"I was 15 years old when the American troops land, Operation Torch.."

"I was able to find a passage my grandfather wrote: “My name is Jacques Bensaid and I was born on July 4, 1927 in Tlemcen, Algeria as a French Jewish citizen or named “pieds-noire.  We spoke French and embraced many aspects of French culture. 
Our whole family left Algeria in 1933 for Casablanca, Morocco.  During all 4 periods stipulated above, as well as being Jewish and a French citizen, it was extremely difficult to live and find work for myself, my brother and my sister.  Realizing my sister, Fortune, was already settled in New York, and with the assistance from the Jewish agency, Chayas, we came to New York soon afterwards around 1957. I arrived in 1957 and my father and brother soon followed in 1958.

“ During my growing up in Casablanca, Morocco, we were harassed at a very young age and I use to be called “le petit juif,” meaning the little Jew.  As a little boy, about 10 or 11 years of age, I had to leave the French School (“Laique”) and attend “L’Alliance Israelique” (ORT).  ORT is Jewish organization that provides professional and vocational training for young Jews.  After 1 year of vocational school, I was forced to work full time and support my family.  I was 13 years old and this was the beginning of my hardship as a jew and was forced to drop out of school.  From 1940 to 1943, being a Jew, the French took away my French citizenship and I no longer had an identity and became “juifs indigènes” or define as the lowest class of Jews in Morocco.

“November 8, 1942 I was 15 years old when the American troops landed (Operation Torch), and we hid for 3 days because there was no safety for the Jews.  We were also hiding as we were told we may leave for Germany to work under the Nazi control or placed in concentration camps.  In addition with the new State of Israel and between Arab-Israeli conflicts (1947-1948), the Sultan Mohammed of Morocco specifically told the French not to hurt the Jews.  The Sultan was very tolerant and compassionate with the Jewish community, however, because Morocco was under the control of the French pro-Nazi (Vichy and Marshal Petain), he had little power.  During the American troop embankments, I was safe from physical harm but not mentally.

“In 1947 I was called to join the French army.  My unit had many French Muslims and the fear of being Jewish, and the 1947/48 Independence of Israel, I had to be transferred to other unit.  The persecution and danger continued to follow me all through my growing up in Morocco until I left for the United States in 1957 alone, my father and brother joined me in 1958 to join my sister, Fortune.”

Written by Zahrie;s grandfather