(Jewish Group) Morocco opens $1.5 million center dedicated to Jewish culture in city of Essaouira
Morocco’s king has inaugurated a $1.5 million center dedicated to Jewish culture in the city of Essaouira.
Last week, King Mohammed VI attended the inauguration for Bayt Dakira, which means House of Memory in Arabic.
The port city was formerly home to a large population of Jews, who at one point making up 40 percent of the population. Most Jews fled Morocco because of the hostility they felt following the establishment of Israel in 1948 and in decades after.
Today less than a handful of Jews reside in the city.
The center is located in a restored home that houses a small synagogue and includes a museum, research center and space that will host cultural events. The project was created by Andre Azoulay, a France-educated Moroccan Jew who serves as a senior adviser to the king.
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