Description
This is archival material from the Baghdadi Jewish Community that contains correspondence between various Jewish community groups and government offices. Topics include: increases in monthly salaries, the allocation of money to various Jewish community offices, religious ceremonies, plans for vacant lots, travel for medical treatment and rest, kosher meat, ledgers with the amount of meat purchased in 1949 (for meat tax), correspondence from the Mayor of Baghdad regarding trash removal, financial summaries, budgets, salary reports, newspaper clipping, employee raises, purchased goods, women’s ritual purity laws, correspondence with individual rabbis, girls’ school, applications for permits, and an index of registered judges' names. There are also correspondence and flyers in Judeo-Arabic; the Judeo-Arabic flyers are from the Tomkhe Torah Society.
AI en Translation, Pages 1-25
Page 3
⟦illegible⟧
29 July 937
To
The Accountant of the Physical Council
With reference to the slaughterhouse expense list for the months of May and June 937, approved
for disbursement by the Council in its meeting held on 25 June 937
And since the amounts spent in the name of Nwayeh and as assistance to the slaughterers, amounting to two Dinars
and 340 Fils, do not have a specific item in the budget approved for the slaughterhouse by
the General Council, it was therefore necessary to deduct them from the first check issued to the slaughterhouse;
For
⟦signature⟧
⟦signature⟧
Vice President
A copy of it to the Slaughterhouse Presidency for information;
Page 4
28 December 937
His Eminence the Honorable Chief Rabbi
It has come to our attention that Nissim Hakham Youssef, the employee at the slaughterhouse, is
a partner of the butcher Saleh bin Yaqub, who was found to have sold meat smuggled from the
Majila tax, and they transported it as he was seen standing with him in the shop. We request that you kindly conduct
sufficient investigations into the truth of this and inform us of the result so we may present it to the
Lay Council;
⟦illegible⟧
President of the Council
A copy of it to His Excellency the Head of the Community - for information -
Page 5
The Chief Rabbi of Baghdad
Baghdad, may God protect it
Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Hakham Moshi
CHIEF RABBI
BENJAMIN H. MOSHI
BAGHDAD
Number: 662
Date: January 4, 1948
To the Honorable Lay Committee of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
In the Capital City
Honorable Gentlemen, in accordance with the decision of the Spiritual Committee from 12/27/47
We hereby inform you that it was decided to appoint Hakham Sassoon Kadoorie (the President) as a member of the Rabbinical Court
of the community in place of the late Rabbi Ezra Dangoor, starting from January 1, 1948. Please
confirm receipt of this letter and act accordingly.
With great respect
The Chief Rabbi of Baghdad
Baghdad, may God protect it
Benjamin H. Moshe
Baghdad, may God protect it
The Chief Rabbi of Baghdad
942
⟦red diagonal line⟧
Page 7
92 / ⟦80⟧
28 December 937
His Eminence the Respected Chief Rabbi
It has come to our knowledge that Nissim Hakham Yusuf, the employee at the slaughterhouse, is
a partner of the butcher Saleh bin Yaqub, who was found to have sold meat smuggled from the
Ghaboula fees, and they found him while he was standing with him in the shop. We request you to kindly conduct
sufficient investigations regarding the truth of this and inform us of the result so we may present it to the
Lay Council;
⟦signature⟧
President of the Council
A copy of it to His Excellency the Head of the Community - for information -
Page 8
The Chief Rabbi, may God protect him
Baghdad, may God protect it
Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Hakham Moshi
CHIEF RABBI
BENJAMIN H. MOSHI
BAGHDAD
Number: 662
Date: 2 September 948 / 4 Tishrei 948
Adjustment for Hakham Shalom, Hakham Naftali, Hakham Ezra
After 6 shares
Supplement for the Kirkuk native, Mr. Salim son of Isaac, on the date 12/27/47
This amount was the share received by Mr. Rahamim Cohen according to what appears in the ledgers
In the past year, and before this amount, he used to receive 3 shares. Only.
