Great Morocco - Moroccan Jewish Heritage
A Millennial Soul
at
the Heart of the Kingdom
Mellahs, Hiloulot, synagogues, saints, and sages — the living memory of a community unlike any other in the world
Years of Presence
0
Restored Synagogues
0
Revered Saints
+
650
Global Diaspora
M
"Morocco is the only Arab country where Jews have lived in safety and dignity for more than two thousand years. This coexistence is no accident — it is the deep soul of the Kingdom."
✦ Serge Berdugo • Secretary-General of the CCIM • Traveling Ambassador of His Majesty Mohammed VI
Architecture of the Fez Mellah • 14th century
The Mellahs
Jewish Quarters of
Eternal Morocco
The mellah is far more than a neighborhood — it is a civilization in its own right. Established in Fez in 1438, this model of community life spread to all of Morocco’s major cities, bearing witness to a unique coexistence between Jewish and Muslim cultures.
01
Fez Mellah — The First
Established in 1438 by Sultan Abu Said Uthman, it was the first mellah in Africa. It is home to the Ibn Danan and Slat Al Fassiyine synagogues and a historic Jewish cemetery.
Fes el-Bali • 14th century • UNESCO Site
02
Marrakech Mellah
Founded in 1558, next to the Royal Palace. The still-active Lazama Synagogue welcomes pilgrims and visitors from around the world.
Marrakech • 16th century
03
Essaouira Mellah
Mogador, a city shaped by its Jewish community in the 18th century. The tujjar es-sultan — Jewish royal merchants — dominated Atlantic trade from here.
Essaouira • 18th century • UNESCO Heritage
04
Casablanca Mellah
The Museum of Moroccan Judaism, the first Jewish museum in the Arab world, has been located here since 1997. A living archive of an invaluable heritage.
Casablanca • 19th century • Active museum
Hilulot • הילולות
Pilgrimages to the Saints of Morocco
More than 700 Jewish saints are buried in Morocco. Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims from around the world — Israel, France, Canada, and the USA — come to pay their respects at these sacred tombs.
50 000+
☽ Lag BaOmer • May
Rabbi Amrane Ben Diwan
📍 Asjen • Chefchaouen Province
Morocco’s most important pilgrimage. Tens of thousands gather in this small northern village to honor this great 18th-century sage. A night of singing, prayer, and incomparable devotion.
✦ Major National Pilgrimage
☽ Av • August
Rabbi Haim Pinto
📍 Mogador • Essaouira
An iconic pilgrimage in Essaouira. The Pinto family has carried on the tradition for generations. Prayers, liturgical songs, and a popular celebration in the heart of the medina.
Historic Pilgrimage
☽ Iyar • April–May
Rabbi Raphael Anqawa
📍 Salé • près de Rabat
A leading 19th-century chief rabbi of Salé and a guiding figure for the community. His tomb is visited year-round by pilgrims from Morocco and Israel.
Salé Pilgrimage
☽ Shevat • January
Sol Hachuel — Sol the Righteous
📍 Fez • Jewish Cemetery
A Jewish martyr from Fez (1817), a symbol of resistance and dignity. Her story has inspired books and films around the world. A place of remembrance for Jews and Muslims.
Saint of Fez
☽ Nissan • March–April
Rabbi David Ou Moshe
📍 Tizit • Anti-Atlas
A pilgrimage in Morocco’s deep south, at the edge of the desert. A unique atmosphere blending Amazigh and Moroccan Jewish traditions. Accessible by 4x4 from Tiznit.
Deep South • Amazigh Pilgrimage
☽ Elul • August–September
Rabbi Shlomo Ben Hmou
📍 Fez • Mellah
A 17th-century sage and halakhic authority. His tomb in the heart of the Fez mellah is one of the most visited in the imperial city.
Sage of the Fez Mellah
Synagogues
110 Synagogues Restored
At the direction of His Majesty Mohammed VI, Morocco has undertaken the systematic restoration of its synagogues — a unique initiative in the Arab world.
Ibn Danan Synagogue
Fez • Mellah • 17th century
A jewel of Moroccan Jewish architecture, restored by King Hassan II. Marble columns, painted cedar ceilings, and a 17th-century Torah.
⟶ Open to visitors
Lazama Synagogue
Marrakech • Mellah • 16th century
The oldest synagogue in Marrakech, still active during festivals. A flower-filled courtyard, blue mosaics, and a peaceful atmosphere.
⟶ Active synagogue
Ettedgui Synagogue
Casablanca • 19th century
Built in 1880, it is Casablanca’s grand synagogue. Recently restored, it hosts Shabbat services and cultural visits.
