Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies

The moment of Moroccan independence in 1956 was optimistic for Jews. The Istiqlal ("Independence" in Arabic) government with King Mohammed V at its head appointed a Jewish minister, and the Muslim-Jewish unity group, al-Wifaq ("Accord"), drew the support from all segments of society. Such movements, however, coincided with the 1956 Suez crisis. Following this conflict, …

This chapter explores the Moroccan Communist Party's (PCM) evolution into a national liberation party in the post-war period. It addresses urban Jewish communal attitudes to the movement for independence and the available marketplace for political ideas and ideologies, including the accelerating popularity of Zionism. As Jews began to leave Morocco for Israel, those Jews who …