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 326-350

Page 326

Amanat al-Asima (Municipality of the Capital)
Number
- Administration -
⟦logo: Amanat al-Asima⟧
Date: March 946
Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
Subject - Balu Party Account
Please return the unused tickets along with a statement of income and expenses
regarding the Balu party held by you at the Al-Rafidain Club on the evening of 26 / 2 /
946 according to our statement No. 30 dated 5 / 2 / 946 for the purpose of auditing the account
and publishing the result in the Official Gazette, and to confirm to us that the collected amounts
have been deposited in the bank, stating the name of the bank and the date of deposit.
⟦signature⟧
Mayor of the Capital
Presidency of the Jewish Community
217
7 / 3 / 1946
Anwar
M 4 / 5 / 38

Page 327

Menashy Saleh School - Baghdad
Established in 1935
Telephone Number 5583
Number: 221
Date: 1/17/46
Presidency of the Jewish Community
⟦...⟧
Number ⟦...⟧ 117
Date 1/17/46
Subject: Request
His Excellency the President of the Jewish Community
His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, Respected
After greetings
I request your mediation with the Directorate of General Engineering Supplies
to provide us with 2 steel beams of type (4 x 8) length 16
feet 262 kg to install them under the roof of the
sixth grade room, which is leaning, in order to remove the danger according to
the report of the engineer Mr. Abdul Nabi Shamoun Gabbai
dated 1/9/46, as you will find attached the necessary
forms after being filled out
With respect
Menashy Saleh School - Baghdad
MENASHY SALEH SCHOOL - BAGHDAD
Menashe Saleh - Baghdad
⟦signature⟧

Page 328

858
January 14, 1946
Directorate General of Engineering Supplies
Baghdad
The Director of Manshi Saleh Primary School for Boys has requested mediation with
your respected directorate to supply the aforementioned school with two (2) steel beams of the type
(4 x 8) length 16 feet weight 262 kg to be installed under the ceiling of the sixth grade
classroom, which is slanting, to remove the danger threatening the building according to the form
attached herewith. Please grant the request due to the urgent necessity. With thanks.
⟦illegible⟧
1/14
For/ Head of the Community

Page 329

Menashi Saleh School - Baghdad
Established in 1935
Telephone Number 5583
Number: 254
Date: 28 / 7 / 1946
Subject: Interceding to supply us with five hundred kilos of cement
His Eminence, Head of the Jewish Community
His Eminence Rabbi Sasson Khadhuri, the respected
Greetings and respect,
Please intercede with the Directorate of Engineering
Supplies to provide us with five hundred kilos of cement
in order to build a wall under the roof of the sixth grade,
as the building is prone to collapse, according to the advice of
the engineer Mr. Abdul Nabi Shamoun, to remove the danger.
Respectfully yours,
Menashi Saleh School
MENASHI SALEH SCHOOL
⟦illegible⟧
Baghdad
⟦signature⟧

Page 330

8599
28 January 1946
Directorate of General Engineering Supplies
Baghdad
Further to our letter No. 8580 dated 14 / January 946
The principal of Kadoorie Saleh Elementary School for Boys has requested mediation with
your respected directorate to supply the mentioned school with five hundred kilos of cement
for the purpose of building a wall under the ceiling of the sixth grade because the structure is prone to collapse
per the recommendation of the engineer Mr. Abdul Nabi Shamoun to remove the danger
threatening the building according to the attached form
Please fulfill the request due to the urgent necessity, with our thanks.
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
Attachments: Form
⟦illegible⟧

Page 331

Hebra Kadisha Society / Baghdad
HEBRA KADISHA / BAGHDAD
HEBRA KADISHA SOCIETY / Baghdad
No.:
Date: 1-25-1946
The Honorable President of the Israelite Community
We inform you that this society is the one responsible for the shrouding of all the deceased in
Baghdad and its suburbs, and therefore we request you to inform the people in the city of Al-Diwaniyah
that every dead person or deceased or otherwise in his name occurred according to ⟦...⟧
as we are able and we are in dire need of such, and please accept our highest respect
Presidency of the Israelite Community
Baghdad
No. 125
Date 1/27/1946
⟦illegible circular stamp⟧

