Experience Tangier with the Best Licensed Tours & Guides in 2025
September 3, 2025
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The Jewish community of Tangier has made significant contributions to the cultural, economic, and social development of the city. Established since antiquity, it flourished at various times, playing a key role in the urban life of this crossroads city between Africa and Europe.
The first Jews are believed to have settled in Tangier as early as the Phoenician and Roman periods. However, it was mainly from the 15th century onwards, following the expulsion of Jews from Spain (1492), that the community began to grow. Sephardic families fleeing the Inquisition found refuge in Tangier, bringing with them their artisanal, commercial, and cultural expertise.
Mellah and Jewish Quarters: From the 17th century, a Mellah (Jewish quarter) developed in Tangier, particularly around Synagogue Street and Jew Street.
Synagogues: Tangier was home to several notable synagogues, such as the Nahon Synagogue (now a museum), the Chaar Raphael Synagogue, and the Assayag Synagogue.
Schools and Institutions: From the 19th century, the Alliance Israélite Universelle opened schools to promote modern education for young Jews.
Cemeteries: The Béni Makada Jewish cemetery is one of the oldest in Morocco.
The Jews of Tangier contributed significantly to the city’s commercial development:
They often acted as intermediaries between European and Moroccan merchants.
They played an important role in trade with Gibraltar, Marseille, and London.
Some were artisans, goldsmiths, and tailors, while others held positions as notables or diplomats (e.g., the Benchimol, Toledano, and Nahon families).
15th–16th centuries: Arrival of Sephardic Jews fleeing Spain and Portugal.
19th century: Tangier becomes an international city; Jews actively participate in its cosmopolitan growth.
1940–1944: During World War II, Tangier remains a relative refuge for Jews from Europe.
1950s–1960s: With Morocco’s independence and the creation of Israel, much of the community emigrates to Israel, France, or Canada.
Today, although Tangier’s Jewish community is small in number, its traces remain visible:
Restored synagogues
Maintained cemeteries
Museums and heritage initiatives (e.g., the Museum of Jewish Memory)
The history of the Jews of Tangier is inseparable from the history of the city itself. It reflects the richness of intercultural dialogue and the coexistence of religions and peoples over the centuries.
