Israeli citizen crushed to death between two buses in Morocco
Police arrested two bus drivers for questioning to determine whether there was a nationalist background to the incident.
By AARON REICHRabbi Yoshiahu Pinto being installed at chief rabbi of Morocco at Beth-El synagogue in Casablanca, April, 2019(photo credit: SCREENSHOT/YOU TUBE)
An Israeli citizen was crushed to death between two buses on Friday in Casablanca, Morocco, as first reported by Channel 12.According to reports, the victim was walking from his Casablanca hotel with others, allegedly to buy groceries for Shabbat. As he went to cross the street, one of the busses parked outside the hotel suddenly accelerated and slammed into him.The victim has been identified as Rabbi David Levy, 41, a resident of Ashdod and a member of Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto's Shuva Israel community.He is survived by his wife and four children, the youngest of whom is only a year old. Details regarding his funeral and shiva have yet to be published. However, it has been reported that the Foreign Ministry is handling arrangements for the body to be flown back to Israel.At least one other Israeli civilian was injured and hospitalized for treatment, and was visited by members of the Jewish community.Associates of Rabbi Pinto expressed shock, and there was suspicion that this was a targeted attack."People shouted that it was a terrorist attack," another Israeli at the scene told Channel 12. "It was a big panic, and it didn't look like a car accident."Police arrested two bus drivers for questioning to determine whether there was a nationalist background to the incident.The driver that had accelerated explained he had hit the gas pedal by mistake, and that this was an "unfortunate accident."However, police have not yet ruled out the possibility of a targeted attack.
Rabbi Pinto used to live in Ashdod, but moved to Morocco in 2017 and became the country's chief rabbi in 2019. He is the first chief rabbi in 100 years to be appointed by the King of Morocco.Levy, along with hundreds of Israelis close to the rabbi – including former MK Oren Hazan – came to Casablanca for a memorial ceremony for Pinto's great-grandfather, Rabbi Haim Pinto, who was once the chief rabbi of Essaouria, Morocco. His grave is used as a pilgrimage site by Jews across the world for his yardzeit on 26 Elul.Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
