JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR

FES&NORTH&RABAT&CASABLANCA
7 Days / 6 Nights

Morocco/General information
Kingdom of Morocco

.Population : 30 million
.Capital city : Rabat
.People : 55% Arab, 44% Berbers
.Languages : Arabic (official) Berber dialects ,French, Spanish and English.
.Religion : Islam, Judaism.
.Government : Constitutional monarchy
.Head of State: King Mohammed VI
.Currency: Dirham (MAD) USD is worth approximately 8,2 MAD

MOROCCAN MONARCHY & JEWS

Revered by his subjects, Mohammed V defied the orders of the
Vichy government during WWII when they required Moroccan
Jews to wear the Star of David on clothing and he subsequently
saved his Jewish subjects the fate of their European brethren
Jews of Morocco, even those who have emigrated to other
countries, hold a special reverence for Mohammed V,
who refused to distinguish between his subjects, and even
insisted that Moroccan Jews be present at the festivities during
the celebration of Coronation Day.
When this provoked the anger of the civil servants at the
French Residency, Mohammed V replied: “I in no way
approve of the anti-Semitic laws and I refuse to be
associated with an action I disapprove of. I insist on
informing you that, as in the past, the Jews are under my
protection and I refuse that any distinction be made among
my subjects...”

JEWISH HOLY SITES

Day 1: Casablanca- Meknes – Fez (320 km)

Hassan Tower
Arrival at Casablanca Airport and transfer to Meknes .Travel through lush rolling hills studded with the fertile plains of ancient olive groves and vineyards . Known as Moroccan Versailles" Meknes was founded at the end of the 17th Century by Moulay Ismail, where the Jewish presence is evidenced by Hebraic epitaphs dating from the Christian era as well as Greek inscriptions that still appear in local Synagogues. You may wish to visit the aging Talmud Torah in the Jewish Quarter and the new Mellah. Visit the tomb of Rabbi David Benmidan, who was the "Patron of Meknes" and is
another pilgrimage shrine. In the new Mellah there are 11 synagogues of which eight are still in use today. After sightseeing tour of the city, your journey will continue until you reach Moulay Idriss : the holiest Muslim site in all of Morocco. Afterward, you will visit the extensive ruins at Volubilis, once the Roman capital of North-western Africa,
which is an archaeological site. Arrival at Fez in the evening & Overnight .

Day 2 : Fez

Breakfast at your hotel , The whole day will be devoted to the sightseeing of Fez, the oldest cultural and spiritual imperial city of Morocco, which was founded in 790 B.C by Moulay Idriss II. Spend a memorable morning taking a special look at the Jewish history and culture of traditional Morocco .Fez is among the best known cities in medieval Jewish history. Indeed, it was one the home of one of the most influential Talmudic scholars of all times, Rabbi Isaac Alfasi, as well as of Maimonides in the years 1160 to 1165. Highlights will also include the Mellah with all its Synagogues. Visit of Bhalil featuring the cemetery of Safroud where Rabbi Lahou Harroch and Rabbi Raphael Moshe Elbaz are buried. The Mellah of Fez is over 650 years old. This picturesque neighbourhood adjoins the Royal Palace, noted for its recently constructed bright brass doors. Jews took shelter in this palace during the 1912 pogrom.

The nearby cemetery contains the tombs of more Jewish saints than any other cemetery in Morocco. One of the more important saints is Lalla Solica.The Synagogue of Roben Ben Sadou ,built in the 1920's, is decorated with exquisite plaster carving reminiscent of the decoration of traditional mosques and medersas. Visit the recently restored Aben
Danan synagogue .
In the afternoon we will explore Medieval Medina, the Medersas, the El Qaraouiyyin Mosque, Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II the founder of Fez in the ninth century who encouraged the Jews to move to Fez and the sumptuous Nejjarin fountain, Then we will visit countless souks and the famous tanneries .
Overnight in Fez

Day 3: Fez – Chefchaouen (210 km)

