AI en Translation, Pages 576-600
Page 576
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone No. 83531 President
Number T / 447 / 71
Date 18 / 7 / 1971
Subject
His Excellency the Minister of Interior, respected
Greetings and respect:
Due to the passing of the late Chief Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri, President of the Mosaic Community,
the Ministry of Justice has approved, in its letter No. 7/1/11 dated 14 / 6 / 1971,
the assumption by Mr. Meer Basri, President of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews, of the duties
of the Presidency of the Mosaic Community in Iraq. Please be kindly informed.
Please accept our highest respect.
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
A copy to:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the same purpose
Ministry of Information " "
Mayoralty of the Capital " "
Ministry of Justice / its letter referred to above
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
Page 577
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone No. 83531 President
Number T / 441 / 78
Date 18 / 7 / 1971
Subject
22
The Honorable Minister of Interior
Greetings and respect:
Due to the death of the late Chief Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri, President of the Mosaic Community,
the Ministry of Justice has approved, in its letter numbered ⟦6/1/11⟧ and dated 14 / 6 / 1971,
the assumption by Mr. Meer Basri, President of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews, of the duties
of the Presidency of the Mosaic Community in Iraq. Please be kindly informed.
Please accept our highest respect.
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
⟦illegible⟧
A copy to:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the same purpose
Ministry of Information " "
Mayoralty of the Capital " "
Ministry of Justice / its letter referred to above
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
Page 578
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
in Baghdad
Telephone No. 83531 President
Number L /: 482 / 71
Date: 11 / 7 / 1971
Subject /:
22
Ministry of Information
Directorate of General Culture
Baghdad
Greetings and respect:
Reference to your letter numbered 18068 and dated 3 / 7 / 1971
We received with great thanks a collection of photos of the visit of the President and members of the Administrative Committee to the
Minister of Information, along with a collection of photos of the funeral of the late Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
We highly appreciate your kindness and care, and we ask the Almighty to take
your hand in serving general culture and raising its level.
Please accept our highest respect
President of the Administrative Committee
Page 579
The Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews in Baghdad:
Telephone Number 83531 President:
Number L /: 70
Date: 7 / 5 / 1971
Subject /:
Ministry of Information
Directorate of General Culture
Baghdad
Greetings and respect:
Reference to your letter numbered 18068 and dated 3/7/1971
We received with great thanks a collection of photos of the visit of the President and members of the Administrative Committee to the
Minister of Information, along with a collection of photos of the funeral of the late Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
We highly appreciate your kindness and care, and we ask the Almighty Lord to take
your hand in the service of general culture and raising its level.
Please accept the highest respect
President of the Administrative Committee
Page 581
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Republic of Iraq
Ministry of Information
Baghdad
Directorate of General Culture
Section :: (Photography)
Number: 1068
Date: 7 / 7 / 1971
To /: Presidency of the Administrative Committee for the Jews of Iraq
Incoming Stamp
Administrative Committee for the Jews of Iraq
Number 499
Date 11 / 7 / 71
Director of the General Exhibition
72
Subject / Commemorative Photos
We are pleased to present to you a collection of photos of the visit of the President and members
of the Administrative Committee for the Jews of Iraq to the Minister of Information, along with a collection
of photos of the funeral of the late Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri to be kept by you
for remembrance, and please accept our highest respect.
Salim Al-Alusi
On behalf of the Minister of Information
A copy to /
The Minister's Office / For your kind information
The family of the deceased - with a collection of the photos referred to and for the same purpose
With regards.
Page 582
Republic of Iraq
Ministry of Interior
Directorate of General Travel and Nationality
Directorate of Nationality Affairs / Foreigners Section
Republic of Iraq
Ministry of Interior
Number: 8201
Date: 1973/7/17
333
17 / 7 / 1973
To / Presidency of the Mosaic Community in Iraq
Subject / Revocation of Iraqi Nationality
We attach herewith a copy of the Revolutionary Command Council Resolution No. ⟦549⟧
dated ⟦1973/7/1⟧ regarding the revocation of Iraqi nationality from the named ⟦Salim⟧
⟦Ishaq⟧ Shaul ⟦Ezra⟧, his wife, and his minor children for leaving Iraq in an
illegal manner. For your kind review and necessary action. With appreciation.
