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	2005
	2004
	2003
	2002

The Chief Rabbi – Rabbi Shlomo Amar

I heard an interesting interpretation from a friend for the proverb “He that spareth his rod [shivto] hateth his son,” which goes well beyond the accepted meaning: a person that does not tell his son about his tribe [the Hebrew word for tribe and rod are the same], hates him, for he fails to provide the child with the basis he needs to grow and flourish.

            This assembly is dedicated to the true tradition of the tribe—a tradition that we Moroccan Jews have upheld for generations, by dint of our ancestors who bore the exile with dignity and genius, withstood all the challenges, studied Torah, and observed all the commandments. Just as Moshe rabainu [our rabbi] grasped on to the throne of the Holy One blessed be He and did not recoil from the ministering angels, we too held on to our faith in Hashem and our forefathers’ traditions. Our heritage endowed us with the strength to withstand all our enemies, as well as all our lovers, who sought to steer us off our path.

            Moroccan Jewry benefited from great Torah sages in all the fields of Torah study: Halachic jurisprudence, commentary, Talmudic scholarship, liturgical hymns, etc. Therefore, many libraries are brimming with the wisdom of Morocco’s scholars. Every city and region merited its own scholars. Morocco is a spacious land, and its metropolises are not only quite a distance from each other, but vastly different as well—to the point where each city is akin to a separate country. However, despite the heterogeneity and contrasts, there was cross-fertilization between the various communities.

Besides for their Torah prowess, Morocco’s sages also mastered the corpus of general knowledge, and their reputation thus spread throughout the world. That said, the periods in which we pursued other interests were, by the grace of God, fleeting. The shift away from our roots was connected to our aliyah to Israel and our dispersal to other lands. However, within a short time, we returned to quarry from our own mines, from the traditions that our forefathers had passed down from generation to generation.

            Now that we are reacquainting ourselves with the legacy of our forefathers, we must remember that this is the same holy Torah that was at the disposal of our forefathers, without which we have no hope of sustaining ourselves. It is the Torah that provides the light and by virtue of which we exist. For generations, it served as a mobile motherland that bore us on its shoulders through thick and thin. It is our duty to imbue our children and grandchildren with love for the Torah, so that they will not, heavens forbid, distance themselves in their desire to be too modern.

            The bond to the Land of Israel fortifies us and provides hope for the coming generations as well. The Land of Israel was given to us by dint of the Torah of Israel. A person that does not recognize the virtues of our land will draw closer by studying Torah. Indeed, the Torah has served as a common thread that has linked one generation to the next. Before the advent of faxes, telephones, and other means of communication, it connected the entire Jewish people regardless of where they dwelt, even those living in the most remote corners of the Earth; by dint of its very holiness, it united and drew Jews together. We will continue to grasp on to the Torah, and the Torah will continue to illuminate our path.

I would like to thank the President  and all the organizers for initiating this commendable enterprise. May it be the will of the Almighty that this gathering shall be for the sake of the heavens—may it bolster the unity and brotherhood amongst all the communities of Israel. By virtue of this endeavor, may we soon hear the call of the Messiah’s shofar proclaiming the redemption and salvation in our own lifetime. Amen.

Dr. Hayim Saadon

Dr. Saadon opens his lecture by mentioning two successful plays in Jewish-Moroccan Arabic that are running at al-Maghreb Theater in Israel. The success of these plays is indicative of the transformation that Israel’s Moroccan expatriates have undergone within the course of a generation. If this community once tended to downplay its roots, Moroccan heritage is now openly embraced and a source of pride. Another salient example of this phenomenon is the publication of two books: The Biblical Commentary of Rabbi Rafael Berdugo by the Israel Prize laureate, Prof. Moshe Bar-Asher, (5762/2002) and The Traditional Jewish Wedding in Morocco by Prof. Yosef Shetreet (5763/2003).

            Dr. Saadon then reveals the title of his lecture, “Morocco’s Jews Forge their Historical Memory,” and enumerates the four fundamental developments that influenced Moroccan Jewry during the twentieth century and crafted their identity in their expatriate communities. In the second part of the speech, the lecturer will discuss how Moroccan Jews are contending with their past and the identities that are taking shape in the current centers of Moroccan Jewish life.

