Remains of Seven Jewish COVID-19 Victims Transferred From Morocco to Israel for Reburial

By JPost
Posted on 11/24/21 | News Source: JPost

The bodies of seven Moroccan-Jewish victims of the COVID-19 pandemic were flown to Israel last week after being interred in a Casablanca Jewish cemetery more than a year ago.

The transfer was arranged by ZAKA, an Israeli volunteer rescue and recovery organization which focuses on ensuring Jewish burial rites for victims of terror and natural disasters, as well as the Casablanca Chevra Kadisha, a local Jewish burial society.

Among the dead was Rabbi Sholom Eidelman, one of the first emissaries of the Lubavitcher Rebbe who lived in Morocco for more than 60 years. A second funeral held 18 months after his death drew many of his students in Israel, including former Israeli Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, who was born and spent much of his childhood in Casablanca.

Eidelman and the others whose bodies were brought to Israel all died during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic when the virus ripped through the Moroccan Jewish community.

During the first month of the pandemic, Jews represented more than 10% of Morocco’s known COVID-19 deaths, despite making up less than 1% of the country. The virus was believed to have first spread through the community after a Purim party and Jewish wedding in March 2020.