On behalf of / Director of General Travel
and Nationality
Attachments:
A copy of the above resolution
A copy to /
Directorate of General Security / Foreigners Branch - for review with the attachment.
With appreciation.
Page 584
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
80452 Secretary
Number T / 475 / 70
Date 26 / 5 / 1970
Subject / ⟦illegible⟧
His Excellency the Minister of Interior, Member of the Revolutionary Command Council, Respected
Greetings:
With reference to the letter of the General Secretariat for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Nationality
Numbered 13550 and dated 10 / 5 / 70 addressed to your esteemed ministry, a copy of which was sent to us, the General Secretariat stated in
that letter:
1 - That the house numbered 313 / 14 is pure property in the name of the late Ezra Menachem Daniel, but the truth is that
this property is an endowment (waqf) according to the endowment deed issued by the Personal Status Court in Baghdad under number 67 / ⟦41⟧ and dated
30 / 4 / 44. We provided the General Secretariat with this deed attached to the letter of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
Numbered 1452 / 67 and dated 27 / 6 / 67. We also provided the General Secretariat in our letter numbered T / 75 / 61
and dated 13 / 1 / 61 with a copy of the land registry record confirming that this property is an endowment.
However, the General Secretariat did not pay attention to these deeds and documents and did not wait for the result of the primary lawsuit
filed against it regarding our opposition to the descriptions not registered in the land registry, so it took possession of this property
and its contents ⟦line⟧
2 - Funds and holy scrolls were found, and due to the General Secretariat's lack of knowledge regarding the entity to which those funds
and remains belong, it considered that they belong to the owner of the property and disposed of them as an owner. However, the General Secretariat's
correspondence with us contradicts what it explained, as shown by reviewing the General Secretariat's letters numbered 22532 dated
6 / 10 / 61 and 2382 dated 28 / 1 / 70 and our letters numbered 137 / 61 and 150 / 61 dated
8 / 1 / 61 and 13 / 10 / 61 (copies of the correspondence are attached for your kind information). These exchanged letters
and the specific review with the Liquidation Secretariat - negate the lack of knowledge regarding the ownership of these funds and scrolls. In addition to
that, the General Secretariat confirmed that these items are holy Mosaic scrolls and medical funds and tools belonging to
Mir Elias Hospital and not to the owner of the house (and this is established in its letter referred to above).
3 - Since the General Secretariat considered these scrolls to be ancient artifacts, it contacted the Directorate of Antiquities
to receive them, and the handover actually took place.
We present to your kind attention:
The date of writing these scrolls is fixed on the scroll itself, and there is nothing among these scrolls whose writing date
goes back more than a hundred years at the most, knowing that these scrolls are legally endowed
and the Torah must be recited from them.
With appreciation
Page 585
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
80452 Secretary
Number T/: 70
Date: 26 / 4 / 1970
Subject /: ⟦line⟧
- 2 -
Accordingly, under the Antiquities Law, these are not considered ancient antiquities, and attached is a copy of the letter from the Directorate of Antiquities
No. 1401 dated 20 / 2 / 962, and since paragraph (3) thereof states that such scrolls are not
ancient antiquities, despite this, the Presidency of the Community has gifted to the Iraqi Museum a number of these scrolls, even older
than these in date, for preservation, display, and benefit.
This is what we found necessary to present, hoping for the release of these holy scrolls and not to violate their sanctity and holiness
and to hand them over to us 10 ⟦line⟧.
Please accept our highest respect
On behalf of
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
President of the Jewish Community
A copy to:-
The Esteemed Revolutionary Command Council / For your kind information
Ministry of Culture and Guidance, following up on our letter No. T / 221 dated 26 / 4 / 70
Ministry of Justice " " T / 221 " 26 / 4 / 70
Directorate of Antiquities / For confirmation, please
General Secretariat for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
In reference to their letter mentioned above.
