MOROCCAN JEWISH HERITAGE FOOTPRINTS TOUR - TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
► Visit Temple Beth- El Synagogue & Explore Museum of Moroccan Judaism in
Casablanca► Discover the Jewish Mellah of Rabat & birthplace of an 18
thCentury scholar and Kabbalist in Sale
► Attend Shabbat Services a in
Fes► Dinner at a Rabbi’s Home or Kosher Restaurant
► Witness a private exterior view of the former home of Maimonidies in Fes
► Afternoon Excursion to Seffrou once referred to as the “Little Jerusalem”
► Up Close Meeting with Local Jewish Community in Morocco
► Historic Sites of Jewish Heritage in Fes, Meknes, Seffrou and Marrakech
► Overnight in the Sahara Desert under the Morocan Stars
► Visit the UNESCO restored Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, the setting for famous films such as Gladiator
► Discover the Adobe Synagogue of Arazan and its ark adored with Berber writing
► Visit the Tomb of Rabbi Shlomo & the Setti Fatima 7 Waterfalls in the Ourika Valley
TOUR ITINERARY:
Day 1: Casablanca Arrival, Visit the Hassan II Mosque, Shabbat or Kosher Dinner with the Local Community
Visit the Mosque of Hassan II's promontory offers lovely views overlooking Casa in the residential Afna quarter. After touring the Mosque, head over to the New Town of Casablanca also designed by the French architect Henri Prost.
Overnight in Casablanca.
Day 2: Casablanca Guided Jewish Heritage Tour of Casablanca, then Take the road to Rabat
Visit Casablanca's Historic Synagogues, Temple Beth-El, Temple Em Habanim and Temple Neve Shalom. Casablanca is home historically to over 17 Synagogues.
Discover one of Casablanca's most popular synagogues Temple Beth-El. Beth-El, is considered the centerpiece of a once vibrant Jewish community. Its stained glass windows in the style of Marc Chagall and other artistic elements, is what attracts travelers to this synagogue. Sunlight, tinted by stained glass, bounces off a gigantic crystal chandelier at Temple Beth-El creating thousands of shimmering rainbow mosaics on every surface. The ark, the most important thing in the synagogue, houses the Hebrew scrolls and these are dressed in exquisitely embroidered velvet mantles. The walls are inscribed with gilded quotes from the Bible and the ceiling is equally decorative.
Explore the Jewish Mellah with its historic synaogues such as Temple Bet-El, Em Habanim and Temple Neve Shalom. Enter Temple Em Habanim and the magnificently restore Temple Neve Chalom which has a small, intimate gallery featuring synagogue lamps and photographs.
Visit the
Museum of Moroccan Judaism in Casablanca. The Jewish Museum in Casablanca covers an area of 700 square meters, is the first of its kind in the Arab world. The Museum of Moroccan Judaism of Casablanca is a museum of history and ethnography, created by the Jewish Community of Casablanca in 1997 with the support of the Foundation of Jewish-Moroccan Cultural Heritage. The Jewish Museum in Casablanca is tucked into a residential neighborhood and holds a treasure trove with it being the Arab region’s only Jewish Museum. It uses world-class standards of conservation for its national and international collections. The Museum of Moroccan Judaism presents religious, ethnographic and artistic objects that demonstrate the history, religion, traditions and daily life of Jews in the context of Moroccan civilization.
Explore Casablanca’s Jewish Mellah and Jewish Cemetery
The mellah of Casablanca is young by Moroccan standards, not much more than a century old. It assaults the senses in the evening, with a sea of women in brightly colored djellabas carrying and selling fruit and vegetables throughout the cramped, narrow streets. While Jews no longer live in the mellah, kosher butchers are found in the old market, next to other butchers selling horsemeat. The Jewish cemetery in the mellah is open and quiet, with well-kept white stone markers in French, Hebrew and Spanish. Once a year, Casablancans celebrate a hiloula, or prayer festival, at the tomb of the Jewish saint, Eliahou.
The Jewish cemetery in the mellah is open and quiet, with well-kept white stone markers in French, Hebrew and Spanish. Once a year, Casablancans celebrate a hiloula, or prayer festival, at the tomb of the Jewish saint, Eliahou.
