Israel’s parliament has approved a law establishing an annual day to commemorate the heritage of Moroccan and North African Jews, recognizing their contribution to Israeli society and honoring those who died while attempting to reach the country.
The Knesset passed the bill in its second and third readings with the support of 25 lawmakers and no votes against, according to the Israeli parliament.
The annual observance will be held on the 23rd day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, marking the anniversary of the sinking of the Egoz, a ship that went down in January 1961 while secretly transporting Moroccan Jews seeking to emigrate to Israel. The tragedy claimed the lives of 44 people.
Under the new law, the commemorative day will celebrate the heritage of Moroccan and North African Jewish communities, acknowledge their immigration to Israel and honor those who died during the journey.
The legislation was introduced by lawmakers Michael Biton and Yinon Azoulay, who described the migration of Moroccan Jews as “one of the central and most influential chapters in the history of the Jewish people.”
In explanatory notes accompanying the bill, lawmakers said the arrival of Moroccan Jews had left a lasting imprint on Israeli society.
The text also highlights the long history of Morocco’s Jewish community, describing it as one of the oldest, largest and most prosperous Jewish communities in the diaspora.
According to the bill, Morocco’s independence in 1956 was followed by restrictions on emigration to Israel, leading many Jews to seek clandestine routes out of the country despite the risks involved.
Today, Israelis of Moroccan descent constitute one of the country’s largest Jewish communities. Historians estimate that hundreds of thousands of Moroccan Jews and their descendants live in Israel, where they have become influential figures in politics, culture, music, business and public life.
Several senior Israeli officials, government ministers and members of parliament trace their origins to Morocco.
Before large-scale migration in the mid-20th century, Morocco was home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the Arab world, estimated at around 250,000 people.
Although only a small Jewish community remains in Morocco today, the country has continued efforts to preserve Jewish heritage through the restoration of synagogues, cemeteries and other cultural sites.
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