Correspondence among Jewish Community Committees – Financial Matters, Salaries, Budgets
View interactive document pageThis 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.
June 1930 His Eminence, President of the Tomchei Torah Society, the Respected Enclosed you will find a true copy of the report submitted by the Education Committee on March 15, 927 to the former Lay Council, which is the only one our department was able to find in its files - Sincerely yours; ⟦...⟧ the Head Abraham ⟦...⟧ Acting Hakham Bashi Aslan Yehuda Baghdad ACTING HAKHAM BASHI RABBI ABR. ASLAN BAGHDAD Baghdad, May God Protect It Tomchei Torah N. M.
2/1168 June 5, 1930 His Eminence, the President of the Tomchei Torah Association, the Respected 1) This department has not found in its files any decision by the Finance Committee regarding this matter 2) The former Lay Council did not take a decision on this matter but rather approved the allocations for your committee within the 1927-1928 budget directly and considered the implementation of this budget starting from December 1927. ⟦Chief Rabbi in Baghdad⟧ BAGHDAD Baghdad Acting Hakham Bashi in Baghdad ⟦signature⟧ Acting Hakham Bashi N. M. 0621 Snipe N Aboneh <del>⟦illegible⟧ cheap medicines Qoushar Sail has been</del> By reaching the sky, its snipe once reached its peak, for it has a neck that guides its foolishness to the path Ru Sha'a its eye corrects the neck 17 riyals, its health sent it 8 riyals for 5/0 in which In its following that - for the lightning of this riyal, its foolishness reached its peak for the following that was completed Jewish Community Council Baghdad JEWISH COMMUNITY COUNCIL BAGHDAD and Justice Committee of ⟦illegible⟧ and Finance Number ⟦illegible⟧ Date ⟦illegible⟧ BAGHDAD ⟦illegible⟧ W.N
895 1/5/1931 Reduction of your association's allocations Respected Tomchei Torah Association Due to the distress prevailing over the community fund, our council decided in its session held on January 4, 1931, to reduce the amount of one hundred and twenty-five rupees (125) per month from the allocations of your respected association, starting from the first of January 1931. A copy of it to the accountant for information N. M. The President ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
TOMKHE TORA SOCIETY חברת תומכי תורה Tomkhe Tora Society BAGHDAD בגדאד Baghdad 18 ⟦Av⟧ 510 Baghdad, ⟦line⟧ Baghdad ⟦line⟧ 691 ⟦Kanun⟧ 8 ⟦Kanun⟧ 921 To the honorable R.M. Ezra Daniel Shamroukh After the greetings We inform you of our presence in your place 895 ⟦Kanun⟧ 5 ⟦Kanun⟧ 921 In Tishrei 2 we have read before the words according to what the holy M. said to us Salem R.M. Rahamim Hezekiah Ezra and with him was Isaac Thousand thousand thousand what you leave for the thousand what you give us already We received from the letter correct from the thousand we have read from the M. M. to Murad M. and likewise M. M. the day it will be M. To M. and M. M. to the Master: The males the males in Tishrei 2 receipts of tithes tithes of the M. The males in we read to the M. M. in them the M. we inform you To and already in the M. upon the M. M. to Abdullah Mercy of the holy M. Tomkhe Tora Society - Baghdad S T Y Y Tomkhe Tora Society Baghdad - 1344 TOMKHE TORA SOCIETY, BAGHDAD Administration of the Lay Council - Baghdad: Number: 852 Date: 22 / 1 / 921 File Number: Tomkhe Tora
Administration of the Lay Council of the Jewish Community Baghdad Lay Council * Baghdad JEWISH LAY COUNCIL BAGHDAD No. 1341 Date: 18 / 9 / 1931 Subject: Circular to all community institutions Tomchei Torah Association In view of the financial distress, our council decided in its session held on 17 September 1931 to reduce the salaries and allowances of all employees of the Jewish community as follows:- 1) 10% reduction from the first fifty rupees of the salary 2) " " 20% from " " second " " " 3) " " 25% from " " third " " " 4) " " 30% from " " fourth and above The reduction shown above applies to the salaries of the clergy and the Shochtim as well As for those whose salaries were reduced among these during the current year, the reduction above shall be applied to the salaries they were receiving before the first reduction took effect President of the Lay Council
TOMKHE TORA SOCIETY BAGHDAD Tomkhe Tora Society Baghdad Tomkhe Tora Society Baghdad Baghdad, November 18, 1931 No. 22 His Excellency, the Respected President of the Lay Council Greetings and respect. With reference to your letter No. 1534 dated 11/16/31 The general order notified to us on 9/18/31 under No. 1341 included the reduction of salaries that the society was receiving before the first reduction was applied. Based on the financial distress overtaking the community's fund, our society accepted this reduction rate with all welcome, even though it is very insolvent in its revenues due to their scarcity. However, reducing these allocations to 220 rupees, unlike other institutions or employees, puts us in severe hardship that necessitates the termination of this vital project which was established with care. No doubt your esteemed council appreciates the importance of this project and its immense benefits; therefore, please reconsider the aforementioned decision and restore the allocations according to the general order to facilitate the continuation of this project. With much respect. President of the Tomkhe Tora Society Hakham Shlomo Moshe Shaul Laniado ⟦handwritten signature⟧ Tomkhe Tora Society - Baghdad Tomkhe Tora Society - Baghdad TOMKHE TORA SOCIETY, BAGHDAD