After Breakfast, depart to Chefchaouen Via a historically significant destination often overlooked :Ouezzane. A sprawling town positioned just at the southern border of the Rif Mountains, it was once a place for Andalusia Jewish refugees. Rabbi Amrane ben Diwan is the most significant religious man to come out of the area, and many of the Jewish faith make annual pilgrimages to his tomb. Arrival at Chefchaouen :hanging like a crescent from twin mountains, the town is a 15th century relic of the Muslim civilization of Andalusia. Nestled into a fold of the Rif Mountains the walls of the town are painted a pale ochre in order to diminish the intensity of the sun. The roofs are covered with brown tiles and resemble those found in southern Spain. The roofs are covered with brown tiles and resemble those found in southern Spain. The alleyways climb to little squares often crossed by Andalusia arches.. Overnight in Chefchaouen.

Day 4 : Chefchaouen - Tangiers ( 110 Kms)

Breakfast & departure to Tangiers the oldest continually inhabited city in Morocco. It’s a bustling port on the North African shore on one of the most important waterways in the world, the Strait of Gibraltar. The “Rue des Synagogues” represents a prime example of a compact unit of immense cultural importance. This world-famous street has a great number of houses of worship. Some of the Synagogues along this narrow winding street are now closed to the public. One of them, Temple Benatar, has been restored and is superbly decorated. Near-by is the American Legation Museum, located in the oldest American consulate in continuous use. Two other points of interest in Tangiers are: the old Jewish cemetery, with some anthropomorphically shaped tombstones, and the “Oued lihoud”, the bay where Jewish exiles from Spain landed. The Grand Socco is the main square and probably the best place to start a walking tour of the city. Overnight in Tangiers.

Day 5: Tangiers - Rabat (278 Kms )

Breakfast and depart to Rabat: the political capital of the Kingdom since 1912. Visit to the Kasbah of the Oudayas, the Great Mosque, the unfinished Hassan Tower ,the magnificent Mohammed V Mausoleum . (The Mausoleum also holds the tomb of King Hassan II, son of Mohammed V). Next visit the Jewish quarter with its narrow lanes and colourful courtyards, the near-by Mellah has a beautiful synagogue just inside its gates, while the main synagogue is found a few blocks onward in the New City. You will drive past the ramparts and the walls of Mechouar that encompass the Royal Palace. Outside the city walls of Rabat, you will visit another walled city, the ancient ruins of Chellah, where Jews are believed to have lived during the time of the Phoenicians. You might be interested to visit the private Belghazi Museum. Three generations of the Belghazi family have amassed a vast collection of traditional Moroccan pieces, consisting of Andalusia, Jewish, and Islamic arts and crafts. Overnight in Rabat.

SEE BELOW other Excursions

Day 6 : Rabat - Casablanca ( 100 Kms ) (1)

Breakfast & departure to Casablanca for sightseeing of the chief port, the financial, commercial and manufacturing center of the Country. Your first treat is a panoramic drive through the city of Casablanca to view the Royal Palace, the architecture of Place Mohamed V, Anfa, the residential area and explore the romantic beachfront with its world famous shops, restaurants and nightclubs. You will visit the famous Hassan II Mosque (exterior).
Recently built, it is the largest in the world outside Mecca. Then you will visit the Mellah (Jewish Quarter) with its temples and synagogues such as Beth-El, the largest synagogue and an important community center.

The Jewish cemetery in the Mellah is open and quiet, with well-kept white stone markers in French, Hebrew and Spanish. We will visit the Museum of Moroccan Judaism of Casablanca; this is the first Jewish Museum in an Arab country. The Museum of Moroccan Judaism is about 3 miles from the city center :It displays collections of religious books, costumes, artifacts reflecting the role that the Jewish community has had in Morocco. When fundamentalist bombers attacked properties and businesses in 2003 it sparked the country’s largest protest demonstration in history, marching under the banner “Jews and Muslims, we are all citizens, we are all Moroccans”.
Website: www.casajewishmuseum.com
Overnight in Casablanca