Jewish Heritage tour of Morocco

Jewish Travel
Division of EMCO Travel, LLC

Since 1993

Toll-free 877-466-2934. Phone 727-254-4373
Fax: 203-653-5586
email: info@JewishTravelAgency.com

The Kingdom of Morocco has long been a land of tolerance and coexistence. The 2,500 year old Moroccan Jewish community has a magnificent and little-known history and culture rooted in Africa and the Muslim world.

Your Heritage Tours-qualified, expert guide welcomes you on arrival in Casablanca. Begin your private tour of Morocco!

Check in to the Royal Mansour (5*), Casablanca’s finest hotel to rest and refresh.

Visit to the Mosque Hassan II, dramatically sited at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Built by the late King Hassan II at the end of his 40- year reign, this astounding edifice is larger than Saint Peter’s in Rome and capable of holding 80,000 worshippers.

Tour the highlights of Casablanca including the architecture of Place Mohamed V, the French-built Quartier Habous, the Gates of the Royal Palace and the Marabout of Sidi Abderrahman (a holy shrine built on a rocky outcropping in the Atlantic ocean to which women travel from all over Morocco in search of miracles).

Begin your day with a visit to the newly opened Jewish Museum in Casablanca. Although its collection is still quite formative, this is the first Jewish Museum in an Arab country.

Visit the neighborhood that is home to most of Morocco’s Jewish Community. Stop by the cultural center and the Bet El synagogue.

You may wish to have lunch at one of the small kosher restaurants in this part town.

Rabat, the current political capital of Morocco, and neighboring Sale were once notorious as haven to the feared Barbary pirates.

After you refresh at your hotel, your guide awaits to tour the necropolis of Chellah and the picturesque Kasbah des Oudaias.

Visit the and the majestic Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohamed V. It was Mohamed V who brought independence to Morocco in 1956. Revered by both Muslim and Jew alike, his bravery in the face of the occupying Vichy regime during WW2 saved Moroccan Jews from the fate of their European brethren. His son, Hassan II, who ruled Morocco for 38 years, was buried here in 1999.

Enjoy a full-day private excursion to the extensive Roman ruins at Volubulis, nearby Moulay Idriss and Imperial Meknes.

Meknes was once home to a thriving Jewish Community. You may wish to visit the aging Talmud Torah in the Jewish Quarter and the new mellah (Meknes had two of them: the original one and the 20^th-century new mellah).

Scholars, architects, historians and artists travel from all over the world to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fes – an entire city which functions largely as it did in the middle ages.

Upon arrival in Fes, check in at the upscale and intimate Riad Maison Bleue, an 18th century mansion built against the walls of Fes el-Jdid.

You may prefer to stay at the historic Palais Jamaï - the grand hotel of Fes, surrounded by lovely Andalusian gardens and located adjacent to the massive city walls.

Step back six centuries into the medieval world of Fes, whose narrow and cobbled streets are filled with ancient mosques and towering green-glazed minarets.

Highlights of your private walking tour of Fes include the Medersa (koranic university) Attarine, Foundouk Nejjarine, the shrine ofMoulay Idriss II, countless souks and the famous tanneries.

In the afternoon, we will make arrangements for you to visit a privately-owned palace, now in great decay, which belongs to one of the most famous historical names in Morocco. With a bit of imagination, you can envision the grandeur of this crumbling palace’s glorious past.

Dinner reservations at La Maison Bleue, specializing in the traditional cuisine of Fes.

Spend a memorable morning taking a special look at the Jewish history and culture of traditional Morocco. Explore the mellah (Jewish district) of Fes, founded in 1438 and once home to tens of thousands of Jews, 40 synagogues, the Bet Din, communal ovens, ritual baths and schools. Visit the vast Jewish cemetery opposite the gates of the Royal Palace and the nascent Jewish Museum at the EmHaBanim synagogue.

Visit the recently restored Ibn Danan synagogue – the oldest extant synagogue in Fes. Until very recently abandoned and decaying, its restoration was part of a comprehensive UNESCO project to preserve the monuments and fabric of medieval Fes. Its rededication in February 1999 was attended by over 400 people from all over the world.

Today, you will leave the scenic Middle Atlas Mountains and continue south along the Ziz River until it finally dies out in the Sahara desert and you arrive at the Tafilet oasis.

As the last paved road ends at the edge of the oasis town of Erfoud, you leave the world behind as you continue on to a small oasis in the desert. Here you will find the Auberge Kasbah Derkaoua - a unique inn filled with ambiance and personality, built by an expatriate Frenchman who abandoned France to live in the Sahara.

Very early wake up as your 4x4 will be waiting for you as you continue your adventure by heading towards the legendary dunes of ErgChebbi - considered by desert aficionados to be perhaps the largest dunes in the Sahara.

Witness the sun rising from the east over the desert dunes: one of the greatest sights of Morocco. Maghreb, the Arabic name for Morocco, means the West; Morocco was at the very edge not only of the Islamic world, but of the known world.

After the sun has risen, you will be driven back to the desert inn for breakfast.

After breakfast, continue your 4x4 adventure in the Sahara desert. Explore the crumbling ruins of once-grand kasbahs, now half-buried by sand. These fortified outposts, including Sijilmasa, were for centuries the first signs of civilization for the trans-Saharan caravans after months of hardship on the open desert.

It is hard to overestimate the roles of the Jewish Berber tribes in this trade, both in Sijilmasa and in the various oases and way stations en route. Many of these kasbahs once had substantial Jewish populations and (now lost) synagogues. Period literature refers to Sijilmasaas “Sijilmasa of the Jews”.

