Marrakesh’s Jewish community is picking up the pieces after the devastating earthquake that struck Morocco last week. "People are left with nothing; entire villages have been completely wiped out. It's terrible. I have a friend who lost 25 family members. How can I come to Israel right now? I need to be with him,” Makhlouf Ohayon, who lives in Marrakesh, told Ynet.
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The local Jewish community, has launched a fundraising campaign for the restoration of the synagogue and the Jewish cemetery that was damaged in the earthquake, the restoration of the Jewish quarter, and for providing assistance to the locals in Marrakech.
"On the one hand, we’re glad we survived, but we feel pain for our friends and brothers and for everything happening around us. It's sad and difficult for us, but we’re trying to help as much as we can," Ohayon said. Meanwhile, the death toll continues to rise, with over 2,800 victims already confirmed.
"I live in Gueliz, on the newer side of the city. Houses around the central synagogue, which itself suffered damage, were affected. The synagogue has a lot of cracks, but it didn't collapse," Ohayon said. "Many houses collapsed in Marrakesh’s Old City because the buildings there are very old; it’ll take a long time to rebuild. At the moment, authorities are trying to locate survivors because human lives are more important. They declared three days of mourning so schools and shops are closed while people mourn this terrible tragedy,” he said.
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Torah scrolls taken out of Marrakesh synagogue to safety after devastating earthquake
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Ohayon said he canceled his plans to travel to Israel. "I have non-Jewish friends here who are like family to me, and I decided not to leave them at this critical time. They need us. I was in the affected areas, and I have many friends whose parents and siblings live there. The entire Jewish community is trying to help. We’re collecting clothes, food, and some donations where available. They need food, water, and clothing because it's very cold in the mountains right now. The weather changes extremely fast there,” he said.
"Many people are sleeping in the city square. Several hundred families are sleeping outside, on the streets," Kobi Yifrach an Israeli residing in Marrakesh said. "Here in Mellah, the Jewish quarter, the earthquake brought down houses in a second. It's an old area, and you can see many collapsed houses along the street.”
As an Israeli, does it sadden you to hear that the Moroccans don't want assistance from Israel?
"It's frustrating, yes. We’d have been happy to see Israelis helping here, especially in the more difficult areas where assistance is truly needed, in the Atlas Mountains."
Who arrived to provide help?
"Private organizations like ZAKA, United Hatzalah, Israir, and several others came here on small aid missions, but a large Israeli delegation or a plane coming here would be a game-changer. People are still afraid and traumatized, but they’re starting to understand the extent of the damage and are beginning to rebuild. Morocco usually recovers very quickly; everything returns to normal very quickly, we’re here to help make that happen," Yifrach added.