摩洛哥大概是這個世界上唯一一個猶太教徒和回教徒能和平共存的回教國家。即使經歷了以色列建國、摩洛哥獨立和以巴衝突，境內的猶太教徒從30萬人降至目前約4千人，他們仍有猶太博物館和猶太教堂。如2003年的炸彈攻擊事件後，在警察的保護下，其經濟中心達爾貝達（卡薩布蘭卡）仍有32個還在使用的猶太教堂。上個星期五開始，約有400個來自摩洛哥、以色列和法國的猶太教徒，聚集在15世紀為了逃避宗教迫害而來到Safi的猶太長老Abraham Ben Zmirro的墓地舉行宗教儀式，當地的回教領袖也參與禱告，一起為摩洛哥國王祈福。
所謂的和解共生不是大家坐下來喝咖啡，咖啡喝完就拍拍屁股走人，回去後還是非鬥個你死我活不可。而是公正且包容的看待自己所生長土地的歷史文化軌跡，學習傾聽跟自己不同族群的同胞可能不同的意見和想法，願意給彼此生存的空間，並真心為這片土地一起努力。
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/369897_pilgrimage08.html
Morocco's Arabs embrace Jewish pilgrims
Last updated July 7, 2008 5:55 p.m. PT
By ALFRED DE MONTESQUIOU
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAFI, Morocco -- It's an uncommon sight for an Arab country: hundreds of joyous Jewish pilgrims gathering without fear around a rabbi's tomb, greeted by local Muslim officials who share a prayer with them at a synagogue.
Yet most of the 400 Jews who converged on the Moroccan coastal town of Safi -- some from nearby cities, others from as far as France or Israel -- at a weekend pilgrimage said they felt welcome here.
While religious tensions flare in Jerusalem and beyond, in Morocco, Jews and Muslims say they nurture a legacy of tolerance and maintain common sanctuaries where adherents of both religions pray. Decades of emigration to Israel by Morocco's Jews and terrorist bombings in Casablanca that targeted Jewish sites haven't diminished the draw of these annual pilgrimages.
During the festival that began Friday, visitors prayed and feasted around the shrine of Abraham Ben Zmirro, a rabbi reputed to have fled persecution in Spain in the 15th century and then lived in Safi, where he is buried with six siblings.
A half-Jewish, half-Muslim band played local tunes during a banquet, including a song in French, Arabic and Hebrew with the line: "There is only one God, you worship Him sitting down and I while standing up."
The pilgrims were joined Sunday by Aaron Monsenego, the great rabbi of Morocco, who prayed alongside the regional governor and several other Muslim officials at the shrine's synagogue for the good health of Morocco's King Mohammed VI and his family.
"It's very important for us to pray all together," Monsenego told The Associated Press.
Regional governor Larbi Hassan Sebbari said, "We're also very proud of it: it gives a lesson to other countries of what we do together without any taboo."
While several Arab states refuse to recognize the Jewish state's right to exist, reject Israeli visitors and ignore the remnants of their local Jewish heritage, Moroccans insist it is not the case in this moderate Muslim nation and U.S. ally.
Once home to some 300,000 Jews, Morocco hosts the Arab world's only Jewish museum, funds Jewish institutions and frequently holds events to celebrate Judeo-Moroccan heritage.
Still, the Jewish population here has dwindled to about 4,000 -- most in Casablanca. Economics, fears of living in an Arab state and sporadic discrimination drove hundreds of thousands of Moroccan Jews to Israel, Europe or America over the past few decades.
Many left in 1948 when the state of Israel was created, or in 1956 when Morocco won independence from France. Other waves followed after the Israeli-Arab conflicts of 1967 and 1973 caused riots in some towns.
Jewish leaders who stayed say they practice their religion freely and that synagogues are well protected by police, especially since the 2003 bombings in Casablanca. And despite the bombings, Casablanca -- Morocco's commercial capital -- still boasts 32 active synagogues.
"There was never any racism in Safi," said Haim Ohana, one of only 10 Jewish people remaining in a town where 6,000 Jews once lived. "People left from here because they were poor," said Ohana.
The pilgrimage rituals are called Moussem in Arabic and Hilloula in Hebrew.
?1998-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
