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.
42 ⟦Department Interest⟧ T / 55/1295 9 / 5 / 1950 Administrative Order Mr. Naji Yaqoub is appointed to assist the nationality revocation officials at Meir Tweg Synagogue in clerical matters with a monthly salary of ten dinars and without cost-of-living allowances effective from the first of May 1950. ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council Copy to - The Accountant - to act accordingly Mr. Naji Yaqoub The relevant personal file For filing 5/8/4
44 Department Copy T/1297/50 9/5/1950 Administrative Order Mr. Eliyahu Ephraim is appointed to assist the nationality revocation officials at Meir Tweig Synagogue in clerical matters with a monthly salary of eight Dinars without cost of living allowances starting from the first of May 1950. ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council Copy to -: The Accountant - to act accordingly: Mr. Eliyahu Ephraim: The relevant personal file: A/8/5
T/1296/50 15/5/1950 Honorable Gentlemen Isaac Daoud Sofair Saleh Sh⟦...⟧ad Heskel Ezra Abdullah After greetings In view of the zeal and sacrifice I know in you for the sake of the public interest, you have been appointed as a committee to supervise the housing of persons whose Iraqi citizenship has been revoked and to organize their travel affairs. Please accept our respect; Sincerely ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council A/25/6
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone No. { 3531 President
5452 Secretary
Duplicate
Number: T/1292/55
Subject:
Date: 5/9/1955
Administrative Order
Mr. Heskel Ezra is appointed to assist the citizenship revocation officials at
Meir Tweg Synagogue in clerical matters with a monthly salary of ten Dinars and without
cost-of-living allowances effective from the first of May 1955.
⟦signature⟧
Acting President of the Community
President of the Lay Council
Copy to —
The Accountant — to act accordingly
Mr. Heskel Ezra
The relevant personal file
A / 8 / 5
44 bis T/ 1296 / 50 9 / 5 / 1950 Administrative Order Mr. Heskel Ezra is appointed to assist the citizenship revocation officials at Meir Tweig Synagogue in clerical matters with a monthly salary of ten Dinars and without cost of living allowances, effective from the first of May 1950. ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council Copy to - The Accountant - to act accordingly Mr. Heskel Ezra The relevant personal file For filing A / 8 / 5 Revocation of Citizenship
T / 129 / 50 9 / 5 / 1953 Administrative Order ⟦line⟧ Mr. Eliyahu Ephraim is appointed to assist the nationality revocation officials at Meir Tweig Synagogue in clerical matters with a monthly salary of eight Dinars and without cost-of-living allowances effective from the first of May 1950. ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council Copy to - The Accountant - to act accordingly ⟦line⟧ Mr. Eliyahu Ephraim ⟦line⟧ The relevant personal file ⟦line⟧ A / 8 / 5
45 bis T/1297/50 9/5/1950 Administrative Order Mr. Eliyahu Ephraim is appointed to assist the nationality revocation officials at Meir Tweg Synagogue in clerical matters with a monthly salary of eight Dinars and without cost of living allowances effective from the first of May 1950. ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council ⟦illegible circular stamp⟧ Copy to - The Accountant - to act accordingly Mr. Eliyahu Ephraim The relevant personal file A/8/5
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 3531 President
5452 Secretary
(46)
Number:
Subject:
Date: 12 / 5 / 1950
Statement from
The Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
The Community requests its members to note that all instructions and clarifications
are issued by the Presidency of this Community via dated statements stamped with the Community's seal.
Therefore, we request attention to observing the statements issued in the aforementioned manner
and to rely on them alone.
