Voices from the Archive

IJA 2747

Correspondence between Iraqi Government and Jewish Community – Citizenship Issues; Financial Matters; New Community Leaders

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Description

These are archival materials from the Baghdadi Jewish community containing correspondence from the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews and the President of the Jewish Community. It includes: letters to and from the Minister of Justice concerning the death of Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri; requests for assistance from community members; elections for the Jewish community council; donation of Torahs to the Ministry of Justice’s library upon request; letters to and from the General Organization for Housing regarding the Jewish cemetery; correspondence with the Secretary of Frozen Funds regarding: the sale of frozen shares in the Times publishing company; shareholders with revoked nationality; company liquidation; and debt repayment; correspondence with the Revolutionary Command Council including letters to Saddam Hussein, then Deputy of the Revolutionary Command Council, regarding complaints about the seizure of property revenues and confiscation of a bank account belonging to Iraqi Jews; correspondence with the Director of Public Security regarding new citizenship laws; correspondence with the president of the Alliance of Non-Zionist Jews in Canada regarding his visit to Iraq; and correspondence to the United Nations, expressing the Iraqi Jewish community’s loyalty to Iraq. There is also a request to the Ministry of Information for Assyrian, Sabean, Yazidi, and Jewish holidays to be included in the annual calendar; a letter from the General Broadcasting and Television Office regarding the film, Man of Peace; a letter regarding the gift of Torah scrolls to the Jewish communities in England and Sweden; a letter to Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr (President of Iraq), complaining of the continuation of discrimination against Jews in spite of the decree to treat Iraqi Jews equally as Iraqi citizens; letters to the Ministry of the Interior regarding the freezing of bank accounts; permission to sell properties; the confiscation of a synagogue in Basrah; maintaining and revocation of Iraqi nationality; and a list of community members eligible to serve on the administrative council. There are also copies of the Iraqi Gazette from 1958, 1961 and 1973.

Metadata

Archive Reference
IJA 2747
Item Number
5531
Date
Approx. January 1, 1951 to December 31, 1960
Languages
Arabic
Keywords
Shareholders, Sabean, Rouben Naji Elias, Travel, Employment, London, Legal Codification Bureau, Newspaper, Hakham Sassoon Khedouri, Annotation, Accounting, Iraqi Embassy, Denmark, Teacher, Synagogue, Basrah, Easter, Revolutionary Command Council, United Nations, English, Envelope, Sukkot, Real Estate, Saddam Hussein, Office of Public Security – Frozen Assets, Ink Stamp, Yazidi, Ezra Manheim Daniel, Baghdadi Jewish Community, Frank Iny School, Lawyer, Chart, Cemetery, File Folder, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Information, Toronto, Yom Kipur, Public Security, Abrogation of Citizenship, Property, Syria, Citizenship Laws, Canada, Financial, Postage Stamp, Legal, Correspondence, Office of the Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of Great Britain, Waqf, Special Endowment Committee, Shamash Secondary School, Iraqi Gazette, Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, President of the Mosaic Community, Sweden, Crown Crest, Rosh ha-Shanah, Eagle Crest, Sun Crest, Marriage, Israel, Ministry of Justice, President of the Jewish Community, Meir Tawieg Synagogue, Torah, Typed, Ministry of Education, Labor, Alliance of Non-Zionist, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Assyrian, Revenue Stamp, Letterhead, Al-Waqā’i‘ Al-‘Irāqiyah, Iraqi Government, Handwritten, Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews, Receipt, Jewish Cemetery, Zionism, Mohammed Saed al-Sahaf, Jewish Holidays, Endowment

