Establishment of Sasson Eskell Technical School; Properly Owned by Jewish Community
View interactive document pageThese are documents from the Baghdadi Jewish community. Included is information relating to building the Sasson Eskell Technical School: blue prints and architectural plans, lists of required materials for the building and operation of the school; letters to David Eskell about the school’s establishment; proposed curriculum and subjects of study. The item also contains documents concerning property owned by Jewish organizations such as Ḥevrah Ḳadishah and Midrash Talmud Torah.
The Garden 322 m \ 8 ⟦illegible⟧ Empty land and research 535 m The Divan The Garden The Garden W E N S Approximate layout of the plot of land 322 m \ 8 in ⟦illegible⟧ Area scope in the building that ⟦illegible⟧ In the year 322 AD 8, the area of the front plot of land, which is attached to the construction of the synagogue, on the occasion of repair work in the synagogue [895] ⟦illegible⟧ in the year 895 AD ⟦illegible⟧ from the Qibla in the line to ⟦illegible⟧
Taboo Bond Copy of Baghdad Tapu Department Register Card number: 22/8 Register date: 9/8/938 Hadith number: 246 Register number: 246 Old gate number: 24 Register count: Paper item count: Register page count: Notes | Street | Neighborhood | Location | Village | District | Qadaa | Province | | Bani Saeed | Baghdad | | | | Type: Courtyard And contents: Category: Pure ملك (private ownership) Current boundaries: Public road, second side Jewish property, third side Jewish property, fourth side Jewish property Area: 111 square meters and 45 square decimeters Allocations: First proceeds: Side that issued the bond: Based on the request and audit, it was found that this plot of land, with an area of 111 square meters and 45 square decimeters, Bounded by the aforementioned boundaries, was registered in the records of this department under the name of the Jewish community. According to the legal division issued by the Sharia Court in Baghdad, dated ⟦...⟧ and acquired the degree Final, and accordingly, this bond was given to the guardian of the mentioned community ⟦...⟧ Tahir Al-⟦...⟧ Total | Allocations | Fee | Footing fee | Paper price | تجاوز (trespass) and excess allowance | Value | Alternative | | | | | | 1200 | Director of Baghdad Region Tabu SGPS..686..1070..2000..8-12-35.
Title Deed Bond 292 Record Date: Record Number: Number of Records: Number of Record Pages: Number of Title Deed Portfolio: New Gates Number: Old Gates Number: Number of Wirko Book: District | Sub-district | Sub-district | Village | Location | Neighborhood | Street | Notes Gender and Contents: Type: Current Boundaries: Area: Allocations: First Owner: Bond Issuing Authority Administrator and Affiliation: Consideration | Value | Equivalent Value and Auction | Paper Price | Old Rental Fee | Fee | Allocations | Total Rupee | It | Rupee | It | Rupee | It | Rupee | It | Rupee | It | Rupee | It | Rupee | It | Rupee | It SGPS...686.. 1070...2000...8-12-25.
Technical School 1. Site for proposed Technical School - Drawing No 10665A a) Dated 9-3-34 b) Scale 1/100 c) Drawing by Chief Mechanical Engineer 2. Proposed TECHNICAL SCHOOL (Smithy & Foundry) Drawing No: 10666B a) Dated Scale - 1/4": 1 Foot 1/48 Full Size Drawing by Chief Mechanical Engineer 3. Proposed TECHNICAL SCHOOL (Machine Shops Drawing No 10666A) a) Dated Scale 1/4": 1 Foot. 1/48 Full Size Drawing by Chief Mech. Eng. 4) Proposed TECHNICAL SCHOOL Drawing No:- 10665 Dated 21-12-33 Scale 1/8" to 1 Foot 1/96 Full Size Drawing by Chief Mech. Eng. 5) Site for proposed TECHNICAL SCHOOL Drawing No - i Dated 9-3-34 Scale 1/100th Drawing by Chief Mech. Eng. 6) 2 Tracing Cloths relating to the Proposed Technical School. Major Halt 7) Arrangement + Details of Fencing for Shalchiah Workshop Dated 15-4-35 Scale Half Size + 1 inch to one foot Drawing No 10729 Drawing by Chief Mech. Eng. 8) Proposed Technical School Lay-Out Drawing No:- 10665 Dated 21-12-33 Scale - 1/8 inch to one foot By :- Chief Mech. Eng. 9) A) Proposed Technical School (Machine Shops) Draw. No:- ⟦10666A⟧ Dated Scale 1/4": 1 Foot 1/48 Full Size Draw. by Chief Mech. Eng. B) Proposed Technical School (Smithy + Foundry) Draw - No - ⟦10666B⟧. Dated Scale 1/4": 1 Foot 1/48 Full Size Draw by: Chief Mech Eng. 10) Proposed Technical School Drawing No - Dated Scale 1 cm. = 1 Metre Drawing by: A B C D E F G H I
The Jewish Lay Council JEWISH LAY COUNCIL in Baghdad BAGHDAD Telephone No. 5452 TELEPHONE No. 5452 No. :: Subject Summary :: COPY Date :: 16th January, 1949 D.S. Eskell, Esq., RE. Sir Sassoon Eskell Technical School Dear Sir, The Schools Committee have referred to this Council the Correspondence exchanged between you and the Committee some time ago last year, with regard to your wish to hand over to them Sir Sassoon Eskell Technical School in Baghdad. We understand that the reluctance of the Committee to carry on this correspondence was due to the fact that the Committee's financial position precluded further burdening by the running of a Technical School under the terms referred to in your letter dated July 18th, 1947, The Committee have also brought to the notice of this council a copy of your letter dated 15th August 1948, addressed to Monsieur Weill of Paris, relating to the handing over of the Technical School's building to serve for a secondary school. The Council wishes to stress the dire need of this Community for a Technical School of the kind envisaged by the late Sir Sassoon Eskell. The conclusion arrived at unanimously was that everything possible was to be made to realise this project, despite the fact that the fund set for the purpose fell far short of the minimum requirements. A special committee was therefore formed to submit a detailed report on how this project could be put into operation with the meagre