Mellah
As in other Moroccan cities, the Mellah is the old Jewish quarter, once a small city within the city. Although it used to be home to a thriving community, along with rabbinical schools and scholars, today there are only a few Jewish inhabitants. You can visit the remains of a couple of synagogues with the help of an official guide, or local kids will be happy to point the way in return for a few dirhams. The Lazama Synagogue is open daily and is still used for weddings and bar mitzvahs. It has a pretty, blue-tiled inner courtyard. The Mellah gets its name from the Arabic word for salt, and some say that the Jewish residents who lived here acquired their wealth through the salt trade.
The Mellah district has undergone many renovations in recent years, but visitors might want to avoid walking alone in the more residential areas, past the Lazama Synagogue.
