David Amar
Moroccan businessman
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David Amar (1920–2000) was a Moroccan businessman, leader of the Moroccan Jewish community, politician, and philanthropist.
David Amar | |
|---|---|
David Amar (left) with Limor Livnat (center) & Yuval Steinitz (right) | |
| Born | 1920 Settat, Morocco |
| Died | 2000 (aged 79–80) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | David Amar Worldwide North Africa Jewish Heritage Center |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Raphael Edery (son-in-law) Paul J. Fribourg (son-in-law) |
Early life
Business career
Amar was the head of Omnium Nord-Africain, Morocco's largest conglomerate, until he resigned in January 1986, and was replaced by King Hassan's son-in-law Fouad Felalli. The circumstances of this were unclear and may have been due to retirement, or to a loss of influence, and Amar sold all of his shares in the company.[2]
Political career
Amar was president of the Jewish community in Kenitra, which was where he started his business career.[1] He established connections with Moroccan nationalists, which helped him obtain the position of secretary general of the Conseil des Communautés Israélites du Maroc (CCIM) after Moroccan independence in 1956.[1]
Amar was involved in Operation Yachin, in which 97,000 Moroccan Jews emigrated to Israel in 1961 to 1964.[3]
For 26 years, from 1965 to 1986 (at least), Amar was president of the Council of Moroccan Jewish Communities.[4][2][5] He was also president of the World Assembly of Moroccan Jewry.[2][4]
In 1965, Amar was a member of the Chamber of Moroccan Counselors.[4]
At the time of the 1971 coup attempt, Amar briefly fled abroad due to his closeness to King Hassan II.[3] In 1984, Amar was made an Officer in the Order of the Throne by King Hassan.[6]
Philanthropy
He funded the restoration of the North Africa Jewish Heritage Center in Jerusalem, which was named the David Amar Worldwide North Africa Jewish Heritage Center in his honour.[7]
Personal life
In 1965, his daughter Annie-Claude Amar (died 6 August 1993)[8][5] married Raphael Cohen (later known as Raphael Edery, a member of the Knesset from 1981 to 1999 and a government minister), an oil company engineer, in the presence of two members of the Moroccan Cabinet, several former Ministers and the National Police Chief.[4]
His son Daniel Amar is a French-Jewish businessman, who owns stakes in Israel Salt Industries and Bank Hapoalim.[5]
Amar lived in a villa in "Casablanca's wealthiest district".[2]
