Voices from the Archive

IJA 3313

Baghdadi Jewish Community Elections, Budgets, Meeting Minutes, Reforms in Organizations; Frank Iny School Chemistry Notes

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Description

These are assorted documents from the Baghdadi Jewish community. They include documents pertaining to elections held within the Baghdadi Jewish Community, budgetary and financial records, and minutes of meetings. Also included is an extensive report about reforms needed in Jewish hospitals, schools, and other organizations and associations. The item also contains chemistry notes from the Frank Iny School from 1959-1960.

Metadata

Archive Reference
IJA 3313
Item Number
15753
Date
Approx. January 1, 1931 to December 31, 1940
Languages
Multiple Languages
Keywords
Telegram, Financial, Baghdadi Jewish Community, Judeo-Arabic, Iraq Government, Annotation, Frank Iny School, President of the Jewish Community, Handwritten, Newspaper, Chemistry, Printed Text, Typed, Spiritual Council, Charitable Sewing Society for Girls

AI en Translation, Pages 551-575

Page 551

Elected Additional Candidates
1 - Gurji Yusuf Ishaq
2 - Saleh Khadouri
3 - Sion Abraham Gurji
4 - Ephraim Salman Tweig
5 - Abdullah Haroun Shamshoum
6 - Sion Ezra Nissan
7 - Yusuf Yehuda Salman Nissan
8 - Yasmin Abboudi Aslan
9 - Sion Eliyahu Al-Sheikh Sassoon
10 - Salman Khadhara
11 - Sassoon Zelait
12 - Ibrahim Eliyahu Al-Sheikh Sassoon

Page 552

Hanoun Kabir and Saghir neighborhood and ⟦Abhad⟧ Third Electoral District
The Traveler
1 - Naji Moshi Mukhtar
2 - Yusuf Haskil Battat
3 - Ezra Haskil Haddad
4 - Rabbi Samon Hakham Salman
5 - Salim Cohen

Page 553

Fathallah Quarter, Third Electoral District
1 - Shaul Shmeil Nathan
2 - Munir Yaqub Lawi
3 - Ishaq Salih Baruriya
4 - Sassoon Shlomo
5 - Gurji Yaqub Aqri
6 - Naji Agassi
7 - Ezra Abdullah Yaqub Lawi
⟦line⟧
8 - Aslan Eliyahu Bahta
9 - Ibrahim Eliyahu Bahta
10 - Pinhas Salman
11 - Menashe Shaul Nazha
12 - Abdullah Yaqub Lawi
13 - Munir Yaqub Aqri

Page 554

Al-Tatran Quarter, Third Electoral District
1 - Levi Shalom
2 - Yusuf Dawud Shammay
3 - Sham'un Eliyahu Levi
4 - Rabbi Salih Yusuf
5 - Sham'un Hasqil Haddad
6 - Ibrahim Karji Shamuli
7 - Moshi Sayyun Lari
8 - Nuji Salih
9 - Eliyahu Salih Maslawi
⟦line⟧
10 - Hasqil Ezra Zabli
11 - Adwar Yusuf Sayyih
12 - Salih Shu'a Khalif
13 - Yusuf Shlomo
14 - Yehuda Dawud Cohen

Page 555

Third Electoral District
Elected candidates from the Israelites, numbering 32
Al-Manasran Quarter (14)
1 - <del>Levi Shalom</del> Saleh Shara' Khalif
2 - Yusuf Daoud Shamay
3 - Shamoun Eliyahu Levi
4 - Rabbi Saleh Yusuf
5 - Shamoun Hesqel Haddad
6 - Abraham Gurji Shmuli
7 - Moshe Zion Lawi
8 - Gurji Saleh
9 - Eliyahu Saleh Baslawi
Faraj Allah Quarter (13)
1 - Shaul Shamil Nathan
2 - Munir Yaqub Lawi
3 - Ishaq Saleh Bruriya
4 - Sasson Shlier
5 - Naji Aghai
6 - Ezra Abdullah Yaqub Lawi
Hanoun Kabbour, Sfeir, and Abboud Quarter (5)
1 - Naji Moshe Mukhtar
2 - Lawyer Yusuf Hesqel Battat
3 - Ezra Hesqel Haddad
4 - Rabbi Sasson Hakham Salman
5 - Salim Cohen
Additional elected candidates residing outside the district (12)
1 - Gurji Yusuf Ishaq
2 - Saleh Khadhuri
3 - Zion Abraham Lawi
4 - Ephraim Salman Tweig
5 - Abdullah Haroun Shamtob
6 - Zion Ezra Nissan
7 - <del>Yusuf Yehuda Eliya Nissan</del>
Haroun Yehuda Qattan
8 - Yamin Abboudi Aslan
9 - Zion Eliyahu Al-Sheikh Sasson
10 - Salman Khadhara
11 - Sasson Zelait
12 - Ibrahim Eliyahu Al-Sheikh Sasson

