Page Two
JEWISH  WESTERN B.ULLETIN
Friday, June 6, 196
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Not all Jews have left Morocco
TANGIER, Morocca — It is a short detour from Madrid to this North African city, 50 minutes' journey by Royal Air Moroc Caravelle jet. For the Western traveller, to come to this Arab Moslem land is somewhat like a tiny Lilliputian spectator setting foot on the comer of a gigantic volume of History. One finds that stretching out on the pages as far as the eye can see are characters and places which ought to be a thing of the past but have miraculously come to life in full color and in three-dimensional reality.
Seated at a sidewalk cafe, you see passing before you a continuous parade of people wearing costumes of every description: veiled Arab women in long dresses or swathed in them, men in hooded robes and pointed leather sandals, some wearing traditional fez hats, and ragged children begging for the chance to shine your shoes or to be your "guide".
You have to remind yourself constantly that these people are not play-acting in their costumes and that this is not a performance staged especially for your benefit! This is the populace of Tangier doing their daily thing.
The truth is, that you yourself were not planning to be a spectator on this scene but really only became aware of Tangier's proximity when members of the Madrid Spanish Jewish community told of • their Moroccan origins.
For in this part of the world what seems to be the historic law of Jewish survival is a daily occurrence.
IN SPAIN, UPON WHOSE soil Jews have not set foot since the days of Torque-mada and the harsh decree of 1492 which officially brought about their expulsion, there is today a rebirth of Jewish life! It is occurring simultaneously with the tragic death of the ancient Jewish community of Morocco, whose roots go back thousands of years.
An Arab guide volunteered that it is widely known that there were only two ancient peoples who can be considered original inhabitants of Morocco, the Berbers from the Atlas Mountains—^and the Jews.
Upon arrival from the airport after close passport scrutiny, you notice that the streets of Tangier are gaily festooned and decorated with lights. Many soldiers are visible, as well, because the King and his government entourage have come for the celebration of Morocco's 13th Independence Day. Just concluded was a colorful parade at which Hassan II took the salute.
AS THE CAR BRINGS YOU to the Rif hotel overlooking the white sand beach of the Mediterranean, the lobby is bustling with army officers in their dress uniforms and cabinet ministers who have come to attend a post-parade party in one of the hotel's sumptuous salons.
Out in the street hundreds of long-robed people, mostly women and children, are lined up in front of the hotel waiting patiently for another glimpse of royalty. At sporadic intervals the crowd erupts with emotional chanting that echoes against the building and swells to a tremendous roar as a color-
fully-painted railway train passes by a few yards away filled with hundreds of chanting soldiers leaning out of the windows.
If you ask how it is that these Arab women spend so much time away from their homes — for three days there seemed to be crowds of these people standing at the side of roads at all hours of the day waiting to see the King — you are informed that the women of Morocco are especially fond of King Hassan. In any case, the house or apartment in which they live is very sparsely furnished if not totally empty. The people live most primitively and the women do almost no housework.
THE KING IS CONSIDERED a friend of the Jewish community. He took stringent measures to protect them during the precarious period of the Six-Day War when the massive Arab population looked upon the Jews with deep suspicion. At that time, Hassan had despatched three of his best battalions to fight alongside the Eigyptians and war hysteria in Morocco, as in all of the Arab countries, was at a fever pitch.
Ironically, when a country-wide campaign was initiated to raise funds to. help the Arab cause, Moroccan Jews had no choice but to remain loyal to their country and to give money. (Incidentally, in spite of King Hassan's rigid control of the populace, two Israelis who had been living in Morocco were, in fact, killed.)
There has only been one other serious case of anti-Jewish violence since the war. It occurred last January when the Jewish community was shocked by the news that one of the community's three government-appointed Rabbis was stabbed .as he was coming out of his Synagogue on ■fhe Sabbath. The attacker, a demented Arab who report-, edly had been a patient in a mental hospital, was arrested the same day. The Rabbi's life was spared but he has lost considerable weight and has not yet recovered the use of his voice so that he has been unable to resume his duties as a government-appointed Jewish judge.
CLOSED
Wanted c one
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THIS INCIDENT, as well as lesser acts of violence such as vandalism, coupled with increasing activities of the El Fatah terrorist organization which has an office in Tangier and which organizes pubic meetings in order to drum up support, has caused continuous anxiety among Tangier's small Jewish community now numbering less than 3,000 or some one-fifth of its former strength.
