Voices from the Archive

IJA 3081

Correspondence, Receipts, Budget Information from the Baghdadi Jewish Community

Description

These are documents from the Baghdadi Jewish Community. They contain correspondence regarding marriages, divorces, civil disputes; the birthday celebrations of the Iraqi king, responses to inquires about the treatment of Iraqi Jews under Iraq’s citizenship laws, the history of Jews in Iraq, and the provision of Jewish artifacts to the Iraqi Museum. There are receipts for furniture stores and other vendors, invoices; budget allocations, deficits, and planning for various community organizations and institutions; ritual slaughtering administration, names of butchers with the numbers of animals slaughtered, names of community organization members, ledgers of payments for goods or fees, building plans, provisions for school children, concerns over hospital food distribution, blanket distribution to the poor, receptions, meetings, shipment orders, import and export of goods, the care of orphans, and a census on the number of synagogues in Baghdad in 1945 (40). There are copies of a printed text titled “Appeal to Save the Children.” Letters include: the President of the Jewish Community to the Controller of Foodstuffs in Baghdad thanking the Controller for the allotment of sugar and tea for the students at the Rahel Shamoon School; addressing complaints at the Meir Elias Hospital in Baghdad; purchasing blankets for the poor via the Poor Welfare Society; sending money rather than clothes from an importer in New York City to the poor in Baghdad since clothing costs have gone up.

Metadata

Archive Reference: IJA 3081
Item Number: 6316
Date: Approx. January 1, 1931 to December 31, 1940
Languages: Multiple Languages
Keywords: Passover, Shamash Secondary School, Burial Society, Mosul, Iraqi Government, Jewish Charitable Society Press, Hakham Sassoon Khedouri, Butcher, Torah, Synagogues Commission, Midrash Talmud Torah, Invoice, Mayor of Baghdad, King Faisal School, Chief Rabbi, Office of Public Health, Marriage, Budget, Soviet Union, Ministry of Finance, Annotation, Menashy Saleh School, Employment, Synagogue, Charity, Contract, Ezra Menahem Daniel, Baghdadi Jewish Community, Directorate General of Antiques, Fragments, Crown Crest, Jewish Law, Ministry of Supply, Paris, Ministry of Social Affairs, Iranian Bank, Imports, Association of Helping the Poor, Divorce Certificate, Iraqi Red Crescent Society, Handwritten, Travel, Midrash, Telegram, Jewish Religious Court, Rahel Shamoon School, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Teachers, Deed, Form, Thumbprint, Iraq State Railways, Legal, Ink Stamp, Engineering, Jewish Orphans Charity, Jewish Life, Postage Stamp, President of the Jewish Community, Department of Passport and Nationality, Personal Letterhead, Office of Income Tax, Chart, Financial, Judeo-Arabic, Cairo, Revenue Stamp, Ledger, Department of Posts & Telegraphs, Typed, Citizenship Laws, Jewish Cemetery, Department of Imports and Exports, Office of Telephone Administration, New York, British Embassy, Meir Elias Hospital, Death Certificate, Labor, Jewish Lay Council, Ḥevrah Ḳadishah, Egypt, Dorshe Tora Society, Benjamin Moshi, Receipt, Charitable Sewing Society for Girls, Jewish Hospitals Committee, Jewish Schools Committee

AI en Translation, Pages 26-50

Page 26

112
JEWISH CHARITABLE
SOCIETY PRESS,
BAGHDAD
ESTABLISHED
1929
Press of the Jewish Charitable Association
Baghdad
Press of the Jewish Charitable Association
in Baghdad
Under the Takia No. 32/115
Established in the year 1929
Dated, Date ⟦7/8/⟧
To the Presidency of the Jewish Community
Regarding the statement of the list of publications printed for your account as follows:-
Anna | Rupee | Type of Publications | Number | Remarks
|  | Pages of official chicken slaughter registers | 140 | Register
|  | Only eighty-eight registers and seventy ⟦...⟧ | 6 | 6 X
|  | Please accept our many thanks |  |
The Signature
⟦signature⟧

