Official Letters to Jewish Organizations and Government Office, President of the Jewish Community
View interactive document pageThese are archival documents from the Baghdadi Jewish Community. They include correspondence from the President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad to Jewish community presidents in Sulaymaniyah, Irbil, Mosul, Basrah, Kirkuk, Fallujah, regarding condolences, regulations, hospitals, permits, religious dietary laws, smallpox, distributions to the poor, employment and unemployment, financial settlements, legal settlements, charitable donations and requests for documentation. There is also correspondence with various government and community organizations including the Office of Information – Mosul; National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Iraq; The British Bank of Iran; Office of the Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of Great Britain; Chevrolet; Iraqi Red Crescent Society; The Society for Improving the Conditions of the Blind in Iraq; French Ambassador in Iraq; The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China; The Great Synagogue of Baghdad; and the President of the Catholic Diaspora. The item also includes the newspapers: الزمان (Al-Zamān), Issue #4764 from May 1, 1953; and الحوادث (Al-Ḥawādth), Issue #3096 from 1953.
(41) 116 45 Incoming Telegram BAGHDAD TELS 05 MAY 53 Baghdad Number: ⟦illegible⟧ Telegram Type: ⟦illegible⟧ Registration Time: ⟦illegible⟧ Arrived at hour: 2 Minute: 20 Received by: ⟦illegible⟧ Word count: 9 Administrative Instructions: — Date: 6 Issuing Office: Mosul To Mr. Heskel Shamoun Baghdad Please confirm quickly Officer
His Eminence, Head of the Israelite Community Mosul I request that you instruct the secondary electors to elect Mr. Hanna Khayyat. Heskel Shemtob Head of the Community ⟦illegible handwriting⟧ Copy to - Mr. Hanna Khayyat Heskel Dawood Shemtob Acting Head of the Israelite Community ⟦illegible handwriting⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
Hilla on June 18, 1950 To the Honorable Head of the Jewish Community in Baghdad After greetings In response to your order dated 6/15/1950 and numbered 1428/50 regarding providing possible assistance to the members of the Jewish community in Hilla, we are always doing so, and Teacher Musa, who is in charge of the affairs of the Jewish community, can inform you and provide you with what is necessary. May you remain in good health and wellness. Member of the Jewish Community in Hilla Saleh Houri ⟦signature⟧ For filing
Image To - Erbil, Saleh Yousef Nouri We and our children are threatened by danger in the villages of Harmak, Swiri, Jahwah. Save us. Nakhosh.
⟦Department Copy⟧ T / 8280 / 50 8 / 5 / 1950 ⟦illegible stamp⟧ His Eminence, the President of the Jewish Community, Respected Mosul After greetings We attach herewith the original telegram received by Mr. Saleh Yusuf Nouri, President of the Jewish Community in Erbil, from a person named Nahum in Shaqlawa. We kindly ask you to investigate its content and mediate with His Excellency the Director of Mosul Police regarding it, if you deem that appropriate. ⟦illegible signature⟧ In closing, please accept our respects; ⟦signature⟧ Acting President of the Community President of the Lay Council A / 8 / 5
Number 142 Receipt ⟦book⟧ Addressed to ⟦Head of the Community⟧ BAGHDAD 9 MAY 50 ⟦REGISTRATION⟧ Date Stamp | Fils | Dinar | Value of affixed stamps (if it is a parcel) ⟦stamp⟧ | 29 | | Entry (letters) bundle or (parcel) as the case requires Insured items Insured for an amount of (in figures) ⟦five dinars⟧ In words ⟦line⟧ Insurance fee ⟦line⟧ Weight in words ⟦line⟧ Receiving officer ⟦signature⟧
T/50/1414 6/6/1950 ⟦illegible⟧ 24 To - Mr. Ephraim Rahmin Kashi, Respectfully Amara After greetings Based on our trust in you and given the vacancy of the community presidency in Amara at the present time, we hope that you will supervise the community's properties in Amara, including the assets of the synagogue and the school, and at the same time, we request an inventory of said properties and to provide us with a list of them. Please accept our highest thanks and respect; Acting President of the Community President of the Lay Council ⟦illegible stamp⟧ 4/5/6
Number: 171 Date: 4 / 2 / 1951 Presidency of the Jewish Community Basra Subject: - President and members of the Religious Court in Basra To: The Honorable Ministry of Justice Reference to our letter No. 94 dated 10 / 1 / 1951 The President and members of the Personal Religious Court by the Jewish General Council in Basra, who are: - President: Rabbi Saqal Hezki Original Member: Eliyahu Simon Haron Reserve Members: Yahya Daoud and Nouri Agababa. Have requested the revocation of their Iraqi citizenship, therefore we request Your Excellency to inform us of what should be done. Please accept our highest respect ⟦illegible signature⟧ President of the Jewish Community In Basra A copy of it to: - Presidency of the Basra Court of Appeal for information Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad for information Presidency of the Mosaic Sharia Cassation Council in Baghdad For information Presidency of the Jewish Community Outgoing Number T / 1224 / 51 Date 4 / 2 / 1951 ⟦illegible⟧ At
