Customs of Moroccan Jews Perpetuated in Israel Ka ra ites

JERUSALEM — Anyone
who saw the Valley of the
Cross here on the warm day
after Passover, could hard-
ly recognize it. A huge color-
ful tent camp, set among the
olive trees at the feet of the
monastery drew an army
of buses and cars from all
parts of the country for the
celebration of Mimuna.
According to one version,

Moroccan Jews celebrate this
day in memory of Maimoni-
des, who spent some time in
Fez, Morocco, protecting the
Marranos who were banned
by the community. Other-
wise, the origins are vague.
This was the custom of the
Jews in Morocco; every year
they would go on a picnic in
the country elegantly dress-
ed, and this custom was

brought with them to Israel.
This is the fourth year that
the Mimuna is celebrated en
masse in Israel.
No one goes hungry. The
aromas emanating from the
stands originated in arti-
chokes, shafnes (Moroccan
pancakes), and Moroccan-
style stuffed derma.
On the stage Oriental

troupes perform songs and
dances. Later, popular sing-
ers and groups perform.
Pnina Ohaion, a young wo-
man dressed in slacks and a
flowered blouse, invites a
reporter to join her family
in their tent. She introduces
her sister, her brother-in-law,
the children. "My husband,"
she said, "has been busy
for over a month organizing

the Mimuna. He put in much
of his spare time, sometimes
even of his money. The main
thing is to bring prestige to
the Moroccans!"
She said that her hus-
band is a director of Amidar,
the Israel National Housing
Corporation, in Jaffa. "And
I" — with a smile — "am
the proprietor of a chicken-
house in a moshav Ramla."

FROM THE
PORTFOLIO OF
THE PRESENT

With compliments to "Greyhound"

Leave the Driving to Us—
"Go EGED"

Travel Poster of EGED,
Israel's Nat oval Bus Company

•

Remember RAHAB?

IXDPX LINIDUJ

Young Woman Dancing Moroccan Dance at Mimuna Festivities in Jerusalem.

Jacket for "Rahab" by Shmuel Izban. This
novel, based on the early chapters of the Book

•

The Writer's House in Jerusalem

Defined

By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX

(Copyright 1973, JTA, Inc.)

The Karaites were associ-
ated with a sect formed in
Babylonia in the 8th Cen-
tury.
This sect was formed as a
result of various influences,
especially among the Jews
who lived close to the fron-
tiers. Generally speaking, this
sect rejected the validity of
talmudic law, rejected any
permanent authority on the
part of a religious leader,
and insisted on the right of
each individual to interpret
the Bible as he saw fit.
Originally they were as-
cetic in character to some
extent and possessed an
acute sense of social justice.
In time, these principles
were somewhat modified In
comparison with the S -
tions of the Rabbis, the Kai s-
ites were more or less literal
in approach to the Bible.
The term "Karaite" first
appeared in the 9th Cen-
tury and is considered a term
which the Karaite sect
adopted to distinguish them-
selves from the followers of
rabbinic tradition.
Some say the term comes
from the Hebrew root "Kara"
which means to "read" as it
refers to scriptures, and that
the Karaites adopted this
name to show that they were
the champions of the literal
meaning of the Bible. Some
say the term comes from a
Hebrew word meaning "to
summon" or "to invite."
The Karaites would thus be
regarded as those who
"called" upon others, similar
to the Shiites of the Arabs
who called upon others, to
follow their way of life.
Others claim the word signi-
fies a relationship with the
Arabic term "Karra" (from
whence we get the Arabic
word Koran) to indicate that
they were preoccupied with
the meaning of the scriptures
and their exegesis.
Some scholars claim that
the Karaites were opposed to
receiving converts from other
faiths.
Since the Karaites adhered
rather strictly to the Scrip-
tures and the Scriptures do
not seem to indicate a defin-
ite process of conversion, it
was the rabbis who set down
the rules of conversion to the
Jewish faith based on their
interpretation of inspirational
teaching. The Karaites dis-
agreed with this rabbinic
rite.

* •

*

Shadhan,

The Hebrew Writer's House in the
reconstructed Jewish quarter of the
"Old City" is Jerusalem's newest
cultural center. Here, novelists,
poets, essayists and playwrights
gather for professional meetings
and for cozy social chats.

Special Feature Prepared by

Tarbuth Foundation for the

Advancement of Hebrew Culture

48—Friday, August 3, '1973

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Israel Defense Minister Moshe Dayan visits the Morocco Jewry exhibit in
Jerusalem's Israel Museum.

The .shadhan is the name
given to the ,go-between who
would arrange the match be-
tween bride and bridegroom.
We have such a title in Jew-
ish literature as early ar
13th Century. Apparc.
this kind of profession is a
very noble one. What some
scholars feel was the reason
for this person, was the fact
that some fathers of girls
were anxious to have schol-
arly and pious bridegrooms
for their daughters.
Since the rabbinic litera-
ture discusses the problems
of the fee, it is obvious that
this was a paid profession
from the earliest times. To
this very day in some circles
there are either agencies or
individuals who still involve
themselves in the profession
of matchmaking. A few con-
sider this as a virtue.
A source in the Talmud
says that the Almighty Him-
self is the matchmaker par
excellence.