Marrakech – In early October, Rabbi Chaim Amsili, a council member representing Bnei HaTorah in Ashdod, a city on Israel’s coastal plain known for its large Moroccan Jewish community, visited the homes of prominent city rabbis bearing gifts of premium Moroccan etrogim.
The fruits, carefully selected from hundreds grown under supervision in orchards near Taroudant in southern Morocco, arrived just before Sukkot.
Rabbi Amsili presented the rare specimens to Rabbi Meir Cohen, president of the Union of Community Rabbis, and Rabbi Meir Abuhatzeira, head of the Torah Lishma kollel.
The rabbis examined the etrogim’s exceptional quality and insisted on paying for them, citing the principle that mitzvot require payment. The gesture showed the continuing significance of Moroccan etrogim in contemporary Jewish observance.
Sukkot begins five days after Yom Kippur
Sukkot is a seven-day biblical festival starting on the 15th of Tishrei. It ranks among Judaism’s three pilgrimage festivals and is also called the Feast of Tabernacles.
The holiday commemorates God’s protection of the Israelites during their forty years of wanderings in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Historically, Jews traveled to the Temple in Jerusalem to give thanks for the harvest, making Sukkot both an agricultural and spiritual celebration.
Observant Jews dwell in a sukkah, a temporary hut with a roof of natural materials that allows those inside to see the stars. Families eat and sometimes sleep in the sukkah throughout the week, recalling the fragile dwellings of their ancestors.
Another central observance is the mitzvah of the Four Species: lulav (palm branch), hadassim (myrtle branches), aravot (willow branches), and the etrog (citron). These items are held and waved together during prayers throughout Sukkot, symbolizing unity, gratitude for the harvest, and the joining of different types of people into one community.
The Torah verse describing the etrog is brief, calling it “pri etz hadar” – the fruit of a beautiful tree (Leviticus 23:40). Rabbinic tradition identified this with the citron, and over time this interpretation became fixed practice across all Jewish communities worldwide. Beyond its ritual use, the etrog carries symbolic meaning: unlike the other three species, it has both fragrance and taste, representing individuals who possess both wisdom and good deeds.
Jewish law sets detailed criteria for a kosher etrog. It must be a pure citron, not grafted with lemon or orange, as grafted fruit is invalid for the mitzvah. Buyers, therefore, rely on orchards with known provenance and rabbinic certification.
The pitom, a small knob at the blossom end, requires delicate handling. If an etrog grew naturally without a pitom, or if it fell off while on the tree, the fruit remains kosher. If the pitom breaks off after harvest, the etrog typically becomes invalid. Minimum size equals roughly that of an egg, while blemishes such as cuts, dark spots, or excessive dryness can disqualify it.
As a harvest festival, Sukkot is also a time of thanksgiving for autumn crops and hope for a fertile new planting cycle. Its agricultural roots are intertwined with its historical memory, blending joy, feasting, and gratitude with the solemn reminder of fragility and divine protection.
After the solemnity of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot is known as zeman simchateinu – the “season of our joy” – celebrated with music, dancing, and festive meals. The festival concludes with Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, which carry their own special rejoicing.
The Assads region produces Morocco’s etrog crop
The Moroccan etrog is a true citron variety native to the Assads area of the Anti-Atlas mountains. The region lies inland from Agadir in the Souss area. Small terraced groves cultivated by Amazigh villagers have produced etrogim for generations. Moroccan citrus scholar Henri Chapot described the Assads citron in detail in 1950.
He characterized it as a sweet, acidless citron. Chapot distinguished it from Morocco’s Rhobs el Arsa, a different citrus hybrid grown widely for food. The Assads citron has an oblong shape and a thick rind. Its pulp is relatively dry. Growers cultivate it specifically for the etrog mitzvah.
Jewish merchants travel from Agadir to Assads during late summer and early autumn. They walk orchards with local growers to tag fruit meeting strict halachic standards. The trade stimulates communal gathering for Morocco’s small remaining Jewish population in Agadir during harvest season.
Fewer than 2,000 Jews remain in Morocco today. About 40 to 50 live in Agadir itself. Approximately a dozen cultivate etrogim there. The harvest period before Rosh Hashanah brings dozens of Jewish merchants to the area. They typically invigorate Shabbat services during their visits.
Morocco’s etrog trade has deep roots stretching back centuries. According to Moroccan Jewish tradition, the etrog has accompanied the community since their exile after the Second Temple’s destruction. Rabbi Mordechai Ashiao wrote the first documented reference to Moroccan etrog kashrut in his 1837 work “Hagid Mordechai.”