Page 561

8541
14 December 945
The Honorable Mr. Gurji Yaqub Matloub, Respectfully
Member of the Esteemed Lay Council
After greetings and respect,
I have invited the Esteemed General Council to meet in an extraordinary session at
five ⟦six-thirty⟧ in the evening on Sunday ⟦Monday⟧ corresponding to December 28 ⟦29⟧ according to the successful ⟦following⟧ agenda
enclosed for consideration of the general budget submitted by the Esteemed Lay Council.
Based on what was stated in Article 16 of the Community Regulation No. 36 of the year
1931, I request your presence at the appointed time for the meeting. Sincerely,
Alwan
Head of the Community
Attachments:
General Council Meeting Agenda
⟦The Budget⟧ for the year 46/47
His Eminence the Rabbi
S. D. Vir ⟦Gaz⟧
S. Kh. / L. M.
⟦signature⟧
14/12

Page 562

JEWISH LAY COUNCIL
BAGHDAD
TELEPHONE NO. 531
The Lay Council of the Israelite Community
in Baghdad
Telephone No. 531
Number: 2616
Date: 17 / 11 / 1946
Subject Summary:
The Honorable Mr. Abdullah Sion Sheina, Respectfully
After greetings and respect,
I have the honor to inform you that the Lay Council has decided in its session held on November 11,
1946, in view of what it recognizes in your person ⟦of⟧ competence in serving the interests of the community and the good of the group, to choose you to fill
the vacant membership in the Lay Council as a result of Mr. Sassoon Murad Sassoon's travel outside the capital.
I hope to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the Council's confidence in your person, wishing you success and prosperity.
Copy to the Honorable President of the Jewish General Council for kind information.
Sincerely,
⟦signature⟧
President
⟦For filing⟧
⟦11/18⟧

Page 563

Rabbi <del>Sassoon Khedouri</del>
President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
Date: March 9, 1945
To the Honorable and Distinguished Member of the General Council
After greetings and respect:
1 - Due to the passing of the late His Eminence Rabbi Benjamin Hakham Moshe, the Chief Rabbi, I
invite you to kindly attend at the Community Administration at six o'clock PM on the afternoon of
Sunday, March 18, 1945, to hold an extraordinary meeting to elect a Chief Rabbi in accordance
with Article 11 of the Community Law.
2 - I have received a petition signed by twenty members of the General Council requesting
the convening of the Council in an extraordinary session according to Article 13 of the Bylaws
to consider the following matters:
1 - Establishing a society to assist poor girls with marriage.
2 - Merging the Hebra Kadisha Society with the Jewish Cemeteries Society or unifying the efforts of both societies
and organizing burial matters.
3 - Forming a committee to supervise the synagogues and their contents and to hold those responsible for them accountable.
4 - Preaching and guidance in synagogues and other communal institutions.
5 - Forming a committee to supervise the community's real estate and endowments, and their renovation and investment.
6 - Introducing necessary reforms to the religious courts.
7 - Appointing a permanent advisory committee for the Community Presidency.
8 - Considering the report of the lawyer, Mr. Yosef Al-Kabir.
Therefore, I have decided to add these matters to the agenda for consideration in the same meeting as follows:
Agenda
1 - Reading the minutes of the previous meeting.
2 - Electing a Chief Rabbi and filling the membership of the Spiritual Council.
3 - Considering the items of the petition in sequence.
Please accept my highest respect.
To be filed
⟦illegible⟧
⟦signature⟧
President of the Community