Presidency of the Jewish Community Basra Number: 52/1224 Date: 2/28/1952 48 Subject: - Statement To: His Excellency the President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad, the Respected Further to our telegram dated 2/27/52, we attach herewith a copy of the statement of the Presidency of the Jewish Community in Basra regarding the assault that occurred on the President of the Community, for your kind information and to take the necessary measures regarding it. Please accept the highest respect President Presidency of the Jewish Community in Basra ⟦Jacob⟧ Presidency of the Jewish Community Baghdad Incoming Number T / 52/1224 Date 3/4/1952 Note: - This statement was published in the newspaper Al-Akhbar in its issue published on Saturday, 3/2/1952 Sayyid Zaki 3/4 ⟦red mark⟧
Statement Further to what was published by some local newspapers regarding the incident of the assault on the life of the head of the Jewish community in Baghdad And in order to show the facts, we state the following:- (1) On the evening of last Thursday 5/22/52, some Jews, incited by certain individuals, went to the head of the community at his official headquarters and assaulted him by beating, and had it not been for the intervention of some Muslims and Jews something undesirable would have happened to him. (2) The reason for this attack is due to the dispute that has long been debated between the Baghdad Liquidation Committee and the community leadership on the subject, and that this committee wants to seize the reins of coordination in a major night according to its whims And it was proven from the investigations that the attackers have a relationship with the committee and this attack was a firmly planned plot. (3) The community leadership at the beginning exerted its utmost efforts with the government authorities to impose a ⟦system⟧ of stability in proportion to justice, and this is proven by what was written and the telegrams of the community leadership to the competent authorities, as well as from the interviews of the head of the community with responsible government figures. (4) The goal of this biased group in attacking the head of the community is to seize the reins of coordination and direct it according to their goals and whims. (5) As for what was published regarding the Directorate of Charitable Houses of Finance, we clarify that the process took place based on the orders of the Board of Accounts and the General Council, which agreed on the necessity of a management body for endowments and wills under the chairmanship of rabbis and trustworthy persons, and those whose houses and endowment numbers were inspected, so that there would be for every endowment, the supporting receipt documents held by the Accounting Council as recorded in the issued registers And all that these biased people claim is to cover up the heinous crime they committed, and justice will take the truth and they will receive the deserved punishment. Sincerely Head of the Jewish Community Acting
Presidency of the Jewish Community Basra Number :: Date :: 27 / 8 / 1950 Subject: - The twenty-first session, held on Wednesday evening Corresponding to 19 / 5 / 1950 To: ⟦illegible⟧ The following has been decided: - 1 - School holiday salaries It was decided to pay salaries to teachers until August 25, 1950 only, as was done in Baghdad, and to terminate their contracts permanently after this date. 2 - Selling all the community's pure properties It was decided to sell all the community's pure properties for the following reasons (those located in the Maqam Ali neighborhood, in Ashar, and in Basra). A - The deficit occurring in the community's budget resulting from the deterioration of rents due to the general economic hardship, as the rent of Khan Meir Tweig reached (204) dinars after it was (480) dinars annually, and after a long wait we rented the Musafirkhana endowment of Meir Tweig in Ashar for (140) dinars annually after it was (260) dinars, and the rent of the cafe decreased from (420) dinars to (208) dinars annually. B - Decrease in the midwife fees due to the travel of some community members and the inability of others to buy meat due to the suffocating economic hardship. C - The amount remaining as a debt for Moshe Meir Dallal, amounting to (2000) dinars with fees and expenses, which there is no hope of collecting due to the escape of the aforementioned person. D - Amounts paid by the community after the issuance of judgments; it paid (1100) dinars to Menashi Moallem after the Court of First Instance issued its judgment against the community to pay by its decision No. 120 / 950, disregarding the legal codification decision, and considered the presidency of the community responsible for settling the debt without the need to wait for the approval of