AI English Translation, Pages 201-225
8241
16 May 945
His Excellency the Honorary Secretary of the Save the Children Project, Respected
Child Protection Association - Baghdad
After greetings and respect
We have previously recommended much assistance to the Save the Children project
and I would be very pleased if you would spend these cards without resorting to this department
which is naturally unable to provide such assistance despite its strong
desire to encourage your noble project. We take this opportunity
to offer the Save the Children project a donation of <del>five</del> ten dinars, hoping for its acceptance.
With highest respect to Your Excellency;
Sincerely
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
Miscellaneous
May 20, 945
His Excellency the Minister of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
The Respected
After greetings and much respect
I received with great pleasure your kind invitation to attend the reception
which you are holding on the occasion of Victory Day next Saturday evening, and it is
a cause of my great joy to have the honor of attending this brilliant party
I thank you from the heart; please accept my highest respects;
Sincere
⟦signature⟧
Head of the Community
Miscellaneous
His Excellency the Honorable Minister of Justice Registration No. 9820
45/5/1
7/1/191
Subject:
It is not hidden from Your Excellency that the Jews in Iraq live under the protection of the Constitution, which
stated that Iraqis are equal before the law, and that the esteemed Government of Iraq and Your Excellency continue to care for the interests of
this community and have not distinguished it from the other communities in Iraq; rather, you have even looked upon this community
and the rest of the minority communities with an eye of kindness and compassion, granting them full freedom in their conduct, especially regarding
personal status, and granting their heads judicial powers to decide on disputes that occur between members of the community.
But with all regret, the judicial authority granted to this community has fallen into the hands of persons who lack competence even
in the basic principles of the personal status laws of the community itself, let alone other legal actions.
My Lord, Your Excellency the Minister,
What I say about the ignorance of those who hold judicial authority among the members of our community is supported by reality and the records of
the spiritual councils themselves. Furthermore, I have fallen victim to the misconduct of these persons, as the aforementioned
spiritual council has issued several contradictory decisions and has also used special methods for issuing and notifying decisions
which led to the loss of my rights and placed me in a very critical position. I am but one among the total members of
this community, and I am confident that everyone whose bad luck led them to this spiritual council
has met what I have met, but they remained silent because they do not know or are afraid to say that the spiritual council has wronged me.
My Lord, Your Excellency the Minister,
I submit to Your Excellency this petition of mine so that you may look with the eye of kindness with which you still look upon the members of this
community and put an end to this tampering with the destinies of the members of this community and intervene in organizing the affairs of this
council in terms of the competence of its men and in terms of applying clear legal procedures to organize the workflow of this
council and its actions, and to organize specific court levels where one supervises the other and examines its rulings, as is
the case in the civil courts, as a guarantee for the rights of the members of this community and ⟦your mercy⟧ upon them. With this, remain in respect.
Manager of the Old Gabbai Drug Store
Pharmacist - Korgi Hizqeel Gabbai 27/112
Al-Ma'mun Street
Copy to -
The Council of Ministers Registration No. 2344 - 45/5/1
The Parliament - " " 973 - 45/5/1
Gabbay Drug Store
GABBAY DRUG STORE
No. 365 Bustan El - Khass.
Importers, Exporters. of General Goods
& Commission Agents.
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS :-
"GOURGI GABBAY"
365 BUSTAN - KHASS
Codes { A. B. C. 5th Edition
Bentley's
Baghdad: ⟦line⟧194
⟦line⟧
⟦line⟧
⟦line⟧
⟦illegible⟧
821
27 April 945
His Excellency the Director of Imported Goods, respected
After greetings,
The Girls' Charitable Sewing Association had submitted to your directorate
a request regarding its distribution of fabrics allocated to the female and male students of the schools
of the Israelite community. This request was made with our approval for the following reasons:
1- We rely on those in charge of this institution, and they will carry out the distribution
in a manner that ensures the objective.
