Some tell the JC of their pride at the team reaching the semi-final this week, others voice unease over the team identifying itself so prominently with the Palestinian cause
December 15, 2022 12:26
The entire Middle East has fallen in love with the Atlas Lions, Morocco’s unlikely history makers at the World Cup in Qatar — and that includes thousands of Israeli Jews with roots in the North African country.
But while some Moroccan Jews told the JC of their pride at the team reaching the semi-final against France this week, others voiced unease over the team identifying itself so prominently with the Palestinian cause.
Morocco-born Israeli Amelie Botbol and a friend rooting for the Atlas Lions
Moroccan-born Amelie Botbol, who made aliyah eight years ago, was in Marrakesh to watch the game against Portugal. “To have our team go this far is a huge accomplishment, one that shows the true spirit of the country, the determination of its people.
“Moroccans throughout the world, including Israel, are feeling very proud,” she told the JC.
“While I’ve been here, I’ve even met a group of French Jews who flew to Marrakesh so they could watch the World Cup here. And as Jews we have had the most wonderful experiences in Marrakesh, from doormen wishing us laila tov to recommendations for kosher restaurants in the city.”
Once home to the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world, the cultural and religious ties between Morocco and Israel have always been strong.
It is not unusual for Israeli Jews of Moroccan descent to have pictures of King Mohammed V, who protected his country’s Jews during the Second World War, hanging in their homes.
And when Morocco joined the Abraham Accords in December 2020 and normalised relations with the Jewish state, ties between the two countries deepened further still.
Guy, an Israeli with Moroccan roots
