Jerusalem National Sound Archives placement: Y6446a A humorous pasodoble describing the dire circumstances of young women remaining single due to massive male emigration out of Tetuan to Argentina, Brazil and Palestine, code named as Bilboa. *Mimuna - the festive day following Passover celebrated by the Moroccan Jews. Lyrics: Un día de Timimona a visitar la familia fuí, en toa la calle no habia un mancebo que me dijera be esh’hal Jolí. Unos se fueron a la Argentina, a Venezuela o al Brasil, otros se fueron a Palestina, diremos Bilbao, pa mor de los goyim. Y me quedé con mis amigas entre jilaba, Mohamed y Ali. Patalea Simi, patalea Tamo, que pa’ vestir sefer en Tetuan vamos a quedar, porque los cuatro que aquí quedaban pa’ kadearlos se los llevaron los Benalal. Translation: On the day of the Mimuna* I went to visit family,
in the whole street there was not a young man
who would say to me “How are you Jolí.” Some went to Argentina,
to Venezuela or to Brazil,
others went to Palestine,
we will say Bilbao, for the sake of the gentiles.
And I stayed with my friends
among Jalabia dresses, Mohamed, and Ali.
Simi is angry, Tamo is angry,
that to dress the Tora in Tetuan
we have been left alone,
because the four who remained here
were taken away by the Benalal company.
This website was created by Orit Perlman with the collaboration and blessings of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak in 2025