AI en Translation, Pages 476-500
Page 477
The Spiritual Committee of the Holy Community
Baghdad, may God protect it
The Israeli Spiritual Council
in Baghdad
Presidency of the Israeli Community
Baghdad
Outgoing Number 42
Date 2 / 12 / 1925
Number: 1594
Date: 2 / 12 / 1925
I designate Hakham Sassoon Khedouri for the seeker
Our Rabbi, the pious, the famous, Isaiah Dayan
Kosher and chosen
To our beloved, admired, our honor, foundation of the seat of the Rabbinical Court ⟦in⟧ Baghdad ⟦may God protect it⟧
And after inquiring of your good welfare from Heaven, may He be blessed, and so may it be His will, Amen
Regarding letter (15) from Tammuz past, informing our committee and likewise our custom
that we are accustomed to these charities of ours that they shall be . . . :
Machatzit Hashekel | half a shekel
" " | Redemption of the soul always
" " | The Lord and they fled etc. as mentioned above
In this is a hidden hand and grace for our work in Baghdad among the other places etc.
The young Sassoon
Khedouri Hazan
May his end be good
Page 478
8524
Election of members of the Israeli Religious Court
⟦illegible⟧
6 December 945
To the Honorable Ministry of Justice
Baghdad
Further to our letter No. 4445 dated 10/15/945
Based on the requirements of necessity, the members of the Israeli Spiritual Council met
in Baghdad to re-elect the members of the Israeli Religious Court in Baghdad
in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 15 of the Israeli Community Law No. 77
for the year 1931, and the result of the election was as follows :-
President - His Eminence Rabbi Salman Hoki Abboudi
Member - " " " Sasson Ezra Ishaq
Member - " " " Yusuf Eliyahu Rabie
Please note this with you and please accept our highest respect
On behalf of
Head of the Community
His Eminence the Rabbi
For signature please
⟦signature⟧
12/15
MNKH / AM
Page 479
Iraqi Government
Ministry of Justice
Presidency of the Israelite Community
Baghdad
Number ⟦line⟧ 82
Date ⟦line⟧ 26 / 12 / 1945
Legal Codification Bureau Division:
General Number: A / 1 / 1 / 7
Telegraphic Address: Adliya
Date: December 1945
Subject Summary: Members of the Religious Court
To the Presidency of the Israelite Community in Baghdad
In response to your letter numbered 8524 and dated 6 / 12 / 1945 .
The result of the election has been noted.
Minister of Justice
Your Excellency the Deputy
For your information please
⟦signature⟧
26 / 12
Please refer to the General Number
Page 480
Telegraphic Address "Mukammal"
TELEGRAMS :
"MUKAMMAL"
TELEPHONE No. <del>729X</del> 6970
(3 LINES)
Telephone <del>729</del> Baghdad
6970
Mukamal Brothers - Baghdad
MUKAMAL BROTHERS
P.O. Box No. 14 .P.O.B. No. 14
CODES :
SCHOFIELDS 3 LETTERS
ORIENTAL 3 LETTERS
BENTLEY'S
ACME
Presidency of the Jewish Community
No. ⟦illegible⟧
Date 10 / 1 / 1946
No. ⟦line⟧
Baghdad on 10 January 1946 Baghdad
(Iraq)
His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, the Respected
President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
Subject - Proposal
After greetings /
Furthermore, it is noted that the agendas presented to the General Council do not include
subjects except those that Your Eminence deems fit to present to the Council for discussion and decision. However, it may happen
sometimes that urgent matters arise after a call for a Council meeting has been issued, or some
members may wish to present proposals calling on the Council to consider amending certain matters or other issues overlooked by
the agenda. Therefore, I hope to suggest adding the following two paragraphs to all session agendas:
1 - Consideration of urgent issues that arise after the issuance of the invitation
2 - Consideration of members' proposals regarding the amendment of certain matters or consideration of
other issues that they deem necessary to present to the Council for consideration and decision
This is what I see as necessary for the public interest. However, if this proposal of mine does not meet with your acceptance,
I request that it be presented in that case to the esteemed Council at the next session to consider it and approve it if found
correct. Please accept my highest respect.
Sincere
Isaac Sassoon Mukamal
⟦signature⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Page 481
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
8577
4 January 946
Honorable Gentlemen
Daoud Tuwayq
Shamoun Sofair
Rahim Sofair
After greetings and respect.
The esteemed General Council had delegated you to form a committee to audit
the accounts of the Lay Council for the year 44/945 in its extraordinary meeting
held on July 1, 945
I ask you to kindly audit the mentioned accounts to submit the report which
your respected committee will present to the esteemed General Council, and I thank you.
