Arranging Travel for Operation Ezra & Nehemiah; Issues Pertaining to Jews Abrogating Citizenship
View interactive document pageThese are archival documents from the Baghdadi Jewish community. This item contains documents and correspondences pertaining to Baghdadi Jews abrogating their Iraqi citizenship in order to travel abroad. Included is an offer from a travel company about arranging transportation for the airlift of Iraqi Jews from Iraq to Israel (Operation Ezra and Nehemiah), complaints to the Iraqi government concerning police interference with Jews traveling, announcements to the Baghdadi Jewish community about opportunities to learn more about the citizenship laws and to forfeit citizenship, and correspondence between the government and the Jewish community concerning citizens who desire to forfeit their citizenship but have complicated circumstances. The item also contains letters in Judeo-Arabic, many which include community members' names.
Under a document issued by the Notary Public of Baghdad With general number 4562, register 172, and dated 7/25/45 It is established by the husband's acknowledgment that Ephraim Saleh Khayyal is the husband of the woman named Liloishi Yaqub
Certificate To whom it may concern We certify that the boy named Yusuf son of Ezra, his father Ezra died seven years ago, and that his mother named Maryam daughter of Dawood was supporting and raising him until this time. Therefore, we have signed below. Dawood Benjamin Witness Akram Mordechai Witness ⟦signature⟧ Deputy Head of the Community Representative of the District of Erbil ⟦two fingerprints⟧ I certify the authenticity of the witnesses' signatures ⟦circular stamp with text and date 1951⟧ ⟦faded circular stamp on the left⟧
Directorate of Travel and Nationality Supervision Division Baghdad Number: 291 Date: 12 / 5 / 951 The Israelite Community Baghdad Number 1282 / 51 Date 16 / 5 / 951 To the Presidency of the Israelite Community in Baghdad 75 The woman Maryam Daoud Wash, from the residents of Makhmur District, whose solar photograph is attached below, claims that the minor Yusuf Ezra is her biological son from her husband Ezra Yusuf and that her husband, the aforementioned Ezra Yusuf, has been deceased for some time. Please inform us of the validity of the minor Yusuf being the son of Maryam Daoud Wash from her husband Ezra Yusuf, and of the validity of the death of the aforementioned minor's father, as quickly as possible. ⟦signature⟧ Director of Travel and Nationality Police ⟦Photograph of a person, partially obscured by white residue⟧ ⟦illegible circular stamp⟧
Department Copy 76 51/1880 16 / 5 / 1951 Directorate of Travel and Nationality Police Greetings, With reference to your letter numbered 6091 and dated 14 / 5 / 51 We confirm to you that the minor named Yossi Ezra is the son of the woman named Maryam Daoud from her husband Ezra Youssef, and that her aforementioned husband Ezra Youssef has been deceased for seven years. Please accept our highest respect. ⟦illegible stamp⟧ ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community Head of the Lay Council
To whom it may concern We, the undersigned, the Mukhtar and the elders of the neighborhood, testify that the woman named Karjiya Ezra has two daughters, and they are Suad Karjiya from her late husband, the legitimate Naeem Zubaida, and she does not have from him a legal marriage contract, but rather a Rabbi's engagement, and according to her request this testimony was written for her Member ⟦illegible⟧ Member ⟦illegible⟧ The Mukhtar ⟦illegible⟧ I certify the authenticity of the signatures of the witnesses and the Mukhtar The Mukhtar ⟦illegible stamp⟧
77 ⟦illegible⟧ 51/1878 14/5/951 Directorate of Travel and Nationality Revocation Department Greetings, With reference to your letter numbered 5725 and dated 25/4/951 We confirm to you that the named Karjiya Ezra Yusuf is the common-law wife of Mr. Naeem Saghir And she has two daughters from him, Suad and Carmela, and she is not legally married and has no record in our registers. Please accept our highest respect. Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council ⟦illegible⟧
Directorate of Travel and Nationality Residency Department Baghdad Number 5725 Date 9/5/1951 78 Presidency of the Jewish Community: Baghdad Special Number: 1272 Date: 14 / 5 / 1951 To <del>Presidency</del> the Jewish Community Subject / Inquiry The foreigner Gorjia Ezra Youssef, whose photographs are attached below, claims that she is the wife of Naeem Sabgha by legal registration. Please inform us if the petitioner Gorjia Ezra has been legally married to any other person, noting that she claims to have two daughters, Suad, aged two years, and Karima, aged one and a half years, and to whom the two children belong, as quickly as possible. Director of Travel and Nationality Police Directorate of Travel and Nationality Outgoing Department ⟦Photo of a woman⟧