AI en Translation, Pages 626-650

Page 626

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
General Secretariat for Frozen Assets
Secretariat of Immovable Property / Rents
Number ⟦illegible⟧
Date - / 3 / 1968
Very Urgent
Subject - Request for Attendance
We confirm our letter numbered 9315 and dated 6/21/1967, requesting
your attendance at the office of this General Secretariat - Rents - within a period of three days from the date
of your notification of this letter, in order to deliberate with you regarding your occupancy of the house mentioned above, otherwise
legal measures will be taken against you to preserve the rights of this General Secretariat.
Secretary General
Abdul Hadi Al-Obaidi
A copy to:-
Secretariat of Immovable Property / Rents / Follow-up
Secretariat of Accounts - Center Revenues - for information
Secretariat of Inspection of Immovable Property - House Follow-up - for information
Papers ( ) for filing.
Raouf / 3/16

Page 628

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
General Secretariat for Frozen Assets
Secretariat of Immovable Assets / Rents
Number ⟦5742⟧
Date - ⟦7⟧ / 3 / 1968
Very Urgent
To: -
Rosa Haroun Ezra  )
Nona Abdullah     ) Occupants of the house numbered 391/94
Rachel            ) Al-Tawrat neighborhood
Isaac             )
Subject - Request for Attendance
We confirm our letter numbered 9315 dated 6/21/1967, requesting
your attendance at the office of this General Secretariat - Rents - within a period of three days from the date
of your notification of this letter, in order to discuss with you the manner of your occupancy of the house mentioned above, otherwise
legal measures will be taken against you to preserve the rights of this General Secretariat.
Secretary General
Abdul Hadi Al-Obaidi
A copy to: -
Secretariat of Immovable Assets / Rents / for follow-up
Secretariat of Accounts - Center Revenues - for information
Secretariat of Inspection of Immovable Assets - House Follow-up - for information
Papers ( ) for filing.
Raouf / 3/16

Page 629

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
General Secretariat for Frozen Assets
Secretariat of Immovable Property / Rents
Number: 525
Date: 17 / 3 / 1968
Very Urgent
To: -
Rosa Haroun Ezra )
Nona Abdullah ) Occupants of the house numbered 391/94
Rachel ) Al-Tawrat neighborhood
Isaac )
Subject - Request for Attendance
We confirm our letter numbered 9315 and dated 21 / 6 / 1967, requesting
your attendance at the office of this General Secretariat - Rents - within a period of three days from the date
of your notification of this letter, in order to deliberate with you regarding your occupancy of the house mentioned above, otherwise
legal measures will be taken against you to preserve the rights of this General Secretariat.
Secretary General
Abdul Hadi Al-Obaidi
A copy of it to: -
Secretariat of Immovable Property / Rents / for follow-up
Secretariat of Accounts - Center Revenues - for information
Secretariat of Inspection of Immovable Property - House Follow-up - for information
Papers ( ) for filing.
Raouf / 3/16
⟦illegible stamp⟧
⟦blue handwritten mark⟧
⟦red diagonal line⟧

Page 630

Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
80452 Secretary
Number L /: 68/
Date: 24 / 3 / 1968
Subject /:
⟦illegible scribbles in blue and red ink⟧
To -
The Respected Secretary General for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews
Whose Iraqi Citizenship Has Been Revoked
Greetings:
Reference to your letter No. 5324 dated 17 / 3 / 1968, notified to the residents of property No. doors
94/393 Al-Tawrat neighborhood.
We have previously replied to your respected Secretariat regarding your letter No. 9315 dated 21 / 6 / 1967,
pursuant to our letter No. L / 67 / 1452 dated 27 / 6 / 1967, in which we clarified that the house
14/394 Al-Tawrat neighborhood belongs to our committee according to the endowment deed issued by the Personal Status Court
in Baghdad under number 67 / 944 and dated 30 / 4 / 1944, and we attached a copy of it.
Please accept our highest respect
⟦signature⟧
Meer Basri
Chairman of the Administrative Committee

