AI Transcription, Pages 201-225
Page 202
[Marginalia] ح/ ٤٤١ / ٩٥٠
[Marginalia] ٥ / ٢ / ١٩٥٠
[Stamp] ⟦رئاسة الطائفة⟧
[Stamp] ⟦الموسوية⟧
[Stamp] ⟦في بغداد⟧
امـــــــــــــر اداري
بناءاً على وفاة المرحوم الحاخام ميخائيل يرميا ( من حاخامي
اليشيفوث) بتاريخ ٢٩ / ١ / ١٩٥٠ قرر المجلس بجلسته التاسعـــــــــة
المنعقدة بتاريخ ٢ / ٢ / ١٩٥٠ قطع راتبه البالغ ١٣/٢٥٠ د ينــــــارا
من اليشيفوث اعتبارا من ٣١ / ١ / ١٩٥٠ بعد الظهر .
[Signature] نائب الرئيس
[Signature] ⟦illegible⟧
صورة الى -
المحاسب - للعمل بموجبـــــــــــــه
الاضبارة الشخصيــــــــــــــــــــــــة
[Marginalia] ٤ / ٣ / ٢
[Signature] ⟦illegible⟧
Page 204
جـ / ⟦٢٤٤⟧ / ٩٥٠
٥ / ٢ / ١٩٥٠
[Stamp] ⟦لجنة الطائفة⟧
[Stamp] ⟦... الدائرة⟧
امــــــــر اداري
بناءاً على قرار المجلس المرقم ٦ (أ) المتخذ بجلسته السابعة المنعقدة
بتاريخ ١٧ / ١ / ١٩٥٠ تدمج مخصصات الكاتب السيد يوسف صالح البالغة
اربعة دنانير (عن اعماله الاضافية في رئاسة الطائفة) بقائمة رواتب رئاسة
الطائفة بدلا من لائحة المصاريف الادارية اعتبارا من اول كانون الثاني ١٩٥٠ .
[Signature] ⟦signature⟧
[Signature] ٥/٢
[Signature] نائب الرئيس
[Signature] ⟦signature⟧
صورة الى -
المحاسب - للعمل بموجبــــــــــــــــــــه
الاضبارة الشخصيــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــة
[Signature] ⟦signature⟧
[Signature] ٢/٣/٦
Page 210
Baghdad, 13th. February, 1950.
To:
The Vice-President,
The Jewish Communittee,
Baghdad.
Respected Sir,
It gives me much pleasure to write to your goodself, as
having been given to understand through the courtesy of the Humanita-
rian person, Dr. Ballayan, the present Acting Managing Director of the
welfare and hospitable Meir Elias Hospital.
For ready reference, I would like to give you a brief and
short account of my biography from 1933 up to the present of writing.
To speak on this subject, if you will take into special consideration,
my present prevailing situation, it requires to fill in many and enu-
merous full-scap papers in order to give you a complete so-called ac-
ount of my life. But in order to spare time and paper, and furthermore
in spite of my many obstacles in life, I am now trying my best to put
this application forward to your goodself in a sense which, I hope, to
meet with your approval and desire.
For the sake of regularity, I have the pleasure to pass
hereunder the following enumerated paragraphs in respect of my biogra-
phy for the period mentioned above:-
1) In 1933 I had left the Alliance School after which date I had
undertaken to give private tuition in Arabic, English and French.
In addition to this, I had also given private lessons in signalling
and wireless up to the end of Rashid 'Ali's Coup d'Etat. According
to the then prevailing circumstances, I had been compelled to close
down my premises due to the status quo at that time.
2) On 24th. October 1938, I had joined Messrw. K. & E. M. Lawee L⟦t⟧'s
Firm as a typist both in Arabic and English and also in helping in the
account section. During 1942 I had been transferred to the Lubricat-
ing Oil Department as an assistant to my the then Chief of the Depart-
ment concerned. In the year 1944 up to the time of my submitting
resignation to Messrs. K. & E. M. Lawee Ltd.'s Firm, I had been in
direct and constant personal attach with the Chief of the Lubricating
Oil Department, Mr. Leon S. Lawee, during which period I had been his
right hand in the direction of Messrs. Lawee's business of the said
Department. During this period I had been responsible of organizing
the Luboil Department in the absence of Mr. Leon S. Lawee.