⟦illegible⟧ We, the undersigned, testify that the person named Moshe ⟦...⟧ Marjan Aziz died in Baghdad ⟦...⟧ approximately nine years ago and left his wife named Salima daughter of Eliyahu in the Mandaean quarter, and they have seven ⟦...⟧ children of the deceased Moshe Ghadwa Marjan and his wife ⟦...⟧ Witness | Witness | Witness | Witness Nouri ⟦...⟧ | Naji Aziz | Daoud Yona | Hosni Ibrahim ⟦fingerprint_stamps⟧ I certify the authenticity of the witnesses' signatures The Mukhtar ⟦...⟧ ⟦two_revenue_stamps_with_portrait⟧ 10 Fils | 10 Fils ⟦circular_ink_stamp⟧ 19 / ⟦...⟧ / 51
Directorate of Travel and Nationality Revocation Division Baghdad Number 6119 Date - 16 / 1 / 952 Presidency of the Jewish Community Baghdad Registry Number 51 / 1290 Date 20 / 5 / 952 79 To the Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad Subject / Moshe ⟦Mordechai Ezra⟧ Sim Eliyahu Noaman claims that her husband Moshe Mordechai Ezra died some time ago in the neighborhood. Please inform us of the validity of the death of the aforementioned Moshe Mordechai Ezra. ⟦signature⟧ Director of Travel and Nationality Police
51 / 1920 1951 / 5 / 20 7 Travel and Nationality Police Directorate Greetings, With reference to your letter No. 6118 dated 1951/5/16 We confirm to you that the person named Moshe Mordechai Ezra, husband of the woman named Salima Eliyahu Pinhas, passed away in the city of Hillah approximately nine years ago. Please accept our highest respects. ⟦signature⟧ On behalf of the Acting Head of the Community Vice President of the Lay Council ⟦illegible stamp⟧ M
Registrar of Engagement and Marriage Contracts for the Jewish Community in Baghdad Baghdad on: <del>4 / 6 / 1951</del> Presidency of the Jewish Community Baghdad After greetings Based on the entries recorded in my registers, I certify that Mr. Yusuf son of Ibrahim Yusuf has entered into an engagement with Miss Naeema daughter of Saleh son of Yusuf in Baghdad on the day 8 / 4 / 1945 (corresponding to 25 Nisan 705 (⟦line⟧ And has not married yet Conditions | Witnesses Dinars | Shamoon Shaul 800 | Moussa Abdullah Shamoon Shaul H. Shamoon ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
Directorate of Travel and Nationality Travel and Nationality Division Baghdad Number S / ⟦illegible⟧ Date 2 / 6 / 951 81 Presidency of the Jewish Community: Baghdad: Incoming Number: 51 / 1415 Date: 2 / 6 / 951 Secret and Urgent To Presidency of the Jewish Community Respected Please inform us whether Naeema Saleh Youssef Ibrahim is married or not and if she is married, inform us of her husband's name as quickly as possible, please. ⟦signature⟧ On behalf of / Director of Travel and Nationality
To the Honorable Director of the Federal Police The petition submitted to your Excellency Sir, we are Jews from Kurdistan from the northern regions who took refuge in the Menashi Saleh shelter out of fear for our lives approximately nine months ago. We renounced our citizenships and we had some money which we handed over for travel fees in the hope of being deported quickly, and now we possess nothing to spend on our families, especially since the Israelite community cut off our livelihood from the date of the freezing of funds, and we remained without food and our condition is very bad. Sir, we have approached the responsible authorities several times and they did not give us a result, and now we seek mercy from your Excellency with this petition on behalf of our brothers present in the shelter, asking God Almighty and your Excellency's grace for our speedy deportation and to save us from the hunger and disease spreading among us, and you have our utmost respect and reward from God. Musallam Yusuf Ezra | Musallam Mikhail Hazqeel | Musallam Sasson Hannu ⟦three thumbprints⟧ To be filed By special notification ⟦illegible signature⟧ 12 / 7
To His Excellency the Respected Minister of Interior Through the Respected Head of the Jewish Community. Presented to Your Excellency We, the undersigned, a group of Iraqi government employees who have been referred to the retirement cadre, And since we have served government interests for several past years, and our files contain what witnesses and supports our competence and our sincerity with diligence and effort throughout our service period and our conduct, we have come appealing to Your Excellency, hoping for your kind sympathy to kindly issue your orders to the administration of the Meir Tweg Synagogue to include us in the travel priority, similar to Jewish state employees. By this humanitarian act, you will have rendered us a great favor that we cannot forget in any case, as we are suffering now with our children and families excruciating pain due to the lack of what can be obtained to satisfy our hunger, and the matter is for Your Excellency. For filing Response to the request ⟦illegible⟧ 28 / 5 / 51 A group of retirees 50 Fils Name | Dropping Number | Signature Shimon Abdullah | 28 - 77 - 18 | ⟦signature⟧ Saqal Cohen Ibrahim (Nouri) | 24669 | ⟦signature⟧ Salman Yusuf | 27402 | ⟦signature⟧ Reuben Murad Cohen | 27585 | ⟦signature⟧ Naji Yaqub | 25457 | ⟦signature⟧ Ezra Daoud Qattan | 24770 | ⟦signature⟧ Isaac Shaul Elia | 21116 | ⟦signature⟧ Jaafar Sabih ⟦...