Page 631

General Secretariat
for the Supervision and Management of the Property of Jews
Whose Iraqi Citizenship Has Been Revoked
Liquidation Secretariat
Section ⟦line⟧
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Republic of Iraq
Number / ⟦8904⟧
Date 2 / 9 / 1969
To :-
The Israelite Community
Subject / Ownership of property
Further to our letter No. 18757 on 16 / 8 / 1969
Please inform us about the ownership of the property located in house 393 / 94 Tawrat
Hoping for a response as quickly as possible and not forcing us to send reminders
Mohammed Ajil Hanna
Acting Secretary General
A copy of it to :-
Rights Secretariat / For information.
Administration Secretariat / For information.
Immovable Property Secretariat / Rents / Second / Inform us about
the occupant of the above house before the last lessor, please.
Liquidation Secretariat / For follow-up.
Mohsen / 1 / 9 / 969

Page 632

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
80452 Secretary
Number T /: ⟦777⟧ / 69
Date: 1969/9/8
Subject /:
⟦10/9⟧
The Honorable Secretary General for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
Greetings:
Reference to your letter numbered 20360 and dated 1969/9/2 regarding the ownership of the property located in the house
numbered 94/393 Tauraat.
We inform your honorable secretariat that all your correspondence was focused on the property numbered doors 94/391 Tauraat
We clarified according to our multiple letters, including the two letters of the Administrative Committee numbered L / 67/1452 and L / 68/83 and dated
17 / 7 / 67 and 24 / 11 / 68 and our letter numbered T / 69/75 and dated 13 / 1 / 69 that this property does not belong to
the community, but rather the property belonging to it is the house numbered doors 94/393 Tauraat, and we provided your secretariat with a copy of the registration
the map, and the endowment deed for this property, and the Secretary of the Community Presidency also followed up with you on the subject. Despite this
your secretariat has seized it.
Accordingly, since this house belongs to the Presidency of the Community, we have kept in it more than 300
Sefer Torah - Holy Books - handwritten on parchment, and each Sefer is kept in a covered wooden box and some
are inlaid, and given the value and sanctity of these books, this house has been insured against fire for an amount of -/3000
dinars, and all the property in this house, in addition to the holy books, including an X-ray machine
belongs to this Presidency.
Therefore, we request your order to lift the seizure of this property and hand over to us the assets deposited in it.
Please accept our highest respect
⟦signature⟧
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
President of the Mosaic Community
Copy to :-
The Administrative Committee / for your information

Page 635

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone No. 83531 President
Number T / 419 / 71
Date 29 / 6 / 1971
14
Subject
The Honorable Minister of Economy
Greetings and respect:
And after. The esteemed Revolutionary Command Council has abolished all laws, instructions
and exceptional restrictions and lifted them from Iraqi Jewish citizens and instructed to treat them
like all other Iraqis.
Based on this principle, the Internal and External Trade Regulation Council issued its decision
No. 439 on 26 / 11 / 70, notified to the competent authorities by your letter No. 22771 dated
6 / 12 / 1970, and the members of our community have approached the Chambers of Commerce and their continued membership was accepted.
However, your esteemed ministry has refrained from granting them the import licenses they deserve
equally with others. I request your Excellency to kindly order the restoration of the rights of Iraqi Jewish merchants
and grant them the import licenses they deserve.
With much thanks and respect to your Excellency
⟦illegible⟧
Acting Head of the Community

Page 637

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone No. 83531 President
No. T / 480 /
Date 27 / 6 / 1971
2/12
Subject
His Excellency the Struggling Leader, President of the Republic and Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, Respected
Greetings and respect:
After offering signs of loyalty and sincerity to your Excellency, I attach herewith the petition of the applicant
Dina Yahya, mother of the detainee Akram Sahyoun Bahr, hoping for your fatherly kindness and the inclusion of your mercy
for her son. May God protect you, preserve you, and guide your steps.
Please accept, Mr. President, the assurance of my highest esteem and respect
⟦illegible⟧
Acting Head of the Community

