Dear Diario Judío readers:
Here I am once more, and in this special occasion I am really glad to share you by the first time an article/interview in English as in Spanish. I believe also that using two languages is better than just one to keep communicating you the international community events, their analysis, and the progressive initiatives and people who are shaping the world and trying to seek for more approach among those who normally seem to be separated.
Today, I am introducing to you a good friend from Morocco. Yes! Of course! I said Morocco, a place where maybe the only information that comes from there or from the North African countries are the wrong (and the tiny) image of a society, which is also concern because of the “brain washing” of terrorism and the intolerance that the devastating ideology from terrorist groups are creating. Therefore, my intention is to bring you to this platform one example from this Maghreb region, who is the opposite of what we heard or watch from the mainstream media and that we will really like his pride to be human, his respect and his value for the Moroccan Jewish community, that until our days is promoting the development of the dialogue and cultural learning. So, here is Mr. Amine Ayoub:
Amine is a young person, how old are you? And from which amazing city in Morocco are you from?
Amine: I am 35 and I am from Rabat, the capital of Morocco. My father is of Amazigh origins in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco and my Mother is from an area close to the spiritual city of Fez.
Do you practice any religion?
Amine: Although I have my reservations about the current state of world religions and especially Islam, I am still a practicing Muslim. Note that during my younger years, I became atheist as we did not have a comparative religious view while in school, and things did not make sense to me. After attending a Catholic high school in the US and having a multicultural experience in the US , things started making sense to me.
Why do you feel proud to be Moroccan?
Amine: I am not just proud of being Moroccan but I love Morocco. Under the leadership of our beloved King Mohamed VI, Morocco is the only country in the region that is safe to live in. There are many amazing things about Morocco that make it an amazing place. You can find bars, mosques; synagogues….People have the choice on how they want to live their lives.
Why do you feel proud to be a Muslim?
Amine: In the current state of things, there is nothing to be proud of. Battle of political ideologies that do not have anything to do with Islam, are just hammering its image globally.
Why do you feel proud about the Moroccan Jewish Heritage?
Amine: Morocco is the only country in the region that still has a large residing Jewish community. The Moroccan Jewish heritage spans over more than 2000 years, but shamelessly pan-arab political ideologies have been trying to hide this great heritage of Morocco. Israel is always being used as a stooge to brainwash us about Judaism and Israel but I personally think it is all anti-Semitism.
Frequently, we see on the media different news that gives “a not so optimistic” image about the Maghrebi people with Judaism or members of ISIS. Both things are not quite the reality. So, can you tell us your opinion about this wrong image?
Amine: As I said before there is a battle between different political ideologies. Young generations are being used and brainwashed as part of this.
Are you proud of Judaism and Jewish Heritage in Morocco? And Why?
Amine: Answer above
Have you ever experienced any problem because of this feeling and interest?
Amine: As I said before, under the leadership of our King, I am free to express my thoughts and feelings about specific issues.
What do you think about Israel and Israelis?
Amine: Israel is a country and Israelis are human beings. What makes them amazing though is that they are surrounded by enemies from all sides.
Do you believe in the coexistence between Jews and Muslims or between Israelis and Muslim nations? And Why?
Amine: I believe that humans are humans and of course we can coexist. Morocco is the ultimate example for that. But in my opinion, there is too much money in conflicts that people behind it will always push for more hate.
In which way do you believe you have done more for this coexistence? Have you ever attended to conferences, forums or being active on media or on social media to promote mutual understanding and coexistence also for the next generations?
Amine: I was more active on defending the existence of Israel as a nation on social media. I was invited to attend a social media workshop by Stand with Us in Jerusalem.
What is your favourite thing about the Jewish heritage in Morocco? And what is your favourite thing about the Jewish community in Morocco?
Amine: Sometimes I think that Moroccan Jews are keener on preserving traditions than us Muslims. Many things in our food, traditions had a Jewish touch but people do not know.
Can you tell our Diario Judío readers why do you suggest us to visit your country and know more about the Judaism in Morocco?
Amine: Morocco is a safe and beautiful country to visit. There are many things to see when it comes to Jewish Heritage including cemeteries and synagogues.
Can you tell our young readers of Diario Judío why do they need to work more to build peace, mutual understanding and coexistence between Muslims and Jews?
Amine: As I said before, I think that there are some people who are making great benefits from ongoing conflicts and hate. I suggest to young people to learn about each other and to think critically before making judgments about others.
Thank you dear Amine and I hope you can keep sharing the dialogue with others.
So, let´s contribute to the promotion of the mutual understanding and the recognition of the cultutal heritage that somehow the Jewish people should be proud of their Moroccan roots as the Moroccan people should be proud of their Judaism.
Please, feel free to share your comments about this article on Diario Judío or in my twitter account: @PabloQZepeda
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