And for those entitled to the adjustment
Benjamin H. Moshi
Hakham Bashi
Hakham Shalom, Hakham Naftali
Shares 24 Mithqal Hakham Naftali
" 24 Hakham Shalom
" 24 Mr. Isaac
Page 9
To the Honorable President of the Lay Council
After greetings and respect
We, the undersigned slaughterers of the slaughterhouse, request from your Excellency
the payment of our salaries up to the date of 10 / 2 / 48, as we are exhausted
and if ⟦until⟧ next Sunday you do not pay our salaries only
we will withdraw from work as we cannot ⟦continue⟧ without
a salary, and to your Excellency respect 10 / 2 / 48
Listed in the schedule 10 / 2 / 48
⟦illegible⟧ Salman Isaac
⟦illegible⟧ Murad Saleh Hakkak
⟦illegible⟧ Ezra Yusuf Hakkak
⟦illegible⟧ Selim Yusuf
⟦Urgent⟧
A copy of it to the Head of the Community, Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri
for assistance
Page 10
His Excellency, the Chairman of the Honorable Physical Council
With greetings and respect
We, the undersigned slaughterhouse butchers, request from your Excellency the payment of
our salaries up to the date of 10/28/ as we attended and since today
the aforementioned Sunday, they only paid our salaries ⟦due to⟧ work
as we cannot continue working without a salary, and the ⟦matter⟧ is for your Excellency
10/28/5
⟦illegible⟧
Salman Shehadeh
Ezra ⟦illegible⟧
Meir Moallem Ali
On the date of 10/28/2, I withdrew my signature shown above regarding the withdrawal from work in the slaughterhouse
and I am ready to work in the slaughterhouse without any terms or conditions, and I also withdrew my signature shown above
10/28/2
Meir Moallem Ali
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ 10/28/6
⟦illegible⟧
For filing
Page 11
Name | Fils | Dinar
Elias Isaac Shomat | 750 | 6
Shaul Yehuda Abboudi Shomat | 475 | 5
Moshe Elias | 575 | 4
Nissim Hakham Youssef | 575 | 4
Ibrahim Ezra | 575 | 4
Moshe Hakham Sassoon | 975 | 2
Asif Madini | 975 | 2
Youssef Hakham Nissim | 975 | 2
Saleh Shlomo | 975 | 2
Saleh Hakham Asif | 225 | 2
Ezra Mordechai | 675 | 2
Teacher Muslih Al-Bitar | 000 | 2
Isaac Sabbagh | 687 | 1
Ezra Fattouh | ⟦illegible⟧ | 1
Ezra Qala'i | 000 | 2
| 999 | 52
| 676 |
| 675 | 54
Cash by the hand of Hakham Al-Hu on account of the slaughterhouse expenses
Only fifty-four dinars and six hundred and seventy-five fils, nothing else
1/4/1938
⟦signature⟧
The President
For filing
Page 12
List of names of persons paid one salary
According to the decision of the Physical Council on 1/24/928
| Dinar | Fils
Shaul Yehuda | 5 | 475
Al-Shammaa | 6 | 750
Ma'shi Al-Laban | 4 | 575
Ibrahim Ezra Shalam | 4 | 575
Ezra Mordechai | 3 | 675
Ezra Makal | 2 | =
Muslih Al-Bazzaz | 2 | 262
Akram Haqqi | 3 | 375
Yosef Haham Nissim | 3 | 375
Saleh Haham Isaac | 2 | 625
Akram Saleh Shemesh | 1 | 687
Saleh Mamoun | 3 | 975
Ezra Tabbakh | 2 | 225
Yosef Tabbakh | 1 | 687
Yosef Daqqa Abwab | 1 | =
| 49 | 261
Names of persons who are paid two salaries ⟦(shortcomings)⟧ | |
Ezra Tabbakh | 1 | 025
Yosef Tabbakh | 1 | 687
Daqqa Abwab | 1 | =
| 3 | 712
| 52 | 973
Only fifty-two dinars and nine hundred and seventy-three fils, no more
1/24/928
⟦signature⟧
Accounting
v
Page 13
Baghdad on November 20, 1949
To the presence of the respected Israeli Lay Council
After the due greetings to you, I submit this my petition to you regarding my clerical work in the slaughterhouse during the era of Al-May Sadah, the era of Al-Tashir, and the era of
Al-Tarif, and there my job has lasted for a period of six months, and every council that comes promises me to assign a salary for my job
And now, during this year, I have spent the value of the ledgers and energy in the amount of a dinar. I request you to order the payment for the ledgers
And my wage which you find appropriate, and the matter is yours, my lord
Sincerely
Nissim Hakham
Yosef Aqajeh
No. 500 referred to the Slaughterhouse Committee for review and report
Respected
⟦illegible signature⟧
Page 14
5 May 947
Repairs in the slaughterhouse
| Fils | Dinar
Khalaf Khader | 260 |
Attallah | 120 |
Murad Khalil | 100 |
