Moroccan king hosts dinner to mark dedication of Essaouira heritage centre

A synagogue has been dedicated as a Jewish Heritage Centre in Essaouira in Morocco (formerly Mogador) . 

Here is a video clip 


The dedication ceremony of the Beit Dakira (House of Remembrance), a former synagogue,   took place in the presence of the King of Morocco, Mohamed VI. The King threw a banquet in honour of the representatives of the Jewish community attended by his royal advisers, Fouad Ali El Himma, Andre Azoulay and Yassir Zenaqui.

The President of the State of Israel, Rubi Rivlin, tweeted his thanks to the King of Morocco and said he was very moved by the occasion.

Prominent guests included Audrey Azoulay, director of UNESCO, Goz Schmidt Bermme, the German ambassador, Serge Berdugo, secretary general of the Moroccan Jewish community, Rabbis David Pinto and Joseph Israel, the chief rabbis of Morocco and Casablanca; Yitzhak Dayan, the chief Rabbi of Geneva, Jason Guberman, executive director of the American Sephardi Federation and actor and comedian Gad Elmaleh.

The city, once 40 percent Jewish, today has a handful of Jews.


Read article in full (French)

Article on Bayt Dakira (Times of Israel - with thanks Imre)