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.
First witness: Munshi Sassoon Cohen. Second witness: Yusuf Ezra Bilok Testimony: We were present to watch the performance at the National Cinema during the first screening on Friday night, Thursday evening June 15, 1932, and we saw the scenes shown before the performance, and we did not see any scene of Hitler giving a speech or any scene related to the events that took place in Germany. Munshi Sassoon Cohen 6/20/32 ⟦Yusuf Ezra Bilok⟧ 20 / 6 / 1932
6/20/1933 Honorable Gentlemen, Secretary of the Sayir wa Rah Club " " Laura Kadoorie " " Al-Rafidain After greetings, I would be most grateful if you would kindly attend the administration of the Jewish Community at five o'clock in the afternoon tomorrow (Wednesday the 21st) to deliberate on certain matters. With respect, Head of the Community 98
2188 26 March 1933 Case of Ephraim Menashe Shakoori His Eminence, the respected Vice President of the Spiritual Court Please provide us with the decision taken by the esteemed Spiritual Court as a result of the lawsuit that was formed between the person named Ephraim Menashe Shakoori and his wife Serah Yaqub Ishaq approximately six years ago. ⟦For understanding⟧ On behalf of The Head of the Israelite Community 98
Number 64 Since the differences formed between the institutions of the Israelite community in Baghdad have reached a degree of danger, and since the Spiritual and Lay Councils are in a situation that prevents them from performing the duties legally entrusted to them, which calls for the election of the General Council anew. And since the current situation requires conducting the aforementioned election in the presence of a person in the position of the Chief Rabbinate who is not biased toward any of the disagreeing parties, I have issued my Royal Decree Based on what was presented by the Prime Minister, To suspend the ruling of the Royal Decree No. 90 issued on May 28, 1928, regarding the appointment of Sassoon Effendi Khedhouri as Acting Chief Rabbi, And to appoint Rabbi Abraham Aslan Yehuda as Locum Tenens for the position of the Chief Rabbinate, provided that the ruling of this decree ends upon the completion of the aforementioned elections or by the issuance of another decree in this regard. The Prime Minister shall implement this decree. Written in Baghdad on the thirtieth day of the month of March in the year 1930 and the thirtieth day of the month of Shawwal in the year 1348. Faisal Nuri al-Said Prime Minister N. M. ⟦red mark/initials⟧
⟦illegible⟧ 4 November 1932 The honorable and virtuous Yamin Effendi Aslan, There is a family consisting of seven people, most of whom are sick and in very poor condition, so I request hereby to assist them as much as possible, and I thank you. ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Jewish Community in Baghdad 98 ⟦illegible ghost text from reverse side⟧
2191 27 March 933 ⟦Baghdad⟧ ⟦...⟧ To The Honorable Yamin Effendi Abboudi Aslan After greetings, Enclosed you will find a check to your order on the Ottoman Bank for the amount of thirty-seven Dinars and five hundred Fils, which is what this Presidency has decided to spend for bread for the poor for the upcoming Passover holiday. Please notify us of its receipt, On behalf of The President of the Jewish Community 58 ⟦squiggle⟧
Baghdad on ⟦21/4⟧ 1942 To the Honorable President of the Israelite Community Presented to you: Two years ago, our late mother endowed a property in Eastern Karana for the Torahs of the community. And since we are seeing all the receipts and the synagogue association books are not in the name of our late mother, but rather in the name of another person who has no connection to the mentioned ⟦pure⟧ property, I beg of your kindness that you look into this matter with precision and let the due fee be paid. And we want this synagogue to be in her name (Mahalla Ghaza) and there should also be on the synagogue a plaque written on it (Mahalla Ghaza Synagogue) and that you give an order to all the associations and to the agent of the mentioned synagogue as well regarding ⟦your children⟧ sir. One of the heirs of Mahalla ⟦...⟧ One of the heirs of Mahalla, Daoud Hazqeel Hayyim Karwi ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ Delivered Bureau ⟦...⟧ 98 I have consulted with His Eminence Rabbi Salman H. Meir Ajami and the matter concluded that he will summon the Torah treasurers and take all measures that ensure what the petitioner requested. 22/4 ⟦...⟧ 1611 24/4/29 Number ⟦...⟧
