AI en Translation, Pages 226-250
Page 226
Baghdad on 12 Elul 5699
Corresponding to ⟦26⟧ September 1939
To the Honorable President and Members of the Baghdad Jewish Endowments Management Committee
Baghdad
Subject: Request for Assistance
Based on the order issued by your esteemed presidency regarding the assumption of management of the Alliance School for Girls by the Jewish community in Baghdad, and since this school
was managed by the Alliance Israélite Universelle in Paris, and due to current circumstances, contact has been severed between us and the aforementioned association, and the
financial aid that this association used to send for the management of the aforementioned school has ceased, and since the aforementioned school includes a large number of the community's daughters
and its continued operation depends on the availability of the necessary financial resources to manage its affairs and pay the salaries of male and female teachers and other expenses.
Accordingly, the management committee of the aforementioned school has decided to request your esteemed committee to allocate a monthly amount of twenty-five Dinars as a grant
for this aforementioned school starting from the first of September 1939, in order to assist it in covering the current deficit in its budget, which amounts to 500 Dinars
annually, so that the school can continue to perform its educational and instructional mission for the community's daughters in these difficult circumstances. We await
your kind response approving our request in service of the public interest and the school.
Please accept our highest respect and appreciation. On behalf of the Management Committee of the Alliance School for Girls in Baghdad
Signature ⟦illegible⟧
Chairman of the Committee
25 / 9 / 1939
For filing
Page 227
2212
⟦Committee of the Mosaic Community in Baghdad⟧
⟦Secretariat⟧
⟦Number ...⟧
March 18, 939
His Eminence Rabbi Michael Yerbia, Respectfully
We inform you that the Lay Council in its meeting held on March 17, 939 decided -
1 - To set the pension of the retiree Shalom Meir Shohet at three and a quarter Dinars per month
effective from the first of October 939
2 - To cut the salary of the late Rabbi Salem Isaac Baruch from the Yeshiva effective from the end of March 39
3 - To transfer the salary of the late Ezekiel Ezra Shalom to his widow Simha effective from the month of February 39
Vice President
A copy of it to the accountant for information
Page 228
17 September 939
To --
⟦Michael⟧
His Eminence the Chief Rabbi in Rome, Respected
We inform you of the decisions of the Lay Council taken at its meeting held on 11 September
939
1 - Since the needy Heskel Hakham Sassoon Smouha passed away on 30 May 936
it was decided to cut his salary from the needy budget as of the first of June 939, as well as cutting
the salary of the retiree, the widow of Hakham Ibrahim Sabi, who passed away on 29 June 939, as of
the first of July 939
2 - It appeared that the person named Reuben David Yael as well as Heskel Menachem Halebka were receiving
in the year 938/37 an amount of seven hundred and fifty fils per month for each of them from the retirees
and needy budget. From the audit of the 939/38 budget, it appeared that the names of the aforementioned were not included
in the needy budget. Since the salaries of retirees and the needy have undergone a reduction
of ten percent 10% this year, it was decided to reinstate their salaries in the needy budget on
this basis and set an amount of six hundred and seventy-five fils 675/- as a monthly salary for each of them
from the first of October 938
Vice President
⟦illegible⟧
A copy of it to the accountant for information
Page 229
The Chief Rabbi of the Holy City
Baghdad, May God Protect It
Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Hakham Moshi
CHIEF RABBI
BENJAMIN H. MOSHI
BAGHDAD
Number 746
Date 14 / Safar / 89
Authorized Kahana L. Ezra L. Nissim L. Saleh
After L. Tahia
I inform you that the letter you received from the Ministry of Interior dated 11/28/47
does not concern the school you mentioned in your letter dated 1/5/48 ⟦since this school⟧
⟦is not⟧ among the schools under our supervision at the present time, and therefore clarification was required
L. The School
Benjamin
⟦Hakham Moshi⟧
Page 230
The Lay Council of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number 531
Subject Summary ::
Number :: 5157
Date :: 27 November 938
His Excellency the President of the Jewish Community, Respected
His Eminence the President of the Spiritual Council, Respected
After greetings and respect
There is no doubt that you are fully aware of the state of the community's finances and its deterioration in recent years
especially in the past year in which the Council was forced to collect donations from members of the community