3) On 15th. November 1947 I had an unfortunate accident which had
cost me too much financially and physically. From the beginning of
my said bad accident up to the moment of writing, the sphere of my
life was and is stilll in the same way and state as that of the
"Bird of Paradise". For your kind information, the "Bird of Paradise"
......./.....
[Stamp] ⟦الطائفة الاسرائيلية في بغداد⟧
[Stamp] ⟦JEWISH COMMUNITY BAGHDAD⟧
Page 212
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lives on nothing but on some natural factor which is called the
"Dew". My state of living, from the time of my last accident up
to the present time is, and can be described, in sense and spirit,
as that of the "Bird of Paradise".
4) Due to the fierce "Force Majeure" this term, in my opinion, that
every body in the whole world should expect to meet with it, that
for the last two and a half years, being myself in idleness, I had
not the least opportunity to have a helping hand neither from my
surrounding relatives nor from the outside environement. As a
matter of fact, I am awfully sorry to put on record, that through
the above mentioned "Force Majeure", I had fallen a fatal victim
and left in a horrible state, which is incredible for every one
to imagine to what kind of state my life has set in. You will be
awfully sorry to hear that my financial position had reached a top
of the deplorable plight, which reason could and can be attribu⟦...⟧
to the so-called "Force Majeure".
5) I am quite pleased, and think that you will be glad to know and
recognize, that I had mastered every word and phrase of the follow-
ing essentail subjects in the English Language:-
Psychology, The Art of Salesmanship, Accountancy,
Journalism, Policy, How to Make Propaganda for one's
self and for others, The Art of Commerce and so on.
For your kind infromation, the above mentioned subjects had been
mastered and gone through by the undersigned, in sense and spirit,
and had no relative certificates for those subjects tuited by me.
6) From my boyhood, I had led a life of poverty and had no support of
my own but God's. I am a man of self-creating factor, having been
moulded myself as a dough ready for baking. I had tried my utmost
and strained every nerve of mine to attain the highest top of m⟦...⟧
present attitude in the English Language. A man of self-creating
is a man of liability to meet with many thorny and sharp problems
as long as he is alive.
7) In this horrible world of ours, many a man encounters with many and
numerous unexpected misfortunes. A man cannot lead a life free
from any sort of hindrances especially nowadays. Naturally, man's
fate is in close relation with the wheel of fortune; and if unfor-
tunately this wheel has gone out of order for some reason or reasons,
and in addition to the lack of Life Material (Money), then calamity
after another dominates in the end. Then the life of the individual
concerned becomes exposed to a certain catastrophe which brings the
individual's life to the brink of a catastrophic end and to an
inevitable death.
8) Briefly speaking, and to take the matter from the Psychological
point of view, the undersigned, is now ready for conveyance to his
last place, whitely shrouded, put into a coffin, and carried on the
....../.....
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the shoulders of wailing, weeping and crying women and a big
multitude of peoples marching after him in the funeral proce-
ssion to say the last word "Good-bye" to the painfull and bleed-
ing Humanity influenced under the yoke of the treasured peoples.
Such a man is now and always participating and sympathizing, in
sense and spirit, with the painful and bleeding Humanity which
is now trodden under the feet of the Human Race. I am, of course,
you should be hundred per cent sure of your goodself of what I
do speak and mean that I do feel in the same way as those who
are now suffering from every angle of the present life. In other
words, I do mean that I do sympathize and participate with the
Blind, Crippled and other disabled Human Beings who had been
fallen as victims to such a so-called "Force Majeure", and more-
over who had been deprived from the natural precious senses from
the time of their coming to such a not worthy world filled with
great troubles, annoyances, and disturbances. In order to let
you have my full confidence of what I do state, if on my way, I
notice or my sight falls on a blind man I do feel sentimentally
that I am a blind, and so on.