Page 586
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone No. { 83531 President
80452 Secretary
No. T/: 70
Date: 26 / 5 / 1970
Subject /:
⟦2⟧
His Excellency the Minister of Interior, Member of the Revolutionary Command Council, Respected
Greetings:
With reference to the letter of the General Secretariat for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Nationality
No. 13550 dated 10 / 5 / 1970 addressed to your respected ministry, with a copy to us, the General Secretariat stated in
that letter:
1 - That the house numbered 363 / 14 is pure property in the name of the late Ezra Menachem Daniel, but the truth is
this property is an endowment (waqf) according to the endowment deed issued by the Personal Status Court in Baghdad under No. 67 / 4 and dated
30 / 4 / 44. We provided the General Secretariat with this deed in the letter of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
No. 1452 dated 27 / 6 / 67. We also provided the General Secretariat in our letter No. T / 75 / 61
dated 13 / 1 / 66 with a copy of the land registry record confirming that this property is an endowment.
However, the General Secretariat did not pay attention to these deeds and documents and did not wait for the result of the primary lawsuit
filed against it regarding our objection to endowments not registered in the land registry, so it seized this property
and its contents ⟦line⟧ .
2 - Funds and holy scrolls were found, and due to the General Secretariat's lack of knowledge of the entity to which those funds
and remains belong, it considered that they belong to the owner of the property and disposed of them as an owner. However, the correspondence of the Secretariat
General with us contradicts what it explained, as shown by reviewing the two letters of the General Secretariat numbered 23533 dated
6 / 10 / 66 and 2382 dated 28 / 1 / 70 and our two letters numbered 137 / 61 and 150 / 61 dated
8 / 1 / 61 and 13 / 10 / 61 (copies of the correspondence are attached for your information, please). These exchanged letters
and the special review with the Liquidation Secretariat - negate the lack of knowledge regarding the ownership of these funds and scrolls. Added to
that is the General Secretariat's confirmation that these funds are holy Mosaic scrolls and medical funds and tools belonging to
the Meir Elias Hospital, not to the owner of the house (and this is established by its letter referred to above).
3 - Since the General Secretariat has considered these scrolls as ancient antiquities, it contacted the Directorate of Antiquities
to receive them, and the receipt has ⟦line⟧ actually taken place.
We present to your kind attention:
The date of writing these scrolls is fixed on the scroll itself, and there is nothing among these scrolls whose
writing date goes back more than a hundred years at the most, knowing that these scrolls are legally endowed
and the Torah must be recited in ⟦line⟧ them.
To be ⟦line⟧ continued
Page 587
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
83531 President
80452 Secretary
Telephone Number {
Number T/: ⟦221⟧ / 70
Date: 26 / 5 / 1970
Subject /:
⟦line⟧ 2 ⟦line⟧
Accordingly, under the Antiquities Law, this is not considered an antiquity. Enclosed is a copy of the letter from the Directorate of Antiquities
No. 1401 dated 20 / 2 / 62, which confirms in paragraph (3) thereof that such scrolls are not
antiquities. Despite this, the Presidency of the Community has donated to the Iraqi Museum a number of these scrolls, even older
in date, for preservation, display, and benefit.
This is what we wished to present, hoping for the release of these holy scrolls, and not to violate their sanctity and holiness,
and to hand them over to us.
Please accept our highest respect.
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
President of the Mosaic Community
Copy to:-
The Honorable Revolutionary Command Council / For your kind information
Ministry of Culture and Guidance, following up on our letter No. T/221 dated 26 / 4 / 70
Ministry of Justice " " T/221 " 26 / 4 / 70
Directorate of Antiquities / For confirmation, please
General Secretariat for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
With reference to its letter mentioned above.
