AI en Translation, Pages 601-625
Page 601
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
No. T/: 60 /
Date: 8 / 5 / 1960
Telephone No.: 83531 / 5452
Subject: Roofed properties and exploited endowments under the guardianship
and management of the Mosaic sectarian bodies throughout
the eternal Iraqi Republic.
His Excellency the Leader of the Country, Staff Major General Abd al-Karim Qasim, the Respected
Prime Minister, the Honorable
Greetings and respect
The Ministry of Justice had issued the instructions published in the Iraqi Gazette No. 4104
issued on February 25, 1958, regarding the functions of the Administrative Committee of the Mosaic Community, and pursuant to
Article Three of the aforementioned instructions, the management of Mosaic estates and exploited endowments
for charitable purposes located in all provinces became part of the duties of our Administrative Committee, given the dissolution of the
communal councils and sectarian bodies that were managing them.
In view of the fact that the aforementioned charitable endowments located in the Iraqi provinces - except Baghdad - are
under the management of the General Secretariat for Frozen Assets since the date of the dissolution of the sectarian bodies previously in charge of them,
we have approached the Ministry of Justice for the purpose of putting the legal text into effect and instructing the competent authorities to hand over
the aforementioned charitable endowments to the Administrative Committee of our community along with their net revenues. Despite
the passage of a long period, the aforementioned legal article has not yet been put into effect.
His Excellency the Leader:
The Mosaic charitable endowments located throughout the eternal Iraqi Republic are conditioned upon spending
their yields on charitable and religious entities such as temples, preparation and shrouding, cemeteries, treating the sick, and aiding
the poor and needy, and on schools, scientific institutes, and other entities that are still existing and require
expenditure on them. Most of these entities are religious and cannot be dispensed with for the members of the Mosaic community
who still reside in some Iraqi provinces such as Basra. Indeed, the Basra group has become in
a deplorable state, which forced the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews to allocate a monthly financial aid for them
to manage their affairs. The aforementioned religious entities, such as temples, cemeteries, and others, have remained without expenditure since
the General Secretariat for Frozen Assets took control of the endowments dedicated to them.
Our Administrative Committee, deriving its opinion from the explicit legal texts - the texts of the Ministry of Justice instructions referred
to - according to the explanatory reasons for the mentioned instructions which were necessitated by the urgent need for expenditure
on the Mosaic charitable entities in the provinces, believes that the mentioned instructions were comprehensive for all
Mosaic charitable endowments that were in the custody of the dissolved Mosaic communal councils, and that their management has become
one of its functions.
To be continued
Page 602
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
No. T /:
Date: / /
Telephone No. { 83531
5452
Subject ::
- 2 -
I have been forced to turn to your Excellency, requesting you to kindly instruct the competent authorities to implement Article
three of the legal instructions issued by the Ministry of Justice and to hand over the Mosaic charitable endowments located
in the provinces to the Administrative Committee of our community to manage them and spend their yields on the charitable and religious entities
for which they were endowed.
Please accept my highest appreciation and respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khidhouri
Acting President of the Mosaic Community
A copy to :-
Ministry of Justice - for your kind information.
Page 604
Telephone Number { 83531 / 5452
Date 11/28/1960
Subject: Roofed properties and exploited endowments of the Mosaic community.
His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Justice
After greetings,
We have previously submitted a request in our letter No. T/60/286 dated 5/8/960
to His Excellency the Leader of the Country and Prime Minister, with a copy to Your Excellency, regarding the roofed properties and exploited endowments of the Mosaic
community located outside the city of Baghdad and the necessity of their management by the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
according to your ministry's instructions published in the Iraqi Gazette under No. 4104 and dated 2/25/960, and since
we have not yet received any notification regarding the subject, and as the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews is still spending the necessary
amounts to facilitate the affairs of the community members living outside Baghdad. Therefore, please inform us of the fate of our request
and the necessity of including all the community's endowments in Iraq for management by the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews
in application of your ministry's instructions referred to above.
Please accept our highest respect.
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting Head of the Community
Page 606
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Number T / 61 /
Date 12 / 4 / 1961
Telephone Number } 83531
5452
12 / 4
Subject ::
His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Interior
Greetings
It is not hidden from your Excellency that the travel of Iraqi citizens to the Lebanese Republic does not require them to obtain
an entry visa to the aforementioned country, except for Iraqi Jews, who must obtain an entry visa.
The aforementioned exceptional restriction was imposed at the time on Iraqi Jews in line with the exceptional restrictions that were imposed
on Iraqi Jews during the defunct era, those restrictions and exceptions which the esteemed Revolutionary Government abolished
as it equalized Jews and the rest of Iraqi citizens in all rights and duties, and even enacted the laws
and regulations necessary to achieve equality.
The principle of equality and non-discrimination among all Iraqi citizens of different religions is one of the principles upon which
the revolution was based and which the national government, headed by the Leader, Major General Abd al-Karim Qasim, legislated.
