Al Bawaba
via SyndiGate.info
The historic Jewish quarter in Marrakech (Flickr)
A historically Jewish neighborhood of Marrakech will have its original names restored under the instructions of Moroccan King Mohammed VI.
The Interior Ministry announced that, following the King’s recent visit to what is currently known as the Essalam district, it will be rechristened as El Mellah, according to Maghreb Arabe Press.
The authentic names of the area’s streets and squares will also be returned.
According to the Ministry’s statement, the “royal instructions emanate from the concern of the Sovereign […] to safeguard the civilizational heritage of the Kingdom as well as the cultural heritage of all the components of Moroccan society.”
The royal intervention was made at the request of the president of the city’s Jewish community, which is thought to number no more than a few hundred.
“Mellah” means salt in both Arabic and Hebrew, and was used to refer to the Jewish neighborhoods kept separate from their Muslim neighbors by high surrounding walls.
While the majority of the district’s residents are now Muslim, the Huffington Post reported in its Arabic edition that the majority were pleased with the decision, which they said would reawaken the history of their quarter.
Abdel Aziz Saylan, the president of a local association, said that the move was “very, very important, because it will refocus concern on the neighborhood and its residents”. He also highlighted its potential advantages for drawing tourism.
Many have also responded positively on social media, with one user writing “Mashallah…formidable (terrific)…brilliant news!” and another commenting “Good for you, Morocco.”
This is not the first time the Moroccan Kinghas shown support for the country’s Jewish minority. In 2013, he funded the refurbishment of Slat Alfassiyine, a 17th century synagogue in Fez.
Judaism has a long history in Morocco, with Jews thought to have settled there as early as 70 CE. Many Spanish Jews fled their native land to Morocco during the Inquisition. Before the foundation of modern Israel, there were around 350,000 Moroccan Jews, however the country’s historic Jewish presence has hugely declined following years of emigration to Israel.
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