The Mellah of Marrakesh: Jewish and Muslim Space in Morocco's Red City

by Emily Benichou Gottreich

Overview

"[The Mellah of Marrakesh] captures the vibrancy of Jewish society
in Marrakesh in the tumultuous last decades prior to colonial rule and in the first
decades of life in the colonial era. Although focused on the Jewish community, it
offers a compelling portrait of the political, social, and economic issues
confronting all of Morocco and sets a new standard for urban social history."
-- Dale F. Eickelman

Weaving together threads from Jewish history
and Islamic urban studies, The Mellah of Marrakesh situates the history of what was
once the largest Jewish quarter in the Arab world in its proper historical and
geographical contexts. Although framed by coverage of both earlier and later
periods, the book focuses on the late 19th century, a time when both the vibrancy of
the mellah and the tenacity of longstanding patterns of inter-communal relations
that took place within its walls were being severely tested. How local Jews and
Muslims, as well as resident Europeans lived the big political, economic, and social
changes of the pre- and early colonial periods is reconstructed in Emily Gottreich's
vivid narrative.

Published with the generous support of the Koret
Foundation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253112170
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	12/07/2006
Series:	Indiana Series in Middle East Studies
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Emily Gottreich is Vice Chair of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies,
University of California at Berkeley.

Table of Contents

Contents
Acknowledgments
Note on Transliteration,
Spelling, and Usage

Introduction: The Jewish Quarter and the
Moroccan Whole
1. Mellahization
2. Counting Jews in
Marrakesh
3. Muslims and Jewish Space
4. Jews and Muslim
Space
5. Hinterlands
Epilogue: Hay
al-Salam

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

"This book situates the history of what was once the largest Jewish quarter in the Arab world in its historical and geographical contexts. Although framed by coverage of both earlier and later periods, the book focuses on the late 19th century, a time when both the vibrancy of the mellah and the patterns of inter-communal relations that took place within its walls were being severely tested. How local Jews and Muslims, as well as resident Europeans, lived through the big political, economic, and social changes of the pre- and early colonial periods is reconstructed in Emily Gottreich's narrative."—Joseph Haberer, Book Review Editor, SHOFAR, Spring 2008 Vol 26, 3

From the Publisher

This book situates the history of what was once the largest Jewish quarter in the Arab world in its historical and geographical contexts. Although framed by coverage of both earlier and later periods, the book focuses on the late 19th century, a time when both the vibrancy of the mellah and the patterns of inter-communal relations that took place within its walls were being severely tested. How local Jews and Muslims, as well as resident Europeans, lived through the big political, economic, and social changes of the pre- and early colonial periods is reconstructed in Emily Gottreich's narrative.

SHOFAR - Joseph Haberer

This book situates the history of what was once the largest Jewish quarter in the Arab world in its historical and geographical contexts. Although framed by coverage of both earlier and later periods, the book focuses on the late 19th century, a time when both the vibrancy of the mellah and the patterns of inter-communal relations that took place within its walls were being severely tested. How local Jews and Muslims, as well as resident Europeans, lived through the big political, economic, and social changes of the pre- and early colonial periods is reconstructed in Emily Gottreich's narrative.

SHOFAR - Joseph Haberer]]>