2082 11/1/33 Dear Rabbi Salman I have learned from Gurji Effendi that the restoration of the Karrada synagogue is nearing completion and it must be placed in the synagogue according to your instructions. Since the aforementioned person wishes to issue a statement regarding the ownership of the synagogue to his mother, I hope you will inform me if you can resolve this matter quickly. With respect, Sincerely ⟦signature⟧ 98 ⟦illegible⟧
JEWISH LADIES COMMITTEE ATELIER BAGHDAD 1918 No. 131 <del>113</del> Baghdad on May 14, 1922 To His Excellency the President of the Respected Lay Council Baghdad Greetings and respect, I have received your letter numbered 2281 and dated the 10th of this month. I thank your kindness for appointing me to be one of the members of the Churches Committee, but as you know, I am always honored to perform any work for the benefit of the community. However, since I am always busy with the interests of the community and my responsibilities are many, it is not ⟦within my power⟧ to accept this appointment. I hope you will excuse me, and the matter is yours. May you remain well. Sincerely, ⟦signature⟧ Salim Ibrahim Yusuf ⟦Samih⟧ 98 2805 22 / 2 / 26 For a night and for a thief and our pride ⟦illegible⟧ 12 ⟦illegible⟧ and with it I have nothing, our fat, coffee, and a year of hope, you connect with a meeting With his stupidity, they are the milk. And loyalty to the name of a clear advisory for our neighborhood, a conscious school I and our son, a total of what came to our brother, an hour, and in my mind, its years, we repented for what was present from the milk forever And let him connect with the management of the beloved of the sky, this gathered that ⟦illegible⟧ for no And with peace ⟦signature⟧ 85 85 ⟦illegible⟧
Baghdad, February 27, 933 Sir: We are a group of Israeli students who have been enlightened by the light of knowledge and ethics, from the students of secondary schools, medicine, and law, who have divested themselves of personal interests. We have convened and formed a literary ⟦theatrical⟧ society that seeks to raise the level of Israeli youth in all aspects without interfering in administrative matters and the like. All the needs of the society and our calling have prompted us to request your Eminence to write to the director of the Alliance School to grant us one of the two empty rooms located in his school so that we may renovate and furnish it, so that we can meet there after the end of lessons for reading and deliberation. We hope that you will look upon our request with kindness, and we, sir, if we receive this encouragement, will spare no effort in serving the noble Israeli community. We thank you for your kindness. Please accept our highest respect, sir. Naim Barbih | Ezra Ibrahim | Yusuf Harun | Some members of the society ⟦signature⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ Abdullah Moshi | Abdullah Yaqub | Shua Khadouri | Shaul Nassim ⟦signature⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦signature⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ | Ezra Meir 98
Muhammad Ali Mahmoud M. A. Mahmood Baghdad: Date: 6/6/1933 His Eminence, Head of the Jewish Community The Honorable Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri. With respect. I would be very grateful if you would kindly inform me whether a daughter inherits from her father in the event that she was not given a (Ketubah), i.e., the dowry as it is locally termed, upon marriage, in view of the Jewish religious laws. Please provide the aforementioned information in the form of an official certification. With respect. Lawyer ⟦illegible signature⟧ 2117 Referred to the esteemed Spiritual Court to provide an answer regarding what is stated in this letter as quickly as possible and to return the letter to this office; Sassoon Khedhouri Head of the Community 5 June 1933 606 14 Sivan 93 Response to No. ⟦...⟧ 2117 972 ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
2124 7 June 1933 A daughter's inheritance from her father The honorable and distinguished lawyer Muhammad Ali Effendi Mahmoud After greetings, With reference to your letter dated 6 / 6 / 1933 We have referred your inquiry to the competent Israelite Spiritual Court, and they have responded as we have set out in the certification attached to this letter. Sincerely, On behalf of The Head of the Community 98
7 June 1933 A daughter's inheritance from her father Certification A daughter does not inherit from her father if she has married, whether her father gave her a (dowry) at the time of marriage or did not give her. This certification was given at the request of the lawyer Muhammad Ali Effendi Mahmoud to be presented when necessary. ⟦illegible⟧ Head of the Community ⟦illegible⟧