resources placed at the disposal of the trustees. In the meantime, and fearing that the prevailing high prices and scarcity of equipment should render impossible the carrying out of the project at present, the Council feels that it would serve the Community and the testator's memory best to have the building serve temporarily as a Secondary School until such time as will make it possible to carry out the original project. We therefore wish to invite your kind attention to the following proposals: 1- The Jewish community in Baghdad is willing to take over the building of the School and the land next to it together with the fund as per the terms laid by you in the letter referred to above, but the Council prefers that, for obvious reasons, there would be no relation of any kind between this project and any foreign institution such as the Alliance Society or any other, and that everything relating to this matter will be directly dealt with between your goodselves and the Jewish Community in Baghdad. 2- As we are very anxious to see the project carried out as soon as possible, we wish to stress on the term laid down by you in the letter referred to above that in case we take over the School the community would have the option of using the building as a Secondary School or a Technical School as necessity and expediency should determine. This will enable us to start right now using the premises as a Secondary School till the time comes when we are in a position to carry out the project of a Technical School. The Jewish Community places great importance on the project of a Technical School, but should it prove beyond our capacity to start it now, we believe that this compromise would give us the greatest benefit out of the present premises. 3- Once these proposals meet with your kind approval, as we hope they will, a special committee will be formed to take over the School under the terms re above. -2- P. T. O
-2- We are anxiously awaiting your reply expressing agreement with these proposals. Assuring you of our best attention and cooperation and with all due gratitude on behalf of the community we represent, we are, dear Sir, Yours faithfully, VICE-PRESIDENT JEWISH LAY COUNCIL BAGHDAD Copy to :- The Jewish Schools Committee, BAGHDAD; ⟦illegible⟧
The Schools Committee have referred to this Council the Correspondence exchanged between you and the Committee some time ago last year, with regard to your wish to hand over to them Sir Sasson Heskell Technical School in Baghdad. We understand that the reluctance of the Committee to carry on this correspondence was due to the fact that the Committee's financial position pre- cluded further burdening by the running of a Technical School under the terms laid down in your letter dated The Committee have also brought to the notice of this council a copy of your letter dated 15th August 1948, addressed to Monsieur Dayle of Paris, relating to the handing over of the Technical School's building to serve for a secondary school. The Council took great pains ⟦at⟧ point⟦ing⟧ out the dire need of this Community for a Technical School of the kind envisaged by the late Sir Sasson Heskell. The conclusion arrived at unanimously was that everything possible was to be made to realise this project, despite the fact that the amount set for the purpose fell far short of the miminun requirements. A special committee was therefore formed to submit a detailed report on how this project could be put into operation with the meagre resources placed at the disposal of the trustees. In the meantime, and fearing that the prevailing high prices and scarcity of equipment should render impossible the carrying out of the project at present, the Council feels that it would serve the Community and the testator's memory best to have the building serve temporarily as a Secondary School until such time as will make it possible to carry out the original project. We there- fore wish to invite your kind attention to the following proposals: 1- The Jewish community in Baghdad is willing to take over the building of the School and the land next to it together with the fund as per the terms laid by you in the letter referred to above, but the Council prefers that there would be no relation of any kind between this project and any foreign institution such as the Alliance Society or any other one, and that everything relating to this matter will be directly dealt with between your goodselves and the Jewish Community in Baghdad. 2- As we are very anxious to see the project carried out as soon as possible, we wish to stress on the term laid by you in the letter referred to above that in case we take over the School we would have the option of using the building as a Secondary School or a Technical School as necessity and expediency determine. This will enable us to start right now using the premises as a Secondary School till the time comes when we are in a position to carry out the project of a Technical School. The Jewish Community places great importance on the project of a Technical School, but should it prove beyond our capacity to start it now, we think that this compromise would give us the greatest benefit out of the present premises. 3- Once these proposals meet with your kind approval, as we hope they will, a special board will be formed to take over the School under the terms referred to above. We are a⟦n⟧xiously awaiting your reply expressing agreement with these proposals. Assuring you of our best attention and cooperation. ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