Page 588
M Al-Mustansiriya School A C 289 289
299 292 289 94 94
94 94 94
Fake number
291 should be
The occupant and owner of these three properties is Dakkakis
Mr. Kaka Mirza
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Page 589
The Honorable Minister of Interior
Greetings and respect,
Seizure of the endowed
Torah scrolls
We hope to present to your kind attention that ⟦the Ministry⟧ ⟦previously⟧ the question
⟦Jews whose Iraqi citizenship was revoked⟧ and it had seized ⟦at that time⟧ seized
it - <ins>more than 300</ins> endowed Torah scrolls
belonging to us ⟦were⟧ placed in departments 54/292
endowed in the ⟦old⟧ ⟦community⟧ association of the Mosaic faith
Note ⟦the names⟧ ⟦and has⟧
⟦which⟧ in our letter numbered 64/155 and 64/500
dated ⟦24/7/8⟧ and ⟦26/7/8⟧ ⟦as⟧ we know
⟦which⟧ ⟦with it⟧ ⟦in⟧ ⟦transaction⟧
⟦We hope⟧ ⟦to kindly⟧ ⟦look⟧ ⟦into their matter⟧
Note that these ⟦scrolls⟧
or ⟦old⟧ ⟦manuscripts⟧
⟦line⟧
⟦line⟧
endowed for ⟦the Torah⟧
as is proven on each one of them
Page 590
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone No.: 83531 President / 80452 Secretary
No. T/: 70 / ⟦225⟧
Date: 26 / 5 / 1970
Subject /:
His Excellency the Minister of Interior, Member of the Revolutionary Command Council, Respected
Greetings:
With reference to the letter from the General Secretariat for the Monitoring and Management of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
No. 13550 dated 10 / 5 / 1970 addressed to your respected ministry, with a copy to us, the General Secretariat stated in
that letter:
1 - That the house numbered 14/263 is pure property in the name of the late Ezra Menachem Daniel, but the truth is that
this property is an endowment (waqf) according to the endowment deed issued by the Personal Status Court in Baghdad under No. 67 / 94 dated
30 / 4 / 44. We provided the General Secretariat with this deed in the letter of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
No. 1452 dated 27 / 6 / 67, and we also provided the General Secretariat in our letter No. T / 66/75
dated 13 / 1 / 66 with a copy of the Tabu (land registry) record where this property is listed as an endowment.
However, the General Secretariat did not pay attention to these deeds and documents and did not wait for the result of the primary lawsuit
filed against it regarding our opposition to the unregistered attachments in the Tabu, so it seized this property
and its contents.
2 - Funds and holy scrolls were found, and due to the General Secretariat's lack of knowledge regarding the entity to which those funds
and remains belong, it considered them to belong to the owner of the property and disposed of them as an owner. However, the correspondence of the Secretariat
with us contradicts what it explained, as shown by reviewing the General Secretariat's letters No. 23532 dated
6 / 10 / 66 and 2382 dated 28 / 1 / 70 and our letters No. 137 / 66 and 150 / 66 dated
8 / 1 / 66 and 13 / 10 / 66 (copies of the correspondence are attached for your kind information). These exchanged letters
and the specific review with the Liquidation Secretariat - negate the lack of knowledge regarding the ownership of these funds and scrolls. In addition to
that, the General Secretariat confirmed that these funds are holy Mosaic scrolls and religious items and tools belonging to
Meir Elias Hospital and not to the owner of the house (and this is established in its letter referred to above).
3 - Since the General Secretariat considered these scrolls to be ancient artifacts, it contacted the Directorate of Antiquities
to receive them, and the receipt has actually taken place.
We present to your kind attention:
The date of writing these scrolls is fixed on the scroll itself, and there is no scroll among them whose
writing date goes back more than a hundred years at most, knowing that these scrolls are legally endowed
and the Torah secondary school is located in them.
To be continued
Page 591
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
80452 Secretary
Number T / ⟦245⟧ / 70
Date ⟦26 / 5 / 1970⟧
Subject /:
- 2 -
Accordingly, under the Antiquities Law, this is not considered an antiquity. Attached is a copy of the letter from the Directorate of Antiquities
No. 1401 dated 20 / 2 / 62, confirming in paragraph (3) thereof that such scrolls are not
antiquities. Despite this, the Presidency of the Community has donated to the Iraqi Museum a number of these scrolls, even older
in date, for preservation, display, and research purposes.
This is what we wished to present, hoping for the release of these holy scrolls, and that their sanctity and holiness not be violated,
and that they be handed over to us.
Please accept our highest respect.
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
President of the Mosaic Community
Copy to :-
The Honorable Revolutionary Command Council / For your kind information
Ministry of Culture and Guidance, following up on our letter No. T / 221 dated 26 / 4 / 70
Ministry of Justice " " T / 221 " 26 / 4 / 70
Directorate of Antiquities / For confirmation, please
General Secretariat for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
With reference to their letter mentioned above.
