Description
These are documents relating to the Baghdadi Jewish community, many about Iraqi citizenship. Included are various correspondences between the Jewish community and the Iraqi government. Correspondence with the Secretary General of the Frozen Fund Administration regarding the revocation of Iraqi citizenship of employees at Jewish establishments and daily payment of workers; a letter with names and salaries of employees; a letter from the Secretariat for Monitoring and Managing the Funds of the Jews to the Jewish Hospital Council proclaiming Jewish Iraqi citizenship and permitting employers to pay the employees but freeze a percentage of their salary for the Secretariat. Correspondence with the Secretariat to Monitor and Manage the Funds of the Jews: proclaiming Iraqi Citizenship to the Directorate of Travel and Citizenship, and to the President of the Jewish Community verifying if certain people are having their Iraqi citizenship revoked; requesting the release of a Jewish community fund; the formation of a committee to manage the affairs of David Ezra Synagogue; inquires related to property; request to exempt the Jewish poor from paying tax on their belongings when leaving Iraq; a request to return a shop belonging to the Jewish community; paying the Jewish cemetery guard accumulated salaries; returning an endowed Jewish property; provisions to help the Jewish poor; releasing items belonging to Ḥevrah Ḳadishah (burial society) for Jewish burial; returning the endowed eye hospital and pharmacy; Information about Hebrew religious books in the storage of the Directorate; letters between the President of the Jewish Community and Iraqi government offices regarding exchanging information and answering inquiries, the heirs of Jewish deceased, names, Jewish hospital operations, property tax, lifting the "hand" from the Jewish community funds, and management of the Jewish community funds. Documents relating to Baghdadi Synagogues: an inventory from Mindili Synagogue; correspondence between the Committee on the Administration of Ezra Synagogue and the Directory of Rights and Commercial Matters regarding the members of Ezra Synagogue citizenship status; correspondence from the Jewish Lay Council and banks about opening a bank account for Ezra Synagogue; correspondence from the Lay Council to the Secretary General of the frozen funds regarding the name of the Ezra synagogue committee. Correspondence between the Jewish Lay Council to the General Secretariat regarding exporting 100 Jewish books to without paying for the silver cover; a reply from Municipality of Rights and Commercial Matters to permit the export of the books if it had no silver cover; the Jewish presidency’s reply that it is a family owned, there are not commercial items, and it is against the freedom of religion law. Correspondence from Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri: to the General Directorate of Import regarding Iraqi Jewish property taxes, the Jewish properties exempted from tax, hospitals, schools and orphanages; to the Chairman of the Property requesting a copy of plans and documents of properties belonging to the Jewish community; to the Director of Property Tax requesting a reduction or exemption of property tax for demolition or vacancy reasons.
AI en Translation, Pages 451-475
Page 452
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 61 /
Date: 1 / 2 / 1961
Subject:
His Excellency the Director of Tapu for Baghdad Governorate - Al-Rusafa - Respected
After greetings
Please provide us with two copies of the registration record and a map for the property sequence 312, Al-Tawrat neighborhood
Door numbers 94/393 and 73/139 Tawrat belonging to this Presidency.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Community
⟦Assistant⟧
Honorable
⟦large blue ink scribbles and stylized signatures⟧
⟦faint illegible text and bleed-through from reverse side⟧
⟦stylized signature in blue ink at bottom left⟧
Page 453
To the Director General of Real Estate Departments - Al-Rusafa - Respectfully
After greetings
Please provide us with a copy of the registration for the real estate numbered 212, neighborhood
Al-Tawrat, door number ⟦292⟧ / 72 in Turan
Belonging to the endowments of this council, included in the endowment
Walandam
Walandam
Page 454
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Number T /: 276 / 61
Date: 20 / 2 / 1961
Telephone Number: 83531 / 5452
Subject ::
His Excellency the Director of Land Registry (Tapu) of Baghdad - Rusafa - Respected
After greetings
With reference to your letter numbered 372 and dated 17 / 1 / 1961 and received on 12 / 2 / 1961 regarding
the registration of property sequence 169 Taht al-Takiya in the name of the heirs of Shlomo Yaqub Ahdia.
We would like to inform you that the mentioned property is a Torah (synagogue) and this is supported by the Land Registry records and files organized 74 years ago
and that it is an endowment (waqf) of the community's endowments in its capacity as a Torah (synagogue) and that the Presidency of the Community has been managing it and in possession of it before
the date of registration, i.e., 74 years ago, and it is still until now managing it and in possession of it, and that the heirs of
Shlomo Yaqub Ahdia have no connection to it.
Accordingly, and based on the fifth paragraph of Article Sixty-Nine of the Land Registry (Tapu) Regulation of 1959, the renewed
registration shall be in the name of the Jewish Community.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Community
A copy of it to :-
His Excellency the Judge of Personal Matters in Baghdad - for your kind information
His Excellency the Secretary General for the Supervision of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
for your kind information.