Mr. David E. Haskell, Dear Sir, The <del>Jewish Schools Committee</del> have referred to the Jewish Lay Council of Baghdad the correspondence exchanged between you and them sometime ago last year which stopped inconclusively from their side due to the fact that they were <del>indecisive</del> about their financial condition as relating to the question of undertaking the running of the Technical School according to the terms referred to in your letter dated ............... The committee has also reaised to the Council a copy of your letter dated 10th Aug., 1948 addressed to Monsieur Dayle of Paris, and after discussing the matter fully, we wish to invite your kind attention to the following proposals which we wish that they would meet with your approval so that we can carry out a project which will bear the name of an outstanding personality dear to everybody in the community namely that of Sir Sasson Haskell. this undecided 1- The Jewish community in Baghdad is willing to take over the building of the School and the land next to it together with the fund as per the terms laid by you in the letter referred to above, but the Council prefers that there would be no relation of any kind between this project and any foreign institution such as the the Alliance Society or any other one, and that everything relating to this matter will be directly dealt with between your goodselves and the Jewish Community in Baghdad. 2- As we are very anxious to see the project carried out as soon as possible, we wish to stress on the term laid by you in the letter referred to above that in case we take over the School we would have the option of using the building as a Secondary School or a Technical School as <del>the</del> necessity <del>would</del> determine, this will enable us to start right now using the premises as a Secondary School till the time comes when we are in a position to carry out the project of a Technical School. The Jewish Community places great importance on the project of a Technical School, <del>but</del> <del>as we are not in a position to start it now,</del> we think that this comp- romise would give us the greatest benefit out of the present premises. and expediency determine. but as it will be beyond our capacity We hope that these proposals will have your approval and we <del>shall be</del> anxiously waiting for an early reply. are Assuring you of our best attention and cooperation. Yours faithfully, for THE JEWISH LAY COUNCIL BAGHDAD ⟦illegible signature⟧ PRESIDENT. a special board will be formed. 3 - Once these proposals meet with your kind approval, as we hope they will, a special Board will be formed to take over the School under the terms referred to above. We are anxiously awaiting your reply, expressing agreement with these proposals.
August 10, 1948 Mr. Weill, PARIS Dear Sir, I have received your letters of June 11 and 12 and thank you for the detailed information they contain, regarding a conversation you had with my brother in Paris, about the buildings of the Baghdad School. I note, with much regret, that the Baghdad Com- munity is hardly disposed to own a technical school, nor desirous of doing so, although in my opinion, a school of this kind would be very precious and useful to the local population, and according to the report of Mr. Laredo, it seems to be in great need currently of a "Secondary School" to house the surplus of students from the students who are currently studying at the "A. Sassoon College". Regarding what you have written in this regard, I could probably obtain the consent of the family members to set aside the initial plan of the "Technical School" and accept your suggestion to entrust the building to you to open it as a "Secondary School", provided however, that the Alliance, or the Baghdad Community through the Al- liance, formally commits, by a suitable act constituted as Waouf, to fulfill the minimum conditions listed below: 1) The Alliance (or the Baghdad Community through the Alliance) must assume full responsibility for the maintenance and supervision of the proper functioning of the school at all times, without recourse to us, whatever the time or the circumstances and the influence the school could have to bear. 2) The School must always be called "Sir Sassoon Eskell" and known by that name, and in no case may this name thereafter be changed, or replaced by another, or accompanied by one or more other names in the case of donations made to the institution by one or more persons. 3) The current school building, the <del>professor's</del> ⟦director's⟧ house and the dependent land may never, thereafter, be alienated, sold, exchanged, or the school itself transferred to any other place, however desirable such exchanges, transfers or sales may be in the opinion of the local Community or any other authority or institution. 4) Appropriate engraved tablets, bearing the name "Sir Sassoon Eskell" must be placed at the main entrance of the school, as well as in prominent places inside the building. The Community or those who will be in charge of it must replace these tablets if they are damaged, and at any time. 5) After satisfactory drafting of the Waouf documents, and after agreement on these documents, a sum of money amounting to approxi- mately 22,000 (twenty-two thousand) Iraqi dinars to you
