Moroccan Jews no longer ‘immune

Life is continuing as normal for Moroccan Jews in the wake of bombing attacks, but the community realizes it’s no longer safe from terrorism, a top official said. “Now we realize we are not immune,” Serge Berdugo, president of the Moroccan Jewish community and an ambassador at large for the kingdom, said Wednesday at a small gathering at the American Jewish Committee offices in Washington. Attacks in recent weeks in Casablanca did not receive much attention, as they were overshadowed by suicide attacks in neighboring Algeria that killed 33; however, analysts say they believe the attacks are part of an effort by al-Qaida to make inroads in North Africa. A series of suicide bombings in May 2003 targeted Casablanca’s Jewish community, but authorities sought to portray them as an isolated incident.Berdugo said nothing had changed for the country’s community of less than 10,000 Jews, and that Sabbath services were going ahead as usual. Morocco’s Jews generally enjoy good relations with their neighbors.