Jewish Pilgrimage in Morocco #17 : Braham Moul Nesse, Azemmour’s guardian saint

Braham Moul Nesse is a Jewish saint buried in Azemmour near the city of El Jadida and whose Hiloula is celebrated during Lag Baomer, the Jewish rabbinical institution holiday generally celebrated in May.

In 1969, King Hassan II sent a message to the Moon

While stepping on the Moon for the first time, members of the Apollo 11 mission left a message of 73 leaders on the satellite. The message included a statement of King Hassan II, in which he saluted «the great brotherhood of men».

Morocco’s ancient capitals … three cities you never heard of

Aside from the list of capitals that everyone knows about, such as Rabat, Fes, Marrakech and Meknes, Morocco had several forgotten cities that served as capitals for short and brief periods. Here is a list of three of them.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #16 : Nissim Ben Nissim, the legendary saint of Ait Bayoud

Like many other Jewish saints in Morocco, Rabbi Nissim Ben Nissim is visited annually by Moroccan Jews. The Rabbi lived in Essaouira then Ait Bayoud during the nineteenth century.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #15 : Ouled Ben Zmirou, the mysterious saints of Safi

The Ben Zmirou brothers belong to a family that moved from Spain to Portugal and Morocco. They lived in Safi and gained the respect of both the Jewish and Muslim community, but their demise was mysterious.

Moroccan Goumiers, the only WWII soldiers to bring their women to the battlefield

During World War II, French authorities, which sent Moroccan soldiers to fight in Italy, decided to allow these tribesmen to bring their women to the battlefield. The policy was meant to help quell rape and pillage cause by the Goumiers.

Tobacco’s history in Morocco… when Muslim scholars prohibited smoking

Tobacco made its way to Morocco by the end of the sixteenth century, years after its consumption became a trend in Europe. In the Kingdom, however, smoking was considered a «sin» by Muslim scholars.

Jewish pilgrimage in Morocco #14 : Rabbi Shlomo Bel Hench, Ourika’s beloved saint

Venerated by both Muslims and Jews, Rabbi Shlomo Bel Hench is the saint of Ourika. The Rabbi is known for the many legends that have been associated to his life and death throughout the years.

The account of Robinson Crusoe in Morocco... when Salé pirates shaped Western literature

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Salé pirates were so famous among Europeans that their activities inspired writers and journalists. The novel, Robinson Crusoe, was one of the books that portrayed some of the atrocities Christian slaves endured in Morocco.

William Eddy, the American missionary recruited as a spy in Tangier

Colonel William Eddy was an Arabic-speaking missionary, who studied the Quran and knew much about the Muslim world. During World War II, he was recruited by the United States to lead covert operations in Tangier.