to cover part of the deficit, and the situation is still dire from a financial perspective, as is not hidden from you
When discussing the foundations upon which the budget for the year 38/939 should be built, the Council found
after consultation with the committees in the meeting you attended, that it is necessary to limit the
responsibility of the community fund towards the institutions and departments affiliated with it, so that the revenues
it has are distributed in the form of lump-sum allocations to the community's departments and institutions, which must adapt
their budget according to the revenues they have without the Council being responsible for covering
their deficit at the end of the year, so that the financial situation does not deteriorate from bad to worse, and
these foundations were confirmed in the decision of the Lay Council taken on 29 June 938, in which
the Council estimated its revenues at 13 thousand Dinars and decided to distribute them as listed below:
Allocations for the current year 37/938 Dinar Fils | Allocations for the next year 38/939 Dinar Fils | Community departments except schools and hospitals Dinar Fils
5969 978 | 5200 " | 5100 " Allocations
8061 869 | 6075 " | 100 " For unforeseen needs
" 2100 | 1825 " | Schools
" 100 | 100 " | Hospitals with clinics
" 100 | ⟦...⟧ " | The fourth installment of the Alliance Society's claim
16331 847 | 13200 " | Allocations for the construction of sanitary toilets in Rachel Shahmoon School
Both the Schools and Hospitals committees have indeed organized their own budgets
for the institutions affiliated with them in accordance with the Council's decision, and when we distributed the amount of 5200 Dinars to
the budgets of the community's departments and institutions, we found that the situation here is completely different from what it is in
⟦illegible signature⟧
Page 231
The Lay Council of the Israelite Community
Baghdad
Telephone Number 531
Subject Summary ::
Number ::
Date ::
( 2 )
Schools and hospitals, given the lack of other revenues besides the allocations for these departments
and institutions, it was necessary to implement a 10% reduction in the salaries of those belonging to them
from the salary, with the exception of the slaughterhouse employees due to the modesty of their salaries and some employees the Council found itself in need
to retain in service, as well as making some adjustments to balance revenues with expenses.
When applying these two principles to the mentioned budgets, it was found that the only section where
adjustments could be made is the section for the needy. We have specifically looked at what the Council spends on the
pensioners and needy section, which in the year 37/938 was (675 Dinars and 444 Fils), and that
given the circumstances explained above, it has become necessary to reconsider the list of these pensioners
and the needy, and to research the foundations and customs that the community has followed since ancient times to allocate
pensions and aid, and the degree of their applicability to the persons who actually receive
pensions from the Council. From the investigations, it was found that the foundations and customs can be summarized as follows:-
( 1 ) A Rabbi who performs a public function such as a member of the Religious Court, its president, or the Chief Rabbi
(provided he spends a long period in service) is entitled to retirement upon leaving service and receives a pension
of his full or partial salary depending on the circumstances. Upon his death, if he has a wife or children who have no legal
provider or source of livelihood, an appropriate amount is assigned to each of the children and the wife. When the children reach
twenty years of age and obtain a livelihood, their right to the pension lapses, and the share of the wife and daughters remains until
they marry or pass away. On September 6, 1925, a decision was issued by the Lay Council, which
was composed at that time of the gentlemen - (Yosef Mordechai Yosef) (Ezra Nessim Hayat) (Menashe Koji)
(Yehuda Saleh Zelouf) (Menashe Murad Mashal) (Ezra Menachem Daniel) - to this effect:-
( 2 ) As for the retirement of non-rabbis, it was carried out according to the Council's investigations as follows:
a) If there was a wealthy family that performed services and provided aid to the community and their situation led
to need, a monthly aid is assigned to its members.
b) If there was an employee who spent a long period in the service of the community, such as 15 years for example, and became unable to
continue in service due to old age or a permanent disability and had no source of livelihood, it has
been the custom to assign him monthly aid from the community fund until his death.
