AI English Translation, Pages 76-100
Presidency of the Jewish Community
in Baghdad
Telephone Number: 531
Number :: 7822
Date :: July 20, 1944
Subject ::
Honorable Gentlemen
Israel Nassim Hai
Heskel Ezra Shoa
Rabbi Dawoud Shaul
Salman Shina, Lawyer
Shalom Darwish
After greetings,
I am pleased to inform you that Messrs. Mckemmel Brothers (New York) have donated fifty bales of used woolen clothing to clothe our poor in the capital. These bales have arrived from America to Baghdad, and the papers have been handed over to a clearance agent to remove them from customs and deposit them in the ground basement of the Iranian Hotel building.
The procedures completed so far regarding this shipment are as follows:-
1) The Railway Directorate agreed, in its letter No. F/632/429 dated May 21, 944, to exempt 50% of the freight fees for transporting the shipment by train from Basra to Baghdad.
2) Royal Decree No. 305 was issued on July 5, 944, exempting it from 37/500 Dinars of customs import duty.
3) The Directorate General of Imported Goods agreed, in letter No. 8615 dated 17/7/1944, to transport these clothes and store them in the ground basement of the Iranian Hotel, provided that the distribution takes place under its supervision.
In view of your known compassion for the poor and your assistance in charitable works, I have decided to entrust you with the task of forming the committee that will undertake everything necessary to distribute these clothes to the deserving poor men and women.
I thank you in advance and wish you continued success;
⟦handwritten signature: Ezra Zion⟧
President of the Community
7 914
8 September 944
His Excellency the Deputy Mayor of the Capital, the Respected
After greetings and respect,
We have previously submitted a request to your Excellency on a special form to grant us a permit to purchase
iron bars to connect the pillars to the walls in the Farha Meir Somikh Synagogue (newly
constructed) located in the Taura district. Accordingly, I attach a copy of the report organized by
the engineers Yusuf Mayer and Max Rosenfeld dated July 14, 944, in which they confirm the existence of danger
and pointed out the closure of the synagogue, and it has indeed been closed.
The aforementioned synagogue is one of the most important synagogues for the Jews in Baghdad considering
its historical antiquity. We wish to be absolutely certain of the reality of the situation, and I ask you to instruct
the study of the case to decide one of two things:
1 - Either to confirm to us officially the absence of the danger described in the mentioned report
and that there is no caution in reopening the synagogue for worshipers.
2 - Or to support what was stated in the engineers' report, and in this case, we ask you to
instruct the granting of the permit to purchase the required iron bars.
I beseech your Excellency to order that this matter be considered urgent so that we can
open the synagogue for prayer during the upcoming holidays.
Please, your Excellency, accept my respect;
⟦signature⟧
On behalf of the Head of the Community
Architect
Youssef Meir
Telephone No. 2491 Extension
12/34A Al-Mustansir Street
Baghdad July 19, 1944
His Eminence, the Respected Head of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
⟦line⟧
Greetings and respect,
Farha Somikh Torah
With reference to your letter dated July 18, 1944
There is no objection to the worshippers occupying the Tevah and the women occupying the place designated for them until
the necessary procedures for the maintenance of the halls are completed.
Please accept my respect,
The Engineer
⟦signature⟧
Labiba,
In the event that it is decided for you to obtain the iron
for the connection, please inform the Torah [synagogue]
in general until all maintenance is completed
to ensure the safety of the structure
The Engineer
⟦signature⟧
20 / 7 / 944
Torat Farha Somikh
18 July 1944
The Honorable Mr. Yusuf Meir, the respected Architect
The Honorable Mr. Max Rosenfeld, the respected Architect
After greetings and respect - I thank you for your report dated July 14 current
regarding the Torat Farha Somikh building. I have conveyed its content to the Waqif who requested me
to inquire from you whether there is any risk in worshippers entering the Torat
and passing from the door to the (Tebah) to pray inside the (Tebah) only, until
the necessary measures are taken to preserve the current state of the building.
