AI en Translation, Pages 176-200
Page 176
Statement
To dispel the doubts and suspicions that have stuck in people's minds towards the Israelites in
Iraq regarding the Zionist movement, and to reveal the pure truth, I saw it as
a duty to make the following statement on behalf of the Israelite community in Iraq: -
The Israelite community in Iraq absolutely has no connection
to the Zionist movement and has no involvement with its institutions, activities, or formations
at all, and does not provide assistance to this movement in any way, neither in Palestine
nor outside Palestine. Rather, the Israelites in Iraq are Iraqis who are
deeply connected to the Iraqi homeland and are full participants with their Iraqi brothers in prosperity
and adversity, feeling what they feel, sharing their pains, and participating in their emotions.
For this reason, I have issued this statement to clarify the truth.
⟦Ezra Khedouri⟧
Head of the Israelite Community
in Baghdad
Page 177
The General Council of the Jewish Community in Baghdad, in its session
held on the date of 1936, has instructed the issuance of the enclosed statement
in view of the reasons contained therein. Therefore, I request Your Excellency to kindly
issue the order to the Directorate of Propaganda and Publication to publish it in the local newspapers.
With great respect to Your Excellency;
Page 178
Alwan
To dispel the doubts and suspicions that have ⟦stuck⟧ in minds towards the Israelites in Iraq
regarding the Zionist movement, and to reveal the pure truth, I saw it as a duty to make
the following statement on behalf of the Israelite community in Iraq -
The Israelite community in Iraq has absolutely no connection of any kind to the
Zionist movement and has no involvement in its institutions, activities, or formations ⟦at⟧ all, nor does it provide
assistance to this movement in any way, whether in Palestine or outside
Palestine. Rather, the Israelites in Iraq are Iraqis, deeply connected to the Iraqi
homeland, and fully sharing with their Iraqi brothers in prosperity and adversity,
feeling what they feel, sharing their pains, and participating in their emotions. For this reason,
I have issued this statement as a clarification of the truth.
Page 179
4052
Issue 223 of (Al-Sirat al-Mustaqim)
6 December 1936
Secret
His Excellency the Respectable Minister of Interior
Greetings and respect
With reference to our oral conversation with Your Excellency, I submit herewith a copy
of issue 223 of Al-Sirat al-Mustaqim magazine, issued last Thursday,
and I wish to draw Your Excellency's attention to what appeared on pages
2, 15, 20, 21, and 24 thereof, marked in red.
With respect to Your Excellency;
⟦Sassoon⟧
Head of the Community
Page 180
Issue 224 of Al-Sirat Al-Mustaqim
14 December 1936
20
Secret
His Excellency the Respected Minister of Interior
Further to our letter No. 4053 dated 8/12/936
I submit to Your Excellency herewith a copy of issue 224 of Al-Sirat Al-Mustaqim magazine
Issued on 25 Ramadan 1355, drawing Your Excellency's attention to what appeared on pages
8, 12, 17, 21, and 23 thereof,
Saron
Head of the Community
⟦L-⟧
Page 181
Outgoing draft number 366 on March 13
<del>2631 on March 14, 31</del>
President
⟦illegible⟧
Regarding the attached outgoing draft
263 / 71 / 8 on November 3, 1943
Outgoing draft number 366 regarding the payment of fifteen dinars and one hundred
T in favor of the Ministry of Defense and one hundred and fifty-three fils in favor of 56 in November
Dated 1/26/1943 / 8
Consulate of Iraq
Page 182
Iraq
Ministry of Education
Directorate of Primary Education
Number S / 97
Date 2 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1355
14 January 1937
⟦illegible stamp⟧
Subject: Jewish Religion Lessons
⟦line⟧
To the Presidency of the Jewish Community
The primary school curriculum text stipulates the allocation of seven hours in each class for teaching religion
And Article Six of the Primary Schools Regulation No. 19 of 1930 stipulated that the Arabic
language is the language of instruction in all official schools, and accordingly, and in the interest of educating school
students from the children of the Jewish community with religious culture, we hope that you will instruct those
clerics you rely upon to author books on the Jewish religion in the Arabic language
provided they are submitted to us for consideration for approval as stated in Article 14 of the same regulation
for teaching in official schools where the majority of students are Jewish. This is with the knowledge that
the Holy Torah is translated into the Arabic language and we will refuse the matter of its approval for the mentioned schools
rather, it was necessary to author them in the Arabic language considering that Arabic is the language of instruction and the
impermissibility of using any book not approved by the Ministry of Education. We hope you will kindly expedite the preparation of the
required books and submit them so that it will be possible to teach the Jewish religion in schools
where the majority of students are Jewish.