It was also found that the persons mentioned in list No. ( 1 ) attached to this letter
meet these conditions, so it was decided in its meeting on the 20th of this month to include them in the budget.
⟦signature⟧
Page 232
The Lay Council of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number 531
Subject Summary:
Number:
Date:
3
General for the year 939/38, and an amount of 291 Dinars and 600 Fils was allocated for them to be spent from
within the annual budget, as a settlement of the budget approved on June 29, 38, which was based on
the basis of revenues that, according to estimates, will result in a small deficit.
As for the others, who are mentioned in List No. 2, since the Council, as we noted
on page 2 of this letter, did not find a budget item that could be resorted to for balancing revenues
and expenses for those who are not in need, it has allocated the necessary amount for them outside the budget settlement,
by its decision taken in the aforementioned meeting, according to which the matter will be presented to the esteemed General Council
for deliberation regarding them and finding the necessary source to cover this amount, given the lack of
corresponding revenues and because it will ultimately result in a deficit for the fund.
Out of the Council's desire to ensure and increase the investigation into this case, it decided in its meeting
dated the 20th of it to refer the matter to Your Excellency and to the esteemed Spiritual Council to conduct
an audit of the two mentioned lists, because the Council does not know the status of these individuals and those
affiliated with them, their entitlements, and the current customs in the community previously regarding them.
We therefore request that you inform us of the following points:
1) Regarding the list of retirees No. 1 - who are those the Council believes meet the conditions
of retirement according to the current customs of the community - are there among them individuals who are
not entitled or whose salaries are in excess of their entitlement.
2) Regarding the list of the needy No. 2 -
a) Was there a custom in the community before the Great War to pay salaries to such
needy persons?
b) If such a custom existed, are there among the names listed in the list individuals
who are not entitled according to the aforementioned current custom?
c) And are there among them those who receive more than their entitlement according to this custom and the
financial circumstances of the community at the present time?
Please inform us of the full details as quickly as possible, and remain in peace;
⟦signature⟧
Vice President
Page 233
Budget for Retirees for the year 38 / 939
Names | Previous Salary | Allocated Salary
Hakham Ibrahim Aslan | 0 | 6 | 0 | 400
Widow of Hakham Ibrahim Hillel | 2 | 700 | 2 | 430
Widow of Hakham Hayyim | 1 | 350 | 1 | 315
Widow of Hakham Sassoon Israel | 1 | 013 | 0 | 900
Widow of Hakham Ibrahim Sabbi | 1 | 013 | 0 | 900
Widow of Hakham Meir Kaburiel | 3 | 375 | 1 | 350
Heirs of Al-Misha' Zubaida | 3 | 375 | 3 | 037
Shalom Shomhet (retired from the slaughterhouse due to disability from old age) | 6 | 750 | 2 | 250
Khedhouri Eliya Koheil | 2 | 875 | 2 | 588
The poor of Shum Isaac | 2 | 700 | 2 | 430
Khatun Hakham Hesqel Ezra Bassa, not married at the time | 2 | 025 | 1 | 800
Total | 33 | 176 | 24 | 300
| | | × | 12
| | | | 291 | 600
List of names of retirees included in the budget, and the question is whether there are
among them persons who are ineligible or whose salaries exceed their entitlement in view of the customs
followed by the community since ancient times.