2- Our students are located in this area and can be provided with fabrics in a
regular manner according to a special arrangement without this having any impact on lessons
and order. Therefore, we hope you will kindly approve the request of the aforementioned association
due to the public benefit therein.
Please accept the assurances of my highest respect;
Alwan
Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
8218
27 April 945
General Directorate of Local Textiles
Baghdad
⟦line⟧
Your esteemed directorate has previously supplied the employees of the Community Administration and the Israeli
Religious Courts with winter fabrics, similar to other government employees
and private institutions, and we would be most grateful if you would kindly supply them
with summer fabrics at the present time. Attached you will find a list of the names of the employees
along with their salaries.
Sincerely;
On behalf of
Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Jewish Community and its employees | Dinar Fils
Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, President | 50 000
Yousef Lawi, Accountant | 17 000
Eliyahu Menashi, Clerk | 14 000
Moshe Yousef, Typist | 10 000
Shlomo Yousef, Driver | 8 000
Salman Shaul, Attendant | 5 500
Shaul Yaqub, Attendant | 5 500
Pinhas Abraham, Attendant | 5 500
Nessim Heskel, Janitor | 5 500
Gul Mohammad, Doorman | 6 000
Court of Cassation and its employees |
Rabbi Raphael Isaac Hayyim - President | 26 000
Rabbi Sassoon Ezra Ishaq, Member | 22 000
Rabbi Eliya Yehoshua, Member | 20 000
Rabbi Daoud Ezra Musaffi, Member | 24 000
Rabbi Daoud Shaul Shamash, Member | 20 000
The Religious Court and its employees |
Rabbi Salman Hoobi Aboudi, President | 22 250
Rabbi Yehoshua Moshe Heskel, Member | 20 000
Rabbi Yousef Rabi, Member | 20 000
The Supervisor Nessim Rabi, Lawyer | 30 000
Mr. Heskel Qattan, Clerk | 8 000
Isaac Mutheer, Clerk | 3 350
Gurji Sassoon, Janitor | 3 220
Salman Mordechai, Janitor | 2 700
Raphael Hankali, Janitor | 2 025
Yousef Khleif, Servant | 1 750
Bekhor Israel, Attendant | 3 000
8221
30 April 945
His Excellency the Minister of Interior, the Respected
After greetings and respect
The Jewish Community in Baghdad had previously sent to France in the year
938 three female students to complete their higher studies in Paris and Toulouse and return
to Iraq to teach in its private schools in Baghdad, and they are:-
Flora Israel Hay
Rachel Yaqub Mahlab
Naeema Moshi Nahum
We have now learned that the aforementioned have finished their studies there and obtained the
required certificates, and they are now in Paris waiting for permission to return to
their homeland. In view of our dire need for the mentioned teachers, we request you
to kindly instruct the competent department to telegraph the Swiss Consulate
in Paris to renew their passports and provide assistance to facilitate their return to
Iraq. We beseech Your Excellency to consider this matter urgent to ensure
the arrival of the students at the earliest possible opportunity.
To Your Excellency, much gratitude and respect;
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
4 May 1945
His Excellency the Honorable Mayor of the Capital
Mr. Yusuf Murad had requested on April 26, 945 at
your Secretariat, asking for instructions to conduct an inspection of the Farha Somikh Synagogue located
in the Taura neighborhood to ensure its suitability to accommodate the public who are accustomed
to entering it on certain occasions. We have learned that the inspection has been completed and
a report in this regard has been signed by the engineers and is kept in
your respected department. Since it is very important for me to know the result of the inspection,
I ask you, if possible, to order that I be informed of this result.
With thanks and respect to your Excellency;
On behalf of
Head of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Miscellaneous
IRAQ GOVERNMENT.
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF ANTIQUITIES.
Telegram:—Antiquity Baghdad.
