The Jewish Heritage of Morocco: Mellahs, Synagogues and Saints

A short history

Jewish communities were in Morocco before the arrival of Islam, and they grew after 1492, when Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal settled in Fez, Tetouan and other cities. Life under different dynasties was not always easy, and the Almohads in the 12th century were a harsh period, but for long stretches Jews worked as merchants, craftsmen, bankers and advisers to the sultans.

In the 15th century the first mellah, or Jewish quarter, was created in Fez next to the royal palace. Before 1948 Morocco had one of the largest Jewish populations in the Muslim world. Most families later emigrated to Israel, France and Canada, but they keep strong ties, and Morocco’s 2011 constitution names the Hebrew heritage as part of the national identity.

Fez

The Fez mellah in Fes el Jdid is the oldest in Morocco. Its houses have wooden balconies that open onto the street, unlike Muslim homes. The Ibn Danan Synagogue, built in the 17th century, was restored in the late 1990s with the World Monuments Fund and reopened in 1999. Nearby, the Jewish cemetery has rows of white tombs, and the Slat al Fassiyin synagogue has also been restored.

Marrakech, Essaouira and Casablanca

• Marrakech: the mellah and the Slat al Azama synagogue, still used by the small community.
• Essaouira: a seaside mellah, a large historic cemetery, and Bayt Dakira, a house of memory about Jewish life in the town.
• Casablanca: the Beth El synagogue and the Museum of Moroccan Judaism.

Saints and pilgrimage

Moroccan Jews honour many tzaddikim, holy men whose tombs are visited at hilloula pilgrimages. Some lie in the Atlas foothills and are reached through Amazigh villages, which shows how closely the communities lived. The festival of Mimouna, at the end of Passover, is still celebrated by Moroccan Jews around the world.

Key dates

Year	Event
Before the 7th century	Jewish communities are established in Morocco, some among Amazigh tribes
1438	The mellah of Fez is created next to the royal palace in Fez Jdid
1492 and after	Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal settle in Fez, Tetouan and the coastal cities
1940s	Sultan Mohammed V protects Moroccan Jews from the anti Jewish laws of Vichy France
1997	The Museum of Moroccan Judaism opens in Casablanca
2011	The new Constitution names the Hebrew heritage as part of Moroccan identity
2020	Bayt Dakira, a house of memory, opens in Essaouira

Places to include

• Fez: the mellah, the Ibn Danan synagogue from the 17th century, the Slat al Fassiyin synagogue and the white tombs of the Jewish cemetery.
• Sefrou: one of the best preserved mellahs in Morocco, near my home in Bhalil.
• Casablanca: the Museum of Moroccan Judaism, the only Jewish museum in the Arab world, and the Temple Beth El.
• Essaouira: the mellah, the Simon Attias synagogue, Bayt Dakira and the tomb of Rabbi Haim Pinto.
• Ouazzane: the tomb of Rabbi Amram Ben Diwan, one of the most visited pilgrimage sites.

Many synagogues and cemeteries are kept by caretakers, and visits are easier when arranged in advance. I prepare these visits before you arrive.

Visiting with us

Our Jewish Heritage Tour of Morocco is an 11 day private journey from Casablanca through Rabat, Meknes and Fez, across the Middle Atlas to the desert and the southern oases, then to Marrakech and a pilgrimage site in the Ourika Valley. In Sefrou, near my home, there was once a large community and the old mellah still stands, so it is easy to add on a day in Fez.