A secret Jewish community in Africa.

Morning. [music] Good morning from Morocco. Okay, we have to wake up early. 5:00 in the morning. We're heading out for the next leg in the journey. First stop is Casablanca. Long drive, almost 3 hours. All righty, >> Sablanca. Okay, so we made the stop on the way to FZ for Shaharis Shalom. [music] Let's have a look. >> This is um Eric. He's from Montreal. Look. >> Yeah, my parents. So yeah, his parents still live in concert. Look, Eric Bal, what's it called? Balul and he likes Montreal kosher. >> Yes, >> did he like >> When is the last time you've been to Montreal? >> Last time to visit about a year ago. >> Okay. Moved now. Bigger place. Moroccan beach. >> Moroccan beach. Jame >> overnight stop in Fez. Took a new flat in a development. Half of the is still yet unbuilt. Look. Anyway, so >> Fez. [music] Look at this. The king's palace. [music] >> The Jewish neighborhood in Fez. This is the Ban. All the entries. Look. Look how empty today. That's it. Nobody came today. Look at this direction. Look how massive. No. Interesting story here. This is the famous Ky of Sulika. The girl that was executed a kid Shashem beheaded. That's the story of Sula in French. She was executed. She was born in 1817 Tangers Tangier. She was assassinated in F. She was transported [music] to Fz father had to pay the costs of transporting her here in 1834. Somebody decided it's uh few different versions that she converted to Islam and she obviously rejected that claim and she refused [music] to to renounce her faith. Yiddish and she was executed was 17 years old. She was beheaded. Terrible story. This is the Hello. How are you? >> Look at this. Let's see if it's open. Look at this street in the mela. Look. Omar >> he was >> Omar his was here he's like sham he take care of >> even when the Jews were here >> yes >> okay when was the last time you had praying here >> same now that's uses for special [music] occasions some holidays but not every day >> but the other one they use more the >> yes >> what's the other one called >> that's they use for special occasions for you holidays >> holidays he's in the same >> is the name after him >> ah has been restored. Look at [music] >> women. >> The women on top. Wow. Very high. >> And that's the to >> Oh, wow. How do you get to the mikvah? >> Come there if you want. >> Can I go down? Yes. >> If somebody's lazy, maybe somebody lazy is coming late to Davening, you can go jump straight in and roll around in the mikvah. >> The mikvah. You want a to smell? Look at this. Make sure. Oh, no stairs. Jump in. And this is the hole from the shield. You want to jump in straight from the shield. >> They built extension. This is the double loft that they used to do. The security here hidden uh secret police. The police asked us to go away. The regular police, the uniformed police, and he came and told them, "No, no, let them stay. Park here. It's not It's illegal to park here." And he's going to walk with us to make sure we're safe. Plaza Sepharin where they do silver. Let's have a look. Hanging to make it hot. >> What is he doing? Silver plating it. I think he's silver plating it. Now he's spreading it out. It's melted. This is silver. >> Yeah. >> Copper tin tin. >> Look how he's putting every piece of silver. So everything everything handmade. >> Wow. See, he does the the nails for the handles. Afterwards, this becomes like the nails. Up to the famous tanneries here. Let's go. This tanner is more than 900 years old. Let's check it out. First >> Thank you. First, he gives you >> mint. The mint inside. >> Shouldn't smell the >> z. Yeah, you shouldn't smell the tannery because it smells awful. >> One is >> obviously they sell all these leather goods. That's why they offer free entry. That's the main purpose. >> He's polishing the leather. >> Nice. >> Look at the hides here. >> Those really smell terrible. Oh, >> can I give you some brief idea about the process? >> Yes. How does it work? >> Process work. We put the skins in the white vats. They stays there one week. What's in the vet >> in there? Water, limestone, and the pigeon dropping. All are by experience centuries ago. Even the cars. >> Oh, somebody's working there. Look, >> we do sheep, we do goats, we do lamb and cows. >> Oh, wow. He's collecting that heights. Look at that boy. >> Question. It doesn't let me Google who created this tenery. 