Slat al-Azama Synagogue

The Slat al-Azama Synagogue or Lazama Synagogue (Arabic: كنيس صلاة العزامة‎, Hebrew: בית הכנסת צלאת אל עזמה‎) is one of the best-known synagogues in Marrakesh, Morocco. It is located in the historic Mellah (Jewish quarter) of the old city.

Interior of the synagogue

The synagogue was associated with Sephardic Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492. The synagogue's foundation is likewise traditionally attributed to 1492,[1][2] though one scholar has indicated that the exact year of establishment has not been verified.[3] The Mellah district in which the synagogue is located was not created until 1557.[4]:363–364[5]:258 In any case, the synagogue's current form dates from a more modern restoration.[1][2][6] The building is still functioning as a synagogue today.[7][1]

The synagogue is integrated into a larger building which consisted of a private house with a central courtyard (popularly referred to as a riad).[1][2][7] This integration of a synagogue into a private home was typical of most synagogues in the Mellah of Marrakesh[6] as well as in the Mellah of Fez.[8] The synagogue itself has traditional Moroccan decoration such as zellij (mosaic tilework).[1]

References
  1. "Lazama Synagogue | Marrakesh, Morocco Attractions". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  2. "Morocco is a trove of Jewish history if you know where to go". AP NEWS. 2019-04-18. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  3. Stiefel, Barry L. (2015). Jews and the Renaissance of Synagogue Architecture, 1450–1730. Routledge. p. 54.
  4. Deverdun, Gaston (1959). Marrakech: Des origines à 1912. Rabat: Éditions Techniques Nord-Africaines.
  5. Wilbaux, Quentin (2001). La médina de Marrakech: Formation des espaces urbains d'une ancienne capitale du Maroc. Paris: L'Harmattan. ISBN 2747523888.
  6. The Rough Guide to Morocco (12th ed.). Rough Guides. 2019. p. 318.
  7. Frank, Michael (2015-05-30). "In Morocco, Exploring Remnants of Jewish History". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  8. Gilson Miller, Susan; Petruccioli, Attilio; Bertagnin, Mauro (2001). "Inscribing Minority Space in the Islamic City: The Jewish Quarter of Fez (1438-1912)". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 60 (3): 310–327. doi:10.2307/991758. JSTOR 991758.

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