            The first of the four developments is the cultural changes that Moroccan Jews have undergone over the past century. In 1912, French culture was added to the Arab, Berber, and Spanish influences. Zionist and to some extent Marxist ideologies also had an impact. A French culture ultimately emerged from this panoply of factors that is quite different from the culture in France or other francophone regions in the world.

            The second development is the demographic changes that Moroccan Jewry underwent, the most prominent of which was the community’s rapid growth. At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were about 100,000 Jews in Morocco, but by the eve of the War of Independence there were nearly 280,000. This ascent turned Morocco into the home of the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world. There were also major changes in all that concerned the distribution of the Jewish population within the country, as Jews relocated en masse. In the process, they dramatically altered their lifestyles as well. For example, the city of Casablanca jumped from 5,000 Jews at around the turn of the century to 85,000 in 1961, and Rabat’s community rose from 2,000 Jews to 13,000 in 1951. Alternatively, many Jews left the country altogether: 110,000 made aliyah (moved to Israel) from 1947 to 1957 and left behind what was still a sizeable population of 200,000 Jews. Another 20,000 settled in Israel between 1957 and 1962. Thereafter, the flood gates burst open, as another 100,000 Jews moved to Israel over the next two years. Unlike the traumatic waves of aliyah during the 1950s, the aliyah of the early 1960s was absorbed in a relatively smooth manner. Yet another mass exodus after the Six-Day War rendered the previously fertile community into a small outpost of Jewish life. Although there is a tendency to generalize and refer to all those who emigrated from the country ‘Moroccan Jews,’ this mass of humanity is, in fact, extremely diverse. This broad definition encompasses various identities and cultures that were profoundly influenced by their particular communities and geographic regions within Morocco.

            The third development is the special relationship between the Jewish community and the King of Morocco, which intensified during the French cultural invasion and all the more so following Moroccan independence. In fact, the relationship strengthened after most of the community had already departed. Moreover, the monarchy’s relations with the Israeli government and security factors added an especially unique dimension to these relations. In his memoirs, Meir Amit, the former head of the Mossad provides a moving testimony on the extent of the relationship between Israel and the Moroccan monarchy. For example, Amit described the large delegation from Israel that paid its respects at the funeral of King Hasan II. All Jewish Moroccan expatriates share similar sentiments with respect to the monarchy.

            The fourth development is the veneration of holy figures, both within and outside of Morocco. Distinguished researchers (Dr. Yisachar Ben Amir, Prof. Yoram Bilu, and others) have examined this phenomenon and its evident contradiction with modernity. This unique phenomenon has expanded in Israel, where, besides for the religious dimension, it has also taken on economic and political significance.

Of all the dispersions of Moroccan Jewry (Israel, France, Canada, Spain, and South America), the most prominent community is in Israel. The integration process of Moroccan Jews into Israeli society will not be discussed in detail herein. However, it must be noted that the absorption of Moroccan Jews during the 1950s is perceived in the Israeli consciousness as a most trying enterprise. At the time, the political and social establishment feared that their integration would orientalize Israeli society, especially given the relatively high number of potential Moroccan olim (immigrants to Israel) vis à vis the size of the yishuv (the Jewish community in Israel before the establishment of the state). No wonder, then, that negative stereotypes evolved, which formed a psychological barrier between Moroccan Jewry and Israeli society. The quintessential example of these fears was the encounter between the Jews from north Africa and Europe that were caught trying to slip into the yishuv with the help of the ma’apilim (a force that smuggled Jews past naval blockades and into Israel) at the detention camps in Cypress.

            Other examples of this tension include Aryeh Gelblum’s known article in Haaretz in April 1949 (wherein he claimed that the Moroccan olim were primitive), the aliyah selection criteria, and Wadi Saliv (Moroccan riots in Haifa in 1956). The differences between Ashkenazim and Sephardim and terms such as ‘ethnic gap’ were prevalent features of the integration of Morocco’s Jews into Israeli society.

However, today—in this the second generation since Israel’s independence— a profound change has begun to take place in the attitude towards the Moroccan expatriates. For example, the “Song of Requests” and Memunah Festivities have become accepted parts of the Israeli calendar and holiday culture. The representation of Moroccan Jews in the institutions of government has increased and the importance of ones origin has diminished. Overall, the stereotypes that informed the country’s first years are steadily dissipating. The activities of Moroccan expatriate organizations in Israel have played a role in all these developments. These groups have not only sought to change the old image, but to shape the community’s historical memory as well.

