Moroccan Jews: History, Traditions, and Memory of a Millennial Community

For more than two thousand years, Morocco was home to one of the largest, oldest, and most diverse Jewish communities in the Muslim world.From the ancient towns of the Atlas and the Sahara to the great cities of Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes, Rabat, Casablanca, and Essaouira, The Jews of Morocco traces a history shaped by faith, family, trade, scholarship, music, and memory. It explores the distinctive world of Moroccan Judaism: the mellahs, synagogues, pilgrimages to the tombs of revered rabbis, Judeo-Arabic and Judeo-Berber traditions, and the rich heritage of Sephardic refugees who arrived after 1492.The book also examines the changing conditions of Jewish life under successive dynasties, the impact of the French and Spanish protectorates, the Second World War, Morocco's independence, and the major migrations of the twentieth century.More than a chronicle of departure, The Jews of Morocco is the story of an enduring civilization. Its language, food, music, prayer, family traditions, and spiritual heritage continue to live in Morocco, Israel, France, Canada, and across the world.A compelling introduction to Jewish history, Moroccan history, Sephardic culture, and the living memory of the Maghreb.