Rabat, or Ribat Alfath, is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco that lies along the Atlantic coast and the Bouregreg River. the architecture of its buildings is influenced by its Andalusian, Hebraic and French colonial past. Although Salé, Rabat’s neighboring city, had a bigger and deep-rooted Jewish Moroccan community, Rabat became home to several Jewish families migrating from the four corners of Morocco. In 1807, the Sultan Moulay Slimane consolidated the Jews in a separated district and built the Mellah in the far east of the old city of Rabat. He endowed the district of all modern infrastructures: shops, ovens, Hammam, synagogues and even sewers. The visit of Rabat would not be complete without a tour in the alleys of its Mellah, Slat Rabbi Chalom Zaoui, a jewel located at the entrance of the walled quarter and Talmud Torah, the last functioning synagogue of Rabat and the old cemetery where Eliezer Di’avila, the nephew of Or Chaim Hakadosh, is resting. Rabat now has several art galleries and art spaces supported by private foundations. Art is also available in large format, thanks to graffiti artists, invited each year to express themselves on the walls of the capital, aUNESCO certified World Heritage city which is quickly evolving from its sole image as Morocco’s administrative and political hub to cultural capital.
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Through the bright red courtyard, one enters the synagogue, whose Moorish style is visible via trilbal shapes on the windows, lamps resembling mosque lamps, and ceramic tiles with geometric forms. In earlier times, the synagogue used to house the rabbi. However, during a recent restoration during the last decade, the plan has been transformed to contain a courtyard with an arcade, a small shrine, kitchen and storage space. At the entrance to the synagogue in the courtyard, a bath was installed; at the other end of the courtyard is a large space containing an oven and leading into the women's gallery.
Located at Moulay Ismael street, The Talmud Torah building was constructed to be a religious educational center for rabbinical students coming from different Moroccan cities. During summers, the building morphed into a socio-educational center where Jewish children from Rabat and Salé would spend the day to learn Hebrew, Torah, Jewish prayers and the JewishMoroccan history. Today, the center is home to the last synagogue of Rabat, Slat Eliezer Di’avila. The synagogue’s interior is designed in a Moroccan style. Elaborate designs of floral arabesques, Hebrew calligraphy, and Andalusian geometric patterns grace the holy site’s stucco walls.
