Jewish Mellah restored in Marrakech on orders of the King

(13 Mar 2017) LEADIN
Marrakech's Hay Salam Quarter is to be restored and returned to its Jewish name: the Mellah.
The decision came from King Mohammed VI after he visited the area and met the President of the Jewish Community.
STORYLINE
Jacky Kadoch wanders through the tired and run down streets of the Mellah Quarter of Marrakech.
He's been the President of the Jewish Community here for 30 years and is an expert in its history and importance to Jews.
Morocco's King Mohammed VI recently visited the area and met with Kadoch. After giving the King the history of the Mellah he agreed that it should be restored to its former glory:
"Some houses start to fall down, so the decision of the King, God bless him, (he) decided to fix it," says Kadoch.
Moroccan Mellahs were separate areas built for Jews to live in during the 16th century, protected by high walls.
There are seven in all across Morocco: in Marrakech, Rabat, Fez, Meknes, El Jadida, Casablanca and Tangier.
Many Mellahs grew into small cities with synagogues, markets, courtyards and fountains as the Jews developed their careers as bankers, tailors and jewellers.
The remains of Marrakech's Mellah are currently known as the Hay Salam Quarter, but the King agreed that the area should officially be called the Mellah again.
"I saw a big sign: 'Restoration of the Mellah of Marrakech'. I was so happy. Why? Because again I saw the name Mellah. I said: 'That is so great so nice," continues Kadoch.
Thirty years ago a movement began to decrease the heavy French influence in the country and the names of many neighbourhoods and streets were changed to Arabic.
Marrakech's Mellah was one of many areas to be affected by the trend.
But following the King's visit, instructions were sent to the authorities to return all the streets back to their Jewish names.
Marrakech once boasted the country's largest Jewish population, estimated at 27,000 in the 1940s.
Despite historically living in separate quarters, here in Marrakech Jews enjoy a good relationship with Muslims.
Tarfaoui Mohammed, a chicken seller in the Mellah quarter says:
"Since 1984 we have had a relationship with the Jews. We sell meat and chicken to them and take it to their houses and we help them. We had a good relationship together and today also."
The Jewish community in Morocco declined dramatically in the 1960s and 1970s due to mass emigration to France, Israel and the United States.
Despite migrating, they do not forget their origins and come back to visit parents and grandparents.
Others, such as singer Itzik Dadia, visit to explore their families' history. He was born and raised in Israel and is visiting Marrakech for the first time.
He stops at the Laazama Synagogue in the Mellah Quarter to sing.
"My grandmother is from Tangier and my grandfather is from Rabat. I love Morocco and I love Moroccan Songs. I'd always hoped to visit it," he says.
In the Mellah Quarter, there is also a Jewish cemetery, named Beth Mo'ed Le'kol Chai which in translates to "the real life is after death".
It was built in 1537 after many Jews moved to the Mellah. It's the largest Jewish burial site in Morocco.
It was restored last year as part of a project to preserve cemeteries across the country.
Jakcy Kadoch regularly visits his father Henri Kadoch's tomb and is keen that the cemetery continues to be well looked after.
The decision to restore the Mellah in Marrakech is the result of 13 years of lobbying local officials by Kadoch.
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[@tarike.906]

I am very happy to see that ! My Parents Comes from Morocco, it´s nor important Jewish, muslim or Christ.....we are all Moroccans !!!

[@qv8281]

Chui Beau if your mother is Jewish you are ethnically Jewish no ?

[@addlmaxank2903]

You got it bruuh, we are one my people the blood runs through your veins.

[@jpmorganrunsthegame1064]

Salaam to my Jew and Christian brother's and sister's. May we continue to live in peace ❤️

[@jpmorganrunsthegame1064]

We respect your faith and ancestor's who were here before us. I especially admire the love the Jews have for each other. Masha'Allah. Qays ibn Sa’d reported: A funeral passed by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he stood up. It was said to him, “It is a Jew.” The Prophet said, “Was he not a soul?” In another narration, the Prophet said, “Verily, you stand to glorify Allah, who is the receiver of souls.” Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1250, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 961

[@shneor.e]

@@gymrat5014 If its from your mother side you could very well be Jewish

[@PeterGarofalo]

God has blessed Morocco , because they have blessed the Jewish people.