The 4,500 Casablanca Jews live outside the mellah in the European city, where they worship in over 30 synagogues, eat in kosher restaurants, entertain themselves in community centers, and attend Jewish schools and social service centers. Beth El is the largest synagogue and an important community center, seating 500 persons.
Overnight in a
Boutique Hotel in Rabat.Day 3: Rabat Guided Jewish Heritage and Cultural Tour, then Explore Jewish Meknes & Roman Volubilis en route to Fes
Visit the Royal Palace, the Hassan tower which stands on the hill overlooking the Wadi Bou Regreg. It is a gigantic mosque, emblematic of Rabat and famous for its unfinished minaret where storks nest. Next door, visit the beautiful Mausoleum of Mohammed V decorated with stained glass windows, white marble and a wrought-iron entryway with a stairway leading to an impressive dome. Visit the Jewish Mellah which today is now the home of very few Jewish families.
Explore the gardens nearby and visit the Palace of Rabat and visit the Necropolis at Chellah/ Kasbah of Chellah and Kasbah Oudaya. Option to visit the seaside community in Sale, which is the birthplace of Rabbi Hayyim Ben Moses Attar. Attar was an 18th Century Kabbalist born in Morocco in 1696 and known throughout the Jewish world for his Bible commentary with mystical content.
Discover the Jewish Mellah of Rabat and it’s narrow streets which were once the home of many Jewish families. Continue to Sale, the birthplace of Rabbi Hayyim Ben Moses Attar, the renowned 18thCentury scholar and Kabbalist. He was respected throughout the Jewish world for his torah commentary referred to as the “hahayyim. Explore his grae site.
Next take the the road to for a Guided Jewish Heritage Tour of Imperial City of Meknes, "the Moroccan Versailles" and the Roman Ruins of Volubilis "Walili."
Start out with a Panoramic View of Meknes which offers a splendid look at the old Islamic Medina with its numerous tall and soaring minarets. Other sites explored include Bab El Mansour, the Meknes Stables, Hedim Square, the Thursday Gate and mosque of Moulay Ismail.
Visit the Jewish Quarter on arrival in Meknes. Explore the Jewish Mellah, with its narrow lanes and colorful courtyards. The presency of Jewish history is evident in the Hebraic epitaphs that date back to the Christian era. These epitaphs along with Greek inscriptions can be seen on the Meknes Jewish zaouia, a place of pilgramage where the tomb of Rabbi David Benmidan still resides.
Continue to the Roman City of
Volubilis. Begin your visit by discovering the fascinating Roman ruins adorned with beautiful mosaics and colorful tiles depicting
Roman mythology. The ruins are spread out across several acres and what remain visible are several fragments of wall, parts of massive columns, the capitol, the basilica and a triumphal arch. The ruins reveal how the Roman Empire transformed the original Carthaginian settlement into a typical Roman city complete with mansions, a town center, a triumphal arc and temples devoted to the Roman gods. Commence your visit in Volubilis, and then take the road to Fes.
Overnight at a Boutique Hotel or Riad in Fes.
Day 4: Fes Guided Jewish Heritage Tour & Exploration of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Jewish History of Fes & Historic Fes El Bali's
Fes (referred to as Fes El Bali) is among the best known cities in medieval Jewish history. It was once the home of one of Rabbi Isaac Alfasi, the most influential Talmudic scholars of all times. Founded by Moulay Idriss in the eighth century, Fes is the leading spiritual center and the former artistic, intellectual capital in Morocco. Well respected for its historic signifcance and its former Jewish population, who openly celebrated Jewish life, Fes is a must see city for all Jewish travelers. The name of Fes has its origins in the word pickaxe (hand tool) which legends say Idriss of Morocco used in siler or gold to create the boundaries of the old city.
During this Guided Jewish Heritate and Culture Tour of UNESCO Fes you will visit Jewish Heritage Sites and Cultural Sites of Fes that combine site seeing at Synagogues, Medival Universities, Mosques, Cemeteries, a Children's School, the Mellah along with gardens and palaces. Your guide will offer a connective link between Muslim and Jewish Morocco.