So I ask you to kindly respond to this clarification, noting that upon
receiving your report, I ordered the closure of the Torat for the time being.
Please accept my highest respect
On behalf of
The Head of the Community
⟦illegible⟧
July 10, 944
The Honorable Engineer Mr. Yusuf Meyer, respected
The Honorable Engineer Mr. Max Rosenfeld, respected
After greetings and respect
The Torah Faraj Somekh which was recently built on the site of the Great Torah
opposite the Laura Kadoorie School has had stones fall from its vault, which it is feared
may be the result of a defect in the foundation that could cause a danger to lives, especially since the
aforementioned Torah is used as a place for important religious sermons and there may gather in it at one time
thousands of people, a matter which necessitates verifying the truth of the situation and ensuring
the status. My request is that you please inspect the aforementioned Torah and inform me in writing
if possible whether there is any danger and what measures are necessary to avert the danger.
I thank you in advance.
Note: I also request that you inform me of the amount of fees
and expenses so that we may pay them to you.
Sincerely,
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
⟦illegible text visible in background/bleed-through from reverse side⟧
Jewish Charitable Hospitals in Baghdad
Total income for the hospitals | Total expenses including furniture for all hospitals | Total value of constructions and surgical instruments donated by generous people | Notes
Dinar | Dinar | Dinar |
4943 | 5232 | 2645 | From April 933 until the end of March 934
3236 | 3702 | 1342 | From April 934 until the end of September 934 half a year
7496 | 8488 | 2607 | From October 934 until the end of September 935
10218 | 10629 | 5904 | From October 935 until the end of September 936
11360 | 11899 | 4405
16903 of which 1365 Dinars
spent on repairs of the properties endowed to the hospital | From October 936 until the end of September 937
⟦line⟧
⟦illegible⟧ previous until the end of June 937 about 2600 Dinars.
And in it is an institute for analysis and Roentgen rays, and it accepts male, female, and child patients. In the hospital is a professor
for radiation.
(936/35) (225035) visits at a rate of 750 and 800 visits daily, and 180 major eye operations were performed
44462 prescriptions were given during one year, and the doctor during the mentioned year made 160 free visits
A special nurse, and the eyes of the students are examined from time to time by the specialist doctor in the Rima Khedouri Hospital.
And it has in the Meir Elias Hospital a building for obstetrics where poor mothers are accepted and the association provides them with the necessary aid, and it was built
Architect
Yousef Meir
Telephone Number 2491 Annex
34/12 A Al-Mustansir Street
Baghdad, July 14, 1944
To =
The Presidency of the Respected Jewish Community in Baghdad
Greetings and Respect
Farha Sumaich Torah
With reference to your letter No. 7812 dated 10 / 7 / 1944
Upon inspecting the aforementioned Torah building, it has become clear to us - to our great regret - that the amounts
spent on its construction have gone in vain due to technical errors, especially since the place is public and often crowded with worshippers
Therefore, we list below our observations =
The new building stands on the old, worn-out foundation that is more than a century old, in addition to
the abundance of seepage which damaged the foundation, loosened it, destroyed its mortar, and destabilized its position. It is customary in places where
economy is taken into consideration more than the durability of the work or its safety or sustainability, to connect all foundations at ground
level with reinforced concrete ties in the form of beams that transmit and distribute all the loads resting on them regularly.
While in this case, neither the pillars nor the walls were tied at their base. Thus, the foundations become mobile whenever they are submerged by
seepage water, and it is feared they will shift perceptibly, causing the collapse of the structures standing upon them.
