Voices from the Archive

IJA 3787

School Documents and Test Administration Instructions, Student Rosters, Teacher Issues, Baghdadi Jewish Schools

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Description

These are archival documents from the Baghdadi Jewish community. The item includes fundraising letters for the establishment of the Jewish Lay Council’s School Relief Committee, invoices for construction materials for repairs and utilities; budget estimates, guides for school administrators, test administration instructions, student rosters, and documents pertaining to teachers and employment issues. Correspondence is in Arabic, English, and French, and comes from Switzerland, Bombay, England, and Shanghai. There is one birth certificate from 1946.

Metadata

Archive Reference
IJA 3787
Item Number
6728
Date
Approx. January 1, 1921 to December 31, 1930
Languages
Multiple Languages
Keywords
School Relief Committee, Financial, Rivka Nouriel School, Illustration, Employment, Masooda Saliman School, Judeo-Arabic, Rahel Shahmoon School, Alliance Israélite Universelle, Shamash Secondary School, Teachers, Newspaper, Ledger, Menahem S. Daniel’s School, Department of Posts & Telegraphs, Charity, Baghdad Light and Power, File Folder, Al-Waṭanī School, Typed, Consistoire Israelite, Post Office-Baghdad, Endowment, Cartoon, Clippings, Business Card, Ministry of Education, Bank of the East, Ink Stamp, Ottoman Bank, Receipts, Labor, Letterhead, Invoice, Jewish Lay Council, Chief Rabbi, President of the Jewish Community, French, General Certificate of Education, Gan Hailadim School, Waqf, Benjamin Moshi, Budget, Birth Certificate, British Occupation, Correspondence, Kerem Yeladim School, Personal Letterhead, Annotation, Anglo-Jewish Association, Handwritten, Jewish Schools Committee, Students

AI English Translation, Pages 726-750

Archival unit 726

Directorate:
Education of Baghdad Region:
Number: 27
Date: 22 January 33
Subject ⟦line⟧
To the Principal of Ras al-Qarya School
Due to the absence of night classes in your school, we cannot pay
the cost of electricity expenses consumed in your school, so you must pay
the mentioned fees from the grocery revenues or cut the electrical current from
the school immediately.
⟦signature⟧
Director of Education of Baghdad Region
A copy of it to "
Presidency of the Jewish Community
- In reference to its letter No. 2095 dated 16 / 1 / 33
Administration of Jewish Schools - Baghdad
1948
22 / 1 / 33

Archival unit 727

D. 58
6621 on 21 January 21
Income Tax and Estates Collection Department in Baghdad
To the Respected Principal of Shamash School
We are sending you herewith lists of the names of teachers, employees, and servants working in your school
for the fiscal year 50/51, requesting that they be filled with the required information and returned to this department as quickly as possible
due to its importance and the requirements of public interest.
On behalf of
Director of Income Tax and Estates Collection in Baghdad
⟦illegible signature⟧

Archival unit 728

Baghdad District Education Directorate
Number ⟦1295⟧
Date ⟦11⟧ March 1933
To the Presidency of the Jewish Community
We transmit to you below a copy of the letter from the Capital Health Directorate No. 481 dated
27 / 2 / 1933 and we request the implementation of the first three articles of it, and we thank you.
⟦Signature⟧
Director of Education for the Baghdad District
A copy of it to "The Headmaster of Ras al-Qarya School"
(For the implementation of the fourth article of it)
Copy of the letter from the Capital Health Directorate No. 481 dated 27 / 2 / 33
This department has inspected the Jewish school located in the Ras al-Qarya neighborhood
And found the deficiencies listed below, and therefore it is requested to carry them out to make the
mentioned school healthy.
1- Whitewashing the walls and ceiling of the toilets with lime
2- Painting the toilet doors with oil paint
3- Extending water pipes to the toilets
4- Placing an acid solution in the tank permanently.
Headmaster of Ras al-Qarya School
Please note the deficiencies
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Fawz //