The Jewish Mellah: In contrast with the young Mellah of Casablanca, the mellah of Fes is over 650 years old. This picturesque neighborhood adjoins the royal palace, noted for its recently constructed bright brass doors. Jews took shelter in this palace during the 1912 pogrom.
The Jewish Cemetery: The nearby cemetery contains the tombs of more Jewish saints than any other cemetery in Morocco. One of the more important saints is Solica, who was killed for refusing to convert to Islam.
Maimonides:Throughout the old city of Fes, there are traces of ancient Jewish life, including the home of Maimonides, who lived in the city from 1159-1165. Suffering from the persecutions of the Almohad dynasty, Maimonides emigrated to escape forced conversion. In the face of a declining population, the Jewish community of Fes is working hard to maintain its community spirit and preserve its heritage and traditions. The community center, Centre Communautaire "Maimonide," is one of the most well organized in Morocco, with a kosher restaurant and modern synagogue on the premises
The Danan Synagogue: The Danan synagogue was once only one of several inside the walls of Fes, and not the most elaborate. TheI Ibn Danan Synagogue is one of the oldest and most intact synagogues in Morocco. This synagogue, located in the heart of the mellah (Jewish quarter), is a rare survivor of a pivotal time in Moroccan Jewish history.
Synagogues of Fes Unmarked on their exteriors - dating from the 17th century: among the most unique in the world. The Mellah of Fes once had 40 synagogues. See the vast and picturesque whitewashed Jewish cemetery adjacent to the gates to the Royal Palace and the nascent Jewish Museum at the Em HaBanim synagogue.
Old Medina Muslim Sites & Shopping in Fes: University of Al-Karaouine, Zaouia Moulay Idriss II , Dar Batha, Weavers Cooperative
Overnight in a
Boutique Hotel in Fes.Day 5: Fes Guided Excursion to Jewish Seffrou
Visit Seffrou, the capital of cherries. Sefrou, south of Fes, was known as Little Jerusalem due to its high percentage of Jews and its well-developed religious life. Upon Morocco's independence, a rabbi from Sefrou was elected to Parliament. Sefrou's mellah makes up half of the old city.
En route to Sefrou make a short stop to visit Bhalil a cemetery
Sefrou was once a major center for Morocco's Jews and its walled white pedestrian medina is still characterized by their houses with wooden balconies.
A good example of interfaith dialogue in Morocco can be witnessed in the city of Sefrou. In Sefrou lived Muslims and Jews in good harmony door to door and practiced their religious rituals in unison.
Afternoon Option Gardens & Palaces of Fes:
Jnane Sbil Gardens: Batha Museum & Andalusian Garden
, Bou Inania Medersa
Overnight in Fes.
Day 6: Fes - Ifrane and the Cedar Forrest, Azro - Middle Atlas - Rissani Merzouga Sahara Desert (Driving Time: 8 1/2 Hours)
A Journey through the Middle Atlas to the Sahara Desert, Passing Ifrane, known as “Little Switzerland,” Midelt, Erfoud (the Capital of Fossils), and Rissani, Arriving in Merzouga for a Sunset Guided Camel Trek and Arabian Nights in the Great Sahara Desert. Take the road to Merzouga. Enroute to Merzouga, we will pass Ifrane, stopping to see the cedar tree forest and the local barbary monkeys. We will also pass the American- Moroccan University which was built by the Saudis.
Visit the Musicians of Khemlia in Merzouga, a century-old Gnaoua group that performs ancient trance music. Tea and nuts will be served (if time allows on this day or the following day). Arrive in Merzouga before sunset and then go by dromedary camel 45-60 minutes, at sunset, into the Erg Chebbi Dunes to camp overnight in our luxury biouvac tent at an oasis.
Day 7: Merzouga Desert Exploration - Lunch in Ait Ouzzine Berber Village - Ouarzazate (Driving Time: 3 1/2 Hours)
Sahara Desert Visit and then Departure from the Region to the Saghro Mountains for Lunch in a Berber Village Enroute to Skoura
Walk the desert dunes and explore on your own in and around Merzouga. Take the road to se Merzouga’s Sahara by piste. Enjoy the flora and fauna that is unique to the Sahara. Then visit the Saharan Desert towns of Rissani and the capital of fossils, Erfoud.
