Voices from the Archive

IJA 2688

Correspondence, Court Documents, Baghdadi Jewish Community

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Description

These are documents from the Baghdadi Jewish community. Included are letters in Judeo-Arabic from Chief Rabbi Benjamin Moshi, the Jewish Religious Court, and the Jewish Appeals Court; a letter from a Jewish war prisoner, presumably British, asking to remain in Iraq; verification of a community member’s profession and birth place; representatives of the Jewish community to the British Advisory Council; Arabic court documents concerning marital and financial matters; a request to the Iraqi government for permission to allow students to present Moliere's play, "The Doctor, in Spite of Himself."

Metadata

Archive Reference
IJA 2688
Item Number
12737
Date
Approx. January 1, 1911 to December 31, 1920
Languages
Multiple Languages
Keywords
Financial, Jewish Lay Council, Baghdadi Jewish Community, Correspondence, Judeo-Arabic, Jewish Religious Court, Chief Rabbi, Frank Iny School, Office of the Police, Leger, President of the Mosaic Community, Handwritten, Ministry of Education, Ink Stamp, Benjamin Moshi, Typed, Iraqi Government, Letterhead

AI English Translation, Pages 76-100

Archival unit 76

5 / 224 / 98
To the honor of the excellence of our teacher, our leader, our king, our crown
The Master of Miracles, may his soul rest in Eden
A request from God, may He be blessed, and from the Master of Miracles, may his soul rest in Eden, that He help me and make my way successful and guard
me from every trouble and distress, and from every illness and pain, and from every evil occurrence, and from every evil eye, Amen
⟦line⟧
Dirham money
One thousand six hundred and fifty | 675
Eight hundred and twenty | 820
One thousand and two hundred | 2 | 240
One hundred and fifty | 150
Two hundred | 200
⟦line⟧
Total three thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight Dirham
5
077
The youth Eliyahu
Avraham
Yosef
May his Rock and Redeemer protect him

Archival unit 77

Statement of expenses for the slaughterhouse for the month of February 1948
 | Fils | Dinar
Rent for the Al-Istotim house | 675 | -
Electricity by the hand of Isaac Shamash | 812 | -
Carts | 220 | -
Compensation for Ibrahim Hamra (compensation) | 200 | -
 | 907 | 1
Only one dinar and nine hundred and seven fils, no more <del>1948</del>
February
Yitzhak Shamash
⟦...⟧
12-2-1948
⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 78

Baghdad 21 Adar II 25 March 1948
Director of the ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ School
⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
in Baghdad
After ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
Fils | Dinar
675 | ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
800 | ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
400 | ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
100 | ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
Incoming
⟦line⟧
1/975
⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
12/4/48
⟦...⟧
17

Archival unit 79

⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
⟦line⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ 675
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ 812
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ 9
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ 670
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ 170
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ 200
⟦line⟧
2537
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
12.4 1952
5226
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible stamp⟧

Archival unit 80

921
21 Av
To the wise, the distinguished, etc., M. Abraham M. Abdallah M. Sasson
After greetings and salutations
Informing you regarding the amount received from the hand of the master
 | Dinar
M. Isaac Abraham from the rose | 812
M. Meir M. Isaac H | 675
M. Joseph M. Menahem | 120
From M. Abdallah M. Menahem | 170
M. Abd | 200
 | 1977
This aforementioned amount was received from the hand of the aforementioned master and we collected them from them on 10 Av and they entered the account of the Waqf
And the remainder is in the aforementioned debt
Abdallah Sasson
⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 81

The Sharia Judge
in Baghdad
Presented to the presence of the respected Sharia Judge
Regarding the down payment
It is presented that the plaintiff Salma daughter of Joseph on 6/6/1928
This [one] has filed a Sharia lawsuit against her husband, the defendant
The defendant Salim son of Abraham
Fils | Dinar
675 | Correspondence of the Sharia Judge
812 | That the defendant in the down payment
500 | Fee for the down payment 10 Fils
200 | Fee for the ruling in the down payment
550 | Expense of the ruling in the down payment
2287 | The total, the defendant Salim son of Abraham
The defendant
Salim
son of Abraham

Archival unit 82

698
11/5/28
In your credit Honorable Mr. Murad Mr. Abraham Mr. Sasson Mr. Nissim
Kosher Mr. Chaim
Already here in your credit known the letter that came to us on date 28/5/28
Baghdad and we changed money twenty-one Dinars and eight hundred and seventy fils
and spent Mr. Habiba
Sheep money |
Chair study Mr. Menachem | 675
The teacher Mr. Sasson Mr. Abraham | 812
Rent here hour on | 200
Spent my right as a servant on | 500
Total money twenty-one Dinars and eight hundred | 2187
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 83