the budget by the General Council. The community may consider paying (600) dinars to Saleh Moussa if the lawsuit currently in the Court of Appeal No. 59 S / 949 and certified by the Court of Cassation fails, considering the head of the community responsible for payment. E - Teachers' debts amounting to (2000) dinars, with the Rafidain Bank debt amounting to (1500) dinars, and the interest-free loan of Heskel Ezra Eliyahu amounting to (900) dinars and its payment to Menashi Moallem with other miscellaneous debts, the total will be more than (5000) dinars that must be paid immediately. In order for the community to have a reserve amount to meet emergencies for the needy, the poor, and the sick, for the mentioned reasons, there is no solution to end the problem and there is no assistance from the wealthy of the community. The Council's report found it better and more appropriate to solve this crisis by selling the pure properties belonging to the aforementioned community. Accordingly, the Council decided to authorize the head of the community to carry out the procedures, sign all contracts for that, register at the Land Registry Department and the Notary Public, receive the down payment and sale prices, carry out all necessary legal and formal points, discharge the community's liability, and settle the incurred and future debts. Appointment of an accountant The head of the community was authorized to appoint an accountant on the occasion of the travel of Mr. Naji Isaac, the current accountant, at a suitable salary. Based on the conclusion of the matters, the session was closed and the signatures of the members were taken. Aboud Qawwas Meir Rubin Abdul Nabi Salman Yousef Heskel Ezra Eliyahu Member's signature Member's signature Member's signature Member's signature Member's signature Member's signature Presidency of the Jewish Community in Basra THE JEWISH COMMUNITY BASRAH ⟦illegible⟧ Head of the Jewish Community in Basra To be kept in the Basra community file 1 / 9 / 50
Presidency of the Jewish Community Basra Date: 4 / ⟦1⟧ / 1951 51 Subject: Inquiry To: The Honorable Ministry of Justice Greetings Please be so kind as to enlighten us on the following legal points: 1- Article 7 of the Jewish Community Law No. 77 of 1931 stipulated the duties of the Lay Council; does it have the right to supervise the processes of renunciation and deportation, which are not included within those duties specified in Article 7? Or is the Head of the Community the one responsible for supervising them in his capacity as the official representative of the community before the official ⟦government⟧ departments based on paragraph (a) of Article 5 of the Jewish Community Law No. 77 of 1931. 2- Is it permissible for someone who has submitted an application to renounce his Iraqi nationality to be a member of the Lay Council, while the Council of Ministers' decision to approve this renunciation has not yet been issued, as one of them might be elected as Vice President. ⟦illegible⟧ Head of the Jewish Community in Basra ⟦illegible⟧
The Iraqi Government Ministry of Interior Office of the General Directorate Number: L / ⟦96⟧ / 12 Date: 12 / 2 / 1951 Subject: Whoever has submitted an application for the revocation of citizenship shall not be a member of the Lay Council Presidency of the Mosaic Community in Basra Your letter No. 51/51 dated 4 / 2 / 1951 1- There is nothing in the law that prevents the head of the community from inviting individuals who, like all members of the community, are responsible for their actions regarding the issue of citizenship revocation. Since the person who submitted a request for revocation may not be elected due to the possibility of the issuance of a decision by the Council of Ministers Signature Minister of Interior True copy Head of the Israelite Community in Basra Certified PRESIDENT OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
Presidency of the Jewish Community Basra Telephone Number: 395/5 Number: ⟦152⟧ / 51 Date: ⟦20 / 5 / 51⟧ PRESIDENT OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY BASRAH (Iraq) Telephone No. 05-395 No : Date : True Copy 52 To the Honorable Ministry of Interior Reference to the letter of the Administrative Inspection Presidency No. L 737 dated ⟦1 / 5 / 51⟧ Based on our inquiry in our letter No. 92 on ⟦15 / 4 / 51⟧, we submit to your esteemed Ministry that there appear to be difficulties of confusion regarding the authorization of states' charters concerning deportation operations from signing transport contracts and carrying out exchanges and assisting government agencies in maintaining security and facilities for immigrants and preparing them and sending them to the airport, examining them, and supervising them, however, there are duties and actions that constitute instead, these actions fall within the functions of the Lay Council or the functions of the Head of the Community by virtue of the Royal Decree granting the community Decree No. 77 of 1931 AD as he is the official representative of the community, the legal advisor that official departments consider the Head of the Community to be the official entity to be contacted and requested to complete everything that is done, especially the affairs of the poor among the members of the community. With highest respect to your Excellency Signature President of the Jewish Community in Basra True Copy Presidency of the Jewish Community in Basra ⟦illegible signature⟧ True Copy PRESIDENT OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