9) I am a man of 35 years of age, having had not the slightest
opportunity to get married, due to the fact that from the time
I have entered the field of struggle for life, I could not have
this precious opportunity to fulfill the sacred duty as God's
will. I am a man of big family to support, with no (inward and
outward) assistance from the beginning of life, but God's; and
due to my last accident I had spent the last fils of mine and
others in order to get myself ameliorated. I am now trying, by
every means and ways, and leave no stone unturned, to re-build
and re-construct the foundations of my house which had been fully
collapsed through "Force Majeure". I am now standing on the last
nich of my house. Frankly speaking, I am now drowned with debt,
from my tip-toes up to the top of my head, as a result of meeting
the household expenses for the last two and a half years during
which period I had been in idleness.
10) Speaking from the present existing andprevailing circumstances
in which we are now passing, it is, of course, necessary, ta⟦...⟧
into special consideration the present status in quo, to have
for us a leading Shepherd to lead and guide his sheep that are
now wandering and strolling about the Plateau of the present
struggle for life. Such a Shepherd, I am sorry to put on record,
that I could and cannot trace and follow his foot-prints on the
ground of a so-called Plateau. We are now passing through a
narrow lane which does not hold more than one person to pass
through. In other words, we are now left alone without any kind
of a specific guidance to show us the way and course in order to
go through the proper channel or channels. We are now in a night
of darkness with no stars and moon to lighten for us the way in
which we are apt to take or pass. I am reporting this inclinat-
ion to your goodself, as far as my knowledge is concerned, and
I do hope and think that the mould in which I am putting forward
my point of view is well clear to your goodself. To speak on
this thorny subject, on my part, it requires the newly invented
....../.....
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Mechanical Human Being, to be taught, by every means and ways,
as how to be a Stenographer in order to be, myself, as his new
Dictator so that to be enabled to give you full picture and give
the subject under caption, from every angle, the demand required.
Had it not been for the one and sole reason which does not permit
me to speak on the subject widely and describe my sad calamity,
which, in my opinion, no other man could have met with such a
catastrophic calamity in the whole Universe except myself. For
ready reference, as far as I am concerned in the subject, you
will be interested to know that I was created, of course before
I had come to this jolly World, to meet with my fate as God's
Will. I am a man of high spirits always in spite of the thorny
and sharp problems which I shall be encountered with. I have
full confidence in myself that I can, by the help of the Almighty
God, surpass and mount all kinds of thorny problems and obstacles.
I am sure that you will have the honour to hear such news from a
faithful and loyal servant who served and is now serving the word
of "Humanity" with full integrity and devotion to duty.
11) When my mind is calm and quiet and have the whim to write a letter
of great importance to me, (now my mind is very disturbed and also
perplexed due to some prevailing problems of the Household Family),
frankly speaking, and without any exaggeration on my part, you
should rest assured, that the pen will get fatigued and exhausted
but my fingers get not. For your kind infromation, I have to
report that I am now totally and utterly exhausted, worn out and
fatigued, pyhsically and mentally, as a result of the non-putting
an end to a case of mine with some outside Channel, I mean with a
well-known and renowned Company for the last 25 years. To this
effect, you are of course we⟦a⟧l aware of my present attitude, and
I would like to stress the point that through your kind and father-
ly help, my case whould be given specail consideration and an
attentive ear due to the bad circumstances in which I am in.