⟦...⟧ to be established as a foundation, for the benefit of the school only, under the supervision of the Alliance, and whose interests must ⟦be⟧ used exclusively for the development and general maintenance of the school, the school buildings and the director's house. The capital of the aforementioned foundation must not, under any circumstances, be used for the upkeep or current needs of the school or its outbuildings, however, funds may be drawn from this fund to enlarge the school buildings using the land that depends on it or by constructing an additional floor on the current foundations, with the agreement of the Alliance, and the withdrawal made from the capital for the mentioned purpose must not exceed 25% of the amount periodically available. 6) Any interest accrued by the foundation, which will not be spent in the year for the benefit of the school, must be added to the capital of the foundation. My brother reported to me in detail the discussion you had during your interview about the school and the pleasure he had in meeting you and being informed of your opinions on the institution we are proposing. He was favorably impressed by the way you propose to help this school so that it may be a success for all those you are interested in. But as you realize that a substantial capital is available and will be given to you, as soon as satisfactory agreements have been reached, allow me to add that, if, after conducting thorough studies, you find that the Alliance could and would desire to undertake opening the school and making it operate as a "Technical School" by using a significant part of the foundation's money for the necessary equipment and the annual charges you allude to in your letter and which would be necessary during the first 4 or 5 years, and that after this initial period the Alliance would guarantee to provide, or to find otherwise, and without calling on us in any case, the funds that would probably be necessary or indispensable, periodically, for the maintenance and proper functioning of the Technical School or for any other purpose, in this case, the question could be studied more closely, if you see for yourself a possibility of assuming the burden of financing the institution for the future years following the initial period planned for 4 or 5 years. Convinced that this answers your requests for information, we hope to hear from you soon on this matter. Sincerely yours, Signed: D. Eskell.
Special for the endowment of the school After mentioning the formation of the two parties according to the principles, the founder's report comes as written below. So-and-so, referred to, decided, saying: The vacant plot of land located in the city of Baghdad in the limited neighborhood (here the boundaries are mentioned as listed in the title deed for the aforementioned plot) owned by me and my client jointly, inherited from our ancestor, my father, Shaoul bin Hacham Heskel, according to the title deed issued by the Baghdad Land Registry Department for the inheritance transaction dated from considering sixty-four shares for his wife, our mother Samha bint Heskel, the last son of Hacham Eliyahu, eight shares, and for each of his three sons, Albert, David, and Anwar, fourteen shares, and for each of his two daughters, Rose and Naima, seven shares, we have established on a part of it a school prepared for the education of boys from the Israeli community in industry as explained below, and we named it (Sasoon Heskel Memorial). After its construction was completed, we separated it from the total area of the aforementioned plot, so the mentioned school, after separation, became limited (here the boundaries recorded in the new separation deed are mentioned) and numbered with door serial number ( ) according to a title deed issued by the aforementioned Land Registry Department as a replacement for the separation dated and numbered with serial number ( ). So now I voluntarily and willingly decide that I have endowed, acting on my own behalf and as an agent for my client, So-and-so and So-and-so, referred to, for the aforementioned school, its land and its building with all its facilities and all its rights, as a definitive, enduring, and perpetual endowment, valid, perpetual, and eternal, not subject to revocation, annulment, or alteration in any way, at any time, and under any conditions. the following conditions:- (A) That poor boys from the Israeli community be taught and educated in the said school in an industry from the industries of blacksmithing, carpentry, and others that the trustee deems appropriate to teach and instruct technically, theoretically, and practically. (B) And that the said school be managed by a director appointed by the trustee, provided that this director is a graduate of a technical industrial school and holds a recognized certificate attesting to his competence and has sufficient practical experience in the industry for a sufficient period of time. (C) And that the acceptance of a student into the said school is conditional on his holding a certificate given by a well-known doctor attesting that, from the perspective of his health condition, he is fit to learn the industry he wishes to learn, and also holding a school certificate stating that he is educated to a sufficient degree to understand the theoretical technical lessons taught in the said school, and that he is of good character. (D) And that a bond be taken from the student wishing to enter this school, including his commitment to continue with all the theoretical and practical lessons specific to the industry he is assigned to, which are scheduled to be taught and instructed in the school, mentioned until its final designated levels, and that if he leaves the school before completing the designated level of lessons and education, he will pay to the school fund the aforementioned amount to be determined by the trustee and the director for each month of his attendance at the said school. (E) And the trusteeship of the mentioned endowed school has been granted to the association called "The Charitable Association for Industrial Education" " authorized to be established in this city of Baghdad by the Ministry of Interior, provided that its management of the said endowment and the organization and control of its financial affairs are subject to its system approved by the aforementioned Ministry. (F) And as long as the trusteeship is under the responsibility of the aforementioned association, I have appointed myself and my client, my brothers So-and-so, as supervisors over it.
