Correspondence about Anti-Jewish Sentiments, Education Information; Statement Condemning Zionism
View interactive document pageIncluded in this item are correspondence from the Baghdadi Jewish community to the Iraqi and British governments concerning increasing anti-Jewish and sectarian harassment experienced by community members, correspondence signed by Sir Kinahan Cornwallis, and summaries of the Jewish Daily Post. This item also contains documents describing the arrest of individuals, restrictions on movement, and a violent attack on the Jewish residents of a village near Mosul in early 1941. Also in the documents are: newspaper clippings announcing students accepted into different institutions of higher education; a section of a 1948 newspaper with articles pertaining to the Arab-Israeli War of 1948; documents discussing education issues, such as Baghdadi Jewish students encountering difficulty in being accepted to certain state schools and failing tests at an unusually high rate, enrollment rates in schools, and teachers at Jewish schools suspected of propagating Zionism; a file folder with a student record, photograph, doctor’s notes, and examination results; a statement condemning Zionism signed by several prominent members of the Baghdadi Jewish community addressed to the Secretary of the League of Nations, Geneva.
Dear Tawfiq al-Damlouji The head of the Jewish community in Baghdad, His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Effendi Khedhouri, came to me and stated (that three students from the final grade this year from his community failed twice in one subject). Please examine the matter thoroughly and inform me. 6 / 2 / 938
4804 15 March 938 Secret His Excellency the Minister of Interior, the Respected After greetings and respect I submit to Your Excellency copies of issues 86 and 87 of the Basra newspaper Al-Sijill and issue 261 of Al-Kifah magazine, drawing Your Excellency's attention to the sections marked in red These articles and their like, filled with insults and obscenities, which are intended to incite against this loyal community, cannot be reconciled with the interest of the dear Iraqi homeland, which is in great need of unity and solidarity from all communities and classes, nor can they, on the other hand, be consistent with the press laws in force in this country, which were enacted to safeguard the unity of the country from the tampering of meddlers. My hope is firm that Your Excellency - as you promised me - will instruct that the strictest measures be taken to ensure the cessation of this torrent of attacks leveled against our community without any justification. Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my highest respect; Sassoon Head of the Community
L M 86 863 T L 51 Number ⟦line⟧ To His Excellency the Honorable Prime Minister Through His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Interior We, the undersigned, on behalf of 78 families from the residents of Sandur village, belonging to Dohuk District, Mosul Province implore Your Excellency and our just national government to save us from the injustices that have befallen us as a result of the aggression of the criminal Mustafa Nirwa, who attacked our aforementioned village on the night of September 15 with an armed gang and killed, through injustice and aggression, four people from the best youth of the village and seriously wounded three others, and also killed another person from the neighboring village of Baqufa. Our tragedy was so great that we were forced to leave the village and take refuge in the city of Dohuk for fear of certain death according to the threats that reached us by phone or through notifications reaching us from here and there. Since we now possess no food to sustain us and have no shelter to resort to except what the government and charitable societies bestow upon us, therefore, we hope Your Excellency will issue your strict orders to our competent authorities to hasten the arrest of the perpetrators and punish them with the severest legal penalties to serve as an example to others and to protect our lives and property, which have become vulnerable to looting and loss. May you remain a source of pride and a treasure for the service of our dear homeland and our loyal national government. On their behalf, Mukhtar of Sandur Village
November 26, 1947 No. ⟦...⟧ To the Honorable District Governor of Afak District Through the Investigating Judge of Afak Telegram No. 51 of the Diwaniyah Province Police Directorate in November 1947 and in the preliminary investigation conducted by your knowledge In my capacity as the claimant of personal rights on behalf of my client Salman bin Shaul, a resident of Afak (currently imprisoned under the Maintenance of Public Security Law) and detained under Article 276 of the Baghdad Penal Code on the charge of possessing Zionist leaflets Since my aforementioned client has denied the charge against him before you, and the only witness against him is the Afak Police Commissioner who claims that he found the aforementioned leaflets in my client's house, and whereas my aforementioned client's house was searched in his absence and in the absence of his wife and children, and the aforementioned commissioner entered the house alone and without the presence of two witnesses from the residents of the neighborhood or from my client's neighbors as stipulated in the law, and whereas my aforementioned client denies that these leaflets belong to him, but rather the aforementioned commissioner planted them in his house with the intent of framing him, and since this charge is the first of its kind in our region I request your honor to conduct a precise and comprehensive investigation and proceed with the case legally to reveal the truth and release my aforementioned client. The Lawyer
