You catch the traces of Morocco's once-vibrant Jewish life in glimpses. The stray Stars of David etched above doorways in the coastal city of Essaouira. A gilded Seder plate peeking through an antique shop's window in Fez's mazelike medina. Steps away from the sensory overload of snake charmers, fragrant spices and heckling salesmen in Marrakech's souk lies the entrance to the Jewish quarter, or mellah. And although the city's estimated 250 Jews (most of whom are older than 60) no longer inhabit what's left of the neighborhood, a local Muslim child with an outstretched hand will wish you “Shabbat shalom” and lead you to the quarter's centuries-old synagogue.
Despite the fact that most Moroccan Jews immigrated to other countries during the past 70 years — of the estimated Jewish population of between 250,000 and 350,000 prior to the establishment of Israel in 1948, less than 5,000 Jews remain — Morocco still has more Jews than any other nation in the Arab world. The country's efforts to protect its Jewish heritage and preserve its unique history of coexistence date back to the 15th century, when Jews lived in walled mellahs close to the king's palace to remain safe from attacks. During World War II, King Mohammed V refused to enact Vichy laws (not one Jew was deported or forced to wear a yellow star). And in 2011 a clause was added to the constitution to recognize the “nourish[ing] and enrich[ing]” benefits of “Hebraic influences.”
On a recent trip to Morocco, I wandered safely through the medinas with a friend who prominently wore a Star of David necklace. I smiled at various Israeli tour groups openly speaking Hebrew outside restored synagogues and Jewish cemeteries. Morocco's welcoming atmosphere makes it a popular destination for Jewish travelers seeking remnants of ancient Jewish culture. And with King Mohammed VI currently funding the restoration of Jewish schools, cemeteries and more than 100 synagogues, there's no shortage of sights to be seen. Here are some of the places to go to retrace the steps walked by Moroccan Jews centuries ago.
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