Lazama Synagogue

The mellah of Marrakech was established in 1557 and was for centuries one of the largest Jewish quarters in Morocco. Lazama, also called Slat al-Azama, is the synagogue that remains in regular use. It is built in the ordinary domestic Moroccan form - rooms round a central courtyard, here painted a strong blue with white trim and hung with plants - with the prayer hall on one side, benches round the walls, an ark, and hanging lamps. Upstairs rooms hold photographs and documents of the community's history. It is a working place of worship, not a museum: services are held, a caretaker shows visitors round, and the appropriate behaviour is that of a guest. The Miaara cemetery is a short walk away.

History

The synagogue is associated with the Sephardic Jews who came from Spain in 1492, the Megorashim, and tradition gives that year for its founding, though one scholar notes the date is unverified; the mellah around it was created only in 1557, and the building's present form comes from a more recent restoration. It is still a working synagogue, and it was damaged, without casualties, in the earthquake of 8 September 2023 (Wikipedia, Slat al-Azama Synagogue).

What you'll find

• A blue courtyard - the ordinary Moroccan house form, painted and planted.
• A working prayer hall - benches, ark and hanging lamps, still in use.
• Community photographs - documents and images upstairs of the mellah's history.
• The mellah of 1557 - the old Jewish quarter around the synagogue.

When to go

October to April; not on Shabbat or festivals unless invited. Half an hour.

Before you go

It is a working synagogue, not a museum - dress and behave accordingly, and it may be closed for services. A donation is expected. The mellah lanes around it are busy and easy to get lost in. Photography inside should be asked about first.

Nearby

The Miaara cemetery is a short walk; the Bahia palace is north.

Key facts