Archival unit 729

Directorate
Ras al-Qarya Primary State School
Baghdad
⟦line⟧
Number:
Date: 22 / 4 / 1927
To the Honorable Secretary of the Presidency of the Jewish Community, respected
After greetings
I have inspected the worker regarding the necessary pipes, faucets, and toilets according to the required
health regulations, and it requires six strainers with six pipes with fourteen elbows
and eight tees and eight brass single-faced valves, so I hope you will reach an agreement with him
so that he may begin the work. With regards.
Sincerely,
⟦signature⟧
Director of Ras al-Qarya State School

Archival unit 730

Directorate
Ras al-Qarya Princely Elementary School
Baghdad
Number:
Date: 25 / 4 / 1933
To the Honorable Secretary of the Presidency of the Jewish Community
After greetings,
The work on the pipes and faucets discussed yesterday has been completed in a good manner.
This is what was required; therefore, I hope to inform you of this for your knowledge. Best regards.
Sincerely,
⟦signature⟧
Director of Ras al-Qarya Jewish School

Archival unit 731

Directorate
Ras al-Qarya Primary Amiri School
Baghdad
Number ⟦line⟧
Date 2 / 4 / 1934
To the Honorable Secretary of the Presidency of the Community Council
After greetings,
Jabbawi ⟦son of Fadl⟧ al-Sabbagh has completed painting the room and the doors
as requested. Sincerely,
⟦illegible⟧
The Director

Archival unit 732

Directorate
Ras al-Qarya Amiri Elementary School
Baghdad
Number 5 / 29
Date 26 / 4 / 1922
To His Eminence, the President of the Jewish Community Council, the Respected
The tent that has been used to shade the school courtyard for three years has now torn
and it is absolutely impossible to benefit from it, and leaving the courtyard exposed during the hot summer days, especially
when the scorching sun is in the middle of the horizon, affects the health of the students badly and hinders the progress of
teaching. Please order the expenditure of three dinars to redo this, and by doing so you preserve the health of
(252) students of the rising generation and ensure their educational benefit together. May you remain.
⟦illegible⟧
Director of Ras al-Qarya Amiri School
To the esteemed Council 7/5/22
⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 733

229
17 May 1933
School travel by tent
To -
Directorate of Ras al-Qarya Official School
Reference to your letter No. 39/5 dated 26/4/1933
Despite the smallness of the requested amount, our council apologizes for not spending it for your school's travel, and that
in view of its financial constraints, and requests the repair of the previous tent and its use
L.W.
Vice President of the Physical Council
⟦red signature⟧

Archival unit 734

Directorate
Ras al-Qarya Princely Primary School
in Baghdad
1933
Number 47/6
Date 7 Muharram 1352 and 18 May 1933
To the Presidency of the Physical Council
Reference to our letter No. 229 dated May 17, 1933
We have explained to you in our letter No. 29/5 dated 26/4/1933 that it is not possible to benefit from the tents
previously used to cover the school at all, and that they are torn into pieces that are difficult to arrange and repair, and you must send
someone to see their condition.
Therefore, I hope you will reconsider the matter once again to protect the health of [250] students from the heat of the sun
which is burning, especially since the studies are intensifying day by day, and if the school remains in its current state until the end
of the year, some students will inevitably suffer from various diseases as a result of the deadly heat of the sun.
Therefore, I ask for compassion and mercy for the condition of these innocent students. May you remain well.
⟦signature⟧
Director of Ras al-Qarya Primary School
A copy of it to
Baghdad Education Directorate (for information)
To the Council ⟦...⟧
To be seen first ⟦...⟧

Archival unit 735

Directorate
Ras al-Qarya Primary Miri School
Baghdad
Number: ⟦line⟧
Date: 28 / 5 / 1927
w.u.
22
22
3 / 951
⟦illegible⟧
My dear and virtuous Shalom Tuqa, the respected
After greetings
We have sent for the tent maker and examined the type of fabric that we intended to be
used, and after measuring half the area of the courtyard, it appeared that the area of half the tent would be (120) square
cubits, and its cost would be (6) Dinars, whereas we had calculated (2) Dinars if we made it
from the first type that was previously made for the school and which you saw during your visit to the school.
Since it was the wish of the respected member that the tent be of this type, I therefore refer
the matter to you, knowing that you will reduce this amount significantly, and I thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
⟦illegible⟧
The Director
Please call
In the morning

