Correspondence, Receipts, Budget Information from the Baghdadi Jewish Community
View interactive document pageThese 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.
Association for the Relief of the Poor General Headquarters Baghdad Number: 298 Date: 28 / 1 / 1946 To the Honorable Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri The Administrative Board of the Association for the Relief of the Poor will meet on Thursday January 31, 1946, in the office of the Director General of Agriculture at ten o'clock in the morning. We hope for your kind attendance. ⟦illegible⟧ The Secretary
Committee Support for the Orphans of the 1941 Incidents Baghdad Number Date: 28 / 1 / 1946 Presidency of the Jewish Community Baghdad Special Number 126 Date: 28 / 1 / 1946 His Eminence, the Honorable President of the Jewish Community Baghdad After greetings and respect. Our committee has decided to hold an evening party (Ball) at the Al-Rafidain Club building, the proceeds of which will be allocated for the benefit of the orphans, on the evening of Tuesday, February 26, 1946, at eight o'clock PM. As for the number of tickets, it is 150 tickets for a lady and a gentleman, the value of each being one Dinar, and 50 tickets for an additional lady, the value of each being a quarter of a Dinar. I would be grateful if Your Eminence would kindly contact the competent authorities to obtain the necessary permit. To Your Eminence, much thanks and respect. Sincerely ⟦illegible⟧ Honorary Secretary
8602 28 January 946 Secretariat of the Capital Baghdad The Committee for the Support of Orphans of the June 1941 Incidents intends to hold an evening party (Ball) at the Al-Rafidain Club building, the proceeds of which will be allocated to the orphans' organization, on the evening of Tuesday, February 26, 946, at eight o'clock in the evening. As for the number of tickets, it is (150) tickets for a gentleman and a lady, the value of each ticket is one dinar, and 50 tickets for an additional lady, the value of each is a quarter of a dinar. I hope you will kindly grant us the necessary license for this, and we also request that this party be exempted from the stamp duty, and we thank you. ⟦illegible⟧ 1/28 Sincerely, Head of the Community This transaction requires a stamp. ⟦illegible⟧
28 / 7 232 Riyals in 86 We received from you By payment (Separately) an amount of 132 gold liras was credited to him, and they received an amount of Rabi'ah 15 Rabi'ah, and when these were sold, as we received some of their amount, we weighted one hundred and a quarter Qirsh For settlement. Credited to our account is less than what Rabi 362 in Lira 26 is correct, is that so? In the interest of the old girls, what can be called a donation to others (551) Rabi'ah is the general interest of the girls In cash, which is its balance also, the amount credited to it is what is called a donation to others 550 with the interest of the girls This tomorrow, and from it to whom, when it was divided as in its core 12 for reduction and entitlement Yahya On 26 Tishreen I, year 1345 AH Yahya Division of Al-Ma'ali Yahya 12 / 7 ⟦signature⟧ On the paper as a whole, perhaps it is ⟦illegible⟧ No god
12 Iraqi Government Ministry of Supply Directorate General of Imported Materials "Textiles Division (B)" ⟦mm⟧ Number: 2754 Date: 2 / 2 / 46 Subject - Regarding shroud fabric ⟦line⟧ To / Presidency of the Israelite Community With reference to your letter numbered 8594 and dated 23 / 1 / 1946. We regret that there is no quantity of muslin or cotton cloth available with this directorate and we only have white raw cloth. . ⟦signature⟧ Acting Director General of Imported Materials Presidency of the Israelite Community Received Special No. 441 Date 2 / 2 / 46 A. A.