There are several focal points of remembrance. Foremost among them is the official commemoration of the day on which the Egoz, a ma’apilim ship, sank in 1961 as Ha’apala from Morocco Day. A public committee has been established for this purpose and several activities have been undertaken to mark the tragedy: some of the remains of the dead have been brought to Israel and buried on Mount Herzl; ceremonies are held every year in Jerusalem and Ashdod; and television programs and musicals have been produced on the Egoz.

            The Egoz has thus become a part of the Israeli ethos. Unfortunately, according to Dr. Saadon, the story is not backed by sufficient historical research and there are substantial discrepancies between the various versions of the affair. This is not the first time a focal point of remembrance that has not been verified by means of scientific research has determined what is widely believed to be the historical facts. The archives on the topic have yet to be opened, and the public record is primarily comprised of private testimonies. Let us hope that the research currently being conducted will determine the facts behind the Egoz affair once and for all.

            Another center of consciousness is the above-mentioned Memunah. Although the exact origins are a matter for debate, Moroccan Jews would celebrate the day after Passover with an array of foods and costumes. This annual warm gesture was named the Memunah, and Moroccan expatriate communities continue to celebrate this holiday. Since the 1960s, the Memunah has turned into a public event that attracts the leaders of Israeli society. Every year the celebrations seem to take on a more national airs, as the event is celebrated by wide swathes of the general public, albeit with the original Moroccan symbols of the holiday: food, attire, and music. The Memunah has even become an accepted day off from work. Similar holidays of other communities have neither reverberated throughout Israeli society nor enjoyed the same success as the Memunah.

            Moroccan Jewish organizations that endeavor to forge the community’s collective memory have, inter alia, renewed the tradition of the Song of Requests and have founded centers that are devoted to Moroccan-Jewish hymns (not to mention the Andalusia Symphony). Similar activities have also been undertaken in other centers of the Moroccan-Jewish dispersion.

The very process of shaping the public memory is most beneficial. Other communities can learn from the enterprise of Moroccan Jews, which has proven that once traditions and events have undergone a process of natural selection—whereby they are pared down to their most acceptable, popular elements—Israeli culture will eventually absorb them all.

            To conclude, the lecturer offers to change the name of his lecture to “The Secret behind Moroccan Charm.”

 Dr. Moshe Amar

I have been asked to compare the institution of the rabbinate in Morocco to its counterpart in Israel. The Chief Rabbinate in Israel was established in 1921 by the British Mandate. Its authority was limited to the laws of matrimony (marriage and divorce) and was subordinate to Mandatory and subsequently Israeli law. In Morocco, the rabbinate was founded in 1918, and this marked the first time that a chief rabbi would serve all the Jews of Morocco. The appointee also served as the nasi (chief justice) of the Rabbinic High Court of Appeals.  Rav Rephael Alkava of blessed memory was the first chief rabbi of Morocco.

            In a country as vast as Morocco, the distances and transportation difficulties gave rise to disparate traditions of jurisprudence, as various regions adopted their own unique customs. However, with the improvement in communications during the French Mandate, the differences started to stick out and questions and perplexities arose: Which customs—for example, kashrut or inheritance law—should be binding on the entire community? Since their were no longer isolated communities—in fact, the opposite was the case, as there was extensive contact between the various communities, much of which was quite intimate—there was a need to bridge the Halachic differences Yet another serious problem that Moroccan Jewry was confronted with was the forces of secularization, which were undermining Jewish tradition. The French introduced secularization to Morocco in the late nineteenth century and it continued to influence the country throughout the course of the twentieth century.

In response to these urgent problems, the rabbinic leadership decided to call a rabbinical conference, and six such conventions were held between 1947 and 1956. Although they dealt with highly contentious issues, the leaders organized the conferences and established guidelines in a manner that guaranteed their success. For example, a very limited amount of time was allotted to each subject, as the rabbis realized that the discussions and negotiations themselves would not lead to solutions. Instead, all the participants received the topics in advance and did their homework, so that the primary objective of the assembly was not to discuss the issues, but to decide on them by means of a majority vote in a public show of hands. Rabbi Shaul Ibn Danan, the deputy chief rabbi (who later served as the chief rabbi) told the delegates that this sort of framework had been in place since the destruction of the Temple. Indeed, the Torah authorizes the scholars of each generation to adjudicate reforms and this applies to the present generation as well. The rabbis are thus prohibited from shirking away from responsibility and weaseling their way out of ruling on the pressing matters of the day. Accordingly, it is thus clear that claims such as “What will the fanatics say” or “We have less authority than the first generations” don’t hold water.

