Moroccan Jews in Israel
Total population | |
---|---|
900,000 Moroccan French; Moroccan Ladino | |
Religion | |
Judaism |
Moroccan Jews in Israel are immigrants and descendants of the immigrants of the Moroccan Jewish communities who now reside within the state of Israel. The 2019 Israeli census counts 472,800 Jews born in Morocco or with a Moroccan-born father,[3] although according to the World Federation of Moroccan Jewry, nearly one million Israeli Jews are Moroccan or of Moroccan descent, making them the second-largest community in the country.[4]
274,180 individuals are recorded to have emigrated from Morocco to Israel between the
History
Before the establishment of the State of Israel, rising French influence in Morocco at the beginning of the 20th century encouraged Moroccan Jews to enroll in French schools, receive a French education and integrate into French culture until 1940, when the Vichy laws came into effect and forbade Jewish attendance in French schools. After the Second World War and the establishment of the state of Israel, Jewish Zionist organizations encouraged many Jewish families to leave Morocco and they migrated to Israel legally, with the approval of the French rule at the time. Following the war, many young Moroccan Jews migrated to Israel in a bold move and joined "Gahal" forces that were fighting the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
Prior to the signing of the
Migration was carried out largely through Tunisia, using small boats to travel from there to Israel. In the summer of 1911, a baby boy; Moshe Vezana, was born, a son to Simcha (Pircha) and David, aboard the ship on their way to Israel. Upon their arrival at
After the
Morocco once represented the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world. However beginning around the time of the establishment of the modern state of Israel, through the mid-1970s, almost 90% of Moroccan Jews made Aliyah and emigrated to Israel.[8] Jewish emigration from Morocco was uncommon before 1945. This was partially due to a lack of stressors to leave. Jews in Morocco felt like they had political security and favorable economic opportunity. They did not want to move to British-controlled Israel-Palestine where the political landscape and economic conditions were more unstable. The British restricted Jewish immigration making the process difficult and providing further disincentive. Additionally, French Moroccan authorities worked to neutralize Zionist efforts when interest in Zionism was proliferating throughout Europe.
In 1947–1948, interest in making Aliyah became clear in large segments of Moroccan Jewry. One reason for this was dissatisfaction with the French government's treatment of Moroccan Jews. Specifically, there was a refusal to consider granting educated Jews French citizenship which led to a desire for more freedom and better representation in government. Additionally, many places where the current system, which included the AIU, failed had produced regions of mass poverty. Along with this, there was an emotional drive fueled by Zionism gaining popularity among Moroccan Jews. This was a result of greater clarity into the viability of a Jewish state in Palestine.
During this early period of immigration, much of it was facilitated illegally by
Emigration under Hassan II of Morocco
Policy changed with the accession of Hassan II of Morocco in 1961. Hassan agreed to accept a large per-capita bounty from the international Jewish community for each Jew who emigrated from Morocco, and under this agreement Jews were allowed the freedom to emigrate. Between the years 1961–1967, around 120,000 Jews left Morocco. The Six-Day War in 1967 led to another wave of emigration of Jews from Morocco, primarily to France, but also to Canada, the United States, Israel and other countries.[10]
Moroccan Jews in Israel enjoyed less upward mobility: 51 percent were blue-collar in 1961 and 54 percent as late as 1981.[11]
The disaster of the Egoz ship
In 1961 the ship Egoz ("nut"), which held 44 illegal immigrants, drowned in the sea on its way to Israel. After the sinking of Egoz, pressure was exerted on Morocco and a secret treaty was signed with King Hassan II and consequently a massive exodus of Jews from Casablanca port was carried out under the supervision of General Oufkir. Some Jews came to Israel and some migrated to France and other countries.[citation needed]
Politically, Moroccan Jews tend to support Likud[12][13] or Shas.
Notable people
-
Orly Levi
-
Gadi Eizenkot
See also
- Israel–Morocco relations
- History of the Jews in Morocco
- Arabic language in Israel
- Jewish ethnic divisions
- North African Sephardim
Notes
- ^ According to BBC Arabic in 2004. The World Federation of Moroccan Jewry estimated close to 1 million as of 2019.
- ^ As of 2010.
References
- ^ "اليهود المغاربة وازدواجية الولاء". BBC Arabic. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ Moroccan Jewry in Israel set to commemorate 60 years of aliya, The Jerusalem Post (August 25, 2019).
- ^ a b "Jews by country of origin and age, 2010". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ Moroccan Jewry in Israel set to commemorate 60 years of aliya, (August 25, 2019).
- ^ "נתון אחד ביום: רוב יהודי מרוקו חיים בישראל". Davar. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "IMMIGRANTS, BY PERIOD OF IMMIGRATION, COUNTRY OF BIRTH AND LAST COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE" (PDF). CBS, Statistical Abstract of Israel. Government of Israel. 2009.
- ^ "Morocco film searches out Jews who left". Ynetnews. 3 March 2013.
- ^ "The Aliyah of Moroccan Jewry (1954-1955)". Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- JSTOR 4283316.
- ^ "IMMIGRANTS, BY PERIOD OF IMMIGRATION, COUNTRY OF BIRTH AND LAST COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE" (PDF). Government of Israel. 2009.
- ^ Eliezer Ben-Rafael and Stephen Sharot, Ethnicity, REligion, and Class in Israeli Society, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991, 67
- ^ "Israel's "New Labour" party". The Economist. 26 October 2017.
- ^ "Will Moroccan Jews in Israel vote Labour in 2019 elections? | Saad Guerraoui | AW".