Jewish heritage tour in Morocco
Travelers of all stripes frequently choose Morocco as a destination, including those who want to learn more about the Jewish heritage tour in Morocco tradition.
(AP) NEW YORK — With its mountains, desert, beach resorts, and Berber towns, Morocco is a delight for tourists of all kinds, especially those who are interested in the country’s rich Jewish legacy.
Jews have been present in Morocco for more than 2,000 years. According to Roy Mittelman, director of the Jewish Studies Program at City College, they were estimated to number 275,000 before Israel was founded in 1948, making them the largest Jewish population in the Muslim world. CITY OF NEW YORK.
Even though there are only around 2,000 Jews left in Casablanca and perhaps 500 in other parts of Morocco today due to large waves of exodus throughout the years, the Jewish population is still visible in numerous locations. For instance, the only Jewish museum in the Arab world is the Museum of Moroccan Judaism, which is located in a Casablanca suburb.
Jews with Moroccan ancestry frequently visit the North African kingdom, and some of them have second residences nearby. In Morocco, there are numerous and straightforward Jewish history trips. Jewish graves and synagogues can be found in most towns, as well as an old Jewish section.
In an advanced session, Mittelman leads student groups on tours of Jewish locations. Mittelman has spent the last 40 years immersing himself in Moroccan Jewish history, culture, and religious practices. There is a lot to read before going, he said.
He recommends Shlomo Dessens’ The Mella Society: Jewish Community Life in Sheriff Morocco, which is based on the writings of Jewish Moroccan sages from the 18th and 19th century, for more information about pre-colonial Morocco.
He suggests reading Elias Canetti’s Voices of Marrakech: A Record of a Visit, a book by a Bulgarian Jew, to learn more about the spiritual history of the Jewish quarter of Marrakech. Mittelman has improved his travel arrangements over time.
Casablanca
Neve Shalom, the only Jewish day school in Morocco, is situated in Casablanca, the capital and financial hub of the country. Ask the filmmaker, Jacky Sebbag. Learn more about the school’s Hebrew studies and Bible study while seeing the kids play in the courtyard and hearing them sing Jewish songs, continued Mittelman.
Visit the Tahiti Beach Club, once a favorite haunt of the neighborhood Jews.
Stops at Beth El and Eim Habanim synagogues are included in Mittelman’s walking tours of Casablanca’s Jewish districts. Additionally, in Toni, a Corniche neighborhood by the sea, close to the beach club is a more recent synagogue called David Ha-Melech.
Like other cities, Casablanca has kosher restaurants and a traditional kosher bakery.
Marrakech
There are still roughly 100 Jews in Marrakech, some of whom live in the old Jewish neighborhood (the mellah), but Mittelman claims that it is a noisy place.
Along a little street, among the last of the synagogues in the modest blue-and-white Lazama. A local can provide directions. There is a little entrance fee for guests. There is a nice courtyard in the riad style, complete with a fruit tree and some chairs for weary visitors.
The initial synagogue was built around 1492, though it was later restored. The Torah scrolls at the synagogue were inscribed on gazelle parchment, according to the Muslim synagogue manual. Visitors can see the Lazamas Mikveh, an ancient Jewish ritual bath that is located below a flight of winding stone stairs.
Synagogues can be located in other places besides Mella. Temple Beth El Synagogue has its Sabbath services in a brand-new section of Geliz that has a strong European flavor. You ought to be able to get there with any cab driver.
The mysterious rabbi and healer Wazana once resided in the small town of Anonim, two hours south of Marrakech.
Essaouira, formerly a significant Jewish center and an old Portuguese fishing town, is a popular destination for Jewish history tours in Morocco and makes for a worthwhile day trip from Marrakech. On their route to Marrakech, rock stars from the 1960s and 1970s also stopped there. The 1700s-era settlement has a synagogue, cemetery, and shopping area, and there are markers pointing to structures that formerly housed previous, long-gone synagogues.
The main draw of Mittelman is the Holy Rabbi Chaim Bin Diwan Tomb, which is situated about an hour’s drive south of Marrakech. Jews still gather here for the traditional celebration of his hilula at the village of Tagadirt Nbour in the high Atlas Mountains close to Anhaz.
In order to have a picnic close to the grave, Mittelman takes groups of people up the hill.
We travel here to perform our pilgrimage. You can hear the wind rustling through the mountains that surround you and see them. He said it was an amazing experience.
Fes
The city was home to a sizable Jewish population in the 17th century, as well as the renowned Ibn Danan Orthodox synagogue. It was originally in ruins, but the World Monuments Fund and American Express helped rebuild it in the 1990s. In Morocco, Jewish monuments will be restored, according to King Mohammed VI.
Within these fortifications, the mela is a maze. Your being lost is half the fun. This was the first mela in Morocco, taking place in 1438.