Director General of Education
A copy of it to: -
Directorate of the Baghdad Education Zone
Reference to its letter numbered S/ 477 and dated 19 / 12 / 1936
Page 183
Iraq
Ministry of Education
Directorate of Primary Education
Secret
⟦line⟧
Please refer to the full number
Number ⟦line⟧
Date 2 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1355
14 January 1937
Subject: Israeli Religion Lessons.
To the Presidency of the Israeli Community
The text of the primary school curriculum stipulated the allocation of a few hours in each class for teaching
religion, and Article Six of the Primary Schools Regulation No. 19 of 1930 stipulated
that the Arabic language is the language of instruction in all official schools. Accordingly, and out of keenness
to educate school students from the members of the Israeli community with religious culture, we hope that -
you will instruct those spiritual leaders you rely on to author books on the Israeli religion in the Arabic
language, provided they are submitted to us for consideration for approval as stated in Article 14 of the same
regulation for teaching in official schools where the majority of students are Israelis. This is with
the knowledge that the Holy Torah is translated into the Arabic language and we will consider the matter of its approval -
for the aforementioned schools. Since it is necessary to apply the text of the regulation considering the Arabic language
as the language of instruction and the impermissibility of using any book not approved by the Ministry of Education, we kindly request
expediting the preparation and submission of the required books so that it will be possible to teach the Israeli -
religion in schools where the majority of students are Israelis.
⟦signature⟧
Director General of Education
A copy to -
Directorate of Baghdad Education Zone
Reference to its letter No. S/477 dated 12/19/1936.
Presidency of the Israeli Community
Special Number 2068
Date 25 / 1 / 937
P
Page 184
2162
7 February 937
⟦Incoming⟧
Directorate of General Education
Reference to your letter numbered S/97 dated 24 January 937
The religious study for the children of this community in primary schools is limited
to the texts of various prayers and the reading of the Holy Bible, considering that parts
of it are also included in prayers at specific times and circumstances.
It is a requirement of the Israelite religion that all its worship rituals be performed
in the Hebrew language, and therefore the aforementioned subjects must be taught in this language.
We do not find a conflict between this and Article Eight of the Primary Schools Regulation
No. 19 of 1930. If you see something of that sort there, we hope that the
necessary measures will be taken to amend the article by adding the following phrase to it: "And it is permissible to teach
the Holy Books and teach prayers in the language in which worship is conducted."
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
Page 185
Incoming
<del>762 ⟦Research⟧ file</del>
Accounting Department for the Daily Press
762 on the second of July 36 and in letter 72 you sent us a link of such messages
We have investigated those mentioned by name in this book and from it it appears they did not receive what was said since
the institution absolutely does not have ⟦completely sufficient father⟧ and by the nature of its business requirements it is of the rank
these are in fact the profits of its business fall into ⟦nonsense⟧ and until these
years, the mentioned amounts are correct, that it is nothing but less than in reality that
• For example, these people have received the amounts from the hand of such-and-such company or have been sold, for example
And from the names and those before us, as for what they said we sell so-and-so, he may be sent a print of copies
For example, these so-and-so from a third gold lira that 0621 fils 21 in the mentioned entry
Accordingly, it is correct "perhaps there is a race for the mentioned amounts because we cannot at the time perform such
in the mentioned amounts and where ⟦it is followed⟧ the merit of our business and reached an innovative amount
Please
Accounting Department
Page 187
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number 531
Subject Summary ::
Number :: 2205
Date :: 8 March 937
For Filing
His Excellency the Respected Prime Minister
After greetings and respect
For a long time, we have been reviewing with the venerable Ministry of Education regarding the reconsideration
of the matter of financial aid granted to our private schools, but to no
avail.
We have repeatedly demanded our share of this aid according to the law of distributing
financial aid to private schools, but our request was unfortunately not taken into
consideration. On the contrary, the aid for some schools was reduced and cut off from Shamash School,
Albert Sassoon, and Nouriel School (for boys), and from Laura Kadoorie School and
Noom School (for girls), for no reason other than that these schools care about foreign languages
in addition to their care in implementing the education curricula and presenting a large number of
male and female students every year for the primary and intermediate study examinations.