Archival unit 736

Baghdad 22 / 7 / 44
His Eminence, the Head of the Jewish Community, the respected Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri
After greetings,
I have come with this letter to present to your presence what you are unaware of, and allow me if I use
in this letter of mine some strong expressions indicating the intensity of the agitation in my chest. Yes, I am agitated
and what an agitation! Why should my heart not burn and my liver not break when I have been afflicted through my son and my dear one, and I have become
not knowing what to do. Yes, allow me to hold you to account for your neglect of school affairs from the
moral perspective, and here I see myself exaggerating and being hasty if I meant by these words of mine all the schools overseen
by the community administration, because I am not familiar with all of them. Know, Your Eminence the President, that if a student
is sent to school for the purpose of his education and culture, and the result is that his morals are corrupted and his
honor is violated, then woe to that school which has ceased to be an institute for upbringing and a place for refinement and has become
a hotbed of corruption and a den of vice. And shame on those villainous individuals who spread corruption
and debauchery among innocent students. Yes, it is the duty of the community administration, in its capacity as the direct
controller and the sole person responsible for the safety of the honor of the community's children from the tampering of the corrupt,
to strive with all the strength and power it possesses to be fully aware of the morals of every principal and teacher
into whose hands the pieces of people's hearts are delivered. Yes, the administration should have guaranteed the honor of the students
when financial distress forced it to hand over their education to the government. Yes, duty requires
you to ask and investigate, in secret and in public, about the morals of the person to whom the
Department of Education entrusts the management of the affairs of the Ras al-Qarya official school.

Archival unit 737

That you may know
Humanity calls you and the honor of the students calls you (in any form) regarding what is happening in this scientific
institute of corruption and the spreading of vice. Yes, you should have known how the school principal
Ahmed Al-Yassin seduces the students and violates their honor by threatening them
that he will fail them in the exam if they do not obey him in his heinous act.
Do not let it escape your mind, O Rabbi, that a young boy is easy to seduce and easy
to shape, especially by his principal; so he comes to the school after lesson hours
in response to his invitation for trivial matters and flimsy excuses, falling into the trap set for him, forced
and driven by the will of that predatory beast, thus losing his honor and his future.
It was suggested to me that I take this scoundrel to court so that the hand of justice may reach him, but I
did not do so because I expect that afterwards my son's matter would be exposed and my family's honor stained with the mark
of shame and disgrace.
And know, Your Eminence the Rabbi, that my son is not the only student reached by the sinful hand
of this predatory beast, but many students whose morals have been corrupted
by him, according to what I have heard recently. Some students of this
school have complained about their principal to the Ministry of Education regarding moral issues on one hand, and on the
other hand, the school's neighbors also complained about him because they witnessed some heinous acts
taking place in the school at night. Are you aware of all these matters? God forbid. Because
it is not reasonable that you would remain silent, far be it from you, while knowing of them, given what I know of your
chastity and zeal for the sons of the community. Will this letter of mine receive your attention?

Archival unit 738

Will you please look into the case and save the honor of the students? O Allah, yes, and that
is because of what I know of your firmness, good management, and initiative to do everything that would
benefit our community, and especially our innocent children. Peace be upon you, sir.
Your servant
The student's guardian
I have clarified this case in a letter to His Excellency the Director General of Education

