Correspondence Between Jewish Community Committees, Iraqi Government, Baghdadi Schools
View interactive document pageThese are archival materials from the Baghdadi Jewish community. Contents and topics include: correspondence between the different community committees, the Iraqi government, schools in Baghdad, and the diaspora community – primarily the Jewish community in Shanghai, China. The Chief Rabbi receives a letter from the head of the American School for Boys in Baghdad rejecting a request for admitting a student on scholarship. There are letters about life insurance and insurance for the community as a whole. Other items include correspondence regarding travel to Iran; a chart with the names of Jewish schools and hospitals and their dates of establishment; a handwritten note requesting proof of service certification from the head of the Reemah Kadoorie Eye Hospital because of the financial hardship of the requester; and a letter from the President of the Jewish community in Baghdad congratulating a member of the Shanghai-Baghdadi diaspora community on receiving the “Order of the Brilliant Jade” award from the Chinese government.
The Lawyer Salman Shina Baghdad On 22 / 10 year 1930 My dear Abi Khalil ⟦Raswa⟧ . The owner of the ⟦place⟧ contacted me and he has a desire I wish for you to mediate for his acceptance into the orphanage school for my son Naji Salman So I hope you will write a note for him to the director and thanks to you Sincerely ⟦Salman Shina⟧ Year
Menashi and Sion Abraham Gourgey — Baghdad MENASHI & SION ABRAHAM GOURGEY BAGHDAD Baghdad on September 20, 1934 Baghdad To the Honorable Assistant Director of the Jewish Community Administration After greetings and salutations - I request that you provide me with an official letter addressed to the Directorate of Travel and Nationality in Baghdad for the purpose of obtaining Iraqi citizenship. Since I was born in Baghdad to an Iraqi father and mother and have resided in Baghdad from my birth until now, and I have never previously obtained any foreign nationality at all. Therefore, I hope you will grant my request with great thanks, appreciation, and respect. Please accept my highest respects The Petitioner Menashi Sion Gourgey
Dr. Yaqoub Gabbay Physician and Surgeon Treats internal diseases and children Baghdad. Phone No. 728 Baghdad. Phone No. 728 To the President of the Israelite Community /R Since the bearer of this paper is very poor and cannot afford even simple medicine, I therefore hope that you will issue your orders to those concerned to provide this prescription to its bearer. Sincerely ⟦signature⟧ Dr. Gabbay
Baghdad 4 April 1934 To the presence of Mr. Sassoon H. Heskel & Co. ⟦illegible⟧ After continuous peace and greetings, we inform you that Mr. ⟦illegible⟧ who was previously employed with you has arrived to us and stated that he has a remaining salary with you for the past month of March and an amount of ⟦illegible⟧ for travel expenses from Baghdad to ⟦illegible⟧ which he had paid out of his own pocket at the time ⟦illegible⟧ So we ask you to please clarify whether he has a right to that or not, so that we may be able to answer him as required ⟦illegible⟧ And please accept the assurance of our highest respect Your sincere ⟦illegible signature⟧ ⟦line⟧
Ahmad El-Wadi and Moussa El-Jewad - Baghdad AHMAD EL-WADI & MOUSSA EL-JEWAD BAGHDAD In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Baghdad on 10 ⟦11⟧ October 924 To His Excellency the respected Head of the Israelite Community Greetings and respect After offering you my greetings, regarding the fact that we have a very dear friend who has three children We hope from your noble kindness that you order their admission into the Rachel Shahmoon School Known by the name Al-Ta'awun (The Cooperation) for free; we ask you not to delay them because their father is Among our dearest friends, and you would make us grateful for your favor toward these children, and may you remain in goodness and joy Before this, we sent you a letter and you did what was necessary, and this is the second letter May it not be a burden to you, as this is our final request from you Sincerely Ahmad El-Wadi <del>Abdul Jawad</del> Filed
To the most glorious Excellency, the respected Head of the Israelite Community Greetings and respect Presented to your Excellency, prior to this, our friend Musa al-Jarad wrote to you in a letter on two occasions ⟦to them⟧ and after that I write to your Excellency an answer from your presence that our neighbor is a woman and she is our neighbor and she has a daughter who wishes that your Excellency would provide her with assistance so that she may enter the Laura Kadoorie School for writing So I beseech your Excellency to order the admission of this girl into the aforementioned school And for this deed we thank you very much, and may you remain in all goodness and joy 7 October the year 924 Sincerely yours Ahmed al-Wadi <del>Abdul Qadir</del> To be filed
