Moroccan Jews and Judeo-Berber Culture

The Jewish community of Morocco was, in the twentieth century, one of the largest in the Arab and Muslim world. Its history combines ancient strata—including elements of Berber origin sometimes predating Islam—the contribution of Sephardim who arrived after 1492 (the megorashim), and merchant families linked to Mediterranean networks. This diversity gave rise to a syncretic culture, blending Arabic, Berber, Hebrew, and Judeo-Spanish depending on the region. The veneration of saints (tsaddikim), sometimes shared with Muslim neighbors during pilgrimages, is a distinctive feature of Judeo-Moroccan popular piety. From the mid-twentieth century onward, the vast majority of this community emigrated, principally to Israel and France, leaving behind a rich religious, musical, and cultural heritage.

Sources & resources

• Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World — Brill
• Encyclopaedia Judaica — 2e éd., Keter/Macmillan