⟦illegible⟧
Page 234
List No. (2)
Names of needy persons whose eligibility is to be audited
Names | Original Salary (Fils Dinar) | Salary after reduction (Fils Dinar)
Heskel Ezra Dori | 125 | 1 | " | 1
Khatoun Musfi widow of Shaul Heskel Hakkak | 013 | 1 | 900 | "
Widow of Hakham Daoud Sofer | 375 | 3 | 037 | 3
Widow of Eliyahu Hakham Moshi Shamash | 375 | 3 | 037 | 3
Farha daughter of Hakham Heskel Levi | 363 | 2 | 127 | 2
Widow of Shaul Zilkha | 025 | 2 | 800 | 1
Ibrahim Hayyim Hakham Heskel Ezra Bassa | 350 | 1 | 215 | 1
Widow of Heskel Naji the Lawyer | 025 | 2 | 800 | 1
Esther Nassim Touq | 350 | 1 | 215 | 1
Masouda Bashi | 013 | 1 | 900 | "
Widow of Menashe Hakham Sassoon Smouha | 777 | " | 700 | "
Aziza widow of Eliyahu Hakham Sassoon Smouha | 777 | " | 700 | "
Heskel Hakham Sassoon Smouha | 787 | " | 710 | "
Khatoun wife of Ezra Munir Horish | 506 | " | 456 | "
Hakham Youssef Rabia | 375 | 3 | 037 | 3
Youssef Hakham Ezra Cohen | 025 | 2 | 800 | 1
Saleh Shlomo | 750 | " | 625 | "
Nahum Kirkukli | 750 | " | 625 | "
Nassim Mushayyah | 750 | " | 625 | "
Daoud Cohen transferred from the Spiritual Council | 700 | 2 | 430 | 2
| 226 | 32 | 739 | 28
| | | 12 | x
| | | 868 | 334
Questions to be answered on this list.
A) Was there a custom in the community before the Great War to pay salaries to such needy people?
B) If such a custom existed, are there any persons among the names listed in the list who are
ineligible according to the mentioned current custom?
C) Are there any among them who receive more than their entitlement according to this custom and the financial circumstances
of the community at the present time?
⟦Marwan⟧
Page 235
Baghdad on 21 / 7 / 940
The Honorable Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri
President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad.
Our Master.
Presented to your Excellency. It has reached us that the reduction that took place
on the salaries of the Rabbis and the Yeshivot last year, the esteemed Lay Council
will decide to restore it. Therefore, we ask your Excellency to be kind to us by mediating between us
and the esteemed Lay Council to restore the reduction that took place on our allocations
and to treat us like the rest of the Rabbis and the Yeshivot.
This matter is in your hands, our Master.
On behalf of Yeshivat Tomchei Torah.
Rabbi Yaqub Shaul Balbul
⟦Yaqub⟧ ⟦...⟧
For filing
7/25
Page 236
Baghdad
22 Cheshvan 5710
Honorable Director of the Charity and Kindness Committee
Subject: Request for a salary increase
After appropriate greetings and blessings, I, the undersigned, have been working in your department for a long time, and as you know
I fulfill my duty with great loyalty and devotion. Since the cost of living has risen significantly and my current salary
in the amount of 9.000 Dinars is no longer sufficient to support my household of 7 people, and especially despite
the fact that I pay high ⟦rent⟧ and have no other income. And not only that
but also my health condition is not in order as you well know and I am in need of ongoing medical treatment
which costs me a lot of money, and I am no longer able to withstand these expenses. Therefore I request
with every possible plea to consider my difficult situation and increase my salary starting from this month.
I hope that you will answer my request favorably and as soon as possible out of consideration for my dire situation
for which I have no other choice but to turn to you with this request, and with thanks in advance.
With great respect and many blessings
The worker in your department
Menachem Ezra Hakham Sasson
Reserved
2/2
Page 237
2249
30 October 941
His Eminence Rabbi Michael Yerba, the respected
1 - Based on the death of the needy late Esther Nassim Tweig on 30 / 7 / 940 and since
the Council has paid her salary on 30 September 940 until the end of the mentioned month, the
payment of her salary will cease as of 1 October 940
2 - The Council decided in its meeting held on 3 February 941 to allocate a pension for the widow
of the late Isaac Effendi Al-Jarrah in the amount of two Dinars per month starting from October 940
⟦illegible⟧
The President
A copy of it to the accountant to act accordingly
62
Page 238
The Court of Justice of the Holy City
Baghdad, may God protect it
The Jewish Religious Court in Baghdad
JEWISH RELIGIOUS COURT
BAGHDAD
Date: 1/11
Year: 5707
Our session on Thursday, Beshalach, 8 Cheshvan 6, 5707
In the matter of ⟦...⟧
The parties Shlomo son of Hak' Shimon Moallem Eli came before us.
