President of the Baghdadi Jewish Community, Personal and Communal Documents
View interactive document pageThese documents contain correspondence, mostly on a personal level, of the President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad. Included are requests for a telephone to be installed in a school, teacher labor issues, student transfers, receipts and invoices, thank you notes and condolences to members of the Jewish Diaspora in Europe, America, and the Middle East. The documents include an excerpt from the 1945 edition of the Biographical Encyclopedia of the World, featuring the president of the Jewish community of Baghdad, Sassoon Khedouri; a license to import one Chevrolet car from the U.S.; a wedding invitation; and several business cards of foreign dignitaries.
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ Mr. Mahmoud Al-Fakhri Al-Dawasa Quarter Mosul We offer our condolences on the loss of your late father of good memory, it pained me and grieved my heart May the Almighty Creator cover him with His vast mercy and grant you beautiful patience. Rabbi Sassoon Khidhouri Head of the Israelite Community ⟦Date⟧ Rabbi Sassoon Khidhouri Head of the Israelite Community in Baghdad
Telegram 11 Internal and External Intermediate Telegram Iraqi Post and Telegraph Administration Basra 6 APR 47 Time of registration: 10.20 Telegram type: G Received at: 1.40 minutes From: Kirkuk Sequence number: 57 Received by: ⟦illegible⟧ Words: 14 Notes: Date: 6 Issuing Office: Kirkuk To... Rabbi Sassoon Khadduri Baghdad My heartfelt congratulations to your excellence and to the members of your community for prosperity and happiness Daniel Ishaq Personal Signature Mr. Daniel Ishaq Kirkuk I thank you for your congratulations, wishing you happiness Rabbi Sassoon Khadduri
The Answer His Excellency Mr. Hamza Al-Qazwini Hilla I thank you for your kind congratulations on the occasion of the blessed Easter holiday May your days be happy May the Creator grant you a long life Sassoon Khidhouri Head of the Jewish Community Iraqi Post and Telegraph Administration Telegraph 11 Internal and External Intermediate Telegram 7 APR 47 TELS. BAGHDAD Time of registration: ⟦8⟧ | Telegram type: ⟦A⟧ Number: ⟦20⟧ Office Stamp | Sent at hour ⟦line⟧ minute ⟦line⟧ | Received at hour ⟦line⟧ minute ⟦line⟧ 17 | To ⟦line⟧ | From ⟦line⟧ | Serial number ⟦line⟧ | Received by ⟦line⟧ | Telegraphed by ⟦line⟧ | Words: | Notes: Principal | Date: ⟦7/4/47⟧ | Issuing Office: Jewish To: His Excellency Sassoon Khidhouri I congratulate you on the auspicious holiday and wish you many happy returns Hamza Al-Qazwini Issuance Personal
March 23, 1947 His Excellency Mr. Muzahim Maher, Director of Police for Baghdad Province, Respected My dear Muzahim Bey Sincere greetings I hope to remind you of your kind promise regarding providing possible assistance to Ali al-Hassani, Lance Corporal No. 713, and Abd Wahid No. 1533, regarding increasing their salaries. Hoping that I have not troubled you with this request of mine, please accept my utmost thanks in advance with great respect. Sincerely, ⟦Sassoon⟧ Head of the Community ⟦illegible⟧ 2/25 For filing The ⟦relevant⟧ file ⟦Secretary⟧
The Honorable Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri President of the Jewish Community, Baghdad After greetings and offering due respect Our dear son (meaning ⟦Ahmed Jbeih⟧) needs assistance regarding providing him with a prosthetic leg because the ⟦loss⟧ is in the middle of the leg and he is a family man, so please be so kind as to help him as much as possible. With highest respect to your Excellency 16 / 2 / 1947 President of the Jewish Community in Mosul The Jewish Religious Court in Mosul The Jewish Religious Court in Mosul ⟦The Religious Court in Mosul⟧ 391 No. T 77 On the occasion of traveling to ⟦England⟧ please take the necessary measures regarding what was submitted Request for means of transport Collection of the value As the interest requires traveling back, and this requires providing us with a letter To travel 7751 at the time of my return, Form 617, and in previous years we might have used ⟦Visa⟧ American time Hoping you would be so kind as to secure the requirement, one hundred rupees 100 ⟦Visa⟧ That he has no objection to issuing the travel ticket And please accept highest respect Khedhouri 1/7/47 Khedhouri Baghdad on 1/7/47 ⟦illegible⟧
