Archive

Rue Mellah (former Rue Moise) (زنقة الملاح)‎, Essaouira, Morocco

Description

Background on the Mellah of Essaouira

Essaouira was established by Alaouite Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdellah in 1764 on the site of a former Portuguese fortress. [1, 2] It quickly became a major domestic and international trading post, attracting many Jewish merchants, traders, and workers. [3, 4] In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Essaouira was home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the country. At one point, Jews made up about 40 percent of Essaouira’s population, growing so much that an addition to the mellah had to be built to accommodate them. [5, 6] 

Mellahs, separate Jewish quarters, were established in multiple cities by an 1807 Sultan-issued dahir (decree). [7] Before then, Jews and Muslims lived together in the neighborhoods of Essaouira. [8] The name mellah comes from the salt marsh area in Fez where the first mellah was created. [9] Following the decree, poorer Jews populated the mellah while elite Jewish families resided in the casbah quarter outside the mellah walls. [10] The separation of casbah and mellah generated tensions between elite and lower-class Jews. [11] In Essaouira, “division was really a division of class and not of religion,” with intermarriage being widely acepted and places of worship were even shared amongst Muslims and Jews. [12]

Today, only a handful of Jews remain in Essaouira. [13] One of the reasons for this is the impact of French Protectorate (1912-1956), during which the French  developed Casablanca and Agadir as seaports, limiting economic opportunities in Essaouira and incentivizing migration to larger hubs [14, 15]. Another, larger, exodus took place following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, after which only about 2 percent of the Jewish population remained. [16, 17] 

The Jewish quarter of Essaouira stands as a testament to the significant role of Jewry in the development of one of Morocco’s major port cities. Many sites of historical significance, including synagogues and old Jewish businesses, have been demolished or otherwise dilapidated over time. [18] Current Essaouira residents and others work to preserve remaining sites and redevelopment efforts are underway. [19, 20, 21] 

Rue Mellah

Rue Mellah, formerly known as Rue Moise, runs through the heart of the Essaouira’s mellah from the entrance gate (Porte du Mellah) to a small plaza (Place Taraa). Along this street there are several key places of significance to the Jewish heritage of Essaouira.

Many of the sites have already disappeared, since many buildings along the fortification walls that surround the mellah have already been demolished. But there are several houses still standing that bore witness to a densely populated Mellah. There are plans to rehabilitate and also remodel this area of the Mellah – there will be an elevated walkway along the walls with viewing points overlooking the nearby beaches and sea and spaces for shops and workshops similar to the area of the Skala. [22] Through the 21st century the realization of these plans has become more visible in the neighborhood as construction and demolition works proceed rapidly.

Walking down Rue Mellah, you may not even notice that you’ve already passed two synagogues before  rounding the first corner. Most of the synagogues in Essaouira were rooms in the private houses of families who could spare the space. They are often difficult to spot from the outside. [23] The two synagogues, Slat Ben Sassi and Slat Ben Jabli, are well hidden in the houses- in the building with the little place selling fried fish just past the Porte du Mellah. Many synagogues would change their name after the Rabbi it was named after passed away or possibly due to other circumstances, which is why many places are known by more than one name. [24]  Once you follow Rue Moise around the corner you will notice all the buildings to your right are gone. Among them the two synagogues known as Slat Misi or Slat Shalom Ben Menashe and a bit further down Slat Hahekdesh or Slat Elhkdiss in front of the former Talmud Torah. One synagogue, Slat Lkahal Mogador, was refurbished in 2017. [25] 

It was not only synagogues that lined the busy street, but markets, civic buildings, and even a distillery. The now demolished distillery once produced a traditional Moroccan Jewish liquor known as Mahia (Water of Life). [26] Down the road are carpentry workshops, specializing in techniques for Thurya wood. [27] The carpenters in Essaouira note that the craftsmanship technique comes from the Jewish community, which linked the Berbers and the Middle East before there was an Arabian presence in North Africa. [28] 

Rue Mellah holds a vibrant history along its path. Once a thriving locale in the prominent Essouira, as the city lost its place as a main port city and opportunities dwindled, Essouira’s Jewish community saw a decline in numbers and some landmarks along Rue Mellah began falling into disrepair. [29] The street and the city around it continue to carry the legacy of the Jewish community’s past in Essaouira. 

Essaouira, Morocco

© Mapbox, © OpenStreetMap

Gallery

‹ › ×