[@yassineszn17]

Yes oy vey

[@MariaNI-yf1bz]

@A D judaism did not start after 1492, the reconquista, its much older in Morocco. Its even older than Islam and Christianity in North Africa. There are 2 types of jews in Morocco and the rest of the Maghreb, the Berber Jews and the "recent" Sephardim (iberian jews)

[@souadharbi4163]

we are all equal because we are all humans beings

[@mrdonaldabuivankatrump2700]

Pray for Morocco 🇲🇦🕊🕊🕊🕊

[@jpmorganrunsthegame1064]

They also blessed Morocco with the true Muslims (not Shia) who follow the Sunnah and who love our brother's and sister's and wish to continue to live in peace with you. May Allah shower blessings on our father Ibrahim PBUH. Salaam to you all ❤️

[@samihussain4969]

One of the best country to live! Peaceful place.

[@monteadrar2026]

Enfin ,le Maroc se reconcilie avec son histoire ,et ses cultures millenaires , Merci, SM le roi Mohamed VI de ce cette action noble qui grandit le Maroc au sein des nations. Nos freres juifs marocains tres patriotiques et fidels au trone alaouite meritent cette justice.

[@MehdiAndersonSilva]

Le Maroc ne les a jamais rejeter ils ont toujours était protéger mais quand ils sont partis les gens ont oublier oui

[@oudaybenichou7240]

- Welcome in Morrocoo , happy pelerinage for celebration Mimouna in your Bled Morrocco. - Azul - Shalom .

[@freewal]

ALLAH, AL WATAN, AL MALIK. Jews, Muslims, we're all MOROCCAN

[@mohamedb6645]

هاذيك كلنا مغاربة كنقولها للمغاربة لي كيعيشو فالمغرب و كيخدم للبلاد و كيحاربو من أجل للبلاد ماشي لليهود لي مشاو للإسرائيل هما بنسبة ليهم إسرائيل هي بلادهم لي كيموتو عليها و ميمكنش شي واحد يخلي بلادو و دارو و مشاريعو باش يمشي للدولة خرى و نقولو لو بلي راه عندو روح الوطنية هما ما جرى عليهم حد و نزيدك المغريبي كيدوي بداريجة ولا الأمازيغية أما اليهودية راه لغة ديال الملاوطين فين ما مشيتي فالعالم تلقاها ألمانيا روسيا حتى الهند داكشي علاش سي هتلير حرق باباهم للكلب حيت مكيعرفوش الولاء للوطن أو الموت من أجل الوطن هما فالأزمات تجارة ديالهم كتزداهر

[@Moroccan_boy19]

​@@mohamedb6645بالعكس اليهود المغاربة تعرضوا للوعود الكاذبة و تعرضوا للقمع من يهود أوروبا أدخل للوثائقيات تتفرج

[@numismaticsadolf3928]

Moroccan Brother's Muslim Jews brotherhood Project The Palestinians Pleas My Moroccan Brother's 🦁 🇲🇦🦁

[@sweetb4thesee]

They seem so loving towards eachother. You don’t see that in the USA.

[@jsmith3980]

Great to see...can you be a great example for Israel too please?

[@fadwaelfettahi4245]

👍🏻

[@margasa8548]

If you need to understand Israel I am happy to answer and explain, tear the veils of lies that are said.

[@numismaticsadolf3928]

Long Life The Sultan Mohammed V The Protector of AL the Moroccans The Jews Muslim And The Palestine's 🦁⚔️🦁🇲🇦❤️🇵🇸🦁⚔️🦁

[@moorycamaro7212]

هادا جاكي كادوش كان جارنا فمراكش الله يعمرها دار و تيموت على المغرب 🇲🇦👍

[@goldeneagle5768]

Shalom alekhem , speack moroccan Darija

[@قناةستايلي]

i wish you take care of casablanca mellah as wel

[@mann953]

All cementeries have problems with maintenance Muslim or Jewish. There needs to be someone responsible for the upkeep but if the money is not there they will deteriorate.

