Jews must have lived in Morocco ever since 70 CE but the definite change came after they were expelled from Spain 1492.
Even before the expulsion, there was migration of Spanish Jews to Morocco.
Moses ben Maimon (At University of Miami School of Medicine the graduating physicians can choose the Oath of Hippocrates or the Oath of Maimonides) is known in English as Maimonides and to Hebrew speakers as Rambam. He was born into a distinguished family in Cordova in 1138. (You can see a statue of him in Cordova and also the synagogue where he prayed). Cordova at that time was the centre of intellectual query. Unfortunately in 1148, Almohavids invaded and offered all non Muslims, death or conversion or exile, which was repaid in 1492 by Queen Isabella. Jews on both occasions chose exile.
The family of Maimonides left for Fez in Morocco.He completed his 14 volume Mishneh Torah, a compendium of Jewish Law the authority of which is not surpassed! This is about the ORAL law as against the WRITTEN law, a distinction in Judaism compared to the other monotheistic religions.
Maimonides was also a great Physician.
I was driving along fairly lonely roads of Florida under crispy blue skies, when the news came over BBC that Israel and Morocco would be normalizing relationships.
I was genuinely happy. I thought of the hundreds and thousands of Moroccan Jews both in Israel and France and I can imagine now to run into them at Jemm al Fina in Marrakech..
I thought of my friend Joseph Sebag, the bookseller of Mogador, who still lives in Essaouira.
I also thought about my good friend Daniel Abouganem in Panama whose grandfather, Yosef, was born in Essaouira and went to Tiberias to study to become a Rabbi.
I am personally fond of Morocco, there is a Quiberon-Morocco connection but I have visited Marrakech and Casablanca and had run into many prominent french-moroccan jews including Dr Abitbol an ENT surgeon who gave me a copy of his book on Sound. France has hosted a gallery of prominent french persons of Moroccan descent: singers, actors and politicians and writers . Audrey Azoulay who is the Minister for Culture is teh daughter of Andre Azoulay who was the advisor for King Hassan of Morocco.
When Qatar Airways began offering very good business class fares to USA via Doha (with a stop over if you wanted to), I would go from Paris to Casa, stay at the Riad near the Airport (the owners, moroccan husband and belgian wife became friends), enjoy the flight to Doha along the coast of North Africa.
Soon Royal Air Maroc and El Al will be flying CMN-TLV route.. casa to tel aviv..
Just this past year Morocco and Cuba established full diplomatic relationships. This year the good news is Morocco and Israel becoming friends. This truly makes me happy...
Miami with a stopover in Casa/Marrakech and then on to Tel Aviv... on Royal Air Maroc.. that would soon be a reality.
The Jewish Quarter Mellah of Mogador ..
I look forward to a visit to Morocco
and to Mogador
and say once again Shalom to the Last Jew of Mogador..