Page 564

5/1947
His Eminence Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Rabi, Respectfully
After greetings,
I have the honor to inform Your Eminence that you have filled the vacant membership of the General Council
as a result of the death of the late His Eminence Rabbi Raphael Isaac Hayyim, in accordance with Article
fifteen of the Israelite Community Regulation No. 36 of the year 1931.
I hope to take this opportunity to express to you my sincere wishes for your success
and prosperity.
Sincerely,
⟦Sassoon⟧
Head of the Community
⟦File⟧
For archiving
Elections

Page 565

202
15/5/1947
Interpretation of an Article
To His Excellency Mr. Sayyid Yusuf al-Kabir, the Respected Lawyer
Greetings and Respect,
The third paragraph of Article 15 of the Jewish Community Law No. 77 of
1931 concerning the Jewish Spiritual Court of Cassation, as amended by Article 1
of the Jewish Community Law Amendment Law No. (39) of 1945, states that
"... in the absence of the President, the aforementioned Council shall be chaired by the eldest member, and the quorum
of the Council shall be completed in the manner set forth in paragraph (4) of this Article."
We kindly request you to inform us if the ruling of this Article also applies in the event of a vacancy in the presidency of the
aforementioned Council due to death or resignation, given the lack of legal clarity in this regard
covering these two cases on one hand, and the impossibility of suspending the work of the Jewish Spiritual Court of Cassation
in those two cases until the vacancy is filled on the other hand.
Hoping that we have not burdened you with this petition, please accept our highest thanks and respect.
⟦signature⟧
Head of the Community
To be filed
End

Page 566

The Lawyer
Yousif Elkabir
J. S. ELKABIR
ADVOCATE
TELEPHONE 6059
Mustansir Street,
Baghdad 18 May 1947 Baghdad,
His Eminence, the respected President of the Jewish Community
Greetings and respect,
With reference to your letter numbered 203 and dated 15 / 5 / 1947.
I believe that the law intended in the mentioned paragraph to speak about the case of occupying the position
by its holder and his absence for an incidental reason only. It is not correct, in my opinion, to expand the meaning
to the case of death or resignation, firstly because that deviates significantly from the linguistic meaning, and secondly because that
interpretation, if we accept it, could allow the vacancy to remain for an indefinite period, which is something the law does not intend.
Accordingly, I think it is more likely to limit the paragraph to the case of absence and consider it inapplicable in the case
of a vacancy.
With highest respect;
⟦signature⟧
Basra
⟦illegible⟧

Page 567

208
5/8/1947
Interpretation of an Article ⟦line⟧
The Honorable Ministry of Justice
After greetings,
The third paragraph of Article 15 of the Jewish Community Law No. 77 of
1931, concerning the Jewish Spiritual Court of Cassation and amended by Article 1
of the Jewish Community Law Amendment Law No. (39) of 1945, states that
"... in the absence of the President, the aforementioned Council shall be chaired by the eldest member, and the quorum of
the Council shall be completed in the manner set forth in paragraph (4) of this Article."
We kindly request you to inform us whether the provision of the article also applies in the event of a vacancy in the presidency of the
said Council due to death or resignation, given the lack of legal clarity in this regard
covering these two cases on one hand, and the impossibility of disrupting the work of the Jewish Spiritual
Court of Cassation in those two cases ⟦until⟧ the vacancy is filled on the other hand.
Please accept our respects.
⟦illegible⟧
5/1
Archive
Elections
Sassoon
Head of the Community

Page 568

Iraqi Government
Ministry of Justice
Number: 4/2/192
Date: 5/25/1947
Legal Drafting Division
Summary of the Subject
Presidency of the Jewish Community
In response to your letter numbered 208 and dated 5/18/1947.
In the absence of the President, the Court of Cassation is presided over by the oldest member, and the quorum of the Council is completed
in the manner specified in the fourth paragraph of Article (15) of the Law of the Jewish Community
No. 77/1/1931, by completing the Council from among the additional members. This
case includes death and resignation as well.
Minister of Justice
Presidency of the Jewish Community
Number 1100
Date 5/27/47
⟦illegible⟧
Elections
Jamal