8618 Servant of the Shrouds 1 February 946 Directorate of General Imported Goods Reference to your letter numbered 2752 and dated 1/29/946 In view of the association's urgent need, please supply it with wide white poplin or white calico or any other available type due to the urgent need for it to handle matters at the present time. ⟦signature⟧ 2/1 On behalf of the Head of the Community To be filed 1/2
Telegraph 1 Number ⟦line⟧ Inland Telegram "A" Outgoing Inland Telegram Telegram sent to Hour Minute Time Signature of Sending Official Issuing Office Word Count Fee Date Administrative Instructions Nothing to be written by sender above this line. . لا يكتب شيء من قبل المرسل فوق هذا السطر Iraqi Posts and Telegraphs Administration To :: His Excellency Mr. Mustafa Al-Omari, the Honorable Mosul Baghdad Your loss of the late daughter of blessed memory pained me greatly and cut my heart I offer sincere condolences to your Excellency, praying to the Creator to cover the deceased with His full mercy and satisfaction Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri President of the Israelite Community Name الاسم: Signature التوقيع: Address العنوان: Not to be telegraphed The telegram on the back of this form Not to be telegraphed This telegram is sent according to conditions on reverse. The sender of the telegram must observe paragraph three written on the back of this form To. How 1/2
8527 9 December 945 His Excellency Mr. Abdul Hamid Rifat, Director General of the Interior, the Respected My dear Abdul Hamid Bey A group of zealous individuals submitted a request to the esteemed Ministry of Interior to obtain permission to form an association named (The Israeli Jewish Orphan Charitable Association) The gentlemen requesting the establishment of this association have undertaken to realize this noble charitable project under the guidance and assistance of the responsible bodies in the community who entrusted them with the matter of caring for male and female orphans, and they accepted with good will this sacrifice which requires much effort and time. Many orphans are looking forward with great eyes to what this association will do to rescue them from the loneliness into which fate has cast them, and since I know that your Excellency carries within you mercy for these weak ones and a tendency to encourage those working to aid them, I saw fit to write this letter to your Excellency and to recommend goodness for this association which deserves to receive your kind sympathy, so that you may graciously order the implementation of all possible facilities in the process of granting permission for its formation. Please accept, your Excellency, the highest thanks and further respect from the sincere His Eminence the Rabbi ⟦signature⟧ Head of the Community For signature ⟦...⟧ Summary of the conditions under which internal telegrams are accepted 1 - This telegram is sent in accordance with the internal telegraph regulations published in the Iraqi Post and Telegraph Guide. 2 - The Iraqi Post and Telegraph Administration shall not be responsible for delay, error, loss, or damage that may occur to the telegram, including non-transmission or non-delivery, during transmission or distribution. 3 - The sender of the telegram must record in the space provided on the left side of the address on the face of the form the indication under which they wish to send the telegram, such as "Urgent," or that the reply fee is prepaid. If the telegram is for the interest of the Iraqi government, the word (Official) is recorded. 4 - The Iraqi Post and Telegraph Administration has the right to refuse acceptance of the telegram, and it also has the right ⟦...⟧ to not send it even if it had been accepted for transmission or distribution. In this case, the fee is returned to the sender upon submission of a request for it. 5 - Requests related to the recovery of fees and all complaints about telegrams are submitted to the General Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs in Baghdad. 6 - To prevent errors, this telegram is written carefully and clearly. Conditions on which Inland Telegrams are accepted. 1. This telegram shall be forwarded in accordance with the Inland Telegraph Rules, published in the 'Iraq Post and Telegraph Guide. 2. The Administration of Posts and Telegraphs, 'Iraq, shall not be liable to make compensation for any delay, error, loss, injury or damage arising from omission, non-transmission or non-delivery of the telegram. 3. The sender may write the instructions in the space provided at the left side of the address, on the face of this form, such as Urgent, Reply Paid, or State of on 'Iraq Government Service. 4. The Administration of Posts and Telegraphs, 'Iraq, may decline to accept the telegram. It may also decline to forward it although it has been booked. In such case the amount paid for transmission shall be refunded to the sender on application. 5. Complaints and applications for refund should be addressed to the Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs, Baghdad. 6. To prevent mistakes this telegram must be legibly written. ⟦2/1⟧
11 February 946 The African and Eastern (Near East) Company Limited Baghdad After greetings and respect, Please be so kind as to supply us with a suitable quantity of the cigarettes available with you given our urgent need for them, as we consume large quantities of them during the meetings of various sectarian councils and committees. With much gratitude to you. ⟦Sasson⟧ Head of the Community ⟦illegible⟧ 11/2
Mutasarrifate of Baghdad Province Properties Number ⟦200⟧ Date 1 / 1 / 1946 Provincial Land Registry Directorate Subject / Granting ownership of a piece of land to the Israelite Community We confirm our letter numbered 17526 and dated 6 / 11 / 1945 and request a response to it as quickly as possible. ⟦illegible⟧ Mutasarrif of Baghdad Province A copy of it to: - Ministry of Finance, with reference to its letter numbered 11885 and dated 25 / 12 / 945 for information. Head of the Israelite Community to follow up with the Baghdad Provincial Land Registry Office to complete the subdivision transaction.