            Of the many topics that were discussed at these rabbinical conferences, I would like to focus on two problems that the rabbis in Morocco indeed managed to resolve, but which in Israel have continued to linger on for years with no end in sight. The first topic is the inheritance laws in Morocco. At the time, three different customs were in practice: the Marrakesh region acted strictly in accordance to Halacha; the Spanish region adhered to the customs of the Jewish exiles from Spain; and in Paz, Rabbi Raphael Berdugo’s rules were added to the reforms of the Spanish exiles.

            The rabbis then formulated a code that would apply to all of Morocco’s Jews, but the delegates nonetheless had qualms about revising traditions that had been practiced for five hundred years. Heeding Rabbi Danan’s advice, the rabbis decided to conduct a country-wide survey, and most of the communities agreed to accept their reform. Correspondingly, the Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Isaac Herzog, sat together with his Sephardic counterpart, Rabbi Uziel, and mooted over the same exact issue for years. The two wrote countless articles on the matter, but ultimately failed to reform the inheritance laws—apparently due to their trepidation of the fanatics.

            The conferences also dealt with the matter of kashrut. Until that time, when a Moroccan Jew traveled to another community, he deliberated long and hard over whether he could eat the food, especially the meat. The solution that they found was both simple and interesting. Notwithstanding the manifold customs, everyone agreed that there was one tradition that could be substantiated: the kashrut in the city of Meknes, where interpretations had been written for generations by the rabbis of the Berdugo family. Consequently, the Meknes tradition appeared to be well-grounded, and the delegates proposed adopting it as the law of the land. However, since the rabbis were sensitive about hurting the feelings of the other communities, they established a special committee of rabbis which conducted an in-depth study of the various kashrut customs. The committee found that there were 23 discrepancies between the customs. Thereafter, they examined each difference and searched for the custom that was most grounded in Halacha. After two years, the committee unanimously agreed upon a new kashrut code that would apply to the entire community—from the simple Jew to the most stringent observer.

            I would now like to turn our attention to yet another topic that remains relevant to this day and age: the phenomenon of hilulot (veneration ceremonies) at the graves of the righteous. In both Israel and Morocco, this phenomenon only reached its present magnitude during the 1950s. Due to the rise in the number of hilulot, the matter was raised before the Moroccan Rabbinical Council. The rabbis ruled that they had no choice but to countenance those hilulot that already existed. However, from thereon in the entire matter would be placed under the supervision of the Council, and anyone wishing to add a new hilula must receive the approval of the Rabbinical High Court in Morocco along with the consent of the chief rabbi. Since the decision was passed, not one hilula has been added. In my opinion, this episode testifies to the fact that the rabbis of Morocco were men that led and not men that were led. Regretfully, here in Israel a new saint is proclaimed on a daily basis, whereas in Morocco the rabbis in Morocco urged their flock “not to call these ceremonies hilulim (venerations) but chilulim (denigrations).”

            In sum, from the expulsion of Spain in 1492 until 1956, the rabbis of Morocco took advantage of reforms in order to solve their problems. As far as we know, the reforms of the Moroccan Rabbinic Council are the last to be enacted in the communities of Israel. These reforms prove that the scholars of Morocco dwelled amongst their flock. Despite the holes that the onset of modernity had pierced in the armor of Jewish tradition, these men didn’t try to shirk away from responsibility and initiated discussions on these very problems. Whereupon they passed utile reforms within the framework of Halacha, before the public even had a chance to devise its own solutions in a manner that would perhaps contradict the Halacha.

            The Rabbinical Council in Morocco is an exemplary example of a rabbinic institution that had the wherewithal to cope with the challenges of modern life. Their discussions and reforms enabled them to find solutions for every problem they encountered within the framework of the Halacha and Hebrew law. Israel’s rabbinate has much to learn from the sagacious rabbis of Morocco.

