AI en Translation, Pages 1-25
Page 2
The Court of Justice in the Holy City
Baghdad, may God protect it
The Israeli Spiritual Court in Baghdad
JEWISH RELIGIOUS COURT
BAGHDAD
No.: / ⟦illegible⟧
Date: 7 Nisan 22
Year: 5692
Testimony that took place before us in the court signed below
⟦illegible⟧
Came before us ⟦illegible⟧ son of ⟦illegible⟧ and said to us: be witnesses for me
and acquire from me from now ⟦illegible⟧ that I admit before you in the court
signed below ⟦illegible⟧ from all ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
May he rest in peace ⟦illegible⟧
May he rest in peace ⟦illegible⟧
May his name be preserved ⟦illegible⟧ 22
Page 3
8172 / 69
11 Rabi' al-Thani 352 and 2 August 933
Plaintiff - Sabiha bint Yusuf
Defendant - Elisha Eliyahu
Since the defendant, Elisha Eliyahu, divorced his wife named Sabiha bint Yusuf on August 4, 5693
(Hebrew), a decision was issued by the Israelite Religious Court in Baghdad to annul the notification against the defendant
Elisha, mentioned above, effective from the sixth day of the month of Tammuz 5693 (Hebrew), corresponding to the thirtieth day of
the month of June 933 (Gregorian).
⟦If⟧
Page 4
The Religious Court of Justice in the Holy City
Baghdad, May God Protect It
Jewish Spiritual Court in Baghdad
JEWISH RELIGIOUS COURT
BAGHDAD
No: 522
Date: 7 Adar II 5697
Year: 5697
To the attention of
The Honorable Judges of the Religious Court of Justice in Baghdad
In the matter of ⟦...⟧
I submit this my request to our Master, Your Excellencies, my name is David
⟦...⟧ my name is ⟦...⟧ Cohen and I ⟦...⟧ received a divorce document ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
82 / 711
669 b 6 c 656 ⟦illegible⟧ 11
Short Pfortschu - recorded it
With it Laba and things - their Lord crushed them
6235 b a 3 and in its purification short Pfortschu for the heaven of these two your neck religion with it Laba and things Jileh their Lord n k as for
Recorded by their Lord and with it our departure with it all 121 his dialect what is most famous for her saying to 12 its registration checking it any with it split (restriction)
ne visited Kasha and Aaron thin together (restriction) 6235 Zibha where he blew in the sky and in it that for his surprise with it Laba and things
• (Stay as he is) 669 n له نه b-
⟦illegible⟧
Page 5
70 / 1174
11 Rabi' al-Thani 352 and 2 August 933
Plaintiff - Daoud Salman Halawiyah
Defendant - Hanina daughter of Ibrahim
The plaintiff Daoud Salman Halawiyah, who was ordered to pay alimony,
approached the Jewish Religious Court in Baghdad regarding his wife, the defendant Hanina daughter of Ibrahim, in the amount of 1650 fils (one dinar and six hundred and fifty fils)
monthly, requesting a reduction in the amount of alimony he is required to pay to his wife in view of his financial hardship.
After the court verified the validity of the claim of the aforementioned plaintiff Daoud son of Salman, it ruled to reduce the alimony
that he owes to his wife to one and a quarter dinars per month, effective from the thirtieth day of the month of July
in the year 1933.
⟦signature⟧
Page 6
The Court of Justice in the Holy City
Baghdad, may God protect it
Jewish Religious Court in Baghdad
JEWISH RELIGIOUS COURT
BAGHDAD
No: 728
Date: 11 Av ⟦...⟧
Year: 569
92
Ma'ale Nahum son of Avraham son of Saleh son of Shuaik
May we live and be comforted
Indeed Nahy (Nahi) (has already given) a verdict on Sunday the 24th of Nisan in the year
5669 in the Court of Justice here in Baghdad, may God protect it, between me and Mrs.