Jewish Hospitals' Administration MEIR ELIAS HOSPITAL BAGHDAD TELEPHONE No. 3006 7480 BAGHDAD Jewish Hospitals' Administration Meir Elias Hospital Baghdad Telephone No. 3006 7480 Baghdad No.: Date: 12 / 12 / 47 His Excellency the President of the Community, Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, Respectfully Greetings and respect. I received with great respect your letter dated March 21 We examined the patient mentioned in your letter at the time and sent a report regarding that to the specialist doctor, and in addition to that, we have examined her again today and we will send the report with its specific information to the doctor specialist. Please accept our respect ⟦Hospital Director⟧ Sincerely Dr. Ihsan Qaimqami ⟦Committee⟧ ⟦Health Administration⟧
14 March 1947 His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Ramadani, the respected My dear Ahmed Bey I request that you provide all possible assistance to the bearer of this letter, Heskel Khadouri, a bakery owner, and consider the possibility of granting him permission to close his bakery temporarily for the purpose of operating his bakery to prepare unleavened bread (matzah) according to the traditions required by the Mosaic religion on the occasion of the coming of Passover. With my thanks in advance, please accept my respects. Sincerely, Sassoon Head of the Community ⟦Assistant⟧ ⟦Administrative⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦148⟧ 3/21/947 His Eminence Rabbi Solomon Barzani, the respected Head of the Israelite Community - Mosul After greetings With reference to your letter dated 3/16/947 regarding the needy Aziz Daoud (one of whose legs is ⟦amputated⟧). I regret to inform you that the required artificial leg cannot be manufactured at Mir Elias Hospital, and despite our lack of financial allocations for spending on such cases, we have granted him financial assistance amounting to five dinars to help him in purchasing an artificial leg. Please accept my respects. ⟦Sassoon⟧ Head of the Community ⟦illegible⟧ 4/2 For filing The response has been delivered
7/16/35 To the Honorable President of the Jewish Community Via the Honorable Chairman of the Schools Committee Greetings and respect, With reference to your letter No. 31/16/735 dated July ⟦15⟧, and since the schools ⟦...⟧ (buildings, regulations, and equipment) are still operating according to their own system as we observed during their formation and operation until now, we request approval, effective from this date, for their direct affiliation to be with the Presidency of the Community to facilitate the speedy completion of transactions and services placed upon the administration. Thus, we request you inform the Schools Committee of this decision so that we may carry out our duties as required. With highest respect and appreciation to Your Excellence, Schools Committee ⟦...⟧ ⟦signature⟧ Baghdad, July 17, 35 ⟦...⟧
Ministry of Supply General Directorate of Imported Funds Number/ Date/ Rank in the seniority series To :-: We send to you herewith an import license for a new car of type ⟦line⟧ and that is among the cars that will be imported from the United States of America, so please contact the specialized company to complete the transaction required in this regard. ⟦illegible signature⟧ Acting General Director of Imported Funds A copy of it to :- Company ⟦line⟧ for information and to take necessary action, noting that this car is among the cars allocated to you and for which import licenses were granted in your name to bring them from the United States of America calculated for the year 1946. For filing Statistics Personal ⟦illegible signature⟧ 7/10
Iraqi Government Directorate General of Imported Funds IRAQ GOVERNMENT DIRECTORATE-GENERAL OF IMPORTS. (Form No. 6/A (Revised) Form 1/6 Revised No. C/103372 ⟦line⟧ Date 16/3/46 ⟦line⟧ IMPORT LICENCE Permission is hereby granted to Mr. / Messrs Hakham Sassoon Khedouri, Baghdad on condition of presenting a certificate of origin satisfactory to the Director of Customs and Excise if requested to do so. Subject it require e production of a Certificate of Origin to the satisfaction of a Collector of Customs and Excise are hereby authorised to import the following goods for home consumption in Iraq. Description and Quantity of goods. | One Chevrolet car. Weight | Nett Weight ⟦line⟧ Gross Weight ⟦line⟧ Port of shipment or shipping Area. | USA. Name and address of the foreign supplier Name & Address of Foreign Supplier. (s). | Ex licence mentioned above issued in the name of K. & E.M. Lawee Ltd., Baghdad. Cost of Goods. | Terms of Settlement. | Remarks Remarks | Validity up to 31st Decr. 1946 The goods must be imported and their invoices organized in the name of the licensee The goods must be consigned and invoiced in the name of the Licencee (s). This license is valid until ⟦line⟧ This licence is valid until ⟦line⟧ Controller of Import Programming & Licensing. IMPORTANT. Important Notes: (1) By taking delivery of this licence the licensee is pledged to import the goods mentioned above. Should import not be possible owing to exceptional circumstances, the facts must be reported immediately to the Controller of Import Programming and Licensing. 