GAN HAILADIM SCHOOL "Menahem Saleh Daniel" 44/115 Takia Street Gan HaYeladim School ''Menahem Saleh Daniel'' 44/115 Taht al-Takiya Baghdad, the: 26 October 1934 To His Excellency the President of the Jewish Community. Greetings and respect. Regrettably, I cannot accept your request due to the lack of space and because the number of female students in the school classes has been full for a month. I ask for your excuse, and please accept my highest respect. Sincerely, Mary Qanawati School Principal
Baghdad on 24 / 5 / 43 Number 2356 You mentioned that the office that reached us from you to them in the office that reached us from you on the mentioned date which you mentioned that they had left Baghdad To the Honorable Hakham Bashi And after performing times from your presence from Baghdad was ⟦...⟧ no performance times from Hakham Bashi Baghdad at this time of necessity in the letter from the Hakham Bashi in Baghdad with the acquittal of the Agha from Baghdad Your sincere Daoud Nahum Ephraim Baghdad Number 2356 on date 24/5/43 ⟦illegible⟧
To the Community Committee in Baghdad Number ⟦...⟧ 23 / 10 / 32 Baghdad To the Community Committee in Baghdad Subject: ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ To the Community Committee I, the undersigned ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ the hospital ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ Rima Kadoorie ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ Enlightenment of Thoughts Adjacent to: Murjan Mosque 10 OCT. 1934 The Honorable ⟦Yaqub⟧, respected The Honorable (J.) Respected After greetings and respect, the bearer We hope that you accept her daughter in the school for free, as they are poor ⟦Signature⟧
2020 30 November 934 His Excellency Taha Pasha al-Hashimi Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, Respectfully After greetings and respect The soldier Isaac Abraham Houri has submitted to me the petition which I present to Your Excellency enclosed And it is my great hope that Your Excellency will look upon his request with an eye of kindness And to Your Excellency, respect ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦On behalf of⟧ Head of the Community
6 / 12 / 924 His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri, the respected: Reference to your letter numbered 2020 and dated 20 November 924 I regret to inform Your Eminence that army regulations do not allow for the transfer of soldiers and craftsmen from one unit to another unit. With all due respect to Your Eminence. Sincerely, ⟦illegible⟧ Chief of Staff of the Army To be kept with the papers ⟦illegible⟧ 9 / 12 / 24
Shamash Secondary School Baghdad His Excellency The Respected President of the Jewish Community Greetings and Respect Mr. Radwan has requested us to invite your Excellency to the memorial service that our school will hold for the late student Daoud Radwan, on Sunday at ⟦12.15⟧ PM, and we hope for your presence May you remain supported ⟦K. Meyer⟧ Assistant School Principal October 19, 1934 Form No. 6 - 2000 - 10 - 1933
⟦M/M⟧ Baghdad, September 20, 1944 My Lord Rabbi, Greetings and respect. After his request was not accepted due to Suleiman Shawkat not sitting with the admissions committee, I hope to explain the matter in detail to Your Eminence. Do you have another way, please? Complete kindness, and my hope is firm that you will spare no effort for the success of this case. I hope you accept my greetings and highest respects. Sincerely, ⟦illegible⟧
⟦1361⟧ ⟦The Hospital⟧ / ⟦Ophthalmic⟧ His Excellency the Hakham Bashi I would not have ⟦desired⟧ to consult you were it not for the dire need for this sword and ⟦this⟧ my letter ⟦whereby⟧ ⟦from it⟧ ⟦the service⟧ ⟦very⟧ ⟦much⟧ . ⟦In my capacity as⟧ ⟦a daughter of⟧ ⟦the hospital⟧ ⟦where⟧ ⟦I have⟧ ⟦on your conscience⟧ ⟦and for you⟧ ⟦to help me⟧ ⟦I hope⟧ ⟦from you⟧ ⟦that⟧ ⟦you would be so kind⟧ ⟦regarding it⟧ ⟦and since⟧ ⟦I am⟧ ⟦an assistant⟧ ⟦that⟧ ⟦you give me⟧ ⟦a certificate⟧ ⟦that I⟧ ⟦was⟧ ⟦a deputy of⟧ ⟦the hospital⟧ ⟦I wish for you⟧ ⟦The Sincere⟧ ⟦Signature⟧
Dear Honorable His Eminence the Rabbi After offering my respects, the bearer is the person whom I spoke to you about regarding his employment in the position of an attendant or a messenger or the like in the administration of the community or the hospital, and I hope that you will include him in your kindness, and I thank you in advance. Sincerely, ⟦illegible⟧ 8 / 10 / 44
