Grand Synagogue Of Tunis, 36 Liberty Avenue
As its name suggests, La Grande synagogue is Tunis’ main synagogue. Paid for via a posthumous bequest left by Daniel Iffla-Osiris, one of the greatest philanthropists of the 19th century, the building was designed by French-Tunisian Jewish architect Victor Valensi. Construction started in 1933 and the building was inaugurated on 23 December 23 1937. Valensi’s art deco design combines oriental shapes and structures with modern material such as cement. The façade of the building contains an enormous Star of David which contains the name of God inside. The Ten commandments lie directly above. During the Nazi occupation of Tunisia, German troops invaded the building, where they arrested leaders of the Jewish community. Anti-Jewish rioting erupted in Tunis during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War (the Six-Day war), resulting in the partial destruction of the Great Synagogue. The building was restored in 1996 and in 2007.