Since the necessity for Iraqi Jews to obtain an entry visa to Lebanon was imposed at the time by
the Lebanese government in line with the abolished restrictions and exceptions. Therefore, we ask your Excellency to kindly approach
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to request the cancellation of the aforementioned restriction on Iraqi Jews.
With much gratitude and respect to your Excellency
On behalf of
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Community
Page 607
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531
5453
Number T / <del>788</del> / 61
Date 20 / 4 / 1961
Subject: Jewish Endowment Roofed Properties and Exploited Assets in Basra.
His Excellency the Secretary-General for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews Deprived of
Iraqi Nationality, Respected
Greetings and Respect,
The Ministry of Justice had issued instructions published in the Iraqi Gazette, Issue No. 4104
dated 25 / 2 / 1958, whereby Article Three entrusted the administration of estates, roofed properties, and exploited assets
of the Jewish community endowed for charitable purposes located in all provinces to the Administrative Committee of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad, in view of the dissolution of the communal bodies that were managing them. Since the aforementioned endowments
—except for those located in Baghdad—are under the administration of the General Secretariat for Frozen Assets since the date of the dissolution of the
communal bodies referred to, this Presidency is following up with the competent authorities for the purpose of putting the legal text into
execution, and this matter is still under consideration and study by the competent authorities.
A significant number of Jews reside in the city of Basra, whose specific religious matters require continued spending
on them, as they have temples and a cemetery with associated matters of preparation and shrouding, and they are in need of slaughterers for sheep
and poultry according to Jewish law, which has resulted in them being deprived of Kosher meat for a long time.
Likewise, they are in need of religious teachers and those who perform religious rituals specific to the temples and other
religious matters that are suspended due to the impossibility of spending on them.
All these religious and charitable aspects require spending on them from the revenues of the charitable endowments
belonging to the Jewish community in Basra. In view of the administration of the Jewish charitable endowments belonging to the Jewish
community in Basra by the General Secretariat for Frozen Assets, and the fact that the competent authorities have not finished the matter of
handing them over to the Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad for administration according to the provisions of the instructions referred to above,
this Presidency, based on urgent necessity and the requests of the Jews in Basra, has undertaken spending on a temporary basis and as
a loan to cover the necessary religious aspects that cannot be suspended, namely the matters of the cemetery, preparation,
and shrouding, considering what it spends as a debt upon the aforementioned endowments, while other religious aspects remained suspended
due to the impossibility of covering their expenses.
Since the revenues of the Jewish community endowments in Baghdad are unable to cover the expenses of the charitable entities
endowed to them, how can it, in this situation, secure the religious aspects specific to the Jews in Basra?
And since the matter of handing over the endowments to our Presidency has not yet been concluded, we have been forced to address Your Excellency,
requesting approval to spend an amount of -/250 Dinars monthly from the revenues of the Jewish endowments located in
Basra ⟦illegible⟧
Page 611
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
No. T / 291 / 61
Date 24 / 4 / 1961
28
Telephone No. { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Subject:
His Excellency the Secretary General for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews
Whose Iraqi Citizenship Has Been Revoked, Respected
After greetings,
Reference to your letter No. 7271 dated 22 / 4 / 1961
We have audited the death register from the date 1 / 6 / 951 until 22 / 4 / 1961 and we did
not find an entry in the names of the two persons Menachem Moshe Baruch and Menashi Moshe Baruch mentioned
in your above-referenced letter.
Please accept our highest respect.
⟦Adel⟧
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Acting President of the Community
Page 613
85
(Cash List)
⟦Number⟧ ⟦line⟧
⟦Date⟧ ⟦line⟧
Date of Receipt | Statement of Bonds | Amount
| Khaji Munshi Baruch slaughter fees in Basra | 21/2/56
| Munshi Munshi Baruch slaughter fees |
Page 614
Presidency of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Date ⟦line⟧
(Disbursement Voucher)
Amount | Details | Notes
Fils | Dinar | |
⟦line⟧
⟦line⟧
Republic of Iraq
General Secretariat
for the Supervision and Administration of the Property of Jews
Whose Iraqi Citizenship Has Been Revoked
(( Secret and Very Urgent ))
Secretariat: Rights and Commercial Matters
Division:
Number: 7471
Date: 22 / 4 / 1961
Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
Subject - Death of two Jews -
Reference to your letter No. T / 20 / 58 on 25 / 3 / 1958
The full names of the two subjects of research are (Menachem and Menashi, sons of Moshe Baruch) and
the information available to us is that they were alive during the month of June / 51
so please check your records in light of that and inform us.
On behalf of the Secretary General
A copy to -
Secretariat of Rights and Commercial Matters.
P 22 / 4 / 1961
Accountant
Urgent
To state the date of death of the two persons above
and the profession of each ⟦of them⟧
Secretary
There is no trace in the register of deceased Jews
from June 51 until this day
under the names of the two mentioned persons
24 / 4 / 61
Page 616
General Secretariat
for the Supervision and Management of the Property of Jews
Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship
Secretariat of Rights and Commercial Matters
Number:
Date:
(( Top Secret and Very Urgent ))
To:-
Capital Health Directorate
Subject / Death of two Jews
Please inform us of the date of death of the two Jews mentioned below upon
confirmation of their deaths, requesting that the answer reaches us as soon as possible.
