The Museum of Moroccan Jewish Culture opened its doors on Sunday in the historic Mellah of Fez, offering visitors a journey through more than 2,500 years of Jewish presence in Morocco.
Located on land donated by the Jewish community of Fez, the museum covers more than 1,700 square meters, of which about 1,200 are devoted to exhibitions.
Its architecture features traditional zellige tilework, carved plaster, painted wood and a marble fountain.
The permanent collection, spread over two levels, includes archaeological objects, rare books and manuscripts, archives, religious items and everyday artefacts.
A large chronological frieze traces key moments such as the creation of the Fez Mellah in 1438 and the arrival of Jews expelled from Spain in 1492.
Displays explore community institutions including synagogues, Hebrew schools and rabbinical courts, as well as traditions surrounding birth, bar mitzvah, marriage, funerals and religious festivals.
Exhibits feature Torah scrolls, prayer shawls, marriage contracts, circumcision chairs, bridal costumes and jewelry.
Traditional crafts are represented through a reconstructed jeweler’s workshop, silver ornaments, textiles, regional clothing and musical instruments.
The project, launched by King Mohammed VI in April 2019 with the support of the Moroccan Jewish community, also highlights exchanges between Jewish and Muslim communities and their shared contribution to Morocco’s heritage.
The new Fez Museum joins existing institutions dedicated to Jewish culture. Casablanca is home to the Museum of Moroccan Judaism, opened in 1997 and long regarded as the first museum of its kind in the Arab world.
In Essaouira, Bayt Dakira (House of Memory), inaugurated by King Mohammed VI in 2020, functions as a museum, research center and restored synagogue celebrating the city’s historic Jewish-Muslim coexistence.
Morocco’s 2011 Constitution explicitly recognizes the Hebraic component as one of the affluents that nourish and enrich the country’s national identity. During the Second World War, Sultan Mohammed V opposed Vichy France’s anti-Jewish measures and affirmed that Moroccan Jews were under his protection; no Moroccan Jews were deported to Nazi death camps.
Today, members of Morocco’s Jewish community continue to practice their faith freely, maintain synagogues and gather for religious ceremonies across the country.