A cultural non-profit association created in 2007 by young Muslim students willing to promote and preserve the Jewish-Moroccan heritage. The name «Mimouna» symbolizes a common heritage of Moroccans. Traditionally celebrated at the end of Passover, Mimouna is a traditional Jewish Moroccan celebration. Jewish families often invite their Muslim neighbors Muslims who, among other things, bring bread to join the festivities. One of the founding principles of the Association is to reclaim the cultural diversity of Morocco through its exemplary history. In a context where intolerance and extremism are rampant, Mimouna, as a Citizen Patriot Association, would like to contribute to the preserving and strengthening of the diverse Moroccan identity.
A founding partner of the landmark Center for Jewish History, the world’s foremost repository of modern Jewish books and archival documentation, the American Sephardi Federation proudly preserves and promotes the history, traditions, and rich mosaic culture of Greater Sephardic communities as an integral part of the Jewish experience. The ASF hosts high-profile events and exhibitions, produces widely-read online (Sephardi World Weekly and Sephardi Ideas Monthly) and print (The Sephardi Report) publications, supports research, scholarship, the Institute of Jewish Experience, and the National Sephardic Library & Archives, as well as represents the Sephardic voice in Jewish communal affairs as a member of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
The ASF is partnered with Association Mimouna to celebrate Judeo-Moroccan history, traditions, and culture, as well as the Moroccan culture of co-existence. Since 2014, The ASF and Association Mimouna have done a series of major events in New York City, including the Moroccan Jewish Caravan, From Casablanca to New York: A Night of Moroccan Culture, the 20th and 21st Anniversary Editions of the NY Sephardic Jewish Film Festival, and an event with the Muslim World League honoring the heroism of Muslims who protected Jewish communities and/ or saved Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. These events have been both well-attended (indeed, the Opening Night of the 20th NYSJFF honoring Mr. André Azoulay, Counsellor to the King of Morocco, and our other events at The Center for Jewish History were all sold out) and drew the attention of leading publications, such as Tablet Magazine, CS Monitor, and the Times of Israel. Our work together preserving Jewish historical sites in Morocco, via a mutual partner, the Diarna Geo-Museum of North African and Middle Eastern Jewish Life, has also been featured in The New York Times.