Noni daughter of Yosef and afterwards the aforementioned verdict was upheld
By the aforementioned Rabbis and also I was not sued and was not found liable
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
11 / 7 / 57
662 B 663 and 656 and 657 P 11
We had a statement - our balance
And it is for me waiting for its receipt - for his leg our balance
15 Gold Lira we had a statement of our balance what was established in our word until 17 July 1861 our balance and instead
053 Gold Lira we have received from Mr. Li relation procedures of its receipt for his leg our balance so the interest of those was decided
Our Rial his money a year of interest considering fifty Rials per hundred amount in our hand we received so it appeared liquidation for your owner Liras
We received until our day today and considering that we have an interest statement of our balance this hundred of our aforementioned balance that we
In the house of interest our balance and this is that for the start of the date the aforementioned two Liras aforementioned interest debtor debtor
0 6631 has
⟦illegible⟧
Page 7
Art Metal
Steel Office Furniture
LONDON SW1
Steel furniture for commercial offices
Drawers, cupboards, tables, card cabinets in various sizes
STEEL OFFICE FURNITURE :-
Filing Cabinets, Cupboards, Desks,
Typewriter Tables, Card Index Cabinets, Etc.
SAMI E. CHITAYAT | SAMI CHITAYAT
Khan Majid Mulla Hassan | Khan Majid Mulla Hassan
Al - Rashid St. ( Near Sefafir ) | Al - Rashid St. ( Near Sefafir )
Baghdad, Tel. 85296 | Baghdad Telephone 85296
⟦illegible⟧
⟦48⟧
Page 8
Sami Ezra Chitayat
Al-Rashid Street, 216 Khan Majid Mulla Hassan
SAMI E. CHITAYAT
Telephone No. 85296
Debit Note No. ⟦...⟧
Baghdad ⟦20/4/55⟧
⟦Mir Elias Hospital⟧ Baghdad
Qty | Particulars | Rate | ID. | Fils | I. D. | Fils
1 | One iron cabinet with three shelves with a lock and two keys with one additional shelf | | | | 26 | 000
| Twenty-six dinars only | | | | 26 | 000
Sami Chitayat
⟦...⟧
20/4/55
Goods received in good order. . Received the materials mentioned above free of any defect
Page 9
Baghdad on December 22, 1933
His Excellency the President of the respected Lay Council
After greetings and respect
Upon the request of your esteemed council, our committee met in the administration of the community at four o'clock
on the afternoon of Thursday the 21st of this month, and after auditing the budget organized by the previous Lay Council
for the year 33 / 934 and studying the amendments made to it by the committee appointed by the esteemed
General Council submitted in the booklet dated December 6, 33, our committee has decided the following:
1) Acceptance of the budget as amended by the aforementioned committee.
2) Considering October 1, 1933, as the start of its implementation.
3) Considering that nearly a third of the school year has passed, we suggest abandoning the idea of ⟦opening⟧ King
Faisal School. If the esteemed council agrees to cancel this school, it will have saved 160/- Dinars
for the council's fund and 300 Dinars for the Midrash schools fund. These three hundred Dinars
shall be added to the allocations of the Midrash schools instead of the amount listed in the school budget revenues
under the name of the Midrash's share of the Nuriel endowment revenues. However, whenever the ⟦...⟧ school
requires the use of the aforementioned share in its entirety or part of it, the council shall deduct
its entitlement from the allocations.
4) Although it has appeared to us that the expenses of Shamash School have increased by what our committee estimated at one hundred D⟦...⟧
annually, on the occasion of opening a new secondary class for students graduating from Raj⟦...⟧,
Shahmoon, and Al-Wataniya schools, as well as 24 Dinars for Al-Karam School, which is the salary of teacher Naji Effendi ⟦B...⟧
whom the previous council appointed after organizing the budget to give 14 lessons in the aforementioned school
at a salary of two Dinars per month, these expenses and others will not exceed the amou⟦...⟧ ⟦for the...⟧
from cancelling the opening of a new school.