Visit the old ksars and then continue the road to the village of Ait Ouzzine, located in N’kob, which is nestled within the Middle Atlas Mountains. Aït Ouzzine is a Berber villageinhabited by over 300 families who live in beautifully painted crenulated kasbahs, with their own henna fields, water wells, livestock, and gardens. This peaceful village is tucked away along an impressive desert route connecting the Draa Valley (Tansikht) and Rissani.
Meet a local Berber family, sip tea in the Sagro Mountains, and dine on couscous. Then explore and tour the village by foot. Walk in the green fields and see how the traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants.
After lunch, you can have your hands and feet painted with hennaor your hair adorned with saffron by a local village artist and relax. Experience the tradition of Berber perfume made from musk and amber along with the villages own spices. End the afternoon in Ait Ouzzine with mint tea and almonds.
Drive through the Draa Valley back to Ouarzazate or the Skoura Palmeraie before sunset. The Draa Valley is the road of the old caravans that once traveled to transport dates and other goods from the Draa Region to Marrakech.
Day 8: Ouarzazate Departure to Visit Ait Ben Haddou Ksar then take the road to Tarodaunt (Driving Time: 7 Hours)
During the French period, Ouarzazate expanded considerably as a garrison town and became the administrative center of the Zagora region. Ouarzazate became famous when its nearby Kasbah,
Ait Benhaddou, appeared in the 1962 film
Lawrence of Arabia.
Visit Ait Benhaddou Kasbah.32 km from Ouarzazate lies the picturesque village of Aït Benhaddou,situated in Souss Massa Draa on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; for Jesus of Nazareth, the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt.
After visiting Ait Benhaddou, take the road to Tarodaunt.
Day 9: Tarodaunt Exploration & Guided Jewish Visit to the 700 year old Synagogue in Arazan
Taroudant is a Moroccan city located in the Sous Valley in the southern part of the country. It is situated east from Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south from Marrakech. Tarodaunt is often referred to as the "Grandmother of Marrakech" because it is a scaled down, slowed down town that resembles Marrakech with its orange colored surrounding ramparts. It has the feel of a small fortified market town on a caravan route and is known for its local crafts like jewelry and carpet. Unlike Marrakech, Taroudant contains almost the whole city within its ancient walls. Recently, however, a new area is being developed outside the city walls around the huge campus of a faculty of the Ibn Zohr university of Agadir. Tarodaunt was occupied by the Almoravides in 1506.
Visit the ancient walls of Tarodaunt that extend around the entire city and Place al Alouvine which is a large, central square and the heart of the medina. It plays host to a mini Djemaa El Fna most evenings. Storytellers and musicians are there. Explore the medina(the maze of narrow streets near the town center) and visit the excellent souks. The Berber market in Taroudant sells vegetables and spices and also clothes and household goods, while the Arab souk specializes in handicrafts such as terracotta, wrought iron, pottery, brass and copper, leather, carpets and rugs, and jewelry
The Jewish community in Taroudant is believed to have been established in the elevent century. It has a mellah and a large Jewish cemetery. The Most important Tarodaunt saint is David Ben Baruk Cohen Azog. Located at a crossroads, Taroudant's history and economy was influenced by the sugar industry and trans-Saharan trade. Taroudant’s Jewish community reached one thousand in the 1950s, however the majority of the population eventually emigrated to other Moroccan cities, France or Israel.
Within the Tarodaunt region in Southern Morocco you will have the unique opportunity to see one of the only Adobe synagogues in the world. It is located in the tiny village of Arazan. This 700 year old Adobe synagogue in Azran has Hebrew prayers painted on its earthen walls and an ark with Berber writing that adorns it.
Outside the city, roadside you will see Argan Trees, with their gnarled and twisted trunks. This tree is typical of south-west Morocco and produces nuts that are the source of a rich and tasty oil. You will see goats clambering along the knotted tree trunks and branches to feed on the leaves and fruit.
