Placed under the sign of sharing and living together which mark the city of Essaouira, this ceremony, initiated by the Mimouna Association, the American Sephardi Federation, the Essaouira-Mogador Association and the Zaouia Kadiriya in Essaouira, with the support of USAID, took place in a festive and warm atmosphere, during which Jews and Muslims gathered in the emblematic space of Bayt Dakira.
This ceremony confirms once again, if need be, the strong Judeo-Muslim communion in this thousand-year-old city, the crossroads of civilizations and a haven of universal values and coexistence between the different monotheistic religions, as well as the attachment of the Jewish community in Essaouira to the traditions that characterize Moroccan society.
This ceremony, which highlighted the fraternal coexistence that has prevailed between the different faiths for centuries in the Kingdom and the harmonious relationship maintained by the two communities, was an opportunity to celebrate Judeo-Moroccan culture through music and songs performed by groups of Jewish and Muslim musicians.
Speaking to M24, MAP’s continuous news TV channel, Richard Ohayon, who coordinates the organization of this ceremony and Pesach, explained that this ceremony, organized at the emblematic space of Bayt Dakira, which recounts the memory and history of Essaouira in all its diversity, marks the end of the Passover celebration.
This ceremony was also an opportunity for Jews and Muslims in Essaouira to share dishes and moments of brotherhood in a festive atmosphere, he pointed out, stressing that this purely Jewish and Moroccan tradition shows that tolerance, bringing people together and living together are possible.
“This ceremony is here to show it. Whether you are Jewish, Muslim or Christian, in Morocco we show the whole world that fraternity and tolerance exist between peoples and communities and that we live very well together,” he said.
For his part, the secretary general of the Mimouna Association, Abdellah Ninou, highlighted the great significance of this celebration which takes place 8 days after the Passover celebration, explaining that this initiative is part of the activities of the association aimed essentially at preserving the diversity of the Judeo-Moroccan identity and legacy.
Through this kind of action, “we are all working to preserve and revitalize this important heritage” and celebrate a tradition that has been alive since the 1950s and 1960s in Morocco.
For his part, Hicham Dinar, Moqadem of Zaouia Kadiriya in Essaouira, stressed that this activity reflects the spirit of the universal values of tolerance and coexistence between the different components of Moroccan society and monotheistic religions.
Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse