Arazan - Restored Synagogue in Southern Morocco

Presented by Diarna (www.diarna.org): Raphy Elmaleh, Morocco's only Jewish tour guide, visits the town of Arazan, outside Taroudant in southern Morocco, to show an old synagogue he helped restore. When Elmaleh first discovered the site in the late 1980s, the synagogue was still being looked after by Harim, a local Amazigh (Berber) who kept the building's key for decades. Inside the synagogue was a pile of hay... as well as Hebrew writing and an old ark for holding Torah scrolls. Elmaleh would eventually return to the synagogue to lead the process of restoring the building.
In this video, Elmaleh goes inside the locked compound where the synagogue sites. He shows the unusual key and door lock that secure the synagogue, and he explains how he restored the sanctuary and the mikveh (ritual bath). He also introduces viewers to Harim, the old guardian, who still remembers the Hebrew prayers of his Jewish neighbors 45 years after they left. Harim recalls the names of Jews who lived next to the synagogue, pointing out the rubble of their former homes.
At the end of the clip, Elmaleh drives alongside the town's Jewish cemetery, which is today used as farmland, and he recounts the story of how he handled one extremist in Arazan, who tried to stop the restoration of the synagogue.

[@hassanouita]

helloooo how are you i'm hassan from arazan i'm 22 years old student in univ that's very nice video i like this video its culture of arazan we love hiim we love arazan thanks for video

[@rayanefree5790]

You did a great job, Morocco is your country, no difference between you and us. My respects for the restorations you did and for your love to your country.

[@benanyildiz9767]

Rayana shame on you traitor

[@hopepeace1633]

for the one who is asking about the meaning of Arazane. I can say that it is a kind of Sculptures on the stones.

[@benfeliz9356]

That was a great thing: restoring an old synagogue.

[@hamzasafi4226]

I love morocco

[@wejcynp8943]

wow that's amazing

[@rachidghazi8334]

bon courage

[@barakah4097]

One big familly....hopefully...

[@hananhanan-bg3dn]

ah had lblasa drok 9adoha kolchi ozynoha kayzoroha lihod hit kano saknin tma

[@azerty11221]

@@laayounaynia اشنو كتعني ارزان بالشلحة ؟

[@lajollasigns1]

Fuck yea! Keep it up

[@hopepeace1633]

thank you for the video. am from that village. in the past the majority of population were jewish. they were living with Berbers/Amazigh in peace. the only thing i hate in their culture they were practising magic on some target poeple.one of my family have suffered from it even after the imigration of jwish from morocco. after a long years of sick under magic he descoverd suddenly a paper written in hebrew in his old house.

[@cashicashi4904]

Ziher??

[@Guanakitazs]

What does the name Arazan mean?

[@yassinmoujahi1633]

Hii

[@hopepeace1633]

but the only thing am still asking what jewish poeple expecting from us and from my village. what they want to say throught this video. if they are interested to come to settle down in their old house will be great. so the Palestines poeple will be in peace.

[@agouliz26]

tabaht is an amazigh bread and we call it tabaht or tunirt, ,so stop talking rubbish, it's not a jewish term.

[@Mani-dy8lq]

This israeli gets on my nerves, so arrogant! He forgets to say the jews he keeps talking about are actually Berbers just like the muslim Berbers of Atlas.. So it's the same people with different religion.