Page 638

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Honorable Militant President of the Republic
And Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council
Baghdad
Greetings and Great Respect:
A grieving old mother cries out to your living conscience and your merciful humanity, Mr. President. You are the refuge of the people
and the sanctuary for the sorrowful and the afflicted. She petitions for the return of her son who was arrested more than two years ago and remains detained, his fate
unknown.
My son, Akram Sahyoun Baho, was detained on 6/27/1969 by the Military Intelligence Department.
Since then, we have heard no news of him. He is an isolated, law-abiding young man with no connection to any organization or movement of any
kind. I and his elderly, disabled father have remained in anxiety over his fate. I appeal to your Excellency and hope from your human mercies
that you listen to the voice of a weak old woman and order his release and return to us. May God not waste your reward, and He is the Granter of success
for good. May you remain a supporter of the weak.
Please accept the highest expressions of respect.
Mother of the detainee
Akram Sahyoun Baho

Page 640

The Honorable President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
Presented to your Excellency:
My son, Akram Sion Bakr, has been detained
since 9/27/1969. I have come with this petition of mine
hoping for the favor of requesting mercy from the position of the
Majestic President of the Republic, Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, the respected,
to look, with what he is known for of paternal tenderness and human
sympathy, into this ordeal that has befallen me and his father,
the disabled and sick man, and to favor him with inclusion
in his kindness by ordering his release on the occasion of the holidays
of the glorious July 17th Revolution, which saved
every oppressed and wronged person.
We pray to the Creator, Almighty and Sublime, to extend the life of
the President of the Republic and protect our Republic and the
July 17th Revolution; He is the All-Hearing, the Responder.
With our highest gratitude and respect.
Mother of the detainee
Akram Sion Bakr
The Iraqi Republic
20 Fils
⟦signature⟧

Page 641

The Honorable Militant President of the Republic
and Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council
Baghdad
Greetings and Great Respect
A ⟦grieved⟧, heartbroken mother cries out to your living conscience and your
merciful affection, Mr. President, as you are the refuge of the people
and the sanctuary of the sorrowful and distressed, and she seeks the return of her son who
was arrested more than two years ago ⟦while⟧ ⟦he was⟧ and remains detained
his fate unknown
My son Akram Haywi Bahr has <del>⟦illegible⟧</del>
He was detained on 9/27/1969 by the Military Intelligence Department
and since then we have heard no news of him
He is a young man who occupies ⟦the space⟧ for him ⟦because⟧ he is law-abiding
He has no connection to any organization or movement of any kind
His disabled elderly father has ⟦remained⟧ in anxiety over him and over
his fate, so I appeal to your Excellency and I hope from your human
kindness that you listen to the voice of a weak old woman
and that you order an investigation into him, his release, and his return to us
And God does not waste your reward, and He is the granter of success for good
May you remain a supporter of the weak
Please accept the highest respect
Mother of the detainee
Akram Haywi Bahr

Page 643

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Ministry of Information
Baghdad
Section: Private Office
Number: 207
Date: 1971/6/7
Incoming Stamp
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
Number 724
Date 24 / 6 / 1971
12
To: - Mr. Shaul Hakham Sassoon Khedhouri, Respectfully
We would like to record our highest appreciation and thanks for your valuable gift represented
by the official uniform of the late dear deceased, your father, whose passing was a blow
to all the loyal people of our dear Iraqi homeland, and our
condolences for his loss were only a sincere expression stemming from our appreciation for his national positions
in refuting the Zionist slanders that caused the greatest harm to our brothers
the Jews in general and the Jews of Iraq in particular, and in pride of these
positions, we decided to display the deceased's uniform in a prominent place in the National Costume Museum.
In conclusion, we reiterate our condolences for the loss, thanking you for your gift.
Please accept our greetings and appreciation.
Shafiq al-Kamali
Minister of Information
A copy of it to / -
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
Presidency of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
Directorate of General Antiquities (Costume Museum) to receive the uniform, register it
and display it in a prominent place and inform us, please.
Released
Safaa / 6/10