Followed by
Head of the Community
Copy to - His Excellency the respected President of the Lay Council - for information
His Eminence the Rabbi
For signature please
Page 482
Administration of the Lay Council - Baghdad
Number 54
Date 21 / 3 / 46
File Number
Baghdad on 19 March 1946
His Eminence the Head of the Jewish Community, respected.
Baghdad
After greetings,
With reference to your letter numbered 8577 and dated 4 / 1 / 1946
I thank the esteemed General Council for the trust they have placed in me by electing me
as a member of the audit committee for the accounts of the Lay Council, and due to the limitation of my time, I hope
for an excuse for my inability to fulfill the wish of the esteemed Council.
And to your Eminence, the highest respect.
Sincerely,
Naeem Ezra Sweif
⟦handwritten signature⟧
Copy to
The Respected President of the Lay Council.
Page 483
Baghdad, June 17, 1945
⟦illegible⟧
To the Honorable President of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Greetings and respect,
As I intend to travel outside of Iraq, I request your Excellency to accept my resignation
from the membership of the esteemed National Council.
I wish your Excellency and all those in charge of the community's interests and those devoted to it
success in elevating the status of this community.
Please accept my highest respect.
Sincerely,
⟦Reuben Edward⟧
Elections
Page 484
8585
14 January 946
18
To the honorable and distinguished Mr. Reuben Daoud, respected
c/o Mr. Hassan Al-Homs
P.O. Box No. 185
Beirut
After greetings and respect,
With reference to your resignation dated June 17, 945
It is with great regret that I inform you that the esteemed General Council was forced to
accept your aforementioned resignation at its extraordinary meeting held
on January 6, 946, in view of your intention to travel outside Iraq.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the work you have done and for
the sacrifices you have made for the sake of your community throughout your membership in the
esteemed General Council, and I wish you success and prosperity.
Please accept my highest respects.
7/14
Sassoon
Head of the Community
Page 485
8566
31 December 945
The Honorable Mr. Gurji Yaqub Matloub
Respected Member of the Lay Council
After greetings and respect
Further to our letter No. 8541 dated 14 December 945
In view of the lack of a quorum at the meeting for which I invited the
Respected General Council to hold on Sunday evening, 30 December 945
I have invited the aforementioned Council to hold the meeting again at the headquarters of the Community Presidency at
five o'clock in the evening on Sunday, 6 January 1946
and in accordance with the invitation paper attached herewith.
Based on what was stated in Article 16 of the Community Regulation No. 36 of the year
1931, I hope for your attendance at the appointed time for the meeting
Please accept my respects
On behalf of
Head of the Community
Attachments - General Council invitation paper
Copy to 5 L M
Secretary ⟦...⟧
⟦signature⟧
Page 486
The Israeli Lay Council
Baghdad
Number 2469
Date 18 February 945
To the Honorable Member of the Lay Council
Respected
After greetings and respect
In the council meeting held on 15 / 2 / 945, it was decided to hold
one meeting once every week, at six o'clock on Thursday evening
of every week.
As for the meeting place, it will be once in the community administration and once in the building of the
National Preparatory School in Al-Sinak alternately. The meetings that are held
in the preparatory school will be dedicated to exchanging views only without making written decisions
as these decisions will be left to the meetings that will be held in the community administration
where the secretary will attend to record the proceedings, and thus there is no longer a need -
to send an invitation to the members to attend these meetings because it is expected that they attend on
their own at the appointed time.
The next meeting will be at six o'clock on Thursday evening 22 / 2 / 945
in the building of the National Preparatory School.
Please accept our respect;
⟦signature⟧
⟦On behalf of⟧
The President
Page 487
The Israeli Lay Council
Baghdad
Number 2469
Date February 18, 1945
The Honorable Member of the Lay Council
Respected
After greetings and respect
In the council meeting held on 15 / 2 / 1945, it was decided to hold
one meeting once every week, at six o'clock on Thursday evening
of every week.
As for the meeting place, it will be once in the community administration and once in the building of the
National Preparatory School in Al-Sinak alternately. The meetings that are held
in the Preparatory School will be dedicated to exchanging views only without making written decisions
as these decisions will be left to the meetings that will be held in the community administration
where the secretary will attend to record the proceedings, and thus there is no longer a need
to send an invitation to the members to attend these meetings because it is expected that they will attend on
their own at the appointed time.
The next meeting will be at six o'clock on Thursday evening 22 / 2 / 1945
in the building of the National Preparatory School.
