The Jewish community of Casablanca, Morocco, suffered the devastating loss of the Peretz family, after Yamin, Simone and their son, Ari, passed away after being exposed to and contracting COVID-19.

Ari, 52, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, passed away on March 26.

His cousin, leader of the Israeli Labor Party Amir Peretz, honored Ari’s legacy, saying, “In the Jewish community, they told of his contribution and the aid he gave to disadvantaged populations, Jews and Arabs,” the Labor Party Knesset member told Channel 12 news. “Even the heads of the state and representatives of the royal court called me to express their sorrow.”

Days after the loss of her son, Simone, 75, passed away on March 31, followed a week later by her husband, Yamin—both as a result of COVID-19.

“Their death is a great loss for the Jewish community in Morocco,” said a local Jewish resident. “They are people who contributed significantly to the community.”

The tragic blow occured after a well-attended wedding in the nearby city of Agadir, where the coronavirus apparently spread among the attendees.

Readers are invited to express their condolences or memories of the departed in the Reader Comments box that follows this article.

To provide additional information for this article, or to submit the names and information about other Jewish victims of the coronavirus, please use this form.