⟧ Cohen | 13002 | ⟦signature⟧ Daoud Salman Shabih | 24995 | ⟦signature⟧ Salim Murad Eliyahu | 24579 | ⟦signature⟧ Ibrahim Samuel Ajami | 26828 | ⟦signature⟧ Menashe Manshi Koha | 20247 | ⟦signature⟧ Ezra Yusuf Murad | 26956 | ⟦signature⟧ Manshi Ibrahim Yusuf Hayya | 27468 | ⟦signature⟧ Saleh Shirat Rabia | 24522 | ⟦signature⟧
Baghdad ⟦illegible⟧ Private School for Boys and Girls ⟦illegible⟧ Private School for Boys in ⟦illegible⟧ Greetings, On the occasion of the end of the current school year ⟦illegible⟧ we are pleased to extend to you our sincere ⟦illegible⟧ to the school ⟦illegible⟧ wishing your children permanent success, and for this reason we ask you to kindly send the ⟦illegible⟧ installment due from you ⟦illegible⟧ so that we can complete our financial obligations towards the teaching staff ⟦illegible⟧ and the rent and other salaries, and we also ask you to kindly send ⟦illegible⟧ as soon as possible so that we can ⟦illegible⟧ in your names, thanking you for your kind cooperation with us, wishing you and your children continued progress and success ⟦illegible⟧ Please accept our highest respect and appreciation ⟦illegible⟧ Student Name | Amount Due | Signature ⟦illegible⟧ | 70 / 700 | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | 36 / 222 | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | 7 / 050 | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | 77 / 87 | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | 17 / 211 | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | 33 / 012 | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | 55 / 7 | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦signature⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦signature⟧
51 / 1929 5 / 6 / 951 Secretary's Copy 82 To the Directorate of Travel and Nationality Police Greetings, With reference to your letter No. 6407 dated 2/6/951 We inform you that the person named Naeema Saleh Youssef Ibrahim has been engaged to Mr. Youssef Ibrahim Youssef since the eighth of April of the year one thousand nine hundred and forty- five AD and has not married yet. Please accept our highest respect. ⟦signature⟧ On behalf of the Head of the Community Vice President of the Lay Council S ⟦line⟧
87 ⟦illegible⟧ 51 / 1982 15 / 6 / 951 To The Committee for Renunciation and Deportation Greetings, We certify that Miss Saida Youssef, holder of the renunciation form numbered 35827, is a teacher at the Laura Kadoorie School for Girls, affiliated with the presidency of this community for the current academic year. Naeem Ibrahim Zubaida On behalf of the Acting Head of the Community Vice President of the Lay Council
84 51 / 1966 4 / 6 / 1951 Department Copy To All residents in the community shelters Please follow the following :- 1- Maintaining general cleanliness and following the administration's instructions in this regard, as the accumulation of dirt leads to the spread of diseases, which the medical department of the Capital Health Directorate is concerned about. 2- It has come to our attention that some of you are breaking the faucets and using them, and we would like to emphasize that the presidency of this community will be forced to hold anyone who breaks these faucets liable and have them repaired by him through the police departments. ⟦signature⟧ The Director To be kept in the guidance file ⟦signature⟧
85 51/1795 9/4/1951 ⟦stamp⟧ To The Station Master's Office, Maqal Railway Station Greetings Subject: "Suspended Debts" Your letter Z 662/1 dated March 29, 1951 The jurisdiction over deportation belongs to the Deportation and Write-off Committee, so you may consult them. Please accept our highest respects. Acting Head of the Community Chairman of the Lay Council To be filed