 Prof. Shimon Shetreet

Prof. Shetreet commences his words with warm greetings to the guests: Mr. André Azoulay, King Muhammad VI’s advisor, who left a thriving personal business in order to take on a royal mission; to Mr. Serge Berdugo the chairperson of the community and the former minister of tourism, whose endeavors earned him the king’s Seal of Excellence; to Mr. Robert Asraf, who besides for filling top-ranking government posts donated a chair to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

            The topic of his lecture is the contribution of Moroccan Jewry to Israeli society and democracy, with a look back at the past while keeping an eye on the future. Prof Shetreet made aliyah with his family in 1949, when he was three years old. Most of Moroccan Jewry rose to the occasion, fulfilled the mitzvah (biblical commandment) of Zionism, and made aliyah. Members of the community can be counted among the pillars of Israeli society. Many of these builders and contributors are in the audience: rabbis, scholars, military officers, business people, public figures, professors, and farmers. Included among them are also members of the north African, Zionist underground, whose praiseworthy efforts set the stage for the arrival of these Diasporas to Israel. Today, Israel’s Moroccan community consists of over 600,000 members.

 Throughout its history, Moroccan Jewry has preserved its bond to the Land of Israel. Community members also made aliyah long before the establishment of the state—for example, Rabbi Chaim Ben-Attar in the eighteenth century or Rabbi Ya’acov Abu-Chatzairah, who died on route to Zion. The Shlush, Amzaleg, and Moyal families were already on hand to welcome the arrival of the BILU pioneers (a Zionist movement founded in Russia, whose members first reached the Promised Land in 1882). In addition, these Moroccan families were among the founders of Achuzat Bayit (the association that founded the first neighborhood in Tel-Aviv), and quite a few of them were also ma’apilim. The illegal aliyah would continue until the tragic sinking of the Egoz in January 1961(forty-four people lost their lives in that terrible disaster), after which the gates of legal immigration from Morocco were opened. Thanks to the intervention of Prof. Shetreet, the late Yitzchak Rabin of blessed memory instructed the Mossad to submit its confidential report on the Egoz affair to the bereaved families.

            Today, many Moroccan-Jewish expatriates and their progeny, who were born outside of Morocco, visit the country. These visits have become a unique and deeply moving event. It constitutes a link to their personal past that also taps into the history of the entire Jewish people. Jews of Moroccan descent must bear the responsibility for documenting and collecting the cultural treasures that have been left behind in Morocco, where the Jews enjoyed much cultural and economic autonomy. This endeavor is especially important in light of the fact that throughout most of its history the people of Morocco—Muslims and Jews alike—managed to uphold a culture of peace.

This is the moment to commend Mr. Chaim Cohen for his beautiful exhibit in the Knesset on the central figures of Morocco’s Jewish community. He also wishes to thank the Association of Moroccan Organizations in Israel, under the leadership of Yizhak Eshel, for the support that they provide to scholars researching the field of Moroccan Jewry. Prof. Shetreet underscores the studies that have been conducted on the aliyah of the Mughrabim (Jews from the Maghreb that came to Israel in the mid-nineteenth century) and the settlement of the “new aliyah” between 1943 and 1964. In fact, the members of the new aliyah were responsible for the founding of 115 moshavim (cooperative agricultural villages), 15 kibbutzim, and 20 new towns in Israel.

            Furthermore, the Committee of the Sephardic Community—the most venerable of the north African expatriate organizations—the World Center for the Heritage of North African Jewry, BeYachad, the World Federation of Moroccan Jews, and other organizations, which represent specific cities of origin, sectors, etc, all deserve to be extolled on account of their endeavors to preserve the cultural legacy of Moroccan Jewry.

            Prof. Shetreet reiterates the fact that his accolades apply to all the organizations that are involved in this enterprise—including those that were not specifically mentioned—but he admits that there are too many organizations. The lecturer thus turns to President Katzav who perhaps by virtue of his wisdom will manage to help these groups transform into one, unified, and united organization, so that we will not be a Babylon, but as stated in Genesis and Ezekiel will “become of one flesh” or “one tree trunk.”