There are some men who can write in an attractive way but have
not the power to express their inner feelings with inner-most
sentiments. When I do write, you should be hundred per cent sure
of your goodself that my sense is very touched and can write ⟦fro⟧m
my inner-most heart, which the precious source of Life, what I do
feel, becasause it has been stabbed and wounded by a double-e⟦d⟧ge
scythe in a bleeding way, which cause, goes back to "Force Majeure"
12) The misfortunes of the Human Beings, if doubled and enhanced thro-
ugh the cruel and bad circumstances, and in addition to the lack
of Life Material (Money), which, in my opinion, has taken a way
rather pessimistic or optimistic, that the word (Money) has now
broken every kind of world record; and I am speaking, of course,
of those who are fully treasured of this essential material which
gives life again to those who are dying. By this, I am ⟦a⟧ awfully
sorry to put on record, and with my reverence to your goodself and
to every individual concerned of the present Jewish Communittee,
they have forgotten the great natural power which is influenced
by One, who is the Almighty God. This Life Material has been
given first priority to the Almighty God, without giving special
and due consideration and paying an attentitve ear to the natural
factors issued therefrom, the key of which is in the hand and lock
of every one concerned in this horrible world.
...../.....
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13) Briefly speaking, I have fallen a fatal victim to such "Force
Majeure", and I can describe myself, taking into consideration
my present deplorable plight, that "I am now like a fish out of
water flung on the coast of the river struggling for life, in
order to reach the edge of water to have re-gained life". I was
and am still looking for a one who feels and participate with me
in my catastrophe to lighten the formidable burden which is now
waging war against the painful and bleeding Humanity; but I am
awfully ⟦sorry⟧ to re-put, once again, on record that such a huma-
nitarian person for whom I am seeking, I could and cannot even
trace and follow the foot-prints of his sllender feet on the ground.
14) The undersigned is now going to be enlisted on the page of Bank-
ruptcy if not to be helped and assisted. At the same time he is
fully prepared and ready to sacrifice his precious time, which is
more essential than true gold, to undertake to fulfil any kind of
duty which requires incumbent responsibility. To accelarate and
give the subject its real outlook, from every angle, it is, of
course, a sacred duty on my part, to accomplish, ⟦in⟧ sense and
spirit, which has specific relation to the word "Hamanity". To
take full charge and the great responsibility of such an essential
and fine position, and in addition to my present health condition,
it is course, apt to those concerned from whom I do expect every
fatherly assistance, to lend me a hand in participating and light-
ening the burden imposed on my sole shoulders.
15) By the help of the Almighty God and those individuals concerned
in the Jewish Communittee, I can assure you, Respected Sir, with-
out any exaggeration on my part, to run a business of great and
formidable responsibility which is now requiring a man of sharp
wit and tact, to fulfil it in sense and spirit. To run shch a
thorny and sharp business, I can assure you, that I am able to
work 24 (twenty four) hours without having a short nap for a
period of about six months, for which reason can be attributed
to my idleness for the last two and a half years. For your kind
information, the cause of shch a work turns back to my present
re-action in duty.
16) For the sake of regularity, I thank you will not be disturbed or
perplexed in mind to hear, that as a result of my last bad and
unfortunate accident, I had spent all I had of my own and others'
My brother has been attacked by a deadly desease the (Ulcer)
prior to my accident. I had to spend money in a way like a
stream of water for myself and for my said brother who is now,
after having visited all the physicians here, still suffering
from this deadly and fatal desease. For the time being, I am
not in a position, due to my pressed financial position, as a
of being myself drowned in debt, to afford to meet with the bare
needs of medicine and the doctor's charges. My present exist-
ing circumstances are getting worse and worse by hours. A Hum-
an Being is, no more, than flesh and blood. He cannot make for
himself a room to surmount difficulties which are beyond his
capacity. I myself, being in a very nice fix, and moreover
having regard to what I am entitled to, it is, of course, ano-
ther fatal blow on me as how to fulfil the sacred duty which is
now incumbent on my sole shoulders in order to meet with the
bare requirement of my mother's and brother's plgiht. My mother
...../.....
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is now also falling sick and is now lying in bed as a result of
the sorrow, melancholy, depression and fatigue by which she is
now influenced, and who was,before having been met with my bad
accident, like a pea-hen strutting about in the house. The
re-action of the above mentioned (four words) has struck her
dead due to my being considered by her as her husband and her
son.