15th century there was much much less >> uh bber here in >> in F >> in Medina it has only one door >> very big door ceramic of 13th century maybe more >> with the old so you think that Jews create that's why they said Jews created this >> I I think because there was only Jews living in this area >> what's the name of the town the full name shara shara >> beautiful blue gauge Look at this guy. Bing gun. Visit the Rambam's house. So the Rambam lived here for about 5 years. 1159 to uh early 1165. So they escaped from Coridova because the Almo took over southern Spain. >> You bought the Rambam restaurant in May. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Here. Okay. You can see. Please come. >> And now please just to let the other the other Jewish to know now it's called. Okay. Come on. >> This is where you wrote the game. >> Yeah. >> The Jewish philosopher. Please come on. Come on. Come. Please ma'am. Come >> picture. And he was living in this house. >> You made this restaurant or you bought it? Yeah, it's mine. >> Mushi bin may. >> Yeah. >> Couscous hexi from the raam. >> We have we have we have also like camel burger and everything. We just changed the name. It's called now sutva. But this is the house of Musa May. It is 12 windows means 12 hours. Okay. A 60 wood means 60 minutes. Some of them it's almost disappear because of the time because it is the oldest water clock in all over the world. It contained 14th century. It is the first first water clock in the world and the second one in Cordoba in Spain. Okay. It's work by mechanism and only the technique of mosa. Okay. And there's another tube and there's a bow. So if 60 seconds there's a drop of water. The W getting full it give to the other windows there. Other windows it's imagine that the the bowl number four is getting full. >> Yeah. >> So the ball getting down >> moves down >> to the bowl and it's like a town of 10 hits. >> Yeah. And this is how they was measuring the time and day duty in the P. >> March 1956 Morocco finally gained independence from France. This was followed a couple of months later by Spain who controlled part of the coastal areas. But Spain did not give over all its territories, kept some to itself, claiming that it's been founded by Spain way before Morocco ever existed. Let's explore one of these territories today [music] called Malia. We're heading to Spain on the African continent. We're crossing the border on the African continent to Europe essentially, which is weird. and we're going to visit a very interesting community. Welcome to the border with Europe. Spain has passed the Moroccan border exiting Morocco. Now we're going to Malia, Spain. Hello, Rhuda is here in the house. Hello. Wow. >> Finally. Finally. >> Welcome to Malia. >> Welcome to Malia. Ah, is remarkable and very interesting. You cross into the European Union on African soil. The time zone changes, the currency, the language, and the culture changes just within stepping through a border along the African territory. A Jewish community that's over 660 years old. Let's explore this vibrant community and find out more about them. >> Rough statement sent me. >> Oh, wow. How long ago? He sent you here to be Kiru. >> Yeah. To Kiru. I make Ku here. I I'm the M and the school. >> Okay. >> The school of Malia. It's the all the the the the only school not karish in Europe that it's separate and and kids and and babies and and girls >> you know >> and I I I make another road because I want to show you the the the the building of the area there's a separate government for >> Yeah. This is the Plaza Espña. This is the the big >> Oh, Malia. >> This is the building of the Malia. >> I show you. I show you. >> You see the the Mind? >> Yeah. >> This is the building of Jewish people. >> Up up. You see the the the the met? >> Yes. The >> name is Oza. It's the big synagogue. Yeah. Kosha grocery. Look. Let's get inside. Fully stock kosher grocery. Seriously. >> Hello. Look. We've got crisps. We have cheeses, ice cream, pizza, whatever you name it. Schneider's wines and a Delhi full of Delhi. Can you hear the call for prayer? So, Muslims, Christians, Jews, everyone live lives in peace right here. Nobody speaks a word of English. So, what's your name? Sir Nom Nom. >> Anom Morat. >> Morat. Morat. Espanol. He says tranquil. Malia. How do you say Malia? >> Tranquila. >> Malia. >> Tranquil. >> Tranquila. To Malia airport. There. The flight's going to Seilla, Malaga, Madrid, Malaga, Alra. Only to Spain. Only Spanish destinations. That's the airport. You see how small Malia is? Look. See that villages? That's Moroccan villages. This is the fence beyond the border. You can see the Moroccan flag literally there. Unbelievable. 