Page 592
Added to <del>⟦illegible⟧</del>
We would like to confirm to you that these scrolls are Mosaic scrolls
concerning <del>personal</del> status and ritual tools belonging to Jewish individuals
and not to the owner of the house <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> and this is established by your letter numbered ⟦illegible⟧
that you have seized these scrolls because the world and especially your authorities
are not certain about the embassy of the Antiquities Department
2 - As for <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> and that your response has considered these scrolls as ancient
antiquities <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> so the <del>Directorate</del> of Antiquities - received them - and the receipt was
actually completed -
We would like to inform you <del>that ⟦illegible⟧ these scrolls are not ancient antiquities</del> that
the writing of these scrolls was done on parchment and there is nothing ancient
about these scrolls <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> except for what is historical like other books issued
hundreds of years ago <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> the date of writing such scrolls does not exceed one hundred or one hundred and fifty years.
Accordingly <del>it</del> under the old Antiquities Law, this is not considered an ancient antiquity -
Despite this, the leadership of the community has <del>gifted</del> gifted to the Iraqi Museum a number of
scrolls and you are the best <del>informed</del> historically to preserve, place, and benefit from them.
This is what we received, and from it we hope to lift the hand off these holy scrolls
and not to touch their essence and sanctity and to hand them over to us
This, and please accept
X A copy of it to the esteemed Revolutionary Command Council <del>for kind information</del> any year
" " Ministry of Interior for kind information following our letter No. 5/22 on 1/7/1970
" " Culture and Guidance " " " "
" " Justice " " " "
The respected Professor, Director General of Antiquities - for endorsement <del>kindly</del> please
X Enclosed is a copy of the letter from the Directorate of Antiquities No. ⟦illegible⟧ dated
on 1/24/1970 and paragraph (2) of it
confirms that we received these scrolls which are not among the covered ancient antiquities
Page 593
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
General Secretariat
For the Supervision and Management of the Property of Jews
Whose Iraqi Citizenship Has Been Revoked
Liquidation Secretariat
Division
Number /: 1250
Date /: 1 / 10 / 1970
A / D
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
Ref No. S/ 714
Date 10/10/1970
To
Ministry of Interior - Associations
Subject / Seizure of Torah Scrolls
Reference to your letter numbered MJ / 1020 dated 4 / 5 / 1970 and to the letter of
the Mosaic Community numbered T / 221 / 70 dated 26 / 4 / 1970. And based
on the information received by this General Secretariat from Mrs. Fathiya Shihab, the occupant
of the house numbered 393 / 94, Torah Quarter, belonging to the deceased Jew Ezra Menachem
Daniel, whose inheritance passed to the two Jews whose Iraqi citizenship was revoked,
Watta Khadouri (Firdous) and Salim Sassoon Daniel, in equal halves, as stated in the copy
of the property title deed issued by the Baghdad Land Registry Office - Rusafa, this Secretariat
has seized the property under discussion and took the formal procedures stipulated
in Law No. 5 of 1951 and the instructions issued thereunder by its authorities, and instructed
the Movable Property Inventory Committee to inventory the contents of the house. The said committee performed its work
and submitted the inventory lists of those assets under its letter numbered 10505 on 14 / 2 / 1969 -
At the same time, we requested the Presidency of the Mosaic Community, under our letter numbered 10721 on
15 / 5 / 1969, to inform us of the full name and the persons who were residing in the house under
discussion, as well as to inform us of the ownership of the movable property found in the house under our letter
numbered 18757 dated 16 / 8 / 1969, and we followed up on this letter repeatedly. Finally,
the aforementioned Presidency replied on 13 / 10 / 1969 that the said property belongs
to the community and that the Jew Ezra Menachem Daniel had endowed it to the community; however, the endowment deed
was not registered in the Land Registry Office and its ownership was not changed. This contradicts what was stated in the copy
of the property title deed, which indicates that the house is still private property in the name of the aforementioned person and not an endowment.
Note that we found approximately (350) handwritten Torah scrolls in two rooms, which prompted us
to contact the Ministry of Culture and Information - Directorate General of Antiquities - to see if they had a desire to
receive these scrolls due to their antiquity and the unknown identity of their manuscripts because they are written
on leather and in the Hebrew language, which confirms their historical and archaeological nature. An expert from
the Directorate attended, and indeed those scrolls were delivered to the Directorate General of Antiquities, which confirmed receipt
under its letter numbered 2793 on 26 / 4 / 1970 and ensured their deposit in the
Iraqi Museum as archaeological manuscripts. Their number upon receipt was (368) three hundred
and sixty-eight boxes with their manuscripts, and they were deposited at the Mustansiriya School.