In addition to the Jewish cemetery, which contains the graves of two significant rabbis from the Middle Ages, Fez also has the Solika Tomb, a sacred place for women. According to one tale, Solika was a stunning Jewish woman who was slain in 1834 because she refused to convert to Islam.
Maimonides, one of the most productive and well-known Torah scholars of the Middle Ages, resided in Fez from 1159 until 1165. Visit his stone structure, which has interesting worn carvings.
Among the Glushes
According to Mittelman, if you enjoy this kind of travel, you shouldn’t have any trouble discovering Jewish influence and history in small towns and villages.
Find your first 80-year-old male and let me know if you can remember the Jews who once resided in this area. Here are their names and the run-down house where they once lived since they’re probably going to say yes.
A 10-day tour of Moroccan Jewish communities and synagogues is part of the country’s Jewish heritage.
Visitors to Morocco for the first time who are interested in Jewish heritage will find this tour to be both entertaining and enlightening. Visits are worthwhile at historic synagogues, revered graveyards, charming markets, spice souks, breathtaking landscapes, and Andalusian gardens. Visit the African Jewish Museum, the only one in the Muslim world. Visit a historic Jewish home on the Sabbath for Jewish prayers and a Shabbat lunch. The best Jewish vacation experiences are offered by this authentic 10-day Jewish Heritage Tour in Morocco.
WHAT THE JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR IN MOROCCO IS LIKE: A 10 DAY PRIVATE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
The diversity of Morocco’s cultures is a direct result of the nation’s historical position as a hub for trade between Europe and the rest of the world. Visitors can learn about ancient historical traditions, customs, architecture, monuments, and sites that have long been a part of Moroccan society thanks to Morocco’s Jewish Heritage. The Jewish Heritage Morocco Tour from Travel Exploration is designed for discerning tourists. This tour includes stops at old synagogues, cemeteries, buildings, and the local landscape. There will also be an option to participate in Jewish Shabbat services and eat at a rabbi’s house.
Schedule for the trip
Day 1: Arrival in Casablanca, city tour with a guide, and visit to a Jewish heritage site
arrival at Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca. Dinner at a kosher restaurant in Casablanca. Visit the Casablanca Jewish Temple Synagogue. Beth-El. It is well known that Beth-El served as the heart of the once-vibrant Jewish community. The stained glass windows and other artistic features of this synagogue attract visitors. If you have time, go to Neve Chalom and Temple Em Habanim.
Day 2: Casablanca to Rabat.
Visit the Casablanca Moroccan Judaism Museum. The 700 square meter Casablanca Jewish Museum is the first institution of its sort in the Arab world. The Jewish Community of Casablanca, with support from the Foundation of Jewish-Moroccan Cultural Heritage, erected the history and ethnography museum known as the Museum of Moroccan Judaism in 1997. The only Jewish museum in the Arab world is in Casablanca, and it is both a hidden gem in a residential area. It maintains world-class conditions for both its domestic and foreign collections. The theological, anthropological, and aesthetic artifacts on display at the Museum of Moroccan Judaism provide an insight into the history, religion, customs, and daily life of Moroccan Jews.
Day 3: Rabat to Fes.
After exploring Rabat, proceed to Meknes and the Volubilis Roman Ruins.
Visit the Hassan Tower, which is perched on a height and offers views of the Wadi Bou Regreg, and the Royal Palace. It is a sizable mosque that stands in for Rabat and is well-known for housing storks in its incomplete minaret. Visit Mohammed V’s spectacular Mausoleum, which features white marble, stained glass windows, and a wrought-iron entrance leading to an amazing dome right next door. Visit the Jewish Mellah, which just a few Jewish families still call home today.
Visit the grounds around the Kasbahs of Chellah and Oudaya, the Necropolis of Chellah, and the Palace of Rabat. Possibility of visiting Sale, a coastal village, the birthplace of Rabbi Hayyim Ben Moses Attar. Attar, a Moroccan Kabbalist active in the 18th century, was well-known among Jews for his mystical interpretations of the Bible.
Visit Volubilis’ Roman Ruins, also known as “Walili,” and the Imperial City of Meknes, also referred to as “the Moroccan Versailles.”
Learn about the Jewish Mellah & Quarter, which features winding lanes and bustling courtyards. Hebraic epitaphs from the Christian era show the importance of Jewish history. These memorials, as well as Greek inscriptions, may be found on the Jewish zaouia in Meknes, a sacred location where Rabbi David Benmidan’s tomb still stands.
There is a rich Jewish history in Meknes. There is an ancient Christian-era Hebraic epitaph there. Greek inscriptions on the synagogue honor Rabbi David Benn Imdan, also known as the “Patron of Meknes,” whose burial is commemorated there. The names of famous Jewish Rabbis and other notable Jews who once lived in the city are commemorated on every street.
In Meknes, there are eleven synagogues, however none of them are now in use. You may view 1-2, the neighborhood cemetery, and a Jewish school while on a guided Jewish heritage tour in Meknes.
