Jewish Identity in Contemporary Morocco: Memory, Reconciliation, and Citizenship (Aomar Boum, Professor and Maurice Amado Chair in Sephardic Studies, UCLA)
Location: Leacock 232
On July 13, 2022, King Mohammed VI approved the establishment of three new national representative bodies of the Jewish community which include, in addition to the traditional National Council of the Community and its regional committees, a National Commission of Moroccan Jews Living Abroad as well as a Foundation of Moroccan Judaism. Although the recent political, social and economic context of “Moroccan-Israeli normalization” may look as the leading impetus for these royal and statal decisions, I argue that these much-needed measures were decades in the making and are part of the Moroccan state’s engagement with the “Jewish Question” during the reign of Mohammed VI. While this official program started during the reign of King Hassan II, its rhythm accelerated and took different forms, particularly in media, civil society, and non-academic circles, after the enthronement of King Mohammed VI in 1999. I revisit the issue of “reconciliation” of Moroccan society with its Jewish memory through an analysis of its expression through history, literature, media, and intergenerational memory especially in the last two decades. I underline reconciliation here because the history of human rights abuses and the state’s record during the Years of Lead (1956-1999) left their imprint on all Moroccans, independently of their religion. The monarchy has indeed, since the time of Mohammed V, maintained strong relations with its Jewish subjects in the Jewish communities across the country, Morocco, as a nation, continues its own search for a way to “recognize and accept” its Jews while being sentient to the question of Palestine.
With support from the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice-President (ODPSLL), the Equity Team, and the Dean of Arts Development Fund.