According to the memorandum of understanding between them, the aforementioned Mr. Shlomo is obligated and promises Mr. Hak'
the aforementioned Shimon Moallem Eli (sic) that for any work the aforementioned Mr. Hak' does for the government, whether for the Ministry
of Health or for the Municipality (Baladiya) or for any building he may have and the value of workers,
the aforementioned Hak' Shimon shall be the foreman and he shall receive the workers and he
shall receive for the aforementioned Mr. Hak' 600 fils per day as rent and they shall also receive the wages
of the workers, and whatever remains of the profit they shall divide between them half and half, and travel expenses
shall be borne by both of them from the profit. And they agreed between them that for any work the aforementioned Mr. Hak' does
in the Ministry of Health or the Municipality or any government building or for an individual or
for a company that the aforementioned Mr. Hak' (Shlomo) does, he shall have a share in it, half of any profit
that remains, and also the aforementioned Mr. Hak' shall receive a daily wage of 600 fils, and this is valid and established.
Shlomo son of Hak' Shimon
Hak' Shimon
The humble Sasson ⟦...⟧
The humble ⟦...⟧
Page 239
⟦...⟧ 2295
⟦...⟧
19 / 10 / 942
His Eminence Rabbi Michael Jeremiah, Respectfully
Below is a copy of the resolution taken at the Council meeting held on September 7, 942, to be acted upon accordingly:
10 - It was decided to pay the salary of Rabbi Heskel Hoki, amounting to one dinar and three hundred and fifty fils
1/350 to Rabbi Sassoon Hakham Salman in addition to the salary he receives from
the Yeshivot, provided that if Rabbi Heskel Hoki separates from the position of Chief Rabbinate in Basra
and returns to Baghdad, this salary shall be cut again from Rabbi Sassoon Hakham Salman and its payment shall be restored to
Rabbi Heskel Hoki as before.
⟦signature⟧
Tawfiq
The President
A copy to the accountant to act accordingly
Page 240
3389
9/20/942
His Eminence Rabbi Michael Yirmiya, Respectfully
Below is a copy of the resolutions adopted by the Council in its meeting held on August 25, 942
1 - Since the late Rabbi Shimon Daoud Mordechai passed away on the 21st of the current month,
it was decided to cut his salary from the Yeshivoth budget, amounting to five dinars and one hundred and seventy-five
fils 5/175, effective from the end of August 942.
2 - It was decided to increase the salary of Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Rabie, which he receives from the Yeshivoth, from three
dinars and 375 fils to five dinars and five hundred and fifty fils 5/550 by adding two dinars
and 175 fils, effective from the first of September 942, for his performance of the duties of the deceased.
3 - It was decided to allocate a salary of one and a half dinars for each of Rabbi Yaqub Ezra Musaffi
and Rabbi Moshe Abraham in the Yeshivoth budget, to be received starting from the first of September 942 for their performance
of religious teaching in the Yeshivoth.
4 - Since His Eminence Rabbi Heskel Hoki has been appointed to the Chief Rabbinate in Basra, it
was decided to cut his salary from the Yeshivoth, amounting to one dinar and three hundred and fifty fils 1/350, effective from the first of August
942.
⟦signature⟧
Tawfiq
The President
A copy to the accountant for information.
