Morocco Guide
Marrakesh
The Mellah
It was in 1558 – five years before Ahmed's accession – that the Marrakesh Mellah, the separate Jewish quarter in Morocco, was created. In the sixteenth century, at least, their quarter was almost a town in itself, supervised by rabbis, and with its own souks, gardens, fountains and synagogues.
The present Mellah, which is now known officially as the Hay Essalam quarter and is much smaller in extent, is now almost entirely Muslim – most of the Marrakshi Jews left long ago for Casablanca (where some 6000 still live) or emigrated to France or Israel. The few who remain, outwardly distinguishable only by the men's small black skullcaps, are mostly poor or old or both. Their quarter, however, is immediately distinct: its houses are taller than elsewhere, the streets are more enclosed, and even the shop cubicles are smaller.
The easiest approach to the Mellah is from Place des Ferblantiers – the tinsmiths' square. Formerly called Place du Mellah, this was itself part of the old Jewish souk, now prettied up into quite a pleasant little square, surrounded by the workshops of lantern makers. North of here, off the street leading up to Rue Riad Zitoun el Djedid, is a jewellers' souk, one of the traditional Jewish trades now more or less taken over by Muslim craftsmen.
East from here is the main road into the Mellah. The first left takes you to Place Souweka, a small square at the centre of the Mellah, very much like the goal in a maze. If you ignore that turning, the main road does a twist, and the next left (Derb Ragraga) takes you after 100m to the unmarked Lazama Synagogue (no. 36; no sign, just knock on the door; Sun– Thurs 9am–6pm, Fri 9am–1pm, closed Sat and Jewish hols; free, but tip expected).
Some 200m to the east is the Jewish cemetery, the Miâara (Sun– Thurs 7am–6pm, Fri 7am–3pm; closed Sat and Jewish holidays; no charge but tip expected). More sprawling than the cemetery in Fes, it is well tended and boasts eleven Jewish marabout (tsadikim in Hebrew) shrines.