Moroccan Jewish community marks Israel’s Independence Day

'The State of Israel is a continuing miracle... the miracle of the revival finds new paths every year'

For the first time in decades, Morocco’s Jewish community publicly celebrated Israel’s Independence Day last week in collaboration with an Israeli national organization – a result of the states’ recent normalization. 

The Jewish community in Marrakesh celebrated with barbeques, Israeli flags flying on synagogues, and the traditional Independence Day prayer, The Jerusalem Post(The Post) reported.

Morocco's Jewish community used to be one of the largest in the world, but nowadays, only some 2,000 Jews live in the North African country. In Marrakesh, the small Jewish community decided it was time to proudly celebrate Israel’s independence.

With the help of the World Zionist Organization (WZO), they enjoyed the fruits of the establishment of relations between Israel and Morocco, made possible by the Abraham Accords. 

Members of the community sang Israeli songs in Hebrew and blew the shofar. In Marrakesh’s synagogue, more than 100 participants also sang “Hatikva,” Israel’s national anthem.

“The State of Israel is a continuing miracle,” Nerya Meir, head of the WZO’s Department of Zionist Activities in the Diaspora, said at the event, The Postreported.

 “The fact that we can celebrate Israel’s independence in Morocco proves that the miracle of the revival finds new paths every year," he added.

 For Israel’s 74th birthday, Meir’s department sent tens of thousands of Independence Day kits to Jewish communities in places like France, Spain, and Morocco in what was dubbed the “Flag for every Jewish child” program.

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