Mr. André Azoulay, Advisor to King Muhammad VI of Morocco

I will speak from the heart about what I truly feel. First and foremost, I would like to thank President Katzav for making this evening possible. For me, as both a Moroccan Jew and Jewish Moroccan, this is indeed an historic occasion in the annals of Moroccan Jewry, for it marks the realization of a dream that all Jews of Moroccan descent have harbored for some thirty or forty years:

            During these same years, it wasn’t easy for Moroccan Jews in Israel and other countries to bear the derisive glances and attitudes that evinced both ignorance and prejudice. These were years in which members of our community changed their names and concealed their true place of birth. It is indeed a tragedy when a person severs himself from his own heritage. In contrast, the prevailing trend today is to take pride in one’s Moroccan roots, but we mustn’t forget the recent past. The shift stems from our obdurate persistence to uphold the traditions of Moroccan Jewry. This effort has not been undertaken out of a sense of obligation to someone else, but stems from an internal feeling and need. We sensed that this was the way to reach a state of equilibrium and secure our happiness. Therefore, the turnaround is the victory of those Moroccan Jews who unequivocally rejected the tempting options of forgetting or denial.

            The decision to preserve the values of Moroccan-Jewish heritage for ourselves and the coming generations obligates Israel’s Moroccan community to place all these same values at the disposal of Israel’s most vital interests—security and peace with all your neighbors—for to be a Moroccan means to take action on behalf of peace. The education that we received from our parents, teachers, and rabbis instilled in us the importance of respecting our neighbors, who were usually Muslims. We were taught that all Moroccans are entitled to freedom, justice, happiness, and security and that both Muslims and Jews are endowed with dignity. Already as a child, I demonstrated on behalf of Morocco’s independence, for this was the message that I received from my forefathers and rabbis. As peace mongers, Morocco’s Jews wish to do everything in our power to promote meetings between Israelis and Palestinians, while preserving the dignity of both sides. As Jews living in a Muslim country, it is indeed incumbent upon us to do everything we can for the sake of the peace process. The words that I express before both Jewish and Muslim or Arab audiences are one and the same. We Moroccans are part of a culture that is thousands of years old. This culture developed in the East in the same expanse in which Islam took form, and the Moroccan Jews have always been a part of this world.

            A process began some fifty years ago that dispersed Morocco’s Jews throughout the far corners of the earth—to Israel and other countries—and left but a handful of Jews in the country. However, the detachment from the expanse in which this community developed was not the end of the line, but the beginning of a new road. Moroccan Jewry is destined to cultivate its memory in joy and happiness. Even if we have endured periods of hardship and suffering, our history lacks the tragic stories of other communities. Moroccan Jews did not experience the litany of persecutions and murders that others went through. Therefore, the relative harmony that informs the history of Moroccan Jewry is nothing to be scoffed at. We have enjoyed special relations with our neighbors, who, for the most part, have understood us and protected the Jewish community in times of need.

            Over the past fifty years, the Jews in this Muslim country heard about every incident in which a Jew or Israeli was killed by an Arab or Muslim and in which a Palestinian or Arab was harmed by a Jew. It is not easy to live as a Jew in a Muslim country when these sorts of events transpire. The kings of Morocco have made quite an effort to transform the relations between Israel and the Arab world. Against this backdrop, Morocco’s Jews have done whatever they possibly can to initiate and advance the peace process. Today, it is incumbent upon Moroccan Jews, wherever they may be, to assume an ideological stand that will serve the cause of peace.

            In the presence of the Rishon LeZion [chief Sephardic rabbi], I am honored to point out the pride that Morocco’s Jews take in the rabbis that have shepherded our communities over the generations—even if this topic has yet to merit the attention it deserves. I truly hope that other Jews will also learn about and recognize the contributions of these wise rabbis.

May the next generations—our children and grandchildren—also experience the joy of learning from Moroccan Jewry and realizing what a privilege it is to be a Moroccan Jew. Finally, may the legacy of Moroccan Jewry be as much a part of them as it is a part of us.

 Mr. Robert Asraf

To begin with, I thank President Katzav and the participants for their gracious hospitality.

