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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