It is little wonder that m.ore and more of them finally decide to take advantage of the opportunity of leaving while there is still time.
For the present, Jews are given passports and are free to leave the country. But they are only permitted to take their personal possessions and must leave behind the homes and businesses which their families have owned for generations.
Others stay on, trying to make the best of it and hoping that there will be some amelioration in the situation.
NEXT: The Yeshiva and day-school in Tangier, Morocco.
NXJ.W. grateful
Dear Mr. Kaplan:
May I, for myself, and for the National Council of Jewish Women, express our deep gratitude for your guidance and co-operation during our recent Biennial Convention.
The comprehensive coverage given us by your paper was most helpful in bringing to the attention of the Jewish Community the scope and direction of our organization.
Wishing you continued success, aiid again-.thankiiiig' ym|.*   •' ^ :    AmS. HAi^liLp^ SiHATSKY^ Biekniai Gdnvention Publicity Chairman
Concerned far future of Yiddish culture
Dear Mr. Kaplan:
In the 21st Israel Anniversary edition of The Bulletin we saw a story about a very important event taking place in life of Canadian Jewish communities. On May 17-18, Canadian Jews met at a national conference on Yiddish. There was to; be; discussion on "the use of-Yiddish "in the homes and in institutions^ the teaching of Yiddish in schools; the presentation of Yiddish drama; the perpetuation of the sound of Yiddish, of Yiddish story and proverb; the study of Yiddish literature."
The chairman of the conference, sponsored by Canadian Jewish Congress, Dr. Joseph Kage, called it a "challenge ... directed to every Jewish parent, teacher, rabbi, communal worker, stu-dei^t," and requested broad at-endance from Canadian Jews at he conference.
With great satisfaction we welcomed the news that at last some-hing is being done about the survival and perpetuation of the Jewish language and the rich leritage in Yiddish which itself
is a great contribution to the culture of mankind.
We, like our parents and our grandparents, are using Yiddish^ in our everyday life. We want our; children to continue so, and ifr possible to enrich it with their" contributions. We are very con-^ cerned in keeping Yiddish alive.
MR. AND MRS.
D. S. KIRMAN, Van.
MR AND MRS.
CHESTER NEUMAN, West Van.
MR. AND MRS.
S. BARD, Bumaby. ^
Latin America
(Continued from Page 1) :
Jewish community- of' Uruguay not only has one of the three daily Yiddish newspapers published in Latin American countries—^the other two appearing in Buenos Aires, Argentina — but also that the Montevideo paper now has a daily. Hebrew page.
A report on conditions in Argentina submitted by Mordecai Dayan, general secretary of the Argentinian Zionist Organization and a cousin of Israel's Defense Minister, Moshe Dayan, explained that the anti-Semitism that.was ii> evidence in his country five years ago was the result of political and economic conditions. He declared emphatically that Argentinians generally are not anti-Semitic. He said anti-Israel and anti-Zionist campaigns that emanate from Arab embassies "in no sense influence public opinion and certainly have not poisoned the press."
"People are not play-acting."
WESTERN BULLETIN
Official Organ of tlie Jewish Community of British Columbia
Friday, June 6, 1969
Published weekly every Fridoy at 3285 Heather Street, Vancouver 9, British Columbio.
SAM KAPLAN Editor and Publisher
RON FREEDMAN Advertising Manager
DEADLINE:
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(LUAGH) Candle Lighting JEWISH CALENDAR JUNE 6, 8:54 1969
TIsha B'Ab ____________ .July 24
Rosh Hashona__________Sept. 13
Yom Kippur ____________Sept. 22
Succot _______________________Sept. 27
Simchat Torah__________Oct. 5
Chanuka ____________________Dec. 5
All holidays begin the preceding eve at sundown.
Endorsafions Grmted
B.B.Y.O.
Protest Rally ____________June 8
Hadassah, Esther
Awards ______............-.....June 10
N.C.J.W. Closing
Luncheon ________...........June 11
Camp Miram Fashion
Show _____________-............June 18
Pioneer Women's
Adoption Luncheon June 24 J.C.C. Annual
Meeting________________________June 24
Maccabiah Games
Campaign—.......June & July