Thus, this aid diminished little by little until it became in the
35 / 936 school year no more than 210 Dinars paid to three schools containing
approximately 1600 students, even though the total of our schools is 11 and they contain
approximately 8500 students. The last promise we received to increase the grants was in this
year, but the result was the opposite, as the grants were reduced once again and became
only 170 Dinars.
For example, the Rachel Shahmoon Jewish Primary School, which has a number of
605 students, now receives only 65 Dinars from the Ministry of Education, even though the scientific
education in it and the examination results were always the subject of admiration in the reports
Page 188
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number 531
Subject Summary:
Number:
Date:
( 2 )
inspectors of education, while there is a private primary school containing fewer pupils
than this number, yet it receives a larger share of assistance from the Ministry of Education.
Therefore, we saw fit to resort to Your Excellency in view of the importance of the subject to us,
for the matter of the Ministry of Education's assistance to our schools concerns us from a financial perspective
due to the narrowness of the community fund's finances, and concerns us more from a moral perspective, as
the reduction of assistance to some of our schools, its cutting off from others, and the non-implementation
of the promises given to us regarding its reconsideration is nothing but a discouragement of the efforts
exerted by us in assisting the government to spread education in the country, these
efforts which we always hoped would receive from the venerable Ministry the encouragement
it deserves.
⟦illegible⟧
President of the Community
Page 189
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number 531
Number :: 4206
Date :: 8 March 937
Subject Summary ::
His Excellency the Distinguished Prime Minister
Greetings and Respect
Last year, we requested the Honorable Ministry of Education to involve the students of
our two schools, Shamash and Albert Sassoon, in military training, just like their brothers, the students of
the official schools, but we have not succeeded in achieving our request until now. Our last letter in
this regard was on 20 November 936, and the Ministry's response to it was that it
would look into the matter when a sufficient number of trainers became available. Therefore, we have come to petition
Your Excellency to include our private schools in your kindness so that they are not deprived of these
valuable lessons that nurture the sense of patriotism and the qualities of manhood and sacrifice in the souls of
the students.
⟦Sassoon Khedhouri⟧
Head of the Community
Page 190
4205
8 March 937
His Excellency the Respected Prime Minister
After greetings and respect
For a long time, we have been approaching the venerable Ministry of Education regarding the reconsideration
of the matter of financial aid granted to our private schools, but to no
avail.
We have repeatedly demanded our share of this aid according to the law of distributing
financial aid to private schools, but our request was unfortunately not taken into
consideration. On the contrary, the aid for some schools was reduced and cut off from the Shamash School,
the Albert Sassoon School, the Nouriel School (for boys), the Laura Kadoorie School, and the
Novem School (for girls), for no reason other than that these schools care about foreign languages
in addition to their care in implementing the education curricula and presenting a large number of
male and female students every year for the primary and intermediate study examinations.
Thus, this aid diminished little by little until it became, in the
1935/36 academic year, no more than 210 Dinars paid to three schools containing
approximately 1600 students, even though the total of our schools is 11 and they contain
approximately 8500 students. The last promise we received to increase the grants was in this
year, but the result was the opposite, as the grants were reduced once again to become
only 170 Dinars.
The Rachel Shahmoon Israeli Primary School, for example, which has
605 students, now receives only 65 Dinars from the Ministry of Education, even though the scientific education
therein and the examination results were always the subject of admiration in reports ⟦line⟧
Page 191
( 2 )
inspectors of education, while there is a private primary school containing fewer pupils
than this number, yet it receives a more generous share of assistance from the Ministry of Education.
Therefore, we saw fit to resort to Your Excellency in view of the importance of the subject to us,
for the matter of the Ministry of Education's assistance to our schools concerns us from a material standpoint
due to the financial constraints of the community fund, and concerns us even more from a moral standpoint, as
reducing aid to some of our schools, cutting it off from others, and the failure to fulfill
the promises given to us regarding its reconsideration is nothing but a discouragement of the efforts
exerted by us in assisting the government to spread education in the country, these
efforts which we always hoped would receive from the esteemed Ministry the encouragement
it deserves. 4
on behalf of
The Head of the Community
Page 192
His Excellency, the Respected Prime Minister
After greetings and respect
For a long time, we have been consulting the venerable Ministry of Education regarding the reconsideration of the matter
of financial aid granted to our private schools, but to no avail.