Members of the Israeli General Council
Session 36 - 1940
President | S
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri | Saleh Shlomo Abdullah
| Saleh Faraj Hayyim
Members | Zion Shuaa Gigi
A | Zion Ezra Nissan
Ibrahim Hayyim Moallem Nassim | A
Ibrahim Saleh Al-Kabir | Abdullah Zion Sheina
Lawyer Ibrahim Abboudi Khazam | Lawyer Abboudi Setti
Ibrahim Daoud Nahum | Ezra Eliyahu Al-Ani
Israel Nassim Hay | Ezra Heskel Bahar
Eliyahu Heskel Al-Ani | Dr. Ezra Qaraeen
Eliyahu Bashir Daoud | Ezra Menachem Daniel
Lawyer Anwar Shaul | Ezra Nassim Al-Wiyah
B | K
Rabbi Benjamin Hakham Moshe | Gurji Ibrahim Hayyim Hakham Ishaq
H | Dr. Gurji Meir Rabie
Heskel Daoud Shamtob | Gurji Shalom Levi
Lawyer Heskel Yaqoub Murad | M
Kh | Meir Shaul Menashi Shamshua
Khedhouri Meir Levi | Meir Menachem Mahlab
Khedhouri Murad Shakar | Meir Hakham Moshe Dankour
D | Menashi Ibrahim Gurji
Daoud Samra | Menashi Saleh Shlomo Dawood
Daoud Shaul Tweig | Moza Yatta
Rabbi Daoud Ezra Safi | Moshe Shaul Sofer
Dr. Daoud Moallem Nassim | Dr. Nur Allah Moussa
Daoud Youssef Moallem Saleh | Nunu Mukammal
R | H
Rabbi Raphael Ishaq Hayyim | Haron Heskel Mamouha
Ruben Ezra Daoud | Y
S | Yamin Murad
Lawyer Sassoon Ezra Ishaq | Yehuda Saleh Zalouf
Sassoon Murad Hajak | Rabbi Yehoshua Moshe Heskel
Sassoon Hakham Nassim Cohen | Dr. Joseph Rosenfeld
Lawyer Salman Saleh Al-Kabir | Lawyer Joseph Saleh Al-Kabir
Lawyer Salman Zion Sheina | Joseph Nassim Abboudi
Rabbi Salman Hoki Abboudi |
Lawyer Selim Ishaq |
Selim Tarzi |
Dr. Selim Kobi |
Page 241
The Lay Council of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Number 2778
Date 19 May 942
His Eminence Rabbi Michael Bromia
Upon the request of the needy widow of the late Heskel Naji the lawyer, the Council decided in its meeting
held on 29 March 942 to cut the salary allocated for her aid from the community fund
starting from the first of April 942
⟦illegible⟧
The President
A copy of it to the accountant to act accordingly
62
Members of the Israeli General Council
36th Session - 1940
President
Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri
Members
A
Ibrahim Hayim Moallem Nassim
Ibrahim Saleh Al-Kabir
Lawyer Ibrahim Abboudi Khazam
Ibrahim Daoud Nahoum
Israel Nassim Hay
Eliyahu Heskel Al-Mani
Eliyahu Meir Daoud
Lawyer Anwar Shaul
B
Rabbi Benjamin Hakham Moshe
H
Heskel Daoud Sheitob
Lawyer Heskel Yaqub Murad
Kh
Khedouri Meir Lawi
Khedouri Murad Shukur
D
Daoud Samra
Daoud Shaul Tweig
Rabbi Daoud Ezra Musfi
Dr. Daoud Moallem Nassim
Daoud Yousef Moallem Saleh
R
Rabbi Raphael Ishaq Hayim
Reuben Ezra Daoud
S
Rabbi Sassoon Ezra Ishaq
Sassoon Murad Jijak
Sassoon Hakham Nassim Cohen
Lawyer Salman Saleh Al-Kabir
Lawyer Salman Sion Sheina
Rabbi Salman Hooki Abboudi
Lawyer Selim Ishaq
Selim Tarzi
Dr. Selim Koni
S (Sad)
Saleh Shlomo Abdullah
Saleh Faraj Hayim
Sion Shuaa Jiji
Sion Ezra Nissan
A (Ain)
Abdullah Sion Sheina
Lawyer Abboudi Sabti
Ezra Eliyahu Al-Ani
Ezra Heskel Bahar
Ezra Qaraeen
Dr. Ezra Menachem Daniel
Ezra Nassim Al-Wiyah
K
Karji Ibrahim Hayim Hakham Ishaq
Dr. Karji Meir Rabie
Karji Shalom Lawi
M
Meir Shaul Menashi Shamshua
Meir Menachem Mehab
Meir Hakham Moshe Dankour
Menashi Ibrahim Karji
Menashi Saleh Shlomo Daoud
Mothir Ita
Moshe Shaul Sofer
Dr. Nurullah Mumi
