Fez el Jedid Morocco

Morocco’s Trendsetting Destination Fez el Jedid Morocco

Fez el Jedid Morocco

Fez el Jedid Morocco, Unlike Fez el Bali, whose development and growth seems to have been almost organic, Fez el Jedid (“New Fez”) was a planned city, built by the Merenids at the beginning of their rule, under Sultan Abou Youssef in 1276, as a practical and symbolic seat of government.

Brief Information about Fez el Jedid Morocco

The chronicles present the Merenids’ decision to site their city some distance from Fez el Bali as a defence strategy, though this would seem less against marauders than to safeguard the new dynasty against the Fassis themselves – and it was only in the nineteenth century that the walls between the old and new cities were finally joined. It was not an extension for the people in any real sense, being occupied largely by the vast royal palace of Dar el Makhzen and a series of garrisons. This process continued with the addition of the Mellah – the Jewish ghetto – at the beginning of the fourteenth century; forced out of Fez el Bali after one of the periodic pogroms, the Jews provided an extra barrier (and scapegoat) between the sultan and his Muslim faithful, not to mention a source of ready income conveniently located by the palace gates.

Ben Danan Synagogue

Built in the 17th century to serve the megorashim (Jews descended from those expelled from Spain), this synagogue is trimmed in pretty herringbone green tiles, turquoise octagonal pillars and glowing chandeliers. The guardian can point out the main features, including the original deerskin Torah scrolls in an ark built into the wall, and a mikvah (ritual bath) in the basement, filled by an underground water source. B&W photos of other Jewish sites around Morocco are also on display.

The synagogue, which was renovated in 1999, is still used on high holy days. Derb Djaj is roughly midway along Rue des Mérinides; the synagogue can also be reached via Derb Taquriri, near the cemetery.

For navigation purposes and dealing with local would-be guides: about five minutes’ walk due east is a second neighbourhood synagogue from the same period, Al Fassiyine, built by the local Moroccan Jewish community, but it is not regularly open to the public.