Aomar Boum, PhD, to Explore Jewish Identity in Morocco, Sept. 26

The annual Joan and Henry Katz Lecture in Judaic Studies is sponsored by Fairfield's Bennett Center for Judaic Studies.

On Thursday, Sept. 26, the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies will host Aomar Boum, PhD, to deliver the annual Joan and Henry Katz Lecture in Judaic Studies. A distinguished professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Dr. Boum's lecture, "Jewish Identity in Contemporary Morocco: Memory, Reconciliation, and Citizenship," will take place at 5 p.m. in the Kelley Center Presentation Room.

Co-sponsored by the Department of Anthropology, Dr. Boum's presentation will explore the evolving relationship between Jewish and Muslim communities in Morocco and the country’s efforts to reconcile its Jewish memory with its modern-day national identity.

Dr. Boum, a professor and the Maurice Amado Chair in Sephardic Studies in the Department of Anthropology, Department of History, and Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at UCLA, has dedicated his research to Jewish-Muslim relations spanning from the 19th century to the present. His lecture will address important historical milestones, including the royal endorsement of new national representative bodies for the Jewish community in 2022 by King Mohammed VI. This pivotal decision introduced a National Commission of Moroccan Jews Living Abroad and a Foundation of Moroccan Judaism, as Morocco seeks to reconcile with its Jewish heritage amidst political and social changes.

Reflecting on these developments, Dr. Boum will contextual them within the broader history of Morocco's efforts to recognize and embrace its Jewish population. He will analyze the impact of media, civil society, and cultural discourse on this reconciliation process over the last two decades. According to Dr. Boum, these recent state measures are not solely driven by the political context of Moroccan-Israeli normalization, but are part of a decades-long endeavor to address the “Jewish Question” in Morocco.

"The history of human rights abuses during Morocco’s Years of Lead (1956-1999) has left an imprint on the collective memory of Moroccans, irrespective of their religion," said Dr. Boum. "The monarchy's long-standing relationship with Jewish communities has shaped these new measures, aimed at fostering unity and recognition."

As a leading voice in the field of Jewish-Muslim relations, Dr. Boum’s scholarship includes books such as Memories of Absence: How Muslims Remember Jews in Morocco and Wartime North Africa: A Documentary History 1934-1950. His interdisciplinary background allows him to provide unique insights into the complex history of religious and ethnic minorities in North Africa and the Middle East.

The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies is proud to host this important lecture in conjunction with the Department of Anthropology, made possible by the generosity of Debby and David Zieff, and looks forward to the critical conversations it will inspire regarding identity, memory, and reconciliation in Morocco.

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