Multicultural Partners Planting Trees in Africa

On Wednesday, December 22, 2021, the embassies of the United States and Israel in Morocco celebrated the first anniversary of the renewal of diplomatic ties between Morocco and Israel. The celebration was attended by several high-level profiles, including ambassadors, diplomats, religious leaders, and representatives of the political and cultural sectors.

The Kingdom resumed official relations with the state of Israel in December last year, two decades after the suspension of ties between the two countries following the second Palestinian Intifada. The Morocco-U.S.-Israel joint trilateral agreement is a historic moment that will allow for over one million Jewish Israelis of Moroccan origins to reconnect with their roots and visit the land where their ancestors have lived in harmony. But with the long-standing ties that have existed between the Kingdom and the state of Israel, the rapprochement highlights the country’s commitment to reviving and preserving its Jewish heritage, thereby contributing to lasting peace and interreligious coexistence in the region.

REMA Field Coordinators Soukaina and Amal and deputy chief of party, Fathi, attended the celebration of the first anniversary of the resumption of Israel-Morocco relations. This special event was an opportunity to promote peace, coexistence, and interfaith as it was highlighted in the speeches given by the foreign ministers of the three nations during a previous video conference. This celebration was a manifestation of unity and togetherness. Invitees from different nationalities, speaking different languages and following distinct religions, were all gathered in this ceremony to celebrate their variability.

As a pioneer of sustainability, amity, and concord, we were honored to represent the High Atlas Foundation and the USAID Religious and Ethnic Minority Activity (REMA) at such an event and continue to contribute toward the shared goals of raising awareness about multiculturalism, preserving the ancient Moroccan heritage, and reviving the values of coexistence and open mindedness.

It's time to preserve and share the memories and symbiosis that characterized the life of Moroccan people, Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and this is going to be possible only by multiplying our efforts to implement more cultural activities and events.

This article was completed with the support of the USAID, and the High Atlas Foundation is solely responsible for its content, which does not necessarily reflect the views of the USAID or the Government of the United States.

On Tuesday, December 7, my two fellow Austrian volunteers and I had the opportunity to join Dr. Ben-Meir for the last class he taught for the University of Virginia at the Jewish cemetery in the Mellah of Marrakech. Now, what is a Mellah?  In Marrakech, the Mellah is the very old part of the Medina in Marrakech’s center and used to be the Jewish quarter. The Jewish cemetery holds the name Miâara, after the street name of the cemetery’s entrance. The Hebrew name of this cemetery is Beit Mo’ed LeKol Chai or . It was founded in the 15th century, even though it is believed that Jewish people have been buried in this area since as early as the 12th century.

During the visit, I came across quite a few small, white gravestones. Later, I learned that these were children’s graves of the thousands of children that had died during the typhoid fever epidemic. Further into the graveyard, blue tombs caught my eye. These colorful tombs are dedicated to the kohanim, also called Jewish priests. Another interesting fact that I learned was the fact that the Miâara Cemetery is the largest of its kind in Morocco. As the largest Jewish cemetery in a country of very rich Jewish history, it is a very popular attraction, especially for Jewish Moroccans - most of whom now reside in the state of Israel.

I enjoy visiting such cemeteries, even though, like so many of us, I link these visits with a grieving, melancholic and heavy-hearted feeling. During this last COVID-ridden year, I have lost a handful of family members and nowadays I try to overcome these sorrowful emotions that come up during cemetery visits of mine and remind myself that all of them are in a better, happier place now. Considering the past so many Jewish people have had to overcome, I think the cemetery we visited is a very positive, peaceful, and precious piece of land. Not only that, a Jewish cemetery can stay without any vandalism for all its centuries, in a nation that does not consider itself Jewish. But also, looking back at the peace talks between Morocco and Israel in late 2020, it all seems like it is headed towards a very beautiful future. Before exiting the cemetery, Dr. Ben-Meir reminded us three that traditionally, one washes one's hands before leaving a Jewish cemetery. For me, this feels like a wonderful anecdote to tradition and the past.

Ultimately, after taking in the special energy of this historic and cultural cemetery, Dr. Ben-Meir led us to the Synagogue of the Mellah quarter. This is not only a synagogue but also a museum of the Jewish past in Morocco. Slat al-Azama synagogue is built in a Moroccan style with an open atrium and the walls are covered in beautiful mosaic-style tiles. The visit to this Jewish holy place right after the cemetery was a very exciting and special experience for me.