As for the second defect, the pillars carrying the large basins, despite not being constructed in a size
sufficient to withstand the thrust of the beams resting on them, their interior was squared with worn stones, which increases the weakness of the concentration instead of
its durability, because the worn stones are contaminated and neither gypsum nor cement or other mortars adhere to them. As a result of the thrust of the middle
beam, the pillar tilted, the beam split, and the middle stone fell, and other beams will follow suit in this
manner. Frequently - even in modern constructions when built in the vaulting style where the loads do
not fall vertically on the pillars or walls - the walls and pillars are tied together at the level of the beam base
with iron rods that help the pillars and walls withstand the lateral thrust resulting from the weight of the beams. In the building
which we are considering, we did not find those ties, while we find it strange that it would occur to the architect or engineer
who performed the work to tie the pillars in the narrow corridors with pieces of wood, even if these pieces were weak,
and neglect the wide corridors.
Israeli Charitable Hospitals in Baghdad
Hospital Revenues | Total Expenses including Furniture for all Hospitals | Total Value of Constructions and Surgical Instruments Donated by Benefactors | Notes
Dinar | Dinar | Dinar |
4941 | 5232 | 2645 | From April 933 until the end of March 934
3230 | 3702 | 1342 | From April 934 until the end of September 934 (half a year)
7491 | 8488 | 2607 | From October 934 until the end of September 935
10210 | 10629 | 5904 | From October 935 until the end of September 936
11360 | 11899 | 4405 ⟦line⟧ 16903 of which 1365 Dinars were spent on repairs of the hospital's endowed properties | From October 936 until the end of September 937
⟦illegible⟧ previous until the end of June 937 about 2600 Dinars
⟦illegible⟧ and in it is an institute for analysis and Roentgen rays (X-rays), and it accepts male, female, and child patients. In the hospital there is a Professor
⟦illegible⟧ rays.
(936/35) (225035) consultations at a rate of 750 and 800 consultations daily, and 180 major eye surgeries were performed
⟦illegible⟧ 44462 prescriptions were given during one year, and the doctor performed 160 free visits during the mentioned year
⟦illegible⟧ a specialized nurse, and the eyes of students are examined from time to time by the specialist doctor in the Rimah Khedouri Hospital.
⟦illegible⟧ it has a maternity building in Meir Elias Hospital where poor mothers are accepted, as the association provides them with the necessary aid, and it was built
- 2 -
In summary, we do not recommend using these Torahs despite the measures that must be taken immediately.
Furthermore, the building is irreparable in a way that ensures the total removal of danger; rather, it needs to be uprooted from
the foundation and rebuilt anew in a technical manner and under the supervision of a responsible engineer.
However, if you wish to stop the collapse and deviation, it is necessary to connect all pillars to the walls using iron
rods. Since these rods will not correct the deviation but will rather maintain the current state of the building,
in this case, the roofs may not be used at all as a place for prayer during the summer season or
for any other purpose.
Please accept our highest respect;
Engineer ⟦line⟧ Engineer ⟦line⟧
⟦signature⟧ ⟦signature⟧
I, Ibrahim bin Khadouri, in my capacity as the head of the Khan Torahs of Qardah Swaih, acknowledge that the head of the community
has helped me, God willing, but due to the danger of praying or entering the Torahs, I requested to close the Torahs to
worshippers ⟦illegible⟧ and prevent entry for any purpose whatsoever until measures are taken to remove the danger. Therefore, I am responsible
for all damages to lives that may occur, and accordingly, I have signed below, July 17, 944.
⟦Red fingerprint stamp⟧
We testify that Ibrahim Khadouri has placed his thumbprint above in our presence after his statement was read to him and he agreed to it.
Moshe Yusuf Haqqi ⟦signature⟧ Daoud Ezra Tweig ⟦signature⟧
September 5, 1944
His Excellency Al-Haj Muhammad Hassan Kubba
Minister of Social Affairs
The Respected
Greetings and respect,
The named Rahma Moshi has previously submitted a petition to Your Excellency in which she pleaded for the transfer of
her son, the tuberculosis patient Hesqel Sion, who is currently in Hammana Sanatorium, to Bhannes Sanatorium
(Lebanon) for treatment at the expense of the esteemed Ministry of Social Affairs, as it was not
possible for his family in Baghdad to spend on him, since they have no belongings left that can
be sold to send the proceeds to him. I had attached the petition at the time with a private letter to Your
Excellency's position, in which I requested compassion for this poor woman and confirmed to Your Excellency
that this woman suffers from extreme poverty and deserves your sympathy.