His Excellency the Director of Travel and Nationality. For your kind information.
Page 455
To the Director of Baghdad Tapu Al-Rusafa - Respectfully
Greetings,
Reference to your letter No. 974 dated 17 / 8 / 1961
and received on 12 / 9 / 1961 regarding the registration of property No. ⟦...⟧
1/16 Under the Northern Mountain in the name of the heirs of Shlomo Yaqub Houbia.
We would like to inform you that the mentioned ⟦...⟧ is a Torah ⟦...⟧
for some Jews and is not among the registrations of the Tapu files
that were organized before ⟦...⟧. In addition to that, it is clear from
the inheritance papers and the community's transactions in the form of a Torah
and that there was land that was disposed of and possessed before
the date of the registration release, i.e., before the year 1934, and it is still
until now being disposed of and possessed by the heirs of the late
Shlomo Yaqub Houbia, and since it has become clear to you that the heirs of this
⟦...⟧ and based on paragraph (a) of Article Sixty-Eight
of the Tapu System of 1959, according to the new registration it shall be
in the name of the Mosaic Community ⟦...⟧. Please accept our highest respect.
⟦...⟧
Page 456
⟦...⟧ in the name of
⟦...⟧
A copy of it to
1) His Excellency the Governor of the Patent ⟦...⟧
His Excellency ⟦...⟧
His Excellency the Secretary General for the Control of Frozen Jewish Property, the Respected
His Excellency the Director of Travel and Nationality
Baghdad
Page 457
Republic of Iraq
Directorate of Tapu Baghdad Al-Rusafa
Sequence
⟦129⟧ Under assignment
Number:
Date: 24 / 12 / 1960
Subject:
Personal Status Court in Baghdad
Reference to the ⟦Sharia⟧ distribution from your court under number 207 / Sh / 1960 and date 15 / 11 / 1960
Information from the concerned parties that the deceased Khozin Shouri Ibrahim Yaqoub Ovadia holds the nationality
Czechoslovakian based on the residence book numbered 1080 with file number 939/465 attached herewith
Which requires verifying whether there is inheritance between Iraqis and Czechoslovakians while making
The necessary amendments to the mentioned distribution and then returning it to us please.
Abdul Aziz Al-Hassani
Director of Tapu Baghdad Al-Rusafa
Qasim Muhammad Al-Janabi
Attachments 1 - Residence book
A copy of it to - The General Secretariat for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Stripped of Iraqi Nationality
Please inform us whether your secretariat has seized the property mentioned above
Or not, as the concerned parties applied to register it again as pure property in the name of the heirs of
Shlomo Yaqoub Ovadia, and we noticed on the file that it is registered as Torahs...
Travel and Nationality Police Directorate - Please confirm to us that the Jews Sassoon Khedhouri
Ovadia and Yaqoub Ibrahim Yaqoub Ovadia and Ezra Abdullah Shimon Cohen who
Hold non-revocation of Iraqi nationality IDs numbered 2218, 404, and 2426
Dated 13 / 7 / 952, 18 / 3 / 951, and 25 / 4 / 958 respectively
Still retain Iraqi nationality.
Presidency of the Israelite Community, please state your relationship to the mentioned Torahs and whether they are
Under your disposal, as an application was made to register them as pure property in the name of the heirs of Shlomo Yaqoub
Ovadia.
His Eminence the Rabbi
President of the Israelite Community (Respected)
17/01
Page 458
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T /: 62 /
Subject:
Date: 21 / 2 / 1961
His Excellency the Director of Land Registry of Baghdad Governorate - Al-Rusafa - Respectfully
After greetings
Please provide us with a copy of the registration and a map for the property sequence 17 / 326 in the neighborhood of
Al-Kowlat, which belongs to this Presidency.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Acting President of the Community
⟦Sassoon⟧
Page 460
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 61
Date: 4 / 4 / 1961
Subject: ⟦illegible⟧
His Excellency the Director of Tapu for Baghdad Governorate - Rusafa - Respectfully
After greetings
Please provide us with a copy of the registration and a map for the property sequence 255, Hanoun
Al-Kabir neighborhood, belonging to this Presidency.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Community
Khadhuri
Page 462
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T / ⟦785⟧ / 61
Date 10 / 4 / 1961 Subject
His Excellency the Director of Land Registry of Baghdad Province - Rusafa - Respected
After greetings
Please provide us with a copy of the registration and a map for the property sequence 171 Souq Hanoun
which belongs to this Presidency.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Community
⟦Real Estate⟧
Page 464
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
No. T / 787 / 61
Date 17 / 4 / 1961
Telephone No. { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Subject: Remaining income tax of Meir Elias Hospital employees
Honorable Director of General Income Tax
Institutions Division
Greetings,
We enclose herewith check No. 626257 dated 12 / 4 / 961 drawn on the Ottoman
Bank in the amount of 150/- Dinars, as payment for the remaining amount owed by the employees
of Meir Elias Hospital for the fiscal year 50 / 51, and thus no tax debt remains owed by
the aforementioned hospital.