Hashim | 70 |
Badr | 60 |
Donation | 44 |
Car fare | 80 |
Value of 500 mesh bricks | 900 |
5 bags of cement at 180 per bag | 900 |
Sand gravel | 200 |
Gypsum bucket | 400 |
8 truckloads | 400 |
Master Tawfiq | 250 |
| 3784 |
Tawfiq
Page 15
The Slaughterhouse
Fils | Dinar | Description
050 | 2 | Value of 14 bags of ⟦cement⟧ ⟦price per bag 180 fils⟧ from Hajj Ahmed Al-Kurdi
807 | 2 | Thick bricks from Ain ⟦Al-Latu⟧
800 | | 2 measures of gravel
180 | 2 | Two measures of sand
440 | | 88 pieces of rope hose
156 | | 52 loads of soil
376 | 4 |
620 | | Thick bricks from Ain ⟦Al-Latu⟧
180 | | Two measures of sand
440 | | 1 measure of gravel
100 | | 20 pieces of rope hose
012 | | 4 loads of soil
738 | 5 |
750 | | ⟦His tools⟧ Tawfiq's wage
6488 | | Labor wages for Wednesday 24 / 2 / 948
120 | | Khalaf Khudair
060 | | Jassim Badr
180 | |
| | Thursday 25 / 2 / 948
260 | | Khalaf Khudair
120 | | Jalil Marar
060 | | Tawfiq Jassim
060 | | Falih Hassan
060 | | Abd Radi
060 | | Hussein Radi
060 | | Hamad Lafi
044 | | Faraj Radi
949 | |
| | Friday 26 / 2 / 948
260 | | Khalaf Khudair
080 | | Kadhim Muhammad
060 | | Fattah Jabal
060 | | Karim Aziz
060 | | Hussein Jabr
060 | | Mahmoud Ziyara
050 | | Ali Salman
044 | | Faraj Radi
674 | |
10591 | |
10624 | |
750
6488
180
949
674
⟦line⟧
9041
1602
229
⟦line⟧
674
229
⟦line⟧
1602
What follows
Page 16
Haj Ahmed Mohamed and Haj Murad Ja'far
H. A. MOUHAMED & H. M. JA'FAR
Importer of Architectural Goods
Importer Exporter
Telegraphic: Muslim Baghdad
Cable Adress
MUSLM -- BAGHDAD
Telephone Number
To the Honorable: ⟦Saleh Qarqaji⟧
Respected: Jawzat al-Yahud work
Fils | Dinar | Category | Number | Width | Length | Haqqa | From | Fils | Dinar | Remarks
800 | 1 | Fabric | ⟦Six⟧ | Prayer rug cover | ⟦Large⟧ | | | 180 | | 25 ⟦The following⟧
720 | | " | 4 | " | " | | | 180 | | 26
2520 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
⟦On the date⟧ ⟦Account⟧ ⟦About⟧ ⟦Died⟧ ⟦From⟧
27
1/2
12
Page 18
The Editor
Fils | Dinar
520 | 2 | Value of 14 bags of cement ⟦at⟧ 180 fils per bag from Haj Ahmed Al-Karadi
280 | | Thick bricks from Labni Al-Kanu
800 | | 4 measures of plaster
600 | 3 |
180 | | Two nights of sand
440 | | 88 loads of gravel
156 | | 52 loads of soil
376 | 4 |
620 | | Thick bricks from Labni Al-Kanu
180 | | Two nights of sand
400 | | Measure of plaster
150 | | 30 loads of gravel
12 | | 4 loads of soil
738 | 5 |
750 | | Labor wages for Master Tawfiq
Fils | Dinar | Labor wages for Wednesday 24 / 4 / 947
120 | | Khalaf Khidr
60 | | Jassim Badr
190 | 6 |
Fils | Dinar | Thursday 25 / 4 / 947
260 | | Khalaf Khidr
120 | | Khalil Murad
75 | | Jassim
60 | | Falih Mohsen
60 | | Abdul Nabi
60 | | Hussein Dakhel
50 | | Hamad Lami
44 | | Faraj Dakhel
729 | 7 |
Fils | Dinar | Friday 26 / 4 / 947
260 | | Khalaf Khidr
80 | | Kadhim Muhammad
60 | | Rashad Abbas
60 | | Karim Aziz
60 | | Hussein Jaber
60 | | Mahmoud Sayara
50 | | Ali Salman
44 | | Faraj Dakhel
674 | 7 |
Fils | Dinar | Saturday 27 / 4 / 947
260 | | Khidr
80 | | Salman Hassan
60 | | Hassan Shanto
60 | | Hanthal Mahdi
60 | | Qasim Badr
44 | | Faraj Dakhel
564 | 7 |
8 655
Page 20
September 11, 938
His Eminence Rabbi Eliyahu Abraham, the respected
After greetings: This department has been informed that you are not currently performing the duties of
the head of the Israeli slaughterhouse out of your desire to avoid this position, and since the complaints
from the slaughter contractor have increased, and it is necessary to have a person in the slaughterhouse to handle the task of
discipline therein, I request that you inform me within the next twenty-four hours of your true intention
regarding persevering or not persevering in the position of head of the slaughterhouse. In the event that your answer does not arrive
within this period, it will be considered a resignation from the aforementioned presidency;
⟦If⟧
The Secretary
Page 21
27
V
January 9, 1939
His Eminence Rabbi Eliyahu Ibrahim
Respected Head of the Slaughterhouse