Heskel Shemail
Acting President of the Community
To be filed
Renunciation of Citizenship
1289 14 / 5 / 1950 His Excellency, the Honorable Minister of Interior After offering the highest respect This presidency extends its sincere thanks to Your Excellency for the great assistance you have provided to the groups of Jews wishing to leave Iraq, as it has reached its final stages, since the Directorate of Civil Aviation General has issued its approval to allow the airline company that will carry out the transport to conduct a trial flight as a prelude to carrying out the transport in general according to the plan decided by Your Excellency. The aforementioned company is ready to bring the aircraft at any time after the legal formalities for each passenger are prepared. Upon our review with the Passport Department regarding the issuance of travel passports, we were informed of the requirement to fill out a special form for each passenger and have it certified by each of the following departments: A- Directorate General of Income Tax. B- Directorate General of Customs and Excise. C- Directorate General of Revenues. D- Presidency of the Foreign Exchange Control Committee. E- Directorate General of Endowments. This is to ensure that the passengers are not indebted to any of the aforementioned departments for any amount whatsoever. In application of the aforementioned order, this presidency received the forms organized by the Travel Police Directorate in the name of each passenger and submitted them in due time to the Income Tax Directorate for the purpose of auditing them, but we were surprised by the request to bring each passenger personally before the competent official in that directorate. As it is not hidden from Your Excellency, bringing such a large number of passengers to the aforementioned directorate is not an easy matter and does not lead to rapid practical results, in addition to the crowding their presence causes, which may not be desirable from Your Excellency's point of view. We assure Your Excellency that most of these passengers are poor and of simple professions or dismissed employees who have no work and do not fall under the provisions of any of the laws of the aforementioned departments. Nevertheless, in our view, it is possible for the aforementioned departments to conduct the necessary audits based on their official records, and if a necessity arises for the presence of any of them, then this presidency will fulfill the request without any delay. In view of the above, we request Your Excellency to issue your clear instructions to the competent authorities to facilitate and expedite the transactions of the aforementioned passengers. - To be continued -
— 2 — In view of what we have sensed in Your Excellency of a desire to facilitate travel, we petition Your Excellency to consider what has been presented with the kindness and care it deserves. Please accept, Your Excellency, our thanks and respect; ⟦signature⟧ Acting Head of the Community President of the Lay Council
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 3531
5452
Number ::
Date :: 14 / 5 / 1950
Subject ::
His Excellency the Respected Minister of Interior
After offering the highest respect
This Presidency extends its profound thanks to Your Excellency for the great assistance you have provided to
the groups of Jews wishing to leave Iraq, which has reached its final stage as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
has issued its approval to allow the airline company that will carry out the transport to conduct a trial flight
in preparation for conducting the transport in general according to the plan decided by Your Excellency. The mentioned company
is ready to bring the aircraft at any time after the legal formalities for each passenger are completed.
Upon our consultation with the Passport Department requesting the issuance of travel permits, we were informed of the necessity
of filling out a special form for each passenger and having it certified by each of the following departments:-
A - Directorate General of Income Tax.
B - Directorate General of Customs and Excise.
C - Directorate General of Revenues.
D - Presidency of the Foreign Exchange Control Committee.
E - Directorate General of Endowments.
This is to ensure that the passengers are not indebted to any of the aforementioned departments for any amount.
In application of the mentioned order, this Presidency received the forms organized by the Travel Police Directorate
in the name of each passenger and submitted them initially to the Income Tax Directorate for the purpose of auditing them, but we were surprised by the request
to bring each passenger personally before the competent official in that directorate.
As it is not hidden from Your Excellency, bringing such a large number of passengers to the mentioned directorate
is not an easy matter and does not lead to quick practical results, in addition to the crowding their presence causes, which may not be
desirable from Your Excellency's point of view.
We assure Your Excellency that most of these passengers are poor and of simple professions or
dismissed employees who have no work and do not fall under the provisions of any of the laws of the mentioned departments. Nevertheless,
- in our view - it is possible for the mentioned departments to conduct the necessary audits based on their official records,
and if a necessity arises for the presence of any of them, then this Presidency will implement the request without any
delay. In view of what has been presented, we hope Your Excellency will issue your clear instructions to the competent authorities to facilitate
and expedite the transactions of the aforementioned passengers.
- To be continued -
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 3531
5452
Number ::
Date ::
Subject :
— 2 —
In view of what we have sensed in Your Excellency of a desire to facilitate travel, we petition Your Excellency to consider
what has been presented with the sympathy and care it deserves.
