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CHAPTER III: The Alliance and the Struggle for Recognition within Moroccan Jewish Society
- State University of New York Press
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CHAPTER III The Allianceand the Struggle for Recognition within Moroccan Jewish Society When the AIU entered Morocco in 1862 and opened schools in the major communities of the Sherifian Empire, its task was far from simple. It is true that the Jewish communities were eager to benefit from the political lobbying efforts of the organization on their behalf, but they were at first less disposed to help the schools flourish. In fact, the period preceding 1890 witnessed strong currents of opposition to modernization envisaged by the AIU. The less than rapid adaptation to change in many Moroccan communities originated from old traditions. But sometimes, the opposition to the AIU was derived from th,e more intellectually oriented. Interestingly, some of the so-called evolues WI!re also proteges of political powers, Jews who served the consulates and legations. The latter tended to support the languages and educational systems of the European powers they represented. They tried unsuccessfully to pressure the AIU to diversify its educational offerings, often seeking to pllease their European employers. Such tendencies, at times, erupted into full-scale confrontation between these elements and the AIU, causing the latter to threaten to close the schools. Nevertheless, the most effective challenge to the AIU drew its inspiration from the traditional elites of rabbis and community leaders. Even in the more progressive communities of the ports and coastal towns, these influential people sometimes presented insurmountable obstacles to the schools, and, consequently, the AIU opened and closed schools with startling frequency during the first three decades of activities. In order to neutralize the opposition of the traditionalists, it was necessary for Jewish culture to be disseminated in the classroom without neglect of secular education. At the same time, it was essential that Moroccan Jews be made to understand that overreliance on traditional education, offered at the rabbinic schools, was not appropriate to modern times. The AIU contended that in the absence of a sound secular education, which included the sciences, intellectual emancipation would fail. Nevertheless, in 80 The Alliance and the Struggle for Recognition 81 order to fortify its influence, the AIU needed to exercise discretion in relations with the rabbis to make them feel that they were an integral part of the schools' operation, dispelling notions that the AIU was alien and undemocratic. This was sometimes difficult to achieve, for several school directors, notably the ones who came from Europe, and the Ottoman Empire , refused to make political and educational concessions, or they belittled local cultures. A major concession, however, was made by the AIU in most communities from the outset: the maintenance of a balance of authority over the schools. The Tetuan schools, as was pointed out above, were administered jointly by the AIU and the community. The latter provided funds, recruited the rabbi-teachers for the AIU, helped find suitable school buildings, and determined the amount of tuition. Eventually, this arrangement applied to most communities, though initially even these accomodations were viewed by the traditionalists with utmost suspicion. Although they took an active part in administering the schools, the rabbis and lay heads of the communities feared that their power might be challenged by the AIU directors. Yet, as we shall see, not all rabbis and notables placed obstacles in the way of the schools. With the passing of time, an increasing number of these leaders rallied to the side of the AIU. Opposition to the schools originally came into focus in Tetuan and Tangier, the starting point for the organization's educational network. Beginning in Tetuan, there was vociferous antagonism toward M. Gogman, AIU school director, whom the rabbis accused of de-Judaizing their youths. Gogman, on the other hand, complained that the greatest obstacles to the schools were a handful of intransigent and intolerant rabbis who continuously pressured the parents not to send their youths to these centers of impiety. 1 Gogman, however, was happy to reveal that the chief rabbi, Isaac Nahon, offered his blessing to the schools. When Gogman appealed for Nahon's intercession to neutralize the opposition of several rabbis, the latter responded that he was in favor of seeing the community's youths frequent the AIU schools.2 Yet he did not think that there was much he could do to weaken the opposition.3 Writing to Cn!mieux, Nahon expressed his appreciation for the secular mission and for the advantage of European language education.4 Nevertheless, the chief rabbi hinted that the AIU had to remain patient and cautious if it...