He reported testimony from Maghreb rabbis confirming the etrog’s kashrut and its status as ungrafted. Rabbi David Ben Shimon provided additional testimony about etrogim from Taroudant in his work “Umtzor Devash.” He wrote that Taroudant held the reputation as Morocco’s etrog city. Nearly all of the Maghreb relied on fruit from that region.
In the nineteenth century, Jewish merchants in coastal hubs like Mogador (Essaouira) connected Atlas-grown citrons to European markets. Moses Corcos of Mogador organized export routes to England and beyond. Community histories preserve these traditions of trans-Mediterranean Jewish commerce. The trade continued through the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Moroccan etrogim serve Jewish communities worldwide today.
Shmita years drive exceptional demand from Israel
Israeli etrog production follows the shmita (sabbatical) agricultural cycle in the Land of Israel. Every seventh year, working the soil (planting, pruning, harvesting, etc.) is forbidden under halacha (Jewish law), and farmers who cultivate ritual items like etrogim must observe this cycle, or else their produce becomes forbidden to religious customers who seek fruits of guaranteed sanctity.
The Jewish year ending with Rosh Hashanah 2022 was one such shmita year, serving as a vivid modern example of this ancient commandment. With Israeli orchards resting, virtually no etrogim were cultivated domestically for that Sukkot.
Instead, the gap was filled by tens of thousands of Moroccan etrogim, grown in the Anti-Atlas mountains and certified as pure, ungrafted fruit. Their arrival not only sustained Jewish practice worldwide but also confirmed Morocco’s longstanding reputation as a reliable supplier during shmita years.
The path became easier due to the renewal of ties between Tel Aviv and Rabat in 2020. These agreements formed part of the Abraham Accords brokered by the United States. Before normalization, Moroccan etrogim sold through third countries like Turkey, Spain, or Italy. In 2022, etrogim flew direct from Casablanca to Israel on Royal Air Maroc.
The arrangement showed potential in the countries’ relationship. Einat Levi, former head of economic affairs at Israel’s diplomatic mission to Morocco, noted the symbolic nature of the trade. When Jews cannot work their land, Muslims can supply what they need to maintain ritual and tradition.
Reporting from 2022 estimated roughly 600,000 Moroccan etrogim exported globally that season. This represented about 10% above a typical year. Israel took a larger share due to shmita conditions. The 2023 Al-Haouz earthquake struck just before Sukkot, impacting access to some mountain areas. The timing affected harvest operations during a critical period.
Quality grades determine prices and market access
Israeli buyers use quality grades including Aleph-Aleph, Bet, and Gimel. Only about 5% of the crop achieves top Aleph-Aleph quality. These fruits may sell for more than $80 in Morocco and higher abroad. Lesser Bet quality etrogim sell for around $15. Gimel grade fruits cost less than $10.
About 40$ of crops rate as Bet quality. The remainder falls into the Gimel category. A typical Jewish-owned farm in Agadir with 400 trees might produce 9,000 fruits annually. After expenses, such an operation sees roughly $30,000 in profit.
Moroccan etrogim offer several advantages in the global market. Many orchards maintain long, well-documented ungrafted lineages with regular rabbinic oversight. Anti-Atlas microclimates produce thick-rinded, bumpy fruit with the classic etrog appearance.
In shmita years, Moroccan supply fills gaps in Israeli production. Normalization simplified routing logistics. Compared with Italian Calabria’s Diamante etrog, which some Hasidic groups favor, Moroccan sets can be more affordable while meeting strict standards.
Different Jewish communities maintain distinct preferences. Chabad-Lubavitch traditionally prefers etrogim from Calabria, reflecting historical rabbinic endorsements. Sephardi and North African diaspora communities commonly use Moroccan etrogim.
This aligns with regional customs and supply networks. Rabbi Amsili, in presenting the Moroccan etrogim to Ashdod’s rabbis, cited Aruch LaNer’s praise for Morocco’s beautiful fruit. He also referenced Rabbi Machluf Abutbul’s writings, confirming that nearly all Maghreb etrogim came from Taroudant. The city held an unbroken tradition that the fruit was kosher without any doubt.
Beyond legalities, the etrog carries rich symbolism in Jewish tradition. Classical midrash interprets the four species as embodying different types within Israel. The etrog, having both fragrance and taste, symbolizes those who possess both Torah knowledge and good deeds. Contemporary interpretations frame the set as a unity ritual binding diverse types together. The mitzvah emphasizes bringing different elements into harmony during the harvest festival.
