11 victims of the virus from the Jewish community in Morocco, which numbered about 2,000 people
Disinfectant in the capital Rabat Photo: AFP
Members of the Jewish community in Morocco did not imagine that Passover and Mimouna events would have to be marked this year as they closed in their homes. The Corona disaster did not pass on the Jews of Morocco, which number just over 2,000 people. The virus took
the lives of 11 members of the small community, and the joy of the holiday - the tears of mourning were replaced.
"For the first time in 60 years, we will not be celebrating the Mimouna - neither in Israel nor in Morocco," says the chairman of the Federation of Moroccan Jewish Federation, Sam Ben Shitrit, "I am in daily contact with members of the Jewish community in Casablanca and Marrakech, Good. The king and the authorities in Morocco are working to help, but that is not enough. Community members are numbered and closed in their homes in the hope that the epidemic will pass. "
Feeding hungry street cats in Morocco in the shadow of the Corona // Photo: Reuters
Among the deceased members of the community - three members of one family - right and Simon Peretz, in their 70s, and their son Ari, in his 50s, who succumbed to the fatal illness. Now praying in the community for the recovery of Pascal, the late Ari Peretz's wife, who is hospitalized in serious condition when she is euthanized and breathed. The four are relatives of Labor Party chairman Amir Peretz.
Funerals daily
"In the Jewish community in Morocco, it is estimated that the high infection rate among members of the community occurred during the Purim holiday, at an event attended by hundreds of community members," explains Ben Sheetrit. "In recent weeks, there has not been a day of funeral deaths for the deceased. , But unfortunately our options are very limited. "
Nearly 20,000 Jews from France and Canada, who planned to arrive in Morocco for the Passover holiday, canceled their arrival. This, even after many hotels in Casablanca have undergone a Passover process of chametz on Passover, to absorb the tens of thousands of tourists.
"In contrast to past years, when the Passover hotels in Marrakech and Casablanca were buzzing and the streets were packed with tens of thousands of Jewish tourists - this year everything is deserted, which is even more unfortunate and difficult," says Noam Israel, a Jewish-born Moroccan and resident of Marrakech, who makes a living among tourists. Jews, "all of this in light of the outbreak of the epidemic among community members and the deceased, who were really the pillars of our community. I hope we will hold on until the corona passes, because the medical system in Morocco is not approaching its level in Israel. If the outbreak of the epidemic becomes more difficult To the members of the community, unfortunately, anti-Semitic comments are already being heard as if the Jews were to blame It is true that these are individual voices, but there are always voices that increase in crisis situations. "
Moroccan Jewish Community President Serge Bardogo also issued a call for community members to heed the instructions and not leave their homes. According to a senior community official, the goal now is to prevent further casualties among the small Jewish community in Morocco.
"The authorities are trying to help the Jewish community wherever possible, and we thank the king and his people, but unfortunately the mess in Morocco celebrates," explains the community official, "there is no suitable protective equipment, there are almost no tests for civilians, and almost no masks can be obtained at reasonable prices. Much medical is coming to the black market instead of hospitals, and the authorities do not enforce the social remoteness guidelines. Although the streets of Marrakech and Casablanca are desolate because there are no tourists - the local public continues to reach the cafes and people continue to socialize with each other. "
"If I am not for myself, who"
However, in the Jewish community, care is taken to help members of the small community as much as possible. "Authorities do not publish official data on the number of patients and the deceased, so as not to hurt tourism and the economy, but we in the community do everything possible to help our people," explains the Jewish community. "There is no choice, if I don't have - whoever I have. Ours was hurt, because most members of the community make a living from various services they provide to Jewish tourists from Israel, France and North America. "