Page 27

Chief Rabbi of the City of
Baghdad, may G-d protect it
Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Hakham Moshi
CHIEF RABBI
BENJAMIN H. MOSHI
Baghdad
Number 222
Date September 11, 1944
Mr. Isaac L. Hakham Nissim George L. Simah
Their uncle L. Abraham L. Isaac L. Samuel, of blessed memory
Respect to my brothers
We signed your son-in-law's ketubah on the 23rd of Elul ⟦...⟧
Therefore make peace for Rahamim Kahalway on Wednesday ⟦...⟧ (day of the greatness of
Isaac and his L. Samuel Al-Jazayir official groom on that day L. Menachem Chen and not
further and his love and will are as your strength
⟦illegible signature⟧
2022
1944/12/20

Page 28

Wedding ⟦f⟧ees for ⟦A⟧braham ⟦I⟧saac ⟦M⟧enashe ⟦M⟧auzal with ⟦R⟧achel daughter of ⟦E⟧zra
⟦A⟧braham ⟦E⟧zra ⟦M⟧l ⟦A⟧braham ⟦S⟧hmuel ⟦E⟧zra ⟦N⟧achum ⟦a⟧nd saw ⟦s⟧ince
⟦W⟧hy ⟦d⟧id ⟦h⟧e ⟦n⟧ot ⟦g⟧ive ⟦t⟧he ⟦s⟧urplus ⟦t⟧o ⟦t⟧he ⟦c⟧harity ⟦t⟧reasurer ⟦a⟧nd ⟦o⟧n ⟦t⟧his ⟦i⟧t ⟦w⟧as ⟦v⟧ery
⟦A⟧nd ⟦w⟧e ⟦h⟧ave ⟦M⟧auzal ⟦a⟧nd ⟦w⟧e ⟦r⟧equest ⟦t⟧o ⟦a⟧rrange ⟦t⟧he ⟦m⟧atter ⟦a⟧ccording ⟦t⟧o ⟦o⟧ur ⟦c⟧ustom
⟦A⟧nd ⟦t⟧he ⟦m⟧atter ⟦s⟧hall ⟦b⟧e ⟦a⟧ ⟦m⟧erit ⟦b⟧efore ⟦o⟧ur ⟦G⟧od ⟦a⟧nd ⟦m⟧ay ⟦i⟧t ⟦b⟧e ⟦H⟧is ⟦w⟧ill ⟦A⟧men
⟦E⟧zra ⟦M⟧enashe  ⟦E⟧zra ⟦M⟧enashe ⟦M⟧elamed  ⟦A⟧braham ⟦S⟧asson
⟦Y⟧osef ⟦C⟧hayyim  ⟦Y⟧osef ⟦C⟧hayyim ⟦M⟧elamed  ⟦I⟧saac ⟦M⟧enashe
⟦Y⟧osef ⟦C⟧hayyim  ⟦Y⟧osef ⟦C⟧hayyim ⟦M⟧elamed  ⟦I⟧saac ⟦M⟧enashe
⟦Y⟧osef ⟦C⟧hayyim  ⟦Y⟧osef ⟦C⟧hayyim ⟦M⟧elamed  ⟦I⟧saac ⟦M⟧enashe
⟦B⟧urial ⟦S⟧ociety
⟦B⟧aghdad
Yousef Hatem
Nassim
⟦I⟧saac ⟦M⟧enashe
⟦E⟧zra ⟦M⟧enashe

Page 30

Chief Rabbi of the holy congregation
Baghdad, may God protect it
Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Hakham Moshi
CHIEF RABBI
BENJAMIN H. MOSHI
Baghdad
Number 205
Date 8 / 1 / 1945
His Honor Hakham Sasson Kadoorie, may his light shine
Head of the holy congregation, may God protect it
May your crown shine
I am submitting to your honor a copy of a letter I received from Mr. ⟦...⟧ registered
To the will and desire of the pure, strong, good-eyed, kind, and charitable, as per his will and your honor's will
The servant of God, all our desire is for mercy, a wonder and matter from day to day that your honor's will, God forbid, with all your strength.
Life to the King, and His Majesty wrote to him of our holy honor's kindness through the slaughterers
Therefore, may your honor bestow mercy upon his acceptance and portion, and if he adds to him, and he has our honor's money
For the slaughterers will receive from now on according to your will and their will, according to your compassion
Benjamin H. M.