5) We have learned that among the committees that receive allocations in the budg⟦...⟧
⟦council⟧ until now, there may be some among them that are not in ne⟦...⟧
⟦for the...⟧ ⟦...⟧ the council's subsidies for the committees in the ⟦...⟧
⟦by⟧ ⟦...⟧ its need for the subsidy.
Respect
Page 10
2496
25 October 1933
Budget Chapters and Sections
Secret
Very Urgent
Honorable Head of the Jewish Community
After greetings and respect
Article 16 of the Jewish Community Regulation No. 36 of the year 931 mentioned the two words
"Chapters" and "Sections", so we request that you kindly direct a question to the Ministry of Justice
regarding the meaning of each of these two words.
Our communal structures - as is not hidden from your honor - consist of:
(1) Office of the Head of the Community
(2) Administration of the Spiritual Council
(3) Schools
(4) Hospitals
(5) Slaughterhouse Administration
(6) Administration for Pensioners and the Needy
(7) Administration of the Yeshivot
⟦...⟧ for each of these administrations
Page 12
Head of the Community
His Excellency, the respected Head of the Israelite Community
After greetings and respect,
After studying the proposals submitted to our Council by the committee it formed to reconsider the budget for the year 33/934, which was submitted by the previous Secular Council to the General Council, our Council decided in its session held on December 26, 1934:
( 1 ) Acceptance of the aforementioned budget as amended by the committee appointed by the General Council, which was submitted to the referred Council in the pamphlet dated December 6, 1933, and accepting October 1, 933 as the starting date for its implementation, after making the following amendments to it:
( 2 ) Deleting the budget for the King Faisal School in view of the impossibility of opening this school after a third of the school year has passed, and distributing the amount of 459 Dinars and 256 Fils as follows:
Fils | Dinar |
0 | 300 | Added to the allocations for the Midrash schools instead of the amount listed in the revenues section thereof under the name of the Midrash from the revenues of the Nuriel endowments)
0 | 95 | Added to the allocations for the Shamash School, which is the cost of opening a new secondary class for students graduating from the Rachel Shahmoon and National schools
0 | 24 | Added to the allocations for the Al-Karam School, which is the total salary of a teacher for teaching 14 lessons per week with a salary of two Dinars per month, appointed by the Council after the organization of the ⟦...⟧
256 | 40 | To the surplus
Page 13
Based on the invitation of His Excellency the President of the Community, the Israeli General Council held its meeting
at six o'clock in the evening on Sunday, May 13, 934, and based on the attendance of twenty-seven
members whose names are recorded in the special register, a quorum was considered present regarding
the articles related to paying off the deficit and creating fees, which are being presented to the Council for the second time
And they are: ⟦line⟧
1- Increasing the fees of the Ketuboth (marriage contracts) from half to one percent, and this increase shall be
revenues for the community fund.
2- Imposing a fee on the slaughter of chickens of two fils per single chicken, one fil for the slaughterer and one fil
to the community fund.
After long deliberation regarding the increase and creation of fees, the Council found that the deficit
overwhelming the community fund almost hinders the administrative process on one hand, and it is also fair and just
that accumulated claims be paid to creditors, including rabbis, employees, slaughterers, and Muslims,
so they may devote themselves to performing their duties with peace of mind on the other hand.
Furthermore, the rise and fall of the Gabelle commitment prices, which is the sole resource for the community, was and still is
threatening the budget with a deficit and creating confusion in the community's financial course whenever a drop in the price
of the Gabelle and expenses occurs, an issue for which the time has come for the community to think about finding other financial resources that alleviate
the gravity of the situation when such a drop occurs. Besides this, the community at the present time
has become in need of numerous projects and many reforms consistent with the demands of the present era, and for these projects
and reforms, sufficient resources must be found that give the responsible councils a free hand in implementing reforms
and carrying out projects. Accordingly, the first article concerning the Ketuboth fees was put to a vote
by name-calling, and seventeen members approved it. Then a vote was taken on the second article
concerning chicken fees, and twenty-three members approved it. Accordingly, the session was adjourned !!
