Morocco Designates Ancient Synagogue as Official Heritage Site

In a deeply symbolic gesture of cultural preservation, Morocco has officially declared the 200-year-old Kahal Synagogue in Asilah a state heritage site, breathing new life into one of the country's historic Jewish landmarks.

Originally built in 1824, the synagogue had long stood neglected in the scenic coastal town, its walls weathered by time and its sanctity fading from memory. But thanks to a remarkable restoration effort led by members of the local Jewish community and supported by Moroccan officials, Kahal Synagogue has been restored to its former grandeur down to the last pew.

Aaron Abikzer, vice-president of the Tangier Jewish Community, spearheaded the project. Collaborating with residents who still remembered the synagogue’s original layout, Abikzer meticulously recreated its design, even replicating the smallest architectural details etched into the walls.

“We asked for these places to become state monuments, and after two years, we received news that the Minister of Culture has registered these three sites as state heritage,” Abikzer shared. “I’m very happy.”

Assisting him in this labor of love was Sonia Cohen Toledano, head of cultural preservation for the Tangier Jewish Community. She sourced and installed original religious artifacts, furniture, and family heirlooms to authentically furnish the space.

“For years I kept religious objects from various synagogues that had been closed. With that, I was able to fill the synagogue,” she explained. “Even the carpets are all old carpets that belonged to families and that we reused.”

The restoration did more than reclaim a building it honored centuries of Moroccan Jewish history. On display are photographs, marriage certificates, and ritual items that offer a window into Jewish life in Asilah. Visitors can marvel at the synagogue’s mikvah, with its original furnace and two ritual baths still intact, as well as traditional steam rooms featuring arched ceilings and intricately carved wooden doors hallmarks of Moroccan-Jewish craftsmanship.

In the 1950s, Morocco’s Jewish community numbered around 300,000. Today, that figure stands at roughly 5,000. Yet, through efforts like this, the story of Moroccan Jewry remains alive etched into stone, preserved in memory, and now enshrined as part of the nation’s heritage.

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