Morocco’s Proud Jewish Cultural Heritage – 10 Days

  • 10 days
  • From - Casablanca
  • To - Marrakech
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PRICE EXCLUDES

Immerse yourself in the Jewish cultural heritage and enjoy 10 memorable days in Casablanca.

Visit the Jewish cemetery and the ancient museum that still reflects the glory of Jewish Supremacy during day 2. Touch the glory of Muslim reign in the city of Fes, our day 3 expedition. Experience the encompassing adventure of exploring the splendid Erfoud city. DAY 4 will make you love the sweet fragrance of morning glory and cedar while driving to Bhalil early in the morning. Enjoy the rough drive of 4 wheeler from dawn to dusk in the enchanting Sahara Desert.

A travel from Ouarzazate to Marrakech will be more of a lifetime memory for those who love to invade history. Experience the simplicity of countryside life in the last two days of journey from Marrakech to Ourika Valley. Tenth day will be the departure time with a heart full of marvelous memories and lifetime traces of these imperials cities in your mind.

Arrival in Casablanca where you meet your expert guide and driven to the center of Casablanca for check-in at your hotel. If time permitting, an Orientation visit of Casablanca will on plan this afternoon. This evening, Kosher dinner at Circle D’Alliance of Casablanca.

Your guided sightseeing tour of Casablanca includes a visit to the Place Mohamed V, a busy shopping street lined by residential blocks dating from the 1930s, a visit to the Beth El Synagogue, old people’s home, Neve Shalom. If available, a Jewish notable will say a few words. visit the sanctuary of Rabbi Eliahou, visit the Jewish Mellah and Jewish cemetery. United Nations Square, designed by French architect Joseph Marrast, the League of Arab States Park, which was built in 1925 and offers a large area of greenery with palm trees, arcades, pergolas and cafés with shady terraces. A view of the impressive and newly built Hassan II Mosque, the second largest mosque in the world. We continue with a visit to the Jewish and Judiasm Art Museum in Casablanca. Although its collection is still quite formative, this is the first Jewish Museum in a Muslim country and is a good introduction to the fascinating history of this community. Drive via High way to Fes. Overnight at the hotel in Fes. Kosher dinner at the house of Mme Ohayon in Fes this evening.

Included breakfast at the hotel. Full day city tour of Fes, the oldest of the four Imperial Cities, founded approx. 809 A.D. spiritual and intellectual capital of Islam in the west, it harbored the most celebrated of Jewish communities and scholars. Your visit will include: the Jewish cemetery with all the saints tombs that contains more than any Jewish cemetery in Morocco including the tomb of Lalla Solica, Ibn Danan synagogue, the Mellah, Explor the exterior of Maimonides home and Maimonides clock, the 15th century Borj Nord (north forth) arm museum, the great gateway of the Royal Palace, the imposing fortifications of the 17th century Kasbah des Chrardas, the 9th century Karaouyine Mosque and University (the second most important Islamic University in the world after El Azhar in Cairo) with its Medersas (colleges) of Bou Inaninia and Attarine dating from the 14th century, the shrine of Moulay Idriss II, founder of Fes, the 19th century Makina-armament factory where carpets are made nowadays, the Nejarine fountain and Meusum, the Bab Boujloud gateway (the Tanneries), weavers cooperatives, the spice market, the guilds and souks of the Medina. Kosher dinner made by Mme Ohayon in Fes this evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel. Morning drive to Bhalil which was reputedly built by Irish captives of Moulay Ismael over 300 years ago. Morocco’s cherry capital, is one of the oldest Berber villages in the area. Beautiful drive into the hills. In other hand, Safrou is an interesting town, with an ancient, well-stocked medina and ochre walls dating from Moulay Ismaïl’s day. Its Mellah is extensive, although most Jews left in 1967. The town is famous for its cherry festival in June. Climb the cedar covered slopes of the Middle Atlas Mountains to Imouzzer, dominating the plain of the river Sebou, through the hill station of Ifrane, in the lake district, the town of Azrou with its old Kasbah and handicraft center, over the pass of Zad (2178 meters), descending to Midelt, center of the lead mining center, over Tizi N’Talghemt (1907 meters) trough the gorges of Ziz river to Errachidia. Continue on to arrive at the picturesque oasis of Erfoud situated amongst the impressive sand dunes of the sahara desert where you check-in for kosher dinner & overnight at your hotel or private camp under nomadic tents in Merzouga dunes.

