Morocco Final Notes– A Glimpse of the Future Drawing Deeply from a Rich Past
In a study published by the Berkley Center of Religious Studies at Georgetown University, Rachel Rodgers states that one of her most significant findings was the extent to which most Moroccans genuinely see Jewish history as a part of the country’s heritage. She quotes a woman who told her that “No Moroccan is truly Arab, or [Berber], or anything else—we are Moroccan because we are a mixture of all these. I am not Jewish, but the Jews are a part of that.” Jews and Muslims celebrated holidays together over the many centuries Jews called Morocco their home.
Of course, Morocco was not without its challenges. There were times of violence and tension. Judaism, though tolerated and even supported, is not given the same status as Islam. There were times when it was prohibited to construct synagogues, no synagogue rises to the level of the mosques, even in the smaller villages, and officially intermarriage is non-existent. The current commitment to tolerance emanates from the two most recent kings, Hassan (1929-1999) and his son Muhammad (1963 to present). Under their rule, Jewish cemeteries and holy sites have been restored, relations with Israel upgraded, and engagement with the Jewish world enhanced. View an interfaith Ramadan breakfast here and concert here. They recognize the cultural, civil, and financial advantages enjoyed by elevating the Jewish presence in their land.
As many in the world challenge Israel’s right to exist as an exclusively Jewish state, I was particularly struck by Morocco’s model as an Islamic nation. We, in the west, embrace a particular concept of religious freedom that favors no creed or religion – but that vision, though manifest in the USA, is only partially realized in Christian Europe. The Moroccan “Sovereign Muslim State ” model holds wide acceptance in both the Islamic and broader world. Islam is dominant and favored – though other religions are embraced. I would suggest that Israel reflects and exceeds Morocco’s model—it is a vision enshrined in Israel’s constitution as well. As the region recovers from the Gaza war Morocco’s version of co-existence provides an Islamic model against which Israel’s character as a “Sovereign Jewish State” can be justified. The two nations, at either end of the Mediterranean Sea are not only profoundly linked historically, but also share a vision for a future that can yet be realized in the Middle East.
— Rabbi Ron Stern