Please accept, Your Excellency, our thanks and respect ⟦line⟧ ;
Acting President of the Community
President of the Lay Council
After greetings: Based on the order of His Excellency the President, please bring copies of the following administrative orders and letters which were previously issued to the denaturalization employees, and be extremely precise regarding the priority of this subject, giving it special attention in view of His Excellency the President's confirmation. Letter Number | Date | Employee Name 1283 | 5/9/50 | Daoud Salim (Inspection Center) 1284 | 5/9/50 | Ashour Haqqi ( " Al-Las Al-Bireh) 1285 | " | Eliyahu Shaul ( " Administrative Deportation) 1286 | " | Shaul Khayeb ( " " Mir Tawfiq) 1287 | " | Saleh Abboudi ( " " " ) 1288 | " | Shamoun Maatouk ( " " " ) 1289 | " | Haroun Rafiq ( " " " ) 1290 | " | Haqouri Abdullah ( " " " ) 1291 | " | Yaqub Lumi ( " " " ) 1292 | " | Haqouri Eliyahu ( " " " ) 1293 | " | Yusuf Deli ( " " " ) 1294 | " | Farid Abdullah ( " " " ) 1295 | " | Naji Yaqub ( " " " ) 1296 | 5/15/50 | Ahmed Daoud Suwaifer ( " " Masouda Shamoun) 1297 | " | Saleh Shammash ( " " " ) 1298 | " | Munshi Gharra ( " " " )
(28) To - Mr. Salim Khabbaza, the respected Please equip the Meir Tweig School with the following: 1 - A cabinet for keeping papers, files, and other stationery. 2 - A refrigerator box for keeping chilled water for the staff and dining hall employees. 3 - Two mattresses, one for the principal and the other for the staff. 4 - Preparing the school in general for its handover as well. List of required stationery Dozen | 1 | 1 - Bottle of high-quality glue 1/2 | 2 - Stamps 1/2 | 3 - ⟦Stamper⟧ oil 1/2 | 4 - Bound notebooks of 100 sheets 1 | 5 - Copying pencils 1/2 | 6 - Red pencils 1 | 7 - Layered blotting paper 1/2 | 8 - Parker ink 1/2 | 9 - Fountain pens 2 | 10 - Arabic and English nibs 11 - Paper tray 12 - Inkwell 13 - Naji Yaqub 5/22/1950 For filing Take necessary action
1- The occurrence of some individual assaults in areas inhabited by Jews 2- The issue of permitting the transfer of property of some synagogues in the provinces and districts to Baghdad (furniture, equipment, and Torah scrolls) or whether a member of the community was stopped when he wanted to transfer a (Torah scroll) to the synagogue in Baghdad and the (Torah scroll) was seized on the road at one of the police stations 3- The issue of ⟦the affiliates⟧ 4- The issue of visiting cemeteries for Jewish homes
To the respected Mr. Salim Khabbaza (29) Please provide the non-voluntary school with the following: 1- A cabinet for keeping papers, files, and other stationery 2- A refrigerator box for keeping cooled water for the employees and ⟦art⟧ staff 3- Two mattresses, one for the director and the other for the employees' room 4- Prepare the keys for the office and the iron safe for handover 5- Prepare the school in general for handover as well. List of required stationery: 1- Bottle of good quality glue | Dozen 10 2- Candles | 1/2 3- Wax oil | 3/4 4- Bound notebooks ⟦fold⟧ 100 | 1/2 5- Copying pencils | 10 6- " " red | 1/2 7- Layered blotting paper | 1 8- Parker ink | 1/2 9- Dip pens | 3/4 10- Arabic and English nibs | Small Strongest ⟦mucilage⟧ Naji Bashob 22 / 5 / 50 ⟦signature⟧
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number { 3531
5452
Number:
Date: 26 / 5 / 1950
Subject:
Announcement
Desiring to organize the work of revoking citizenship and to preserve the flow of work
of the Community Presidency regularly, it has been decided to separate these two administrations
completely, as a special headquarters has been allocated for inquiries to facilitate the affairs of the ⟦Deportation⟧ committee
and deportation
and revocation of citizenship, in the building opposite the Community Presidency
known as (The Al-Ayliliya)
Therefore, everyone is requested not to visit the office of the Community Presidency
at all regarding matters of citizenship revocation, and to direct every inquiry or question
related to citizenship revocation to the Al-Ayliliya building, in order to maintain the flow of matters
regularly
Acting President of the Community
Rashid ⟦...⟧ Al-Hayyani
In the name of The Lady Shukr Ezra Daoud In the village Presidency of the Community The Israelite Masjourah Shakhtoub
I received from the Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad the following items 1- Box of pins ⟦illegible⟧ dozen quantity 2 2- Cutting paper ream (10) 3- Clips dozen quantity 2 4- Rulers dozen (1) 5- Watches " 6- Suits " 7- Red pencils and blue pencils a dozen for each 8- Poly files quantity ⟦illegible⟧ 9- Carbon 12 packets 10- Folders dozen (2) 11- Eraser (1) 12- Cardboard files (50) 13- Plastic inkwell 14- Iron blotter In Baghdad on 28 / 10 / 950 Shaul Saqr Hamama Shaul
( . ) His Excellency the Head of the Israeli Community in Basra They delayed the journey of the first convoy from Basra to Baghdad until a place for us to live in was found in his house. His Excellency David Shemtov, Acting Head of the Israeli Community, Head of the Israeli Community