Day 10: Tarodaunt Depature to Marrakech via the Tizi n'Test Pass.
Wind your way through the dramatic Tizn’ Test Pass, considered to be one of the most spectacular drives in the world en route to Marrakech. En route visit the Tinmal Mosque. The Tin Mal Mosque is located in the High Atlas Mountain region betwen Tarodaunt and Marrakech.
Built in 1156 to commerorate the Almohad Dynesty it is only one of two mosques open to non-Mulsim's in Morocco, the other being the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.
The city of Tin Mal was established by Ibn Tumart, the founder and mahdi (spiritual leader) of the Almohads, and was the cultural and religious center of the empire until the city’s destruction by the rival Merinid dynasty in the 1270s. All that was spared, apart from a few fragments of wall, was the monumental Tin Mal mosque according to official Almohad doctrine. The Tin Mal mosque was abandoned for many years, then restored in the 1990s. It stands prominently on a hill overlooking the rural village that Tin Mal (also called Tinmel) has become today.
The interior of the Tin Mal Mosque is remarkably well-preserved, with an elaborate mihrab (the niche in the wall that faces Mecca, indicating the direction of prayer) and vaulted pillars. The mosque is unique in having its minaret above the mihrab rather than in a separate tower, giving it a castle-like appearance from the outside.
Overnight at a Boutique Hotel or Riad in Marrakech.
Day 11: Marrakech Guides Historical Tour, City Visit, Yves Saint Laurent Gardens & Berber Museum, UNESCO Sites & Jewish Heritage Sites
Visit Marrakech’s Gardens, Palaces, and Jewish Heritage Sites.
The Yves Saint Laurent Majorelle Gardens & Berber Museum
Visit the Majorelle Gardens. The Majorelle Gardens, previously the Jardin Bou Saf, bears its name from its original creator, Jacques Majorelle, the French expatriate artist who was born in Nancy, France, in 1886. Jacques Majorelle was the son of the celebrated Art Nouveau furniture designer Louis Majorelle. In 1947, the son opened his gardens to the public and, during this time, also painted a magnificent ceiling at La Mamounia, a five-star hotel with exquisite gardens and the place where Alfred Hitchcock wrote The Birds. Jacques Majorelle studied at the École des Beaux Arts in Nancy in 1901 and in 1919 went to Marrakech to recover from heart problems. He built the garden during those years, using a special blue color that he used extensively in the garden and that is named after him, Majorelle blue. Majorelle returned to France in 1962 after a car incident and died later that year of complications from his injuries.
Berber Museum in Marrakech. Formerly known as the Islamic Museum of Art, this new museum was renamed and launched with proper historical provenance to honor the Berber people and their traditions. As the Berbers are the original inhabitants of Morocco and were driven in the mountains in the 7th Century by Arabs from Yemen, having as much of their history and costume on display pays a long standing homage essential to those discovering Moroccan history. With over 600 objects in the Berber Museum ranging from the Rif to the Sahara this offers vistors a compelling panorama on Berber culture. The renovation of the Berber Museum was carried out by Christophe Martin with musicologist, Bjorn Dahlstrom.
Yves Saint Laurent Museum: A museum entirely devoted to the work of the legendary fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent. The museum is situated on Rue Yves Saint Laurent and adjacent to the renowned Jardin Majorelle, spans over 4,000 m² and is more than just a museum. Designed by Studio KO, it features a 400 m² permanent exhibition space where the work of Yves Saint Laurent is presented in a scenography by Christophe Martin. The museum has a boutique, bookshop, a café-restaurant, as well as a research library comprising 5,000 volumes.
The Old Spice Market: The Rahba Kedima is a colorful market filled with a wide array of spices from Cumin, Cinnamon, Saffron, Dried Pepper and more.
The Jewish Mellah: Founded in 1558 by Moulay Abdallah, the Mellah district was designated as the Jewish quarter in Marrakech.
El Bahia Palace: The El Bahia Palace in Marrakech is a beautiful building and an excellent example of Eastern Architecture from the 19th century that represents trends and standards of the wealthy that lived at that time.
