Correspondence among Jewish Community Committees
View interactive document pageThese are documents from the Baghdadi Jewish community. There is a letter from the British Military Governor for the allotment of lambs for the Jewish New Year 1918. Included are various correspondences: what students should bring to the Rabbinical College in Rhodes, Greece; verifications of birth certificates; letter and reply to the Jewish Lay Council from the Institute for the Blind to report its budget for 1934; letter from the Girls Sewing Charitable Society that lists its budget for 1934; letter from the head of Ozer Dalim Society to the President of the Jewish community regarding charity; 1933-1934 budget for Tomkhe Tora Society in Baghdad; letter from Chief Rabbi Benjamin Moshi; letter from the budget council of the Jewish Lay Council to all accountants in the Jewish community regarding decisions and instructions on budgets for 1934; letter from an accountant addressed to the head of the budget council regarding annual budget for 1934 - expenses, property tax, Jewish schools, wages for retired and needy people; spreadsheets containing expenses and revenues of the belongings of the Jewish community - hospitals, Morashi and education institutes; letter to a military figure asking for the release of six named war prisoners in 1919; letter from a legal codification department requesting deputy rabbi to look into a divorce subject to the rabbinical system in 1929; letters about a legal case of a woman claiming the right to collect her deceased husband's allowance, arguments stating she was divorced before he died; letter to the Lay Council concerning a house contract and a settlement; letter from the administration office of the Jewish community to a tenant regarding money for leasing a house; letter from the President of the Jewish community addressed to Iraqi government and Council of Ministers urging them to help distressed victims that were subjected to a catastrophic burglary and damage to their properties and shops, a total of 2731 families; letters to the Jewish Schools Committee regarding decreasing wages, transfers, retirements, sale of school belongings, requests interpretation of some amount to be reported, decrees and increases of allocated money; 1100 new students and their requirements from Jewish community funds; school debts and a copy of the annual budget; a teacher requests a teaching job in Almedrash School or any Jewish school in Baghdad appended by recommendation to the head of the Jewish Lay Council; request to make changes on class schedules and other educational arrangements. Correspondences from community members to the President of the Jewish Community regarding personal issues: help to finding relatives; dispute on a dowry issue; burials; a teacher requests a financial reward for 32 years of working in Midrash Talmud Torah, requests to continue to receive a retirement allowance of deceased husband; letter to Rabbi Sassoon Khedouri from a member of the Supreme Court requesting an additional salary for some extra work he does to help him financially; letter from workers requesting salary increases to the President of the Jewish Butchery; list of thirty names of needy and retired people whose allowances were decided upon by the Jewish Lay Council and approved by General Council. Also included are issues of the Iraqi Chronicle in 1973 on the nationalization of Exxon and Mobil Oil companies.
⟦illegible⟧ 256 ⟦line⟧ 256 We hope you will kindly take the necessary measures to convene a meeting of the esteemed General Council to ratify the budget under discussion. As for the fees to be ratified in the Council's report on its activities for the year 32 / 33, we request that consideration of them be postponed now until our council can study the situation and express its opinion on it. President of the Lay Council
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30 January 1934 Presidency of the Israeli Slaughterhouse Baghdad Enclosed you will find a certified copy of the salary schedule for your administration's employees for the year 33 - 934 as decided by the Lay Council and approved by the General Council on 11 January 1934 Secretary Copy to the Accountant A 64
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⟦2972⟧ 30 January 1934 The Honorable Rabbi Michael Jeremiah Enclosed you will find a certified copy of the salary schedule for the needy and retired employees for the year 1933-1934 as decided by the Lay Council and approved by the General Council on 11 January 1934. Since no change has occurred in the salaries of the Hamshiboth rabbis, we have limited ourselves here to the mention ⟦illegible⟧ The Secretary A copy to the Accountant 64
