Fes Jewish Quarter

Just over a hundred years ago, North African Jews were forced to live in slums and were subject to curfews at night. They were not allowed to carry weapons, and had to wear black wool and black slippers. They had to take off their shoes when passing mosques or holy tombs. At that time, Jews in some Moroccan cities lived in the worst and most chaotic conditions in the world. They were constantly extorted by Muslims. As a result, even wealthy Jews were accustomed to dressing in rags. Among those ragged Jews, there might be bags of gold hidden in the walls of their homes. It was once said that children in Moroccan slums grew up drinking date brandy, while their elders dozed off under the comfort of brandy until they died. The Jewish Quarter in Fes is located next to the royal palace and is the first Jewish settlement in Morocco. In 1438, the Jewish community was forcibly relocated here to facilitate the protection of the Jewish population by the royal guards and to monitor their commercial activities more closely. A local young man told us that there are now only two Jewish families in Fes, one guarding the cemetery and the other living in the new city. The main street of the Jewish Quarter is relatively new, and you have to turn into the inconspicuous alleys next to it. As you go deeper, you will see blue walls and houses. Things have changed, and in a trance, you can only see a bright blue streak in the black and white scene! Figure 17: Jewish Cemetery Figures 18-20: Synagogue