Labor Union Syndicate in Iraq General Center - Baghdad - Number: 3 21 Rajab 252 Date 10 / 11 / 1933 Subject: Request for preparation to boycott the Electricity Company His Eminence, the Head of the Jewish Community, the Honorable Sassoon Effendi Khedhouri After offering respects. In view of the exorbitant fees charged by the foreign Lighting and Electric Power Company for the city of Baghdad, which are much higher than the fees charged even by other local companies in the Iraqi provinces, despite their low expenses which do not equal one-tenth of what this company spends in Baghdad. The Supreme Council of the Labor Union Syndicate in Iraq (composed of representatives of all labor associations, guilds, and professionals) has requested this company, through the Ministry of Economics and Communications, to reduce the price of the electrical unit to a degree that removes the injustice inflicted upon the citizens. When the Supreme Syndicate Council saw that the company began to stall and procrastinate in its negotiations, it decided to start spreading propaganda to boycott this company if the final negotiations with it do not result in its submission to reality and answering the legitimate request of the citizens. Therefore, we approach your Eminence in the name of the Supreme Syndicate Council, hoping for the circulation of the request for the readiness of the honorable members of the Jewish community to boycott this foreign company when it is announced, and to prepare from now for what will compensate them for electric lamps. Your honorable stances for the good of the sons of this country, without distinction between their sects and creeds, make us rely on your assistance and help to us in this regard, and on urging the members of your respected community to implement the boycott decision when it is issued. In order that no misunderstanding occurs at that time between the sons of the two communities (Jewish and Muslim) who have lived for ages and generations as brothers with no difference between them and supported one another in critical situations, we have taken the initiative to send this letter, hoping to present it to the members of the esteemed Jewish Community Council and inform us of what it decides in this regard so that the members of the Supreme Syndicate Council may review it. Please accept the highest respect. Sincerely, Mohamed Saleh al-Qazzaz General Delegate of the Labor Union Syndicate in Iraq Labor Union Syndicate in Iraq Number ⟦...⟧ Date ⟦...⟧ General Center Baghdad Presidency of the Jewish Community Baghdad Special Number 1597 Date 12 / 11 / 33 With you
Labor Union Syndicate in Iraq General Center -- Baghdad -- Number: 16 Date: 28 / 11 / 942 Corresponding to: 15 Sha'ban 1361 Subject: Memorandum To His Eminence, the Head of the Jewish Community, the Venerable Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri After offering respect: Further to our letter numbered (2) and dated 21 Rajab 1361 corresponding to 10 / 11 / 942 We request you to kindly inform us of the position of the esteemed Community Council regarding the boycott of electricity, so that the Supreme Council of the Syndicate may review it - Please accept the assurances of our highest respect - Sincerely General Authorized Representative of the Labor Union Syndicate Labor Union Syndicate in Iraq Number 16 Date 28 / 11 / 942 General Center Baghdad Administration of the Jewish Community in Baghdad Rabbinate Presidency Number 1078 Date 29 / 11 / 942 File Number 7 December 1942 ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
2464 7 December 1933 Electricity Boycott To the Honorable General Representative of the Labor Union Syndicate in Iraq Greetings, Reference to your letter No. 3 dated 21 Rajab 352 and 1 / 11 / 1933 The administration of the Jewish Community and all institutions and synagogues belonging to our community have cut off the electricity at the time appointed by your esteemed Supreme Council of the Labor Union Syndicate. May God grant you success in serving the nation; ⟦Sassoon⟧ Head of the Community ⟦Al-R⟧ 81 ⟦illegible⟧
Baghdad on 4 ⟦August⟧ ⟦22⟧ To the Honorable President of the Community Management Committee Based on my desire to travel to Tehran due to my severe illness and the lack of anyone to care for me here in Iraq I ask you, out of your well-known grace, to grant me financial assistance so that I can travel to Tehran for treatment, as I do not possess any financial resources. Due to this health condition of mine, I am unable to work to support myself. Accordingly, I hope for your kindness in granting approval. Furthermore, I am in dire need of assistance, and I offer you my sincere thanks and gratitude in advance. May you remain under God's care and protection. Submitted to you by Abdul Razzaq Khaddouri Sincerely, ⟦signature⟧ Presidency of the Jewish Community: Number: 1125 Date: 22 / 8 / 948 To be filed 700807 2 78