Note that the information available to us indicates that these assets and scrolls
had been left in the house since 1952. Due to this General Secretariat's lack of knowledge regarding the entity
to which those assets and old remains belong, this General Secretariat
considered that the assets under discussion belong to the heirs of the Jewish owner of the house, Ezra Menachem
Daniel, both of whom are Jews whose Iraqi citizenship has been revoked, and that all actions
and procedures taken by this Secretariat regarding the subject are in accordance with the powers
"It becomes clear"
Page 594
authorized to us under Law No. (5) of 1951 and the instructions and statements issued
thereunder, in addition to the fact that the Jewish community's management and exploitation of the above property
is contrary to the provisions of the law, given that it was spent without consent, as indicated by the copy of
the registration record for the property, and that this General Secretariat is holding the community accountable for the rental fees
for the period from the date the Iraqi nationality was dropped from the heirs until the date of seizure of the property
and its exploitation.
As for the various types of medical instruments currently in the house under discussion,
due to the lack of experts at this Secretariat to value those instruments, we contacted the Ministry of Health via
our letter No. 14983 on 6/28/1969 to send an expert in medical instruments for the purpose of identifying
their type and valuing them or the possibility of utilizing them in health institutions. After sending the experts,
it stated in its letter No. 23778 on 11/26/1969 that the medical devices and instruments under
discussion are worn out and of an old model, therefore it is difficult to supply them to health institutions.
We also requested the Ministry of Defense - Directorate of Medical Affairs via our letter No. 31256 on
12/17/1969 for the same purpose above, and it replied to us in its letter No. 707/11 on 1/14/1970
that the materials are worn out and old-fashioned, and that it is not possible to benefit from them in our institutions.
We also contacted the Police Medical Affairs Directorate via our letter No. 31256 on 12/17/70
for the same purpose above, and it replied to us in its letter No. 5979 on 4/25/1970 after reviewing the
devices and instruments, we regret to inform you that we are unable to benefit from them in our directorate because they are
old and unfit for use.
Since these instruments were used by Meir Elias Hospital and were left
after its closure since 1952, and due to our lack of knowledge of the entity to which these remains belong,
we present the matter to your Ministry, requesting you to kindly state the manner in which we can liquidate
these remains so that we can take the necessary measures regarding them.
Muhammad Saeed Obeid
Secretary General for Frozen Assets
A copy to:-
Ministry of Culture and Information
Ministry of Justice
Presidency of the Jewish Community - reference to its letter No. 221/70
dated 4/26/1970.
Secretariat of Rights and Commercial Affairs - Rights
Secretariat of Liquidation (2) - Information
(82)
Ibrahim / 7 / 5
Page 595
The Honorable Secretary General for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
Respectfully,
Greetings,
With reference to your letter No. 1255 dated 10/5/70 addressed
to the Ministry of ⟦the Interior⟧ and a copy thereof to Mr. Saeed Bishouty,
1- The house numbered 94/292 is registered ⟦to⟧ the name of the late
Ibrahim Daniel, but in reality, this property is an endowment (waqf) by virtue of the
endowment deed issued by the Personal Status Court in Baghdad under No. 44/67 and dated
2/4/44. We have provided your ⟦General⟧ Secretariat with this deed enclosed with the letter of the Administrative Committee
for Iraqi Jews No. 1254/67 dated 27/2/67.
We also provided your esteemed Secretariat, enclosed with our letter No. T/75/69
dated 12/7/69, an extract from the Land Registry Department (Tabu) in Hit
proving that this property is an endowment <del>an endowment</del>.
However, your Secretariat did not pay attention to this deed and documents and did not wait
for the result of the primary lawsuit filed against your Secretariat to cancel the seizure by placing our objection
to the suspension of the record entry in the Land Registry, so you took possession
of this property and its contents.
2- You placed funds and furniture in the name of, and due to the lack of knowledge of
your Secretariat regarding the entity to which those funds and real estate accessories belong, you considered
that they belong to the owner of the property, so they then belong to your esteemed Secretariat and you acted
therein as an owner. However, your correspondence with us ⟦mercies⟧ does not conflict, so you continued
pursuant to your two letters numbered 22522 dated 6/10/69 and 22822
dated 28/8/70 and our two letters numbered 69/127 and 69/150
dated 8/9/69 and 12/10/69.
