A museum of Moroccan Jewish heritage opens in the old Jewish quarter of Fez
Its exhibition traces more than 2,500 years of Jewish life in Morocco.
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Fez — A museum dedicated to Moroccan Jewish culture has opened in the old Jewish quarter of Fez, a city that has been a centre of learning since the ninth century.
Political and religious figures attended Monday's inauguration. The permanent exhibition spans two floors. The ground floor traces more than 2,500 years of Jewish presence in Morocco; the upper floor covers synagogues, Hebrew schools and rabbinical courts. Exhibits range from clothing and jewellery to art, musical instruments, archives and manuscripts.
A shared history
Fez was home to the philosopher Ibn Rushd and the physician and scholar Maimonides, and was shaped by Jewish, Arab, Amazigh, Spanish and French cultures. Mehdi Qotbi, president of the National Foundation of Museums, said he hoped the museum would show how those cultures lived together.
"This shows that Jews really existed here in this country and that they had good relationships with their Muslim neighbours," said Rabbi Joseph Israel. "The museum is a lesson for the young people."
About 2,500 Jews live in Morocco today, where they were once 5% of the population. Around 1 million people of Moroccan Jewish heritage live in Israel, with large communities in France, Canada and the United States.
Source: Africanews, November 2026.
