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From Meknès to Montreal, a life recalled through paintings.

By Chana Pollack

This week we are exhibiting the oil paintings of Montreal based Moroccan Jewish artist Maxime Ben Haim. He was born in Meknes, a small historical town supported by the Sultan since the 15 th. Century. Meknes and nearby villages, have always been the home to Jewish learning, and have historic relationships with many famous rabbis such as Maimonides who studied in neighbouring Fez in the 15 th century. Most of the rabbis of Meknes and the surrounding towns moved on to Palestine or were sent to towns throughout Morocco. It was once known as the small Jerusalem of Morocco.

Ben Haim stayed in Meknes until he was19, at which point he left to study graphic arts in Paris, on a full scholarship. He soon returned upon finishing his studies, and worked as a graphic designer. He opened  a studio in Casablanca, at the time when Graphic arts were just beginning. After the 1967 war, it was « a little bit uncomfortable for us there » he says,«not really scary, but we thought it was perhaps time to move, that was our perception. and so he immigrated to Paris, France. Ben Haim sees some of his artistic influences from the Ecole de Paris movement, which includes masters such as Bonnard and even Picasso and Matisse, through he says he is  more illustrative and anecdotal. Indeed his paintings tell stories, even when they feature buildings or one individualfs image. He says he tries to tell the story of this community of Meknes, and relies on his strong childhood memories, but works spontaneously on paper, painting with oils. He doesnft rely on photographs or other forms of documentation.For him, memory is the source of history and narrative. Ben Haim has exhibited internationally, and would be interested in exhibiting in the United  States as well. Here in the pages of The Yiddish Forverts, he hopes to encourage new viewers of his work, to find connections between the idea of a small jewish town in Morocco and the Jewish rhythms of life in the shtetls of Eastern Europe.

Ben Haim sees further parallels between Meknes and the Askenazy experience of shtetl living in the intensity of religious observance of both, and the ensuing  ambience. In Morocco, Jews were forced to live in what as called the « Mellah »,    which was like the Pale of Settlements or other  restricted  regions where Jews lived separately from the gentiles, and were occasionally set apart to live in «protectorates» under royal patronage  Meknes was a special   place  set apart for the Jews by the Sultan of Morocco for their protection as well as    to   enable them to practice  Jewish culture away from the general  Muslem  majority. The Mellah of  Meknes

was surrounded by city walls, which helped to invoque an interior mystical type of Jewish observance.

One of Ben Haim`s  favorite paintings  is where he accompanies his grand father to morning prayers. He recalls walking with his grandfather to shul in the early morning light, and says he found that light to be « very mystical and religious.» These are some of the memories which inspired his paintings.

      « I kept this memory very clear in my heart and wanted to reconstitute  it in this painting. When I paint I remember everything– even the special light at this hour of the day.»

The Yiddish Forverts