 For what is now ten years, I have run the Center for the Study of Moroccan-Jewish History. In 1948, there were some 250,000 to 280,000 Jews in Morocco; between 1945 and 1950, 34,000 made aliyah; and another 86,000 settled in Israel from 1953 to 1956, in the aftermath of King Muhammad V’s exile to Madagascar. In the early 1960s, after Hasan II had already assumed the throne, my hands-on cooperation with the authorities enabled 100,000 more Jews to make aliyah. Nearly a quarter million Moroccan Jews eventually immigrated to Israel, which for all intents and purposes constituted practically the entire community (as much as 90%). The reason that so many Moroccan Jews left for Israel is that the community has always been connected to the Jewish faith as well as the Jewish people. Our pride in our Moroccan roots has accompanied us to Israel and every other venue that we have reached (France, Canada, etc.).

In my opinion, there are at most 3,000 Jews left in Morocco. Those that remain essentially live in both Morocco and France, to include the community’s leaders.

For generations, the Jewish nation has preserved its religion on its own, and our relationship with God is direct and unmediated. These attributes will continue to inform this relationship in the future.

We are a nation that strives for peace. For years the community has stated that we are waiting for the Arabs, including the Moroccans, to recognize the State of Israel and then we too would reciprocate by recognizing the State of Palestine.

 Mr. Serge Berdugo

Mr. Berdugo opens his speech by commending the president on his initiative. He then makes note of the festive occasion that was held the day before in the Knesset—the opening of an exhibit on the central figures in the history of Moroccan Jewry. Above all, he is glad to see that Moroccan Jewry is steadily securing its rightful place in the State of Israel.

Morocco’s Jewish community is gradually rebuilding itself in the aftermath of the mass exodus, as no more than 5,000 Jews remain out of a community that once boasted 280,000 members. The community’s leaders, and especially its women, have made quite an effort to revive Jewish life in Morocco. In 1977, contact with the rest of the Jewish world was restored following a decade of efforts. Since the community’s establishment, it has borne a two-pronged mission: to be both loyal Moroccans and loyal Jews. The community has indeed managed to fulfill both of these tasks.

            Moroccan Jewry is one of the few active Jewish communities in the Muslim world. Today, there are some thirty synagogues and three schools, with a total of about 3,000 children. All of the pupils that take the matriculation examinations earn their diplomas. Last year, the community hosted about 5,000 visitors. In addition, three dayanim (rabbinical judges) were qualified to adjudicate over all pertinent matters.

            Unfortunately, due to Morocco’s poverty and unemployment, it is susceptible to the scourges of fundamentalism and terror. This became starkly evident on May 23, 2000, when three attacks were launched against Jewish sites. Luckily, there were no casualties, and the local population reacted quickly, as over one million people marched in protest of the attacks. Additionally, the king paid a visit to the community and promised to protect its members and their property. The community thus feels that the authorities are looking out for its well being, to the same degree to which they tend to the needs of the rest of the country’s citizens.

            Morocco’s Jewish community has made the preservation of its assets, which the members gradually built up over the generations, a prime objective, and several synagogues and cemeteries have already been renovated. Similarly, a Jewish museum has been inaugurated in Casablanca, which is open to the general public. All its visitors learn about the existence of another, non-Muslim Morocco. There are also radio programs, websites, and bibliographical publications on the community. Naturally, the entire preservation enterprise requires the support of Moroccan Jews throughout the world.

            Morocco’s Jews wish to contribute their share to the peace process in the Middle East, In fact, they have persistently pursued this course, without fanfare, since 1984, as they have been involved in and encouraged every possible meeting between Israelis and Palestinians. All this has been made possible on account of the welcomed efforts of Morocco’s kings—Hasan II in his time and Muhammad VI today—and its people. Even if the Moroccans support the Palestinians’ demands, they understand that Israel requires guarantees in order to exist in peace and security.

            Despite the misleading images, the speaker has no doubt that Moroccan Jews in Israel and the world over will help reconcile the differences between Israelis and Palestinians. This is a small community whose importance transcends its mere size.

Morocco’s Jews are intimately connected to its dispersions and proud of their achievements. The hearts of all Moroccan Jews beat as one regardless of where they may be.

Mr. Berdugo thus considers the Moroccan Jewish community a symbol of hope and reconciliation between all the progeny of Abraham.

The honorable president of Israel, Mr. Moshe Katzav

Closing Remarks

After hosting meetings on other Jewish communities, such as the United States, South America, and France, President Katzav was truly excited about holding this forum on Moroccan Jewry.

