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33°59′N 3°03′W / 33.983°N 3.050°W / 33.983; -3.050

Debdou دبدو
Debdou view from Kasbah
DebdouLocation in MoroccoShow map of MoroccoDebdouDebdou (Africa)Show map of Africa
Coordinates: 33°59′N 3°3′W / 33.983°N 3.050°W / 33.983; -3.050
Country	Morocco
Region	Oriental
Population
• Total	4,596
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (WEST)

Debdou (Arabic: دبدو) is a town in Morocco. It is known for its multi-ethnic population, including Berbers and Moroccan Jews.

The Ait Urtajjen, a Berber family related to the Moroccan dynasty of the Wattasids, had their own semi-independent state here from 1430 until 1563.

Jewish centre

Debdou was a major Jewish centre in Morocco. The town was settled by many Sephardic Jews from Seville, fleeing the wave of anti-Jewish riots in Spain in 1391. The earliest to settle were the clan of Cohen-Scali-Benzhor who reached Debdou in the 11th century, fleeing Sicily, a family of Jewish priests said to trace their lineage to Zadok, the High Priest.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century the town was briefly renowned as a centre of Jewish learning, exporting rabbis to many cities in Morocco.

At the end of the 19th century the town's population was estimated at 2000 inhabitants, most of them Jews.

At the beginning of the 20th century the number of Jews was estimated at 1600, who formed roughly a third of the population.

Following the establishment of the French protectorate, with the concomitant rise in security, the majority of the Jewish population gradually emigrated to nearby towns in the plains.

Gallery

• Former Marinid cemetery.
• The door of the typical Jewish house.
• Former Marinid kasbah.
• Typical street in Debdou.

References

1. Shlomo bar Yosef ha-Cohen Atzvan, Ma'alot le'Shlomo, Jerusalem 1985, p. 56 in PDF (Hebrew)

External links

• (in French) C. El Briga, « Debdou », Encyclopédie berbère, vol.15, Edisud 1995, p. 2254-2255

v t e Taourirt Province
Capital: Taourirt
Municipalities	Debdou El Aioun Sidi Mellouk Taourirt
Rural communes	Ahl Oued Za Ain Lehjer El Atef Gteter Mechraa Hammadi Melg El Ouidane Mestegmer Oulad M'Hammed Sidi Ali Belkassem Sidi Lahsen Tancherfi

v t e Oriental, Morocco
Capital: Oujda
Provinces	Berkane Province Driouch Province Figuig Province Guercif Province Jerada Province Nador Province Oujda-Angad Prefecture Taourirt Province
Cities	Ahfir Ain Bni Mathar Ain Erreggada Aklim El Arwi Ben Taieb Berkane Beni Ansar Bni Chiker Bni Drar Bni Tadjite Bouanane Bouarfa Bouhdila Ihddaden Dar El Kebdani Debdou Driouch El Aioun Sidi Mellouk Farkhana Figuig Guercif Jaadar Jerada Kassita Kerouna Madagh Midar Nador Oujda Ras Kebdana Saïdia Segangan Selouane Sidi Boubker Sidi Slimane Echcharraa Tafersit Talsint Taourirt Tendrara Tiztoutine Touissit Zaio

• v
• t
• e

• Populated places in Taourirt Province
• Municipalities of Morocco
• Historic Jewish communities
• Jews and Judaism in Morocco
• Oriental (Morocco) geography stubs