Page 569

⟦226⟧
23 / 5 / 1947
The Jewish Spiritual Council in Baghdad
After greetings,
We transmit to you below a copy of the letter from the Honorable Ministry of Justice numbered 191 / 1 / 4
and dated 25 / 5 / 1947 for your kind action accordingly.
⟦illegible⟧
5 / 27
Sassoon
Head of the Community
⟦line⟧
Copy of the letter
Presidency of the Jewish Community
In response to your letter dated 18 / 5 / 1947 and numbered 208
In the absence of the President, the eldest member shall preside over the Court of Cassation, and the quorum
of the Council shall be completed in the manner set forth in paragraph four of Article (15) of the
Jewish Community Law No. 77 / 931, by completing the Council from among the
alternate members; this case also includes death and resignation.
Minister of Justice

Page 570

Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri
President of the Israelite Community in Baghdad
Date: July 16, 1947
To the Honorable Member of the General Council
After greetings and respect,
Please be so kind as to attend at the (new) headquarters of the Community Presidency at six-thirty
in the afternoon on Monday, July 28, 1947, to hold an extraordinary meeting to consider the following items:
1- Reading the minutes of the previous meeting.
2- Election of the Chief Rabbi in accordance with Article 11 of the Community Law and filling the membership of the Spiritual Council
due to the death of the late lamented His Eminence Rabbi Raphael Isaac Hayyim, the former Chief Rabbi.
3- Ratification of the estimated budget for the community institutions for the fiscal year 1947-948.
4- Ratification of the report of the Audit Committee for the accounts of the Lay Council for the six months ending March 31, 1946
(Page 24 of the budget book).
5- Ratification of the amounts spent in excess of the allocation (Page 25 of the budget book).
6- Selection of three auditors to audit the accounts of the Lay Council for the fiscal year 1946-947 in accordance with Article
17 of the Community Regulations.
7- Authorizing the Lay Council to form a subcommittee to supervise the synagogues and their contents and to hold those responsible
for them accountable in accordance with Article 25 of the Community Regulations.
8- Authorizing the Lay Council to form a subcommittee to supervise the community's real estate, its endowments, their reconstruction, and their exploitation
in accordance with Article 25 of the Community Regulations.
President of the Community
Attachments
Budget book for the year 1947-948
To be filed
⟦I Bat⟧

Page 571

Rabbi ⟦Sassoon Khedouri⟧
President of the Israelite Community in Baghdad
Date: July 16, 1947
To the Honorable Member of the General Council
After greetings and respect
Please be so kind as to attend at the headquarters of the Community Presidency (the new one) at six-thirty
in the afternoon on Monday, July 28, 947, to hold an extraordinary meeting to consider the following items:
1- Reading the minutes of the previous meeting.
2- Electing the Chief Rabbi in accordance with Article 11 of the Community Law and filling the membership of the Spiritual Council
due to the death of the late lamented His Eminence Rabbi Raphael Isaac Hayyim, the former Chief Rabbi.
3- Ratifying the estimated budget for the community institutions for the fiscal year 947-948.
4- Ratifying the report of the auditing committee for the accounts of the Lay Council for the six months ending March 31, 946
(page 24 of the budget book).
5- Ratifying the amounts spent in excess of the allocation (page 25 of the budget book).
6- Selecting three auditors to audit the accounts of the Lay Council for the fiscal year 46-947 in accordance with Article
17 of the Community Regulations.
7- Authorizing the Lay Council to form a subcommittee to supervise the synagogues and their contents and to hold those responsible
for them accountable in accordance with Article 25 of the Community Regulations.
8- Authorizing the Lay Council to form a subcommittee to supervise the community's real estate and its endowments, and their reconstruction and utilization
in accordance with Article 25 of the Community Regulations.
President of the Community
Attachments
Budget book for the year 47-948
For filing
⟦I am with⟧

Page 572

Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri
Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
Baghdad, July 29, 1947
To the Honorable Member of the General Council
After greetings and respect,
Due to the lack of a legal quorum at the meeting to which I invited you
to be held on the evening of Monday, July 28, 1947, I invite you to
kindly attend the headquarters of the Community Presidency at six-thirty
in the evening on Monday, August 4, 1947, to hold the meeting again in accordance
with Article 14 of the Jewish Community Regulation No. 36 of 1931. Please
accept my respect.
President of the Community