Directorate
General of
Antiquities
Telegraphic Address — Antiquities Baghdad
No. ⟦line⟧
Baghdad, May 7, 1945 ⟦line⟧ Baghdad
⟦illegible stamp⟧
His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri, the respected
President of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Greetings and respect, thereafter:
We have received with great joy and pleasure your precious gift, which is a manuscript copy of the "Torah"
written on parchment in the Hebrew language, and contained in a cylindrical wooden case.
We extend to your Eminence our deepest thanks for this valuable masterpiece, and we appreciate this kind gesture
which reflects noble generosity.
We will care for this copy with the attention its status deserves, and we will display it among the manuscript collection
in the Museum of Arab Antiquities, with a reference to the name of its donor. We shall invite your Eminence to see the method
of display before it is opened to the public.
In conclusion, please accept our highest greetings and respect. May you remain well.
Sincerely,
⟦Naji al-Asil⟧
Director General
⟦Miscellany⟧
With the help of Heaven, Sunday 26 Sivan, the year 5655, the year 603
for the simple Baker in the camp of Azar Yosef Khoder in Babylon and desired in distress 18
Turkish and 18 Sassoon Bloch received them, may his name live, who until now
collections they weighed so much
In the name of Heaven, by the word of Yosef and Omran in the camp of Ali, the honorable Abraham Murad Salman
and they sold in them five pieces of wine, son of Isaac, in the name of his honor, may God protect him
In the name of God, there were from them my needs at the price of 6 pieces, here was Murad Hassan
at the price of 40-5 and Samuel P.G. Eliezer Yosef Abraham 1, 229 and from them
18 Salman Isaac Sassoon ⟦...⟧ Yosef Shabtai 18 so much
and they seized 1 Abraham Isaac 6 value ⟦...⟧ 5 take 4.5 ⟦...⟧
1 Abraham honor of God five and eight thousand they weighed and as is correct
In the name of God 6 and Samuel Abraham son of Isaac B.Y. ⟦...⟧ Abraham Isaac
one and Isaac Sassoon wrote here Abraham son of Isaac B.Y. Elijah
one as Rabbi Isaac said 1 five and eight thousand they weighed
In the name of Heaven, by the word of Yosef and Omran 1 Abraham Salman son of Isaac Sal
and they sold .. 1 Abraham Hassan 1 Isaac Yosef 1 Hassan 1 Abraham
In the name of Heaven 1 Isaac Abraham .. and Isaac Sassoon wrote here ..
In the name of Heaven here Abraham 1 Abraham 1 Isaac son of Isaac Abraham Isaac
one and Isaac Sassoon wrote here (1 Abraham) and wrote 6
In the name of Heaven Abraham Isaac son of Isaac strength of Ezra Murad Abraham Isaac
1 Abraham Sassoon 1 Hassan Salman Murad Abraham Sassoon
one from Isaac Yosef 1 Isaac Abraham 1 Isaac Sassoon
In the name of Heaven 1 Isaac Yosef 1 Isaac Sassoon 1 Isaac 1
Completed
To Him, may His name be blessed forever and ever, Amen, may it be so, and peace
You shall not yet come ⟦...⟧ for on this day ⟦...⟧
The congregation of our community upon you ⟦...⟧ (and they shall hear from the general sense of your words)
And there was peace
The youth Menashe
Abd Levi
S.T. (Sephardi Tahoar)
⟦illegible⟧
His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, the respected
Peace and greetings
We inform you that Mr. Ali Attia is one of the notables of our town
He is a virtuous man with good intentions and good conduct
in all respects
And we have sent to you the virtuous and literary gentleman ⟦...⟧
We ask you to strive to achieve what he desires as much as possible
And the credit is yours in ⟦...⟧
Your sincere Sheikh ⟦...⟧
Al-Kazimi Al-Na'ini
Miscellaneous
16
16659
12/5/1945
60R 102/134
Ministry of Supply
General Directorate of Imported Goods
"Chemical Materials Controller"
⟦line⟧
PAPER
Number: 16659 /
Date: 12 / 5 / 1945
Mr.: Aboudi Ezra Menashi - Rewaq
Subject: Paper ⟦line⟧
Please supply Mr. Moshe Isaac Aboudi with seven reams (7 reams) of
cut paper, provided that you collect the price at the rate of (1.326 Dinars) per ream,
one Dinar and three hundred and twenty-six Fils only. ;
⟦signature⟧
Chemical Materials Controller
(General Directorate of Imported Goods)
A copy to " -
Head of the Israelite Community in Baghdad - with reference to your margin dated 20 / 4 / 45
Mr. Moshe Isaac Aboudi - please inform us of the number of printed copies
. while providing us with a copy of the calendar.