1572 13/12/1931 Tomchei Torah Society Reference to your letter No. 32 dated November 18, 1931 Our council decided on 8/12/1931 that the allocation for your society shall be two hundred and eighty rupees per month starting from October 1931 ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ The President
1649 2/23/1932 Tomchei Torah Association Our council, in its session held on 2/22/1932, decided to deduct an amount of seventy rupees from your association's allocations and pay it to Rabbi Moshe son of Rabbi Heskel Saleh within the salaries of the Yeshivot rabbis, for the salary he used to receive from your association, given that the aforementioned rabbi has joined the ranks of the Yeshivot rabbis and there is no longer any reason for him to receive his salary from your association, effective from January of the year 1932. ⟦illegible⟧ The President ⟦line⟧ A copy of it to the accountant for information 2751 16/11/1961 Minors Care Committee 1961 decided in its session held on 18 and according to decision 66 the right of transfer and the rest as such And approval was obtained in the session of 16/11/1961 in the settlement for his delivery N A 631 acknowledged in its session held in Baghdad for the minor heir of the heirs of Haj Razouqi to him ⟦signature⟧ 29/ ⟦illegible⟧ Head of the Authority
The Israeli Lay Council Baghdad Number 2496 Date July 4, 1945 His Eminence the President of the Tomchei Torah Association, Respected After greetings Since the goal of your association is to raise and educate spiritual men, and due to the Council's desire to study this subject and establish sound foundations to reach this goal, our Council is ready to cooperate closely with your association in this field. In view of the approaching organization of the new budget, our Council decided in its meeting held on the 3rd of this month to request your Eminence to provide it with the following information: 1- What are your suggestions derived from your experiences over the past many years to reach an improvement of the current situation regarding the refinement and education of clergymen for the future 2- Give a general idea of the work of your association, its accounts, and its endowments so that the Council is provided with the necessary information when discussing the project 3- A detailed statement of revenues and expenditures for the last year 4- A statement of the names of the graduated students and the names of the students studying under your association at the present time and the names of their teachers 5- The study curriculum followed by you in detail We are in firm hope that your association will take interest in this movement and benefit from it to expand and organize its efforts, and our hope is that your answer arrives before the end of the current month so that the Council can take the necessary measures in a timely manner, and it pains me to be forced to say that the Council in the event that your answer is not received on time, may be forced to strike your association's allocations from the budget to decide on spending them in the manner it deems more guaranteed to achieve the public interest And stay well ⟦illegible⟧ President of the Council A copy of it to His Excellency the President of the Israeli Community, Respected, for information
2189 27 February 939 To the Vice President of the Dorshei Torah Society, Baghdad After greetings, Reference to your letter dated 15 January 939 We have not received the details of your society's accounts until now, and this is a cause for surprise. Therefore, it is necessary to emphasize to you the need to submit the required details to us with all speed, as per our letter No. 3164 dated 23 December 938. If there is no one to extract the accounts from the ledgers, we request that you submit them immediately so that our council's accountant can extract the required information from them; ⟦signature⟧ Vice President
