Tunisian authorities foil smuggling of 15th-century Torah scroll
Authorities from the North African country arrest a group of suspects belonging to an international smuggling ring; Torah was set to smuggled and sold in Europe.
According to Tunisian authorities, a group of suspects were arrested following a tip that the Torah scroll was being transferred to a European country as part of an antiquities smuggling operation.
During a press conference, Tunisian National Guard spokesman Khalifa al-Shibani presented the rare Torah scroll, which measures 37m long and 47cm wide.
According to al-Shibani, unidentified foreign elements attempted to buy the scroll, which he described as "a unique historical item for the world."
Later in the press conference, al-Shibani said, "Experts at the National Heritage Institute have confirmed that the Torah scroll is an extremely rare, historical and invaluable item that is from the 15th century."
The scroll seems to contain all parts of the Torah, yet Hebrew language experts argue that this scroll was written before the various books of the Torah were organized into their present order.
Tunisia's Jewish community has shrunk dramatically since the establishment of the State of Israel, yet there is still a Jewish presence on the island of Djerba, which attracts Jewish tourists every year for the holiday of Lag BaOmer.
