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The Magician of Casablanca: A Sephardic Woman's Quest to Save Lives in WW2
Discover the little-known history of Nelly Benatar, Morocco's first female attorney, who transformed bureaucratic red tape into life-saving magic during World War II's darkest hours. Beyond the familiar backdrop of the film Casablanca, follow one extraordinary woman's courageous journey from wartime rescue missions to post-war humanitarian work, confronting issues of refugees, immigration, and identity that remain relevant today.
The Magician of Casablanca: A Sephardic Woman's Quest to Save Lives in WW2
3. The Gestapo Knocks
As the Gestapo closes in, Nelly Benatar draws upon both her French legal training and the ancient Jewish Moroccan culture of her community. In this episode, Casablanca itself becomes a main character, a colonial crossroads of ethnic and religious friends and foes in French Morocco, a Tower of Babel that defies easy categorization. While the wartime attorney hurries to weave red tape into lifelines for Europe's “undesirables,” World War II's darkening shadow advances across Europe.
Created and narrated by Matthew Abergel
Vocal talent provided by Joe Alkire, Chantal Baur, and Gil Sebastian
Produced by Mark Johnston ✦ www.constellationaudio.biz