Baghdad on May 27, 934
⟦illegible⟧
The Secretary
Page 15
and reproduction in step with the progress of time. Interest in education, for example, is increasing
widely, while schools are overcrowded with students in a way that has begun to hinder the course of teaching and prevent
all the required benefit from it, in addition to the fact that they do not comply with health conditions. What is said about schools
can be said about the rest of the institutions and organizations, which it has become necessary, necessary
to expand and organize in a way that ensures the satisfaction of the public interest, and this would
require an increase in expenditures, not a reduction of them. Saying otherwise means preventing
the natural progress of the community and denying this evolution in life, which has become tangible
in all aspects.
When examining the second part, the Council had to follow one of the following paths:
A) Creating new revenues by imposing a direct tax on the members of the community, each according to
his wealth, following the example of other Israeli communities in the world.
B) Collecting fees for services provided by the community administration to individuals, such as imposing fees
on lawsuits filed in religious courts, imposing fees on circumcision, attestation of
certificates, and the like.
C) Unifying the Gabelle fee.
Upon discussing the first proposal, the Council found that adopting it has become an urgent necessity
that cannot be avoided, as the community's reliance on a single source to manage its affairs, which is
the Gabelle source, is a point of criticism from an economic standpoint, since reaping revenues from
a single source exposes the community's institutions to the danger of dissolution in the event of a disruption in this
source or its interruption due to any unforeseen emergency. Besides this, the Gabelle contract value
is by its nature unstable and does not settle on one state; it rises suddenly and falls suddenly according to market
changes, and this instability is followed by instability in the budget and confusion with a bad effect on
the financial situation, the effects of which we see clearly at the present time.
⟦...⟧ for adopting this proposal there are two difficulties:
⟦...⟧ that its sudden application on individuals is an impossible matter at the present time given that
⟦...⟧ is not yet accustomed to paying direct taxes. Also, it requires
⟦...⟧ and formations that do not exist at the present time.
⟦...⟧ it, even if gradually, does not meet the current need for money
⟦...⟧ being searched for.
⟦...⟧ necessity of taking preliminary measures to implement this proposal in a way
⟦...⟧ that it becomes, over time, a source that can be relied upon, so it will
⟦...⟧ overlap this source little by little, shrinking from the other side
⟦...⟧ to paying the salaries of the Shochetim only. And it must take
⟦...⟧ of time:
In ⟦...⟧
Achieving ⟦...⟧
Page 16
As for imposing fees for the services provided by the community administration to individuals, although it is
legitimate in principle, research has found that the revenues it can provide are
not worth mentioning and cannot, in any case, be useful in addressing the current situation.
There remains the increase in the Gabellah fee, which is currently ten fils per kilogram of
Kosher meat; the Council found that the same amount was being collected on Kosher meat in
the period before <del>the General War</del> ⟦approximately twenty years ago⟧ as well, and it has remained as it is despite the rise in prices, the high cost of living, and the rise in
the standard of living as a result of the economic development that swept the world after the mentioned ⟦International⟧ War. For this reason,
standardizing it to 15 fils at the minimum (an increase of five fils per kilogram) cannot
be considered a significant increase. This increase will be temporary and can be lifted after paying off
the debts and organizing a budget that is more secure for the public interest.
At the same time, the preparation of the necessary records and ledgers to implement the direct tax
discussed previously will begin, and then all possible methods will be pursued gradually to make it acceptable, familiar,
and fair, so that the Gabellah fees can eventually be dispensed with, as we mentioned before.
Therefore, we request Your Excellency to kindly invite the esteemed General Council to meet in an
extraordinary session to consider our submissions urgently and to decide on our proposal as you see most conducive to the public
interest.
