THE DIASPORA
Overseas Iles
Two Detroiters went to Morocco
to check on our Jewish brethren
DEBBIE L. SKLAR
Special to The Jewish News
Mark Schlussel, left, and
Larry Jackier look over
pictures of their Morocco
trip.
wo area attorneys have
recently completed Kadima missions
for the United Jewish Appeal, to look
at the differences between American
Jewish communities and Jewish com-
munities under pressure around the
world.
Both men explored Jewish life in
Marrakesh, Morocco, and Eastern
Europe.
Larry Jackier and Mark
Schlussel have been involved in these
visits for several years.
"The best kept secret in the
Jewish world is the JDC (the
American Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee)," said Jackier. "Its life-
sustaining work helps Jews in need
in 34 countries, including Israel."
Jackier, a United Jewish Appeal
national vice chairman, was one of 16
participants from across the country
who took part in a recent 14-day
Kadima mission to six countries. The
purpose was to educate a select group
of leaders, who will in turn educate
Campaign workers across the U.S.
One of the most interesting places I believe a heartbeat away from big
Jackier visited was Morocco, where trouble?'
He said that in all of Morocco
Jewish life is on the verge of
there
is a Jewish remnant left, but it's
extinction.'
"Each country that I have visited teetering between existence and ex-
over the years has been different. Any tinction, and the Jewish people know
way you look at some of these places, it.
"I think they would say that in
the Jewish communities are suffer-
ing," he said. "One of the classic ex- between the next generation to
amples is how the Muslims of Moroc- generation and half, Jewish life in
co treat the Jews in Marrakesh. They Morocco will be over. They are slowly
call them horrendous names once encouraging the young people to
they find out they are Jews. We as leave?'
Jackier talked with several people
Americans had similar experiences —
who
had brothers and sisters who had
they called us these names even
though they didn't know we were - already left, and they were beginning
Jews. It's almost commonplace to to leave as well.
"Nevertheless, they are educating
them to call others names," he said.
their
young, and in many respects bet-
"We'd walk through the market place,
ter than we are," he said. "We visited
and they'd yell out obscenities?'
"What you have in Marrakesh," many active day schools in Casablan-
Jackier said, "is a Jewish communi- ca, and one in Marrakesh. They were
ty that was once very great and very amazing?'
Jackier said the Jewish people of
proud, with a great Judaic tradition.
Today it's reduced to about 10,000 Morocco were taking better care of
people who function well, but at the their elderly and teaching them bet-
sufferance of the King. They are what ter Hebrew and religion than in some
places in the United States.
"The educational facility in
Marrakesh was in some respects bet-
ter than Casablanca. But the JDC
director was struggling with the deci-
sion whether to close the schools. The
teachers are only semi-literate, and
can only teach the lower grades. Our
money is keeping them going, but it
doesn't look very viable."
According to Schussel, who visited
Morocco on a UJA mission for five
days in February, "They are sustain-
ing their community, but what the
demographics say would indicate the
community is on the wane?'
"Long range, I'm not so sure it's
optimistic, and I'm not so sure that's
so bad," he said.
In comparing Jewish life in
America with Jewish life in Morocco,
Schlussel said, "I think you have to
juxtapose the two to see a' complete
opposite. The Moroccan Jewish com-
munity has the fear of physical safe-
ty, but a huge amount of spiritual
safety. The American community has
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