Kosher and Jewish Life in Marrakech

Marrakesh, a former imperial city in western Morocco, is a major economic center and home to mosques, palaces and gardens. The medina is a densely packed, walled medieval city dating to the Berber Empire with mazelike alleys where thriving souks (marketplaces) sell traditional textiles, pottery and jewelry. Food vendors line Djemaa el-Fna, a broad square where storytellers and musicians perform. Like many Moroccan cities, Marrakesh comprises an old fortified city packed with vendors and their stalls (the medina), bordered by modern neighborhoods, the most prominent of which is Gueliz. Today it is one of the busiest cities in Africa and serves as a major economic centre and tourist destination. Tourism is strongly advocated by the reigning Moroccan monarch, Mohammed VI, with the goal of doubling the number of tourists visiting Morocco to 10 million by 2010. Marrakesh has 3 main museums, is full of shops selling crafts and has festivals including the International Film Festival of Marrakech.