Rabat – Jews, Muslims and Christians took part in Wednesday’s night ceremony marking the holy Jewish celebration of Hanukkah in Casablanca.
Many diplomats, artists, writers, representatives of civil society, of various faiths, came to share this moment of joy, devotion and reunion with the Jewish community.
Celebrated in a friendly atmosphere at the Neve Shalom synagogue, the ceremony was organized on the initiative of the ‘Marocains Pluriels’ association.
In a speech he delivered during the ceremony, the Neve Shalom synagogue Rabbi, Jacky Sebag, reiterated the unwavering attachment of the Jewish community to the Moroccan King.
“If we can speak today of light, victory and freedom, we proudly owe it to the foresight of HM King Mohammed VI, who was at the forefront of several related projects, so that we can enjoy freedom today,” he said.
“Through such events, we look beyond the differences that may exist: thoughts, practices or religions,” he added.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an opportunity for Jews to encourage their children to study Torah, and to give them money and gifts.
Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is an annual Jewish religious celebration involving prayer and traditional fried dishes, seeking to celebrate the “rededication of the Holy Temple.”
The Jewish community living in Morocco represents lower figures than the pre and post war population.
Morocco is the only country in the Muslim-Arab world where the state funds projects to restore Jewish cemeteries and renovate Jewish neighborhoods and religious sites.
The International federation of Jewish communities and organizations, the World Jewish Congress (WJC) estimates that there are approximately 2,300 Jews still living in Morocco.
The Jewish community is spread around the mellah or walled cities of Rabat, Marrakech, Tangier, Fez, and Casablanca.
Thousands of Jewish people flew to Morocco to celebrate events, such as Hanukkah and Hillola celebrations in Morocco.
Statistics shared by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in November noted that as many as 432 Moroccan jews emigrated from Morocco to Israel over the past nine years.