Day 4. in Fes involves a tour of Jewish and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
On this UNESCO-led historical tour of Fes, you will explore synagogues, universities, mosques, cemeteries, the Mellah, gardens, and palaces in addition to Jewish heritage sites and cultural sites. Your guide will serve as a mediator between Moroccan Jews and Muslims.
Day 5: Guided excursion to Jewish Seffrou of Fes
Visit Sefrou, the world’s cherry capital. Sefrou, which is located south of Fes, gained the nickname “Little Jerusalem” for its sizable Jewish community and vibrant religious life. After Morocco gained its independence, a rabbi from Sefrou was chosen to serve in Parliament. Half of the old city is covered by Sefrou’s mellah.
Make a little detour at the Bhalil cemetery on the way to Sefrou.
Jews from Morocco used to congregate in Sefrou, which still has several of their wooden-balconied buildings in the walled-off pedestrian medina.
Sefrou, Morocco, is an excellent illustration of interfaith harmony. In Sefrou, Muslims and Jews coexisted while synchronizing their own rituals.
Day 6: Fes to Marrakech.
Travel to Marrakech by car.
Visit the garden and take a pause to see the scenery of Ifrane University along the way. Because of its architecture, cedar forest, and potential for a winter ski resort, Ifrane is known as Morocco’s “Little Switzerland.” This Moroccan town was built for French authority during the protectorate era due to its Alpine climate and has a lovely European appearance, as if it were an Alpine settlement. Due to its elevation, the town experiences cold summers and snowy winters.
Ifrane has outdoor cafes where you can have tea, coffee, and pastries.
Visit Zaouia Cheikh for a while. This is one of the 30 dams Morocco plans to construct by 2030. Hassan II’s plan to irrigate the land by building one dam a year is being carried out by the present King Mohammed VI.
Lunch is offered at Hotel Paris by Beni Mellal.
In Marrakech, spend the night in a boutique hotel or riad.
Day 7: Yves Saint Laurent Gardens, Historical Tour, City Tour, and Berber Village
Jewish Heritage Sites, Museums, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites with Marrakech Tour Guides
Visit the gardens, palaces, and Jewish heritage sites in Marrakech.
Day 8: Lazy day in Marrakech with a tour of the La Mamounia Gardens and a hammam/spa experience
The La Mamounia Gardens
40 gardeners work twice a year to maintain the immaculately mowed grass under the citrus and olive orchards, the desert garden, the rose garden, the tropical garden, the many fountains, and the 60,000 annuals they plant to beautify the grounds. The hotel and gardens were built in 1929 and are a famous historical landmark in Marrakech. The garden pavilion, where you may relax and unwind while sipping Moroccan mint tea, is accessible by the 200-year-old olive tree avenue.
Gardens and Museum at Benchaabane’s Abderrazzak Palmeraie
A Marrakech legend is Abderrazzak Benchaabane. He is a well-known garden designer, ethnobotanist, perfumer, teacher, photographer, writer, and publisher who speaks softly and presents himself unassumingly. On the grounds, converted stables and other buildings hold Benchaabane’s personal collection of Moroccan modern and contemporary art.
Stay the night in a riad or boutique hotel in Marrakech.
Day 9: Excursion from Marrakech to Coastal Essaouira and Jewish Heritage Sites in Essaouira
Leave towards direction of the shore. Essaouira is a seaside fishing village well-known for its Jewish and Portuguese heritages, hand-painted blue, white, and yellow buildings, delectable seafood, and a vibrant art scene.
The charming artist quarter of Essaouira includes colonnades, lovely whitewashed and blue-shuttered cottages, thuya wood crafts, art galleries, and delectable seafood. Essaouria, which is well-known for the yearly GnaouaMusicFestival and attracts more than 300,000 tourists each June, was formerly known as Mogador by European sailor and trader. Plage de Safi, a popular surfing beach, is also located there.
The Star of David is still often painted over the entryway of Jewish homes in Essaouira’s painted dwellings. Religious Jews from all over the world make an annual trip to Essaouira to see Rabbi Haim Pinto’s grave, who passed away there in 1845. A hiloula in Rabbi Haim Pinto’s honor is held in September.
Rabbi Haim Pinto’s home and synagogue have been preserved as significant places of worship and history. For pilgrims and Jewish tour groups visiting the city, the building serves as a functioning synagogue.
Jews used to live in Essaouira a generation ago, but now there is just one left alive, Joseph Sebag, whose ancestors fled Spain with other Jewish families during the Spanish Inquisition. The Jewish community in Essaouira is led by Jacky Kadoch.
Discover the key Jewish heritage sites in Essaouira, including the Attia Synagogue (House of Memory), the Haim Pinto Synagogue, Bayt Dakira, the Jewish Mellah, and the Old Jewish Cemetery, which features Amazigh and Cubist gravestones.
Day 10: you depart from Marrakech.
On the last day of our Jewish heritage tour in Morocco well transfer you to the Airport departure from Casablanca or Marrakech.