The Canadian Jewish News, Friday, April 9, 1976 - Page 11
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From the Arthur Rothman Fine Arts collection comes these drawings. At Jeft is the Passover of the Portuguese Jews. It was drawn from life by B. Picart. At the right is shown woman distributing leaventsd bread in various places for her husband to discover.
Yocifewus Mowccan minority condiicts anti-Israel cmnpaigii'
FRANCE'S JEWS ARE NORTH
8} JACQUES MALEH PARIS--
Of the half million Jews who lived in North Africa for centuries and whose presence there gc>es back to before the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, fewer than 1 .OOG still remain today in Algeria (out of a former 150,000): 17.000 in Morocco (out of 285,000): and fewer than 5.000 in Tunisia (which had a population of more than 100.000).
h was. in fact, in 1954,
when internal autonomy was accorded by France to Tunisia, that the first Tunisian Jews decided to leave the country for France or Italy. Some 100.000 Jews emigrated when Tunisia became fully independent in 1956. Half of them settled in France, the rest in Israel.
At the same time Morocco, which was the biggest. Jewish centre, comprising 285,0()0 Jews, decided to join the Arab ranks against the Jewish state. As a result, more
than 190.000 Jews left for Israel and 70.000 others for France.
Fewer than 1.000 Jews rcrnain today in Algeria. The majority are elderly.
As a result of that mass exodus, about three-fifths (some 350,000) of today's Jewish population of France, which numbers about 600.000 people, is made up of North African Jews. ,
Their integration in French society was rapid, smooth and always successful. For the young
people, especially, who found their way quickly in all aspects of life,, integration was easy, and one may add. even too easy, at a point where assirnilation tended to.separate them from Jewish tradition and Jewish life. It everi led to many youngsters marrying out of the faith and trying to live "a la Francaise". '
On the cultural side, integration was also successful. North African Jews shared in the creation of manv new com-
munal centres m Paris and the provinces; in the opening of new coinmun-ities and new synagogues, and in the revival of many others, especially in historical centres such as Troyes, Carpentras. Toulouse and Avignon.
Despite their exodus. North African Jews, 25 years later, remain faithful to their old traditions and religious customs. Family life follows the old patriarchal pattern. Rabbis, ministers and mohe-lim pursue their teachings
and work unceasingly.
According to a recent census, about 40% of marriages by North African Jews in France is with Ashkenazim.
In their support of Israel. North African Jews almost in their entjrety, have been, and are unconditionally commit^' ted to the help, of the Jewish state. Ori the pohtical side they have always shown imagination and self-dedication in the daily struggle against Arab and Palestinian pro-
paganda. They are well represented at demonstrations:
But. while Tunisian and Algerian Jews can be said ■to be 100% committed to Israel, a discordant note can be heard among Moroccan Jews, particularly among young people who immigrated from Morocco with their parents or who arrived in France from Israel in the past two or three years.
An active and vociferous minority is conducting an anti-Israel campaign
under the pretext that Moroccan Jews are being discriminated against by the "Ashkenazi establishment" there.
They not only accuse all Israeli governments since 1946 of having done nothing to help Oriental Jews, but allege that they have prevented poor Sep-hardi elements in the state from enjoying a decent life. They accuse the government of regarding them as second<lass citizens despite the fact that they constitue a big
ihajorityof the population.
The irony of such a campaign is that a number of left-wing Israeli journalists ill France are extending a helping hand to these "Sephardi rebels", some of whom have just left Israel.
The situation was made worse recently by the publication of a monthly magazine entitled Minorites (Minorities) — an organ of the Black Israeli Panthers, and the voice of the dissatisfied Oriental
Jews in Israel.
The publication, probably as a cover, also takes the side of other '•minorities", siich as the Breton, the Occitaiis and the Normands. It also supports leftwihg ideologiral associations aimed at the downfall of capitalism and liberalism. .
The majority of Sephardi Jews here, including all the North Africans, as well as local French Jews, are dismayed at the new and regrettable agitation.
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