The origin of Moroccan Jews is manifold and not very well known. Some might have come from Libya in the fourth century B.C.; others persecuted by the Spanish Visigoths could have taken refuge in Morocco in the fourth century A.D. To this effect they do not form a homogeneous group but a mere religious family with no racial characteristics and most probably with no Israeli blood. In fact among Moroccan Jews we could find many different types; the Hebrew type was rather rare, we could see fair people mostly in the "Rif" and a majority of people with darker complexion in the Atlas. Actually their aspect hardly distinguished them from their Muslim neighbours.

Some authors distinguish two groups : The Foresteros and the Plitchims . The Plitchims might have come from Palestine as far back as the Antiquity, whereas the Foresteros might have been chased out of Spain. What is most likely is that the Berber Jews were in fact indigenous. Old Berber tribes turned Jewish (where and how, no one knows). Tradition tells of seven or ten missionary Rabbis who came from Jerusalem a long time ago, their tombs can be found by tens scattered in many tribes of the Atlas.

We are entitled to think that the conversion of Berbers to Judaism was initiated before the beginning of the Christian era , and was carried on until the eve of Almoravid rule (eleventh century). Aghmat Ailane a wealthy town in the Ourika valley during the seventh century was exclusively populated with Jews (Laoust). The ebb took place under the Almoravids and Almohads (eleventh to thirteen century) who have thoroughly unified Morocco under the Muslim banner. “After the Almohads all tribes are Muslims no more are Christians. The Berber Jews who subsist have to pay tribute to the Muslims” (Laoust)

Some figures

In Morocco at the beginning of the twentieth century, about 187 000 Jews lived among a population of 7 million, which is a bit less than 3%. In the High Atlas they were about 15 000 of a total of 6 000 00 souls (2.5%). During his journey throughout Morocco in 1882 -1883 (disguised as a Rabbi), C. de Foucault noted the presence of Jews in most Berber villages he went through. The population was scattered with however a few points of concentration like Sefrou ( 4 000 jews of 10 000), Demnat ( 1 860 of 4 300), Amizmiz (775 of 4 400) and Debdou (1 500 of 2 500). Later in mid XX century they were 300 000 of a population of about 10 million people.

The Zionist propaganda taken up after Morocco's independence (1956) and which gained intensity with the Israeli - Arab war of 1967 provoked a massive exodus of the Jewish Moroccan population to Europe Canada and Israel, so much so that nowadays there are hardly any left in Berber country .

What was the status of Berber Jews ?

In the context of the present conflict between Arabs and Israelis this issue is controversial. Some say that Jews in Berber country benefited from the same life conditions as their Muslim compatriots and others affirm that they were persecuted. The former could quote many chroniclers to corroborate their point of view among which C. de Foucault who wrote in 1883 " Muslims treat Jews with unusual kindness Demnate and Sefrou (that accounted for 40% of the population in the Berber country) are the places in Morocco where Jews are the happiest”. The latter could refer to M Flamand [1] who wrote in 1952 “the Mellah of Demnate replicates in a somewhat darker way the gloomy face of the southern Jewry"; however he went on writing that most of their Muslim fellow citizens didn’t live in more enviable conditions. The same author acknowledges also the efforts made by the sultans to protect the Jews from the exaction of some Caids. Nevertheless one can affirm that although Jews were not victim of Muslim violence (except in some circumstances) they have been victims of exaction and material exploitation. The most outstanding manifestations of this seem to have been the interdiction imposed on them to ride horses or mules and sometimes even to wear shoes. Other less obvious are mentioned in various articles dealing with Jews that can be found in our Website. We are entitled to say that although they were not overtly hated Jews were despised and even humiliated having to place themselves when they could afford it under the protection of a powerful Muslim. The fact that they had to live within the Mellah (ghetto) doesn’t actually mean that were officially segregated. This was aimed at protecting them; which in fact is enough to prove that they were living in a hostile and potentially dangerous social environment.

However it is to be stressed that during World War II, when Morocco fell under pro-nazi French rule, King Mohammed V resisted all of Vichy’s anti-semitic measures that he was asked to impose on Moroccan Jews. Moreover, while 200 000 French Jews reportedly died in Nazi concentration camps the king protected all 300 000 of his Jewish subjects.