Archival unit 739

Baghdad / 3 February 1933
To the Honorable Director of Ras al-Qarya Primary School
After greetings,
On 18/8/32, an agreement was reached between me and the Acting Head of the Jewish Community that I teach
the prescribed Hebrew in our school during the mornings only, with a reduction of 15 dirhams per month from the existing salary -
six dinars and seven hundred and fifty fils.
When this agreement was drafted, I was not invited to attend so that it would be consistent with what we indicated; rather, it was recorded
in my absence, and thus it came out contrary to the truth and reality,
as he wants to deduct 15 dirhams monthly. So he fabricated a fixed duration and said from August 1932.
And he neglected the teaching of the prescribed Hebrew in our school during the mornings only. He replaced it by reducing three lessons per
week from the total number of his lessons. He added to that by referring to his approval, etc...
At that time, I submitted a letter to the Community Leadership dated 26 August 1932, in which I explained -
the nature of the agreement that took place and which came out contrary to the letter submitted to you dated 24/8/32.
At that time, I received nothing but illegitimate verbal [assurances], so I followed that letter with another -
dated 2 September 1932, and among what I stated in it was that I remained firm on what we agreed upon, i.e., the reduction with
teaching in the mornings only. I waited until the opening of the school but received no answer.
This was evidence of the Acting Head's involvement in this matter, and accordingly, the application of the -
reduction was cancelled, just as the effect of "mornings only" was revoked.
On 31/1/33, I received a letter dated 29/1/1933 signed by the clerk on behalf of the Acting
Head of the Jewish Community. Its author wants to implement a reduction of (750) fils per month from
the first of August 1932. If the claim of the author of this letter has any share of truth, I will be forced
to demand compensation for the damages inflicted upon me as a result of this treatment,
since when we agreed to teach in the mornings only, I had obtained a clerical job
in the afternoon with a salary of three dinars per month, and I lost that along with the insurance due to what occurred
of the change in the drafting of the agreement.
(1) Did the Acting Head not agree then that I teach the prescribed Hebrew in our school
only in the morning?
(2) Did we touch upon then the number of lessons, whatever their number might be,
and did the Acting Head inform me that he would neglect the prescribed Hebrew for mornings only and fabricate in its place -
three lessons and add to them arbitrarily the phrase (referring to his approval)?
(3) Did we mention then the start of the reduction period? Is it not that teaching transactions
that usually take place during the final holiday take effect from the opening of the school for its new year?
This is if no change occurs in the transaction, as the essence of our transaction was revoked and became void -
⟦In the name of⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ this ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧

Archival unit 740

— 2 —
in its entirety.
(4) Why did the Vice President not answer me at that time regarding the two letters in which I clarified what was ambiguous and obscure?
If he had been able to at that time, he would not have delayed the answer.
(5) Is there a law or regulation that indicates a general reduction based on a proportional rule that was applied
to all employees of the community of various classes without exception or distinction? This is what the Vice
President knows well..!!
(6) The last letter I received had a check attached to it on account of the accumulated salaries. The check
is signed by the Vice President, and the letter is signed with the signature of the clerk on behalf of the Vice President of the Jewish Community.
So what is the meaning of this, and who is the original author of the letter, and on whom does its responsibility fall?
(7) The subject of the mentioned letter — settlement of your salaries until the end of Dec. / 33 — does the
writer mean Dec. (32) or what?
(8) On the date of 2 / 1 / 33, i.e., after the administration of our school and the Directorate of Education of the Baghdad region wrote about
my accumulated salaries (which, up to the writing of these lines, my January 1933 salary is late), at that time
the Vice President drew a check for me equal to the salaries of July, August, and September 1932 without reduction, so I submitted the
required receipt, and it was accepted instantly, and there was no objection to it neither from the Vice President nor from the author of the last letter.
So how does the signatory return now to turn all that upside down and renew in his letter the subject of this reduction,
that is if he has the authority to act in such a manner?
Would the signatory be so kind as to inform us what he donated or how much he waived of his salary this year or the one —
preceding it when our salaries were reduced by ten rupees, so he asks me to repeat this reduction?
(9) Among what was written in the mentioned letter, he requests confirmation of that, etc... (i.e., he wants me to
agree with him on renewing the reduction in his letter).
Would it not have been more appropriate for the Vice President to ask me for such confirmation before the opening of the school if he saw it
as a reasonable or fair matter?
(10) Is there a teacher in the community schools, among locals or Palestinians, who performs my duty, i.e., teaching the fifth
and sixth grades, for this meager salary?
(11) Last year, my salary dropped from one hundred rupees to ninety under the pretext of a general reduction carried out in the community.
The men of the Lay Council used to promise us that this reduction was temporary. Does logic
or conscience accept that another ten rupees should be snatched away this year as well? Who has donated
or waived ten rupees of his salary permanently, even those who were not touched by the past reduction?
(12) Was the Vice President or the signatory able to persist ⟦in that⟧ with others who have huge salaries,
or foreigners, or even with the employees of his office?
Is this treatment the fruit of the appreciation we expect from our miserable profession?
Therefore, I have come hoping for your kindness to look into this treatment and become acquainted with this situation
so that you may lift this injustice from me, enabling me to continue with what my sacred duties dictate —
and please accept my highest respect. Teacher at Ras al-Qarya School
⟦signature⟧

