Historical Film – Echoes From The Mellah

Dates: May 5, 2013 to May 5, 2013
Location: Congregation Darchei Noam
Our program focuses on a film about Berber Jews and Berber Muslims from Morocco. We located a relatively new film, that will premier in Toronto, and we will Skype with the film’s director, narrator at the beginning of the evening. The film was made by a young Berber Muslim who was born in a small village in the Atlas Mountains were there were many Jews; he moved to Paris with his family, but over many years he returns to visit his relatives. He one day asks why there are empty stores and homes and learns that the Jews used to be there, in significant number and were will respected and well liked but they all moved away some decades ago. He doesn’t totally understand, so over some period he goes to Israel to find the Moroccan Jews, whom he discovers are still very attached to their Berber past. They are Berber/Moroccan/Israelis and like himself they speak many languages. The producer learned Hebrew to be able to communicate with the folks he finds in Israel but in the film, there is Berber, Arabic, Hebrew and French. Its very well done, and very moving. The history is well portrayed as are the sentiments of both Muslims and Jews with regard to the departure and immigration to Israel. Its not been easy on the people who moved but importantly, they were not driven out; no edict, no pogrom, no threats. They left as Israel was born, either to seek a better life and fulfill the Messianic prophesy or because they were worried as Arabs elsewhere turned against the establishment of the Jewish state and punished their Jewish populations.

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