Table of Community Administration Employees for the year 33/934 As decided by the Lay Council and approved by the General Council on 11 Jan / 93 Fils | Dinar 750 | 33 | His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, President of the Community " | 9 | Accountant Yusuf Effendi Wey 250 | 11 | Secretary Shalom Effendi " | 3 | Clerk Murad Effendi Shalom Hay Servants 625 | 2 | Narji Menachem, Attendant 625 | 2 | Yaqub Shaul, Attendant " | 3 | Kul Muhammad, Doorman 750 | 1 | Yehuda Shmool, Servant " | 10 | ⟦line⟧ 67 | 12 x | 804 / " ⟦illegible⟧
Table of Community Administration Employees for the year 33 / 934 As decided by the Lay Council and approved by the General Council on 11 Jan / 934 Fils | Dinar His Eminence Rabbi Sassoon Khedhouri, President of the Community | 750 | 33 Accountant Yusuf Effendi Levi | " | 9 Secretary Shalom Effendi ⟦Darwish⟧ | 250 | 11 Clerk Murad Effendi Shalom Hay | " | 3 Servants | | Gurji Menachem, Usher | 625 | 2 Yaqub Shaul, Usher | 625 | 2 Gul Mohammad, Doorman | " | 3 Yehuda Shamil, Servant | 750 | 1 | " | 10 804 / " = | 12 x | 67 The Lay Council of the Israelite Community ⟦in Baghdad⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
To the Honorable President of the Lay Council Statement of cash assets and bonds for the Lay Council from its date 21 until March 1944 Dinar | Fils Two promissory notes from Murtada al-Fadhli | 1200 | " " One promissory note for the rent of the khans | 40 | " " The following is deducted | 1240 | " " 600 " " Promissory note book held by the Council ⟦line⟧ Shatim ⟦illegible⟧ 419 254 Claim of the ⟦line⟧ ta ⟦line⟧ Al-Shu'la ⟦line⟧ outside 971 292 Amounts entered into the Council's fund from religious revenues passing through the Mulla The requested amounts, most of which appeared below 12 Property tax on the khans 644 4 Seized alimony in the religious courts 955 1 Total duplication expenses for the court 961 2 Spending on individuals in the community administration 12 Total estimated visitor expenses 928 847 548 40 7 " Addition to the request of Mr. ⟦line⟧ draft as well 062 292 This is what was necessary to present to your Excellency for information, and the matter is yours, sir 20 January 1944 ⟦signature⟧ Accountant Administration of the Lay Council in Baghdad Number 2284 Date 22 / 1 / 44 File number ⟦line⟧ Accounting Department
Baghdad 30 January 934 His Excellency the President of the Respected Lay Council Statement of budget differences for the three months ending in December 933 starting from the day 1 October 933 | Dinar | Fils The claim due from the Council | | To the doorman of the Community Administration for an addition of 375 fils per month to his salary | 1 | 125 To the Hospital Administration, difference in monthly allocations of 3.913 dinars per month | 11 | 739 To the Shamash School Administration, difference in monthly allocations of 25.854 per month | 77 | 562 To the Al-Karam and Masouda Salman schools as follows: - | | Monthly allocations to Masouda ⟦Salman⟧ School | 41 | 330 Monthly allocations to Al-Karam School | 35 | 057 | 76 | 387 x 3 for the mentioned three-month period | 229 | 161 Deducting the amount paid during the mentioned period | 173 | 535 | 55 | 626 To the National School, difference in monthly allocations for 14.309 per month | 42 | 927 | 188 | 979 The claim due to the Council | | From the Albert Sassoon and Laura Kadoorie schools | 36 | 009 From the Rachel Shahmoon School | 21 | 563 | 57 | 572 Note - The principle of implementing the budgets of the Slaughterhouse and Pensioners administrations cannot be considered before they are notified of them, and therefore I hope a decision is taken to consider February 1st, 934, as the start of their implementation. This is for your command ⟦signature⟧ Accountant Lay Council Administration - Baghdad: Number: 222 Date: 1 / 2 / 934 Ofak 1 / 2 / 1934
Salary table for the needy and retirees for the year 33 / 934 As decided by the Lay Council and approved by the General Council on Jan 11, 1934 Name | Dinar | Fils Elisha Reuben Menashe | 3 | 375 Heirs of Shaul Yosef Somikh | 2 | 025 Heskel Smouha | " | 787 Wife of Shaul Zilkha | 2 | 025 Daoud Somikh | 3 | 375 Ibrahim Hayim Elia | 1 | 350 The poor of Sheikh Ishaq | 2 | 700 Eliahu Shammash | 3 | 375 Daughter of Hakham Heskel Levi | 2 | 363 Simha wife of Menashe Smouha | " | 777 Aziza " Eliahu Smouha | " | 777 Esther Nassim Tweig | 1 | 350 Wife of Hakham Sasson Israel | 1 | 013 " Abraham Hay ⟦Haya⟧ | 1 | 013 Wife of Ezra Meir Horish | " | 506 Masouda Bashi | 1 | 013 Khatoun Heskel Ezra Elia | 2 | 025 Wife of Hakham Hayim | 1 | 350 " Hakham Moshe Masfi | 1 | 350 " Abraham Hillel | 2 | 700 " Lawyer Heskel Naji | 2 | 025 " Hakham Meir Yosef Gabriel | 3 | 375 Hakham Yosef Rabia | 3 | 375 Khatoun Masfi | 1 | 013 Khedhouri Elia Mukhtar | 1 | 875 Heskel Ezra Dori | 1 | 125 Saleh Shlomo Shammash | " | 750 Nahouk Kirkukli | " | 750 Nassim Mushayih | " | 750 Hakham Abraham Aslan Yehuda | 6 | ⟦...⟧ 740/244 = 512 x 12 61 687 Note: Dinar Fils 61 687 4 475 58 / 212 Total salaries of retirees Total salaries of Daoud Somikh to the end Orphanage administration The office mentioned in the previous entry 934 ⟦illegible⟧