Included drive by Land-Cruiser, a very early pre-dawn start toward the Sahara Desert, to reach the last outpost of Merzouga before the sand dunes take over completely, wonderful experience of seeing dawn rise over the seas of sands. Back to Erfoud for breakfast at your hotel. Orientation visit of Erfoud. Leave Erfoud via Tinejdad, Tinerhir, with its huge Kasbah belonging to the ex-Glaoui, former Pasha of Marrakech, side excursion to the imposing Todra Gorges, along the famous “Route of 1000 Kasbah” to Boumalne, the center of the scent industry at El Kelaa des M’gouna, and along the valley of the river Dades with its many decorated Kasbah to arrive Ouarzazate, the administrative center of the pre-Saharan region. Kosher dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. A late morning visit of the town of Ouarzazate includes the 17th century Kasbah Taourirt, which served as the home of the Pacha Glaoui. Take an afternoon drive to see the ancient Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, an impressive 11th century structure, which has been declared by UNESCO to be an historical treasure. A photographer’s wonderland, Ait Ben Haddou still remains home to five families. Continue driving past scenic views of mountains and semi-desert terrain topped by kasbahs and adobe homes. Continuing up and over the high Atlas Mountains at Tizi N’Tichka pass (6666 feet), striking contrast of red clay villages and greenery leads us across the fertile countryside of the haouz Plain to the ocre city of Marrakech. (The pass of Ouarzazate<br>Marrakech considered as one of the most beautiful sites in North Africa). Check in for the overnight at your hotel. Visit the Sanctuary of Rabbi David Lachkar Moulay Ighi <br> Zarkten, Route D’Ouarzazate

Breakfast at the hotel. Marrakech, second of the four Imperial cities, rose-red-oasis at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains, founded in 1062. Your morning historical visit will include: the ramparts, the stately 12th century Koutoubia minaret, by same architect as the Giralda in Seville and Tour Hassan in Rabat, Afterward a visit to the aristocratic Bahia Palace (former home of a 19th century grand Vizir), shows us a lush Moorish-style gardening the courtyard of a large palace with beautifully painted residential rooms. The Mellah & Lasama synagogue, Visit the Sanctuary of Rabbi Hanania Hacohen, Mordehai Benattar & Habib Mizrahi. the 14th century Medersa Ben Youssef and finally, a stroll through the souks of the Medina and the famous Djamaa El F’na Square the ancient meeting point of the tradesmen in Northwest Africa, with its entertainers, dancers, acrobats, jugglers, story-tellers, public-scribes, soothsayers, medicine-men, snake-charmers. Back to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure or explore the old medina of Marrakech with its souks and especially the Jamaa El F’na square where the entertainment begins late in the afternoon. Kosher dinner at the house of Jewish family in Marrakech. Overnight at your hotel

A leisurely breakfast at the hotel. The road runs for about 19 miles across the Haouz Plain and then turns off toward the site of ancient Aghmat, an abandoned village founded by the Haoura Berbers before the arrival of Islam. By the late 10th century it was a rich regional capital but the town was subsequently captured by the Almoravids and gradually declined in importance, as Marrakech grew. Al that remains of the original buildings is the mausoleum of Moatamid Ben Abbad, an Andalousian poet-prince who was taken prisoner during the conquest of Seville in 1091. The tiny hamlet of Setti Fatma is 22km where the road forks to Oukaimden.. A greatly venerated female marabout commemorated in a huge four day moussem in August. It is a pleasant spot for a picnic. Don’t miss up the sanctuary of Rabbi Salomon Bel Hens. Remainder of the day at leisure. Dinner and Overnight at your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. After the Carthaginians, the Roman King Juba II has took an interest in Essaouira for sound business reasons. The Portuguese when their turn came, also fortified this city which they called Mogador (probably derived from the Berber word amogdul, meaning safe anchorage, but Essaouira’s really prosperous era began with the 18th century. A Moroccan Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah constructed a port plus the fortifications to protect it. A cool breeze, sometimes becoming a really strong wind, usually sweeps across the attractive beach. Behind it looking the like a Mediterranean village, is the white town accented by deep blue shutters and doors in the Portuguese style. Once inside the town walls, you will discover a charming provincial atmosphere and see the inlayers hard at work on their small furniture pieces which they encrust with wood and mother of pearl. You will notice many of Essaouira’s houses are painted in Blue and still have the Star of David on the doorways of Jewish homes. The Jews religious community from all over the world comes to Essaouira for pilgrimage to visit the saints Rabbi Haim Pinto, passed in 1845 every September, each year for The Hiloula celebration. Today Rabbi Haim’s Pinto home and the synagogue have been preserved as a historic and religious monument which still an active synagogue used when pilgrims or Jewish tour groups visits Essaouira. Dinner & overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast and check-out, you will meet your driver for your transfer to Casablanca’s airport for your flight.

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