And now I come a second time with my request that Your Excellency order the admission of this patient to
Bhannes Sanatorium for treatment at the government's expense, as his condition has worsened significantly due to the depletion
of his resources, and he is appealing to your magnanimity.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my abundant gratitude and respect;
⟦illegible⟧
Sincere
Sassoon
Head of the Community
7924
⟦illegible⟧
20 / 10 / 944
The Honorable President of Al-Rashid Club, respected
After greetings and respect,
The sacrifice made by your prosperous club for the charitable market that
was held on October 4, 944, was not something that could be underestimated, for without it
it would not have been possible to complete this beneficial project which achieved for the group
great material and moral benefits.
There is no doubt that the honorable members of your club, who have demonstrated on many
occasions their zeal and sympathy for charitable projects, deserve from us
thanks and appreciation for their generosity and kindness, and I hope you will accept
my heartfelt wishes for your honorable person and for the honorable members of your committee in particular and for all
subscribers of your club in general, with my sincere hope that the Creator grants you success and protects you
all as a treasure for charitable works.
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
Presidency of the Israelite Community
Baghdad
Number: 7958
Date: 22 October 944
Honorable and Distinguished Notables
President and Members of the Lay Council
President and Members of the Schools Committee
President and Members of the Hospitals Committee
After greetings and respect
Due to the occurrence of important and urgent matters that require your consultation, I ask you to kindly honor us
by attending at the Community Administration at four o'clock in the afternoon today (Sunday 22 October
944) to deliberate on them.
Please accept the highest respect.
⟦illegible⟧
President of the Community
Iraqi Red Crescent Society
General Headquarters
Baghdad
Number: 725
Date: 11 / 12 / 1944
To His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri, Respectfully
The General Assembly of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society will meet at five o'clock
in the afternoon on Friday, 22 / 12 / 1944, according to Article 62 of the Basic
Statute.
Please attend at the appointed time at the General Headquarters. With respect.
⟦signature⟧
President of the Administrative Board
Ezra Menachem Daniel
12/4 Al-Mustansir Street
Telephone No. { 44 / 367
Baghdad on September 8, 944
To His Excellency the President of the Jewish Community in Baghdad, the Respected
Greetings and respect,
I enclose herewith a check on the Eastern Bank in Baghdad No. 99295 dated today for the amount of one hundred and fifty Dinars,
as a donation from me to the Committee for the Relief of the Victims of June 1-2, 1941, hoping for its acceptance and notifying me of its receipt.
Please accept the assurance of my highest respect.
Sincerely,
Ezra Menachem
Daniel
7946
11 / 10 / 944
His Excellency the virtuous notable Mr. Ezra Menachem Daniel
The Respected
After greetings and great respect
With reference to your letter dated October 8, 944, to which is attached a check on the Eastern Bank
in Baghdad No. 99395 dated the 8th of it for the amount of one hundred and fifty Dinars, your generous
donation to the 1941 Orphans Support Committee. I enclose herewith for Your Excellency a receipt from the Orphans Committee
for this amount and I ask you to accept the sincerest thanks on my own behalf and on behalf of the orphans.
May God grant you success and protect you with His watchful eye, Amen;
⟦illegible⟧
Head of the Community
Baghdad, October 6, 1944
To His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khidhouri
Head of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
Sir,
The year 1941 has passed, and with it the month of June, which began with the catastrophe that befell our community and harmed them
materially and morally, and the effects of that disaster are still deep in the minds of the members of our community.
I do not want to dwell on the material damages that befell us, as they are clear and known to everyone, and
much has been said about them. My primary concern and the subject of this discussion is the moral damage we suffered, and among these
damages is the reduction of official government holidays, which is the subject of this letter of mine.