ISRP.—564—1-9-50—45,000. M.123 IRAQI STATE RAILWAYS Baghdad ⟦line⟧ 195 Iraqi State Railways Ma'qil Railway Station Observation Office Number: Z / ⟦692⟧ / ⟦1⟧ Baghdad on 29 / 1 / 1951 ⟦illegible⟧ Department To the Head of the Jewish Community Baghdad Subject: Outstanding Debts We inform you that the person named Mr. Sami Hoshi Al-Zaji, a resident of Baghdad, was an employee of Ma'qil Railway Station until 5/1/950 in the capacity of Assistant Station Master. When he was transferred to Baghdad on 11/7/950, he personally owed an amount of five Dinars as a benevolent loan, in addition to his liability in the capacity of trust for other amounts equivalent to six Dinars as well. He incurred debts for food and drink in the restaurants and cafes with us at Ma'qil Station. We communicated with the aforementioned for several days and he promised that money would appear with our neighbors and claimed he would pay us what he owed in early February 1951. However, he has renounced his Iraqi citizenship and has been resigned from service since 6/1/1951, and several months have passed without fulfilling his obligation to settle these debts outstanding against him until the present time. Therefore, we request that you kindly collect this amount (eleven Dinars) from him when he approaches you regarding his travel arrangements outside Iraq, with the knowledge that he truly admits his liability to us as we explained above; otherwise, we ask you to complete his readiness so we may see what proves these debts against him, and we shall be grateful if you would kindly confirm your receipt of this letter. With respect, Ma'qil Station Observer Walter Magnus
T / 51/1762 05/24/1951 86 His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Interior His Excellency the Secretary General for Supervising the Freeze of Assets of Jews Whose Nationality Has Been Revoked, the Honorable His Excellency the Director General of Police, the Honorable His Excellency the Director of Travel and Nationality Affairs, the Honorable Greetings, With reference to the displaced immigrants from various provinces residing in a shelter in Baghdad, numbering approximately one thousand people, whom the Presidency of the Israeli Community has been supporting throughout their stay in this shelter, and who are from the poor classes and whose Iraqi nationality has been revoked, and whom the esteemed government has decided to deport before others according to the priority established for them. In view of the issuance of the Law for the Supervision and Administration of the Assets of Jews Whose Iraqi Nationality Has Been Revoked No. (5) of 1951 and the regulation issued thereunder under No. (4) for 1951, charitable donations that used to be received and managed by the Committee for the Poor and Needy belonging to the Presidency of this community have ceased as a result of the situation. Accordingly, the Presidency of the Community has become unable to support these immigrants present in a special shelter designated for the aforementioned number due to the lack of funds, as these immigrants are without a livelihood. Therefore, the Presidency of the Community hopes you are aware that the esteemed government foundational aid - humanitarian situation of supporting about a thousand needy people at present, which causes agitation and disturbance, a matter that requires taking the necessary urgent measures to feed them. Since the esteemed government had previously decided to deport these immigrants before others based on the right of priority defined for them, the Presidency of the Community requests from the individuals a solution to this issue, to be relieved of these immigrants, and to aid them by taking quick procedures for their immediate deportation. The Presidency of the Community hopes that this issue will receive a quick solution and that the required measures will be taken by the esteemed government and all competent authorities to pull the Presidency of the Community out of the predicament of supporting these immigrants and work towards deporting them immediately according to the wisdom of the esteemed government. Please accept the highest respect. Acting President of the Community President of the Lay Council
* 1 / * 75 His Excellency the Minister of Interior His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Baraniya Freezing of Salalah Funds Alim Al-Bih Al-Muhani Their Excellencies the current sail His Excellency the Director of the Travel and Infrastructure Company, the world, with reference to the Jordanian fields from various mechanisms and histories in a hideout in Baghdad, numbering about a thousand sheep, whom the Israeli community women insulted last night after their stay in this student, and that periodic times, and who inferred the official loyalist Mim and any esteemed government, Mauram Lil Oram, what is not entitled to the Spanish education. The director's money comes favorable and condemns the money of the two who represented the Iraqi official world (0) profession 1951 and the bones issued contains the correct number (1) 1151 on the list of charitable periodicals that were fun and a study on even the heat of the imported miajin in medicine Ali Saleh by the meter of the Hungarian Sul in Malia for you Amin from the miajin with no update and therefore and study the relationship of the cycle that on the dream motorized orchard