8695 February 17, 946 Directorate General of Local Products Baghdad Please instruct the delivery of the soap quantity for the month of February allocated to the employees of the Jewish community, totaling 399 (three hundred and ninety-nine), to the named Salman Shaoul, an employee in this department. ⟦illegible⟧ 2/17 Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧ 8592 17 January 946 22 Directorate General of Local Products Baghdad Please instruct the delivery of the soap quantity for the month of January allocated to the employees of the Israelite community, numbering 399 (three hundred and ninety-nine), to the individual Salman Shaul, an employee in this department. ⟦signature⟧ 1/14 Head of the Community
8549 ⟦illegible⟧ 23 December 945 General Directorate of Local Supplies Baghdad Please instruct to deliver the quantity of soap for the month of December allocated to the employees of the Jewish community, numbering 399 (three hundred and ninety-nine), to the person named Salman Shaul, employed in this office. This number has increased by ten persons over last month due to the appointment of new employees in the schools. ⟦signature⟧ 12/21 On behalf of the Head of the Community ⟦12/22⟧
Number 2 Outgoing Inland Telegram Inland Telegram "A" Iraqi Post and Telegraph Administration Number: Telegram Type: Sent To: Time: Hour: Minute: Issuing Office: Signature of Dispatching Clerk: Date: Administrative Instructions :: Word Count: Fee: ⟦line⟧ Nothing to be written by sender above this line. To :-: His Eminence Hujjat al-Islam Abu al-Hasan al-Isfahani To: Karbala Your loss in the passing of your late brother pained me greatly and saddened my heart. I offer my sincere condolences to your Eminence, praying to the Creator, the Almighty, to cover the dear departed with His mercy and pleasure. Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri Head of the Israelite Community Name: Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri Signature: ⟦signature⟧ Address: Head of the Israelite Community - Baghdad The sender of the telegram must observe the third paragraph written on the back of this form. This telegram is sent according to conditions on reverse.
Summary of the conditions under which internal telegrams are accepted 1 - This telegram is sent according to the internal telegraph regulations published in the Iraqi Post and Telegraph Guide. 2 - The Iraqi Post and Telegraph Administration shall not be responsible for the delay, error, loss, and damage that may occur to the telegram from its non-transmission or non-delivery or sending or distribution. 3 - The sender of the telegram must write in the space provided on the left side of the address on the face of the form the indication under which they wish to send the telegram, such as urgent, or that the fee for its reply is paid in advance. But if the telegram is in the interest of the Iraqi government, the word (Official) is written. 4 - The Iraqi Post and Telegraph Administration has the right to refuse to register the telegram, and it also has the right not to send it even if it has been registered for transmission or distribution, and in this case its fee is returned to the sender upon submitting a request for that. 5 - Requests related to the recovery of fees and all complaints about telegrams are submitted to the General Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs in Baghdad. 6 - To prevent errors, this telegram is written carefully and clearly. Conditions on which Inland Telegrams are accepted. 1. This telegram shall be forwarded in accordance with the Inland Telegraph Rules, published in the 'Iraq Post and Telegraph Guide. 2. The Administration of Posts and Telegraphs, 'Iraq, shall not be liable to make compensation for any delay, error, loss, injury or damage arising from omission, non-transmission or non-delivery of the telegram. 3. The sender may write the instructions in the space provided at the left side of the address, on the face of this form, such as Urgent, Reply Paid, or State of on 'Iraq Government Service. 4. The Administration of Posts and Telegraphs, 'Iraq, may decline to accept the telegram. It may also decline to forward it although it has been booked. In such case the amount paid for transmission shall be refunded to the sender on application. 5. Complaints and applications for refund should be addressed to the Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs, Baghdad. 6. To prevent mistakes this telegram must be legibly written. ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