948
⟦illegible⟧ / 53
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ 675
⟦illegible⟧ 889
⟦illegible⟧ 600
⟦line⟧
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ 2164
⟦illegible⟧

Archival unit 84

⟦line⟧
Exalted Master, the honorable Menashe Nachum, may his light shine, peace and blessing like the richness of [the sea]
⟦line⟧
I have received here [on the date of] the 18th of Iyar, 5619, one silver slaughtering knife and all the vessels listed above.
⟦line⟧
Z[ade] Abraham
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
For safekeeping
⟦line⟧

Archival unit 85

Transaction of payment for Ezra for Rahman for Amiqa
After ⟦illegible⟧ 2000
Knowledge of purchases from the shop of Ezra for Amiqa / 28 / Ab / 52
Fils Money
700 .. purchased on 14 March
812 .. ⟦?⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ?
12 .. ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
500 40 from the woman's house X
950 1 purchased on 22 March
250 .. from the woman's house
210 .. ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
280 .. ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
2000 .. ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ X
⟦line⟧
10422
This amount (ten thousand four hundred and twenty-two fils) no more
in ⟦illegible⟧
17 Ab 52
Ezra
Rahman
Amiqa
812
9/610

Archival unit 86

Payments for the month of November 953
For collection
Fils | Dinar
To Isaac Shammash maintenance fee | - | 842
75 | " Ezra Tabbakh | 887
⟦line⟧
887
⟦line⟧
842
75

Archival unit 87

Petition to the presence of the honorable respected Excellency
What is presented to your sovereignty
that there is in the custody of ⟦illegible⟧ a period of seven years
and after that they took the furniture that was in the house and left
The presented:
Fils Dinar
4 550
Rent for moving the furniture from the house
The total
814
262
These amounts were paid by us for the purpose of completing the matter
⟦illegible⟧
12-6-1952
⟦illegible⟧
15-
1928
⟦line⟧
X
⟦illegible red markings⟧

Archival unit 88

74 / 1177
1 Jumada al-Awwal 1352 and 21 August 933
Plaintiff: Khatoun Ibrahim
Defendant: Yassin Munshi al-Ani - residing at Hassan Pasha Avenue No. 21/11
The woman named Khatoun Ibrahim approached the Israeli Preliminary Religious Court in Baghdad
⟦illegible⟧ that her husband Yassin Munshi al-Ani is refusing to provide her with shelter.
During the face-to-face proceedings in the presence of both parties, it appeared that the husband's refusal was not based on
⟦illegible⟧ the court imposed on him a monthly alimony of one dinar and one hundred and twenty-five
to be received by the plaintiff Khatoun Ibrahim starting from the twenty-fourth day
⟦illegible⟧ nine hundred and thirty-three (AD).
The face-to-face [judgment] to be in the hands of the plaintiff ⟦line⟧
Shaul
Head of the Israeli Community

Archival unit 89

⟦illegible⟧R OF POLICE,
⟦illegible⟧
AND DIYALA LIWAS.
No. ⟦illegible⟧ to
BAGHDAD.
BAGHDAD the ⟦illegible⟧ March 1926.
Corresponding date
Memorandum
Reference your letter dated 11th March 1926.
The following particulars regarding one, David
Zelman Efrussi, deceased, have been obtained from his
passport.
(a) Place and date of birth - Dubob, Poland -
year 1877.
(b) Profession. - Commercial Traveller.
(c) Home address - Not known, but can be obtained
from the Polish Government, Warsaw
who issued him with passport
Ser. No.271613 No.3338 / 24 dated
25th October 1924. 5063
⟦illegible signature⟧
CAPTAIN.
INSPECTING OFFICER OF POLICE,
BAGHDAD, KUT AND DIYALA LIWAS.
IDS.

Archival unit 90

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 60 /
Subject:
Date: 22 / 7 / 1960
Gentlemen
Fuad Sassoon Akka
Naim Khedhouri Moussa
Khaled Khedhouri Moussa
Jamil Youssef Khazam
Said Kourji Hasdoun
Isaac Ibrahim Nathan
After greetings
I am very pleased to thank you for your excellent efforts and for the effort
and energy you exerted to produce the eternal July 14th parade with this splendor and excellent organization, that parade
which won everyone's approval. I pray to the Almighty Lord to protect and care for you.
Please accept my sincere thanks and gratitude.
⟦illegible signature⟧
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Head of the Community
Copy to:-
July 14th Festivals Committee - for information
⟦illegible stamp⟧