We have repeatedly demanded our share of this aid according to the law for distributing aid
to private schools, but our request was unfortunately not taken into consideration <del>and on the contrary</del>
the aid for some schools was reduced and cut off from the Shamash School and the Albert Sassoon School,
the Nouriel School (for boys), and from the Laura Kadoorie School and the Nunim School (for girls), for no reason
other than that these schools care about foreign languages in addition to their care in implementing
the education curricula, and a large number of male and female students from them apply every year for the
primary and intermediate study examinations.
Thus, this aid dwindled little by little until it became, in the 1935/
936 academic year, no more than 210 Dinars paid to three schools containing approximately
1,600 students, even though the total number of our schools is 11 and they contain approximately 8,500 students. The
last promise we received to renew the grants was in this year, but the result was the opposite,
as the grants were reduced once again to become only 170 Dinars.
The Rachel Shahmoon Israelite Primary School, for example, ⟦which⟧ has a student population of
605, now receives only 65 Dinars from the Ministry of Education, even though the scientific <del>and literary</del> education
therein and the examination results have always been a subject of admiration in the reports of the education inspectors, while
there is a private primary school containing fewer students than this number, yet it receives a more
generous share of assistance from the Ministry of Education.
Therefore, we saw fit to resort to Your Excellency, given the importance of the subject to us, as the matter
of the Ministry of Education's aid to our schools concerns us from a material standpoint due to the financial constraints of the
community fund, and concerns us even more from a moral standpoint, as the reduction of aid to some of our schools and its cutting off
from others, and the failure to implement the promises given to us regarding its reconsideration,
is nothing but a discouragement of the efforts exerted by us in assisting the government in spreading education in the
country—efforts which we always hoped would receive from the venerable Ministry the encouragement
they deserve!
Page 193
His Excellency the Honorable Prime Minister
Greetings and respect
Last year, we requested the venerable Ministry of Education to involve the students of
our two schools, Shamash and Albert Sassoon, in military training, just like their brothers, the students of
the official schools, but we have not succeeded in achieving our request until now. Our last letter in
this regard was on November 20, 1936, and the Ministry's response to it was that it
would look into the matter when a sufficient number of trainers were available. Therefore, we have come to petition
Your Excellency to include our private schools in your kindness so that they are not deprived of these
valuable lessons that nurture the sense of patriotism and the qualities of manhood and discipline in
the souls of the students;
Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
Page 194
4558
5 October 937
Secret
His Excellency the Minister of Interior, the Respected
After greetings and respect
I submit to Your Excellency herewith a copy of issue 243 published by the newspaper
Al-Kifah dated 30 September 937, drawing Your Excellency's attention to what was published on page
four of it, as well as to what was published on the second page of Al-Saraha newspaper
issue 10 dated 27 September 937, also attached, which is intended to stir feelings of
discord and hostility among the population, which falls under the provisions of the Decree for the Prevention of Harmful Propaganda.
It is my strong hope that Your Excellency will not leave any room for those with bad intentions to muddy
the waters in such delicate circumstances
With much respect to Your Excellency;
L.W.
Sassoon
Head of the Community
Page 195
Number 805
762 on April 12, 41
Number: ⟦line⟧
The Israelite Alliance School in Baghdad
To the Honorable General Examinations Committee
The Israelite Alliance School in Baghdad nominates the student ⟦...⟧
Born in the year 1926 and belonging to the third intermediate grade in this school
To participate in the general examinations for intermediate studies which will take place in the month of June 1941
The school administration certifies that the aforementioned student has completed her studies in the third intermediate grade
mentioned above with complete success and that she fulfills all the legal requirements for participation
in the aforementioned examination, and you will find enclosed two photographs of her certified
by us according to the regulations
Please accept our highest respect
Director
Alliance School
Page 196
Iraqi Aviation Association
Receipt for amounts received by the Association's fund
Volume 2
Serial Number 1139
| Fils | Dinar
From annual subscription fees | — | —
» » » monthly | — | —
» price of victim skins | — | —
» proceeds from badges | — | —
» price of greeting cards | — | —
» proceeds from parties | — | —
» donations for the Quran project ⟦illegible⟧ | 750 | 23
» monthly lottery | — | —
» proceeds from Tombola | — | —
» from proceeds of publications | — | —
Total | 750 | 23
Only twenty-three dinars and seven hundred and fifty fils
Received from the honorable Head of the Jewish Community, Mr. Sassoon Khedouri and the members of the community
The amount written above, only twenty-three dinars and seven hundred and fifty fils
Location: Baghdad
Date: 21 / 1 / 934
Accountant
⟦signature⟧
⟦circular stamp: Iraqi Aviation Association⟧
Page 197
Iraq
Ministry of Education
Personnel Affairs Division
Please refer to the full number:
Number: 472
Date: 2 Dhu al-Qi'dah 356
4 January 38
Subject: ⟦line⟧
To the Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
We have learned from the report of the Inspector of Private Schools for the city of Baghdad that the
Lay Council has stopped paying the salaries of the teachers belonging to your community for more than
two months, and since this affects the progress of teaching, we ask you to look upon them with compassion
and pay their suspended salaries and inform us.