Rashid Ali al-Gaylani failed in early last May to reduce the official holidays
granted to the members of the Jewish community, but due to the many crisis situations in Parliament at that time,
he succeeded in achieving his goal. Consequently, an order was issued by the National Defense Government to reduce official holidays from
11 days to 5 days per year.
After the situation cleared up and things returned to normal following the fall of that oppressive regime, that order has remained
in effect until now despite the complete change in the situation. Perhaps Your Eminence or others have overlooked
this important point.
National zeal has prompted me to write this letter to compensate for a small part of the damage that befell
our community in 1941, noting that these five days include the first and seventh days of Passover, Yom
Kippur, and the first and eighth days of Sukkot, while we have to work on the two days of Shavuot and the two days of
Rosh Hashanah.
Finally, I would like to bring to Your Eminence's attention the fact that there is room to request the government to reconsider
the issue of official holidays for the Mosaic community. In any case, there is no harm in presenting the truth of the situation
extensively to the National Assembly for consideration and deliberation at the beginning of its next session, and I am
confident that the noble Assembly, if it does not restore the number of official holidays to what it was, will at least
increase them to an appropriate and reasonable number. I have high hopes that Your Eminence will look into this case
thoroughly and act in a way that brings pride to you and good to the Jewish community under your leadership. He who seeks shall find.
Finally, please accept my highest respect and great thanks.
Sincerely,
⟦illegible⟧
Secretary of the Food Controller
General Directorate of Imported Goods
Telegram 9 196
Incoming Internal Telegram
⟦coat of arms⟧
Number:
Telegram Type: ⟦illegible⟧
Time of registration: 12/10
Arrived at hour: 12/20
Minute:
From: Received by you
Number of words: 14
Administrative instructions:
Date: 14
Issuing Department: Baghdad
Incoming Stamp
14 NOV 44
TELS.
BAGHDAD
To His Excellency the Rabbi Sassoon Khadhuri, President
of the Jewish Community
I thank you for your kind telegram Hamdi al-Pachachi
144
Telegram 6
Incoming Internal Telegram
⟦illegible⟧
Number:
Telegram Type: Ordinary
Time of registration: 1140
Arrived at hour: 11
Minute: 55
From: S ⟦illegible⟧
Received by: ⟦signature⟧
Department Stamp:
Word count: 11
Administrative instructions:
Date: 12
Issuing department: Anah
To Baghdad, Head of the Community Sassoon Khadhuri
Please send the power of attorney immediately /
Salman Meir
Answer: To be presented to His Excellency the President on ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
The land issue in Ana - Al-Jadd Agency
⟦line⟧
The Mukhtar - Mustafa Sheet
⟦illegible⟧ - ⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Yahia Shemuel
Suq - el - Sarai
MOSUL
Mosul
Yahya Shmuel
Mosul
Date: ⟦line⟧
Date: 1/10/1944
To be kept in the Haham Bashi file
To the honorable and distinguished Professor, Director of the esteemed Al-Zaman newspaper, Baghdad
After greetings and great respect. I request the favor of publishing my following words on the pages of your dear newspaper
With thanks and praise to you
// Regarding the elections of the Israelite community in Baghdad //
As one who is informed about some of the works of His Eminence Haham Sassoon Khedouri, head of the Israelite community
in the capital at the current time. As the gentlemen entrusted with the matter of forming ⟦...⟧
the community in particular and all members of the Israelite community in general, that the aforementioned Haham
referred to has white hands, thankful deeds, and great services that stood throughout the duration of his tenure
in communal positions, as he progressed in religious sciences until he assumed the presidency of the Religious Court
(A. B. D.), so his good deeds and good management cannot be denied
And then he was elected head of the community, and when he occupied this critical position for several terms
he was an example of a firm administrator, integrity, and uprightness, in view of his acquisition of
extensive experience in administration and his knowledge of its law and legislation, and in this case it is fitting
for him to receive appreciation and veneration instead of hesitation in the matter of his re-election again
especially since His Eminence has passed through extremely difficult crises during his presidency
which he navigated with knowledge, wisdom, and a brilliant insight
For the venerable position, and I do not believe there is
anyone who can bear the burdens of the responsibility of heading the community, whether now in various
circumstances and occasions, as he managed it and remains an example of the wise leader
Copy to His Eminence the respected Haham
Yahya Shmuel Al-Fakhri
Secretary of the Israelite Community
in Mosul
Friday ⟦1/3⟧
9 o'clock in the morning
Elections for the eighth district in Torat Fawa
Locations: Taht al-Takiya – Abu Shibl
Candidates:
Daoud Samra
Salman Saleh al-Kabir, the lawyer
M. F. AL-JAMIL
ADVOCATE
TELEPHONE Nos: OFFICE 7061
RESIDENCE 3743
Baghdad, ⟦line⟧
The Lawyer
Mohamed Fakhri Al-Jamil
Telephone: Office 7061
Residence 3743
Baghdad 15 / 10 / 1944
His Excellency the respected Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri.
