THE HOLOCAUST AND THE UNITED NATIONS OUTREACH PROGRAMME

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The Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme
to Morocco with her husband George, also a survivor. Dr. Robert
Satloff, Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Near East
Policy, spoke via video conference on the role that Arabs played in
saving Jews across North Africa during the Holocaust.
Mr. Serge Berdugo, the Secretary-General of the Council of Moroccan
Jews, gave a presentation on the threats to Jewish life under
the Vichy regime and the actions taken by King Mohammed V in
response. Mr. Berdugo’s father, then President of the Meknes Jewish
Community, participated in secret meetings with the Sultan
Mohammed V. Mr. Simon Levy, the director of the Casablanca Jewish
Museum, shared with us his personal story living in Morocco
under the Vichy Government.
Mr. Andre Azoulay, Advisor to the King of Morocco, explained the
importance of teaching the Holocaust in Morocco and in other Arab
countries and the role of King Mohammed V in saving Moroccan
Jews.
During the second day of the conference a facilitated discussion
took place between students from Al Akhawayn University, students
from Moroccan Universities throughout the country and the
group of Kivunim alumni who had come to Morocco from their college
campuses in the United States to participate in the event. This
conference was welcomed by many Moroccan scholars, intellectuals
and students. However it was also widely criticized by Holocaust
deniers.
This conference was part of a larger movement of individual initiatives
by civil society organizations, media representatives and educators
who all wanted to promote Holocaust education in Morocco
and to recognize the Arabs who saved Jews in North Africa. There
were also reports made by the Moroccan historians and media about
forced labour camps that had been established at this time across
North Africa.
In addition, Ismaël Ferroukhi, a Moroccan filmmaker, made a movie
called Free Men, which narrates the story of the Imam of Paris who