Marc C. Ginsberg, the first Jewish-American to be appointed as Ambassador to an Arab country, was awarded last week the American Sephardi Federation’s (ASF) International Leadership Award in a ceremony at the residence of Moroccan Ambassador to the United States, Aziz Mekouar. Ginsberg served as U.S Ambassador to Morocco between 1994 and 1997. The award ceremony took place Bethesda, Maryland, in the presence of diplomats, international dignitaries, business leaders and leaders of the Jewish community. It was part the ASF’s continuing commemoration of “2,000 Years of Jewish Life in Morocco,” a special year-long initiative launched in September 2010 under the patronage of King Mohammed VI of Morocco. During the ceremony, ASF President David E.R. Dangoor said the International Leadership Award was given to Ambassador Ginsberg for his “Outstanding leadership in fostering strong and constructive relations between the United States and Morocco and for his continued support of the Moroccan Jewish community and its rich cultural heritage.” Also present on behalf of ASF at the award ceremony were ASF Vice-President Florence Amzallag Tatistcheff, ASF Executive Board Member Carlos Benaim, ASF Board Members Eli Gabay and Gwen Zuares, and ASF Executive Director Dr. Stanley A. Urman. To culminate the year-long event, ASF will be establishing a permanent Resource Center for Moroccan Jewish Heritage at the Center for Jewish History in New York City. The center will be open to the public at large and will commemorate, in perpetuity, the legacy of Moroccan Jewry and serve as a primary repository for both Jews and non-Jews who are seeking information and documentation on the Jews of Morocco. ASF was founded in 1973 and is the largest American organization dedicated to the promotion of the history and culture of the Sephardic Jewish people in the United States. The ASF is a founding partner of the Center for Jewish History, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