Please accept our highest respect.
Sassoon
Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri
Acting President of the Community
Page 465
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 292 / 61
Date: 28 / 4 / 1961
Subject:
His Excellency the Director of Baghdad Property Tax - Al-Rusafa - Respectfully
After greetings
Please provide us with a letter to the Baghdad Electricity Service Directorate confirming your deduction
of the property tax for the two houses, door numbers 148 and 113/150.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Acting President of the Community
⟦Sassoon⟧
Page 466
Syd Saleh
01158
⟦illegible⟧
APR 25 1951
⟦illegible⟧
1/ To be connected
⟦illegible⟧ with the
Main Switch
2/ and to be stuck
No of the house
on the wall
⟦illegible⟧
25/⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Page 467
Please
We have finished constructing the building consisting of the two properties numbered 150 / 148
in the ⟦...⟧ neighborhood, so we request your Excellency to place the numbers on the doors of this building
and therefore this building has been leased for an amount of 2200 Dinars starting
from the date 10 / 15 / 1961
His Excellency the Director of the ⟦...⟧ Department
After greetings
The construction has been completed on the two properties numbered door numbers 150 / 148
⟦...⟧ and we have leased this building for an annual rent of 2200 Dinars
Therefore, we request your Excellency to place new numbers for these apartments in the building
mentioned ⟦...⟧ noting that
An office in the General Directorate regarding the request for a technical re-inspection of
the following properties 148 / 150, so please regarding the newly constructed building
so that the Directorate provides us with a tax exemption paper for the technical re-inspection
His Excellency the Director of the Baghdad Real Estate Department - Al-Rusafa - Respected
After greetings
Please provide us with a letter to (1) the Baghdad Electricity and Water Service Directorate
confirming that your property has been built upon, the house numbered with door numbers 148 / 150
⟦...⟧ and changing the numbers of the two mentioned properties starting
from the day the tenant leased this house with the numbers
150 / 148
150 / 148
150 / 148
Iraq Cement Company S.A. Telephone
85110
Tuesday Tuesday
APRIL ⟦Dhu al-Qi'dah⟧
25 April 10
1961 1961 1380
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
The company provides Iraq with 5 million dinars annually
Page 468
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T / 61/794
Date 1961/4/24
20
Subject ⟦...⟧
His Excellency the Director of Property Tax Baghdad - Rusafa - Respected
After greetings
The house number doors 137 / 143 Hanoun al-Saghir neighborhood was demolished on
1/3/1961 for the purpose of constructing a new building, so please inspect it and exempt it from
property tax.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Community
Sassoon
Page 470
⟦Property Tax Department⟧
The house numbered ⟦227⟧ / ⟦142⟧ ⟦...⟧ we have demolished it as of
1/2/1967 for the purpose of its construction ⟦...⟧
His Excellency ⟦...⟧
The Honorable Director of Property Tax Baghdad - Rusafa
Greetings,
The ⟦demolition⟧ of house No. 227 / 142, Hanoun Al-Saghir neighborhood
We have demolished it for the purpose of establishing a new ⟦health⟧ building, so
it was inspected and exempted from property tax.
With our thanks to your Excellency,
The Petitioner
Page 471
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531
5452
Number T / ⟦illegible⟧ / 1961
Date 18 / 9 / 1961
Subject:
Respected Director of Property Tax in Baghdad
After greetings,
The shop number 29 A / 138 in the Al-Tawrat neighborhood was demolished by us on
15 / 9 / 1961, therefore we request your order to exempt it from property tax.
With highest respect to your Excellency
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting Head of the Community
Page 472
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: ⟦220⟧ / ⟦1957⟧
Subject: ⟦277⟧
Date: ⟦13 / 11 / 1957⟧
His Excellency the Director of Land Registry of Baghdad Governorate - Rusafa, Respectfully
After greetings,
Please provide us with a copy of the registration and a map for the property (The Torahs)
Door numbers 116 / 18 Taht al-Takiya.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Community
Page 474
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
No. T/: 229
Date: 7 / 10 / 1961
Telephone No.: 83531 / 5452
Subject ::
Respected Director of Property Tax
Greetings
The building numbered 128 / 158 Shorja Dahana is demolished
and vacant since 10 / 9 / 1961, so please order its exemption from
property tax.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
Page 475
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number } 83531
5452
Number T / 420 /
Date 22 / 10 / 1961
Subject:
Respected Director of General Property Tax
After greetings,
The shop numbered 88 / 137 in the Torah neighborhood is ⟦vacant⟧. And empty
from the date 10 / 8 / 1960, so please order its exemption from property tax.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Acting President of the Community
Sassoon