Visit theMarrakech Lazama Synagogue in the old medina. This Quarter was created in the Kasbah area in 1558. The Jewish community enjoyed autonomy even though Jews weren't allowed to own any property outside the Mellah and controlled the sugar trade. There are approximately 250 Jews still living in Marrakech, and most live outside the Medina.
Visit Synagogue Bet-El, Impasse Des Moulins (Centre American) - Gueliz.
The Saadian Tombs: The Saadian tombs in Marrakech date back from the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (1578-1603). The tombs were only recently discovered (in 1917) and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. The mausoleum comprises the corpses of about sixty members of the Saadi Dynasty that originated in the valley of the Draa River.
Sunset Cocktails at La Mamounia Gardens where Alfredy Hitchcock wrote "The Birds" Built in 1929 this famous historical landmark hotel and gardens in the center of Marrakech is cared for by 40 gardeners who two times a year plant 60,000 annuals to enhance the grounds as well as maintain the immaculately mowed grass under the citrus and olive orchards, desert garden, rose garden and tropical garden as well as the many fountains. The 200 year-old avenue of olive trees leads one to the garden pavilion where you can soak in the peace and solitude with a cup of Moroccan mint tea.
Day 12: Excursion to the Ourika Valley's Berber Villages, a Jewish Mill & Nectarome Medicinal & Herbal Gardens
Excursion to the Ourika Valley, a region known for it's Berber Villages, local souks and most sought after by Marrakech's durign summer months where many picnic under it's trickling streams. The forty mile drive will be filled with gardens, land cultivated by palm tree plantations and fruit trees, tiny hamlets, summer homes, and cafes and restaurants where it is possible to have lunch in a traditional auberge or if you prefer something more key, a picnic facing the snow capped mountain and overlooking the Ourika River.
The Ourika Valley was once home to a Berber Jewish population. In the 1950s, the Ourika Valley, was home to approximately 300 Jewish families, two synagogues, and several Jewish schools. Many members of the local community would make pilgrimages (“hilulot”) to the tombs of righteous men and women, to celebrate holidays and to invoke their memory as intermediaries to God.
There is a legend called the “Son of the Snake” which is known among many Jews in Morocco. The legend originates from the story about an Israeli Rabbi named Shlomo who came to Morocco, from Israel, crossing North Africa by mule. Rabbi Shlomo apparently died and ended up buried on the edge of a mountain outside a Jewish cemetery in the Ourika Valley. For Jewish travelers interested in keeping the legend alive, they can visit the tomb of Rabbi Shlomo which was once reached only by an donkey through the valley. Today, Rabbi Shlomo’s tomb can be visited by vehicle. In the 1970’s Jewish donors built and elegant, marble tombstone to mark this site which was later additionally funded by the creation of a tomb complex inclusive of guest rooms. Many refer to it as the Zaouia of Rabbi Shlomo as the newly built pink tomb can now be found with an exterior sign in Hebrew along the mountain side.
Next enjoy a Guided Tour of the Nectarome Medicinal and Herbal Gardens. This garden offers a wide range of activities that you can partake in from traditional breadmaking to Spa services and hearty meals. Nectarome specializes in the field of phyto aromatherapy and the distillation of aromatic plants that grow naturally in the wild or are organically cultivated. In the one hectare organic garden at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains in the Ourika Valley they grow more than 50 aromatic and medicinal plants for research, development and educational purposes. Based on Moroccan traditional medicine they off a wide line of wellness products made with pure and natural essential oils with all products made on the premises. With several areas to relax in the garden you can take in the fragrance of the many herbs or taste them in the traditional recipes prepared on site.
For travelers intersted in Saffron and the harvesting of this delicate purple flower, a visit with tea at the local Saffron Farm can be offered.
Moving through the valley you will visit Setti Fatma Waterfalls, a favorite weekend resort of many Marrakshis that is appreciated for its beautiful streams and seven waterfalls. Travelers can trek along some of the pretty trails in Ouriuka and depedning on the season see meadows, daffodils, romulea and other unique flora of the region.
Overnight at a Boutique Hotel or Riad in Marrakech.
Day 13: Departure to Casablanca or Marrakech's Menara Airport
Departure from your riad to meet your flight