Les Juifs et la franc-maçonnerie en terre coloniale : le cas de la Tunisie

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Judaism and Freemasonry in Colonial TunisiaThanks to available archives, the author was able to examine the Jewish presence within French Masonic lodges in Tunisia, the regularity of their membership, as well as their social profile. Although Jews, especially those originating from Livorno, had been accepted in some lodges in Tunis since the 18th century, the French lodges which had been growing in number during the Regency after 1881, had over a very long period offered only a very limited access to Jews who were mostly Tunisians citizens or foreigners. When in 1923, French citizenship was granted more easily, Jews joining the lodges became more numerous and socially diversified. To the Jewish Freemasons, Freemasonry proved to be a place of sociability and integration within French culture and colonial society. In addition, it was a place where the Grana and the Twansa were gradually able to come closer to each other. On the other hand, Freemasonry did not result in Jewish Masons breaking ties with their community.