[@mann953]

In contrary to popular believe Moroccan Jews are welcome in Morocco. They have been part of communities for more than thousand years. Many believe that the Berber people were of Jewish decent. Jews and Muslims live next to each other as Moroccans with no problems. The main problem is with Israeli people and politics in Israel. After WW2 many North African Jews migrated to Israel and this still makes the Moroccan people sad because they believe that these Morrocan Jews should have stayed in Morrocan because they are Morrocan and not Israeli.

[@adilelnhaily1960]

Why should Moroccan Jews stay in a country that defines itself as a Muslim country? If Moroccan Muslims want Jews to stay, then they need to build a secular country so ALL Moroccans can feel they are a part of it. You want Jews to remain always a tolerated minority that needs to shut up ?

[@zakazikoziko1419]

Adil El Nhaily you want them to live in a country that isn’t theirs and oppress the Palestinians

[@geerenmo]

@@zakazikoziko1419 It is theirs. It was called Judea and it was taken away from them, 2000 years ago by the romans.

[@zenzilekus4413]

@@geerenmo thats not the real jews from Jacob. They left Black and came back White

[@gfdtjkjhik6312]

Had essiyid a si jacky 3arfinoh enas li flhwant echloh collahoma lifmarrakech

[@gfdtjkjhik6312]

Odakchi asi jacky blmosa3ada m3a Dak limkhdmin ntoma frroda likaykhonkon. malin lmllah kolahoma 3arfin omakdroch ytklmo khayfin

[@merccadoosis8847]

''Jewish Mellah restored in Marrakech on orders of the King'' Someone please explain - is this area restored as a historical district or is it restored as a residential area so that Jews could reside there in peace as happened in past generations?

[@Ufu4847]

merc cadoosis That's a good question. It could be both. If Jews want to return we will always welcome them with open arms.

[@Xx-Anwar-xX]

i dont think that the jews will be able to go back and live their unless they still own the houses . because most of the jews sold their properties once they moved to israel . however synagogues are operating as usual .i know that so many jews especially those who grew up in morocco , went back and bought properties over there .

[@brahms63]

merc cadoosis Contrary to the other arab countries Morocco never striped Moroccan jews from their citizenship. Any Moroccan can claim his Moroccan passport whenever he wants...

[@gfdtjkjhik6312]

Kantmna a si jacky twkfo had lmojrimin otslmohom lkanon otrj3o lhk dyal ennas dyawlkom. kantmna matraj3och ray malin lhwant echloh lifmarrakech rah 3arfin had essiyid Hassan sabri srk erroda dyalkom bhad lflos Bach dar lmachari3 flmhamid obo3kaz fmarrakech

[@zouhairuk]

هذو خوتنا

[@atmaniabdeslem5553]

خوك الحلوف

[@gfdtjkjhik6312]

Rah had essiyid makan 3ndoh walo lflos kan mdyon ennas tlhwant radi ygolo likom. olmochkil mnhadchi mawkr htta ljotat enas dyalkom kaytajr fl3dam dyalhom fch3wada

[@gfdtjkjhik6312]

Lilasaf asi jacky erroda dyalkom t3rdat lssarika mntaraf Hassan sabri mol essaka lihda erroda dyalkom liflmi3ara lmllah bimarrakech odacchi blmosa3ada dyal daklimkhdmin ntoma frroda. malinlmllah 3arfin okhayfin omagalha likom hd khaskom thrko ola had echers radi ytmada oysrk ktr mndakchi Lida hint Aslan 3inih baki 3liha dakchi 3lach baki hdaha omrakbha

[@rosedudesert3624]

👍👍👍👍👍