Jacob Lilouch is a Jewish Tunisian who unsuccessfully ran for the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) elections in October 2011. He rejects discrimination on the basis of his religion yet he believes there is no need to include minorities’ rights in the new constitution, he says, because he is a Tunisian and has the same rights and duties as any other Tunisian.
Jacob Lilouch is a Jewish Tunisian who unsuccessfully ran for the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) elections in October 2011. He rejects discrimination on the basis of his religion yet he believes there is no need to include minorities’ rights in the new constitution, he says, because he is a Tunisian and has the same rights and duties as any other Tunisian.
After the revolution, Jacob established the Dar Al-Zikra Society for Preserving Tunisian Jewish Heritage, in the belief that the history of Tunisia’s Jews is part and parcel to the country’s history. As for the anti-prophet film and subsequent controversies, Lilouch says it would have been better not to fall into the reaction trap and to focus on more important issues like employment and combating poverty.
Mr. Lilouch, can you tell us about the Dar Al-Zikra Society?
It was established on February 28, 2011, which makes it the first society established after the revolution. It wasn’t born out of the moment but the idea was there for years. Every time we applied for a license, the process was obstructed. After the revolution, we had the opportunity to establish it and speak about Jewish Tunisian culture as an essential part of Tunisia’s overall history.
Does establishing such a society mean that the Tunisian Jewish heritage is endangered?
No, it isn’t. We aim to highlight the importance of this heritage and its place in the Tunisian history. We collect the symbols of this heritage in cooperation with Muslims and Jews. I think our society represents the whole of Tunisia; it accommodates people from different cultures and religions but they are united to maintain the Tunisian Jewish heritage, which is our treasure, and the Tunisian history.
You are the owner of a restaurant called ‘Kosher’, does it contribute to maintaining Tunisian Jewish heritage?
I opened it 17 years ago and I can say it was the cornerstone of the society. The name of the restaurant ‘Kosher’ means it serves kosher food, and it is the only restaurant of its kind in Tunisia.
As a Tunisian Jew, how do you describe the Jews’ situation in Tunisia after the revolution and under a ruling Islamic party?
There is a difference between the Jews’ situation before and after the revolution. The dissolved regime used us as accessories whereas after the revolution, Jews, like all Tunisians, wanted to plan for the future and maintain their history. Personally, I am now able to appear on the Tunisian media as a Jew and say what I want, without it being a presidential decision the way it used to be.
As for Islamists’ rule, it involves all Tunisians without exception. We all suffer from the same problems and have the same demands of freedom and dignity, for which martyrs have sacrificed themselves. If the majority wants to elect an Islamic party, so be it, as long as they all coexist peacefully.
A problem would emerge if the Ennahda Movement wanted to establish a new dictatorship and draft a constitution tailored to their whishes and ideas. I believe the most important thing is dialogue, peaceful transition of power and a constitution that ensures all rights and freedoms, particularly women’s. Why couldn’t a woman be the next prime minister!
Generally speaking, any ruling party shouldn’t serve its ideology or try to subdue society and its culture to its intellectual background, be it Islamic or communist.
Do you think the new constitution should provide for minorities’ rights?
No, I don’t, because we are all Tunisians. Thus, we should talk about the rights of all Tunisians, which entails talking about freedom of belief and the other religious freedoms in general.
Just as people are free to practice Islam, as it is the religion of the majority, minorities should be free to practice their beliefs as well, be they Christian or Jewish. I am first and foremost Tunisian and all I want is to be free and be able to celebrate Jewish festivals.
What do you think of the anti-prophet film and the subsequent violence in Islamic countries?
I think there was no need for all the fuss; it is not reasonable to fight over religions and God. It would have been better to think of our future. No one benefited from what happened, whether Muslim, Jewish or Christian. I am not speaking as a Jew but as a slave to God. The violent reaction to a provocative action is not a solution; rather, it realizes what the provokers want. In Tunisia, we have more important issues to solve, such as poverty and unemployment.
A fanatic once called for killing all the Jews in Tunisia, what was your response?
Certainly, I didn’t like this behavior. Such extremist calls are there in all countries, but laws of democratic ones forbid them. Even though Tunisia has such laws they are not enforced because we are undergoing a sensitive phase at all levels, so the government is cautious when handling such subjects. Although it has been promised that a serious investigation would be conducted to find and punish the wrongdoer, that didn’t happen; this could lead to more discriminatory and militant behaviors in the future.
Being deemed in danger by an Israeli official, how did you receive his invitation for the Tunisian Jews to return to Israel?
The invitation was just for show. I know that Israel has the ‘Law of Return,’ which allows people who have Jewish blood to go and live in Israel. At the time, I said sarcastically that they should be careful for they could find eight million Tunisian Jews on their borders, meaning that it is impossible to separate Tunisians from Tunisian Jews after all these years of coexistence and mixing.
All I can say is that the Israelis as well as the Tunisians should let the Tunisian Jews live in peace, for they have the same rights as Muslim Tunisians.
As a Jew, what are your fears and demands?
Firstly, as a Tunisian, I am afraid we might lose the ray of hope we got after the revolution and all we aspired to, including freedom and dignity. I hope we maintain all our immaterial gains. As a Jew, I see no reason to be particularly fearful, as I am a Tunisian just like my fellow brothers.
But the Tunisian law discriminates between Jewish Tunisians and Muslim Tunisians?
Yes, for example, the president should be exclusively Muslim. I understand this and see no harm in it. I can say that we are accustomed to some discrimination.
