The hillula of Rav Ephraïm Encaoua, celebrated on the 5th of Iyar, is one of the most important events in the cultural calendar of the Jews of Tlemcen and Oran.
The Hillula (from the Aramaic 'wedding', 'feast') is a pilgrimage tradition deeply rooted in North African Judaism. The term designates the anniversary of the death of a saint (tsadik), regarded not as a mourning but as the 'mystical wedding' of the saint's soul with the Divine. The Hillula of Rab Éphraïm Al-Naqua, celebrated on the 5th of Iyar, is one of the most important events in the cultural calendar of the Jews of Tlemcen and Oran. Hundreds of pilgrims gather in Tlemcen itself (until recently) and across the diasporas to pray, light candles, recite piyutim, and share community meals.
The veneration of Jewish saints (tsadikim) is a major characteristic of North African Judaism, particularly in Morocco. The veneration of the tombs of rabbis and saintly figures, the pilgrimages (ziyarat), the miraculous healings, and the lighting of candles constitute a heritage of popular piety of exceptional richness. Rab Éphraïm occupies an eminent place in this pantheon of the Jewish saints of the Maghreb, alongside Rabbi Amram ben Diwan (Ouezzane), Rabbi Haïm Pinto (Essaouira), and Rabbi Shimon bar Yohaï (venerated on Lag Ba'Omer). This tradition of venerating saints shares remarkable affinities with local Muslim maraboutism, sometimes creating spaces of shared piety between Jews and Muslims.
Since 1962, commemorative ceremonies have been organized in the diasporas: Paris, Marseille, Netanya, Montreal, Dimona. In December 2012, François Hollande paid tribute to Rab Ephraïm Al-Naqua during his official visit to Tlemcen. For the Encaoua diaspora, these ceremonies play an essential role of identity cohesion: they allow the generations born in France or in Israel to connect with ancestral memory and to transmit the pride of belonging to a centuries-old lineage. The Hillula also functions as a space of family reunion, where branches of the family scattered across four continents gather around the shared memory of the founder.
The veneration of Rab Éphraïm transcended confessional boundaries. For centuries, Muslims of the Tlemcen region visited his tomb to seek healing and blessing, just as the Jewish pilgrims did. This mutual respect — documented by numerous testimonies — illustrates the depth of Judeo-Muslim coexistence in the Maghreb, far beyond mere tolerance. In 2012, the visit of President François Hollande to the Rab's tomb acquired a political and symbolic dimension, reminding the world that Tlemcen was, for centuries, a model of common life between religions. This interfaith legacy is one of the most precious bequests of the Encaoua lineage.
The pilgrimages and holy places of the Maghrebi communities are at the heart of the Histories gathered by MMJMM, which documents their traces, testimonies, and contemporary trajectories.