Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, right, is pictured with the only Jewish Moroccan tour guide, Raphael El-Maleh, who organized the Jewish museum in Casablanca, collecting Jewish ritual items and other historical documents from Jewish communities throughout Morocco.
(Submitted photo/Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan)
Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan will lead an interfaith course about Jews and Judaism in Morocco in December.
Kaplan recently participated in an educational trip to Morocco sponsored by the Central Conference of American Rabbis. The group of rabbis met with members of the Jewish community in Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez and elsewhere. They visited historical sites regarding the history of the Jews in Morocco.
“Morocco historically hosted the largest Jewish population in the Arab world, with a presence for over 2,000 years, but the community has significantly dwindled from a peak of over 250,000 in the 1940s to about 2,000 today, largely due to emigration following the establishment of Israel and other factors,” Kaplan said.
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Education
Sun City temple slates interfaith course
(Submitted photo/Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan)
Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, right, is pictured with the only Jewish Moroccan tour guide, Raphael El-Maleh, who organized the Jewish museum in Casablanca, collecting Jewish ritual items and other historical documents from Jewish communities throughout Morocco.
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Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan will lead an interfaith course about Jews and Judaism in Morocco in December.
Kaplan recently participated in an educational trip to Morocco sponsored by the Central Conference of American Rabbis. The group of rabbis met with members of the Jewish community in Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez and elsewhere. They visited historical sites regarding the history of the Jews in Morocco.
“Morocco historically hosted the largest Jewish population in the Arab world, with a presence for over 2,000 years, but the community has significantly dwindled from a peak of over 250,000 in the 1940s to about 2,000 today, largely due to emigration following the establishment of Israel and other factors,” Kaplan said.
“Jews and Judaism in Morocco,” including a slideshow from Kaplan’s recent trip to Morocco, will be offered 10-11:30 a.m. Dec. 4, 11 and 18 at the Temple, 12202 N. 101st Ave. The cost is $20 for TBS members and $35 for non-members.
The course will cover both the Berber Jews who arrived in Morocco more than 2,000 years ago before the beginning of Islam as well as the refugees who were expelled from Spain in 1492 and from Portugal in 1497.
“Morocco under King Muhammad VI is a model for coexistence between Muslims and Jews,” Kaplan said.
Registration deadline is noon Dec. 1. Contact the Temple office at 623-977-3240 or templebethshalomaz@gmail.com to register and pay the course fee. For more information, visit tbsaz.org.
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