Continue west to the scenic Todgha Gorges. Explore this area of dramatic natural scenery by car and, if you choose, on foot.

Continue west to the oasis of Ouarzazate – a former outpost of the French Foreign Legion.

Spend the morning exploring the region around Ouarzazate. Visit the Kasbah Taouirirt and the UNESCO-restored Kasbah of Ait BenHaddou.

Continue west through the Sousse Valley to the ochre-hued walled town of Taroudant.

On the way, you may wish to stop for lunch or tea at the Dar Hida Palace in the small village of Ouled Berhil.

Check in at Palais Salam - the former palace of the Pacha of Taroudant, built against the ancient ramparts. Its spectacular gardens and courtyards – filled with lush tropical plants and Moorish fountains - provide a glimpse into a world long lost. You will be staying in the exclusive Riad II wing.

You may prefer La Gazelle d’Or - a highly exclusive resort on extensive grounds filled with stone cottages and lush landscaping, originally built as a hunting lodge by French nobility (with horseback riding and tennis courts).

Excursion to the nearby village of Arazan to visit a very special site normally closed to the public: a tiny adobe-synagogue believed to be the only adobe synagogue in the world. Hebrew prayers are painted on its earthen walls and its Ark is adorned with Berber decoration. This little gem - one of the best-kept secrets in Morocco – is a poignant reminder of a now-vanished world.

Explore this village and visit a private home - a rare opportunity to see a real house in a typical Berber village and to witness first-hand how one lives in rural Morocco.

Take the breathtaking, hairpin road (not for the weak-stomached) through the great pass of Tizn Test - one of only two passes through the magnificent High Atlas Mountains.

Stop at the restored 12^th century mosque at Tinmal: from this tiny mountain outpost, a Berber warrior tribe would conquer Marrakech to found the Almohad dynasty.

Continue another hour to the beautiful resort of La Rosarie - a small lodge near the base of Mount Toubkal - the highest peak in North Africa (13,770 feet). La Rosarie (the Rose Garden) is filled with colorful and fragrant gardens with spectacular views of the mountains. Horseback riding, tennis and a new health spa are available. You will be staying in a minisuite, a freestanding cottage with a fireplace.

Morning at leisure: Suggested horseback riding or hiking in the High Atlas with expert guides. You will see magnificent landscapes and have the opportunity to meet people in remote Berber villages

Visit the tomb of a local Tzaddik in a small village not too far from the start of your trek. Once a year, Jews come from all over Morocco and Israel for a hilulah or pilgrimage to this revered tomb. (This a moderate hike of about 40 minutes to reach this village).

Upon arrival in Marrakech, check-in at the legendary La Mamounia – consistently ranked as one of the Top 100 Hotels in the World and playground for the rich and famous since the days when Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt used to roam its halls. You will be staying in a Park View room with a balcony or patio facing the High Atlas Mountains and overlooking the extensive gardens.

You may prefer one of the many small, intimate inns such as the legendary La Maison Arabe, highly regarded as the first boutique hotel to open within the walls of the medina. La Maison Arabe is known for its high level of service and its rich collection of art by Moroccan and European artists.

The defining landmark of Marrakech is the 12^th century tiled minaret of the Koutoubia mosque and there is no better place to begin your venture into this entrancing city.

Explore the colorful souks (marketplace) of Marrakech. Each trade - spices, carpets, jewelry, enamel, copper, brass and cedar - is situated in its unique quarter.

Visit the opulent Saadien Tombs (the mausoleum of a great dynasty which once ruled North Africa).

In the early evening, head towards the frenetic Djemaa el Fnaa - the greatest square in all of Africa – and perhaps the world. Today, it provides ever-changing entertainment for Moroccans and foreigners alike, reaching its climax at sunset when the square is alive with storytellers, healers, snake charmers, acrobats and countless food stalls.

Begin your day at the tropical Majorelle Gardens and visit the small, but excellent, Islamic Art Museum located in the home of painter Jacques Majorelle.

Visit the medieval Medersa (koranic university) ben Youssef – one of the finest Islamic monuments in North Africa. Architecture aficionados will enjoy the nearby delicate dome of the 12^th century Koubba.

Near the medersa are two of the more interesting cultural showplaces in Marrakech: The Musee de Marrakech and the Dar Bellarjcultural foundation.

Stop for tea or orange juice at a beautifully restored riad, a new cultural foundation, bookstore and art gallery, with rotating exhibitions. It is a wonderful example of the many riads being resorted in the medina.

Wander through the Dar Si Said Museum and the ruins of the vast Badi’a Palace.

Visit the mellah of Marrakech, containing narrow streets, ancient synagogues and an extensive Jewish cemetery.

If you wish, visit the Artisinale, where crafts are made and sold. There is a small workshop in the back where zellij (the hand-crafted Moroccan mosaic that is a hallmark of Moroccan architecture) is produced.

Dinner reservations at Yacout - Morocco’s most famous restaurant buried deep in the medina.

Full day excursion west to the Atlantic Ocean and the former Portuguese colony of Essaouira (approximately two hours each way).Wander about its enchanting streets and alleys: the setting in 1952 for Orson Welles’ Othello.

Once known as Mogador, Essaouira’s blue and white medina was recently names a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Visit the extensive Jewish cemetery (Essaouira was once one-third Jewish) built on the shore of the ocean and, if possible, the synagogue of the venerated Rabbi Chaim Pinto in the mellah.

This is sample itinerary, customizable for each client
prices are on request and depend on dates, accommodations level and activities
. Kosher meals can be arranged in Casablanca and Marrakech.

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Toll-free 877-466-2934. Phone 727-254-4373
email: info@JewishTravelAgency.com
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