⟦illegible⟧ 862 T L ⟦illegible⟧ Number ⟦...⟧ Regarding the case of reconsideration of the lawsuit Through the Honorable Investigating Judge of Mosul Pursuant to the Court of Cassation decision No. 862 T L 51 dated 8/30/51, it was decided to overturn the judgment issued by the Mosul Criminal Court After returning the case and conducting the trial again by this court, it was decided to convict the accused (Mr. Abd al-Fattah al-Saadoun, Director of King Faisal School) under paragraph 1 of Article 862 T L 66 of the Baghdad Penal Code, and he was sentenced to imprisonment for a period of one month based on this article. The court also decided to cancel all judicial measures taken against the complainant based on the allegations of the aforementioned accused and to charge him with paying all costs, damages, and compensations incurred by the aforementioned complainant. Since the complainant has waived all his personal rights towards the aforementioned accused pursuant to a waiver petition submitted to this court, and since this court has found that the aforementioned accused and the personal claimant have reconciled, the court accordingly decided to stay the legal proceedings against the aforementioned accused based on the request of the reconciling parties. Since there is nothing left of the public right lawsuit that requires continuing the case, therefore the court decided to acquit the aforementioned accused of the charge against him and release him unless he is wanted for another legal reason. The judgment was issued by consensus. Judge Mosul Criminal Court
Number 398 DLT Telegram receipt number F.P. 3 Addressed to Ministry of Name Colonies Place of delivery London 68 Fils 5 Dinars value of stamps affixed to it Number of words for which the reply is prepaid BAGHDAD 23 AUG ⟦...⟧ Date ⟦illegible signature⟧ Receiving Officer This receipt must be presented when requesting investigations regarding this telegram Number 399 DLT Telegram receipt number F.P. 4 Addressed to Secretary League Name of Nations Place of delivery Geneva 76 Fils 3 Dinars value of stamps affixed to it Number of words for which the reply is prepaid BAGHDAD 23 AUG ⟦...⟧ Date ⟦illegible signature⟧ Receiving Officer This receipt must be presented when requesting investigations regarding this telegram
Secret 5070 23 August 1938 Protest Telegram His Excellency the Honorable Prime Minister His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Interior After greetings and respect Attached herewith is a copy of the protest that was telegraphed today to the British Colonial Office in London and the Secretariat of the League of Nations - Geneva regarding the Zionist policy in Palestine in the name of the Jews of Iraq Please accept my respects! On behalf of The Head of the Community
Copy of the Telegram Minister of Colonies - London Secretariat of the League of Nations - Geneva The Jews of Iraq denounce Zionist policy and support their brothers, the Arabs of Palestine, and appeal to you to do them justice and restore peace and tranquility to the Arab East. Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri. Rabbi Benjamin Rabbi Moshe. Rabbi Salman Hoki Aboudi. Ibrahim Al-Kabir. Eliyahu Al-Ani. Lawyer Heskel Murad. Khedhouri Muthir Lawi. Khedhouri Murad Shaker. Dr. Daoud Moallem Nassim. Daoud Moallem Saleh. Sassoon Murad Sassoon. Lawyer Selim Isaac. Dr. Selim Kobi. Saleh Shalmo Hu. Dr. Gurji Rabie. Muthir Menachem Mahlab. Menashi Ibrahim Gurji. Dr. Noor Allah. Nunu Mukammal. Haron Heskel Smouha. Yamin Murad. Yehuda Zalouf. Dr. Joseph Rosenfeld. Ibrahim Hayyim Rabbi Isaac. Ibrahim Adas. Reuben Heskel Somikh. Zion Shlomo Aboudi. Yaqub Yusuf Ani. Ezra Muthir Menashe. Eliyahu Hayyim Tawfiq. Eliyahu Saleh Jouri. Moshe Sofer. Khedhouri Tweig True copy 23 / 8 / 938 ⟦illegible⟧ The Secretary
Minister of Colonies London Secretariat of the League of Nations Geneva The Jews of Iraq denounce Zionist policy and support their brothers the Arabs of Palestine And they appeal to you to do them justice and restore peace and tranquility to the Arab East Baghdad 16 August 938 ⟦...⟧ ⟦Jacob Sassoon⟧ ⟦Abraham Ezra⟧ ⟦...⟧ Dr. ⟦...⟧ Khedhouri ⟦...⟧ Ibrahim Yaqub Yusuf Abati ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ Setti Ibrahim Cohen ⟦...⟧ Lawyer Heskel Murad Lawyer ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ Daoud Selim Salhi ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ Khedhouri Tweig
Minister of Colonies London Secretariat of the League of Nations Geneva The Jews of Iraq denounce Zionist policy and support their brothers, the Arabs of Palestine And they appeal to you to do them justice and restore peace and tranquility to the Arab East 16 / 8 / 1938 ⟦illegible Hebrew signatures⟧ ⟦illegible Arabic signatures⟧ Yaqub Yusuf Ashi | ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦illegible⟧ | ⟦illegible⟧ Rubin Hatti | Nur Allah | Munshi Ibrahim Cohen | ⟦illegible⟧ Dawud Salam Salih | Levi Salih | ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ | Khadhouri | Khadhouri Twayq
