Double Trauma and Manifold Narratives: Jews’ and Muslims’ Representations of the Departure of Moroccan Jews in the 1950s and 1960s

A shared trauma persists in Morocco regarding the departure of Jews in the 1950s and 1960s, with narratives from both Jewish and Muslim communities revealing fragmented memories. The study, based on oral histories from Meknes, highlights a shift in perception during the Six-Day War (1967), where Jews were reimagined as 'courageous' rather than 'fearful,' disrupting prevailing Muslim stereotypes. This transition challenged societal norms around virility and loyalty, leaving an unresolved emotional wound. Despite differing social class perspectives, the issue remains sensitive, with Muslims suppressing recollections of a 1967 incident involving Jewish victims. Jewish memories oscillate between fear and nostalgia, underscoring the complex, multifaceted legacy of this historical upheaval.

Semi, E. T. (2018). Double Trauma and Manifold Narratives: Jews’ and Muslims’ Representations of the Departure of Moroccan Jews in the 1950s and 1960s. Sites of Jewish Memory, 45–63. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315796796-3