Nunu Mukammal
H
Haroun Heskel Smouha
Y
Yamin Murad
Yehuda Saleh Zalouf
Rabbi Yehoshua Moshe Heskel
Dr. Joseph Rosenfeld
Lawyer Joseph Saleh Al-Kabir
Yousef Nassim Abboudi
Page 242
9 March 942
2262
His Eminence Rabbi Michael Jeremiah, Respectfully
Our council decided in its meeting held on 10 November 941 to add a Dinar and a quarter to
the salary of Rabbi Moshe Rabbi Heskel Saleh, so it becomes six Dinars and a half starting from the first
of October 941.
A copy of it to the accountant for information
The President
⟦signature⟧
⟦K. S. Somekh⟧
Page 243
Paragraph 2 of Article 2
of the Retirement Law states -
The child's rights are forfeited if they exceed twenty
years of age or if they obtain a means of livelihood
before reaching the aforementioned age. However, if
the child is afflicted with a disability (i.e., blind, crippled,
or paralyzed) that prevents them from earning a living,
they have the right to receive assistance as long as there is no
legal provider who can support them. Therefore,
the wife receives the salary as long as there is no
legal provider to maintain her.
⟦illegible⟧
Page 244
Baghdad 3 September 941
His Excellency the President of the Lay Council, the Respected
After greetings and respect
My late father, Hakham Heskel Saleh, passed away on 23 July 941, and he was
receiving a monthly salary from the Yeshivot budget in the amount of 1/350 Dinars. In view of my weak condition
and the smallness of my salary, which does not exceed 5/250 Dinars from the Yeshivot budget, and since the cutting
of my father's salary will affect my situation because I will be responsible for supporting my mother, I beg of your Excellency
to maintain this salary, either by adding it to my salary or by allocating it to the widow of the deceased, Tuffaha daughter of Moallem
Munir. With much respect to your Excellency.
⟦Nissim H. Heskel⟧
A copy of it to His Excellency the President of the Jewish Community, the Respected
To be applied as requested
See decision 10 / 11 / 941
For filing
⟦illegible stamp⟧
Page 245
The Jewish Lay Council
Baghdad
Number 2498
Date 17 July 945
His Eminence Rabbi Michael Jeremiah, Respected
Based on the election of His Eminence Rabbi Joseph Rabia to the membership of the Religious Court and the vacancy of
his position in the Yeshivot and in teaching the students of Beit Zilkha, the Council decided in its meeting
held on 3 July 945 to appoint Rabbi Joseph Hay in the Yeshiva in his place
at a salary of three and a half dinars per month, as well as the appointment of Rabbi Jacob Saul to teach
the students in Midrash Beit Zilkha at a salary of two and a quarter dinars per month, and that is
effective from the first of July 945.
⟦S. Cohen⟧
President of the Lay Council
A copy of it to the Council Accountant to act accordingly
⟦illegible⟧
Page 246
To the Honorable President of the Lay Council
Greetings and prayers:
I am of the class of rabbis who have dedicated my life to the service and study of religion and have held positions
numerous ones in the leadership of the community, and today I have reached old age and lost my sight. I have decided to spend
the remainder of my life in Palestine to undergo surgery on my eyes because of the presence of skilled doctors there.
