The first Jew elected to the United States Senate was of Moroccan descent

David Levy Yulee is known in the United States as the first Jew to serve as senator. But in Morocco, he is the descendent of a renowned Jewish family that gained respect within the Moroccan Jewish community and served the royal court during the 18th century.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #21 : Rabbi Eliyahu HaCohen, a Casablanca saint with two graves

Rabbi Eliyahu HaCohen lived and died in Casablanca, where he was buried. While few people know about his story, many recall the transfer of his grave, which was located in the ancient medina. Today, this saint lays in the Ben M’sik cemetery, where Jewish pilgrims come visit his grave yearly.

The United States Supreme Court and the «controversial» sculpture of Prophet Mohammed

In the 1930s, the United States commissioned a sculptor to build a marble frieze for the Supreme Court that depicted 18 lawgivers. The list included Prophet Mohammed, whose sculpture was seen as controversial by the Muslim community in the United States.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #20 : Raphael Moshe El Baz, the Rabbi and poet of Sefrou

Rabbi Raphael Moshe El Baz was the saint of Sefrou, a city where he was born and raised after his family left Spain for Morocco. In the city, he liked several fields, excelling in poetry, science and mathematics.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #19 : Isthak Ben Walid, the miraculous cane of Tetouan’s Rabbi

Rabbi Isthak Ben Walid held several positions within the Jewish community in Tetouan. For years his miracles marked the inhabitants of the city, especially those who believed in the powers of his miraculous cane.

Robert Purvis, an American nineteenth century abolitionist and his Moroccan grandmother Dido

Robert Purvis was one of the most committed American abolitionists in the nineteenth century. The activist drew strength from the story of his grandmother, a Moroccan woman who was enslaved and transported to the United States at the age of twelve.

Operation Lamantin, the only third-party military intervention into the Western Sahara conflict

In 1977, France became the first and only country to lead a third-party military intervention into the Western Sahara conflict. The military operation was conducted on behalf of Mauritania, which was targeted by the Front’s guerilla forces.

Four «pretenders» who claimed to be part of the Morocco royal family

Throughout the years, several people pretended to be part of the Moroccan royal family. While Bou Hmara pretended to be the eldest son of sultan Hassan I, Serge-Michel Bena, Hicham Mandari and an Israeli woman claimed to be «connected» to the late king Hassan II.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #18 : The three mysterious saints of Errachidia

The Jewish cemetery of Errachidia is home to three Jewish saints, namely Rabbi Yahia Lahlou, Rabbi Moul Tria and Rabbi Moul Sedra. Each one of them has a story to tell. 

The history of Morocco’s currency… from Hassani rial and Moroccan franc to dirhams

In 1881, Sultan Moulay El Hassan introduced the «Hassani rial» as a modern coinage for Moroccans. When French took control of Morocco «franc» replaced «rial». The latter was also replaced by «Moroccan dirham» when the Kingdom broke free from the French.