Megorashim

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Expulsion and Migration of Megorashim

The Megorashim are Jews of Spanish descent who travelled to different parts of North Africa after their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula. One of the most well known expulsions was the one from Spain. In 1492, the Spanish Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella ordered the Edict of Granada to expel all Jews from their country to protect and promote Christianity.. Many of the Jews travelled to Morocco and Algeria, although not exclusively to those two countries. The Jewish population in Algeria benefited more from the influx of arrivals of refugees from Catalonia and the Balearic islands in 1391 after experiencing pogroms in their native lands. Many of the Jews leaving Spain in 1492 didn’t travel to Algeria at first. However, by 1830, these Jewish communities, specifically in the northern peninsula and on the coast of the Mediterranean, grew and became more prominent. On the other hand, majority of Jews fleeing Spain in 1492, flocked to Morocco. The main city they inhabited was Fez, and that became a central hub for their religion, culture, and business. Both Jews that migrated to Algeria and Morocco were welcomed by their Muslims neighbors and leaders.

Religious Life

Jews living in Morocco and Algeria created strong religious communities with prominent Rabbis that influenced their lives politically and spiritually. The community of expelled Jews that moved to North Africa treated this migration as a new chapter in Judaism. Influential Rabbis of the Megorashim created the Fez Regulations in 1494 which were meant to give new order and regularization for the lives of the individual and the community. They used their previous lives in Castile as a platform for these new regulations. There were also religious reformations in addition to societal regulations. Called Taqqanot, these Castilian decrees created in the 16th century, shaped Moroccan Judaism for many years to come. These changes not only helped the Megorashim adapt to their new lives in North Africa, but thrive religiously. North Africa became a “great center for the perpetuation and development of the Qabbalah”. The Qabbalah is a form of Mystical Judaism that attempts to understand the Torah (bible) and God’s messages in modern times. From the beginning of the 14th century prominent rabbis found their homes in North Africa. In the city of Algiers, there was Rabbi Yitzhak Bar Sheshet Perfet, who lived from 1326 to 1408, and one of their most influential rabbis; Rabbi Shimon ben Tzemah Duran. In Morocco, although almost always accepted and appreciated in their community, Jews excelled under the rule of Moulay Ismail (1672-1727). Two prominent rabbis of this time were Rabbi Moshe Berdugo (1640-1732) and Rabbi Haim ben Atar (1698 - 1743).

Business and Daily Life

Megorashim were generally prominent leaders in business and the economy. Not only were they welcomed by their Muslim neighbors after their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula due to their broad networks and connections, they became leaders in their secular communities. The Moroccan government understood that their strong ties to their native lands still remained. Due to this political advantage, Jews like Jacob Rosales and Samuel Palace became diplomats focusing on relations between Iberian and North European Powers. They flourished in international commerce as well as politics. Although their most inhabited city was Fez, many communities of Megorashim settled at port cities like Azemmour and Safi. They became traders and merchants and excelled in this industry. During the 16th and 17th century, they helped Morocco become “the leading producer of the world’s best sugar”. However, the larger population of Megorashim did not benefit from these economic advantages. The Jews in Fez and their respective professions were not separated by their ethnicities or past backgrounds. Majority of the Jews living in this city were specialized in handicrafts, working specifically with metals like gold and silver.

Relationship with Toshavim (Natives Jews in North Africa)

When the Megorashim arrived in North Africa, the native Jews, called Toshavim, did not welcome their new presence. When Jews from Spain and Portugal arrived in the 15th century and gained control of communities in the south, the Toshavim quickly developed a sense of distrust towards their new neighbors. To the Toshavim, the Megorashim were an economic threat due to their intelligence and trade skills. Despite this fear, many of the Megorashim held the same occupations as Toshavim in the Mellah (Jewish Quarter)

This mistrust did not help the stark divide between the Jewish refugees and natives in North Africa. The Megorashim built their own synagogues and cemeteries and still abided by the traditions they followed in the Iberian Peninsula. Even in major cities like Tangiers and Tétouan, they assimilated the natives in those territories to their customs and turned the cities into hubs of Iberian Judaism. In this manner, they treated the Toshavim as foreigners. Furthermore, Megorashim spoke Judeo-Spanish (or known as Ladino) instead of Judeo–Arabic like the Toshavim. This language has also been called Jaketiya and attributed to the influence of the Kingdom of Spain on the residents of Morocco. When the Spanish Kingdom captured Tetuan and other parts of Morocco, Spanish culture and language experienced a revival and strengthened the separation between the Megorashim and Toshavim. The barriers between the two communities did not last forever, but were major factors in their segregation for over hundreds of years.

References

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