Association Mimouna אגודת מימונה

Traditionally celebrated at the end of Passover, “Mimouna” is a unique Moroccan Jewish celebration of liberty and community. Moroccan Jews would often invite their Muslim neighbors to join in the festivities associated with returning to eating leavened food once Passover ended. We are a group of Moroccan Muslim students striving to preserve and promote the history of Morocco’s ancient Jewish community. Founded in 2007 at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (AUI), the MIMOUNA takes its name from the original “Mimouna,” a symbol of the heritage shared by all Moroccans. We seek to educate the Moroccan people about the Jewish culture that used to flourish in the country, and encourage harmony between Jews and Muslims. MIMOUNA members study Hebrew and Jewish history, as well as organize cultural events. Thousands of people have attended our annual “Moroccan Jewish Days” and recently launched "Moroccan Jewish Caravan." In September 2011, MIMOUNA organized a conference commemorating Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust and honoring King Mohammed V for his refusal to assent to the persecution of Jews during the Vichy occupation. The conference was recognized in the New York Times as “the first of its kind in an Arab or Muslim nation and a sign of historical truth triumphing over conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic dogma.” MIMOUNA members have continued their activities despite criticism, refusing to give in to ignorance and intolerance, and in fact work to counter both through their activism. MIMOUNA has recently expanded to include new chapters at university in Fez, Rabat, and Marrakesh. In August 2012, these chapters formed the Association MIMOUNA, a Moroccan non-profit umbrella organization.