In conclusion, I would like to stress the point that I am
now lying on a stretcher conveyed to my last last place. Briefly
speaking, Financially nil, exhausted and worn out mentally and phy-
sically, and so on. To take into special consdieration, from the point
of view, my present financial position, I am now totally and utterly
crippled; the treatment of such deplorable plight is now lying in the
hands of those who are now responsible for the Management of those
two hospitable and humanitarian Gentlemen who are now abroad.
I would like to end my brief and short report in the following
terms. I do wish you, from my inner-most heart, and every one of t⟦...⟧
Jewish Communittee concerned 1950, a prosperous, fruitful one in all
your daily-round work in the long run.
I beg to tender my apology for any and every inconvenience
to be caused to your goodself in reading such a valuable report, and
also beg to have your kind and favourable reply to my present address
mentioned hereunder. For your kind information, this report has been
composed and typewritten by me, without preparing it on a draft, just
rolled it on the Machine which please note.
Please accept my best wishes and regards to your goodself
and also please, without any obligation on your part, convey my best
regards to those individuals concerned in the present Jewish Communittee.
I beg to remain, Respected Sir,
[Signature] Your most obedient servant,
[Signature] ⟦Naji H Akerib⟧
[Signature] NAJI H. A. AKERIB.
Address: Naji H. A. Akerib,
undertaking to give private tuition in Arabic, English
and French, Translator from Arabic to English and vice
v ersa, also working in commission business, at my new
premises situated at Kurayshi Building, next to Tahann
Building, opposite Mirjan Mosque, Shorja.
Page 222
المجلس الجسماني
للطائفة الاسرائيلية * بغداد
[Stamp] ⟦لجنة الدائرة⟧
حضرة نائب الرئيس
يتلخص الكتاب المرفوع بالنقاط التالية :-
١) يقص المستدعي تأريخ حياته من يوم دخوله الى المدارس حتى
الآن وهي عبارة عن معلم ⟦حساب⟧ ، وموظف في بيت لاوي حيث
فصل مؤخراً .
٢) يبدي بنفسه القدرة على القيام باي عمل يطلب منه ⟦بالطبع⟧ وستلزمه
مسؤوليات عديدة
٣) يشكو حاله لأنه الآن رجل غارق بالديون وعنده والدته مريضة
علاوة على نفسه . وهذه تحتاج الى نفقات لا تقل لا عليك عن ⟦...⟧ .
٤) يطلب اما وظيفة ذات مسؤولية او مساعدة مالية .
وبالأخير ان كتابه هذا يعتبر انشاء من النوع الممتاز مما كتب
قديم جداً وكله وصف خيالي ينثر ويشعر عن حالته التعسة التي قادته
الى الظروف الاستثنائية التي لولاها لكان الآن قائداً لفضل ⟦...⟧
الناجحين في هذه البلاد كما يزعم
[Signature] ⟦عبد الله⟧
[Signature] ٨٥/٢/٢٥
[Marginalia] الرئيس
[Marginalia] اطلعنا على هذه فأن
[Marginalia] الرئيس ⟦...⟧
[Marginalia] ⟦...⟧ الحفظ مؤقتاً
[Marginalia] ⟦...⟧
Page 224
ح/ ٤٥٤ / ٩٥٠
٢٠ / ٢ / ١٩٥٠
[Stamp] ⟦نسخة الدائرة⟧
امـــــــر اداري
بناء على قرار المجلس المرقم (٩) والمتخذ بجلسته الحادية
عشرة المنعقدة بتاريخ ١٦ / ٢ / ١٩٥٠ يقطع راتب خاتون ساسون سوفير
ارملة عزرا مير حوريش (قسم المحتاجين) البالغ ١/٧٠٦ دينارا بضمنه
مخصصات غلاء المعيشة اعتبارا من نهاية شهر كانون الثاني ١٩٥٠ بالنظر
لوفاتها بتاريخ ١٦ / ١ / ١٩٥٠ .
[Signature] ⟦signature⟧
[Signature] نائب الرئيس
صورة الى -
المحاسب - للعمل بموجبهـــــــــــــ
الاضبارة الشخصيــــــــــــــــــــــــــــة
[Marginalia] ع / ٢ / ٢٠