Reports received here from Casablanca today indicated that the Government of Morocco may be planning to abolish the rabbinical courts in that country which, until now, have had autonomous status with sole responsibility in Jewish personal matters. The step was seen in prospect as the Government announced that Chief Rabbi Saul Danan, the 80-year-old descendant of Moses Maimonides, and his former Associate Chief Rabbi Encaoua have been named as judges of the lay Supreme Court of Morocco.
Both Rabbis Danan and Encaoua are now members of the Supreme Rabbinical Tribunal, of which Rabbi Danan is president. That tribunal is an appellate court; There are 32 rabbinical courts in the country which, like the Supreme Tribunal, have autonomy in questions of personal status and inheritance among Jews. It is feared that, by placing Rabbis Danan and Encaoua on the lay Supreme Court, the Jewish community may no longer enjoy the privileges of the rabbinical court system in effect until now.
(A report from Casablanca to the JTA today said that rabbis are representing the Moroccan rabbinate at the proceedings of the National Judiciary Congress which was opened by King Hassan today in Fez. The two rabbis are Moise Malka and Isaac Hazan, respectively vice-president and judge of the Rabbinical Tribunal of Casablanca.)
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
