The name of Abendanan , of ancient origin, would derive either from the Hebrew , or of the Araméen. It indicates a dynasty of Rabbin S of Spain and Morocco and the name of large the Synagog of Fès to the Morocco.

The name of Abendanan

This name is represented by a famous family of rabbi S Sépharade S of Moroccan origin (Fès) which moved in the two directions of the Iberian peninsula in North Africa and vice versa, thus showing close links of interdependence forging the hébraïsme ibéro-Maghrebian. It is thought that the name " Danan " is of Babylonian origin. Danans would have carried out the ancient Jewish Moroccan diaspora, called Toshavim (inhabitants) which was distinguished by maintaining intact and concordant ritual palestino-Babylonian with the rabbinical acts during the Exil from Babylon.

The Aben- prefix synonymous with Avi, Bar, Ben, Ibn- implies paternity or the line prolonged by the root daN (what could related the name to the Tribu of daN, one of the children of Jacob). It can also be associated with the legal practice as the term daN implies it, which means to judge Hebrew . Lastly, Danan can also be a transformation Araméen first name daN or Daniel during the Exil of Babylon.

Other variations of the name are possible for Abendanan according to the language and the country of the person. Let us quote Aben-Danan, Abendana, Dana, IbnDanan, BenDanan or even simply Danan…

The Abendanan family

• Abendanan Saadia Ben Moché Ben Maïmon says Rambam Elfassi (Fès 1420? - Fès 1493). Elfassi means: “that which live Fès” and sign thus the Moroccan origin. Rabbi, Talmud ist, doctor and poet, he was the chief rabbi of Grenade until the expulsion of the Jews of Spain in 1492 and returned then in its birthplace. He is the author of several works of linguistics, of a dictionary Hebrew-Arabic, a historical chronology, a poem which speaks in praise of the Guide of stray the of Maïmonide as well as legal decisions carrying, inter alia, on the statute of the Marrane S.

• Abendanan Chémouèl Elfassi (Grenade, 1452? - Fès, 1556?). Originating in Spain. Wire of Rabbi Abendanan Ugly Saadia Ben and father of rabbi Chémouèl Abendanan, he was rabbi and notary with Grenade before being it in Fès after the expulsion of 1492. Important Community leader, he is the author of several chronicles and many comments talmudic. He was also president of the rabbinical Court of Fès.

• Abendanan Chémouèl (Fès, 1542 - Fès, 1621). Originating in Morocco. Grandson of rabbi Abendanan Ugly Saadia Ben, wire of rabbi Chémouèl Abendanan Elfassi. It was, like his father, rabbi and notary with Fès and the author of several chronicles and many comments on Talmud. It was also leading Community important and chair rabbinical Court of Fès. For this reason, it was one of the rabbis who took part in the ordination of Rabbi Yossef Karo, the author of the Choulhan Aroukh (the drawn up Table), principal code of the Judaïsme arabo-Andalusian.

• Lastly, one finds, in, the trace of the passage of certain Abendanan in other European countries such as Holland and Great Britain.

• Chelomo Abendanan (1848-1928). Going down in right-hand side line, of wire father, one of the pillars of the Judaism Rambam (Maïmonide) and maternal side of Rabbénou Tam grandson of Rachi.
  Il are resulting from a family of which many members were Rabbanim or Dayanim (judges).
  Dès age the 18 years, it studies Kabale and becomes a famous kabalist. At 30 years, he becomes president of the rabbinical Court of Fès, city in which he will occupy this load during fifty years, except one year when he was named with the rabbinical High-Court of Rabat.
  La synagog Aben Danan was its usual place of prayer. He wrote two fundamental works which are used today as reference in the decisions of “Halakha”: Asher Li Shlomo and Bikésh Shlomo .
  Il dies in 1928 at the exit of Shabbat, just after the prayer of Havdalah. This year there, it had omitted to say the evening of Yom Kippour, in the prayer of Kol Nidré, the sentence: “starting from this Yom Kippour-Ci until that of the next year”. It was buried the following day, was accompanied by thousands by Jews come from all the cities from Morocco, like by the members of the government and the representatives of all the worships.

The synagog Aben Danan in Fès

Réinaugurée on February 25th, 1999, it is one of the jewels of the Jewish Culture and a religious space privileged for the Moroccan Judaism. On this occasion, to advise it S.M. the king, Andre Azoulay, reaffirmed with firmness the spiritual and moral dimension of this event while insisting on specificities and the perenniality of the Moroccan Judaism.

What made say to the adviser of Its Majesty that it “ is good that the Moroccan tradition is there to recall us with force which there exists a reading and a practice different from the Judaism. This tradition aspires to the dialog, the respect of others and more than anything else, to the tolerance and the virtue of the debate ”. One learns thus that more than one million Jews all over the world refer spontaneously to their roots and their identity Morrocan women.

Today, in spite of large the outdatedness of the building - dating from the middle of the 17th century - which threatened to crumble considering its state of decay, all was renovated (for two million euros). Hebrew inscriptions on the mural flagstones give full information on the history of the family and the scholarship of its members. Classified world universal inheritance by UNESCO (with three other places of worship of Fès), the synagog Aben Danan, is the first with being restored, because its role was dominating in the Hebraic culture and the religion through all Maghreb like in the advent of the reforms.

If its restoration lasted one year, she lives again now as a Synagog - museum increased for the cultural and tourist visits. The family Danan de Fès, her parents and friends, made up in association in Paris, but also much of other partners largely contributed to this splendid realization.

Sources

• article of Abdellatif El Azizi in Morocco-hebdo.près of on March 1st, 1999.