Moroccans in Israel

Morocco

Diaspora

Moroccans in Israel

Morocco

Cultural Groups

Moroccans in Israel

Resources

Cemeteries

• JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry at JewishGen - Index; includes cemeteries in cities/towns with large populations of Moroccan Jews: Haifa, Netanya, Ashdod, and Kiryat Shmona (see Index)
• Israel death records at FamilySearch
• See Israel cemeteries page for more resources

Census Records

• See Israel Census page for resources

Civil Registration

• See Israel Civil Registration page for resources

Compiled Genealogies

• Les Fleurs de l'Orient - Website containing the genealogies of Sephardic families, including thousands of compiled genealogies, surname database, articles, DNA research, and more
• "Sephardi entrepreneurs in eretz Israel : The Amzalak family, 1816-1918," by Joseph B. Glass. Jerusalem, Israel : Magnes Press, 1991. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
• Oral histories - Moroccan Jews in Israel, Morocco, and the Diaspora

Emigration and Immigration

• Israel Aliyah - (Morocco) Search results for records related to Moroccans immigrating to Israel (National Library of Israel)
• "Etsi = Mon arbre : revue de généalogie et d'histoire séfarades (My tree: review of Sephardic genealogy and history)," by Laurence Abensur-Hazan. Paris, France : L. Abensur-Hazan, 1998-; A periodical focused on Sephardic genealogy research throughout the world. Details about each issue can be found on this website.
• See Israel Emigration and Immigration for ship manifests, and other immigration resources
• Cities in Israel with notable Moroccan communities, including approximate populations:

Jerusalem - 100,000 Tel Aviv - 70,000 Haifa - 50,000 Netanya - 40,000 Ashdod - 60,000 Kiryat Shmona - 7,000

Offices to Contact

ארכיון מדינת ישראל
Israel State Archives

• See contact information below

Newspapers

• Palestine Post - A newspaper that circulated in Mandatory Palestine and later Israel from 1932-1950. Issues can be browsed online through the National Library of Israel.

Religious Records

• Moroccan Jewish marriage records - Records held by the National Library of Israel

Offices to Contact

ארכיון מדינת ישראל
Israel State Archives

• See contact information below

Background

Moroccan Jews have been migrating to Israel for centuries, with early waves establishing communities in cities like Jerusalem and Tiberias as early as the 19th century. The first significant wave occurred between 1908 and 1918, driven by overcrowding and economic decline in Moroccan cities. After World War II and the establishment of Israel in 1948, a substantial wave of Moroccan Jews emigrated due to anti-Jewish riots and fears of persecution following Morocco's independence. This migration continued through the 1950s and 1960s, with operations like Operation Yachin facilitating the movement of tens of thousands of Moroccan Jews to Israel.

Repositories

Archives

ארכיון מדינת ישראל
(Israel State Archives)
Hartom 14, Har Hotzvim, RAD building
Jerusalem, Israel
Email: PublicInquiries@archives.gov.il
Telephone: 02-5680680, 02-5680612
Website

• Catalog

National Library of Israel
Edmond J. Safra Campus
Givat Ram
POB 39105
Jerusalem, 9139002
Israel
Email: reference@nli.org.il
Telephone: +972-74-733-6336
Website - Catalog

• Records about Moroccans - Search results for "Morocco" records. Marriage records, funeral prayers, and other types of records can be found by using the subject filter

Yad Ben-Zvi Institute
14 Iben Gabirol Street
Jerusalem, 9243016
Israel
Email: ybz@ybz.org.il
Telephone: 02-5398888
Website

• The Yad Ben Zvi Institute specializes in researching Jewish communities from all over the world
• Manuscript collection - Includes manuscripts from Morocco and Israel
• Photo archive

Societies

• Alliance of Moroccans in Israel - The Alliance fosters ties with Moroccan Jewish communities in the diaspora
• Sephardic Genealogical Society - Contact at: society@sephardicgenealogy.com