After much greeting and great respect.
The bearer of this letter, Saleh Bakhash, who is our neighbor, has asked me to mediate with
your Excellency for his admission to the Shamash School in the first intermediate class. I proceeded to answer his request
in view of what I know of your Excellency's love for helping others, so I hope you will be kind enough to help him.
To you my great thanks and much gratitude, Sir.
⟦Mohamed Fakhri⟧
Sincerely
Telephone
3531
5452
President of the Jewish Community
BAGHDAD.
№: 7983
Baghdad: 13th November 194 4
T.A. Watson Esq,
Controller of Foodstuffs
Directorate General of Imports.
Baghdad.
Dear Sir,
Your letter No. 1/1/2/3876 of 5/11/1944
I have learnt with much pleasure that you have
allocated 25 Klgs. of sugar & 2 Klgs. of tea for the
poor pupils of Rahel Shamoon School. I seize this
opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks for this
most generous act.
With my best regards.
Yours faithfully
⟦illegible signature⟧
President.
I have learned with great pleasure that you have allocated 25 kilos
of sugar and two kilos of tea to the poor students
of Rahel Shamoon School. I take this opportunity
to offer my heartfelt thanks for this generous act
And please accept . . .
British Embassy
Baghdad
On November 10, 1944
His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri, the Most Honored
Head of the Jewish Community
Baghdad
After greetings and honors,
One of the employees at this embassy named Ibrahim Yaqub
(who is Jewish) wishes to enroll his two grandchildren (his son's children) - one a son
aged seven years named Naeem and the other a daughter aged six years named
Najma - in the Jewish Orphanage, as they have no caregiver other than him and he has no capacity
to support them because he himself is responsible for supporting his own children, numbering six.
Therefore, I would be grateful if you would kindly direct those concerned to accept them
into the Jewish Orphanage.
Please accept the highest greetings and respect;
Perowne
Oriental Counsellor.
Ministry of Finance and Supply
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
Directorate General of Imported Goods
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
Chemical Materials Section
OF IMPORTS.
SECTION: PAPER
Number:
No.: TW/14/34/14843
Date: 16 / 8 / 1944
Dated: 17 - 8 - 1944
Mr. Abboudi Ezra Menashi - Rawaq
Subject / (30) reams of cut paper
Please supply Mr. Yusuf Hayim Menashi with thirty reams of cut paper, provided that
you collect the price at the rate of two dinars and two hundred and sixty fils per ream only, in accordance with Statement No.
16 of the year 44 issued by the Price Fixing Committee.
⟦illegible⟧ W. Welch
For Director General of Imported Goods
Copy to - Presidency of the Jewish Community in Baghdad
With reference to its margin dated 7 / 8 / 944
Mr. Yusuf Hayim Menashi - This quantity of paper must be used for the purpose
of printing prayer books only.
B /