Ever since its formation, the Idrissid capital housed a particularly active minority of Jews who took advantage of the freedom afforded to cults, and of the security afforded to their person and their belongings. This community was composed of the descendants of native Jews, the toshabims, who lived in prior to the arrival of Islam, and of Jewish emigres who had fled from Cordoba and from Kairouan. The community grew in importance with the arrival, in successive waves, of refugees from the Iberian Peninsula.

Ever since the foundation of the town, the Jewish community had settled “in quite a large quarter which stretched from Aghlen out to Hisn Sadun” which was called Derb Lihudi, at the heart of the medina. Towards the middle of the 9th/15th century, the Merinids moved the Jewish community to Fas Jdid, close to their palace.

In a general way, the Jewish community of Fez was able to enjoy a long period of tranquillity, a height of peace which corresponded with the arrival of the Merinids in Fez. Thus, during a period of political quiet, life at the heart of the Mellah was carried out between the undertaking of daily prayers in one of a number of synagogues, and economic activity, conducted to the rhythm of the comings and goings between the Mellah and the old medina.