Voices from the Archive

IJA 3077

President of the Baghdadi Jewish Community, Personal and Communal Documents

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Description

These 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.

Metadata

Archive Reference
IJA 3077
Item Number
15744
Date
Approx. January 1, 1941 to December 31, 1950
Languages
Multiple Languages
Keywords
Menahem S. Daniel's School, Afghanistan, Iraqi Consulate in Tehran, Shamash Secondary School, Karbala, Army Command Center, Mosul, David Sassoon Primary School for Boys, Laura Khedouri School for Girls, China, Iraqi Government, Business Card, Hakham Sassoon Khedouri, Ministry of Defense, University of London, Midrash Talmud Torah, Invoice, Chief Rabbi, Assistant Secretary of the Capital, Administrative Offices of Public Railways, Chargé d‘Affaires, Marriage, Controller of Programming & Licensing, Soviet Union, Annotation, Al-Rāfadīn Bank, Employment, Najaf, Ezra Menahem Daniel, Crown Crest, Jerusalem, Encyclopedia, Ottoman Bank, Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews, American Consulate, Ministry of Supply, Paris, Ministry of Social Affairs, Imports, Association of Helping the Poor, Al-Zamān, Iraqi Red Crescent Society, University of Baghdad, Handwritten, Travel, Printed Text, Telegram, Jewish Religious Court, Teachers, Form, Medicine, Silas Khedouri High School, The Royal Court, Primary School, Public School, Tobacco, Ink Stamp, Engineering, Letterhead, Jewish Life, Postage Stamp, President of the Jewish Community, American School for Boys in Baghdad, Personal Letterhead, Kirkuk, Financial, Judeo-Arabic, Cairo, London, Iran, Newspaper, Department of Posts & Telegraphs, Baghdad College, Typed, Basrah, Ministry of the Interior, Ambulance Association, U.S., Department of Imports and Exports, Office of Telephone Administration, New York, Alliance School, Meir Elias Hospital, French Consulate, Labor, Charitable, Palestine, Jewish Lay Council, Frank Iny School, Exports, Receipt, Charitable Sewing Society for Girls, Jewish Hospitals Committee, Correspondence, Military

AI English Translation, Pages 101-125

Archival unit 101

WHO'S IMPORTANT IN RELIGION
An Authentic Record of Religious Leaders,
Educators and Church Officials
[A Division of the BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE WORLD]
320 Broadway New York 7, N. Y.
Compiled and published by
INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN BIOGRAPHY
(Incorporated 1934)
Telephones: COrtlandt 7-8457
7-8458
Office of the Editor
Publications comprising the
BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE WORLD
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN THE ARMED FORCES
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN ART
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN BUSINESS
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN EDUCATION
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN ENGINEERING
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN GOVERNMENT
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN LAW
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN LITERATURE
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN MEDICINE
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN MUSIC
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN RELIGION
WHO'S IMPORTANT IN SCIENCE
June 24, 1946.
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhoori, Pres.
Jewish Community
Bagdad, Iraq.
Dear Rabbi Khedhoori:
I have the honor to inform you that your name is
included in our compilation for 1947 of WHO'S
IMPORTANT IN RELIGION.
Please fill out and return the enclosed brief
questionnaire. If time permits, I shall be glad
to mail a proof of your edited biography before
going to press.
There is, of course, no obligation of any kind.
Faithfully yours,
⟦S. A. Kaye⟧
S. A. Kaye.
P.S. You may also send us one of your photographs.

Archival unit 102

11 August 946
The Honorable Mr. Ezra Meir David, respected
Greetings and respect,
I have received with thanks the invitation card to attend the wedding ceremony of
your chaste daughter Camille, and on this occasion I hasten to offer my sincerest congratulations
with best wishes for the permanent happiness of the newlyweds.
I ask you to convey my heartfelt wishes to the dear couple for a life full of
glory and prosperity.
Please accept my fragrant greetings.
Sincerely,
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
By Air Mail
Address
Mr E. M. David.
49, Montague St.
Edin burgh
England
⟦illegible blue stamp/markings⟧

Archival unit 103

11 August 946
My dear Dr. Jalal
Peace and greetings
And thereafter, I hope that the Almighty Creator guides your steps and grants you success in serving the sons of
your homeland. I have received your dear letter, that letter which you insisted on sending
despite your preoccupation with study and achievement, and I was very pleased when I learned
from the content of your letter that you are exerting your effort to benefit, and this is not
too much to expect of you.
Please accept my sincere wishes for your steady success and prosperity, along with my fragrant
greetings.
Sincerely
⟦Sassoon⟧
Head of the Community
⟦Private File⟧

Archival unit 104

August 23, 1962
With kind words, praise, and appreciation
Greetings,
"I thank you very much for this letter, without which we might not have been able to record
this day of ours, except that you find precious time to spend in the service of our children in this school of ours and a meeting
⟦illegible⟧ on the occasion of the end of their lessons and receiving their results, wishing you continued health and success in
serving our loyal children in this school of ours and the Al-Rusafa school in serving our loyal children in
this school of ours."
And on the occasion of the Eid, we hope you accept our sincere congratulations and wishes for health and permanent happiness.
May you remain for the principle.
Sincerely,
⟦illegible⟧
Schools Committee
⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 105