22 June 22 um asylum seekers tried to cross the border here. Look at look at the >> Wow. So you're asylum seeking Europe. But why did the Moro the Moroccan soldier look why did the Moroccan soldiers want to protect it? They want to they want is it the interest? It's not here that they came here. Then thousands will come to Morocco. >> They call him escape. Escape. >> Yeah. A deal. >> Deal. They have a deal with the >> Mario. This is where the tragedy happened. >> Mario Chino. >> This is where it happened. They closed it since all the all the gates only open. Yeah. >> Only >> Spain. Morocco. You're in the EU next to Morocco. It's hilarious. If you cross this fence, you gain an hour. This is the hour. late. We're hour later than there. We crossed literally the fence and we lost an hour. Look. Look how beautiful. Look how beautiful. Okay, this is where Malia finishes. It's the end of Malia. Wow. Look at this. The old the old city. That's the old town. Yeah. >> Old town. >> This is Spain. And this is Morocco. So if they they're trying to catch fish, if they catch fish too far, they're going to get Moroccan fish. Hello. You're trying to catch Moroccan fish. >> Anglas, >> you speak English? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You're trying to catch Moroccan fish. >> Yeah, because there are very >> the best. The Moroccan fish is the best. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Trying to get Moroccan fish. Okay. >> That ferry takes you to Malaga and then you have the old town there. And that's it. That's the entire place. That's it. Pity place. Yeah. The Royal Marine. guard in the border. Another two feries. You can take them to Spain and elsewhere. Rented an apartment in a residential building. Happens to be right next to one of the six shields here. And look who's next to us. We are a Bit Alive. Unbelievable kosher. I live perfect place of shops. Let's go to shop restaurant. Let's find the shield. One of the six shields. As I said, going to D tonight. Let's find it first. Make sure we know where it is. Looks like Spain and it's actually in Africa. All the cars. Espanol. Espanol. One of the six shields. Petrael. Couldn't see anything here, but up on the second floor is the sh we're going to down tonight. Good morning from Aaliyah, Spain. All right, we're heading to Shu. Woke up early Sunday. I think [music] it's 8:00. Doesn't matter. Let's find the tango here. [music] So peaceful here. Wow, this is crazy. But look how empty the streets are. We're walking on the road. It's a very quiet place. But look at [panting] that. Wow. Oh, it's so difficult. We're walking to Shi already. 20 minutes. At least we got the suns sunrise. [music] Let's Let's try and find a taxi. It's getting late. Looking for a taxi. Guess who turned up? Shem London. London. London. Wait, wait, >> wait, wait. See? Okay. See showing us. He took us for a ride. Give us a lift. He's taking us to the shoe. Ah, this Oarua. Look at the shoar. Okay. Thank you. Gracias. Put that here. One of the community members told me he lives now in Mexico that he's been to probably 40, 50 countries, never seen such a shoot. Look at this. They have a fascination with [music] oil lamps. Wow. >> No, your your grandfather. >> My grandfather. Elizabeth family from Iran speak [music] is going to show us around here. Can I see it? This is the K kindergarten. Kita Olive. Wow. So, this these tables are set up here in the summer cuz they have a restaurant here. You see they do barbecue in the this is the makeshift restaurants for two months, July and August. Thank you. We have a bit of here and a coin. This is the original first Dianess in the school. This is the six. Not sure if it's grade six. >> Six. >> Six. Okay. You see here? >> N. >> This is boys. >> This is boys this side and girls on this side and the makit in the middle. See? So they have one teacher but can see the screen but separated. Wow. boys and girls at the same time. So this are four and four. These are the girls shul and grades one to six. They have a separate shana Miriam. Tamar Gabriella. >> Ken Hannah. Wow. Tamar. These are the girls sho. This is the mik. This is the kyla mik. Got in the ball. Something is going on. There's a lot of helicopters coming. The third one out. It's hazy and we're hearing the ferry beeping non-stop. So hopefully no no