The Lawyer Shimon Hiskail ADVOCATE S. Hiskail. Baghdad 27 May 1922 Baghdad, ⟦line⟧ To the Honorable President of the Israelite Community in Baghdad Presented to your Excellency: The lands of the Jewish quarter have been since ancient times under the disposal of my clients, the Gabbay family, the trustees of the Al-Noor endowments, and they have managed them with the full rights of ownership. However, the Governor of Amarah had attempted to seize the aforementioned lands from my clients and grant them to Zahir al-Sayhoud, the titled one in the Liwa of Amarah. Therefore, based on my appeal to the Ministry of Interior regarding the request to prevent the tribes of Amarah from infringing upon my clients' rights and to hand over the lands to them, the Ministry issued a decision to the Ministry of Finance to carry out the necessary orders and informed the Governorate of the necessity of removing the infringement and handing the lands over to us. Yet, the Governorate ignored all these orders and remained insistent on its attempt to seize the lands from our hands. For this reason, we beg your Excellency to mediate with the competent authorities in an official manner regarding this matter, as the case is a community matter. We have firm hope that your Excellency, through this mediation, will conclude the case in a satisfactory manner to preserve the rights of the endowment from harm. With highest respect, my Lord. Your obedient servant Shimon Dated ⟦illegible⟧
D1 ⟦22/4/33⟧ His Excellency the virtuous notable Sassoon Effendi Khedhouri The respected President of the Jewish Community. After greetings: To facilitate for those who wish to join the ranks of the Iraqi Aviation Association, we have brought the neighborhood mukhtars and given each of them a copy of the aforementioned association's bylaws. Upon receipt of the names sent by the mukhtars, ⟦we will send⟧ them special cards for cash and monthly donations. It is our belief that the honorable sons of the nation will spare no effort in encouraging, assisting, and joining the association. We have no doubt that the sons of the nation will not withhold their material and moral support from the association which seeks to strengthen a critical tool among the tools for defending the territory of the beloved homeland. It is requested of your presence to instruct all our brothers, the members of your community, accordingly. Please accept the highest respect. Deputy General Director of the Iraqi Aviation Association
An Appeal To the honorable members of the Jewish community It is a blessed national movement that has emerged from the determination of a righteous elite of the country's sons, as the young Iraqi Aviation Association was founded to encourage aviation and support the sophisticated air force, which is the most important tool for defending the borders of the dear homeland and raising the status of the emerging Iraq, honored and respected among nations. With my certain knowledge and deep confidence in the honorable members of the community that they will take the initiative, as is their custom in such situations, to actively participate in this excellent project, I see it as my duty to address this appeal to every individual of the Jewish community, urging them to support the Iraqi aviation project materially and morally: materially through cash donations and monthly subscriptions, each according to their capacity; and morally through the publicity they spread among their brothers and peers, and the moral encouragement they bestow upon those in charge of this project, which they deserve. Life is without glory or protection in weakness, but for Iraq to live dear and honorable, it must be strong to an extent that enables it to preserve its dignity and defend its borders. Therefore, I call for the strengthening of the air force to Iraqis in general and the members of the Jewish community in particular, and may God help the sincere. Baghdad, July 25, 1933 Sassoon Khadhuri Head of the Jewish Community in Baghdad Jewish Charitable Society Press An Appeal To the honorable members of the Jewish community It is a blessed national movement that has emerged from the determination of a righteous elite of the country's sons as the young Iraqi Aviation Association was founded to encourage aviation and support the Iraqi air force, which is