⟶ Active synagogue
Slat Al Fassiyine
Fez • Andalusian Quarter
The synagogue of Fez natives — a memorial to the city’s great rabbinical families. It features a unique Hispano-Moorish design and is listed as a historic monument.
⟶ Listed monument
Grand Synagogue of Essaouira
Essaouira • 18th century
A testament to the splendor of Mogador’s Jewish community, Morocco’s commercial capital in the 18th century. Currently being restored.
⟶ Royal restoration underway
Ifrane Synagogue in the Anti-Atlas
Ifrane • Anti-Atlas • 2nd century
Dating to the 2nd century CE, it is said to be one of the oldest surviving synagogues in the world. It stands isolated in the mountains of Morocco’s deep south.
⟶ Among the world’s oldest
Figuig Synagogue
Figuig • Saharan oases
In Figuig’s palm grove at the edge of the Sahara, this synagogue bears witness to a millennia-old Jewish presence along historic caravan routes.
⟶ Caravan route
Sefrou Synagogue
Sefrou • City of Cherries
Sefrou was home to one of Morocco’s oldest Jewish communities. Its recently restored synagogue is a little-known gem 30 km from Fez.
⟶ Recently restored
Rediscover Your Roots
Moroccan Jewish genealogy service • Free for members
Confidential service • Response within 7 days • Database of 50,000 families
Genealogy
Discover Your
Moroccan Roots
"Knowing your roots means understanding who you are. For Moroccan Jews, those roots reach deep into two millennia of history and memory."
01
Submit Your Search
Family name, ancestral city, when your family left Morocco — anything you know can help.
02
We Search Our Archives
Mellah registers, community lists, Alliance Israélite Universelle archives, and rabbinical documents.
03
Personalized Results
A partial family tree, archival documents, and connections with other relatives around the world.
History
3,000 Years of
Moroccan Jewish Presence
2nd century BCE
The First Communities
The first Jews arrive on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, fleeing the destruction of the First Temple. They settle in Volubilis, Lixus, and the southern oases.
1438
Creation of the First Mellah
Sultan Abu Said Uthman establishes the first mellah in Fez — a distinct neighborhood protected by the Sultan, creating a unique model of coexistence in North Africa.
1492
Welcoming Jews Expelled from Spain
Sultan Mohammed Cheikh welcomes thousands of Jews expelled from Spain. They bring their Andalusian culture, enriching Moroccan Jewish civilization with an incomparable Spanish heritage.
1860
Foundation of the Alliance Israélite
The Alliance Israélite Universelle opens its first schools in Morocco — 83 institutions that introduce generations of Moroccan Jews to modern education while preserving their traditions.
1942
Mohammed V Protects the Jews
Sultan Mohammed V refuses to apply Vichy’s racial laws against Moroccan Jews. “There are no Jews in Morocco, only Moroccan subjects” — a royal statement that became a worldwide symbol.
1997
Museum of Moroccan Judaism
The first Jewish museum in the Arab world opens in Casablanca — an initiative by Serge Berdugo supported by King Hassan II. A powerful message to the world.
2020 • 2022
Abraham Accords & Royal Foundation
Morocco normalizes relations with Israel. Mohammed VI establishes the Foundation for Moroccan Judaism by royal decree, formally recognizing Jewish heritage as part of Morocco’s national identity.
Notable Figures
Great Figures of
Moroccan Judaism
YB
Yitzhak Ben Zvi
2nd President of Israel
Born in Ukraine, he was deeply influenced by Moroccan Jewish communities, which he championed throughout his life.
DA
David Amar
President of the CCIM • Casablanca
A leading figure in modern Morocco’s Jewish community and a passionate advocate for Muslim-Jewish dialogue.
SH
Samy El Maghribi
Singer • Casablanca
A king of Moroccan Jewish music, whose voice crossed oceans to reach the global diaspora.
AO
André Azoulay
Royal Advisor • Essaouira
Advisor to His Majesty Mohammed VI and founder of Essaouira’s Festival of World Sacred Music.
NB
Nessim Ben Zimra
Chief Rabbi • Fez
The last Chief Rabbi of Fez, whose rabbinical responsa remain authoritative in Sephardic communities around the world.
FM
Fredy Mamane
Comedian • Casablanca
The best-known Moroccan Jewish comedian of his generation and an ambassador for Moroccan culture in France.
SB
Serge Berdugo
Ambassador • CCIM
Secretary-General of the CCIM and Traveling Ambassador of His Majesty, representing Moroccan Jewish heritage on the world stage.
RB
René Lévy
Entrepreneur • Tel Aviv
Founder of one of Israel’s largest associations of Moroccan Jews and a promoter of Moroccan Jewish culture.
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