Page 573

⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Election of a Chief Rabbi
⟦line⟧
In view of the passing of the late, of blessed memory, His Eminence Rabbi Raphael Isaac Hayyim, Chief Rabbi
of the Jewish community in Baghdad, His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri, President of the Community, called the
General Council for an immediate extraordinary meeting to elect a new president to succeed the late noble rabbi in
the Chief Rabbinate. Last Monday evening, thirty-three members of the mentioned council met
at the headquarters of the community leadership under the chairmanship of His Eminence the President of the Community. His Eminence opened
the meeting expressing grief over the death of the late Chief Rabbi, and after eulogizing him with touching words, he asked the
council members to stand for one minute of silence. Then the election took place by secret ballot and the votes were counted
under the supervision of a committee of attendees. The result was that His Eminence Rabbi Salman Hoqi Abboudi, member
of the Spiritual Council, won by a majority of votes. Thus, His Eminence became Chief Rabbi and President of the
Spiritual Council. With his election to the presidency, his membership in the Spiritual Council became vacant, so the Council elected in the same
meeting His Eminence Rabbi Moshe Ibrahim to fill the vacant seat.
⟦line⟧
Presidency of the Jewish Community:
Baghdad:
Number: 264
Date: 8/5/1947
Day ⟦illegible⟧
Year ⟦illegible⟧
Time ⟦illegible⟧
Daytime ⟦illegible⟧
Signature ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Al-Faraa Al-Gharraa Newspaper
Greetings,
I request you to publish the above news in your newspaper, and I thank you.
⟦illegible signature⟧
President of the Community
⟦illegible⟧

Page 574

The Spiritual Committee of the Jewish Community
Baghdad, May God Protect It
The Israeli Spiritual Council
in Baghdad
Number: 1874
Date: 6 / 8 / 1937
To the Honorable Hakham Isaac Kadouri, may his end be good
Member of the Israeli Spiritual Committee in Baghdad
After greetings,
Your letter addressed to our committee dated 5/8/1937 was received by us.
In your aforementioned letter, you complain about Hakham Sassoon Kadouri, may his end be good, seizing the presidency of our committee
without consulting the Hakham Bashi. Furthermore, you request an investigation into the conduct of Hakham Yosef Hayyim
in a letter to the Hakham Bashi. Otherwise, you will resign from the committee.
Our committee, in its meeting on the thirteenth of the current month, heard the necessary explanation from
the Israeli President, and after deliberating on the matters, it was determined that the aforementioned conduct regarding the presidency
aforementioned, and the investigation into the conduct during the time of the Hakham Bashi, does not contain anything that necessitates your resignation
from the committee being forced upon you, and this is in accordance with Resolution (24) of the year 1922 (15) of the year
1937 in the Israeli Spiritual Committee. We hope from your presence to continue working in the committee
for the sake of the public interest in the best manner.
Ezra Sassoon
Hakham Bashi
Member of the Presidency of our Committee
Presidency of ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ the Israeli Community
in Baghdad
Copy to the respected Hakham Sassoon Kadouri, member of the presidency of our committee
for information

Page 575

The Spiritual Committee of the Holy Community
Baghdad, may God protect it
The Israeli Spiritual Council
in Baghdad
Number: 1871
Date: September 24, 1947
Special to Hakham Sassoon Kadoorie, Shalom
Head of our Jewish community in Baghdad
His Honor
To all the Torah study halls and synagogues for the coming Yom Kippur, for good and for blessing
The simple custom from the ancients. And for each Torah study hall there is a sum (15)
on account of the services of the Yeshiva until the end of this month of Elul of this year.
And we hereby turn to -
Participant Isaac Sassoon Yehezkel and partner
" " Joseph Abraham Cohen Ezra
" " Levi Sassoon Sofer
According to them, as per our instruction to the Community Center to pay all the aforementioned study halls
the aforementioned sums which shall be a gift
Presidency of the Israeli Community
Baghdad
Number ⟦illegible⟧
Date 27 / 9 / 47
Speech of Ezra Sassoon Dangoor
Head of the Council
Copy sent
to the Community Center
Sent to Ezra
to the Synagogue