Study Day 2026: The History of the Jews of Tunisia Today
PROGRAMME
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
PRESENTATION OF RECENT WORK ON THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS OF TUNISIA
Chaired by
JOËLLE ALLOUCHE-BENAYOUN
Honorary senior lecturer, associate member of GSRL (CNRS-EPHE)
Vice-president of the Society for the History of the Jews of Tunisia (SHJT)
From Tunis to Paris: the testimony of a Tunisian Jewish woman confronted with History
Julie Sarfati
Université Paris-Dauphine PSL
–
New data on the varieties of Judeo-Arabic spoken in Tunisia and on their speakers
Eduardo Balbo
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
–
Jewishness, education and commitment: the Tunisian years of Gisèle Halimi
Claire Wilhelm
Université Paris-Nanterre
–
On the edition of some unpublished manuscripts by Tunisian rabbis
Jean-Marcel Nataf
Centre français du judaïsme tunisien
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
THE JEWS IN ROMAN CARTHAGE: DISCUSSION OF A RECENT THESIS
Chaired by
JEREMY GUEDJ
Senior lecturer at Université Côte d’Azur
Vice-president of the Society for the History of the Jews of Tunisia (SHJT)
–
Legislation concerning the Jews in Roman Carthage
Discussion between
Thomas Villey
PhD in ancient history
University of Bamberg
and
Nathalie Cohen
Agrégée de l’Université – Writer
–
3:30 pm – 5:15 pm
IDENTITIES AND CULTURES OF THE JEWS OF TUNISIA – NEW RESEARCH
Chaired by
COLETTE ZYTNICKI
Professor emerita at Université Toulouse Jean-Jaurès
The exile of the Jews of Tunisia during the Mejba revolt of 1864
Thierry Samama
Cercle de généalogie juive
Jews of Tunisia residing in France and deported from French territory
Philippe Boukara
Institut européen des sciences religieuses (IESP-EPHE)
–
“In the beginning, we were a bunch of friends”
Sociability and sporting practices of the Jews of Tunisia (1920-1970).
Etienne Pénard
Institut de formation en éducation physique et sportive d’Angers
–
The Jews of Tunisia and music
Jérémy Guedj
Université Côte d’Azur
SHJT speakers
Joëlle Allouche-Benayoun
Vice-President
Biography
PhD in Social Sciences (Sorbonne), honorary Senior Lecturer (University of Paris XII), vice-president of the Cercle de généalogie Juive (CGJ), CNRS researcher (Groupe société, religions, laïcité, GSRL). Research on the Jews of Algeria and the Jews of North Africa. Has published numerous books and articles in this field. Currently working on the Archives of Constantine (1795-1929).
Jean-Marcel Nataf
Vice-President
Biography
Lawyer, President of the French Centre for Tunisian Judaism (https://cfjt.fr) (CFJT), specialising in research into and the dissemination of theological works by Tunisian rabbis; member of the FSJU Executive Committee since 2008; member of the SHJT Board of Directors from 2018 to 2020
Jérémy Guedj
President
Biography
PhD in history, lecturer (maître de conférences) in contemporary history at the University of Nice and at the IEP, member of the Centre de la Méditerranée moderne et contemporaine (CMMC), editor-in-chief of the Cahiers de la Méditerranée
Colette Zytnicki
Member
Biography
Professor Emeritus at the University of Toulouse Jean Jaurès
Thierry Samama
Board member
Biography
Engineer, École Centrale Paris; MBA, INSEAD. Former member of the board of directors of the Cercle de Généalogie Juive. Creator of the BECANE civil registry database. Co-author of the book « Les protégés israélites du consulat de France à Tunis ».
Philippe Boukara
Board member
Biography
Historian specialising in contemporary Judaism, training coordinator at the Mémorial de la Shoah. Formerly a lecturer at Sciences Po Paris and Nancy II, he currently teaches at the Collège des Bernardins and the Institut européen en sciences des religions (IESR-EPHE).
Étienne Pénard
Board member
Biography
Senior lecturer (maître de conférences) at IFEPSA-UCO, teaching at Bachelor's and Master's levels, academic coordinator of L2 PEPS-PE
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