12/7 PM 363 on the night of 76 In it mentioned ⟦twenty-four⟧ quintals of wool, old merchandise Value of the wool 363 Austrian Riyals for the 51 mentioned sacks, Riyals in 151 The white sacks 17 Riyals, the total is confiscated for him from 17 Rubiteh and its correction for his son is one Rubiteh in it ⟦Due⟧ to the Zion Company ⟦...⟧ Riyals because it is older for the account, Riyals for so-and-so ⟦...⟧ Riyals according to the attached list Those names ⟦...⟧ Riyals in receipt ⟦...⟧ Riyals in ⟦...⟧ Riyals 863 Riyals in fellowship 66 in liter 3216 The value of the sacks he did not deliver ⟦...⟧ you did not receive it from him due to non-fulfillment, as he has ⟦...⟧ from ⟦...⟧ in that merchandise In the ship ⟦...⟧ And the servant confirmed it for him
2168 8 January 939 The Honorable Mr. Shua Sassoon Vice President of the Dorshei Torah Society, Respected Further to our letter No. 3164 dated 23 December 938 We have not yet received a reply to our aforementioned letter, and the Council regrets being forced to confirm its letter to you a second time, awaiting your reply as soon as possible, ⟦illegible⟧ Vice President
2164 23 December 1938 The Honorable Mr. Shua Sassoon Vice President of the Dorshei Torah Society, Respected After greetings and respect, We request that you provide us as quickly as possible with the details of the income and expenditure account of the society for the last year and a copy of the ledger balance at the end of the year, including a statement and details of the sources of all income, and the type, number, and location of each property belonging to your society, along with the amount of yield from each of them. Also, a detailed statement of the names of the persons who receive salaries from the society and the amount of the salary that each of them receives. For your information, we remind you that it is necessary to provide the Lay Council with these accounts and information based on its responsibility specified in the laws and regulations of the community; ⟦illegible⟧ Vice President
The Chief Rabbi of Iraq Baghdad, May God Protect It Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Hakham Moshi CHIEF RABBI BENJAMIN H. MOSHI BAGHDAD Number: 748 Date: 20 / November / 949 To the Honorable and Respected Mr. Sassoon Khedhouri Baghdad Based on your letter number 2156 dated November 14, 1949 The Spiritual Council has approved in its session held on Monday, November 14, 1949, the appointment of Mr. Sassoon Saleh . Clerk in the Council . with the following salary: An amount of 8 Dinars (eight dinars) from the date of November 20, 1949, provided that this amount is distributed between the Spiritual Council and the Sharia Court equally. Benjamin Moshi ⟦signature⟧
2256 29 November 938 The Honorable President of the Israelite Community in Baghdad The Honorable His Eminence the Chief Rabbi After greetings and respect There is a society by the name of Dorshei Torah Society that collects subscription amounts and donations from members of the community, and since the Lay Council, according to Article 21 of the Community Regulation No. 36 of the year 1931, is tasked with supervising the income and expenditure accounts of such societies, we request that you provide us as quickly as possible with the following: 1) The names of the president and members of the aforementioned society so that the Council can contact them directly 2) The names of the persons who receive salaries from the income of this society; Vice President
Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad Telephone Number 531 Number :: 5268 Date :: 4 January 938 Subject :: His Excellency the Respected President of the Lay Council Reference to your postscript on the letter of His Eminence the President of the Spiritual Council No. 696 dated 29 Adar (A) 5698 regarding the Zakhut Harim allocations The intent of the expression (legally) mentioned in the letter is that cutting these allocations is not permissible religiously, and it is clear that as long as this fatwa is issued by the Spiritual Council, there is no doubt that it is based on Jewish Law, LF ⟦illegible⟧ President of the Community
The Spiritual Committee of the Jewish Community Baghdad, may God protect it The Israeli Spiritual Council in Baghdad Number: 696 Date: 29 July 948 Managers of the United Charity and Relief Committee Honorable Managers Your letter dated 24/7/48 No. 1210/1 regarding the salary increase for your employees. We hereby inform you that the committee, in its meeting on 28/7/48, decided to approve the proposed increase by you starting from 1/7/48, provided that this increase is considered a cost-of-living allowance and not an increase in the basic salary, and provided that this increase does not exceed the amount of 2000 fils per month for each employee. With great respect and thanks, the United Spiritual and Administrative Committee Spiritual Committee Baghdad The Accountant Referred to His Excellency the Head of the Community to kindly express his opinion on the intended meaning of the word (legally) mentioned in this book and whether there is in the Israeli law anything that prohibits cutting the <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> cost-of-living allowances ⟦...⟧ 10 August 948 ⟦signature⟧ Vice President
