Photo by: Ron Rosenstock
Location: Morocco
3 SPOTS LEFT
PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR
Morocco and The Jewish Spirit
Tour Designed for Worcester JCC Members
- Unique visits encompassing the Jewish history and culture of Morocco with your expert Moroccan guide and Ron Rosenstock
- Visit Beth-El Synagogue in Casablanca, as well as the Jewish Museum
- Meet the local Jewish Communities in each amazing city as you visit the Jewish Mellah or neighborhoods
- Historic sites in Fes, Meknes, Marrakech and Essaouira
- Jemaa el Fna Square and the ancient city and souk of Marrakech
- The heart of Morocco, medina of Fes el-Bali
- Old historic medina of Meknes known as the Versailles of Morocco
- Minimum 10 participants, Maximum of 20
Region
Africa
Destination
Morocco
Dates
February 18-26, 2023
Duration
8 days
$2995
per person, double occupancy*
*U.S. dollars based upon minimum of 10 participants. There is a small group surcharge of $ if participants. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested (subject to availability), or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, there is a single room surcharge of $345.
Tour Overview
If you wish to discover the rich Jewish culture and take a sneak peek back into time, then this is the Moroccan tour for you and your fellow members. Explore Moroccan Jewish culture and learn more about their rich traditions and heritage. This adventurous journey also introduces you to Arab culture in Morocco and the influences of the Berber, Spanish, Roman, and others who inhabited the region.
In a short visit to Morocco, the importance that Jews once played in the country is not readily...
If you wish to discover the rich Jewish culture and take a sneak peek back into time, then this is the Moroccan tour for you and your fellow members. Explore Moroccan Jewish culture and learn more about their rich traditions and heritage. This adventurous journey also introduces you to Arab culture in Morocco and the influences of the Berber, Spanish, Roman, and others who inhabited the region.
In a short visit to Morocco, the importance that Jews once played in the country is not readily apparent. Much of Jewish Morocco is hidden from view, but with the right guide, a tourist can gain both a rich understanding of the role Jews play in Moroccan society, and also of the fascinating role of Moroccan Jews in the Jewish world. Jews and Arabs lived a symbiotic existence until the middle of the twentieth century. Moroccan kings protected the Jews from harm and helped some of them develop the wealth that sustained the monarchy for many years. Today, no more than 5,000 Jews remain in Morocco, compared to 300,000 in 1950.
They have preserved their ancient traditions and customs. As of 2004, Marrakech had an aging population of about 260 Jews, most over the age of 60, while Casablanca has between 3,000 to 4,000. The younger generation prefers to continue its higher education abroad and does not return ; thus, the community is in process of aging.
Meanwhile the State of Israel is home to nearly 1,000,000 Jews of Moroccan descent, around 15% of the nation’s total population. Before his death in 1999, King Hassantried to protect the Jewish population, and, at present, Morocco has one of the most tolerant environments for Jews in the Arab world. Moroccan Jewish emigrants, even those with Israeli citizenship, freely visit friends and relatives in Morocco. Moroccan Jews have held leading positions in the business community and government. The major Jewish organization representing the community is the Conseil des Communautes Israelites in Casablanca. Its functions include external relations, general communal affairs, communal heritage, finance, maintenance of holy places, youth activities, and cultural and religious life. Jewish schools and syangogues receive government subsidies.
We invite you, the inquisitive traveller, to join tour leader and photographer Ron Rosenstock on this unforgettable journey of Morocco. Fall under Morocco’s spell as you stroll through the bazaars, Berber villages, cobblestone streets of ancient medinas, all while exploring its Jewish heritage.
Ron started leading tours in 1967. In those years he has led over 200 tours to many international destinations and led tours to Morocco for the past 20 years. Ron retired from Clark University after teaching photography there for thirty years. His published books include his exquisite black and white photographs: The Light of Ireland, Chiostro (Cloister), and Hymn to the Earth. Ron’s work has been featured in over one hundred exhibitions, both in the U.S. and abroad, and his photographs are to be found in the permanent collections of the Peabody Essex Art Museum in Salem, Mass., Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, Mass., The Polaroid Collection in Cambridge, Mass., and the International Center of Photography in New York City. Ron’s striking one-of-a-kind photographs can be seen at www.ronrosenstock.com.