From Libya to Israel: The Extraordinary Life Story and Struggle of Dr. David Djerbi
Dr. David Djerbi shares his dramatic life story, from surviving the 1967 riots in Libya and meeting Muammar Gaddafi to rescue his aunt, to his ongoing struggle to bring Libyan Jewish heritage and graves to Israel.
Dr. David Djerbi explores the depths of psychology and psychoanalysis, but his personal life story is a historical drama that transcends borders. In an interview with Oded Harush, he reveals the moments of terror in Libya, his dramatic meeting with Muammar Gaddafi, and his relentless struggle to bring the bones of Libyan Jews to burial in Israel.
A Pastoral Childhood
Dr. David Djerbi was born and raised in Libya under the rule of King Idris. His earliest memories present a complex yet relatively tolerant fabric of life: a work week that divided his time between the Muslim muezzin, Saturday Jewish prayer, and the Sunday bells of Italian churches. However, this pastoral setting was about to shatter completely.
The turning point came in June 1967, at the height of the Six-Day War. While Libyan residents listened to false radio reports about a crushing Arab victory and the erasure of Israel, crowds took to the streets shouting anti-Jewish slogans.
Inside the home, with the family locked away and terrified, their Muslim housekeeper saved them, preventing them from going out to their deaths. Shortly afterward, Jewish homes were set on fire and much property was looted. For an ancient community that had lived in Libya for thousands of years, this was the signal to leave and find shelter in Italy and Israel.
Meeting the Tyrant
Years later, in 2002, it turned out that Djerbi's aunt, Dabash Rina—whom everyone thought had passed away—was actually the last Jew remaining in Libya. To reach her and rescue her, Djerbi was required to meet face-to-face with Muammar Gaddafi, the cruel leader of Libya whose name was tied to international terrorism.
Gaddafi, seeking ways to forge alliances and normalize relations with the United States, demanded that Djerbi act as a sort of political reconciliation envoy in America. In return, Djerbi was permitted to enter Libya under VIP security.
"They asked me if I wasn't afraid," Djerbi recounts. "I was afraid at first, but afterward the fear subsided and my faith rose."
When he arrived at the nursing home where his aunt was held in difficult condition and without communication, a defining moment occurred. Djerbi placed a small Star of David on her that he had brought secretly. Immediately afterward, the woman who had not uttered a sound from her lips for a long time opened her mouth, recognized him and his family, and even conducted a clear conversation about the upcoming Jewish holidays.
The Ongoing Struggle
Despite the successful rescue of his aunt, the nightmare surrounding the cemeteries and Jewish heritage in Libya continued to haunt Djerbi. In 2007, while trying to return to Libya with mezuzot and holy items to restore ruined synagogues, he was arrested at the airport in Benghazi by hostile security personnel who suspected him of being a spy.
To this very day, Dr. Djerbi's life struggle is not over. The Jewish cemeteries in Libya remain open, and some have been destroyed down to their foundations. Despite diplomatic contacts and secret channels he tried to advance over the years, his grand dream remains unchanged.
"My dream is to take the bones out of there and bring them to a dignified burial on the Mount of Olives," Djerbi shares.
Until a real solution is found, and as long as the voices of the last Libyan Jews continue to echo across the sea, we are left to listen to Dr. Djerbi's cry: to remember, not to give up on human dignity, and to maintain the sacred commitment to the honor of those who are no longer with us.
