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IJA 2814

Correspondence Regarding the Midrash Committee and the Midrash Talmud Torah; Correspondence with the British Military Governor

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Description

These documents primarily contain correspondence between the Midrash Committee, the Midrash school, Midrash Talmud Torah, and the Jewish Schools Committee in Baghdad. They discuss the monthly salaries of individuals working for the various religious organizations. There is a typed copy of the annual report for the Midrash school, 1945-1946. There are also unrelated documents from the British Military Governor’s Office to the Chief Rabbi from 1917. This correspondence relates to members of the Jewish community being allowed out after curfew (including to summon midwives), and the use of lights after permitted hours for religious celebration; the establishment of a charitable committee for poor relief in each community; and a letter requesting unleavened bread for Jewish prisoners during the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Metadata

Archive Reference
IJA 2814
Item Number
12075
Date
Approx. January 1, 1911 to December 31, 1920
Languages
Arabic, English
Keywords
Accounting, Annotation, Association of Helping the Poor, British Occupation, Charity, Chief Rabbi, Correspondence, Directorate of Education, Employment, Financial, Handwritten, Jewish Holidays, Jewish Lay Council, Jewish Schools Committee, Labor, Ledger, Midrash, Midrash Committee, Midrash Talmud Torah, Passover, President of the Jewish Community, Synagogue, Teachers, Typed

AI en Translation, Pages 26-50

Page 26

Military Governor's Office,
Baghdad. 22nd May 1917.
⟦M.G./A462/19⟧
To,
His Eminence,
The Chief Rabbi of Baghdad.
Your Eminence,
I regret to say that I do not see my
way to authorise this general alteration in the orders
at present in force.
If a light is required in the Synagogue
for
only, it might be possible to grant a permit/this.
In your letter you are also apparently
asking for permission for all Jews to be out of their
houses after the prescribed gours, and this I also
regret to say cannot be allowed.
⟦C J Hawker⟧
Br. Gen.,
MILITARY GOVERNOR.
R 24 May 917
⟦MILITARY GOVERNOR⟧

Page 27

Military Governor's Office,
Baghdad. 7th May 1917.
⟦MG 2184/11⟧
To,
His Eminence The Chief Rabbi,
Baghdad.
Your Eminence,
The enclosed applications for assistance
are forwarded to you for the consideration of your
Relief Committee.
I havethe honour to be,
Your Eminence's obedient servant,
⟦J. N. Payne⟧ Staff Capt
for MILITARY GOVERNOR.

Page 29

Military Governor's Office,
Baghdad. 21st April 1917.
⟦M. G. 123 6/6⟧
To,
His Eminence the Grand Rabbi,
B A G H D A D.
Your Eminence,
I have received your letter recommending Mr.
Tatran Sion and Mr. Mochi bin Sasson for permits to enable
them to leave their houses at night, for the purpose of
calling in midwives. As these permits are limited as
much as possible, and the police have to be informed of the
dates between which they are issued, will you please
ascertain from the applicants the probable week they are
expecting to have to call in this assistance, so that passes
can be made out for a definite period.
⟦CJHawker⟧ ⟦Lt Col⟧
MILITARY GOVERNOR.

Page 31

7 September 917
To the attention of the Honorable Military Deputy Governor
In response to your letter dated 6 September 917
The mentioned amount of (192) liras placed by the committee in my letter dated
21 August 917 is for first-class wages and ⟦...⟧ Ibrahim Cohen as their agent
And that is according to the existing register marked in the town where this
amount was sent by us to participate in Istanbul before the fall of
Baghdad. Therefore, please carry out the necessary verifications for
⟦illegible⟧ the amount from his share and in high regards, may you remain safe

Page 33

Military Governor's Office,
Baghdad. 7th April 1917.
⟦No. 179/46⟧
To,
The Chief Rabbi,
Baghdad.
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your
Excellency's letter of yesterdays date, requesting that permits
be issued to the relatives of Jewish prisoners enabling them to
convey unleavened bread to the prisoners during the eight Paschal
days of Passover, and regret to say that if the bread is intended
for prisoners who are condemned to long terms of imprisonment
the prison regulations do not, as yet, <del>⟦permit⟧</del> allow persons
from outside a prison communicating in anyway with the prisoners.
If, however, your Excellency's letter refers to
prisoners not already cond⟦e⟧mned, who may be under detention in
the guard room, it might be possible to arrange for these to
receive the Bread.
It is to be regretted that the matter did not come
before my notice at an earlier date.
If a list of the prisoners referred to is sent to
me it will be possible to say under what conditions they are
detained, but to avoid delay I venture to add that if the bread is
sent to the office I will arrange for its distribution.
⟦C Hawker⟧
MILITARY GOVERNOR.