tragedy here. >> We have here Francisco. Great driver. If you come to Malia, I'm going to send you his number. Numero >> number one. >> Number one driver. >> Time to head out now to back to Morocco. >> And to continue our journey, >> Francisco is working with the Jewish community. He takes the >> rabbi. See, see you can takeard maruga sagora tantia. >> Oh, so he can take you to Morocco as well. So you can land here. >> Yeah. Wow. >> Arabic. Yeah, here we go. This is the rift mountain range. Rift the rift. The rift >> say Ireland. >> See Morocco on the on the rift mountains. >> Yes, >> Morocco. Look at this color. Look, [music] this is the Rift Mountains on the other side with Mediterranean there. Unbelievable colors. [music and singing] The red Hours of twisting and turning to cross over the rift mountains. Look at this. Literally hours of turning. Let's do this. Most difficult drive I've ever had. We've been doing 6 hours along the rift mountains crossing mountain passes. Not a single straight road. You're talking about hundreds of bends. Hundreds. >> [music] >> Wow, look at it. And the blue city starts right here. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Welcome from Chuan. Just passed the entire Rift Mountains. That was a that was a drive. Crazy story. I might post this after I return because, you know, I don't want to scare anyone. We had amazing police protection. Police made sure we are looked after. They they took us with light and sirens from the water. They sent us undercover police. Um I'll share the stories I might have shared already by now. What happened was as we passed the Rift Mountains. It's like two lanes for hours turning and turning and turning hundreds and hundreds of turns. A guy um with the old I was par I wanted to take make a stop at the side. I pulled in and a guy was beeping me and showing me something and he had a old yellow Mercedes. Pulled in besides me and started showing me something. I just freaked out, jumped into my car and started zooming away. He looked suspicious. So as I go I thought, you know, I have a better car than him. Let's see what he can do. So he I can see he's not going to catch up with me. I start driving. Fine. Take over one car, another car. Then I start seeing this guy just chasing after me. He's taking over all the cars with this old Mercedes. I come into town. And I know every town in uh in Morocco has uh checkpoints. Very safe. They have checkpoints all along the highways. I thought, let's get to the town. Let's speed up, get to the checkpoint. If if he's any trouble, I'll pull into besides the police. Anyway, I pulled in to I come to the town and I see there's no police anywhere uh to be seen. Actually, they were in the end of the city, the other side of the roundabout. I couldn't see them. I came down like a on a on a hill, so I couldn't see any police. I decided I have to I definitely there was like big humps. So I started you know going quickly over the humps um because if he chases me if he's definitely chasing me he's going to do the same. So I can see he's chasing over all the cars. He's doing the same. He's definitely chasing after me. So I come to a petrol station and I saw two entrances. I decided, you know what? Let me go to the entrance and because I was afraid all along he's going to block me on the on the roof mountain passes and then I won't be able to if he's trying to do something evil, he's just going to, you know, block me off. Anyway, [sighs] I go to I come to the petrol. I think look, if he if he block tries to block me, I can see I'll just turn around the other side of the of the petrol station and then zoom out and then try to find some police somewhere. Anyway, and um I stop at the petrol station. He stops alongside me. I pull down my window. He pulls down his window and ask him what's your problem? He says, "Do you smoke?" I said, "No." "Do you want to buy some kashish?" So I'm like, "No." Okay. Now he started, "Okay, that's all he wanted." And then he zooms off. That's was a scare. Anyway, good story. Okay, this parking we booked our hotel apartment next to this one, but it's fully booked. Parking here is crazy. Let's see what these guys can help. >> [laughter] >> Good, good. I am with my friend. >> My friend. Okay. We don't know where we're going. We're just following. This guy just jumped into my car. Hello. Hello. Habibi. Wait. You You live in Ree and they make they grow marijuana. >> Ree mountain where they grow. >> Grow