Archival unit 741

Directorate
Ras al-Qarya Princely Elementary School
Baghdad
Number 48/7
Date 25 / 2 / 1922
To His Eminence the Respected Head of the Jewish Community
On February 2, 1922, the teacher Daoud Qa'touri submitted a letter to me demanding the issue of his
reduced salaries, and I referred it to you at the time to consider his request, and until now you have not informed us of the result
of that. Therefore, I hope to reconsider his previous request and kindly inform us. I also
add my voice to his and hope to grant his request because he is a sincere and zealous teacher in his work, and to you
thanks in advance, sir.
⟦illegible⟧
Director of Ras al-Qarya Jewish School
The case was deposited at the time to the esteemed Council, and it decided to postpone
consideration of it until the formation of a committee for schools 5/28/922
⟦illegible⟧
Secretary
Waiting on it now
⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 742

Your Excellency the President
The most important points mentioned in the attached petition are summarized in these four points:-
1- The petitioner complains that the reduction in the form communicated to him by this department on 24/8/942 was carried out with approval and a request
insisting on its implementation, which was agreed upon as a result of the oral deliberation that took place between Your Excellency and him on 18/8/942
in which it was hoped that all lessons taught in languages other than Hebrew would be deleted, which correspond to 4 lessons against ⟦...⟧
2- He submitted two petitions to this department explaining his objections and claims he received no response to them.
3- He objects to the reduction starting on the first of August 942, while the school year begins in October 942.
4- He received a letter signed by the Director of Investigations on behalf of the Acting Head of the Community, and he wants to know "who is the original
author of the letter."
Below are my observations on each of the above paragraphs:
1- After reviewing the private files and deliberating with Omar Effendi, the former school principal, it appeared that the aforementioned was not appointed for Hebrew
only, but also to teach English in the primary classes of the school so that the students of these classes would be at the same level as
students of other classes in our other schools in this language. Since it was found absolutely impossible to cancel these lessons
which total 12 lessons, and from the information we gathered from the aforementioned principal (it turned out that the petitioner gives
three additional lessons in the Arabic language that can be deleted) ⟦...⟧ it was decided to actually delete them as compensation for the reduction scheduled to be implemented
to the salary of the aforementioned.
The petitioner objects to the reduction of his salary alone among the community's employees, while the value of the three lessons deleted from
his weekly working hours equals ⟦050⟧ fils, so the actual reduction that affected the mentioned teacher is
⟦250⟧ fils only, and such a reduction affected the salaries of most community employees when adjusting salaries in the budgets.
2- You have answered orally with the opinion of this presidency regarding the objections he raised in his petition under discussion.
Your Excellency and the author of the report took charge of his followers, and you will find a summary of what transpired between me and the aforementioned attached at the bottom of his petition
dated 18 September 942.
3- The petitioner's objection is valid and deserves assistance.
4- The letter the petitioner refers to is No. 1212 dated 29 August 942, and it was signed on behalf of Your Excellency
based on your instructions, and you indicated approval of its content on 29 August 942, and everything built on this point I do not see
worthy of attention.
Director of Investigations
2/12/942
Against 4 lessons
⟦illegible faded text at bottom⟧