1- Menachem bin Moshi
2- Munshi bin Moshi
Secretary General
A copy to:-
Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad - for the same purpose, requesting a response
as soon as possible.
Secretariat of Immovable Property - Title Deed - for information and following up on our letter
No. 6265 dated 17 / 2 / 1958.
Secretariat of Rights and Commercial Matters - for follow-up.
Rasim / 2 / 19
⟦illegible⟧
Statement as to whether there is ⟦illegible⟧ the mentioned
⟦illegible⟧
Page 618
⟦Inspection Mudash Switch⟧
24790
⟦Sleeping Mudash Switch⟧ <del>⟦illegible⟧</del>
24794
Page 619
Under the deed
7 June 9
Year 1953
7 June 1953
Page 620
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T /: — / —
Date: 7 / 12 / 1960
Subject /: Compensations
His Excellency the Mayor of the Capital, respected
After greetings,
Further to our letter numbered T / 338 / 60 and dated 11 / 10 / 1960
And based on your Excellency's request, we have painted the barbed wire fence posts
and leveled them some time ago, therefore please order the disbursement of the remaining amount of
— / 5000 Dinars.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Mosaic Community
⟦His Eminence⟧
Page 621
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 419 / -
Date: 1961/8/16
Subject:
His Excellency the Secretary General for the Supervision of the Property of Jews Deprived of
Iraqi Nationality, Respectfully
After greetings,
Reference to your letter numbered 14910 and dated 5 / 8 / 1961
Enclosed is a true copy of the lease contract for the remainder of the two plots 32 / 115
Sequence 71 and 32 / 115 Sequence 165, noting that the share of
the Secretariat from plot sequence 71, amounting to 150 shares out of
510, was not leased.
Please accept our highest respect
Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
Acting President of the Community
Page 622
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 499 / -
Date: 21 / 8 / 1951
Subject:
Honorable Director of Land Registry of Baghdad Liwa, Al-Rusafa
After greetings,
Please provide us with a copy of the registration and a map for the property sequence 514
Al-Tawrat neighborhood, door numbers 33 / 138, belonging to this
Presidency.
With much respect to your Excellency
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Acting President of the Community
Office Copy
⟦Awad⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Page 623
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 83531 President
5452 Secretary
Number T/: 422 / -
Date: 1956/8/21
Subject:
The Honorable Director of Baghdad Land Registry - Al-Rusafa
After greetings,
Please provide us with a copy of the registration and a map for the property sequence 515, Al-Tawrat
neighborhood, door number 33A / 138, belonging to this Presidency.
With our highest respect,
Real Estate Department
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri
Acting President of the Community
⟦Land Registry⟧
Page 624
General Secretariat for the Supervision and Management of the Property of Jews Deprived of Iraqi Citizenship:
Secretariat: Immovable Property
Division: Rents
Number:
Date:
Republic of Iraq
(( Very Urgent ))
To /
Presidency of the Jewish Community
Subject / Property 32/115 Sequence 71 Taht al-Takiya Quarter
We emphasize for the third time our letter 3955 on 1/3/1961, requesting a statement on how
you are utilizing the aforementioned property and the shops separated from it, their rental values,
and copies of their lease contracts, given that the General Secretariat owns 150 shares out of
a total of 510 shares in it, as quickly as possible.
⟦illegible⟧
For the Secretary General
A copy to -
Secretariat of Rights and Commercial Matters - for information
Rents Division
Paperwork Division, File 94/16/5
Saleh 8/5/1961
Page 625
Presidency of the Mosaic Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number } 83531
5452
Number T / — / 62
Date 18 / 3 / 1962
Subject: Expropriation of part of the Synagogue (Torah) of Rabbi Heskel
His Excellency the Mayor of the Capital, respected
Greetings
The competent department in your respected municipality informed us that it will demolish an area of (15.05 m2) from
the property with Tapu sequence 166 Taht al-Takiya, in implementation of a decision issued to expropriate the mentioned area during the year
1958. We place before your Excellency the following:-
1 - The property sequence 166 Taht al-Takiya is the Synagogue (Torah) of Rabbi Heskel, and it has been so for more than
fifty years and remains standing to this day.
2 - No notification regarding the expropriation of the mentioned area was addressed to this Presidency in its capacity as the trustee over all
synagogues and the entity in charge of their management, despite the visible signs indicating the nature of the building as an existing synagogue,
noting that the expropriation procedures were taken under the provisions of the previous Expropriation Law.
3 - The features of the synagogue are clear from the outside and inside, and the committee assigned to estimate the value of
the expropriated part must have noticed them.
In view of the reasons stated above, and because of the special sanctity of churches and temples, we request you to kindly reconsider the matter of
expropriating the area shown above.
With respect to your Excellency,
Sassoon
Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri
Acting President of the Community