Judah Aben-Yuly

Merchant

Judah Aben-Yuly, was one of the founders of the Jewish community of Mogador, (modern Essaouira, Morocco) where he was appointed “merchant of the sultan” about 1767. Most of the appointed merchants of the sultan were Jewish. They were involved in international trade, mostly with European countries, and were entrusted with the role of mediation and diplomacy with European consuls and entrepreneurs. Sultan’s merchants were influential both in economic affairs of Morocco and were the leaders of the local Jewish communities.