Please accept my respect
⟦Ibrahim⟧ ⟦...⟧
The President
Page 488
To the Honorable President of the Lay Council
For health reasons, I submit my resignation from membership
of the esteemed General Council, with great respect to your Excellency
Ibrahim Hayyim Moallem Nissim
1935
Baghdad, June 8
⟦signature⟧
Elections
Page 489
Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri
President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
January 16, 1946
To the Honorable and Distinguished Member of the General Council
After greetings and respect,
Mr. Yusuf Salih Al-Kabir, the lawyer, submitted to the office of this presidency a report dated December 1, 1944,
containing several proposals regarding the reforms he deems appropriate to introduce to the administration of this community and the institutions
affiliated with it. This report was printed at the time and distributed to the members of the General Council. The esteemed General Council discussed
this report in its meeting held on July 8, 1945, and decided after deliberation to approve a proposal submitted by
Mr. Ibrahim Salih Al-Kabir to the office of this presidency, which includes the creation of a special committee by the community presidency
to look into the reforms that the community needs now and in the future, and to invite members of the General Council who wish to do so
to submit their proposals regarding the reforms they believe can be implemented to the aforementioned committee for the purpose of studying them and submitting
its proposals regarding them to the esteemed General Council.
Therefore, I request you to submit your proposals to the office of this presidency regarding the reforms that you see can be
implemented now or in the future, whether regarding the administration of the community itself or its affiliated institutions, for the purpose of submitting them
to the committee referred to above, which will be formed for this purpose, provided that your proposals reach us within thirty days
from the date of this letter.
Please accept my respect.
⟦signature⟧
President of the Community
Page 490
8589
18 January 946
The Honorable and Distinguished Notable Mr. Ibrahim Hayim Moallem Nessim, Respectfully
After greetings and respect,
The esteemed General Council considered your resignation dated June 8,
945, in its extraordinary meeting held on January 6, 1946,
and decided unanimously that the Council is in the direst need to retain a virtuous personality
such as your noble self, which is renowned for its extensive knowledge in the affairs of the community
and its long-standing sacrifices for the sake of the community's welfare and happiness. For this reason, the
Council declined to accept your resignation from the membership of the General Council, and it is certain
that you will not hesitate to withdraw your resignation out of concern for the interests of the members of
your community and the good of all.
Please accept the highest expressions of respect.
⟦illegible signature⟧
On behalf of
The Head of the Community
H
Page 491
The Honorable President of the Jewish Community
After greetings and respect
Reference to your letter No. 8349 dated August 25, 945
We have met with His Excellency Mr. Ezra Menachem Daniel and informed him of the feelings
of the esteemed General Council, which insists on his acceptance of the resignation of a respected figure
such as His Excellency, and we regret to say that we did not succeed in persuading him to withdraw the resignation
Please accept the highest respect
Baghdad on October 4, 945
⟦illegible⟧
Khedhouri
⟦illegible⟧
Page 492
859
18 January 946
His Excellency the Virtuous Senator Mr. Ezra Menahem Daniel, Respectfully
After greetings and respect,
The esteemed General Council deliberated in its extraordinary meeting
held on 7 January 946 regarding your resignation from the membership of the
aforementioned Council dated 25 November 944, and reviewed the letter from Messrs. Eliyahu
Hayyim Tawfiq and Khedhouri Munir Lawi dated 4 October 945 regarding
the result of their meeting with Your Excellency on the subject, and decided unanimously that the Council cannot
lose your membership given that it is in dire need of a precious personality such as your
noble self, which is renowned for its long-standing sacrifices for the sake of the community and its happiness.
The Council requests Your Excellency to withdraw the resignation, and in view of what it knows of your
noble character, it is certain that you will not hesitate to add this new
generosity to the series of your famous favors and sacrifices for the sake of the public interest.
Please accept the highest respect.
Sassoon
Head of the Community
⟦Received⟧
27/1
Page 495
1 - New Schools - The community wishes to have schools like these. However, the community
is not currently in a state that enables it to undertake such a great project, which requires exorbitant expenses and has
characteristics that do not suit our environment. I suggest that we adopt the project gradually, by
establishing two special classes taught at the Rabbinical School by those of good reputation, and we select
eight or ten students of honor and competence for teaching to study under them, with the assistance of
the Rabbi who will also teach them, having graduated from at least a secondary school, and another who is familiar with the history
of Israel and Hebrew literature, who can be found among the members of the community.
The teaching shall be divided into three areas: A - Studying the Talmud in a modern way as in the Rabbinical School,
B - Studying the history and geography of the country, C - Studying Hebrew history and literature.
This project shall be preliminary, and perhaps it will be possible for the community to expand it.