London on October 22, 942
To His Eminence our respected dear Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, may God preserve him, Amen
May God bless your times with life, goodness, and joy
We thank your Eminence for your letter of the 11th of it, which included the precious blessings and wishes that you bestowed upon us and the two families
on the occasion of your receipt of the invitation card for the marriage contract of our daughter Najla, so we all offer your Eminence our many thanks
and we pray to the Almighty Creator for you to sustain you for us and for our beloved community in perfect health and wellness, Amen. And please accept
our heartfelt greetings, and regarding the newlyweds, they kiss your blessed hands. May you remain respected, sir.
Note
I hope to convey my greetings to the President of the Lay Council and its esteemed members
Thank you in advance
Sincerely
⟦illegible⟧
Salman ⟦illegible⟧
Salman ⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 106

27 August 946
His Excellency Mr. Daoud Al-Qasir, the respected
Dean of the College of Engineering in Baghdad
My dear Daoud Bey
I present to your Excellency the bearer of this letter, the student Eliyahu Munshi Cohen, one of
the graduates of the preparatory studies for this year, and I have sent with him my fragrant greetings
to your noble person. I would be most grateful if you would kindly provide possible assistance
regarding his admission to your college.
With my thanks in advance, please accept the highest respect.
⟦illegible⟧
8/27
Sincerely
⟦signature⟧
Head of the Community
Eliyahu's file

Archival unit 107

Baghdad ⟦...⟧ September ⟦...⟧
To: ⟦His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri⟧ the respected.
Greetings and respect.
Afterwards, about two months have passed since sending the question sent to you for the second time,
its copy is enclosed with our letter, and your response has not been received, neither negatively nor positively. Fearing that there is a possibility
that the question did not reach you or that the response did not reach us due to a postal error, we have sent
this, requesting a reply as quickly as possible because the specific book we intended to
publish is about to have its drafts submitted for printing. Please accept our highest respect.
Sincerely
Abdullah Al-Kumait
P.O. Box No. 74
Baghdad
For filing
⟦S⟧
7/10
Enclosures (2)
⟦Special file⟧

Archival unit 108

School
Midrash
Midrash Talmud Torah
Talmud Torah
Baghdad
Baghdad
Number:
Date:
His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri, President of the Jewish Community, Respected
After greetings
The administration of the Midrash schools is honored to invite your eminence to the examination
of the students of this school in religious studies on Sunday, September 8,
1946, at 8:30 AM in the central Midrash branch.
Please accept our respects
Administration of the Midrash Schools
⟦signature⟧
To attend or send
the personality
5/9
⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 109

9 September 946
His Excellency Mr. Salim Tarazi, the respected
After greetings and respect
I present to you Mr. Abdullah Hayyim, who carries to your Excellencies my
good wishes, with the hope that you will provide him with possible assistance in the matter
which he will explain to your Excellencies
With my thanks in advance, please accept my abundant respect.
Sincerely
Sassoon
Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
Fund

Archival unit 110

September 15, 946
His Excellency the respected Dr. Majeed Abbas
Greetings and respect,
Furthermore, I would like to introduce to your Excellency the student Abboudi Ezra Munshi
I have entrusted him with my sincere greetings to your Excellency, and I would be most grateful
if you would be so kind as to assist him as much as possible regarding his admission to the College of Law.
Please accept my highest thanks and respect.
Sincerely,
⟦Sassoon Khadhuri⟧
Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
8/15
To be filed
⟦illegible⟧
8/15
Private file

Archival unit 111

September 19, 946
His Excellency Professor Hussein Ali Al-Adhami, the respected
Greetings and respect,
Furthermore, I would like to introduce to your Excellency the student Abboudi Ezra Munshi, and I have entrusted him with
my sincere greetings to your Excellency. I would be extremely grateful if you would kindly assist him
as much as possible regarding the matter of his admission to the College of Law.
Please accept my highest gratitude and respect.
⟦illegible⟧
9/12
Sincerely,
Sassoon
Head of the Community
Private File

Archival unit 113

The Royal Court
Presidency of Royal Ceremonies
Baghdad, October 3, 1946
My dear, the Honorable Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri,
After offering due greetings and respect, I inform your Eminence that
the bearer, student Moshe Ibrahim, wishes to enroll in
Frank Iny Intermediate School. Since the aforementioned is
poor and has no intermediary, he was refused admission
to the said school. I, by this letter, beseech your Eminence
to use your personal influence in this matter and facilitate
the admission of this poor soul, and I thank you in advance.
Please accept, sir, the assurances of my respect.
Sincerely,
⟦signature⟧
Ceremonies Observer
On his private car

