Moroccan Jews

Moroccan Jews

 Moroccan Jews

They are Moroccans who converted to Judaism, although many of them emigrated, but they still maintain their ancient religious temples in Morocco, especially in the old neighborhoods in which they lived, known as the Mellah

The number of Moroccan Jews was in the range of 250 thousand in 1940, and that number represented 10% of the total population of the country, and then began their migrations to various parts of the world such as Canada, the United States and Western European countries, including Israel, but they remained connected to the culture of their country The original was even among the second or third generation of immigrants, and many of them kept the Moroccan passport along with the nationality

Moroccan Jews

The Jewish presence in Morocco is as old as Judaism

A number of studies suggest that their arrival to North Africa came in the wake of the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BC, and migrations followed, while another belief goes that Judaism spread among the early inhabitants of Morocco, and this is reinforced by some recent studies of the genetic marker (haplogroup). , while subsequent migrations strengthened the Jewish population presence in Morocco during the fall of Andalusia in the late fifteenth century, which came after the appearance of signs of exile, deportation and expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Andalusia in 1492 and Portugal in 1497. There are about 36 synagogues in Morocco and an important number of Jewish shrines and shrines In various Moroccan regions, the most famous are in Fez (Dnan Synagogue), Essaouira, Zan, Marrakesh Taroudant, Sefrou, Oujda and Tetouan. In line with Moroccan nationality laws, the Moroccan state issued a decision in 1976 not to forfeit Moroccan nationality from Moroccan Jews who emigrated in the previous stages, and thus they can return to their country whenever they want as Moroccan citizens

Moroccan Jews

The number of Jews who used to live in Morocco

The first statistics indicate that the number of Moroccan Jews residing in Morocco amounted to about 200 thousand, which constituted about 10% to 15% of the population of Morocco. , including 10,000 Jews distributed in the main Moroccan cities, especially in Casablanca, only half of them are permanent residents in Morocco, while the second half has only secondary residence in Morocco, according to other estimates, according to a report issued in 2010 by an American organization interested in monitoring religions and the rights of minorities in the world It is called the Pew Forum for Religion and Public Life - they constitute - less than 0.1 percent, i.e. less than 10 thousand of the total number of Moroccans estimated at about 35 million people.[2] Many sources indicate that the number of Jews in Morocco ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 people.[3] Hebrew University researcher Sergio della Pergola estimated that there were 2,300 Jews in Morocco as of 2015. In 2015 the World Jewish Congress estimated the number of Jews in Casablanca at around 1,000, followed by Marrakesh with about 250 people, Meknes with about 250 people, and Tangiers with about 1,000 people. About 150 people, Fez with about 150 people, and Tetouan with about 100 people

Moroccan Jews

Jews in Morocco have great activity, whether in the economic or political field. A number of Jews participated in the Moroccan authority, including Serge Berdigo, who was Minister of Tourism, and King Hassan II had a Jewish advisor for economic affairs called Andre Azoulay, who still occupies the same position during the reign of King Hassan II. King Mohammed VI, and in 1986 the Jewish representative in Parliament (Joe Ohana) was appointed in the Moroccan Parliament for the Essaouira region and treasurer of the Presidency of the Parliament