Archival unit 91

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 60 / ⟦line⟧
Date: 22 / 7 / 1960
Subject:
Gentlemen
Fuad Sassoon Akka
Naim Khedhouri Moussa
Khaled Khedhouri Moussa
Jamil Youssef Khazam
Said Kourji Hardoon
Isaac Ibrahim Nathan
After greetings
I am very pleased to thank you for your excellent efforts and for the effort
and energy you exerted to produce the eternal July 14th parade with this splendor and excellent organization, that parade
which won everyone's approval. I pray to the Almighty Lord to protect and care for you.
Please accept my further thanks and gratitude.
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
President of the Community
Copy to -
July 14th Festivals Committee - for information

Archival unit 92

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> / 60
Date: 22 / 7 / 1960
Subject: ⟦line⟧
Gentlemen
Fuad Sassoon Akka
Naim Khedhouri Moussa
Khaled Khedhouri Moussa
Jamil Youssef Khazam
Said Kourji Hasroun
Isaac Ibrahim Nathan
After greetings
It gives me great pleasure to thank you for your excellent efforts and for the effort
and energy you exerted to produce the eternal July 14th parade with this splendor and excellent organization, that parade
which won everyone's approval. I pray to the Almighty Lord to protect and care for you.
Please accept my further thanks and gratitude ⟦line⟧ .
⟦illegible signature⟧
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Head of the Community
Copy to :-
July 14th Festivals Committee - for information.

Archival unit 93

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number: 83531 President / 5452 Secretary
Number T/: 60 /
Date: 22 / 7 / 1960
Subject:
Gentlemen
Fuad Sassoon Akka
Naim Khadouri Moussa
Khaled Khadouri Moussa
Jamil Youssef Khazam
Said Korgi Hasdoun
Isaac Ibrahim Nathan
After greetings
I am very pleased to thank you for your excellent efforts and for the effort
and energy you exerted to produce the eternal July 14th parade with this splendor and excellent organization, that parade
which won everyone's approval. I pray to the Almighty Lord to protect and care for you.
Please accept my further thanks and gratitude.
Rabbi Sassoon Khadouri
President of the Community
Copy to:-
July 14th Festivals Committee - for information.

Archival unit 94

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 20 / ⟦line⟧
Date: 22 / 7 / 1960
Subject: ⟦line⟧
Gentlemen
Fuad Sassoon Akka
Naim Khedhouri Moussa
Khaled Khedhouri Moussa
Jamil Yousef Khazam
Said Korgi Hasdoun
Isaac Ibrahim Nashan
After greetings
I am very pleased to thank you for your excellent efforts and for the effort
and energy you exerted to produce the eternal July 14th parade with this splendor and excellent organization, that parade
which won everyone's approval. I pray to the Almighty Lord to protect and care for you.
Please accept my further thanks and gratitude ⟦line⟧
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Head of the Community ⟦line⟧
Copy to:-
July 14th Festivals Committee - for information.

Archival unit 95

His Excellency
The Military Governor &
Political Officer, Baghdad
Your Excellency
Ref. your letter dated 26th May 1920.
No 707
⟦9.11/3⟧ I have the honour to inform your Excellency
that the secretary Mr. Selim Isaac has been proposed
by our Community to be my representative to the
Advisory Council.
I have the honour to be
Your Excellency
Your's obedient Servant
Moshe Hayyim
Shlomo David
ACTING CHIEF RABBI
Chief Rabbi of Baghdad
Mussa Hayyim Shlomo
David
BAGHDAD
M. H. S. DAVID
Acting chief Rabbi of Baghdad &
President of the Religious ⟦Council⟧

Archival unit 96

Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 60 /
Date: 22 / 7 / 1960
Subject:
Gentlemen
Fuad Sassoon Akka
Naim Khedhouri Moussa
Khaled Khedhouri Moussa
Jamil Youssef Khazzoum
Said Kourji Hardoun
Isaac Ibrahim Nathan
After greetings
I am very pleased to thank you for your excellent efforts and for the effort
and energy you exerted to produce the eternal July 14th parade with this splendor and excellent organization, that parade
which won everyone's approval. I pray to the Almighty Lord to protect and care for you.
Please accept my further thanks and gratitude.
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
President of the Community
Copy to:-
July 14th Festivals Committee - for information
⟦illegible blue ink bleed-through from reverse side⟧

Archival unit 97

Baghdad
Baghdad, the <del>14th</del> May 1920
26th
To
His Grace the Chief Rabbi
His Grace the Chief Rabbi.
Your Grace,
After greetings and reverence:
I have the honour to send
to Your Reverence copies of two letters w⟦hich⟧
I have addressed to certain of the A⟦shraf⟧
of Baghdad and Kadhimain with a view to
obtaining their co-operation and assist-
ance in selecting 8 members to form the
Advisory Council for Baghdad Division.