Directorate of Education of Mosul Province Personnel Number / 257 / 1052 Date - 27 / 1 / 1951 249 1/28 1951 55 To - Administration of Lawrence Hadhuri Private Primary School In accordance with what was stated in the Ministry of Education letter No. 665 dated 6 / 1 / 1951. Since the teachers Sassoon Benjamin and Munshi Daoud Hayyim have registered for the revocation of their Iraqi citizenship according to what the Police Directorate has informed us, therefore please dismiss them from the school immediately. ⟦signature⟧ Director of Education of Mosul Province A copy to - Ministry of Education - Private Primary Education - for your kind information The Inspector Mr. Mahmoud Al-Sumari - for information ⟦Talib Al-Iraqi⟧ M / D 25 / 1
The Committee Supervising the Management of Affairs of the Israelite Community Number 4 Date 12 / 10 / 1951 52 ∆ To the Directorate of Education of Mosul Province Your letter numbered 2127 and dated 12 / 10 / 1951 regarding the requests of teachers who applied for the revocation of their Iraqi citizenship, since the school year is in its midpoint, so that work can be done to ⟦find⟧ teachers to fill the vacancies that will occur after their separation due to the lack of graduates from preparatory studies who did not request the revocation of citizenship from them. Especially since the teachers mentioned in your letter above are among the best teachers according to the testimony of the inspectors and they also constitute the entire staff of the school, so their separation from teaching means closing the school and leaving more than two hundred male and female students without study for the official schools to absorb them at such a time of the year. Therefore, we hope you will kindly approve the stay of the teachers mentioned above, especially since the decision of the Council of Ministers to revoke Iraqi citizenship from them has not yet been issued. This and please accept our highest respect Naji Hammo Saleh Saleh Salman Haroun The Committee Supervising the Management of Affairs of the Israelite Community
⟦1574⟧ Directorate of Education of Mosul Province Personnel Department Number: 3 / Date: / 1 / 1951 To the Administration of the Lawrence Kadoorie Private Primary School In accordance with what was stated in the Ministry of Education's letter No. 665 dated 1/6/1951, as the teachers whose names are listed below have requested the revocation of their citizenship according to what the Police Directorate informed us. Therefore, please dismiss them from the school immediately. Director of Education of Mosul Province Teachers - Mordechai Ibrahim. Younis Moshi. Eliyahu Shaul. Zaki Benjamin. Albert Daoud. Masir Shaul. A copy to - Ministry of Education - Department of Higher Primary Education Ministry of Education - Private Secondary Education - referring to its letter mentioned above Inspector Mr. Mahmoud Al-Jomard - for information and to visit the school and inform us of your opinion regarding its closure ⟦stamp⟧
Number / 7850 Date / 10 / 2 / 1952 56 ⟦General Directorate of Primary Education⟧ ⟦To the Honorable Haham Bashi⟧ ⟦Baghdad⟧ ⟦Greetings⟧ ⟦Your letter numbered 624 and dated ⟦...⟧⟧ ⟦On 27 / 2 / 1952⟧ ⟦Exemption from school fees has been granted to the students whose names are shown in the attached list⟧ ⟦As considering their family situation, it was decided to exempt them from the prescribed school fees⟧ ⟦For this school year ⟦...⟧ hoping to inform them of this so that they can continue their studies⟧ ⟦And take a copy of this decision when visiting the concerned school to approve the delivery of books⟧ ⟦The textbooks prescribed for them by the school administration and the acquisition of other school supplies⟧ ⟦We invite you to inform us of the final result to provide you with all the documents requested by the school⟧ ⟦In case the students mentioned above do not visit⟧ Printed in original Iraqi Ministry of Education Baghdad ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ Lawrence Attendance ⟦illegible⟧ 1/8/1931 ⟦illegible⟧ - Baghdad Number ⟦illegible⟧ Accounts Department We received 17 English Gold Pounds according to checks held in trust Riyals According to our receipt numbered ⟦illegible⟧ on 1/8/1931 in the amount of 532 Rupees in our name for the benefit of ⟦illegible⟧ by the hand of the aforementioned We have paid him ⟦illegible⟧ according to our payment authorization. All of this has taken place according to the instructions issued regarding the liquidation for him ⟦illegible⟧ the aforementioned ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ In the name of ⟦illegible⟧ In the name of ⟦illegible⟧ - Baghdad ⟦illegible⟧ - ⟦illegible⟧ - ⟦illegible⟧ - ⟦illegible⟧ - ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ Riyals upon receipt We paid an amount in our name for our benefit ⟦illegible⟧ Riyals 14 ⟦illegible⟧ according to ⟦illegible⟧ in ⟦illegible⟧ To receive its amount and use it to cover the deficit in our current account in file ⟦illegible⟧ in the name of ⟦illegible⟧
