The Mellah is Meknes's historic Jewish quarter, located on the southwestern edge of the medina. Morocco's Jewish community played a significant role in the city's commercial and intellectual life for centuries, and Meknes had one of the largest Jewish populations in the country before mass emigration to Israel and elsewhere in the 20th century. Today the quarter retains its distinctive urban character — tightly packed houses with small windows facing the street and overhanging upper floors — but most of the former residents are long gone.
The Rabbi Meir Toledano Synagogue still stands, one of the few functioning synagogues remaining in the medina. It is occasionally open to visitors. Walking through the Mellah gives a different perspective on Meknes than the Islamic monuments nearby, and the street market around its edges is lively and unaffected by tourism.