Bayt Dakira

Last updated
Bayt Dakira
Bayt Dakira, Simon Attias synagogue, Essaouira.jpg
Interior of the museum in 2019
Bayt Dakira
Established2020 [1]
Location Essaouira, Morocco
Coordinates 31°30′48″N9°46′16″W / 31.5134°N 9.7711°W / 31.5134; -9.7711
Type Jewish museum

Bayt Dakira or the House of Memory is a Jewish museum located in the Jewish quarter "Mellah" of Essaouira's old medina in Morocco.

The museum aims to be a spiritual space dedicated to the Jewish community of the city. [2] It plays an important role in the preservation and valorisation of the Moroccan Jewish memory. [3]

Through its exhibition of rare objects, texts and photographs, the museum seeks also to show the coexistence between Muslims and Jews in the city. [2] Visitors are greeted by the expression "Shalom Aleykoum, Salam Lekoulam" which is a mix of Arabic and Hebrew to illustrate the friendship between Jews and Muslims. [4] [5]

A Torah and a Quran side by side Bayt Dakira Essaouira 11.jpg
A Torah and a Quran side by side

The museum includes the Simon Attias Synagogue and the Haim and Célia Zafrani Research Center on the History of Relations between Judaism and Islam. [2]

See also

References

  1. Irina Tsukerman (30 January 2020). "Inauguration of Beit Dakira marks renaissance of Jewish life in Morocco". jpost.com.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bayt Dakira or the happy diversity". telquel.ma (in French). 24 January 2020.
  3. Mohamed Amine (16 January 2020). "Bayt Dakira : the sovereign immortalises the judeo-moroccan memory". challenge.ma (in French).
  4. Amine Boushaba (7 November 2019). "Bayt Dakira, the jewish memory of Essaouira". leconomiste.com (in French).
  5. "Bayt Dakira a jewish museum in Essaouria and a coexstance model between the muslims and the jews". euronews.com (in Arabic). 21 January 2020.