1 - The mere receipt of this license obligates the licensee(s) to import the goods shown above, and in the event that their import is impossible due to exceptional circumstances, the licensee must inform the Controller of Import Programming and Licensing of the matter immediately. (2) The licensee is similarly pledged not to divert the goods mentioned above to any other destination and, if any case of diversion is proved, the licensee is punishable under the Law for the Economics Life No. 41 of 1943. 2 - The licensee(s) must not divert the goods mentioned above to another destination, and if this is proven, he exposes himself to the penalties stipulated in the Law for Regulating Economic Life No. (41) of 1943. (3) The licensee agrees to abide by any general or special instructions issued by the Director-General of Imports as to the sale price and or the method of distribution. Where no specific sale price is fixed the importer is pledged to sell his goods at a reasonable profit. 3 - The licensee(s) must observe all special or general instructions regarding determining the price of the goods or the method of their distribution, and in the event that their prices are not determined, the importer must sell these goods at a reasonable profit.
For customs Purposes only. For customs purposes only. Date | Customs Bill of Entry No. & Date. | Description and Quantity of goods cleared. | Signature of Customs & Excise Officer. ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
KHEDOURI E. ANI
MOUNA HOUSE, KATAMON
TELEGRAMS: ROSANI
CODES USED { BENTLEY'S PRIVATE.
JERUSALEM, ⟦line⟧ 194⟦line⟧
TELEPHONE 5236
Ref. No. ⟦line⟧
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For filing
Statistics ⟦...⟧
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Baghdad, April 21st, 1947 H. G. Rabbi Sassoon Kheddoori, President, Jewish Community, Baghdad, accepts with thanks your kind invitation to the cocktails at Air Lodge, Sulaikh, Baghdad on Wednesday, April 23rd, 1947. Translation His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Kheddoori President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad accepts with thanks your kind invitation to attend the cocktail party which will be held at Air Lodge in Sulaikh, Baghdad on Wednesday, April 23, 1947 To be filed ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
5/7/1947 His Excellency Mr. Adel Wakil Respectable Assistant for Transportation Police My dear Adel Bey I request you to kindly provide your valuable assistance to the bearer of this letter, one of the collectors of the Society for Relief of the Sick, regarding obtaining a permit to pass on his bicycle through Al-Rashid Street, as his work requires these facilities. With my thanks in advance, please accept my respect. Sincere Sassoon Head of the Community ⟦illegible signature⟧ For the committee ⟦The balance⟧ (Issued by His Excellency the President)
5/1947/ Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri, President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad, is honored to accept with thanks the kind invitation of His Excellency the Afghan Minister Plenipotentiary to attend the tea party to be held at the Afghan Legation on Tuesday, May 27, 1947, in celebration of the blessed Afghan National Day. 20 5/⟦...⟧ To be filed Personal File
5/1947/ Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri, President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad, is honored to accept with thanks the kind invitation of His Excellency the Minister Plenipotentiary of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to attend the reception that will be held at the Legation building on the occasion of the independence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the evening of Sunday, May 25, 1947. ⟦signature⟧ 5/19 For filing Personal file His Excellency the Minister ⟦illegible⟧ Joseph Khedouri ⟦illegible⟧ Party ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ The hour ⟦illegible⟧ Monday