With respect to Your Excellency,
President of the Lay Council
Page 17
Date: January 28, 1937
Office of the Hacham Bashi
Of the Mosaic Community in Baghdad
To the Honorable and Distinguished Notable
Greetings and respect,
I request the favor of your presence at the Community Administration at four
thirty PM on Thursday, January 30, 1937, to discuss
one of the important matters.
Please accept the assurances of my highest respect,
Head of the Community
Page 18
⟦204⟧
Chicken Commitment
19 May 936
His Excellency the respected President of the Lay Council
Despite making the announcement in the churches, no one attended to participate in the poultry fees auction
except for one person who offered a very low price and stipulated conditions that cannot be accepted, therefore it was necessary to present
the matter to Your Excellency;
On behalf of
The Head of the Community
501
Page 19
The committee's notes to the honorable presidency
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
To facilitate
The honorable President of the Israelite community
After greetings and respect, it is not hidden from your Excellency that the Audit Committee
In its report dated November 5, 1935, published with the budget of our Council for the year
1935/1936, has clearly shown that the deficit in the community fund until the end of
March 1936 will be (4322/112 Dinars). It is also known to your Excellency
that this deficit is a product of the years preceding the date of the election of this Council, and
this deficit was originally nearly double this amount, but it decreased as a result of
the economy which was strictly observed in expenditures, and this was also helped by the increase in the value of
the tanning contract in the last two years.
And since it is customary for the effect of this deficit to appear at the end of the fiscal year,
the Council did not have the necessary money to pay the salaries and allowances for the month of January,
and it will also not be able to pay the salaries and allowances for the months of February and March 1936.
Under these circumstances, the Council had to borrow the money necessary to pay these
salaries, but it found that this process is nothing more than a sedative that cannot treat the financial
situation decisively. From one side, and from the other side, it found that the tanning contract
and the vintners, which will be put up for auction at the beginning of next April, cannot be contracted for the same
current value, and it is thought, or rather certain, that the decrease in the price of bitter orange will have a significant
impact on the contract value, and thus the current deficit will rise to six thousand Dinars or more.
When investigating how it might be possible to avoid this deficit, the Council had to follow
one of the two following paths:-
1) Reducing expenses
2) Increasing revenues
As for the first part, it involves:
a) Either reducing employees' salaries
b) Or canceling some of the existing institutions
As for employees' salaries, their level is very low to an extent that calls for compassion toward the
employees who receive them. Although among these is a significant number who deserve promotion, several
salary reductions have taken place during the last ten years specifically under various
circumstances, so thinking about reducing salaries again is considered by the Council to be contrary to the spirit of justice
and compassion.
As for canceling some institutions, this also cannot be explained, especially when we find
that these institutions themselves barely meet the needs of the community, which has begun to expand
Page 20
The Iraqi Government
Ministry of Justice
Please refer to
General Number
Section: Drafting
General Number: 1/19/1/18
Special Number:
Telegraphic Address: Justice
Date: 24 Rabi' al-Awwal 1353
AD Date: 26 June 1934
( Urgent )
Subject Summary:
Presidency of the Jewish Community
With reference to your letter numbered 3750 and dated 30/ May/ 1934 and its enclosure, a copy of
the decision of the General Council held on 11/ May/ 1934.
Based on the valid reasons stated in the aforementioned decision, which includes the deficit's acquisition
over the community's fund, which necessitated looking into increasing the community's resources to bridge this
deficit, and given the approval of the majority of the General Council to address this deficit by increasing the fee
on ((Ketubot)) marriage contracts from a half to one percent and imposing a fee on the slaughter of chickens
at two fils per single chicken, one fils of which is for the slaughterer and the second for the community fund, and based on
this decision being joined by written approval from the Spiritual Council including its approval for the religious
provisions, therefore it was decided to approve this decision based on the provisions of the second paragraph
of Article 18 of the Jewish Community Regulation No. 36 of the year 1931, and so I inform you
of that.
