Montreal hosts conference on Jews presence in Morocco
Morocco, Culture, 1/27/2000

Morocco's ambassador in Canada, Abdelkader Lacheheb, moderated in Montreal a conference on Moroccan Jews' relationships with the Moroccan throne and with their Muslim compatriots throughout history.

The ambassador referred to all aspects of daily life, popular anecdotes, literature, music, arts, cookery, and Moroccan legislation to explain specificities of the Moroccan Judaism and the Moroccan Jews' attachment to their Moroccan origin.

The ambassador said reciprocal confidence and respect are reasons behind centuries of coexistence between Jews and Muslims in Morocco, going through hard times and times of communion.

Referring to searchers who traced the history of relations between Moroccan Jews and monarchs since the first Jews settled in the Draa valley (southern Morocco) in the 10th century BC and who thrived to reach under the Idrissides reign over 90,000 souls in the then capital city of Fez alone.

The lecturer also recalled that the Merinides dynasty abolished the policies of forced conversion against Jews who also enjoyed protection against the Christian inquisition anti-Semitic massacres in the 17th and 18th centuries.

This protection helped the gradual expansion of Jewish families in various Moroccan regions, said the ambassador who recalled the special decrees of royal protection and the bold stance of the late King Mohammed V who protected the Jewish community against the racist Vichy regime.

He went on that the Moroccan Jews who were deeply affected by the death in 1961 of king Mohammed V, their beloved protector, signed in 1987 an official document recognizing the action of the late sovereign for the Jewish community under the Vichy regime.

As an example for the continuation of the same attitude, the ambassador quoted late King Hassan II who reassured in 1989 the Jewish community in Spain that the Jews' rights as full-fledged Moroccan citizens will continue to be guaranteed by the Moroccan constitution. The Moroccan constitution which recognizes Islam as the state religion, guarantees the freedom of religion, the diplomat said.

Touching on the pioneer part of the late King Hassan II in the Middle East peace process, he said the late king produced evidence that peaceful and harmonious coexistence is not only possible but can become a reality as in Morocco, where Jews hold top positions as ministers and advisors, and are members of the academy of the kingdom of Morocco, and of the parliament.

Some initiatives undertaken by the late king were cited by the ambassador before a mostly-European attendance. He said the late king, a tireless peace architect, played a major role in bringing together Arabs and Israelis, and considered that if Jews and Arabs united their genius, the sons of Abraham would guarantee the dignity, freedom and sovereign for themselves and for the generations to come.

His successor, King Mohammed VI, has renewed Morocco's calling as a land of understanding, conviviality and tolerance, the diplomat said.

He concluded that all Moroccans, regardless of their religion, are bound by the links of perpetual allegiance and Morocco, proudly claims that Moroccan Judaism is part and parcel of its culture and is, actually, interacting with the Muslim community to enrich the Moroccan patrimony.

Previous Stories:
  Colloquy on Jews in Portugal, Spain, Morocco   (11/16/1999)
  Moroccan Jewery exhibit in Paris   (10/11/1999)
  Belghazi Museum: jewel of Moroccan traditional art   (7/20/1999)

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