Image of the translation of David Heskiel's letter to Monsieur Weil in Paris August 10, 1948 To Monsieur Weil in Paris Sir, I received your two letters ⟦dated⟧ June 11 and 12 and thank you for the information contained therein regarding the discussion that took place between you and my brother in Paris about the school building in Baghdad. Unfortunately, I understood that the community in Baghdad is not prepared to have an industrial school and does not desire it, although a school of this kind would be of great benefit to the community's children, as I believe. It is understood from Monsieur Larido that the community in Baghdad is now in need of a secondary school to which students who cannot be accommodated by the Albert Sassoon school at present can be transferred. Given what you wrote in this regard, I think it is possible that I can obtain the approval of my family members to abandon the first idea, which is to establish an industrial school, and accept your proposal to place the building at your disposal to use as a secondary school, provided that the Alliance or the community in Baghdad, through the Alliance, officially undertakes, by virtue of an endowment deed, to fulfill at least the conditions listed below. 1) The Alliance or (the community in Baghdad through the Alliance) shall bear full responsibility for the operation, management, and supervision of the school continuously, without referring to us, regardless of the circumstances, times, and conditions that may arise for the said school. 2) The school shall permanently bear the name (Sir Sassoon Heskel) and be known by this name. Under no circumstances is it permitted to replace this name or combine it with another name, even if monetary donations are made to the school by some individuals. 3) It is not permissible to sell, replace, donate, or transfer the current school building and the house allocated for the director's residence and the land attached to it, no matter how appropriate the justifications may be in the view of the community or any institution or authority representing it. 4) Carved plaques bearing the name of Sir Sassoon Heskel shall be placed at the entrance of the school and in a prominent place inside it, and the community or its representative shall be obliged to renew these plaques when they wear out. 5) Upon completion of the endowment transaction as required, an amount of approximately (22,000) Iraqi Dinars will be allocated to be an endowment attached to the aforementioned endowment, exclusively for the benefit of the school under your supervision, and the yield of this amount will be designated to be spent on furnishing and maintaining the school and its annex buildings, provided that no part of the principal endowed amount is spent on the needs of the school and its annexes unless there is an intention to expand the school building on the attached land or build an additional floor above the currently existing structures, and then, after obtaining the Alliance's approval, no more than 25% of the endowed amount available at that time or at any time for that purpose can be spent. 6) The yield of the endowed amount that remains unspent at the end of each year shall be added to the endowed amount itself. My brother informed me of the details of the discussions that took place with you regarding the school and expressed his satisfaction at meeting you and what he perceived of your intentions regarding the institution we are concerned with. Therefore, he is pleased with the approach you intend to follow and your efforts in its advancement, for the benefit of all stakeholders. Since the capital we mentioned, which is a considerable amount, is ready for delivery upon reaching the desired agreement, I would like to add the following: - If the Alliance
- 2 - We wish and believe, after careful study, that we can open the school as an industrial school and operate it. This is by using and spending a significant portion of the funds allocated for use to purchase the necessary tools. and manage the institution during the four or five years, provided that there is no recourse against us in any way. We can then study the matter again in that case. We hope that we have provided you with all the required information and are awaiting your reply at the earliest opportunity. We hope that you accept our continued respect.
Copy of the Vocational School Endowment Summary of the School Endowment After mentioning the formation of both parties according to the protocols, the settler's declaration follows as written below: So-and-so, the aforementioned, declared saying: That the vacant plot of land located in the city of Baghdad in the bounded district (here the boundaries are mentioned as listed in the Tapu deed for the mentioned plot) owned by me and my principals jointly, transferred to us as an inheritance from our legator, my father Sassoon son of Hakham Heskel according to the title deed issued by the Baghdad Tapu Department regarding the transfer transaction dated out of sixty-four shares: for his wife, our mother Simha daughter of Heskel the other son of Hakham Eliyahu, eight shares; and for each of us, his three sons Albert, David, and Anwar, fourteen shares; and for each of his two daughters Rosa and Naima, seven shares. We have established on part of it a school we prepared for teaching young poor boys from the Israelite community a craft in the manner described below, and we named it (Sassoon Heskel Memorial). After its construction was completed, we partitioned it from the total area of the aforementioned plot, so the mentioned school after partitioning became bounded (here the boundaries recorded in the new partitioning deed are mentioned) and numbered with sequence door number ( ) according to a title deed issued by the aforementioned Tapu Department in exchange for the partitioning, dated and numbered with sequence number ( ). Now, I declare voluntarily and by choice that I have endowed, on my own behalf and as an agent for my principals so-and-so