To the Honorable President of the Jewish Community After greetings and respect We present to your Excellency that we, the Jewish students in private schools graduating from intermediate school, have applied to the Central Secondary School to enroll in it since September 25, 1948. However, the administration of the aforementioned school continued to procrastinate regarding our admission, even though it registered all other students without exception. The last promise we received from the aforementioned school was to consider our admission after the results of the makeup exams appear. Nevertheless, the students who pass the makeup exams will be preferred over us as well. Therefore, we request your Excellency to repeat your inquiries with the competent authorities to look into our matter, as the continuation of these promises will end in our deprivation of secondary education for no reason. With respect to your Excellency On behalf of Shamash School students | On behalf of Al-Tafayudh School students | On behalf of Alliance School students Naim Murad Nassim ⟦...⟧ | Yusuf Yaqub Lawi | Salman ⟦...⟧ Yaqub Amin Darbi | Yaqub Shaul Ibrahim | Adel Daoud Moallem | Salim Ezra Murad | 19 48
Names of rejected students from Al-Tafayudh School Hezekiel Daoud Sassoon Youssef Sassoon Hezekiel Ezra Negash Anwar Youssef Ezra Youssef Ibrahim Rahmi Zubaida Rudolf Daoud Zilkha Salman Zilkha Saleh Shahrabani Daoud Abdullah Tweg Albert Salman Sodaee Naji Ibrahim Laila Isaac Ezra Rahma Youssef Yaqub Levi Yaqub Shaul First B Salman Isaac Youssef Daoud Sassoon Yaqub Shaul Lailoh Naim Eliyahu Al-Ani Eliyahu Khedhouri Naim Reuben Shaul Daoud Moallem Shamash Naim Daoud Naim Yaqub Yamin Darwish Naim Zion Shai Salim Khedhouri Al-Ani Naim Nassim Haqqi Salim Youssef Fattouhi Eliyahu Salim Moshi
8315 862 on 14 January Presidency of the Council of Ministers His Excellency the Minister of Finance The Council of Ministers approved in its session held on ⟦11⟧ January 1941 the proposal of the Ministry of Finance to promote the employee in the Directorate of General Accounting, Mr. Saleh Shaul, from the seventh grade with a salary of (15) dinars per month to the sixth grade with a salary of (18) dinars per month, effective from the date of the issuance of the Royal Decree to that effect. The Royal Decree was issued approving this promotion on 14 January 1941. I therefore request you to kindly instruct that the necessary measures be taken to implement the aforementioned Royal Decree and to send a copy of the ministerial order that will be issued in this regard to this Presidency for the purpose of filing it in the aforementioned employee's file kept at this Presidency, while kindly informing us of the date of the aforementioned employee's departure from his previous position and his commencement in his new position so that this Presidency may organize the salary records on this basis. Please accept the highest respect. Baghdad Chief of the Royal Diwan
522 19 December 938 Secret His Excellency the Respected Minister of Interior After greetings and respect I draw Your Excellency's attention to what the Al-Kifah newspaper continuously publishes with the intent of inciting hatred against the Israelite community in Iraq, and especially to what it published on page 5 of issue 282 issued on 11 December 938 and page 2 of issue 284 issued on 15 December 938 I enclose herewith a copy of each of the two issues for your review, with the sections mentioned above marked in red pen With respect and honor to Your Excellency ⟦illegible⟧ Head of the Community
4978 15 June 938 20 His Excellency the Minister of Education, the Respected After greetings and respect, The severe financial distress that has afflicted the fund of the Israeli Lay Council at the present time as a result of the decline in meat tax revenues has made continuing to perform the public services that the Lay Council has taken upon itself impossible. As a result of this financial confusion, the salaries of the community's employees including school teachers have been delayed for several months, which led to the teachers' strike until the Council was able to persuade them to resume teaching in the hope that it would seek to manage the situation and balance the finances. At the time when the Council is discussing the ways that will lead it to this goal, it finds that its efforts will fail as long as the deficit suffered by the community at the present time reaches 12,000 Dinars, and as long as balancing income and expenditures has become impossible in the coming years as well. Since it has not limited the public services it performs now, it is very difficult to continue performing the cultural and health services that it currently practices. Our schools at the present time number 11 schools containing 8,500 male and female students, and the financial feeding of these institutions, which include such a number of students, has become beyond the Council's capability. Therefore, we hope that Your Excellency will instruct the annexation of two of our primary schools that apply the official primary curriculum to the official education cadre under the same conditions agreed upon regarding the official Ras al-Qarya and Al-Samawal schools. By this, you will have enabled the Council to persevere in spreading general knowledge in the country. ⟦signature⟧ Signature Head of the Community