Baghdad College Sulaikh Baghdad Iraq BAGHDAD COLLEGE BAGHDAD, IRAQ June 13, 194⟦⟧ Chief Rabbi Sasoon Khadouri President of the Jewish Community Baghdad Dear Friend: I have the pleasure of extending you an invitation to be present at the Baghdad College exercises of graduation and distribution of prizes to be held at the King Faisal II Gardens on Tuesday, June 24, at seven o'clock in the evening. Respectfully, Joseph Connell, S.J. Joseph Connell, S.J. Principal Mr. President, greetings Above is an invitation from Baghdad College (Joseph Connell ⟦S.J.⟧) to attend the prize distribution ceremony which will be held at King Faisal II Hall at seven o'clock in the evening of Tuesday, June 24 For filing Endowments ⟦...⟧ 25 15 / 732 The tribe of Mr. Kamal Qaftan residing in Rabia visited her and our son residing in Baghdad, Karrada Al-Sharqiya, and in her hand is a very old letter registered in the name of the Ambassador and the British Consul in Basra, as she also possesses a very old license for the docking of her ship, and as she claims, she has very old legal documents for properties in Baghdad and Basra 107321 Rabia 56 No. 17 Saturday 24 / 5 / 952 ⟦illegible signature⟧ 5 / 15 ⟦illegible signature⟧ Searching for her house Interior Directorate of Forces Statement No. ⟦...⟧ 12850 on ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
For preservation His Excellency the President's file The Iranian Legation Baghdad Warm greetings I would be most grateful if you would kindly provide possible assistance regarding granting the necessary facilities to the bearer of this letter, Jahla Yehuda Shalom, one of my relatives, ⟦regarding⟧ granting her an entry visa to Iran for the purpose of visiting her son there, in view of her advanced age. With my thanks in advance, please accept my respects. Sincerely, ⟦S. S.⟧ Head of the Community Issued 2/17 947/2/17
To the honorable and virtuous Professor Mr. Meir Zakaria, Director of the National Preparatory School in Baghdad. My dear Professor Meir, I received with great gratitude the photograph gifted by you along with the notebook. This gift of yours was truly beautiful and reflects your kind feelings toward me. Please accept my thanks along with my sincere wishes for your success and prosperity. Sincerely, Sassoon Head of the Community ⟦illegible⟧ 2/12 For filing File of His Excellency the President
11th July, 1947. Mr. King, The Consul of The U.S.A. American Embassy, Baghdad. Dear Mr. King, Iam writing in connection of Mr. Aboudi Setty, a lawyer and an outstanding personality in the Jewish Community here. Mr. Setty should be no stranger to you as only about a year and a half ago his son and daughter emigrated to the United Staes. He still has two sons and three daughters who registered for emigration with you last December. Naturally they should await their turn but very unfortunately theyix lost their mother about six months ago and were left practically without care as their grandmother and uncles with other relatives are all in New-York. Therefore, you will appreciate that theirs is a special case, calling for urgent consideration. May I venture to request you that perhaps you will find a way to accord them priority so that they leave for The U. S. A. as early as possible and be under proper care receive good education. It will be a tremendous help to an old man , enabling him to solve a very difficult family problem. With best wishes and kind regards, I remain, Yours faithfully, ⟦signature⟧ PRESIDENT, JEWISH COMMUNITY, BAGHDAD. Mr. King, the American Consul American Embassy, Baghdad Dear Mr. King, I am writing to you regarding Mr. Aboudi Setty, a lawyer and one of the prominent men of the community who I believe is known to you as his son and daughter traveled to the United States about a year ago. He has two sons and three daughters who registered for an immigration visa to the United States in last December, and of course they must wait their turn, but unfortunately they lost their mother six months ago and were left entirely without care as their grandmother, uncles, and other relatives are all now in New York. Therefore, I believe you appreciate that their case calls for consideration in an urgent manner, and I hope that ⟦you find⟧ ⟦a⟧ way to give them priority so they can travel to the United States as quickly as possible in order to receive proper care and education. ⟦illegible⟧ The assistance will enable him to solve a difficult family matter very much for him. With my best wishes and warm regards, and I hope to be sincerely yours