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Search Moroccan Jewish Cemeteries

A good name is better than fine oil - Kohelet 7:1 - קהלת ז:א

Document Archive

Morocco | AFRICA | International Jewish Cemetery Project

Captured 2025-11-22

32

Archived Document

Morocco | AFRICA | International Jewish Cemetery Project

Description

AI Enhanced

This webpage is part of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies' cemetery database, specifically documenting Jewish burial sites and community information across Morocco. The page serves as a comprehensive resource for genealogical researchers, Jewish heritage enthusiasts, and those tracing family histories connected to Morocco's once-thriving Jewish population. The content provides essential historical context, explaining that Morocco is an Arab nation in Northwest Africa that maintained relative independence until becoming French and Spanish protectorates in 1912, regaining independence in 1956. More significantly for Jewish genealogy, the page documents the dramatic demographic shift of Moroccan Jewry: from approximately 250,000-280,000 Jews in the mid-20th century to fewer than 7,000 by 2009. The largest remaining community is concentrated in Casablanca (5,000), with smaller populations in cities like Rabat (400), Marrakesh (250), and Meknes (250). The page notes that Moroccan Jews constitute "an ancient community" and highlights important pilgrimage sites including tombs of revered rabbis such as Rabbi Yehouda Benatar in Fez and Rabbi Chaim Pinto in Mogador. A particularly valuable feature is the detailed listing of Jewish community organizations (Conseil des Communautes Israelites) across major Moroccan cities, complete with addresses and phone numbers from the early 2000s. This contact information would be crucial for researchers seeking local assistance with cemetery access or community records. The page also mentions a fascinating cultural adaptation: "The Jewish community hired Muslim families to live in the cemeteries as caretakers," and notes that many sites host annual Hilula ceremonies (commemorative gatherings for great rabbis) that help maintain the burial grounds. The webpage functions as an index for cemetery locations, with a filterable database showing burial sites from Agadir to El Jadida, spanning multiple pages of entries. This systematic approach to cataloging Jewish burial sites across Morocco represents an important preservation effort, given the community's dramatic population decline and the potential for historical records to be lost. The page draws from multiple sources including Virtual Jerusalem and personal accounts from visitors, demonstrating the collaborative nature of Jewish genealogical research and the urgency of documenting these disappearing cultural landmarks.

Citation (APA Style)

Morocco | AFRICA | International Jewish Cemetery Project. (2025, 11 22). iajgscemetery.org. https://iajgscemetery.org/africa/morocco/

Technical Metadata

Domain iajgscemetery.org
File Size 131 KB
Archived 2025-11-22T00:43:43.889848
Document ID #32
Languages 5 available