mechanism - Asan letters of the material conversations exercises trainers in the case of what causes outings and approaching the matter by which the reason prepared the measures of the path of education the lovers .. The correct that around "the fields of God preceded the spoken the mawwara that the village of Mauram night in front of what is not permissible Spanish which to the presidency to God from the peaceful state of the second night and mixing of amateurs "the miajin and the pious human being quick procedures the hawks state. And the community of hope is the newborn that he said to him the nickname is the solution and the preparation of what is above of procedures from the side of the governmental body and that the rising strains of immunity his second head to get it out of Mazen hundred times the fields and work in the tumors immediately in the place of the wisdom of the institutional government. And we are distinguished by the urine of the superior mother of the community in the study. Evil of the physical council
His Excellency the Respected Minister of Interior His Excellency the Respected Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs His Excellency the Respected Director of General Police His Excellency the Respected Director of Police for the Hilla District After greetings, With reference to the report submitted by the Security Directorate and published in the newspaper ⟦...⟧ Salih in Baghdad, numbering about a thousand people, whom the Presidency of the Jewish Community sheltered on the night of the migration of these young people ⟦...⟧ in their old synagogues, and who were taken over by the General Commission, and the esteemed government decided to deport them, as there is a therapeutic deficiency among them, especially those for whom it was estimated erroneously. In view of the issuance of the Law for the Presidency and Administration of the Property of Jews who have lost their Iraqi Nationality No. (5) of 1951 and the regulation issued thereunder under No. (7) of 1951, the financial resources that were collected and managed by the Revenue and Expenditure Committee of the Communal Council were cut off, and therefore the Presidency of the Community has lost its ability to manage the affairs of the refugees present in the Salih Hospital shelter due to the continuous deficit in its budget to provide the simplest requirements of action without relief for them. Therefore, the Presidency of the Community found it necessary to place before the eyes of the esteemed authorities the following observations: 1) There is subsistence for a thousand displaced persons in ⟦...⟧ at Al-Rashad Hospital, students, and refugees ⟦...⟧ whose subsistence expenses should be covered ⟦...⟧ sacred, especially ⟦...⟧ the esteemed government ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ Presidency of the Community ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ to change them immediately, and the Presidency of the Community has firm hope that this issue will receive a speedy solution and that the necessary measures will be taken by the esteemed government, and that the competent authorities will order the Presidency of the Community to release these detainees and work on deporting them immediately according to the attached honored enclosure. Please accept the highest respect.
Department Copy 87 51/2046 30/7/951 Directorate of Travel and Nationality Police Revocation Division ⟦line⟧ Baghdad Greetings, Your letter numbered 6888 and dated 29/7/951 After conducting an investigation by this department regarding what was mentioned in your letter referred to above, it has become clear to us that the person named Ghali Murad, whose photograph is attached to your letter above, is the son of the person named Murad Moshi, who died in the year one thousand nine hundred and fifteen AD, and that his mother is Mahalla daughter of Abdullah Shlomo Daoud, and that he is an Iraqi national according to what appeared from the testimony of witnesses and the Mukhtar's certification of their signatures. Please accept our highest respect. ⟦signature⟧ On behalf of the Acting Head of the Community Vice President of the Lay Council Immediately
To the Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad After greetings We, the undersigned, testify that Mr. Ghali Murad is an Iraqi national and that his father Murad Moshi died in Baghdad in 1915 AD and that his mother's name is ⟦Majalla⟧ Abdullah Shlomo Daoud and for your sake we have signed Witness Abdullah Salman Hikmat ID Number 259 on 27 / 3 / 51 ⟦signature⟧ Witness Nunu Meir Kashe' ID Number 1115 on 27 / 3 / 51 ⟦signature⟧ I certify the authenticity of the signatures of the witnesses above Seal of the Mukhtar 20 Number 195 50 Fils 50 FILS ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