Page 332

8594
23 January 946
General Directorate of Imported Goods
Baghdad
The Hebra Qadisha Society, which performs the shrouding of the dead of the Jewish community
in Baghdad, is in urgent need of one hundred bolts of muslin or cotton fabric immediately
for this purpose. Therefore, we request that you grant them a permit for this quantity. Respectfully.
⟦illegible⟧
1/28
Head of the Community

Page 333

Capital Secretariat
– The Administration –
Number ⟦...⟧
Rabi' al-Thani 365
March 946
Statement No. ( 63 )
Further to our statement numbered 30 and dated 5 / 2 / 946
The net proceeds of the ball ceremony held by the presidency of the Israelite community
in Baghdad at the Al-Rafidain Club building on the evening of 26 / 2 / 946 amounted to 107/205 Dinars
The amount has been deposited with Al-Rafidain Bank to be spent on the poor of the aforementioned community.
⟦signature⟧
Mayor of the Capital
Copy to –
Ministry of Social Affairs – for your kind information
General Directorate of Propaganda – please publish it in the Official Gazette
Baghdad Provincial Governorate
Baghdad Provincial Police Directorate
Presidency of the Israelite Community in Baghdad – with reference to its letter numbered 769 and dated 7 / 3 / 946
The unspent ⟦returned⟧ returned tickets have been destroyed
4 / 5 / 38
14

Page 334

8699
7 March 1946
157
His Excellency the Respected General Director of Engineering Equipment
Greetings,
Please order the supply of one hundred and fifty-eight pieces of iron (I-beams)
at fifteen tons for the purpose of constructing the Masuda Shemtov School in
Al-Batawin, according to the blueprints, the Municipality of the Capital permit, and the attached form.
Please fulfill the request due to urgent necessity. Respectfully yours.
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community

Page 336

1
To -
Secretariat of the Capital
Baghdad
With reference to your statement No. 30 dated February 20, 1946.
We list below a statement of income and expenses for the ball held at the Al-Rafidain Club
on Tuesday evening, 26/2/1946, for the benefit of the Orphan Support Committee, noting that the profit
net has been deposited in the Rafidain Bank.
Expenses | Income
Fils Dinar | | Fils Dinar |
22/050 | Band fee | 150/000 | Value of 150 tickets of one dinar category
3/755 | Secretariat of the Capital tax | 12/500 | " " 50 " " " quarter "
8/000 | Gratuities for servants | |
4/140 | Band expenses | |
2/840 | Decoration expenses | |
8/600 | Printed materials | |
1/500 | Chairs | |
4/500 | Returned tickets | |
55/295 | | |
107/205 | Net profit | |
162/500 | | 162/500 |
Enclosed you will find 14 tickets of quarter-dinar denomination along with
one ⟦category⟧ of one dinar, unused.
⟦signature⟧

Page 339

10/16/1945
Directorate General of Imported Property
Permits and Import Department
Baghdad
The Hebra Qadisha Society, which provides preparation, shrouding, and burial of the deceased from
the members of the Israelite community, is in need of importing one thousand (1000) lengths
of Azzi muslin (56) from India. I kindly ask you to grant them a permit (quota)
for this quantity. Respectfully,
⟦...⟧
President of the Community

Page 340

Ministry of Supply
General Directorate of Imported Funds
"Departments of Import and Licenses"
Number / ⟦line⟧
Date / / 11 / 1945
27
To 7 - Presidency of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
With reference to your letter numbered 8434 and dated 10/16/1945.
The committee has considered your request contained in your letter above to import a quantity of muslin from
India for shrouding the dead and decided to reject it because cotton fabrics must be imported by
previous importers, and burial societies must obtain their requirements from imported goods
through the Textile Controller.
Acting General Director of Imported Funds.
2
11 / 19 / 1945
⟦illegible⟧
14 / ⟦illegible⟧

Page 341

Import of Muslin
14 Wash
To the Honorable President of the Hebra Kadisha Association
We send you below a copy of the letter from the Directorate General of Imported Goods
Numbered 40 and dated 11/8/945 for your information on its content.
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
⟦line⟧
Reference to your letter numbered 4348 and dated 10/16/945
The committee discussed your request contained in your letter above regarding the import of a quantity
of muslin from India for shrouding the deceased and decided to reject it because cotton fabrics
are only imported by former importers, and burial associations must
obtain their needs of imported goods through the Textiles Controller.
Director General of Imported Goods