On behalf of
Minister of Justice
Presidency of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
No. 2282
Date 10/ 4/ 934
89
Keep ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
Page 21
JEWISH LAY ⟦COUNCIL⟧
BAGHDAD
Telephone No. 531
Administration of the Lay Council
of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Telephone Number 531
No. / Number :: 2244
Date / Date :: 18 July 934
Subject / Summary of the Topic:
His Excellency the President of the Jewish Community, Respected
His Eminence the President of the Religious Court, Respected
His Eminence Rabbi Sasson Ezra Is-haq
Member of the Sharia Court of Cassation, Respected
After greetings and respect
Our council has decided to task you with studying the issue of chicken fees and proposing all means that
you see fit for the collection of these fees for the treasury and to kindly submit these proposals
to us at the earliest opportunity
With high respect
⟦illegible⟧
President
Presidency of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Private Number 2410
Date 19 / 7 / 934
209
Page 22
Presidency of the Jewish Community
Presidency of the Jewish Community - Baghdad
PRESIDENT OF
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY - BAGHDAD
Baghdad
Number :: 901
Date :: 26 August 1934
Subject:
Their Eminences the President and Members of the Spiritual Council
To Their Excellencies the President and Members of the Lay Council, the Respected
After greetings and respect
I hope to invite you to kindly attend the Community Administration at
six-thirty in the evening of Monday (tomorrow) 27 / 8 / 1934 to hold a joint session of
the Spiritual and Lay Councils to deliberate together on the issue of chicken slaughter fees;
May you remain in respect
Alwi
President of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
Page 23
< 428 >
September 14, 934
⟦illegible⟧
His Eminence, the President of the Honorable Spiritual Council
After greetings and respect,
I hope to inform your esteemed council that the chicken slaughterer Yusuf Sabih
has not yet paid any amount of the chicken slaughter fees to the community fund, therefore
I entrust the matter to the esteemed Spiritual Council to take the necessary measures and inform us
of the result as soon as possible;
On behalf of
The Head of the Community
\ \ \
Page 24
2996
1 November 934
⟦illegible⟧
His Eminence the President of the Spiritual Council, the respected
After greetings and respect
It is not hidden from Your Eminence that the chicken slaughtering fees were introduced to improve the finances of
the community and to cover the deficit prevailing in its fund. Your Eminence is also aware of the procrastination
of some slaughterers and their concealment of a portion of the fees, and how the various measures taken
in this regard have been of no use, considering that your Spiritual Council is the sole authority
over these slaughterers.
Therefore, I saw fit to remind you of this duty which falls upon the esteemed Council, and how
it is responsible for the disobedience of some slaughterers, the procrastination of others, and the concealment by some
of a portion of the fees. Accordingly, I attach herewith a list of the names of these slaughterers, hoping that your Council
will not hesitate in taking the necessary measures against them.
Ezra
Head of the Community
109
Page 25
D M M
361 Rabi' al-Thani, Year 1
To the respected and honorable Mr. Salih Effendi
And his brother Salih Effendi, the respected ones
We have received from you eight hundred and forty-four Ottoman gold liras and a half, and no
more than that, from the hands of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, according to your bond dated the 15th of it, for the amount of eight
hundred and forty-four Ottoman gold liras and a half, and no more, and that is for the price of the wheat
purchased from you according to the contract drawn up between us and you, dated the 15th of it
as per this bond
There remains in our liability to you an amount of one hundred Ottoman gold liras, no more
And we have pledged to pay it to you upon the arrival of the mentioned wheat to our warehouses in Baghdad
And upon its arrival, we will return this bond to you and receive from you a receipt for the mentioned amount, and by that
the full payment of the price mentioned in the above-mentioned contract will be completed, and no more
On behalf of
Al-Salman and Brothers Company