The Holocaust and Jewish Communities in Wartime North Africa

About This Mini-Unit

The intersecting histories of the Holocaust and wartime North Africa illuminate complex ways in which colonialism and fascism impacted Jewish communities across Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia. These lessons bring in voices that are often left out of Holocaust and WWII curricula, opening an opportunity for students to gain a more complete understanding of the range of experiences, choices, and impacts associated with this period in history.

The first lesson is designed to deepen awareness and understanding of pre-war Jewish life. Photographs and other primary source documents point to the diversity of Judaism in North Africa and the relationships between Jewish and non-Jewish communities.

The second and third lessons delve into the antisemitic laws and actions perpetrated by colonial powers in North Africa and by the Nazis directly. Sources highlight a range of choices in the face of oppression at the individual and communal levels.  

Essential Question

In what ways do the experiences of Jews in pre-war and wartime North Africa provide a more complete story of World War II and the Holocaust? 

Guiding Questions

• What did Jewish life in North Africa look like before the war?
• What were the relationships between different faith communities in pre-war North Africa?
• How might exploring the diversity within the Jewish world and the interreligious dynamics of pre-war North Africa inform our understanding of religion and identity and our choices of how to relate across differences today?
• What are ways in which the perceptions and prejudices of others can impact one’s sense of identity and belonging?
• What choices did people have as antisemitic racial laws were passed in North Africa? What opportunities for resistance were available?
• Why is it important to engage with the history of the Holocaust and wartime North Africa?
• How did the Nazis and their collaborators seek to deprive their victims of basic human dignity, and how did those targeted attempt to preserve or reclaim their dignity?

Learning Objectives

• Students will deepen their understanding of the diversity and complexity of Jewish life in pre-war North Africa through an analysis of images, film, and readings. 

• Students will gain insight into the ways in which “single stories” of what it means to be Jewish can be combated through an exploration of Jewish communities in Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia.
• Students will consider the implications of learning about pre-war Jewish life as it relates to the study of the Holocaust and to the world today.
• Students will deepen their understanding of the experience of the Holocaust and wartime North Africa through an analysis of primary and secondary sources that include personal reflections of North African Jews. 
• Students will reflect on the range of responses to discriminatory laws and actions.
• Students will analyze, discuss, and explain the range of choices available to individuals, groups, and nations during the Holocaust and explore the possible motivations and reasons for decision-making in this time of crisis.