marijuana. This is his work. >> Yeah. My work. Yes. >> How you smoke every day? >> Uh every day I smoke. Yes. >> Now also >> now I smoke before 1 hour before. >> Oh. >> He's going to park. Let's see. He's going to take the car. I'm using the camera from this guy. >> Careful. Careful. >> Wow. I want to make you good place number one. Good morning from Chef Shawan, Morocco. Look at this. Everything is colored blue. The flower pots. This city had a lot of Jews who escaped from Spain after the expulsion in 1492 came to live here. Some say they painted these walls blue to mark the [music] fact that it's a Jewish city. Also, some say that was a special mosquito repellent that they put on the wall and that's why it turned blue and they kept the color blue because that was that became the style. It's early morning, nice and quiet. It gets crazy busy during the day here. There's the Kisba the citadel. That's how the city started. The mosque the square. [music] This guy wants to sponsor a trip. Should we let him sponsor? and he can take you around. Yeah. See, [music] what's your name? >> What's your name? >> Man. >> Atman. You're good, man. I take pictures. >> What? Two. >> Okay. Free sponsorship. Ooh. You go to Germany? >> Yes. Germany. >> Yes. >> English. >> No. [music] >> Espanol. >> No. >> Okay. Give it to you. >> I take it. Thank you. Traditional B clothing. Look at this. Parame pajamas. These are the hats that go around here locally with the pom poms. Still hats with pom poms. >> This is the mela the Jewish quarter. Once was the Jewish quarter. Lots of Jews lived there. Everyone left. The only thing Jewish remaining is the Jewish cemetery. Yeah. Arrived. It was locked but they opened up. Maraba Maraba look there's a [music] mikvah children's playground places to stay okay this is the ka when I finally to get here finally grew up in he then came here as a shad to collect money for the poor people of Isra Israel I think in the 1700s uh he was here for 10 years then to help the communities here eventually went back to his son his only son became sick and he wanted to go to Muslim it was under the Turkish rule then and a Jew was not allowed in so he went in disguised as a as a as a Muslim somebody recognized him and [music] the kabi uh wanted to arrest him. So he had to escape. So where [music] could he escape to the entire region of the Middle East was controlled by the by the Turkish by the Ottomans. So he went to a place that he knew all the way to Morocco past Egypt, Libya, all came here back to Morocco. But Sonheim, one of the things he tried to do actually was try to bring the G really worked and Sonheim was still unwell. So story goes that he asked to change the years with his son Schumer. So he passed away here. I think in 1734 I think. Um here we go. [music] 5542 probably 1742. I guess [music] I have to check the dates. Anyway, so there's a ve here and some say tishov is used as officially ta ta but you can see it there. Some say he was actually tishable because he tried to bring mashia but they only do do it so he can make the alula should be um after the days of mourning. Anyway, he asked to be he [music] actually pointed that this he came here. That's what they say. Story goes. They came under this ancient olive tree and said here he wants to be buried. You can see it's part of the matsa the ancient tree. It's really old. Look at it's rotten. Yeah. And a sanim [music] survived. The shield police officer is trying to get us access, but nobody's answering. It's really quiet today. But you can see showed before how many also a climb there. You can see here Vazan. It's just outside Wazan. It's actually not in Wazan. It's about 5 minutes drive from Wan. A small village. Okay. The guy arrived. [music] Thank you. You open up. Sure. [music] Thank you so much. Oh, it's a picture of the king. Here we go. Let's trick some people's hiding here behind the pole. Look, let's stop somebody. We wait for the police to take our details. Let's check out this river. green. Look at the color. Tons of dirt and rubbish. >> Take it. No, no, no, no, no, no. Take it. >> Hey, too quick. Take it. Okay. Today we're going to the kosher restaurant here. There's a milky one. There is a Oops. There's a couple of the on the same street. There's a new one here. Didn't see it last time. There's this one. Smaller one. Shalom. Shalom. And this one has been there for a long time. Wasabi. [music] >> It's made from sugar cane. >> Oh, no. No. [music] This food.