Voices from the Archive

IJA 3723

Sale of Shamash School Building; Correspondence from Government; List of Synagogues in Iraq

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Description

These are documents from the Baghdadi Jewish community. Included is a newspaper with an article concerning the seizure of property owned by Iraqi Jews who renounced their Iraqi citizenship. The documents also contain correspondence between branches of the Iraqi government and the Baghdadi Jewish community, such as a notice from the Ministry of Culture to the Jewish community informing them the Jewish schools would remain unharmed after the emigration of the community. The documents also include the Jewish Community's payments and receipts; correspondence from the Iranian Foreign Ministry about the rental of the former Shamash School building; a report overseeing a Jewish school clinic; a list of synagogues in Iraq and their approximate date of establishment.

Metadata

Archive Reference
IJA 3723
Item Number
6839
Date
Approx. January 1, 1951 to December 31, 1960
Languages
Arabic
Keywords
Financial, Menahem S. Daniel's School, Masooda Saliman School, Revenue Stamp, Synagogue, Newspaper, Ledger, Laura Khedouri School for Girls, Thumbprint, Typed, Baghdadi Jewish Community, Ink Stamp, Letterhead, Jewish Lay Council, Abrogation of Citizenship, President of the Jewish Community, Envelope, Bani Said Elementary School for Boys, Receipt, Birth Certificate, Correspondence, Architectural Plans, Al-Fār’ah Primary School, Maintenance, Annotation, Handwritten, Reemah Kadoorie Eye Hospital

AI en Translation, Pages 401-425

Page 401

Directorate of Education of Baghdad Province / Center
Primary Accounts
Number / 2861
Date / 1 / 6 / 956
2861
29
Presidency of the Jewish Community
The Local Administration engineer has conducted an inspection of the building of the Sha'ba Al-Haydariya School for Girls located in
the Taht Al-Takiya neighborhood which is your responsibility, and found that it requires the renovations detailed below, which
occurred in the building as a result of normal use. Please proceed with carrying them out immediately within one week from the date
of your receipt of this letter of ours, in accordance with the terms of the lease contract. In case of refusal, we will be forced to carry them out ourselves
and deduct the necessary expenses from the rent.
Director of Education of Baghdad Province
The Center
Copy to -
Presidency of the High Provincial Council, Baghdad Provincial Governorate / Your letter No. 1200 dated
17 / 1 / 1956, for your kind information
Sha'ba Al-Haydariya School for Girls - for review and to inform us of the result
Primary Education Accountant / with the original letter of the Baghdad Provincial Governorate / for follow-up /
Presidency of the Jewish Community
⟦illegible⟧
2 / 6 / 1956
Number 298
Renovations
1- Demolishing and rebuilding the basement wall and making some wainscoting in the building.
2- Adjusting the tiling of the rooms.
3- Repairing the crushed areas in the gypsum and cement plastering as well as the ⟦jointing⟧.
4- Cleaning the drains and sweetening their heads.
Kadhim / 26

Page 402

Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number 3531
5452
Number: 56 / 2644 / T
Date: 11 / 1 / 1956
28
Subject:
His Excellency the Director of Education of Baghdad Province, the Respected
⟦line⟧ The Center ⟦line⟧
After greetings
In reference to your letter numbered 13216 and dated 12 / 29 / 1955
It is not hidden from Your Excellency that the buildings occupied by your respected directorate and used as schools (including Al-Mahdiya School)
their current rental rates are very low, and schools always need maintenance, and these rates are not sufficient for this
maintenance and government fees. We would like on this occasion to inform you that when these schools were rented, the intent was
cultural cooperation, as their rental income is spent on the cultural institutions belonging to this Presidency. Since the community's income
is currently insufficient to cover the maintenance and renovation of its properties leased by your directorate and to support its cultural and charitable institutions,
it is requested of Your Excellency to form a committee to estimate the rental rates for the following properties:-
1 - Al-Haydariya Branch School
2 - Al-Mahdiya School
3 - Al-Nabaha School
4 - Bani Said School
So that this Presidency may be able to carry out the aforementioned maintenance for these properties and benefit from them so they remain houses of learning
occupied by your directorate.
Please accept our highest respect.
Rabbi Sassoon Khdhuri
Acting Head of the Community

Page 403

To: His Excellency the Director of Education of Baghdad District, Respectfully
- Headquarters -
<del>Subject</del>
Kind regards
With reference to your letter No. 24262 dated 29 / 12 / 955
It is not hidden from your Excellency that the buildings occupied by your esteemed Directorate
and leased as schools (including ⟦Al-Muradiya⟧ School), their current rental rates
are very meager, and schools always and forever need maintenance and management
<del>⟦and their rates⟧</del> do not cover the cost of the necessary maintenance ⟦and restoration⟧. We would like on this occasion
to inform you about the needs of these schools; the purpose was cultural
cooperation, as their rental rates exceed the cultural institutions' benefit
for these buildings. Since the ⟦management⟧ incurs costs and its revenues are currently insufficient
to carry out the necessary requirements for spending on the maintenance and renovation of our properties
leased by your Directorate, and for the sake of our cultural and charitable institutions, please
from your Excellency, form a committee to estimate the rental rates for the following properties:
1- Shamie' Al-Haydariya School
2- " " Al-Mahdiya
3- " " Al-Sanabil
4- " " Munshi Saeed
So that this Presidency can carry out the aforementioned maintenance for these properties
and benefit from their returns to continue as centers of knowledge in the future by your Directorate
Please accept our highest respect
Abi Hatim

Page 404

Your Excellency the President
According to your orders, I contacted the Director of Education of ⟦Baghdad⟧ District regarding the student
trips and the lack of approval from the head of the community to continue them, explaining the reasons.
Therefore, it was necessary to write the attached letter; if you agree, we will forward it
⟦to the director⟧ and it shall be attached with the ⟦mail⟧ of the head of the community.
22 / 8
1 / 8
The committee has reviewed the ⟦merits⟧ of the matter
and there is no objection to notifying via
the attached letter.
⟦signature⟧
7 / 9