Most American Jews are probably not familiar with the celebration of Mimuna — a festival that originated in Morocco and is celebrated by Jews of Moroccan descent throughout the world immediately at the close of the Passover holiday.
However, this year the community is invited to learn about and participate in this colorful custom on Sunday, April 7, 4-6 p.m., at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center in a program sponsored jointly by the JCC and the Israel Resource Center of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
According to Yaffa Peles, an Israeli who lives in Mequon and is Moroccan, the Mimuna festival is said to have many origins. One of them is that Muslims would return wheat and flour to the homes of their Jewish neighbors after sunset on the last day of Passover, arriving with cakes, cookies, breads and other sweets to fill a dining room table.
Others connect Mimuna to the belief that the Jewish people will be redeemed in the month of Nissan, said Nir Barkin, community shaliach and Israel Resource Center director, and to Ben Mimon, the father of Maimonides, who, according to tradition, died on the last night of Passover.
Regardless of its origins, said Peles, “Today, Jews of Moroccan descent throughout the world still offer traditional delicacies to friends and neighbors during their own Mimuna celebrations. The word ‘mimuna’ derives from the Hebrew word for faith and means happiness in Arabic.”
Peles explained, “Jews open their doors and set a festive table for friends and neighbors in an atmosphere of joy, peace and kindness. The focal point is the dining room table, which is adorned with flowers and stalks of wheat and displays many symbolic foods. A favorite treat is the famous mufletta, which is eaten hot with butter and honey and rolled like a French crepe.”
Today in Israel, the festival has grown to encompass neighborhood parties, collective picnics and numerous rituals, including making shiddachim (matches).
At the celebration here, Israeli singer Simma Amar and dancing will be featured along with the traditional array of Moroccan sweets and desserts.
Amar was born and raised in Kiryat Malchi in the Negev and was part of its first ensemble of Dor Sheni, a musical and singing group of the ’90s. Today, she lives in Tel Aviv and performs as a singer with Boaz Sharabi and Tipex.
Tickets are $5 in advance, $6 at the door. Children under age 5 are free.
For more information call Nir Barkin, community shaliach, at the Israel Resource Center, 414-390-5705, or Dorene Paley, JCC community services director, 414-967-8217.
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