5257 25 January 1939 To His Excellency the Respected Minister of Education After greetings and respect We had requested in our letter to your esteemed ministry numbered 4979 and dated June 20, 1938, to take possible measures to annex two of our primary schools that apply the official education curriculum to the education cadre under the same conditions agreed upon regarding the Ras al-Qarya and Al-Samawal schools, as a matter of assisting the Communal Council in performing the public services it provides to the country, especially in the state of severe financial distress it is going through at the present time. However, the esteemed Education Council apologized for not granting this request at the time because that year was a year of stagnation and lack of expansion, as stated in your reply to our letter No. 12852 dated July 10, 1938. I regret to inform Your Excellency that the Community Council has been forced - under the pressure of the financial distress it suffers from - to close one of our schools, which is the Karkh school, and dismiss its teachers and students. I can assure Your Excellency that if the situation continues as it is now, it will be forced to close even another school or more and deprive its students of education. Accordingly, and on the occasion of your esteemed ministry's preoccupation with preparing the education budget for the coming year, we take this opportunity to repeat our request, hoping Your Excellency will instruct to take the necessary steps to annex one of our primary schools that apply the education curriculum to the official cadre and make it an official school like the Ras al-Qarya or Al-Samawal school, as well as considering the possibility of opening an official school in neighborhoods inhabited by Israelite citizens under these same conditions. By doing so, Your Excellency will have helped us assist the education authorities in spreading education in the country. Please accept my respect. ⟦Sassoon⟧ Head of the Community 878 876 N Committee 51 D/ Statement on the work of the Distribution and Finance Committee The Distribution and Finance Committee agreed in its session held on 1/15/1951, and based on what was decided in the previous session, that the committee shall continue its work until a decision is made regarding the renewal of the current Distribution and Finance Committee or the formation of a new committee in its place. It was also decided to hold musical and theatrical performances in schools on the occasion of holidays and religious and national occasions. The committee also decided to hold a party on the occasion of the end of the current school year in the schools belonging to the ⟦...⟧ community with the participation and assistance of the students' parents, teachers, and the students themselves in the schools mentioned above in the great hall of the school The committee also decided to spend certain amounts allocated to it in the annual budget to cover the expenses of landscaping in the schools belonging to the community, and based on what was decided in the previous session, to continue spending the financial amounts allocated to the schools from the mentioned budget ⟦...⟧ for the purpose of purchasing books, stationery, and other school supplies. It was also decided in this session to request the school administration to provide the committee with lists of expenses, expenditures, and necessary school needs for the coming period ⟦...⟧ schools The attendees also reviewed the annual budget for the year 1951 proposed by the Finance Committee in its previous session held on 1/11/1951, where the proposed budget was discussed by the Finance Committee, its items were debated, and observations were made on it. The committee approved in this session the mentioned budget with some minor amendments introduced by the committee, and it was decided to submit it to the Administrative Body for ratification. Based on the above, it was decided that the committee would continue its work for the coming period until a decision is issued by the Administrative Body regarding the formation of a new committee or the extension of the current committee to commence its work in managing the financial and administrative affairs of the schools belonging to the community in Baghdad Secretary Distribution and Finance Committee ⟦...⟧
