Marrakech – Stepping through the fortified gates of Morocco’s historic “Mellahs” is like entering a world frozen in time. These historic Jewish quarters, once bustling with life and culture, today lie largely silent and empty, overgrown with vines and exposed to the elements. Only in the 18th century did the communities begin to blend together into a more unified Moroccan Jewish identity. Once filled with crowded market streets, many of these historic Jewish quarters today are hauntingly empty. More than merely Jewish quarters, the Mellahs in many ways represent Morocco’s own lost diversity and heritage.