Page 32

Chief Rabbi of Baghdad and Its Districts
Baghdad, May God Protect It
Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Haham Moshi
CHIEF RABBI
BENJAMIN H. MOSHI
Baghdad
Number: 206
Date: 8 / April / 695
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Kosher ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧

Page 34

President of the Israelite Community
Baghdad
9/8/934
Honorable Hakham Bashi, may God protect him
Peace, blessings, and all good forever
After greetings
We hereby inform Your Honor that the matter of the apartment of Mrs. ⟦...⟧
aforementioned, who was living in the Great Beth Midrash, and since the place is very
narrow and we could not keep her there. And so, since a room became vacant
one in the Great Synagogue. A few people entered and settled
the matter and brought her into the aforementioned room and the community agreed to
this, and peace. And we are notifying you. And with this, peace.
The Young One
Ezra Sasson
⟦...⟧
To the Hakham Bashi, may God protect him
We hereby inform Your Honor that the matter of the apartment of Mrs. ⟦...⟧
aforementioned, who was living in the Great Beth Midrash ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧

Page 36

⟦illegible⟧
100
I have received from the administration of the community
The amount written above, totaling one hundred
fils, as the fee for my ⟦desire⟧
to the Baghdad center ⟦and glass⟧ 21/8/944
⟦Cohen Yasi⟧

Page 37

Received from the Committee of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
A sum of ⟦...⟧ two hundred and sixty-eight ⟦...⟧
And this is for the cleaning of the Midrash ⟦...⟧
Sabbath Eve - ⟦...⟧ 50/000 ⟦...⟧
1/200 1/200 ⟦...⟧
Committee of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
Sassoon ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧

Page 38

Fils
200
I have received from the clerk of the community administration
the audit amount of
two hundred fils, as payment for
my supervision of the chicken slaughterers on 7/9/1947
⟦signature⟧

Page 40

Table showing the continuous collection ⟦illegible⟧ to 11/16/934
| Dinar | Fils
8/3/934 Friday | 3 | 056
8/10/934 " | 3 | 165
8/17/934 " | 2 | 959
8/24/934 " | 3 | 262
8/31/934 " | 3 | 632
| 16 | 074
9/7/934 " | 4 | 355
9/14/934 " | 3 | 383
Eve of Arafat Yom Kippur | 13 | 544
9/21/934 Friday | 2 | 896
9/28/934 " | 2 | 430
| 43 | 608
10/5/934 " | 3 | 827
10/12/934 " | 2 | 777
10/19/934 " | 3 | 421
10/26/934 " | 3 | 187
11/2/934 " | 3 | 158
11/9/934 " | 3 | 338
Total slaughter revenues up to 11/9/934 | 63 | 390
Total slaughter revenues | 63 | 390
Deducting the amount spent on the Charity Press, the value of coupons and slaughter monitors | 5 | 015
The remainder of the collected fees up to 11/9/934 | 58 | 375
⟦Payment of the amount⟧

Page 41

The Chief Rabbi of the City
Baghdad, may God protect it
Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Hakham Moshi
CHIEF RABBI
BENJAMIN H. MOSHI
Baghdad
Number: 411
Date: 7 / 5 / 950
⟦...⟧ To the honor of ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
Benjamin H. M.
⟦signature⟧

Page 42

GHT
⟦illegible⟧ in
⟦illegible⟧ borders
⟦illegible⟧ Friday in ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ Karkh side ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ Karrada Al-Sharqiya ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ denial of this
nor from any other side
mentioned, and since no one was sent
appropriate for the council's report on our prevention
Iraq
10 Fils

⟦illegible⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ (⟦...⟧) ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ 5225 ⟦...⟧
Image cannot be separated for photography
for imaging

Page 49

Bail Bond
24
I ................................. residing in the neighborhood of ................................. in the house numbered .................................
his job ................................. attended the Al-Shorja Police Station and pledged to appear at the station or
the Criminal Court of ................................. to answer the charge against me according to Article .................................
and if I violate that, I shall be subject to legal punishment and to paying a fine of ................................. Dinars
to the government treasury.
Date ⟦441⟧ Signature of the accused .................................
I ⟦Elias Daoud⟧ residing in the neighborhood of ⟦Sabah Allah⟧ in the house numbered .................................
his job ................................. attended the Al-Shorja Police Station and declared myself a guarantor for the person
whose name is mentioned above, to ensure they appear at the police station or the Criminal Court of ⟦Baghdad⟧ to answer the charge
against them, and if I violate that or fail to bring them when requested, I shall be obligated to pay the bail amount
of ................................. Dinars to the government treasury.
Date ................................. Signature of the guarantor .................................