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.
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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
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- "Lazama Synagogue | Marrakesh, Morocco Attractions". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
- "Morocco is a trove of Jewish history if you know where to go". AP NEWS. 2019-04-18. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
- Stiefel, Barry L. (2015). Jews and the Renaissance of Synagogue Architecture, 1450–1730. Routledge. p. 54.
- Deverdun, Gaston (1959). Marrakech: Des origines à 1912. Rabat: Éditions Techniques Nord-Africaines.
- Wilbaux, Quentin (2001). La médina de Marrakech: Formation des espaces urbains d'une ancienne capitale du Maroc. Paris: L'Harmattan. ISBN 2747523888.
- The Rough Guide to Morocco (12th ed.). Rough Guides. 2019. p. 318.
- Frank, Michael (2015-05-30). "In Morocco, Exploring Remnants of Jewish History". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
- 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.