Miscellaneous
A / 10 / 5
Ministry of Supply
Directorate General of Imported Funds
"Chemical Materials Controller"
Number / ⟦illegible⟧ 16245
Date / 5 / 5 / 1945
PAPER
Mr. Abboudi Ezra Menashi - Rawaq
Subject - Paper
Please supply Mr. Yusuf Hayyim Menashi with seven reams (7 reams) of paper
cut, provided that you collect the price at the rate of (1.326 Dinars) per ream, one
dinar and three hundred and twenty-six fils only.
⟦signature⟧
Chemical Materials Controller
(Directorate General of Imported Funds)
A copy to -
Mr. Yusuf Hayyim Menashi - Please inform us of the number of copies actually printed and please
provide us with a copy of them.
Presidency of the Israelite Community in Baghdad - For information.
Menashi
On behalf of /
Iraqi Government
Ministry of Supply
Department: Directorate General of Imported Goods
Number: 82729
Section: Textiles Division (B)
Date: ⟦illegible⟧
Subject:
To -
Presidency of the Jewish Community
With reference to your letter dated 10 / 5 / 1945.
Please consult the Directorate General of Local Products for the purpose of supplying you with locally manufactured raw materials.
⟦signature⟧
Acting Director General of Imported Goods
Saleh / 12
Miscellaneous
16601
8 / 7 / 45
14 May 945
The Honorable Mr. Siddiq Yaqub, Respected
Manager of Alexandria Railway Station
After greetings and respect,
I would be most grateful if you would honor us with your presence in Baghdad
to settle the matter of the house belonging to Mrs. Asma Al-Naqib.
With my thanks in advance.
Please accept my highest respect;
Sincerely,
Sassoon
Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
May 24, 945
Management of the esteemed Al-Nidaa newspaper
After greetings,
I request you to send the issues of your newspaper belonging to the Presidency of the Jewish
Community to the Meir Elias Hospital in Al-Alwiyah starting from the date
of your receipt of this letter. Thank you in advance, and may you remain well;
⟦signature⟧
On behalf of the Head of the Community
Executor
The National School
In Baghdad
Telephone Number: 4468
Number:
Date: 1 June 945
Subject:
To His Eminence, the Great Prelate Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, may his blessings endure
President of the Jewish Community
After offering the duties of greeting and respect.
I have the great honor and much pleasure to present to your Eminence my book "The Journey of
Benjamin" to be a souvenir for you of reverence and respect from its author and a humble gift from
a person who appreciates in your Eminence what you have shown towards him of encouragement and kindness on many occasions, and
especially on this occasion. For you, O Eminence the Rabbi, were always following
the steps of the book during its printing and you were praying for my success in its completion and fulfillment, and
your paternal blessings and divine prayers made me forget the troubles and hardships and raised my resolve and made me
feel that there is a noble heart overseeing my work and a great soul blessing my effort.
Your Eminence, without a doubt, appreciates the moral value of such a book for
the honorable community which is honored by your presidency. And this approval that the book received is
nothing but directed to the whole community, because I am one of its small sons and faithful servants. And all my hope
is that God grants me success in another effort thanks to your care, blessings, and encouragement, and that I
always live up to your good expectations.