From these exchanged letters and special references with the Liquidation Secretariat -
it proves the invalidity of the seizure placed on the ownership of these funds and furniture -
the endowed.
Page 596
Republic of Iraq
Ministry of Education
Directorate General of Antiquities
Baghdad
9800
2 / 27
Incoming Stamp
Number: 1401
Date: 20 / 2 / 1962
To: - Ministry of Defense
Headquarters of the Military Governor General
Reference to your letter No. 259 / 13 dated 14 / 1 / 62 regarding the export of (15) fifteen
Torah scrolls to Switzerland by the Mosaic community.
The examination of the mentioned scrolls revealed the following:
1- These scrolls are written on skins in the Hebrew language in the script known today by
the Hebrews as the square Assyrian script, and they are similar in their texts, as each scroll contains
the first five books of the Torah known as the Books of Moses.
2- These manuscripts on skins represent, with this superior mastery in calligraphy, an Iraqi craft
on the verge of extinction, so it is preferable to keep samples of them in the Iraqi Museum.
3- All of these scrolls date back from forty to one hundred years ago, so they are
not archaeological.
⟦signature⟧
Director General of Antiquities
A copy to: -
Directorate General of Import and Export.
2 / 26
Page 597
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
80452 Secretary
Number T / 70
Date 4 / 4 / 1970
Subject / Seizure of the Holy Torah Scrolls.
The Honorable Minister of Interior
Greetings and respect:
We present to your kind attention that the General Secretariat for the Property of Jews whose Iraqi citizenship has been revoked
has seized, among other things, more than 300 of the Holy Torah scrolls belonging to us, which were
placed in the house numbered 14/313, which is part of our community's endowments and which was also seized by the aforementioned
General Secretariat. We have written to them in our two letters numbered 61/137 and 61/150 dated 8/1/61 and
13/10/61, copies of which are attached herewith, informing them that these holy scrolls are religious books read
in our temples, but we recently learned that they were handed over to the Directorate General of Antiquities.
We hope you will kindly look into the matter, noting that these scrolls are not antiquities or ancient
manuscripts; they are scrolls endowed for the souls of the deceased, as stated on each one of them, and the right to manage them belongs to our community
within its purely religious properties.
As we know that the esteemed government, headed by the Honorable President of the Republic and the esteemed Revolutionary Command
Council, respects all religions and guarantees the sanctity of temples and Torah scrolls, and allows for the performance of religious
rituals with all freedom and respect, and has recently exempted Mosaic temples from water and electricity fees, similar to Islamic mosques
and Christian churches, and based on the principles of the progressive humanitarian revolution in caring for the interests of all citizens,
as you expressed most eloquently in your letter No. Q.S / 1641 dated 14/2/1970, we
request instructions to lift the seizure of the aforementioned Torah scrolls and order their delivery to us to avoid any violation of their sanctity, appreciating
your spirit of tolerance and commitment to high humanitarian principles.
Please accept our highest respect.
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
President of the Mosaic Community
⟦Sassoon⟧
A copy to:
The Esteemed Revolutionary Command Council
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Culture and Information
Directorate General of Frozen Assets
Page 598
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
83531 President
80452 Secretary
Telephone Number {
Number T / 70
Date 4 / 7 / 1970
Subject / Seizure of the Holy Torah Scrolls.
The Honorable Minister of Interior
Greetings and respect:
We submit to your kind attention that the General Secretariat for the Property of Jews whose Iraqi citizenship has been revoked
has seized, among other things, more than 300 of the Holy Torah scrolls belonging to us, which were
placed in the house numbered 393 / 14, which is part of our community's endowments and which was also seized by the aforementioned
General Secretariat. We have written to them in our two letters numbered 127 / 61 and 150 / 61 dated 8 / 6 / 61 and
13 / 10 / 61, copies of which are attached herewith, informing them that these holy scrolls are religious books read
in our temples, but we recently learned that they were handed over to the General Directorate of Antiquities.
We request you to kindly look into the matter, noting that these scrolls are not antiquities or ancient
manuscripts; they are scrolls endowed for the souls of the deceased as stated on each one of them, and the right to dispose of them belongs to our community
within its purely religious properties.
