The new Museum of Moroccan Jewish Culture opened its doors in the city of Fez on Monday, marking the first time in history that an Arab Muslim country has allocated public funds to establish a museum entirely dedicated to Jewish culture.
The 1,700 sq.m. space invites visitors to journey to the heart of Moroccan Jewish life and Judaism, according to Morocco’s National Foundation of Museums (FNM).
The museum offers a rich and diverse collection of ritual and everyday objects; archaeological, ethnographic, and artistic artefacts; archives and rare manuscripts; crafts; along with traditions, practices, and testimonies handed down through the 2,500 years of Jewish history in the country.
Exhibition galleries display Jewish religious artifacts from Arab World
Local media reported that the exhibition galleries explore communal institutions, including synagogues, Hebrew schools, and rabbinical courts, as well as traditions associated with birth, bar mitzvahs, weddings, funerals, and religious holidays. Objects on display include Torah scrolls, prayer shawls, marriage contracts, circumcision chairs, bridal costumes, and jewellery.
Traditional crafts also feature prominently, including a reconstructed jeweler’s workshop, tools, silver ornaments, textiles, regional clothing, and musical instruments. Audiovisual and digital installations complement the collections, while dedicated spaces will host educational activities for children and school groups.
The front of the building features a brass inscription in four languages: Arabic, Amazigh, Hebrew, and French.
The museum was designed with the involvement of the Moroccan Jewish community, represented in particular by Serge Berdugo, founding president of the Foundation for Moroccan Jewish Cultural Heritage.
King Mohammed VI initiated construction of the museum during his visit to Fez in April 2019, as part of a program to rehabilitate and showcase the old medina (old city) where the Mellah, or ancient Jewish quarter, is located.
The FNM noted that the museum “forms part of King Mohammed VI’s vision,” which places “great importance on preserving and promoting all components of Moroccan identity in their diversity and complementarity.”
Work on the museum, completed in March 2023, was carried out by ADER-Fez in consultation with the FNM.
The opening of the Museum of Moroccan Jewish Culture on Monday was attended by Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq; Wali (regional governor) of the Fez-Meknes region and governor of Fez Prefecture Khalid Aït Taleb; Founding President of the Foundation for Moroccan Jewish Cultural Heritage Serge Berdugo; President of the FNM Mehdi Qotbi; and several other prominent figures, among them ambassadors and university presidents.