Until the Council decides the fate of the slaughterhouse, you will be responsible for the following points: -
1 - The proper conduct of work in the slaughterhouse and the discipline of the employees
2 - Employee attendance and the necessity of informing the Secretary of the Community Administration of the names of employees absent
from work in a timely manner
3 - Expenses. Provided that the schedules you submit to the Council are signed by you 4
⟦illegible⟧
Vice President
⟦Copy to the Accountant for information⟧
Page 22
2175
15 January 1939
Presidency of the Israeli Slaughterhouse
in Baghdad
We inform you that the Physical Council has decided:
1) To refer Shalom Shohet, the employee at the slaughterhouse, to retirement due to his old age, and his record has been struck from
the slaughterhouse as of the beginning of October 938.
2) To cut the salary of the deceased slaughterer, the late Nissim Hakham Yosef, as of the end of the month of December
938.
⟦signature⟧
Vice President
⟦A copy of it to the accountant for information⟧
A copy of it to the accountant for information
Page 23
2180
25 January 939
Presidency of the Israelite Slaughterhouse
Baghdad
Greetings
We inform you of the necessity of organizing a bordereau of the allocations that you receive from the Lay Council for some
of the recipients and submitting it from time to time to the accountant of the Lay Council for auditing and filing.
⟦signature⟧
Vice President
A copy of it to the accountant for information
Page 24
Baghdad, May 21, 1939
His Excellency the President of the Honorable Israeli Lay Council
After greetings and respect.
Reference to your letter No. 12 32 dated May 18, 1939
1- We have noted your appointment of ⟦to the⟧ Rabbi Yusuf Mu'allim Ezra as an employee in the slaughterhouse to strengthen
the staff. As for your request to make the necessary arrangement to allocate a committee from among the slaughterhouse
employees to supervise the Kosher and Treif (Shechita), it is impossible for us. All we hope
from the honorable Council is to agree to add an amount to the salary of Rabbi Yaqub Shaul for this
purpose, and thus we will be able to arrange what is necessary for the Shechita according to the decision of the esteemed Council.
2- We would also like to remind the esteemed Council that the duty performed by the late
Nissim Rabbi Yusuf, consisting of writing the daily Kosher and Treif count and staying until after
the end of the slaughtering each day to inspect the knives (Bedika) for additional slaughtering, is being performed by
Salim Rabbi Eliyahu, the employee in the slaughterhouse since January 2, 1939. He stays daily for no less
than an hour after working hours in the slaughterhouse, and we are waiting for the esteemed Council's decision to add
one Dinar monthly to his salary according to your promise.
Please accept our respect.
Head of the Slaughterhouse
Half a dinar
has been added
to the salary of Rabbi
Yaqub
⟦for competency⟧
One dinar
has been added
to the salary of
Salim Eliyahu
from the first of May
29 / 6 / 6
Archive
6 / 7
⟦Yitzhak⟧ ⟦Gabbai⟧
⟦Menachem⟧
⟦...⟧
Page 25
14 June 939
Presidency of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Reference to your letter dated 21 May 939
The Lay Council decided in its meeting held on 6 June 939 the following:
1) Adding 813 fils to the salary of Salim Hakham Eliyahu, the employee in the slaughterhouse, which is 1/687
so it becomes two and a half dinars as of the first of May 939, for his acting in place of the deceased employee, the late
Nissim Hakham Yosef, in writing the number of Kosher and Treif daily and inspecting the knives after the end of
the slaughter for the additional slaughter, in addition to his original job
2) It also decided to add half a dinar per month to the salary of Hakham Yaqub Shaul, so it becomes two dinars
and seven hundred and fifty fils as of the first of May 939, to enable you to make the necessary
arrangements for monitoring the Kosher and Treif;
⟦signature⟧
Vice President
A copy of it to the accountant of the Lay Council to act accordingly
H