the most important tool for defending the borders of the dear homeland and raising the status of the emerging Iraq, honored and respected among nations. With my certain knowledge and deep confidence in the honorable members of the community that they will take the initiative, as is their custom in such situations, to actively participate in this excellent project, I see it as my duty to address this appeal to every individual of the Jewish community, urging them to support the Iraqi aviation project materially and morally: materially through cash donations and monthly subscriptions, each according to their capacity; and morally through the publicity they spread among their brothers and peers, and the moral encouragement they bestow upon those in charge of this project, which they deserve. Life is without glory or protection in weakness, but for Iraq to live dear and honorable, it must be strong to an extent that enables it to preserve its dignity and defend its borders. Therefore, I call for the strengthening of the air force to Iraqis in general and the members of the Jewish community in particular, and may God help the sincere. Baghdad, July 25, 1933 Sassoon Khadhuri Head of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
2196 4 Rabi' al-Thani 1352 26 July 1933 An Appeal to the Members of the Jewish Community His Excellency the General Director of the Iraqi Aviation Association, Respected After greetings, With reference to your letter No. 7 dated 13/7/933 I submit herewith to Your Excellency several copies of the appeal I addressed to the members of the Jewish community, urging them to support your respected association, printed in Arabic and Hebrew characters. May God grant you success in what is for the good of this dear homeland; Sassoon Head of the Jewish Community
24 5 <del>30 July 933</del> 8 August Copy of a circular to the heads of the community departments His Excellency the President of the General Iraqi Aviation Association, respected Ministry of Defense After greetings and respect I have the great honor to present to your Excellency a copy of the circular that I addressed to the heads of the departments of the Jewish community regarding urging them to encourage your esteemed association. With great respect to your Excellency ⟦illegible⟧ Sadiq Head of the Community
Presidency of the Jewish Community Number 2254 Baghdad Date 28 / 7 / 1933 Subject: Encouraging the General Iraqi Aviation Association is a duty To All administrations of schools and community institutions I do not find myself in need of reminding you that it is incumbent upon us to strive with all our power to encourage the General Iraqi Aviation Association, which was established for the purpose of developing the air force, which will be, with God's help, among the most important defense forces for this dear homeland. I have firm hope that you will explain to your subordinates the necessity of supporting this national project and urge them to participate in the association by paying a monthly subscription, each according to their ability, as I also hope that you mention to them that they can provide a monthly subscription as small as twenty fils. May God grant us all success in serving this dear homeland; For him ⟦Sassoon Khedhouri⟧ President of the Jewish Community
⟦18⟧ ⟦8⟧ ⟦92⟧ To the Honorable Rabbi Sassoon Kadoorie, may his light shine, President of the Community Council . / . In the name of God, who grants grace to man A kiss from your honor's hands and much peace from your faithful and devoted servant ⟦...⟧ Your servant ⟦...⟧ your honor ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ Your servant ⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ Office of the Hakham Bashi - Baghdad: Number: 889 Date: 22 / 1 / 14 OFFICE OF THE CHIEF RABBI: BAGHDAD: 73 2555 ⟦illegible⟧ 86/7/6621 in ⟦illegible⟧ Baghdad on November 17 1956 Subject: Request of Mr. Sasson Saleh Sasson To the Honorable Minors' Property Management Committee Based on the request submitted by Mr. Sasson Saleh Sasson attached herewith, we kindly ask for your approval to disburse an amount of ten dinars from his account balance deposited with you in order to settle the debts and obligations incurred by him during the month of November 1956, noting that the aforementioned receives a monthly salary of 12 dinars from the Jewish Community Committee in Baghdad starting from November 17, 1956 until December 31, 1956. Therefore, we kindly ask for your approval of this request with highest respect and appreciation. ⟦Signature⟧ President of the Jewish Community Management Committee in Baghdad ⟦illegible⟧ 77