conservative lifestyles that challenge the patience of their women who are expected to work in the home. Women have limited access to education.
The men are usually good bread-winners who produce and sell jewelry. They work alongside their Muslim neighbors in the local markets selling their wares.


Jewish communities in places such as Tunisia have felt persecution from outsiders for a long time that has led to distrust of outsiders.
What Are Their Beliefs?

The Tunisian Jews are usually Orthodox, so they observe the Sabbath and try to adhere to the teachings of the Talmud and the prophets. One of the difficulties they face is when they have a Jewish festival or pilgrimage. Muslim militants are inclined to attack them, so they need tight security. Tunisian Jews have one pilgrimage that they can call their own. It involves a Jewish woman in Djerba who hundreds of years ago was rejected by the Jewish community and died alone in her home. Today she is revered as a saint, and Jews come together to revere her memory.


What Are Their Needs?

Throughout their history, the Jews have been discriminated against and persecuted, and Tunisia is no exception. They need to experience emotional healing and forgiveness. Pray that as the gospel is shared with them, it will not be viewed as anti-Semitic, but rather as the fulfillment of what God promised humanity through Abraham centuries ago.


Prayer Points

Pray for God's protection of Tunisian Jews from terrorists and other murderers.
Pray for a spiritual hunger among Tunisian Jews who view their Jewishness as an ethnic identity and have no religious affiliation.
Pray for a movement to Christ among Tunisian Jews so they can enjoy fellowship with their Messiah.


Scripture Prayers for the Jewish, Tunisian in Tunisia.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Jewish, Tunisian
People Name in Country Jewish, Tunisian
Natural Name Tunisian Jewish
Pronunciation too-NEE-zhun joo
Alternate Names Arab, Judeo-Tunisian; Maghreb Jewish; Tunisian Jew; Tunisian Jewish
Population this Country 1,000
Population all Countries 12,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 15642
ROP3 Code 110287
ROP25 Code 303368
ROP25 Name Jewish
Country Tunisia
Region Africa, North and Middle East
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 33  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Country Tunisia
Region Africa, North and Middle East
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 33  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Map of Jewish, Tunisian in Tunisia
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Religion Subdivision: Judaism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
95.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Arabic, Tunisian
Language Code aeb   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
French
Primary Language Arabic, Tunisian
Language Code aeb   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  French
People Groups Speaking Arabic, Tunisian

Primary Language:  Arabic, Tunisian

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1903–2014)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1847-2011)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Arabic Bible Online Arabic Bible Outreach Ministry
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Arabic, Tunisian Spoken Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Arabic, Tunisian Spoken YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Arabic, Tunisian Spoken YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Campus Crusade for Christ
Photo Source Magnes Collection - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group location: World Jewish Congress, Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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