Saliya A A Manah for the Malians Qala Ban To the members of the Israeli community in Iraq You all know that the current esteemed ministry has sensed for some time the desire of the members of this community to leave Iraq permanently and for that reason it issued a law that gave it the right to revoke Iraqi citizenship from every Jew who decided in Egypt to leave the country permanently We would like to assure you that we have found from some of the pluralistic families in various official bodies a definite desire and sincere intention to direct this immigration movement on a regular basis and a solid foundation to ensure its practical success. The competent departments, when the procedures for revoking the citizenship of a number of these people were nearing completion, deemed it advisable to allow two planes on an experimental basis to be transported under their supervision. Directly, a certain number of immigrants out of Iraq around next Friday, corresponding to 01/19/2011. And in light of this humanitarian work that aims to keep pace with developments and implement the country’s laws, we cannot but express our deepest gratitude, great praise and great appreciation to all those who have white hands from the official authorities in order to facilitate the immigration of those Jews who wish to leave Iraq permanently. Therefore, we hope that travelers will cooperate wholeheartedly and with all sincerity to the utmost degree with the government men and facilitate to the utmost extent cooperation with the mission surveyor who will accompany the first caravan to his grave to see specifically the extent of the success of this experiment and we do not doubt the response of travelers to our request in view of what we know in the sons of the sect of good judgment in the delicate circumstances Qalman Qabiliyat Tah Al-Mal between ' We have also seen your enlightenment about the airfare and the amount of personal luggage that the Daliran Company allows to be transported free of charge and for a fee. The permitted quantities are the Christian quantities 30 kilos of luggage 200 kilos of luggage Full transportation fees for those who are 124 dinars per person Personal free of charge Personal for a fee Those who are 13 years and older 10 kilos of luggage 10 kilos of luggage One and transportation for those who are 6 dinars per person. Free Personal Personal - Children aged between 14 and under } Under three years 1/200 dinars per person 3 kg of luggage 3 kg of luggage. Free Personal Personal for a fee - Yanbu -
- 2 - Passports After the completion of passport transactions by the relevant authorities, the leadership of this community will receive them and issue lists containing the names of their owners and other information, which will be posted on the walls of some Jewish churches in the capital and outside it. Therefore, we ask those concerned to comply with the instructions contained therein, bringing with them a sufficient number of their photographs. Before we conclude this statement, we would like to draw the attention of travelers to the financial hardship that has affected the country from one end to the other for quite some time, as a result of which many of your brothers who decided to leave Iraq were severely affected, and unfortunately became unable to provide for the expenses of their transport outside Iraq. Therefore, we request travelers who are more fortunate and have a larger share than their brothers to contribute generously by paying to the committee formed by the community for receipt, with whatever their hands and the goodness of their hearts can provide in terms of money to cover the travel expenses of their poor brothers, and success is from God. ⟦handwritten signature⟧ Heskel Daoud Shemlob Acting Head of the Community
- 2 - Travel Passports After the completion of travel passport transactions by the competent authorities, the leadership of this community will receive them and issue lists containing the names of their owners and other information, which will be posted on the walls of some Jewish synagogues in the capital and outside it. Therefore, we ask those concerned to respond to the instructions contained therein, bringing with them a sufficient number of their personal photographs. Before we conclude this statement, we would like to draw the attention of travelers to the financial distress that has affected the country from one end to the other for quite some time, as a result of which many of your brothers who decided to leave Iraq were severely affected, and unfortunately became unable to provide for the expenses of their transport outside Iraq. Therefore, we request travelers who are more fortunate and have a larger share than their brothers to contribute generously by paying to the committee assigned by the community to receive whatever their hands give and their hearts feel for the money to cover the travel expenses of their poor brothers, and from God comes success — Q. ⟦line⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ Heskel Dawood Shemloob Acting Head of the Community
(54) Notice from the Airline Company 1 - Luggage must be personal only; no pillows, rugs, cooking utensils, or the like. 2 - Cleanliness should be the priority of every passenger, and this does not mean that the passenger's clothes must be new, but rather the intent is that their clothes should be completely clean. 3 - Pregnant passengers must obtain, before traveling by ⟦...⟧, a doctor's certificate stating that there is no objection to her traveling by ⟦...⟧. 4 - The aircraft are equipped with all necessary food, water, and so on. 5 - It is not permitted to carry reports or correspondence before presenting them to censorship for review. ⟦line⟧
(54) Notice from the Airline Company 1 - Luggage must be personal only; no pillows, rugs, cooking utensils, or the like. 2 - Cleanliness should be the priority of every passenger, and this does not mean that the passenger's clothes must be new, but rather the intent is that their clothes be completely clean. 3 - Pregnant passengers must obtain a doctor's certificate before traveling by plane stating that there is no objection to her traveling by plane. 4 - The planes are equipped with all necessary food and other items. 5 - It is not permitted to carry reports and correspondence before presenting them to the censorship for review. x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x