PowerPoint Presentation

North African Jewry until 1948: over half a million

300'000 Jews in Morocco

130'000 Jews in Algeria

110'000 Jews in Tunisia

North African Jewry in 1948

North African Jewry in the 20th Century

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Areas in Morocco in 1912

Bled al-makhzan (Arabs)Bled al-siba (Berbers)Tangier (international)

Main cities:Casablanca, Marrakesh, OujdaFez, Meknes, Rabat, Sale, SefrouMazagan, Mogador, Agadir

French Departments in AlgeriaOran

Alger

ConstantineMain cities:Alger, Orleanville, Djelfa, Oran, Mostaganem, Sidi-Bel-Abbes, TlemcenConstantine, Setif, Bne (Annaba)

Jewish Communities in Tunisia

TunisSousseSfaxDjerba (Cohanim)

Jewish Groups in North AfricaSpanish and Judeo-Spanish Group (Sephardim)Oran, Tangier, Northern Morocco, CasablancaNahon, Pinto, Elmaliah, Pariente, Benshimon, Laredo, Toledano, Sarfati, Toledano, Monsenego, Laredo, Serero, Berdugo, AzuelosJudeo-Arab Group (oldest Jewish diaspora)Djerba (Hara Saghira /Kabira), Touansa (Tunis), Sfax, Sousse, Bne, Algiers, Tlemcen, Casablanca, Mogador, Fez, Meknes, MarrakeshHaddad, Gedj, Trabelsi, Ouaknin, Assouline, Biton, Moyal, HayounSephardi/Portuguese from Livorno (Grana)TunisAttias, Attal, Gabbai, Malka, Valensi

Population in North Africa in Early 20th Century

Morocco: 12 Million Muslims (50% Berbers)500'000 Europeans300'000 Jews

Algeria:7 MillionMuslims(30% Berbers)1 Million Europeans (Pieds Noirs)130'000 Jews

Tunisia3 MillionMuslims (2% Berbers)110'000Jews

Political Structures in Early 20th Century

Morocco: Sharifian Dynasty and French Protectorate

Algeria:Part of metropolitan France (Algrie Franaise)

Tunisia:Beys Dynasty and French Protectorate

North African Jewry Transition to the 20th CenturyOriental Jews are not attracted by ideologies

Neither secular (left and right) nor ultra-orthodox

Strong Jewish and Zionist identity

Traditional values and strong family tights

Veneration of the Thora and the Rabbis

Community Structuresin North Africa

MoroccoTraditional Jewish communities withstrong religious structures (rabbinical courts)

AlgeriaLack of Jewish education, high rateof assimilation within the French community (except for Bne/Constantine)

TunisiaDifferent levels of Jewish traditional observance between communities

North African Jewry Status of the JewsMoroccoin traditional areas : Sharia law discriminatory "dhimmi" status,"mellah" (Jewish quarter)

AlgeriaFull French citizenship granted by Adolphe Cremieux in 1870

TunisiaPartly discriminatory status"Harat-al-Yahud" (Jewish quarter)

Struggle for Equality of RightsMoroccoImprovement of socio-economic status in coastal cities (Casablanca), small communities in poor conditions,Arab nationalism (Istiqlal)

AlgeriaFull integration in the French colony, hatred from the Arab majority

TunisiaGood living conditions until 1952 when Arab nationalism (Destour) started challenging the role of theJewish community

North African JewryActive Education OrganizationsAIUAlliance Israelite Universelle

ORT Vocational Training Network

OSEOeuvre de Secours aux Enfants

Otzar Hathora Religious Education Network

LubawitchEuropean Office in Paris

Alliance Israelite UniverselleUntil World War II main network of Jewish schools in the Mediterranean basin and Iran

Main focus on French secular education

Funded up to 80% by the French government

After the war and the Israel independence, emphasize on Jewish identity and Hebrew education (( credit to Rene Cassin

OSE: Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants(Founded in 1912 in St Petersburg)

5000 Jewish children saved in France in clandestine homes during WW II1000 children sent to Switzerland, 253 to the U.S. with the AJDC

Roles of the "Joint" in North AfricaSupporting the Jewish Community and the refugees (12'000 people) in Tangiers during WW II

Roles of the "Joint" in North AfricaCollaborating with the "Mossad le Aliya" and the Jewish Agency to promote Aliya from Morocco,medical/social care in the transit camps in Marseille

Roles of the "Joint" in North AfricaSupporting the education networks (AIU, ORT, Otzar Hathorah, Lubawitch)Dr. Judah J. Shapiro (AJDC Director for education)

Roles of the "Joint" in North Africa

Extensive health and nutrition programs (together with OSE), trachoma treatment

Dr. Alexander Gonik, AJDC Health Department Director

William Bein in Casablanca 1952(AJDC Office in Morocco 1950-1954)

Renaissance of the Oriental Tradition

Oriental Jews came from very different countries:Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, YemenBosnia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Netherland (Portuguese community)Not all belong to the Sephardic group (Judeo-Spanish/Ladino), some spoke Judeo-Arabic, others Judeo-Farsi, Kurdi/AramaicTheir traditions are closer to the Babylonian Jewry of the Talmudic period than the Ashkenazi ones

Renaissance of the Oriental Traditionin Israel

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