El-Krief, Jacob. Sepher Chemed Bachurim shel Chevrath Magen David ha-Tzionith [Manual of Ritual Laws for the Young Men of the Zionist Society “Magen David”]

(CASABLANCA)

(Casablanca)

1919

Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic

Marciano, B’nei Melachim, no. 103

First Hebrew book printed in Casablanca. The book is adorned by the haskamoth of R. Chaim Joseph Maman, Av Beth Din (Chief Justice) of Casablanca and of R. Abraham Abuhatzeira, also of Casablanca. Marciano noted that the typography of pp. 25-52 differs radically from that of the first 24 pages. He surmised that printing of the book was begun in the establishment of Ben Chayoun in Tangiers and was not completed until the year 1922 in the establishment of Moses Amar and Shalom Elbaz in Dar la-Bida. It is believed that the governmental opposition to Zionist activity was the reason for the initial printing in Tangiers, at that time an international city. See Marciano, B’nei Melachim (1989), pp. 19; 53, no. 103