Iraq Ministry of Education Missions and Examinations Committee Number 2898 Date 30 Dhu al-Qi'dah 356 1 February 38 Subject ⟦line⟧ School Aid To the Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad With reference to your letter No. 4718 dated January 17, 938. Since the annual grant allocated to private schools has already been distributed, it is unfortunately not possible to consider the request contained in your aforementioned letter; however, we have taken the necessary steps to present your request to the Education Council at its next meeting, and we suggest that you submit a new request to us at the beginning of the next fiscal year. ⟦signature⟧ On behalf of the Director General of Education Presidency of the Jewish Community Baghdad Number 7765 Date 7 / 2 / 938 A. Q 7525 363 ⟦illegible⟧ 56 To the Honorable and Respected Sir, On the night of April 20, 1936, while the employee in the Post Office in Basra named Daoud Salman was on his way to his home in the Al-Seef neighborhood, two unknown persons accosted him on the road and stabbed him in the neck from behind with a sharp tool, wounding him severely in his tongue and jaw, and they fled the scene. The aforementioned person rushed to his home and was transported to the Royal Hospital in Basra, where he remained for three days receiving treatment. After that, he was sent to Baghdad and admitted to the Royal Hospital, and he is still under medical treatment, while the investigation is ongoing by the competent authorities. The aforementioned victim is approximately forty years old and has been in the Post and Telegraph service since 1926, and in the service of the state for a long time before that, and his conduct and behavior throughout his service have been good. 8621 on April 10 In view of the aforementioned incident - it is noted that the state of anxiety prevailing at the present time among the members of the community is continuous and persistent due to these incidents that have begun to occur at distant intervals in different parts of the country and without any apparent reason. As we bring this news to you, we hope that you will kindly issue your orders to maintain security in the places where members of the community live or pass through, and especially in places where there is a lot of crowding, such as commercial shops and markets where the aforementioned incidents usually occur. We hope that you will kindly instruct the specialized departments to exert their efforts in uncovering the perpetrators in the incident mentioned and other previous incidents so that they may receive their just punishment to serve as a lesson to other criminals who think that in such circumstances they can commit such crimes without receiving their just legal punishment. We are certain that our esteemed government spares no effort in watching over the dignity, life, and safety of all residents without discrimination between one sect and another among the sons of one homeland. Please accept our highest respect. Head of the Jewish Community
4942 31 May ⟦9⟧38 Directorate of General Education Your letter No. 2898 dated 2 February 938 There is no doubt that your directorate has been informed of the great financial distress that has overtaken the community fund as a result of the loss resulting from the decline in the revenues of the meat tax that the community collects from its members, a great decline such that the amount of the deficit expected to occur by the end of next September is about 12,000 Dinars. For this reason, the salaries of employees, including the teachers of the Israeli schools, have been delayed for several months, which led to the occurrence of the strike that your directorate was informed of at the time. Therefore, we found it necessary to refer to your letter No. 2898 dated 2 February 938, in which you promised us to present our request to increase the annual grants allocated to our schools to the Education Council. Here, we hope that this request will be considered with the attention it deserves, especially in view of the difficult circumstances through which the finances of the Lay Council are passing. By doing so, the esteemed Ministry of Education will have facilitated our performance of the public duties that we have taken upon ourselves, namely cooperation with the education authorities in spreading general culture in the country; On behalf of The Head of the Community ⟦illegible⟧
5258 25 January 939 His Excellency the Director General of Education, Respected We wish to draw your Excellency's attention to the promise made in your letter No. 2898 dated 2 February 938 to take the necessary steps to present our request to increase the annual grant for our private schools to the Council of Education at its next meeting, and that we should submit a new request upon the arrival of the fiscal year. On the occasion of the esteemed Ministry of Education currently organizing the budget for the coming year, we have come to remind you of this promise, hoping that you will consider increasing the small annual grants paid to our schools, an increase proportional to the public services these schools provide in the field of upbringing and education. It is appropriate to mention to your Excellency here that the Community Council has been forced to close the Al-Karkh school due to the severe financial distress overwhelming the Community's fund. Therefore, the expected financial assistance will have the best impact on the conduct of our schools' affairs. On behalf of The Head of the Community L M L M 862 Lul 16 Coffee when I wake up for the blind, I protect him with it 862 L Lul 6 in them 8286 Hq and for him Riqqa, protect him, name him, protect him when I wake him up, for the blind, easy, wake him up with it, and for him, Lord, I return the religion of his doubt 4 T Ama L for him, his cause, we praise him, they are Lord, I say for the past, protect him, his concern, wake him up, when I lift his concern, and for him, Taba, his concern A Praise the months for his sake, for him, his gift, for him, what that he is, wake him