11-Day Jewish Legacy Heritage Morocco Tour

Upon arrival at Mohammed V Airport, meet your guide and begin exploring Casablanca’s Jewish legacy. Visit Temple Beth-El, a central synagogue of the former Jewish community, admired for its stained-glass windows and artistic details. Explore Temple Em Habanim and Neve Chalom if time permits. Enjoy dinner at a kosher restaurant. Overnight in a boutique hotel in Casablanca.

After breakfast, we will begin the day with a visit to the Museum of Moroccan Judaism, showcasing a vast collection of religious, artistic, and ethnographic artifacts. Explore Casablanca’s Mellah (Jewish Quarter) and the Jewish Cemetery, where you can see well-preserved tombs with inscriptions in French, Hebrew, and Spanish. Continue to Rabat, Morocco’s capital. Tour the Hassan II Mosque’s exterior and the French-designed New Town.

Overnight in Rabat.

Today, we will leave Rabat and travel to Tetouan, once a haven for Jewish refugees expelled from Spain in 1492. Visit the Mellah, known for its Andalusian architecture and active synagogues. Explore the Jewish cemetery with its Castilian section. Continue to the blue-washed city of Chefchaouen, nestled in the Rif Mountains.

Enjoy dinner and overnight at a local riad.

Today you will explore Chefchaouen, Morocco's enchanting city beneath the striking peaks of the Rif Mountains. Whitewashed homes with red tile roofs line narrow, winding laneways, their walls painted in brilliant shades of blue. Then continue onto the holy city of Ouazzane to visit the sanctuary of a Jewish Saint venerated by both Muslims and Jews Rabbi Amram Ben Diwan. The Hiloulah takes place in Ouezzane and is considered the largest pilgrimage gathering for Moroccan Jews. The Jewish heritage tour continues to Meknes “the Moroccan Versailles” 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 and a place of pilgrimage where the tomb of Rabbi David Benmidan, “The Patron of Meknes” is located. After lunch, you will tour Meknes starting from the ornamented gate of Bab Al Mansour to the old and new Mellah to see the past and new life conveyed through the historic Jewish names retained by many of the streets. Explore the Jewish Mellah & Quarter, with its narrow lanes and colorful courtyards. The presence of Jewish history is evident in the Hebraic epitaphs that date back to the Christian era. These epitaphs along with Greek inscriptions can be seen on the Meknes Jewish zaouia, a place of pilgrimage where the tomb of Rabbi David Benmidan still resides.

We leave Meknes towards Fez with a stop at Volubilis, begin your visit by discovering the fascinating Roman ruins adorned with beautiful mosaics and colorful tiles depicting Roman mythology. The ruins are spread out across several acres and what remain visible are several fragments of wall, parts of massive columns, the capitol, the basilica, and a triumphal arch. The ruins reveal how the Roman Empire transformed the original Carthaginian settlement into a typical Roman city complete with mansions, a town center, a triumphal arc, and temples devoted to the Roman gods.

Overnight at a Boutique Hotel or Riad in Fes.

Discover On this guided historical tour of UNESCO-listed Fes, you’ll visit the city’s significant Jewish and cultural landmarks, including synagogues, ancient universities, mosques, cemeteries, and the Mellah, as well as its beautiful gardens and palaces. Your guide will highlight the historical connections between Jewish and Muslim communities in Morocco.

Fes, one of the most renowned cities in medieval Jewish history, was home to one of the most influential Talmudic scholars, Rabbi Isaac Alfasi. Founded by Idriss I in the 8th century, Fes (also known as Fes El Bali) served as Morocco’s spiritual, artistic, and intellectual capital. It was widely respected for its vibrant Jewish community, which openly practiced its traditions. Legend states that the city's name comes from the pickaxe (made of silver or gold) used by Idriss to mark the boundaries of the old city. Fes is a key destination for Jewish travelers due to its historical significance.

This guided tour of Fes will take you through notable Jewish heritage sites, including synagogues, medieval universities, mosques, cemeteries, a children’s school, and the Mellah, alongside the city’s gardens and palaces. The tour provides insights into the intertwined history of Jewish and Muslim communities in Morocco.

Unlike the relatively new Mellah of Casablanca, the Mellah of Fes is over 650 years old. This historic quarter borders the Royal Palace, distinguished by its bright, newly refurbished brass doors. The palace once served as a refuge for Jews during the 1912 pogrom.

This cemetery houses the tombs of more Jewish saints than any other in Morocco, including the revered Saint Solica, who was martyred for refusing to convert to Islam.

The ancient city of Fes still holds traces of its Jewish past, including the former home of the renowned philosopher Maimonides, who lived here from 1159 to 1165. Persecuted by the Almohad dynasty, Maimonides left the city to avoid forced conversion. Despite a declining Jewish population, the community in Fes remains resilient, striving to preserve its heritage. The Maimonides Community Center features a kosher restaurant and a modern synagogue.

The Ibn Danan Synagogue is one of the oldest and best-preserved synagogues in Morocco, situated at the heart of the Mellah. It is a rare surviving example from a pivotal period in Moroccan Jewish history.

The synagogues in Fes, dating back to the 17th century, are notable for their unmarked exteriors. The Mellah once hosted around 40 synagogues. You can also visit the expansive whitewashed Jewish cemetery near the Royal Palace gates and the emerging Jewish Museum at the Em HaBanim Synagogue.

• University of Al-Karaouine
• Zaouia Moulay Idriss II
• Dar Batha
• Weavers Cooperative

Today, we will travel to Sefrou, once known as "Little Jerusalem" for its vibrant Jewish community. Discover its Mellah and enjoy a walk through the old medina. Learn about the harmonious coexistence between Muslims and Jews in this town. Return to Fes for an optional visit to Jnane Sbil Gardens and Batha Museum.

Overnight in Fes.

Depart Fes, crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop in Ifrane, the "Switzerland of Morocco," and visit the cedar forests of Azrou. Continue to Midelt for lunch before reaching the Ziz Valley. Visit the ancient Jewish quarter of Erfoud, a former center for Jewish merchants. Arrive in Merzouga for a camel trek and a magical sunset over the Erg Chebbi dunes.

Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay in a desert camp.

After breakfast, we leave the magical dune Erg Chebbi in Merzouga and head towards the old irrigation system that was used in the oasis of Ziz. We continue driving through the arid landscapes to the small town of Tinghir where the fabulous Todra Gorges to enjoy a leisurely walk in and around the canyons and venture up between the high limestone cliffs with their exotic-shaped erosions and beautiful green vegetation, Kasbahs ranging in colors from greenish-black to dark red and startling lime-white. After lunch, we arrive in Tineghir to visit the gateway and the ancient and colorful Jewish quarter Mellah. This town is believed to have one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Morocco. We leave Tinghir towards the Rose Valley where thousands of small, pink Damascene roses are grown, and the palm’s grove of Skoura to reach the Hollywood of Africa Ouarzazate for the overnight with dinner at the hotel or Riad.

Visit the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its appearance in numerous films. An authentic site where a list of movies was filmed starting with the first movies “Lawrence of Arabia”, ”Jesus of Nazareth”, and” Gladiator” and the list is still going on. It is also listed in UNESCO as a site of the world and national culture in 1987 Continue to Marrakech, with an optional visit to the tombs of Jewish saints along the way.

Check in to a boutique riad in Marrakech.

Visit Marrakech’s Gardens, Palaces, and Jewish Heritage Sites.