Tunisian rabbi

Chief Rabbi Chaim Madar (Hebrew: חיים מאדאר) was the chief rabbi of Tunisia's Jewish community, a community dating back to 586 BCE.[citation needed] He was the spiritual leader of this community until his death in Jerusalem on December 3, 2004. His funeral services were held at the Beit Mordechai Synagogue in La Goulette, Tunis, and the El Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba where he lived for most of his life. Among those extending their condolences was Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.