It is proposed that the Council should
comprise eight ex-officio members in addi-
tion to the 8 members selected as des-
cribed above.

The proposed 8 ex-officio members are :-
1. M.G. & P.O., Baghdad President | 1. Military Governor and Political Officer in Baghdad: President
2. A.P.O. Baghdad Vice-President | 2. Assistant Political Officer in Baghdad: Vice-President
MEMBERS.
3. Rais al Baladiyah, Baghdad. | 3. Mayor of Baghdad: Committee Members
4. Representative nominated by the Naqib | 4. Representative nominated by His Eminence the Naqib: " "
5. " " " " Ulma of | 5. Representative nominated by the Ulama of Kadhimain: " "
Kadhimain.
6. " " " " Heads of | 6. Heads of the Christian Communities: " "
Christian
Churches.
7. " " " " Chief Rabbi | 7. Chief Rabbi: " "
8. " " " " the British | 8. British Chamber of Commerce: " "
Chamber of
Commerce.
The object of this letter is to in-
vite your Reverence to assist me by nomi-
nating your representative to the Council.
On this occasion, I offer my sincere greetings.
I beg to assure Your Grace of
my respect and good wishes,
⟦signature⟧
Lt.-Col.
M.G. & Political Officer.
Lieutenant Colonel F. C. Balfour.
Military Governor and Political Officer.

Archival unit 98

⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ among the notables of Baghdad and invite them to assist you in ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ Baghdad will have a council with two functions: -
⟦illegible⟧ they present their affairs regarding the issues brought before them
⟦illegible⟧ they alert the central government through you to matters concerning the residents of the country
⟦illegible⟧ members to draw the government's attention to them.
⟦illegible⟧ to consult this Shura Council on public issues such as agriculture,
⟦illegible⟧ irrigation, improving roads and communications, public security, public health, and the consumption of
⟦illegible⟧ lands, and the levying of taxes and official fees.
As for purely municipal matters, the rule is to leave their consideration to the municipal council, which
I hope its members will be elected soon.
The Shura Council that you form shall not discuss matters or lawsuits that have been
submitted or are being submitted to the civil or criminal courts for judgment. The Shura Council does not have
authority to decide on any issue that does not fundamentally concern the Wilayat of Baghdad and is not subject to ⟦illegible⟧
According to these conditions, the scope of the Shura Council's discussions shall be as wide as possible.
In private and technical matters, you may seek help in solving them from additional members
with technical expertise whom you appoint to look into those matters under discussion.
In Basra and elsewhere, a Shura Council like this was formed, and useful works were achieved through it
that call for great admiration. I have a firm hope that your Shura Council will prove that it
is no less useful to the government of Iraq and its people. I also have a firm hope that the
Council will provide a large share of assistance to the people with a desire to pave the way for the mentioned ⟦interests⟧.
Lieutenant Colonel A. T. Wilson
Acting Civil Commissioner in Iraq

Archival unit 99

For good luck and may God grant success in our hands and the grace of the Lord be upon us and upon all Israel, Amen, so be it.
Meaning, and the aforementioned release/settlement mentioned in the letter that reached us from you in Iraq by the hand of the one who arrived,
After the aforementioned letter, from after the aforementioned letter, when he was present with us and who reached us,
The aforementioned, the aforementioned, the aforementioned in our book in this year, and who will be with you, the aforementioned, the aforementioned,
And the aforementioned release/settlement will be, and who will be in the aforementioned letter, in the aforementioned letter, and will be with us,
In the aforementioned letter which reached us ⟦line⟧ which reached us from you in the aforementioned letter.
The servant of God, Salman
Isaac
The servant of God, Isaac
Joseph
S.L.
Y.H.
To the Judge of the Court ⟦illegible⟧ in Amarah on the date of 2 May 1926

Archival unit 100

Baghdad, 16th July, 1919.
⟦illegible⟧
To,
His Eminence,
The Chief Rabbi,
B a g h d a d.
Eminence,
I have the honour to inform you that I am a war-
prisoner No.42103 in the 9th Regt.
As all the <del>Christian</del> and Jewish war-prisoner wer⟦e⟧
free, and being a Jew will you be so kind as to request the Go⟦v⟧
Authorities to set me free to remain in Baghdad.
Yours most obedient serva⟦nt⟧
Hayeem Shlomo
i. e. Hayeem Shlomo.
42103
9th regt