Benefiting from Tunisian government protection, the Jews of Djerba, who trace their history to the time of the First Temple, have held fast to their traditional way of life. Women marry young, have large families, and often receive only rudimentary education. Now, however, some are trying to change that. Lucette Lagnado writes:
Ancient traditions guide every aspect of Djerban Jewish life, but modernity is slowly encroaching. Laptops, iPhones, and TV sets are ubiquitous. Perhaps the biggest question mark revolves around the role of women in society. Largely absent from the workforce, Djerba’s Jewish women generally are expected to lead traditional lives tending to husbands and families. . . .
Youssef Wazan, the president of the community, argues that Djerban Jews have done better than other [Arabic-speaking] Jews precisely because they have fought against the lure of modern times—including assimilation and the changing role of women. “Listen, the Jews in [mainland] Tunisia . . . had their freedoms…and they all left,” he says. “Our synagogues are full every day and on the Sabbath, we don’t work—nothing. If you look at France you don’t see that even on Yom Kippur. That is why we don’t want modernity.”
And yet, at the fringes of society and in subtle ways, Djerban women are evolving. Two agents of change are the cousins Alite and Hanna Sabban, who have fought to bring greater educational opportunities to the girls of Djerba.
Read more on Wall Street Journal: http://www.wsj.com/articles/insular-jewish-community-of-djerba-tunisia-has-weathered-revolution-and-terrorism-but-can-it-survive-girls-education-1423869146