2 - The Council has reviewed the course of correspondence that took place between it and the Tomchei Torah Association which included a copy of the accounts of the aforementioned association and a copy of its annual budget, expenditures, and revenues as stated in the letter received from the President of the Association No. 70 dated January 26, 1939 The Council noted from Table No. 4 attached to the aforementioned letter that there are only seven rabbis receiving salaries from the aforementioned association, so it was not known whether the aforementioned were students or teachers A question was directed to the aforementioned association under No. 3179 dated January 25, 1939, inquiring whether the aforementioned were teachers, then who are the students of the association, and if these were the students then who are the teachers? The association replied under No. 71 and dated January 27, 1939, that the seven aforementioned rabbis are constantly persevering in expanding their religious knowledge in the Yeshiva of the late Meir Eliyahu. From this, it became clear to the Council that the association spends all of its revenues on this number of rabbis only, a matter which, in the Council's view, does not warrant continuing to pay the allocations earmarked for the association in the budget, amounting to one hundred and seventy dinars and one hundred fils in addition to its revenues, especially in view of the financial situation <del>that</del> which the community fund is going through Therefore, it has decided to reduce the aforementioned allocations to eighty-five dinars per year only, to be spent for the association in the budget year 38 / 939 currently presented for approval before the General Council provided that the General Council submits this decision to it for approval and amendment of the budget accordingly after deliberation on the subject. ⟦Correct⟧
2185 13 February 939 To the Honorable Head of the Israelite Community Further to our letter No. 3174 dated 9 / 1 / 939 I attach herewith a copy of the resolution taken by the Lay Council in its session held on 9 February 939 regarding the allocations for the Tomchei Torah Association, requesting it be presented to the Honorable General Council along with the budget; ⟦illegible⟧ Vice President
177 January 16, 1939 The Honorable Mr. Sassoon Haron President of the Tomchei Torah Association, Respected After greetings, Reference to your letter No. 69 dated 1/11/1939 We thank you very much for the information you sent us regarding the accounts of your association, and it has occurred to us to clarify the following points from you, requesting that you kindly provide answers to them: 1) You did not indicate on the copy of the balance sheet of your association's account book printed on pages 2 and 3 the date it was extracted from the book. 2) We requested in our letter No. 3155 dated November 29, 1938, the details of the account of the association's revenues and expenditures for the last year, while your respected association sent us on pages 4 and 5 the annual budget statement. We now request you to kindly send the accounts that we requested, provided they include the revenues and expenditures of your association actually realized for the last fiscal year, meaning the year ending at the end of March 1938 (if your fiscal year begins on the first of April of each year) and at the end of September 1938 (if your fiscal year begins on the first of October of each year). 3) We noticed that the sources of your association's revenues mentioned in the annual budget are four: the first source is subscriptions and donations, the second is the allocations of the Communal Council, the third is the Alliance allocations, and the fourth is property revenues. Meanwhile, we found in reviewing the book balance sheet that only two of these four sources are recorded in the book under two sections, namely the section of subscription revenues and the section of property revenues. As for the Communal Council allocations and the Alliance allocations, we did not find a section for them in the book balance sheet, and we do not know how these revenues—meaning the Council and Alliance allocations—were recorded in your book. We request you to enlighten us on that. Furthermore, since your account books are ready now, I request you to take the details from them and send them to us quickly. Please accept our thanks in advance; ⟦illegible⟧ Vice President
