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Aug. 18, 2006
The other road into Morocco
Ancient land in northwest Africa was home to thousands of Jews.
BEN G. FRANK
For Jews, the road to Morocco is narrower, harder to navigate,
full of potholes and yet still a wonderful, rewarding pathway to
pursue.
The twists and turns of history may cloud our vision before setting
foot in this exotic land, but once there, the many frequent signposts,
the small synagogues and the meagre Jewish congregations pop up
and remind us of the once great and large Jewish community that
thrived here.
Until a half-century ago, there were 300,000 Jews living in this
country of nearly 30 million, located in the northwest corner of
Africa on the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean and inhabited
through the centuries by Carthaginians, Romans, Christians, Jews,
Berbers and Arabs.
Like most Diaspora communities in Arab lands today, only about 3,000
Jews reside in Morocco. Between 1948, when the state of Israel was
established, and 1968, a year after the Six Day War, tens of thousands
of Moroccan Jews moved to France, Canada, the United States and
Israel. They left behind centuries of intellectual life, including
the brief residence of the great sage Maimonides, who lived in Fez.
Morocco was once a land of refuge for Jews fleeing Spain both after
the 1391 riots and after the expulsions from Iberia at the end of
the 15th century. They were integrated into the country by those
first Jews who resided among the Berbers in the Atlas and other
mountainous districts of Morocco. In most towns, Jews were forced
to live in a Jewish quarter, the mellah (place of salt.)
Casablanca is the jumping-off point for any tour of Morocco. Three
million people live in this city. It's one of the four largest municipalities
on the African continent. Casablanca means "white house,"
a name given to this urban centre first by the Portuguese and then
the Spanish, who plied the waters of the Atlantic and established
fortresses and harbor towns along the coast. This busy port city,
with its broad avenues, skyscrapers and luxury hotels, is home to
most of today's Moroccan Jews.
For a taste of Jewish life in Casablanca, stop in at Ohalie Yosef
Yitzhak Lubavitch at 174 Boulevard Ziraoui and meet Raizel Raskin.
She'll take you on a tour of the school, with its more than 100
students. Then there's Bet Chabad, on rue al Khaouarizmi at the
corner of 10 rue Washington.
A few synagogues function every day. One of these is Temple Beth
El, at 61 rue Jaber Ben Hayane. There are minyans every morning
and evening. Beth El is the main synagogue and tourists often attend
services. The stained-glass windows are very moving. Nearby is a
Jewish school and a kosher bakery.
In Anfa, an affluent neighborhood replete with villas, lies King
David Synagogue, serving a small community. Generally, Moroccan
Jewry lacks young people; they go abroad, study and marry and don't
return – thus reducing the Jewish population.
A highlight of any visit must be the lovely Museum of Moroccan Judaism,
at 81 rue Chasseur Jules-Gros, in the Oasis section of Casablanca.
It is reportedly the only Jewish museum in a Muslim country.
Architecturally, the museum is a gem, with a garden, palm trees
and lovely patio. But inside is the real treasure: the artifacts
of a once-great Jewish home, gathered from hundreds of Jewish communities.
Even though the collection is still being completed, a vast array
of Judaica is professionally and carefully placed in glass enclosures
in the walls. Torah scrolls, Kiddush cups from Fez, Chanukah menorahs,
tefillin bags from Casablanca, kaftans beautifully designed and
embroidered and mezuzot from Essaouira are all part of the collection.
Jews live in many sections of Casablanca and wandering around the
city, one can see some of the old neighborhoods of traditional,
smaller block, whitish-gray houses. Until the 18th century, Casablanca
was a mere fishing village. Then it began to boom as the principal
port of North Africa. It held a major role in the trading of sugar,
tea, wool and corn products to the western world.
The French, who held a protectorate over Morocco from 1912-1956,
did much to modernize it. During and after the Second World War,
many Allied troops were stationed there. In 1943, the Casablanca
Conference was held at the Anfa Hotel. The meeting, attended by
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle,
was to plan the European strategy of the Allies.
To truly see and taste this land of the Moors, one must head to
Fez and Marrakesh, where there are small synagogues, and beyond
to the Atlas Mountains. Also head south to the fortified towns built
by the Portuguese, especially Essaouria, now a very "in"
destination located on the Atlantic.
Having a guide in Morocco helps because of language and the often
overzealous salespeople in the teeming markets. Highly recommended
is Heritage Tours Private Travel, a destination firm based in New
York City that specializes in custom-designed private tours of Morocco,
Spain, Portugal, Turkey and all of Southern Africa. Their website
address is www.HTprivatetravel.com.
Royal Air Maroc is the only airline that flies nonstop between Canada
and Morocco (leaving from Montreal).
Ben G. Frank is a travel writer based in New York. He
is the author of several Jewish travel guides, including the recently
published A Travel Guide to the Jewish Caribbean and South America.
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