Aharon monsonego was born in Fez on February 9, 1929, into a Jewish family that was known for its enlightenment. His father was Ididia Monsonego, Rabbi of Fez and Chief Rabbi of the Jewish communities of Morocco, who was highly respected and appreciated by the royal family.
Aharon Monsonego studied in two well-known Jewish religious schools in Fez, before going to France for religious studies from 1945 to 1952 at a school in Aix-Les Bains. He was a disciple of Rabbis Ernst Ville and Yitzchak Chaikin, then became a professor at the Jewish Religious School and obtained the title of “rabbi” from the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Paris in 1951.
In 1952, Rabbi Aharon Monsonego returned to Morocco and was appointed director of the Talmud Torah School in Casablanca, where he also founded a religious school and then a high school for Jewish girls.
Together with his father, Rabbi Aharon Monsonego published numerous books tracing the career of great Moroccan Jewish scholars in order to preserve their works. He also devoted his entire life to education and charity.
Aharon Monsonego was not at all interested in titles and the benefits they could provide. Yet with great difficulty and under great pressure from the Jewish community, he accepted to succeed his father in 1994.
Aharon Monsonego was known for his patriotism and loyalty to the Alaouite throne. His Majesty King Mohammed VI decorated him with the Alaouite Ouissam in 2008.
In 2010, he left Morocco to live with his children in Israel, after losing his wife and because of his poor health condition.
His Majesty sent a message of condolences to his family and to all members of the Moroccan Jewish community following his death on 7 August 2018, considering his death a great loss for Morocco.
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