Page 644

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Ministry of Information
Baghdad
Incoming Stamp
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
Number 489
Date 7 / 6 / 71
Section: Special Office
Number: ⟦...⟧
Date: 1971/6/7
To :-: Respected Professor Shaul Hakham Sassoon Khedhouri
We would like to record our highest appreciation and thanks for your valuable gift represented
by the official uniform of the late dear deceased, your father, whose passing was difficult
for all the loyal people of our dear Iraqi homeland, and our
condolences for his loss were only a sincere expression stemming from our appreciation for his national positions
in refuting the Zionist slanders that caused the greatest harm to our brothers
the Jews in general and the Jews of Iraq in particular, and in pride of these
positions, we have decided to display the deceased's uniform in a prominent place in the National Costume Museum.
In conclusion, we repeat our condolences for the loss, thanking you for your gift.
Please accept our greetings and appreciation.
⟦Signature⟧
Shafiq al-Kamali
Minister of Information
Copy to / -
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
Presidency of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
Directorate of General Antiquities (Costume Museum) to receive the uniform, register it
and display it in a prominent place and please inform us.
Administrative Committee
6/17
Saqqa / 6/10

Page 645

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Ministry of Justice
Legal Codification Bureau
Decision No: ⟦illegible⟧ / 197
Number: 2 / 1 / 1921
Date: 13 / 6 / 1971
Incoming Stamp
To the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews - Baghdad
Your letter L 71/472 on 9 / 6 / 1971
We approve the request contained in your above-mentioned letter.
This has been confirmed by the Minister.
⟦signature⟧
On behalf of the Minister of Justice
11
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
In Baghdad
Telephone Number 83531 President
Number L /: 472 / 71
Date: 9 / 6 / 1971
Subject /:
The Honorable Minister of Justice
Legal Codification
Greetings and Respect:
In view of the death of the late Chief Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri, President of the Mosaic Community,
The Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews decided in its session held on
6 / 6 / 1971 that the President of the Administrative Committee shall perform the duties of the Community Presidency on an acting basis
immediately to handle your permanent necessities in this matter.
Please accept our highest respect.
⟦signature⟧
President of the Administrative Committee
A copy to /
Community Secretariat / for information and follow-up

Page 646

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Ministry of Justice
Legal Codification Bureau
Decision No. 19.7 / /
Number 7/1/191
Date 2 / 6 / 1971
Incoming Stamp
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
Number 492
Date 2 / 6 / 1971
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews - Baghdad
Further to our letter 7/1/191 on 14 / 6 / 1971.
We nominate Dr. Ghazi Abdul Hadi, the Legal Codifier, as supervisor of the elections
instead of Mr. Awad al-Fakhri, the former Judge and Legal Codifier, due to his appointment to the
Court of Cassation of Iraq.
Aziz Sharif
Minister of Justice
A copy to:
Dr. Ghazi Abdul Hadi - Legal Codifier.
⟦handwritten signature⟧
Saadi / 6 / 29

Page 647

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Republic of Iraq
Ministry of Justice
Bureau of Legal Codification
Decision No: / / 197
Number: 7 / 1 / 1641
Date: 13 / 7 / 1971
Incoming Stamp
⟦illegible⟧ 874 / 18
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
Number 873
Date 18 / 7 / 1971
Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews - Baghdad
Your letter 71/472 on 6/9/1971.
Elections shall be conducted according to the procedures, and we nominate Mr. Awni al-Fakhri,
the Judge and Legal Codifier, to supervise them. A suitable day shall be appointed for this
in agreement with you.
Aziz Sharif
Minister of Justice
A copy to:
Mr. Awni al-Fakhri, the Judge and Legal Codifier.
Administrative Committee
For information
⟦signature⟧
Saadi / 7/13

Page 650

Ministry of Justice
Legal Codification Bureau
Number 7/1/16
Date 18 / 7 / 1971
Central Rusafa Investigative Court
Please inform us of the stage reached in the investigation regarding the embezzlement by (Isaac Ibrahim Nathan)
accountant of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews, of sums from the committee's accounts, and that the committee at the time on
3 / 7 / 1966 approached your court and filed a report against him.
Head of Legal Codification
On behalf of the Minister of Justice