Archival unit 114

Praise be to Him
May He grant you success
His Eminence the Rabbi ⟦illegible⟧
After greetings and longings ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ your deeds and guide you to goodness, happiness, and prosperity ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ you always to goodness and tranquility, and may God reward
you with goodness
I request your kindness in assisting the bearer of this note
because he is one of the friends, and to you many
thanks
⟦signature⟧
Your sincere
Fuad ⟦illegible⟧ Al-Khayyat
Assistant of the Companions
29 / 9 / 92

Archival unit 115

My Lord, the respected Rabbi of the community
⟦illegible⟧
I hope to be ⟦a tenant⟧
⟦illegible⟧ and however ⟦illegible⟧
in ⟦illegible⟧ and I thank you ⟦illegible⟧
22 / May / 1961

Archival unit 116

Sadiq Allawi
General Medical Clinic
⟦line⟧
His Eminence the Virtuous Mr. Sassoon
Khedhouri, Respectfully
After greetings, I hope you are
in full health. Enclosed with my letter
this ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
free of charge for his treatment with
The Sincere Writer
Sadiq Allawi
10 / 1 / 1946
Latif
⟦line⟧
Telephone Numbers | Residence South 350
Clinic 7995
Al-Mahout
Owners of the establishment

Archival unit 117

Number 1
Incoming Internal Telegram
⟦coat of arms of the Kingdom of Iraq⟧
Number:
Telegram Type:
Time of Registration:
Department Official
11 SEP 1936
BASRAH
Arrived at Hour: 10
Minute:
From: Bag
Received by: ⟦illegible signature⟧
Word Count: 10
Administrative Instructions:
Date: 11
Issuing Office: Basra Post
To <del>Head of</del> the Jewish Community
Baghdad
We congratulate you all on the happy holiday
The Answer
Daoud Nassim
German School - Basra
I thank you for your congratulations, wishing you happy holidays
Daoud
Head of the Community

Archival unit 118

⟦illegible⟧
Daoud Nassim
Alliance School Basra
I thank you for your congratulations, wishing you happy holidays
⟦signature⟧
10/12
Salwa
Head of the Community
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Head of the Jewish Community Baghdad

Archival unit 119

Telegram 9
Incoming Internal Telegram
BAGHDAD
10 ⟦illegible⟧ 49
Department Stamp
Number: ⟦line⟧
Telegram Type: ⟦line⟧
Time of Registration: 16/10
Arrived at Hour: 16
Minute: 55
From: Guidance
Received by: ⟦illegible⟧
Word Count: 17
Date: ⟦line⟧
Issuing Office: Baghdad
To: Rabbi Sassoon Khadduri Baghdad
I offer to your Excellency the holiest congratulations and greetings
to the community of happiness
Daniel Isaac - Kirkuk
Procedures
Opinion of the ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ congratulations on the occasion of the feast of ⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 120

Daniel Isaac - Kirkuk
I thank you for your congratulations, wishing you happy holidays
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Sassoon
Head of the Community
Rabbi Sassoon Khidhouri
Head of the Jewish Community in Baghdad

Archival unit 121

17 September 946
His Excellency Mr. Moshe Shochet, the respected
After greetings and respect
I would be most grateful if you would kindly provide possible assistance to the bearer
of this letter of mine, Mr. Abdul Jabbar Jarjis. With my thanks in advance, please
accept my highest respect.
Sincerely
Head of the Community
Private

Archival unit 122

17 September 946
The Honorable Mr. Edward Nari, respected
After greetings and respect,
I would be most grateful if you would kindly provide possible assistance to the bearer
of this letter, Miss Eliza Ephraim. With my thanks in advance, please accept
the highest respect.
Sincerely,
Head of the Community

Archival unit 123

Fakhr al-Din al-Jamil
Baghdad
Telephone 3046
Date: 7 / 2 / 1946
To the honorable Monsieur Antoine Khaddouri
After greetings and respect
The bearer of my letter, sir, is enrolling his daughter in your school and he is of poor means, and at the same time I hope you will excuse me
for approaching you from time to time because ⟦the⟧ teacher is on ⟦...⟧ friendship, especially the distinguished among them, and may you remain protected
Fakhr al-Din al-Jamil
Executor
in Statistics
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
2/8

Archival unit 124

28 / 10 / 946
The Honorable Mr. Salim Daoud Tawfiq, Respectfully
After greetings ⟦line⟧
I would be most grateful if you would kindly provide possible assistance for the admission of the student
Karim Munshi Balbul at half-tuition in: Munir Ibrahim Tuwayq Kindergarten.
Please accept my greetings with thanks in advance.
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Sincerely
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
2

Archival unit 125

10 / 28 / 1946
The Honorable Dr. Stewart,
Director of the American School for Boys, Baghdad
Greetings,
I would be most grateful if you would kindly provide possible assistance to the student
⟦Salim⟧ ⟦Ephraim⟧ regarding the matter he will explain to you.
With my thanks in advance, please accept my respects.
Sincerely,
Sassoon
Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
10/28
⟦illegible⟧
10/28
2