Archival unit 743

Baghdad 11 August 1922
Through the Principal of the Ras al-Qarya Jewish School
His Excellency the President of the Jewish Lay Council, Respected
After greetings!
At the present time, I am faced with the marriage of my sister-in-law, as I must provide for that amounts greater
than what I am requesting from the community. I hope for assistance by granting my requests until the end
of the current holiday, and many thanks to you in advance.
Fils | Dinar
750 | 87 | Required from October 922 to the end of October 923
Received on account | Fils | Dinar
On 29 / 1 / 22 | 500 | 16
" 2 / 4 / 22 | ⟦...⟧ | 6
" 5 / 4 / 22 | ⟦...⟧ | 6
" 2 / 6 / 22 | ⟦...⟧ | 6
" 4 / 7 / 22 | ⟦...⟧ | 6
" 4 / 8 / 22 | ⟦...⟧ | 6 | 46 | 500
The remainder | 41 | 250
The Teacher
Raphael ⟦illegible⟧
Submitted to His Excellency the President of the Council, hoping to fulfill his request
In view of the legitimate necessity
⟦signature⟧
Principal of Ras al-Qarya School
12/8/22
Administration of the Lay Council - Baghdad
Number 404
Date 12 / 8 / 1922
File Number
⟦illegible⟧
Accountant

Archival unit 744

17 / 8 / 1933
His Excellency the Vice President of the Lay Council, the Respected
After greetings
In implementation of your request dated the 13th of this month, I present below the reality of the claims of the Hebrew teacher at the
Ras al-Qarya school, Daoud Effendi Abboudi
 | Dinar | Fils
Salary balance until the end of Jan / 32 | 22 | 500
Total salaries for 6 months ending in July 1933 | 36 | "
 | 58 | 500
Deducting what was paid to him |  | 
On 30 Jan / 33 | 16 | 500
On 3 April 33 | 6 | "
On 5 April 33 | 6 | "
On 2 June 33 | 6 | "
On 4 July 1933 | 6 | "
On 24 August 1933 | 6 | "
 | 46 | 500
The remaining for him is only twelve dinars and nothing else | 12 | "
It appears from the account he submitted that he did not recognize the reduction that occurred to his salary from the first of
August 932, and he also persisted in calculating his salaries until the end of next October, and there are also errors
in the mentioned account whose origin I do not know. This is for your Excellency's order,
⟦illegible⟧
The Accountant
Administration of the Lay Council - Baghdad:
Number: 2011
Date: 17 / 8 / 33
File Number:

Archival unit 745

Amounts recorded in the Pen account in the name of Daoud Anwar Sabouri before being recorded in the books of the Spiritual Council:
Fils | Dinar
350 | 20 | 1922 | Salaries for three months: August, September, and October at 6/750
⟦line⟧ | 9 | Reduction for 12 months from August 922 to the end of July 923 for 750 fils
350 | 29
⟦line⟧ | 12 | Medical registration
350 | 41
27 August 923
⟦signature⟧
Accountant
Report Order
To be kept in his file No. 2
67