The Honorable Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri President of the Israelite Community Baghdad I extend to your high station and your spiritual fatherhood the sincerest greetings and best wishes. Furthermore, the bearer of my letter to you is one of the best young men I know, and he is distinguished, along with his refined character, by his mastery of the work he performs and his ability to fulfill his duties. He wishes to transfer from the department of (Directorate of Municipalities) to the General Directorate of Telegraph and Post. Since your obeyed command and your represented indication to His Excellency Salim Bey Fawzi, Inspector of General Post and Telegraph, is what will fulfill the hopes of this active young man and secure the future of his large family, it is hoped that he be assisted as required by your fatherly station. In conclusion, please accept the highest respect. Director of the Religious Scientific School and Secretary of Fatwa in Balad District ⟦illegible⟧ 24 Safar 1365 Under Number 269
An Appeal I direct my appeal to all those with living consciences to assist the Ozrei Dalim Association on the occasion of Passover to provide matzah and rice for the poor. The high prices and increasing poverty make the mission of the association in these difficult circumstances harder than it was in past years, and it therefore awaits the resolve of the honorable members of the community and their assistance and zeal to complete this great charitable project. The amounts we need this year are estimated at three times what was spent last year, and our hope is firm that the generous public appreciates the efforts of the association and supports it, and God is the Granter of success. Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri Head of the Israelite Community in Baghdad, March 10, 1943 Note We ask the honorable donors to send their donations to one of the gentlemen listed whose names are below. Ibrahim Shohet | Salman Ezra Shahrabani | Ishaq Gori Youssef Yehuda Nissan | Youssef Heskel | Yamin Aslan | Elias Aqayreb
144 Telegram 9 Incoming internal telegram Department stamp Number: 4 Type of telegram: Time of registration: 1840 Arrived at hour: 19 Minute: From: ⟦Baghdad⟧ Received by: ⟦illegible⟧ Word count: 22 Administrative instructions: Date: 5/5 Issuing department: ⟦Baghdad⟧ To the Head of the Jewish Community in Baghdad We thank you and the Jewish community for your warm condolences on our painful loss of our dear departed ⟦illegible⟧ May God reward you and protect you from all harm The ⟦illegible⟧
ELIAS DABBY ARCHITECT 17 SHAMMASH BUILDING RASHID ST., BAGHDAD. Elias Dabby Architect Shammash Building No. 17 Rashid Street Baghdad Telephone 7419 Residence 4522 Baghdad, ⟦line⟧ 195 Baghdad (Iraq) Respectable Secretary of the Presidency of the Jewish Community - Baghdad - I kindly request the printing and signing of the letter listed below by the Presidency of the Jewish Community and its submission to the Directorate of the Baghdad Land Registry, after deliberation with the Honorary Secretary of the Jewish Cemeteries Committee, Mr. Yusuf Yehuda. With thanks and respect: Note: Please send a copy of the letter to the address mentioned above or contact me by telephone to follow up on the case. The Architect Elias Dabby ⟦illegible⟧ His Excellency, the Respectable Director of the Baghdad Land Registry After greetings We kindly request the dispatch of an engineer to fix the boundaries of the Jewish cemetery. With much gratitude, Presidency of the Jewish Community 726 122 ⟦illegible⟧
February 26, 946 Excellency, Director of the Land Registry of Baghdad Province, Respected Greetings, I kindly request the favor of sending an engineer to fix the boundaries of the Jewish Cemetery, sequence 326 - 142, Al-Koolat neighborhood. With many thanks and highest respect. ⟦illegible⟧ 2/26 Sassoon Head of the Community To be sent with the messenger to the engineer Mr. Elias Dabi with the extra copy 2/28 ⟦illegible⟧ 2/28
February 20, 946 His Excellency, the General Director of Imported Goods, Respectfully Baghdad After greetings and respect Enclosed is the original letter received ⟦by⟧ us from the Dorshei Torah Society regarding a request to provide them with forty yards of wide satin to clothe ten poor students. This religious society aims to raise spiritual men from the poor class <del>And given my knowledge</del> and given my knowledge of the sympathy Your Excellency holds for these poor people, I have seen fit to entreat you to fulfill this request Please accept, Your Excellency, my utmost thanks in advance. ⟦illegible⟧ 2/20 Sincerely Head of the Community