As we know that the venerable government, headed by the Honorable President of the Republic and the esteemed Revolutionary Command
Council, respects all religions and guarantees the sanctity of temples and Torah scrolls and allows for the performance of religious
rituals with all freedom and respect, and has recently exempted Mosaic temples from water and electricity fees, similar to Islamic mosques
and Christian churches, and based on the principles of the progressive humanitarian revolution in caring for the interests of all citizens
as you expressed most eloquently in your letter numbered Q S / 1641 dated 14 / 2 / 1970, we
beseech you to instruct the lifting of the seizure of the mentioned Torah scrolls and order their delivery to us to avoid any violation of their sanctity, appreciating
your spirit of tolerance and commitment to high humanitarian principles.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
President of the Mosaic Community
A copy to:
The Esteemed Revolutionary Command Council
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Culture and Information
General Directorate of Frozen Assets
⟦illegible⟧
Page 599
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
80452 Secretary
Number T/: 150 / 69
Date: 13 / 10 / 1969
Subject /:
⟦No⟧
The Respected Secretary General for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
Greetings:
Reference to your letter numbered 23533 and dated 6 / 10 / 1969 regarding the ownership of the movable property kept
in the house number Abwab 314 / 14 Torah.
We have previously explained to your respected Secretariat in our letter numbered 137 / 69 and dated 8 / 6 / 1969 that the house number
Abwab 314 / 14 Torah neighborhood is an endowment (waqf) by the late Ezra Menachem Daniel according to the endowment deed
issued by the Personal Status Court in Baghdad under number 67 / 44 and dated 30 / 4 / 44 and that the judiciary has not
yet issued its ruling on your right to dispose of endowments not registered in the Tabu (Land Registry).
And the movable property kept in this house, as we indicated in our letter referred to above, belongs to
the Presidency of the Community:
1 - Given the sanctity of some of them (300) Sefer Torah scrolls written on leather and kept in
special silver and non-silver cases, and these scrolls do not belong to any person but are the property
of the synagogues (property of God Almighty), it is a duty to preserve them, their sanctity, and not to touch them.
2 - An X-ray machine belonging to Meir Elias Hospital (Presidency of the Mosaic Community) has been kept in this
house since 1952, i.e., after the closure of the hospital.
Therefore, please preserve the holy scrolls (Sefer Torah) and do not touch them, and hand them over to this Presidency
along with the X-ray machine and medical beds.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
President of the Mosaic Community
Copy to:-
Liquidation Secretariat.
Page 600
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
83531 President
80452 Secretary
Telephone Number {
Number T/: ⟦15⟧ / 69
Date: 13 / 10 / 1969
Subject /:
52
The Honorable Secretary General for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
Greetings:
Reference to your letter No. 23533 dated 6 / 10 / 1969 regarding the ownership of the movable property kept
in the house No. Abwab 394 / 14 Torat.
We have previously explained to your honorable Secretariat in our letter No. 137 / 69 dated 8 / 6 / 1969 that the house No.
Abwab 394 / 14, Al-Torat neighborhood, is an endowment (waqf) by the late Ezra Menachem Daniel according to the endowment deed
issued by the Personal Status Court in Baghdad under No. 67 / 44 dated 30 / 4 / 44, and that the judiciary has not
yet issued its ruling regarding your right to dispose of endowments not registered in the Tabu (Land Registry).
And the movable property kept in this house, as we indicated in our letter referred to above, belongs to
the Presidency of the Community:
1 - Given the sanctity of some of them (300) Sefer Torah scrolls written on parchment and kept in
special silver and non-silver cases, and these scrolls do not belong to any person, but rather they are the property
of the synagogues (property of God Almighty), and it is a duty to preserve them, their sanctity, and not to touch them.
2 - An X-ray machine belonging to Meir Elias Hospital (Presidency of the Mosaic Community) has been kept in this
house since 1952, i.e., after the hospital was closed.
Therefore, please preserve the holy scrolls (Sefer Torah), do not touch them, and hand them over to this Presidency
along with the X-ray machine and the medical beds.
Please accept our highest respect
Sassoon
Rabbi Sassoon Khidhouri
President of the Mosaic Community
Copy to -
Liquidation Secretariat.