We are staying just under the island of Djebra, which, at 514 km², is about twice the size of Malta and is the largest island in North Africa. It’s about a 40-minute drive from us, and there are several ways to get there. You can fly there; it has Tunisia’s second-largest airport. It can also be reached by small ferries that run between several destinations in the north. Finally, there is a narrow 7.5km Roman causeway, built in the second century, which links it to the mainland, and that’s the route we took. We got onto the island just after noon and decided to head north.
Our first stop was at the 14th-century Fadhloun Mosque, a curious-looking piece of architecture with its different-sized domes. As it sits on the high point in the small town, it was also used as a lookout and bastion in wars of the past. It’s even rumored to have given George Lucas inspiration for the Star Wars sets. From there, we took a quick glance at Houmt Souk, the capital, saving it for another time, as we wanted to visit El Ghriba, Africa’s oldest synagogue.
El Ghriba was founded at the time of the destruction of the First or Second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, around 586 BCE, and it contains a stone from the temple. Today, the synagogue, which was rebuilt in the 19th century, has a colorful wooden interior that exudes a calming and serene atmosphere. To highlight its importance in the Jewish world, a pilgrimage takes place here every May.
Djebrahood is an open gallery of sorts, where artists from across the world were invited to contribute to a project adorning the entire small village with murals. It’s already a beautiful little village, filled with artisan shops, and the murals only enhance its charm. We spent a relaxed day in Djebra, with minimal driving, which I was happy about.
We couldn’t leave Djebra without stopping by Obi-Wan’s house, although not signposted, we found it isolated not far from the sea. Despite its slightly worn appearance, it still stood strong, and we couldn’t help but smile when we peeked inside to discover a lively mothers meeting in full swing!
Dream Chasers 