and so-and-so, the aforementioned, the school mentioned above, its land and building with all its facilities and all its rights, as a definitive, valid, eternal, and perpetual endowment that is irrevocable, non-voidable, and unchangeable in any way and at any time, and I have stipulated the following conditions:- (a) - That the poor boys of the Israelite community shall study and be taught in the mentioned school crafts such as blacksmithing, carpentry, and others that the trustee assigns to be taught and learned technically, theoretically, and practically. (b) - That the mentioned school shall be managed by a director appointed by the trustee, provided that this director is a graduate of a technical industrial school and holds a recognized certificate testifying to his competence and has previous practical experience in the craft for a sufficient period of time. (c) - That the admission of a student to the aforementioned school is conditional upon holding a certificate given by a known physician testifying that from a health standpoint he is fit to learn the craft he seeks to learn, and also holding a school certificate stating that he is educated to a degree sufficient to understand the technical theoretical lessons taught in the mentioned school and that he is of good character. (d) - That a deed shall be taken from the student seeking entry into this school including his pledge to continue all theoretical and practical lessons specific to the craft he joins, which is scheduled to be taught and learned in the mentioned school until its final designated levels; and that if he leaves the school before completing the level of lessons and education prescribed, he shall pay to the fund of the aforementioned school the amount determined by the trustee and the director for each month of the duration of his attendance in the mentioned school. (e) - I have assigned the trusteeship over the mentioned endowment school to the association called the "Charitable Industrial Education Association" authorized to be established in this city of Baghdad by the Ministry of Interior, provided that its management... - To be continued -
Copy of the Endowment Deed for the School of Ar⟦line⟧ts Pertaining to the school endowment After mentioning the formation of both parties according to the protocols, the endower's declaration follows as written below The aforementioned person stated, saying: That the vacant plot of land located in the city of Baghdad in the bounded district (here the boundaries are mentioned as listed in the Tabu deed for the mentioned plot) owned by me and my clients jointly, passed to us by inheritance from our legator, my father Shaul bin Hakham Hesqel, according to the title deed issued by the Baghdad Tabu Department for the transfer transaction dated out of sixty-four shares for his wife, our mother Simha bint Hesqel, other daughter of Hakham Eliyahu eight shares, and for each of us three sons, Albert, David, and Anwar, fourteen shares, and for each of his two daughters, Rosa and Naeema seven shares. We have established on a part of it a school we prepared for teaching boys from the poor of the Israelite community a craft in the manner shown below, and we named it (Sassoon Hesqel Memorial). After its construction was completed, we partitioned it from the total area of the aforementioned plot, so the mentioned school after partitioning became bounded (here the boundaries written in the new partitioning deed are mentioned) and numbered with serial door number ( ) according to a title deed issued by the aforementioned Tabu Department in exchange for partitioning dated and numbered with serial number ( ). So now I declare voluntarily and by choice that I have endowed on my own behalf and as an agent for my clients so-and-so and so-and-so, the aforementioned, the mentioned school, its land and its building with all its facilities and all its rights as a final endowment valid, eternal, and perpetual, not subject to revocation, annulment, or change in any way or at any time, and I have stipulated the following conditions: (A) - That poor boys from the Israelite community be taught and instructed in the mentioned school in one of the crafts of blacksmithing, carpentry, and others which the trustee assigns for teaching and instruction technically, theoretically, and practically. (B) - That the mentioned school be managed by a director appointed by the trustee, provided that this director is a graduate of a technical craft school and holds a recognized certificate testifying to his competence and having previous practical experience in the craft for a sufficient period of ti⟦line⟧me. (C) - That the admission of a student to the aforementioned school is conditional upon him holding a certificate given by a known doctor testifying that from the standpoint of his health condition he is fit to learn the craft he seeks to learn, and also holding a school certificate that he is educated to a degree sufficient to understand the technical theoretical lessons taught in the mentioned school and that he is of good char⟦line⟧acter. (D) - That there be taken from the student seeking entry into this school a document including his pledge to continue all theoretical and practical lessons related to the craft he is enrolled in, which is scheduled to be taught and instructed in the mentioned school until its final designated levels, and that if he leaves the school before completing the level of lessons and instruction prescribed, he shall pay to the aforementioned school fund the amount determined by the trustee and the director for each month of his attendance period in the mentioned school. (E) - I have designated the trusteeship over the mentioned school endowment to the association called "The Charitable Craft Education Association" authorized to be established in this city of Baghdad by the Ministry of Interior, provided that its management - to be cont⟦line⟧inued -
