From Casablanca To Jerusalem

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I have always lived in major cities.  I was born in Casablanca in 1965 and lived there until I was eight.  It was  a very nice period in my life.  In 1974 I moved to Paris, The City of Lights, but for me it was not easy.  I didn’t like Paris so much, although nobody seems to understand  this.  Paris?  How can you not like Paris?  Everybody likes Paris.  Not me.  Living in Paris was not so simple for a Jewish, religious girl.

One thing in particular that was challenging for me in Paris was the weather.  In Morocco the weather was always warm and sunny, and that is how the people in Casablanca were -warm and relaxed.  In Paris this was exactly the opposite, the weather turns cold and I felt the people there were  too.

I studied in Paris for four years and then decided to go on a one-year program to Jerusalem.  The one year became a lifetime and now I’m married with four children, two grandsons  and still living in Jerusalem with no thoughts of returning to Paris.

Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 20, 2017 at 3:34 AM

    The difference between Casablanca and Paris as it used to be in 1970s is not only a matter of climate or kindness. I would say that this observation is too simplistic. You have experienced the huge cultural and mental gap between East and West. These two societies offer diverse ways of life and the values that they believe in often collide. I think you have found your place in Jerusalem because it offers something from both worlds. It is traditional and new at the same time. It has its deep roots in religion but it is also modern and secular and above all you can find here a mixture of congregations, beliefs and communities. It forces us to build bridges between gaps instead of trying to ignore them.

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  2. UnknownDecember 24, 2017 at 4:52 AM

    Joelle! I really liked reading your passage. I would like to hear more about the challenges of being a Jewish religious girl in Paris. Do you still have family that you go visit in Paris?

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  3. letterstoroiDecember 27, 2017 at 6:08 AM

    WOW!! I am so happy that you found the right place for you to live! Unfortunately, there are many antisemitic people in France, I know what you're talking about... We see and read that in the news... I doubt if that'll ever change.. Your own story inspires Jews to immigrant to Israel, and that is great!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. shoshiJanuary 17, 2018 at 10:11 AM

    Welcome home! Living in these cities make you apprreciate what you have here, in Israel.

    ReplyDelete
  5. mikaFebruary 19, 2018 at 3:52 PM

    Great aliya story. I'm really happy that you found your safe home here

    ReplyDelete

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