Administration of the Lay Council of the Israelite Community Baghdad Number 2571 Date 27 May 934 ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ National ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ Directorate of ⟦...⟧ School The Council has instructed me to submit to your directorate with this letter twenty copies of the budget schedule and twenty of the account schedule for the preceding year to be used when the time comes for submitting budgets each year. Therefore, I request that these two schedules be filled out with the required information and returned to us by the end of next June - and remain with respect. ⟦signature⟧ Secretary 69
Administration of the Lay Council of the Israelite Community Baghdad Number: Date: 6 July ⟦June⟧ 1934 Budget Committee To the accountants of all communal institutions The Budget Committee decided in its session held on July 5, 934: 1) The necessity of your participation with the heads of your departments in signing any accounting information submitted to the community administration, with a certification from you that the figures and information listed therein correspond to your books and information. 2) No entry may be recorded in the books that is contrary to the figures approved in the budget (whether it is an increase or decrease in revenues or expenses) unless you receive written instructions to that effect from the heads of your departments, and in this case you must inform the Council in writing of that immediately. 3) The necessity of keeping the accounts of each year as an independent unit in itself, having no relation whatsoever to the accounts of the year preceding or following it. 4) You must follow these instructions strictly, and any violation of them or discrepancy that appears in accounts submitted to the Council, you will share in bearing the responsibility for it. ⟦signature⟧ President of the Lay Council A copy of it to the heads of all communal departments
Administration of the Lay Council of the Israelite Community Baghdad 2600 Number <del>259</del> Date July 1, 1934 Very Urgent Talmud Torah Association 2477 Committee of the Home for the Blind 2479 Charitable Sewing Association for Girls 2476 Committee for the Administration of the Israelite Community Affairs in Adhamiya 2478 Further to our letter No. 247 dated February 4, 1934 As our council is concerned with organizing the budget for the coming year and completing it during this month, I request that you submit to us ⟦line⟧ during this week ⟦line⟧ your accounts for the current year ending at the end of September 1934 In order for these accounts to be sufficient for the requirement, they must contain details of your revenues and your actual expenses during the nine months ending June 30, 1934, and an estimate of the revenues and expenses of your administration during the next three months ending at the end of September 1934. ⟦signature⟧ The President 24
2599 July 1, 1934 The Honorable and Distinguished Saleh Effendi Faraj Hayyim The Honorable and Distinguished Meir Effendi Ayta The Honorable and Distinguished Meir Effendi Doctor After greetings and respect, Our council decided in its session held on June 18, 1934, to appoint you as members of the budget committee for the coming year. I request you to kindly study the proposals submitted to the council by the departments under its administration, amend them, and submit their final form to our council for approval. I offer my thanks to you in advance, wishing you success; ⟦signature⟧ The President 24
The Chief Rabbi of the Holy Community In Baghdad, may God protect it Chief Rabbi of Baghdad Benjamin Hakham Moshi CHIEF RABBI BENJAMIN H. MOSHI Baghdad Number: 852 Date: 21 / ⟦May⟧ / 934 Managers and Trustees of the Gemilut Hasadim Fund of the Community In the Holy City Pay to the honorable Habib Abraham Sasson the sum of 2500 Fils On account of his salary for the month of April 1934 and this is according to The decision of the Executive Committee from 12/5/1934 Benjamin H. Ezra M. Trustee of the Gemilut Hasadim Fund In Baghdad Administration of the Lay Council - Baghdad Number 2468 Date 9 / 5 / 934 File Number 24 Pay under the seal and take From him a receipt for the amount according to ⟦the regulations⟧
2252 16 July 934 Honorable Yusuf Effendi Levi Accountant of the Respected Communal Council The Budget Committee decided in its session on July 12, 34, to inform you of the necessity of keeping the accounts for the coming year on the basis of recording the allocations of each institution (according to the budget) as a claim on the Communal Council, from which the amounts paid to it during the year are gradually deducted, and it has also decided the necessity of considering each year as an independent unit unrelated to the year before it or the one following it. As for surpluses or deficits, they shall be recorded in a special account under the title "Surpluses and Deficits for the Budget of the Specific Year." LW ⟦signature⟧ The President ⟦illegible faded text⟧