- 2 - the aforementioned endowment and the organization and management of its financial affairs are subject to its system approved by the Ministry mentioned above. (f) - As long as the guardianship is entrusted to the aforementioned association, I have appointed myself and my brothers, so-and-so and so-and-so, as supervisors, and after us, the said supervision shall be for the most senior of our children and our grandchildren, as they multiply and succeed each other generation after generation and class after class. And whoever is absent from this city of Baghdad from those for whom the supervision is stipulated, he may appoint another resident in the city of Baghdad. And if the descendants of those for whom the supervision is stipulated the supervision as mentioned above, God forbid, then the supervision shall be to (g) - And if the aforementioned association, to whom the guardianship was entrusted, is dissolved, then the guardianship shall be for myself and my brothers so-and-so and so-and-so and our children and our grandchildren, as they multiply and succeed each other, the most senior after the most senior, generation after generation and class after class. And if anyone for whom the guardianship is stipulated is absent from this city of Baghdad, he may appoint another to manage the affairs of the guardianship as his proxy. In this case, the supervision of the guardian or guardians shall be according to And if our descendants are extinguished, God forbid, then the guardianship shall be to the Israeli Spiritual Council in Baghdad. And if And if the descendants of whoever is stipulated to have the supervision are extinguished, God forbid, then the supervision shall be to - (h) And in the case that the guardianship is entrusted to me and my brothers, and to the most senior of our children and our grandchildren, or when the guardianship is entrusted to the previously mentioned Israeli Spiritual Council, then the guardian must follow the following conditions in addition to the above-mentioned conditions marked from letter (a) to (d), namely (1) - The guardian shall prepare, before the beginning of each academic year, budgets containing the revenues and expenditures of the school for the coming year, and these shall be approved by the supervisor. This budget shall be applied in that coming year, provided that if an expenditure outside that budget is made, a corresponding income must be found to cover it. (2) - The guardian shall submit to the supervisor, once every six months, a list containing the income and expenditure that occurred during that period. (3) - The supervisor shall examine the list and reconcile it with the ledgers. If it is found to be consistent with the ledgers and reality, he shall endorse it as consistent with the ledgers and reality. If he finds anything inconsistent with the ledgers, the guardian shall be liable for the amount that is found to have been calculated in expenditures or not calculated in revenues, which was contrary to the actual ledgers, and it shall be requested from the competent authority to remove the guardian if it is found that he calculated that amount in expenditures or did not calculate it in revenues with the intention of embezzlement for his own benefit or for the benefit of others. (4) - The guardian shall be removed if he refuses to submit the account as described within the period specified in paragraph (2) above, and this refusal shall be established if he is officially notified of the obligation to provide the account and fails to do so. (5) - The guardian shall also be removed if negligence and dereliction of duty in the administration of the school and its timings, and in the preservation of its revenues and collection, and spending of funds without necessity, are observed from him. (After that comes the statement of the necessary trial according to Sharia law and the ruling of the ⟦judge⟧ on the validity of the school's endowment and its binding nature according to the written conditions. 1/30/C
Ezra Menahem Daniel
2/4 Mutanasser Street
Baghdad, January 24, 1949
Phone number { 3044
6367
Administration of the Jewish Community Council - Baghdad:
Number: 277
Date: 25 / 1 / 1949
File number:
To the esteemed Vice President of the Jewish Community Council in Baghdad
Subject / Statement of the stages of the project to establish
the Vocational School of the late Sir Sassoon Heskel
Greetings and respect,
In late 1933, the late Shaul Haham Heskel approached me, asking for my help for his son
Mr. Anwar, who came to Baghdad to establish an industrial institution in memory of his late brother, Sir
Sassoon Heskel, who had passed away shortly before in Paris.
To achieve that desire, we consulted the Director of Railways at the time, who was convinced of the importance of the charitable project
and assigned the Chief Engineer of Railways, Mr. Bates, to prepare a complete design for him with a list of all the necessary tools
and supplies. It must be said that Mr. Bates carried out this task perfectly and provided us with
the complete design in all its aspects for establishing a workshop where students would train practically to graduate as skilled craftsmen. He
assured us that the workshop achieves the goal more than the school, and he himself was a graduate of a workshop, not a school.
We proceeded with the project and purchased the plot of land on which the current school was later built.
After several meetings with the lawyers, Mr. Shaul Haham Dawood and Mr. Youssef al-Kabir,
and deliberations with them on all points, we drafted the system for forming an association of thirty people, all of whom we invited
to the house of the late Shaul Haham Heskel, and they gladly accepted the establishment of the association, and they nominated seven from among them
to be a provisional committee to be re-elected after obtaining permission from the Ministry of Interior to form the association.
We submitted the system to the Ministry of Interior and obtained permission from them with their letter addressed to
the Committee, numbered 1500 and dated August 21, 1934.
