Pilgrims flock to the oldest synagogue in Africa for an annual festival

Devotees prayed, lit candles and made wishes for eggs during the annual pilgrimage of Jews to the oldest synagogue in Africa, which began Wednesday in Tunisia.

Hundreds of pilgrims converged on the Ghriba synagogue on the Mediterranean island of Djerba, home to one of the last Jewish communities in the Arab world.

Ministers and other dignitaries joined them in celebrating the two days of the Lag BaOmer Festival.

This event, which begins 33 days after the start of the Jewish Pbadover holiday, coincides with the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims this year for the first time since 1987.

Muslims and Jews should share a quick meal on Wednesday night in Djerba.

"It's not easy to organize all of this while people are fast here – they are tired, but we are welcome as usual," said Laura Tuil-Journo of France.

This year's pilgrimage is the first since René Trabelsi, who has been co-organizing the festival for years, has been named Tunisia's Jewish prime minister for decades, in charge of tourism.

"This year, it's packed.People now come with complete confidence, especially since Mr. Trabelsi has become a minister," Tuil-Journo said.

Several hundred police officers and soldiers, supported by tanks and helicopters, were deployed to protect the pilgrims.

The community is still recovering from a suicide bombing claimed by al-Qaeda at the synagogue in 2002, which killed 21 people.

Previously, some 8,000 pilgrims traveled to Djerba for the annual celebration.

The number then dropped but has since somewhat recovered.

The Tunisian tourism industry was also hit by attacks from a museum and a tourist resort in 2015, which killed dozens, including 59 foreigners.

This year, organizers expect more than 5,000 pilgrims, including Israelis, to visit the synagogue, believed to have been founded in 586 BC by Jews fleeing the destruction of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem .

The number of Jews in Tunisia has decreased significantly, from around 100,000 before the independence of France in 1956 to around 1,500 today, most of whom live in Djerba.