Moroccan Jewry maintained a close bond to the Land of Israel for generations—well before the establishment of the state. It is a community with values and achievements, and its spiritual contribution stands out in all fields of human endeavor. This community also made a substantial contribution to the construction of Israel and its great achievements. Since its arrival, its enterprise is evident throughout the State of Israel, from Metullah to Eilat. Moroccan Jewry is a thus a full-fledged partner in humanity’s greatest achievement of the twentieth century: the establishment and development of the State of Israel. The community’s descendants as well as many others will long remember Moroccan Jewry’s unique contribution to all facets of Israeli life.

The president does not intend upon merely reminiscing about the past—on the community’s achievements, history, legacy, and contribution to the construction of the country, as well as the research on the history of Moroccan Jewry in Morocco, Israel, and its dispersions, or on recalling the difficulties absorbing the Moroccan olim and the illegal aliyah. Instead, President Katzav will also turn his attention to the question of how to shape the image of Moroccan Jewry in the coming future and in the next fifty to a hundred years. Besides for the heritage that is shared by the entire Jewish people, it is imperative that the leadership of the Moroccan community safeguard and preserve its unique legacy, so that it can bequeath it to the next generations. In light of the negative processes besetting the Jewish people, we will, for the most part, only be able to uphold our tradition here in the State of Israel. Moroccan Jews are not immune to these phenomena. It is worth remembering that two-thirds of all Jewish children in the United States do not receive a Jewish education. This laxity is also liable to harm those Moroccan Jews that are dispersed throughout the world. Therefore, the leadership of Moroccan Jewry must take responsibility over this vital issue.

            Moroccan Jewry also contributed to the creation of a culture that was shared by Jew and Muslim alike. The kings of Morocco also deserve to be praised for helping the Jewish community develop over the years. President Katzav wishes to personally extol the contribution of King Hasan II of blessed memory. For their part, Morocco’s Jews supported the Istiqlal movement in its struggle for independence. Likewise, the president wishes to commend the present king, Muhammad VI, for protecting the Jewish community and condemning anti-Semitism.

For historical reasons and in light of the shared interests of the two countries, the president hopes that diplomatic relations with Morocco will soon be renewed. Consequently, President Katzav would like to take this opportunity to forward the king of Morocco an invitation to visit Israel through the good offices of the king’s talented advisor, Mr. André Azoulay.

On account of Mr. Azoulay’s words, the president would also like to refer to the conflict with the Palestinians. Over the past twelve years, the State of Israel has orchestrated an historic turnaround in its attitude towards the Palestinians. Therefore, in the president’s opinion, it appears as if the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian worlds do not appreciate the significance of these changes, for at this very moment Qassam rockets are unfortunately falling on Israel…

This historic shift can roughly be broken down into three seminal events. The first was the decision to sign the Oslo Accords and the historic handshake that ensued between Yitzchak Rabin and Yasser Arafat on the White House lawn. The second event transpired three years ago in the Knesset, when the Israeli government decided to support the establishment of a Palestinian state. Who in the Arab world would have thought that this was at all possible twenty or even ten years ago?

The third event, which was of utmost importance, was the withdrawal of 25 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. This measure has caused a deep rift and great pain in Israeli society. Therefore, we expected a different reaction from the Palestinians than the launching of Qassam rockets and terror attacks; in fact, eight Israelis were killed just this past week.

Despite the exceedingly horrible relations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, the president believes that today the political differences between the two sides are smaller than ever. Consequently, there is an historic opportunity to bridge these gaps and bring about reconciliation and peace. It is only fitting that the Palestinian leadership should prove its seriousness by reciprocating Israel’s efforts at rapprochement with but the smallest first step. The president believes that Abu Mazen is an honest man and a partner. Therefore, he hopes to meet with him soon in the President’s Residence. Neither side can expect to attain 100% of its demands, or realize all its dreams. Each party will have to make certain compromises, but our concessions must be accompanied by concessions on their part as well. Against this backdrop, a visit on the part of King Muhammad VI can foster an atmosphere that will engender a breakthrough.

The president thanks all those who have come and all the lecturers for their impressive speeches. He concludes by expressing his hope that this gathering will contribute to the continued realization of the processes that are so essential to us all.