Baghdad 8 December 938 His Excellency the President of the Respectable Lay Council Statement of rice and bread purchases for distribution to the poor on Passover Fils | Dinar | Purchase of loaves as follows 575 | 15 | From Abboudi Nassim 13,000 loaves at price 11/750 and porterage 300 fils ⟦illegible⟧ | 12 | " " " 10,000 " at price 11/750 and porterage 250 fils 610 | 11 | " " " 9,876 " /12 net without porterage and surface | | 200 loaves 185 | 39 | Fils | Dinar | Purchase of rice as follows 237 | 52 | Rice 36 bags for weight 49 price 14 Rupees | | Expenses 180 | | Handling 36 bags price 5 fils 350 | | Sifting weight 50 price 7 fils 570 | | Porterage from the warehouse to the machine and back to the Midrash 100 | 1 | 337 | 53 | Fils | Dinar | Deducting sales as follows 337 | " | Daka from 3 price 6 Rupees 375 | " | Daka weight and jarack 7 306 | " | 18 sacks price 17 fils 210 | " | 15 sacks price 14 fils 228 | 1 | 109 | 52 | 294 | 91 | Reviewed, ordered to be filed 10/12 Fils | Dinar | Expenses for rice and loaves by Yusuf Hamdaqil 904 | " | Guarding 885 | " | Laborers 500 | " | Purchase of paper envelopes from Darwish House 200 | " | Printing tickets at the Charitable Society 200 | " | " receipts at the Commercial Press 040 | " | Porterage of sacks to Nassim Hayya for disposal 028 | " | 2 Dolkats 757 | 2 | 051 | 94 | 603 | 13 | Cash distribution 649 | 107 | 076 | | Remaining with us in cash 725 | 107 | Total revenues according to what was audited by Secretary Shalom Note: The Daka weight and jarack 3 has not been disposed of until now and its value is 5 Rupees, so if it loses anything, the loss shall be recovered from the remaining 76 fils Darwish Brothers ⟦illegible signature⟧ A copy of it to His Excellency the President of the Respectable Jewish Community
⟦7182⟧ 5 February 939 The Honorable Mr. Sassoon Haron President of the Tomchei Torah Association, Respected After greetings and respect, Further to our letter No. 3179 dated 25 January 939, The Lay Council had decided in its meeting held on 24 January 939 to inquire about the seven rabbis mentioned in Table No. 4 attached to your letter No. 69 dated 11/1/939 as to whether they were students or teachers; if they were teachers, then who are the students of the association, and if these are the students, then who are the teachers. We addressed this inquiry to you in our aforementioned letter and requested that the answer not be delayed beyond the 26th of the same month. As it was our hope that your answer would arrive by the requested date, the Lay Council held its meeting on the evening of the 26th to consider it; however, it was greatly surprised when it found that you had not answered its question, and today is the fifth of February 939 and the expected answer has not reached us. Therefore, we saw fit to remind you for the second time that the Council is still waiting for the answer, so it is hoped that it reaches us quickly. Sincerely. ⟦Mahdi⟧ Vice President 16
The Lay Council of the Jewish Community in Baghdad Telephone Number 531 Subject Summary :: Number :: 3161 Date :: December 13, 1938 His Excellency the President of the Jewish Community, Respectfully After greetings and respect We confirm our letters to your Excellency listed below 1) Letter No. 3144 dated November 17, 1938 regarding the number and names of the synagogues that were expropriated for the purpose of opening King Ghazi Street etc.. 2) Letter No. 3153 dated November 27, 1938 regarding questions about the eligibility of retirees and the needy and their non-eligibility and the customs in place since ancient times regarding them 3) Letter No. 3156 dated November 29, 1938 regarding the names of the president and members of the Dorshei Torah Society and the names of the persons who receive salaries from the revenues of this society It is necessary to draw your Excellency's attention to the fact that the Council does not have any official information about this society which collects donations and subscriptions from members of the community and about how its revenues are spent and other information that the Council must be provided with, hoping you will kindly provide us with answers as quickly as possible to enable the Council to define its responsibilities towards the community and its law. ⟦illegible⟧ Vice President
5229 24 December 938 Filing His Excellency the Vice President of the Lay Council, the Respected After greetings and respect, With reference to your letter No. 3161 dated 13 December 938: 1) Your letter No. 3144 dated 17 November 938 regarding the number and names of the churches that were expropriated for the purpose of opening King Ghazi Street, etc... I referred it on 23/11/38 to His Eminence the President of the Spiritual Council to provide the required information, and I am still awaiting his reply. 2) Your letter No. 3153 dated 27 November 938 regarding questions about the eligibility of retirees and the needy or their lack thereof, and the customs in place since ancient times regarding them, I hope you clarify that I have nothing to add to the answer sent by the venerable Spiritual Council to you, a copy of which was sent to me in this regard. 3) I regret that I do not have the information you requested about the Dorshei Torah Society. Please accept my respect, On behalf of The Head of the Community ⟦red mark⟧