Moroccan Jews

Morocco was once home to the largest Jewish community in the Arab world. From thriving mellahs and rich traditions to secret escape routes and Mossad rescue missions, the story of Moroccan Jews is one of resilience, identity, and exile. Why did nearly 250,000 Jews leave a country many once called home? And how did Morocco’s Jews help shape modern Israel while preserving a culture that still lives on today?

Big Ideas

1. Morocco was once home to hundreds of thousands of Jews – the largest Jewish community in the Arab world.
2. Jews experienced periods of both prosperity and persecution while living in Morocco.
3. The Sultan of Morocco was not a supporter of Zionism and made travel difficult or impossible for Jews following the establishment of the modern state of Israel.

Essential Questions

1. What happened that caused Jews to leave Morocco?
2. How do Moroccan Jews look upon the time their families spent in Morocco?
3. How did Jewish self-determination in the Land of Israel lead to tension between Jews and non-Jews in the diaspora?