And as I hope your Eminence deigns to accept my gift, I pray to God to preserve you
as a treasure for your homeland and your community. And please, O Eminence the Rabbi, accept the abundance of respect
from the sincere
⟦signature⟧
Maghfirah
To the honorable and distinguished Professor Mr. Ezra Haddad,
My dear friend,
I received with indescribable pleasure a copy of the book "The Travels of Benjamin" which you gifted to me along with your
kind letter dated June 1, 1945. While I thank you for your
precious gift and for the kind sentiments you included in your letter, I say:
The translation of books that discuss the history of the Jews in general and the history of the Jews of the East in
particular into the Arabic language is a noble service of great importance, especially in these circumstances in
which we are in most need of revealing the truth of our history and traditions to our brothers and cousins,
the noble Arabs, with whom we have lived for long ages in brotherhood and harmony, sharing with them both prosperity and adversity
equally.
Your commendable volunteering to translate ("The Travels of Benjamin") into the Arabic language in such a
refined style, and your exertion of great efforts to provide it with a precious introduction and to comment on its margins with
precise additional notes, and the inclusion of valuable research at the end, and the organization of its indexes, the likes of which we have rarely seen in books
issued by the Iraqi press—added to that the beauty of the layout and the mastery of the printing—all of this,
by truth, is worthy of boundless appreciation and admiration:
The history of the Jews in Iraq is still waiting for someone, especially from among the Jews of Iraq,
to step forward to research it in a correct scientific manner and publish it to the public. I hope that you will remain at the forefront
of the pioneers of the unknowns of this eventful history and that you will win the honor of being a precursor in this field.
I congratulate you on your good production and wish you continued success and for your valuable book the popularity
and appreciation it deserves.
Sincerely,
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
Miscellaneous
8255
3 June 945
His Excellency the Mayor of the Capital, respected
We request you to grant us a permit to hold a dance ball at the Laura Kadoorie Club
at nine o'clock on the evening of Saturday, June 23, 945, the proceeds of which
will be allocated for the benefit of the orphans of the Jewish community in Baghdad.
As for the tickets, there will be 300 tickets, 250 of which are valued at one dinar
for a gentleman and a lady, and 50 valued at a quarter dinar for each additional lady, with the request
to kindly exempt this charitable event from the stamp duty, and I thank you.
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
Miscellaneous
His Excellency the Mayor of the Capital, respected
We request you to grant us a permit to hold a ball
dance party at the Laura Club, attending at
nine o'clock on the evening of Saturday, coinciding with
September 22 and 23, 1945, the proceeds of which will be for the benefit of
the orphans of the Israelite community in Baghdad
<del>Very grateful</del>
As for the tickets, their number will be 200
tickets, of which 250 are valued at one dinar seven hundred
for a lady and a gentleman, and 500 at the value of a quarter dinar
for each additional lady, with the request
to kindly exempt this charitable party
from the stamp duty, and I thank you
⟦stamp⟧
Head of the Community
Committee
Support for Orphans of the 1941 Events
Baghdad
Number:
Date: 3 / 6 / 1945
His Excellency, the President of the Respected Jewish Community
After greetings
This committee decided in its session held this morning to hold a Western dance party at the
Laura Kadoorie Club on the evening of Saturday, June 23, 945, the proceeds of which will be allocated for the benefit of the orphans of the events of
June 941. The price of a single ticket for a gentleman and a lady will be one dinar, and a quarter dinar for each additional
lady. As for the number of tickets of the first type, it is 250 tickets, and the number of the second type is 50 tickets.
I request your Excellency to kindly obtain the permit from the competent authorities.
With much respect to your Excellency,
⟦signature⟧
Secretary
⟦illegible⟧ : 3
No acquittal for your demand
⟦line⟧
⟦illegible⟧ kohl as a remedy
And he handed me a copy of this thing
He and you ⟦illegible⟧
In the place
⟦illegible⟧
You took from me a copy of the same
Law of ⟦illegible⟧
In comparison with the law of the courts
Sharia ⟦illegible⟧