This is Yossi’s reply to Mohamed.S from Morocco. To read Mohamed’s full response check this link

 

Dear Mohamed,

Thank you so much for your warm and deeply appreciated letter.

Like you, I am thrilled with the establishment of formal relations between our two countries. What excites me in particular about the connection between Morocco and the Jewish people is that the connection never ceased. Even after almost the whole of the Moroccan Jewish community left, deep connections remained. Moroccan Jews have continued to visit the country, including going on pilgrimages to ancestral graves and the graves of revered rabbis. And I know that for many Moroccan Muslims, maintaining a connection with the country’s Jewish past is an important part of your own national identity.

This means that the emerging Moroccan-Israeli relationship won’t only be built on pragmatic interests – as important as those are in relations between countries – but also deep cultural relations. The mutual interest among Moroccan Muslims and former Moroccan Jews in maintaining those relations means that we have a chance to create a special model for the future of the Middle East.

For me, one of the most painful aspects of this 70-year conflict has been the denial of Jewish rootedness in the land we share with the Palestinians. The irony is that the Jewish people can draw a direct connection with its most ancient origins. Every people in this region is indigenous and I don’t intend to denigrate anyone’s connection to their birthplace; still, the Jews are among the very few nations that follow the same religion and speak the same language, in the same land, as their ancestors did thousands of years ago.

One of the miracles of Israel is that Jews from Morocco, Ethiopia, Poland, America, Iraq have all returned after two thousand years – and recognized each other as fellow Jews, part of the same nation. There really is no story like this.

I so much appreciate your willingness to hear the Jewish story. Your goodwill and open mind and open heart give me hope for the future of our region – for the future of humanity.

With friendship and blessings,

Yossi