I have approached the competent authorities to obtain a passport along with my daughter to accompany and serve me, and my travel
requires heavy expenses of no less than two hundred dinars, which I am unable to provide due to my poverty and financial hardship.
Since I receive a salary from the community fund for my previous services to the community, and because I am of the class of <del>rabbis</del> =
= rabbis and the elderly who deserve the sympathy of your honorable council to facilitate my travel and restore my health. So I have come
imploring to be granted a grant from the community fund for my travel, which requires expenses of no less than two hundred
dinars, on the condition that the salaries I am entitled to receive be cut off from the day of my travel until my death, even if I return.
Therefore, I also hope that your honorable council will grant this request of mine as quickly as possible before the expiration of the period
specified regarding the permit I obtained from the government of Palestine. With much gratitude to your Excellency.
Rabbi Abraham Aslan Yehuda
⟦illegible⟧ 25 / 9 / 945
Decided 100 Dinars
⟦illegible⟧
Page 247
His Excellency, the Honorable President of the Physical Council
Presented to your Excellency.
We wish to draw the attention of your High Council to the situation we are in, especially in such
difficult circumstances. We are a group (at ⟦Sheikh Ishaq's house⟧) who are blind, and we wish to tell you
that your High Council has allocated for us an amount of (3.430) Dinars per month, and this amount is distributed
among (22) families residing in Sheikh Ishaq who have no source of livelihood except this meager amount.
All of us are heads of families consisting of ten people and more, so we have nothing left but
to knock on the door of your High Council to look into the matter of our families who are dying of hunger these days.
It is no secret to you that the cost of living has become high and we are unable to satisfy our hunger
which we endure. Therefore, we beg you to look upon this petition of ours with an eye of kindness, mercy, and compassion.
In any case, the matter is entrusted to the esteemed Council. May you remain [in service].
19/2/49
Referred to ⟦...⟧
⟦illegible⟧
The needy and the deserving
Page 248
Baghdad ⟦...⟧ 3/2 43
To the Honorable President of the Administrative Committee of the Jewish Community in Baghdad, may he live
Baghdad
Pleasant greetings...
As a member of the Charity Committee and as a Charity Warden
I hereby inform your honors that on March 14 of this year I was at the slaughterhouse
from the time of the slaughter of the large animals at approximately 11:30 PM until
the end of the slaughter at approximately 10:00 AM, and I saw the order and cleanliness
in the aforementioned place. And after the inspection of the animals by the expert inspectors
the ritual slaughterers began to mark the meat with the special marks of the community
using colored stamps and also using special seals for each and every part
of the meat permitted for consumption, and all this was done before the eyes of the public. And I also saw
the officials appointed on behalf of the community who were standing guard
from the beginning until the end and supervising every single thing with extreme care
and everything goes smoothly in a fine arrangement and complete cleanliness and there is no concern
of mixing non-kosher meat with kosher meat, God forbid. And to this I have signed
With great respect
Moshe ⟦...⟧
Charity Committee
Baghdad
Administration of the Jewish Community
71
2 / 6 / 946
Page 249
23 June 946
Mr. Daoud Saleh Cohen
The Council has reviewed your petition dated 3 / 6 / 946 regarding the request to increase your salary and decided after deliberation
to inform you of its regret for its inability to meet your request given that the financial situation of the Council does not allow for that
at the present time.
Rauf ⟦...⟧
The President
⟦illegible⟧
6/24
The Accountant ⟦...⟧
64
Page 250
For the archive
Accountants and Retirees
20
His Excellency, the Honorable President of the Physical Council
After greetings and respect
I hope to inform your Excellency that the late Yusuf Lawi, one of the retirees,
passed away on Friday, corresponding to 12/13/1946.
I request your order regarding the date you assign for cutting off his salary.
With much gratitude and respect to your Excellency
⟦signature⟧
Accountant
Affairs
It was decided to cut off the salary starting
from 12/21/46 ⟦...⟧
⟦signature⟧
12/21/46
For filing
⟦signature⟧
⟦stamp⟧