up, when I lift his concern, Riqqa A, and for him, the meeting H For the year 00061 Lord for him Lord for us A and for him for him I say to him with Lord, their dream from and their time A their half A their purity Before him is not like a name for him and for his workshop from N H his concern they are his father to T H for him his concern their praise A the West His cause his concern R for him and his time from his repentance for him I rest us father what he K A and time Lord I rest with his luck his gift that S'A His concern Lord 6 in them 8286 what with him and for him Lord easy N protect him this A that no meeting his religion the West His share they are the two strangers A this I say to his sake Y H and his gift for his concern his fall rest us 862 L Lul Rq his concern for the land they are when A I purify Lord L his concern N Ah his gift for us A for him P from for them to his weapon for him for the people their name Riqqa for the named to his night they are protect him for him his gift Riqqa protect him they are his name P with them they meet if for him his gift say when A that His share they are his for you they are for him and for his meeting A for the before his follow with religion say when I wake up for them A to for him for him for the years His cause his concern for him for him for them for the luck H from our luck A R H K A for the trust for him for his sake for his concern A Riqqa A 4 A all of it A vision wake him up when I say for the meeting A For God His share when to H
Iraq Ministry of Education "Private Office" Please refer to the full number: Number: 8854 Date: 12 Jumada al-Ula 1357 9 July 1938 Subject: ⟦line⟧ To the Honorable Head of the Jewish Community Reference to your letter numbered 4979 and dated 20 / 6 / 1938 The Education Council considered the request contained in your aforementioned letter during its session held on 7 / 7 / 1938, and since this year is a year of suspension and lack of expansion in opening schools for many reasons, including the scarcity of teachers, it is therefore not possible - unfortunately - to grant your request at the present time. ⟦signature⟧ Minister of Education A copy of it to:- Directorate of General Education General "Teaching and Education" A. S. Head of the Jewish Community Baghdad Private Number 2511 Date 10 / 7 / 38 8525 362 on the second of no 56 His Excellency the Respected Minister of Education In October 8386, we submitted a formal request to your esteemed ministry, hoping for permission for some of our languages to utilize our lands registered in our name in the name of the Islamic Charitable Society to transfer ownership to our society and build an orphanage 863 on the night of 6 You answered us then that we could not be approved because the society did not have a legal personality, and based on His Excellency's advice, we submitted our desire to complete the project We submitted another request on October 25, 2 for the year ⟦1948⟧, hoping for preliminary approval so that the Constituent Assembly would agree to grant us compensation for our society because no sect can obtain its legal right to own land except by a decision And it is within our jurisdiction, this society and this section, for purely humanitarian purposes, saying to myself that we requested in the year 1941 approval for the previous time from the committee, and the answer was that it is more appropriate for us to refer our request to the Sharia Judge of Baghdad And we did so, and based on its requirements, we obtained a Sharia decision stipulating the registration of this section in the name of the sect, and since this land is registered in the name of our society, that the land be registered, that it be within its requirements to transfer its ownership to our society, that he has the desire to own our land in registering it in the name of the Jewish community Community Committee
Secretary Administration of the Israelite Community * Baghdad Bullet points regarding the incident of the secret letters 1- The first letter arrived by mail on 5/12/928, dated 4/12/928, without a signature Its content is that its anonymous writer claims to be the head of the ⟦Secret⟧ Arrow and Power Society and requests that His Excellency the President hand over at 7 o'clock on Tuesday night to the person who shows him this sign next to the statue of Abd al-Muhsin al-Saadoun on the river, and that on Tuesday afternoon, the sum of one hundred and ten dinars, and he threatened His Excellency with death in case of non-compliance with this request 2) The aforementioned letter was deposited with the Baghdad Police Directorate on the same day 4) And on Tuesday afternoon, His Excellency received a phone call from a person who refused to mention his name, confirming the letter and threatening His Excellency if he did not bring the amount on time. The Police Director was informed of the news after speaking with the telephone exchange officer and the supervisor, but they were unable to identify the caller's phone number The telephone supervisor informed us afterwards that the telephone ring had been cut off 5) And on Thursday, the President received a second letter without a signature that arrived by mail It consists of two papers, each written in a different handwriting from the other, and in this letter the anonymous writer confirms his first letter and denied the telephone ⟦call⟧ and claims that he is ⟦the preparer⟧