2 - Engagement and Wedding Ceremonies - Religious ceremonies, especially those required for celebrations
where non-Jews are present, must be conducted with dignity. Some have become accustomed to inviting a number of non-Jews to
ceremonies in the Meir Tuweig Synagogue. However, one sees with regret as if we invited these people to see
the points of weakness in the community. The invitee might be a person of prestige but finds no one to welcome him,
so he takes a place in the back rows. Most of those in the front rows are the wealthy. And the noise
fills the place. The musicians stir up a clamor like a chaotic market, not a wedding ceremony like this.
Is it not possible to employ someone to issue real instructions for this matter regarding the preservation of
decorum, the sincerity of the groom, and distinguishing others of the children with special clothing, and the wearing of a special
prayer shawl if he is not a rabbi, and seating the women without mixing with
the men, etc., etc. If spending on this matter is neglected, a portion of the ceremony fee can be allocated
for this purpose.
3 - The Issue of the Cemetery - It is not possible today to innovate this issue without the direct advance of the community.
However, what cannot be fully achieved should not be entirely abandoned. It is possible to appoint a committee by the Lay Council to undertake
supervision of the cemetery, directing one matter and recommending another. It would look into the costs of the cemetery, and the status
of the interested parties as to whether the request for building the grave is grand or simple, and maintain a special register
of the names of the deceased, and allocate the burial place for each according to status, and all other matters decided by the Rabbi.
Teaching the Holy Bible -
4 - Teaching the Holy Bible to the children of the community is a vital matter. If our schools are unable to
teach the Holy Bible sufficiently, it is possible to compensate for that by opening evening classes. I am certain that
students will flock to these classes even for a fee. I suggest that the Lay Council allocate fees
for this matter, even if they are small at the beginning ⟦...⟧ the evening class in which it is taught.
Consumer Expenses on the Occasion of the Wedding -
5 - Relationship has a rule. The truth is that if some of the people of prestige became accustomed to reducing unnecessary
expenses for the sake of setting an example, the middle and poor classes would follow them. Is it not possible
to employ those who undertake guidance in this matter from people of prestige and religious status who connect directly
with the couple and make them understand, and make ⟦their families⟧ and their close relatives understand to avoid holding (Henna) parties before
the grand wedding (the Miyeh), and guide the poor especially to keep the money that belongs to them and others from
what they spend on furniture, furnishings, clothing, etc., that does not benefit them, and limit it to what is necessary only.
In that, there is good for everyone.
[ ⟦illegible⟧ 34 / ⟦illegible⟧ / ⟦illegible⟧ ]
His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Respected President of the Jewish Community
After greetings and respect,
I have presented above the reforms I see fit for the community,
and I wish Your Eminence success in what is for its welfare.
24/1/46
[ ⟦illegible⟧ - ⟦illegible⟧ - ⟦illegible⟧ ]
Page 499
8584
Elections for the Israeli General Council
January 14, 1946
The Honorable Ministry of Justice.
Reference to your letter numbered 7/1/19/9 and dated November 5, 1944
Mr. Reuben Daoud, member of the General Council, submitted his resignation from the
aforementioned council on June 17, 1945. In view of the General Council's decision taken
at its extraordinary meeting held on 1/6/1946 to accept the resignation, it has
become necessary to notify the member whose name is the first of the names with surplus votes in the
relevant division to take the place of the resigned member, as stated in Article Fifteen
of the Israeli Community Regulation No. 36 of 1931. However, upon auditing the minutes
pertaining to the third district, which is the one relevant to the resigned member and reported to us by the letter
of the Israeli Election Supervision Body numbered 7/1/19/9 and dated
November 4, 1944, it appeared that the surplus candidates were several persons
who obtained one vote, and those names were not specified in the aforementioned minutes. Therefore, please
provide us with a list showing these names so that we can appoint the member who will fill
the vacant membership to notify him accordingly.
On behalf of
The Head of the Community
⟦illegible signature⟧
1/14
Page 500
Iraqi Government
Ministry of Justice
Bureau of Legal Codification
Number ⟦A⟧ / 1 / 1 / 7
Date January / 1946 AD
120
21 / 7 / 1946
Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
In response to your letter No. 8584 dated 18 / 1 / 1946
Below is a list of the names of the persons whose votes followed the votes
of the resigned member.
Number of Votes
7 - Lawyer Saleh Naji
2 - Lawyer Salim Saltoon
2 - Lawyer Sassoon Bir Srousha
1 - Ishaq Moshi Shamardi
1 - Salem Saleh
1 - Robin Battat
And there are other persons who obtained one vote.
Minister of Justice
His Eminence the Rabbi
Please be informed
⟦Hilla⟧
1/21
The Press ⟦looked⟧
⟦Arwi⟧