General Directorate of Primary Education (Private and Foreign Education) Number - 7850 Date - 7 / 3 / 1951 Dismissal of teachers whose citizenship has been revoked To - Directorate of Education of Mosul Province Your letters numbered 462, 1053, and 1157 dated 13 / 1 and 27 and 28 / 2 / 1951. We have no objection to the continuation of teachers who have submitted requests to revoke their Iraqi citizenship from teaching at the Laura Kadoorie Private Primary School until the end of this academic year, requesting that the necessary measures be taken and to dismiss every teacher for whom the Council of Ministers has approved the revocation of Iraqi citizenship and to appoint another teacher in their place from among those who meet the required conditions and to write to the Provincial Police Directorate to inform you of the names of the teachers for whom the Council of Ministers' approval for the revocation of citizenship has been completed in order to apply what was mentioned above regarding them and to inform us. Signature / Minister of Education per gram. 4 - a - Enumerate the characteristics of images formed by a plane mirror. b - Draw an image of an object located in front of a convex mirror. c - Draw an image of an object located between a converging lens and its focus. 5 - Explain the method of magnetization by electric current and state the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance. What is the resistance of a conductor with a potential difference of 12 volts across its terminals and a current intensity of 0.25 amperes passing through it. Chemistry Answer three questions, provided that the first question is among them. 1 - Show one method used in the laboratory to prepare four of the following substances. And state how gases and vapors are collected when they are emitted. Hydrogen chloride gas, ammonia gas, methane gas, carbon dioxide gas, chlorine gas. 2 - Talk about water hardness. Its causes, its harms, and methods of removing it (showing the reactions with equations). 3 - Discuss the reasons for the following: a - "The civilization of nations is measured by the amount of sulfuric acid consumed in their countries." b - Hydrogen cannot be prepared from the reaction of zinc with nitric acid. c - Galvanizing iron sheets (Gatco) used in covering roofs or in reinforcing dams. 4 - Answer the following:- a - How does the reaction of manganese dioxide in the preparation of oxygen from potassium chlorate differ from its reaction in the preparation of chlorine. b - If you were given a substance, what would you do to verify whether it is albuminous or starchy. c - What is superphosphate, and how is it prepared. ⟦illegible⟧
Department Copy T / 51 / 1762 12 / 3 / 1951 To - Presidency of the Israelite Community Mosul Greetings, As per your request, we have consulted the venerable Ministry of Education, which in turn issued its letter Numbered 7850 and dated 7 / 3 / 1951 (you will find a copy attached) with a signed testimony From the Directorate of Private Education therein regarding the matter (you will also find it attached). Please accept our highest respect; ⟦illegible⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council Attachments (2) Copy of letter No. 7850 and the testimony
T / ⟦78⟧ / 51 ⟦17⟧ / 3 / 1951 Department Copy To The Respected Mr. Ephraim Rahmin Kashi Greetings, Reference to your letter dated 14 / 3 / 951. On the occasion of your leaving the administration of the community in Amarah, we can only thank you very much for your supervision over its affairs. We have assigned Mr. Moshe Ephraim Cohen to carry out this task. Please accept our highest respect. ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council Karaite Communities
⟦illegible blue stamp⟧ ⟦...⟧ 60 - Ephraim Rahmin Kashi - Al-Amara We have authorized you to sell the synagogue furniture located in Al-Amara. ⟦signature⟧ Acting President of the Community President of the Jewish Community - Baghdad
⟦77⟧ / 51 3 / ⟦2⟧ / 1951 ⟦22⟧ To Mr. Moshe Ephraim Cohen, Respectfully Amara After greetings Based on our reliance on you and in view of the vacancy of the community presidency in Amara at the present time we have assigned you to supervise the affairs of the community and its properties in Amara, including the synagogue and the school. We request that you provide us with a list containing the properties belonging to this community, mentioning their monthly or annual revenues. Please accept our highest respect. ⟦illegible⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council