Secretary Administration of the Israelite Community * Baghdad The same class of which he is the head, it was formed of ⟦110⟧ people and it is ready to throw a bomb into the President's house if he refuses to bring the required amount to the same place on the days of Friday evening. The letter was neglected at the time, and the police 6) And in the evening, he informs the association. In the afternoon, His Excellency received a phone call from a person claiming to be Lieutenant Abdul Wahab, in which he also confirms the message and threatens to throw the aforementioned bomb if the amount is not delivered at the required time. We have requested the telephone monitoring to inform us of the calling number, and we were told that the speaker was using the telephone set of Cinema Al-Zawra. His Excellency immediately informed the duty officer, Mr. Zahim, ⟦in the capacity of⟧ the Police Director, of that
Association for the Defense of Palestine in Iraq The High Committee in Baghdad Telegraphic Address: Palestine - Baghdad Telephone Number 2058 Extension Number 75 Baghdad 5 Dhu al-Hijjah 1357 26 January 1939 His Eminence, the Head of the Jewish Community in Iraq, Respected Greetings and respect. Furthermore, the Arab nation, and especially the Iraqi people, have been and still are looking at the honorable Jewish community with a look of love and respect, given that this community has lived since ancient times in the Arab environment a life of serenity and prosperity with the rest of its fellow citizens, and because it has stood in all eras with the Arab nation despite the recent events that took place in Palestine, which were caused by foreign Zionists who must be distinguished from our Arab Jewish brothers. The Arabs still consider the national Jews to be their brothers in prosperity and adversity, and that it is not within the power of Zionism to alienate them, and based on this hope, they see fit to direct the attention of these brothers to the necessity of brotherhood and participation in everything that would strengthen the bonds of their brotherhood and work to achieve their desired unity from which all Arabs benefit, including the honorable Arab Jews. It is not surprising, in this case, that our Jewish brothers in Iraq demonstrate in the cause of Arab Palestine, which is a just cause, which will have the best impact on the conference in London, the results of which will be bringing peace to Arab Palestine forever. Likewise, our committee sees fit to remind Your Eminence that it has formed committees to collect aid for the victims of Palestine after their numbers increased beyond the norm, and it hopes that you will contribute to these national and humanitarian charities as Iraqis, as you contributed previously, considering you our brothers, united with us by the bond of the homeland and Arabism, and the bond of joys and pains. Please accept the highest respects. ⟦signature⟧ Secretary Association for the Defense of Palestine in Iraq The High Committee Baghdad: 1356 1937 M / Kh
Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad Telephone Number 531 Number: 5693 Date: September 27, 1939 Subject. To His Excellency the Honorable Prime Minister Baghdad After greetings and respect - following our letter No. 5692 dated September 27, 1939 It has come to my attention that the number of Jews who failed the exam for the first reserve officers' course reached 13 out of 14, while the success rate of the others was not less than 94 percent. Those who participated in this course were graduates of higher schools and are considered among the best youth of the community; among them are lawyers, engineers, employees, and others who are no less successful in their practical lives than their other brothers. It was hoped that their success rate would be much higher than that. Success in an exam, although sometimes dependent on chance, this result leads us to believe that it is not a matter of chance, but rather confirms the suspicion that the esteemed Ministry of Defense does not want there to be military officers from among the Jews, and therefore those of them who apply to the Military College have not succeeded in entering it until now. The three students who were studying there two years ago were expelled, and the small number of Jewish officers who were in the service of the army have had their services terminated. But the point of reflection in this incident is that success in the reserve officers' course does not lead these Jews to permanent employment in the army, as they are holders of higher degrees who have their own professions from which they earn their living, and their only desire was to be permitted to hold the military rank they deserve to lead individuals and carry arms to serve their country when duty calls for it. Depriving them of this right must affect their morale as well as the morale of the Jewish individuals who have joined and will join the military service when needed when they learn of this result. We hope that Your Excellency will address this issue with the fairness and wisdom you possess in order to instill hope in the sons of your homeland who want nothing but to serve their dear country with their souls. ⟦signature⟧ Head of the Community