At the same time, Mr. Anwar traveled after completing his mission to purchase the necessary tools and equipment
for the workshop according to Mr. Bates's list. We also asked him to inquire about a specialized person from
- 2 - Europe, to undertake the organization and training of the children in this workshop. All of this was done with the knowledge of the project owner, the late Shaul Moallem Haskel, and his approval, as we were in constant contact with him through communications. Due to the death of the late Shaul in that year, the project was delayed for a period during which his children's opinion changed as a result of consulting some of their friends whose opinions they trusted, and they preferred to establish a school instead of a workshop. Although we appreciated the superiority of a school over a workshop, we were not inclined to establish a school because we knew the exorbitant expenses it would incur, which were not commensurate with the expected income from the reserve allocated for the project. However, yielding to the desire of the late Shaul Moallem Haskel's children, who came to Baghdad in the spring of 1936, the founding committee agreed to their opinion on the condition that properties in Baghdad be purchased with the existing funds - and this was their father's wish - to benefit from their income, which might be more abundant than depositing them in foreign loan bonds, and due to the expected steady increase in their income. The association also relied on covering the remaining part of the required funds for school expenses from a grant taken from the community council, and from donations, subscriptions, parties, and other means. Indeed, the school was built, along with a house for the foreign director who would be appointed to manage it, and we commissioned lawyer Mr. Shaul Hacham Daoud to organize the necessary endowment for it ⟦...⟧ The first draft submitted by the aforementioned lawyer had burdensome conditions, as he placed the matter of appointing teachers and allocating their salaries in the hands of the founder's family, while the committee believed that this was within its jurisdiction, as the financial responsibility fell on its shoulders. After reviewing with the children of the late Shaul Moallem Haskel and their appreciation for our point of view, they tasked the lawyer with making the necessary amendment, and it finally came in the form you have a copy of now. This final form of the endowment also does not agree with the opinion of the association, which believed that its hands should be untied and freed from all restrictions to be able to carry out its mission as much as it could obtain funds. What made matters worse was the occurrence at that time of a deficit in the community fund, which made us unable to rely on its help, so it found itself unable to carry out the required task and resigned, and that was in late 1938, and the situation remains as it is now. ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
Endowment document of the School of Crafts Specific to the school's endowment After mentioning the formation of both parties according to the principles, the endower's report comes as written below. So-and-so, the aforementioned, stated: That the empty plot of land located in the city of Baghdad, in the delimited neighborhood (here the boundaries are mentioned as listed in the title deed of the said plot) owned by me and my client jointly, transferred to us by inheritance from our deceased father the late son of Hacham Heskel, according to the ownership deed given by the Baghdad Tabu Department for a transfer transaction dated from considering sixty-four shares for his wife, our mother Samha bint Heskel, the last son of Hacham Eliyahu, eight shares, and for each of his three sons, Albert, David, and Anwar, fourteen shares, and for each of his two daughters, Rose and Na'ima, seven shares. We have established on part of it a school which we have prepared for teaching young boys from poor families of the Israeli community a craft, as specified below, and we named it (In Memory of Sasson Heskel). After its construction was completed, we separated it from the total area of the aforementioned plot of land, so the said school, after separation, became delimited (here the boundaries written in the new separation deed are mentioned) and numbered with serial door number ( ) according to an ownership deed given by the aforementioned Tabu Department as a replacement for the separation, dated and numbered with serial number ( ). So now I voluntarily and by choice decide that I have endowed, on my own behalf and as an agent for my clients, So-and-so, the aforementioned, the said school, its land and its building, with all its facilities and all its rights, as a final, valid, permanent, and everlasting endowment, irrevocable and unchangeable in any way or at any time. And I stipulated the following conditions:- (A) That the said school shall teach and instruct poor young boys from the Israeli community in a craft from the crafts of blacksmithing, carpentry, and others, which the trustee deems fit to teach and instruct technically, theoretically, and practically. (B) And that the said school shall be managed by a director appointed by the trustee, provided that this director is a graduate of a technical vocational school and holds a recognized certificate attesting to his competence and has sufficient practical experience in the industry for a sufficient period of time. (C) And that the admission of a student to the said school is conditional on him holding a certificate given by a well-known doctor attesting that he is, from the perspective of his health condition, fit to learn the craft he wishes to learn, and also holding a school certificate stating that he is educated to a sufficient degree to understand the theoretical technical lessons taught in the said school, and that he is of good character. (D) And that the student seeking admission to this school shall provide a bond containing his pledge to continue with all theoretical and practical lessons specific to the craft he enrolls in, which are scheduled to be taught and instructed in the school mentioned above, up to its designated final levels. And if he leaves the school before completing the designated level of lessons and instruction, he shall pay to the aforementioned school fund the amount determined by the trustee and the director for each month of his attendance at the said school. (E) And I have placed the trusteeship of the mentioned endowment school under the association named "Charitable Industrial Education Association ", authorized to be established in this city of Baghdad by the Ministry of Interior, provided that its administration of the mentioned endowment and the organization and control of its financial affairs are subject to its system approved by the aforementioned Ministry. (F) And as long as the trusteeship is under the responsibility of the aforementioned association, I have appointed myself and my client brothers, So-and-so, as supervisors.