the President of the Jewish Community of Fez, who died in 2019. There was a significant Jewish community here for a very long time, stretching way back through centuries. Many French Jews came during WWII, escaping from the Nazis to wait here in Morocco for an American visa. Some survived, others didn't, but those who survived & stayed did not suffer persecution. In fact, when the king at the time was asked by Rommel to "surrender the Jews", the king replied: "They are Moroccans, & they will stay with us". A large number of Moroccan Jews emigrated to the newly established Israel & come back to Morocco often.