⟦signature⟧
On behalf of the Director General of Education
⟦signature⟧
A. Q.
⟦faint circular blue stamp⟧
⟦faint rectangular red stamp⟧
Page 198
Iraq
Ministry of Education
Number: 10578
Date: 28 / 8 / 17
Division:
Confirmation
To: The Jewish Community
Subject:
Please respond to our letter
Numbered 476 dated 28 / 8 / 5
Regarding the payment of teachers' salaries
Signature on behalf of the Director General of Education
Presidency of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
File Number 7749
Date 18 / 1 / 948
Page 199
Shamash School
Baghdad
Tel. No. 1028
Shamash School
Baghdad
Telephone Number 1028
No. Number:
Date: 2 February 1938
Subject: Petition of Mr. Walter Rees
His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Interior
Sir
With all respect, I submit herewith to Your Excellency the petition of Mr. Walter Rees, B.Sc. from the University of London,
the teacher in our school, whose contents I support with full confidence.
I wish to assure Your Excellency that the aforementioned teacher is completely innocent of the charge leveled against him.
He is a diligent teacher, entirely devoted to his work, and no gesture related to any political idea has ever emanated from him. He is
completely against the Zionist idea, as is also confirmed by his colleagues from the three religions: Muslims, Christians,
and Jews.
The aforementioned person has no friends or acquaintances in Baghdad, and he simply spends his life
dedicated to the study of natural sciences.
I implore Your Excellency to instruct that the necessary investigations be carried out to clear the name of this honorable man
who stands before you on a charge that has no basis in truth.
Please accept, Mr. Minister:
Your obedient servant
Director of Shamash School
Model No. 22 - 2000 - 11 - 935
Page 200
February 2, 1938
His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Interior
Sir, His Excellency the Minister
I hope to offer to Your Excellency my great thanks and gratitude for your kindness in granting me one month
to stay in Iraq. In fact, this kindness of yours deserves from my side all praise and gratitude.
I also beg your pardon for submitting this petition to refute the accusation leveled against me and for which
Your Excellency's decision was issued to deport me outside Iraq. I hope you will allow me to present the following
facts which prove my innocence of this accusation that has been attached to me:
1) Based on what my minister, His Excellency Dr. Grobba, told me, the accusation against me is that I
carried out propaganda for the Zionist movement. Let me assure Your Excellency - Mr. Minister - that I am not
only without any connection or relationship to the Zionist movement, but in all my inclinations I am an opponent of the Zionist idea.
All my family and relatives are known to be against Zionism, and my father often breathed into me
the spirit of resistance to Zionism, and he used to tell me "God is against Zionism."
2) The only subject in which I specialized and which I was entrusted to teach is the subject of (Natural Sciences)
Physics and Chemistry. It is no secret that this subject cannot be connected to anything related to politics.
I am with all my strength devoted to my job, and all my interest is directed towards helping the students succeed in
their school exams and nothing else.
3) I have only been in Baghdad for a short period during which I met very limited people.
During this period, I have absolutely not cared about any political subject, nor have I uttered a single letter of what has any
relation to any political idea of any kind. This fact can be supported by my colleagues, whether they
are Muslims, Christians, or Jews.
I have nothing in this situation - Mr. Minister - but to confirm my firm innocence. And with all
respect, I beg Your Excellency to instruct the conduct of sufficient investigations which will prove to you that my innocence cannot
be a matter of doubt at all.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the highest respect, hoping to remain to Your Excellency
The obedient servant
Walter Reis, B.Sc from
University of London
A copy of it to His Excellency the Honorable Dr. Grobba
Minister Plenipotentiary of the German Republic in Baghdad