Archival unit 746

Directorate
Ras al-Qarya Amiri Primary School
Baghdad
⟦line⟧
Number 6
Date 4 / 11 / 927
To His Eminence, the Respected Head of the Jewish Community
Greetings and respect, thereafter:
First, I request the finalization of the school building lease for the current academic year so that
the lessor may carry out the required repairs,
Second, I earnestly ask if you would kindly arrange for the respected community doctor to visit our school to examine
the students and order their treatment,
Third, the respected community previously provided this school with electric lights due to the dimness of light in
some classrooms, thereby protecting the students' eyes from inevitable harm; however, it recently rescinded
this beneficial arrangement and cut off the electric current. Consequently, the students of the first and second grades especially
are suffering serious health damage, particularly on cloudy days when they are unable to see letters and illustrations
for reading and writing. I hope you will be kind enough to reconsider the matter and order the reconnection of
the electric power.
I believe the monthly expenditure for lighting does not exceed 500 fils at most.
With our utmost thanks in advance.
⟦signature⟧
School Principal
Presidency of the Jewish Community: Baghdad
Incoming No: 1523
Date: 5 / 11 / 27
Referred to the Honorable Lay Council and the Community 5 / 11 / 27
⟦signature⟧
Head of the Community
Sir, Vice President
Lighting the school with electricity, when it was first leased from its owner, was done at the insistence of
the former principal. But when the principal dismantled the electricity boards, the former Deputy Head of the Community,
Haroon David, objected, then agreed and pledged to pay these expenses by the community administration, considering all electricity boards, to the
Baghdad District Education Directorate to pay their amounts. An order came from the Director of Education to pay these expenses from the building rent.
Now the current has been cut immediately, and I think the principal was unable to pay the expense from the building rent on time, so the order was executed and the
current was cut.
⟦signature⟧
Accountant
The matters pertain
to accounting, noting
whether it was decided to pay
electricity expenses by the community

Archival unit 747

2299
10 November 933
Director of the Ras al-Qarya Official School
Reference to your letter No. 6 dated 4 / 11 / 933 referred to our council by
the Head of the Community :-
1- The renewal of the lease for your school building has been completed for a full two years starting from the first of November
933 and you may now demand the lessor to carry out the necessary repairs.
2- The ophthalmologist will visit your school during his regular tour.
3- We agree to pay half of the monthly expense for lighting your school only.
⟦illegible⟧
Vice President
63

Archival unit 748

2298
10 November 933
Dear Dr. Rawitschek
Ophthalmologist at Rima Khadoori Hospital
The administration of the Ras al-Qarya Official School has requested us to arrange your visit to examine the eyes
of the students and treat them.
We hope you will do so at the earliest opportunity - and stay well
⟦illegible⟧
Vice President
62

Archival unit 749

His Excellency the President of the respected Israeli Lay Council
Sir!
There is a back pay difference due to me from my salaries that I receive from the
community fund, and this difference amounts to one dinar and five hundred fils. I request
the order to whoever is concerned to pay this amount, and the matter is yours, Sir!
Baghdad, January 19, 1924
Teacher at Ras al-Qarya School
⟦signature⟧
Administration of the Lay Council - Baghdad:
Number: 485
Date: 22 / 1 / 924
File Number: 92
1/500
612

Archival unit 750

By the Director of the Ras al-Qarya Jewish School
To His Excellency the President of the Jewish Lay Council, the Respected
Greetings!
At the present time, my marriage contract is taking place, and the financial situation of the girl's family with whom we have become related
is very narrow, to the extent that despite our leniency and waiver of every amount and every customary grant from the family of
the girl in such cases, they still cannot even manage the preparation of the girl alone.
As such, I have taken it upon myself to handle most of the girl's preparations, in addition to the resulting expenses
such as house rent, furnishing, utensils, wedding expenses, and the like.
Therefore, I request the favor of assistance by fulfilling my request, which amounts to forty-two dinars, until the end of
October 1924, which is approximately the end of the final holiday for this school year,
so that I may be able to fulfill the duties imposed upon me. Please accept, sir, my utmost respect!
Baghdad, June 7, 1924
Teacher at the Ras al-Qarya Jewish School
⟦signature⟧
Administration of Jewish Schools
Baghdad
Number 2476
Date 6/8/1924
File Number
This teacher is among the best teachers in terms of ability, sincerity, and character, and deserves every assistance,
especially in such a case. Please be so kind as to grant his request, and I recommend
to the respected Council to pay his salary.
Presented to His Excellency the Respected President 6/8/1924
⟦signature⟧
Director of Ras al-Qarya School
His salaries for the coming months only are to be advanced until September 924
⟦signature⟧
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