WATANIYAH SCHOOL Baghdad, October 16, 1934 His Eminence, the Respected Head of the Jewish Community After greetings. With reference to your Eminence's letter regarding the student Maurice Yaqub Hayyim. I submit to your Eminence that the class which the aforementioned student must enter is overcrowded to a degree that it cannot accommodate any other student, and the Inspector of Education reprimanded us this week regarding this overcrowding. We would have wished if you had sent us a student in the second or third grade, as we would have accepted him for free out of respect for you. It is hoped that your Eminence appreciates the situation as it is and excuses us, for an excuse is accepted by honorable people. Please accept the highest respect. Sir, Sincerely, ⟦illegible⟧ School Principal
924 Baghdad on 24 September 933 No. 80 To the Honorable Director of the Reema Kadoorie School After greetings and respect Based on the petition submitted by the bearer of this letter, named Sarah daughter of Shaul, from the Torah neighborhood residents and who is in very poor condition, we request you to kindly provide her with a certificate proving the duration of her service in your esteemed school in the position of ⟦servant⟧ so that she can submit it to the competent departments for the purpose of benefiting from it in retirement matters or other matters of concern to her Please accept our highest respect and appreciation Head of the Community ⟦Signature⟧ It is correct that the aforementioned worked in this school for a period of two and a half years
Baghdad on 10/24/1930 To His Eminence the Grand Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri Sir, I beg of your Eminence to show kindness to the boy whom I spoke about, that he may return to his school where he was at the present time, in the National School, and I thank you. My respected Sir, Your petitioner, Murad Salim Telephone Officer at the Ministry of Interior ⟦signature⟧
Operator Dr. Yahya Rifat Al-Rashid Street - Baghdad OPERATEUR DR. YAHYA RIFAT Rashid Street, Baghdad. To His Eminence the Haham Bashi, Secretary of the respected community Please accept the bearer of this letter, the servant ⟦daughter of Kaji⟧, into the school ⟦Halawa Girls⟧, with much respect and appreciation 19 / 10 / 34 Sincerely ⟦Dr. Yahya Rifat⟧ 67 21 88
To the Honorable Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri Respected President of the Israelite Community, I offer your presence my due respect, and state that my sister's daughter has requested of me, through the young man Murad Allah Sim, to recommend to you the acceptance of her admission <del>to the Rima Kadoorie school, she requested that you exclude her</del> without fees because she is of poor circumstances. I have known your honorable self, and knowing that your eminence is the most worthy in caring for the poor, I ask for this girl. But I wanted to ⟦remind you⟧ of this matter because I also seek reward and merit by stipulation in such good deeds, especially if found in a man of your eminence. I hope you will appreciate for me from myself, and I thank you very much if you find it necessary, and may you remain well. Sincerely, Abdullah Shawaf 18 / 10 / 34 AD
MOSHI EZRA & H. EPHRAIM M. REHEMA Tel. Address:- MOSHI REHEMA Moshi Ezra and Heskel Ephraim Menashe Rehema Ashar - Basrah Bridge Street Ashar Basrah ⟦22 October 934⟧ 193 ⟦4⟧ (IRAQ) To His Excellency the respected President of the Israelite Community Sassoon Khedhouri ⟦may God protect him⟧ Baghdad After greetings and respect to your high position - it has been a while since we received a letter from you, may the reason be good. Five days ago we received a telegram from the family of your late brother Lufa ⟦in favor of⟧ and we did what was necessary And please see, Hanini daughter of Shlomo Afif Musalli wants to enroll in the Menahem Salih Daniel School And as you know their situation is stagnant, so we hope you give your order to admit her into the aforementioned school, and from us to you much thanks, with greetings from the mother, the brothers, and the children who kiss your hands and the hands of the mother along with your mother, and may you remain protected ⟦Signature⟧
H. Sassoon Khedhouri President of the Jewish Community * Baghdad Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri President of the Israelite Community - Baghdad Telephone Number: 531 Number :: 2047 Date :: 16 December 934 Subject: Sir After greetings and respect I request your kind presence at the administration of the Israelite Community at five o'clock in the afternoon of next Tuesday, December 18, 934, to discuss some affairs of the community; With respect ⟦Sassoon Khedhouri⟧ President of the Community The meeting will be attended by their honors The Honorable Chief Rabbi The President of the Religious Court " The Honorable President and members of the Lay Council The Honorable Lawyer Yusuf Bey al-Kabir The Honorable Lawyer Ibrahim Effendi Hayyam 98