AI English Translation, Pages 351-375
We, so-and-so, have been entrusted with this ⟦...⟧ and have authorized him to ⟦...⟧
the competent court in the pleading, and some of our elders attended, and that is
that we, willingly and with our full consent and desire, have dedicated from our property [this is a description of the property according to
the details of the deed or deeds] all of the land with its full boundaries and the ⟦...⟧ plot and the adjacent house]
and made it a valid, final, perpetual endowment in memory of the late Mr. Sassoon ⟦...⟧ David Al-Wujouh and with the conditions
following: For the establishment and construction of the community
Firstly - The aforementioned land remains ... with the plot on which the school ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ and Aaliyah in Baghdad stands.
where sciences, engineering arts, and other subjects are taught with the aim of promoting crafts and industries, provided that this is done in a way that is applicable.
As for the mentioned plot, it remains ... confirmed that it remains at the discretion of the trustee, either for the residence of the director ⟦...⟧ or the school teachers
of the school or any of its teachers with their families or for other purposes of the school administration in any other way that allows its rental for exploitation.
And its proceeds are spent on the mentioned school. The name of the school will be "Sassoon Hezekiah School" and it is not permissible to change this ⟦...⟧
name or add a name or anything else to it forever. And this name ⟦...⟧ shall be engraved at the original entrance of the school and in
a prominent place inside it ⟦...⟧ and its preservation shall be observed at all times and ages.
Secondly - A cash amount of twenty-two thousand pounds shall be attached to this endowment, which we will pay to the trustee upon the issuance of the endowment judgment. And this
amount shall be invested either by placing it as a trust in the place and under the conditions deemed appropriate by the trustee, or by purchasing safe bonds and shares at the trustee's discretion, or
by purchasing any type of immovable property anywhere that the trustee deems appropriate. The method of investing
these aspects is not intended to be exclusive; rather, the trustee shall have complete freedom ⟦...⟧ and decisive discretion in the aspects of investment and in changing them
as he deems fit and according to circumstances, thereby placing the trust of investment to the greatest extent possible and ensuring benefit. It is permissible
However, it is stipulated in the investment of the aforementioned money or any other money added to this endowment that it not be invested with any body or institution
in one aspect over another. And the income obtained from this source shall be spent on the mentioned school.
Thirdly - The income of the endowment shall be spent firstly on paying government and municipal fees and taxes, secondly on the reconstruction and renovation of the endowment buildings, including the school,
thirdly on paying the wages and expenses of managing the endowed properties prepared for exploitation, if any, and fourthly, if the trustee deems the expenditure on this
aspect necessary, and fourthly, on establishing an emergency reserve fund and for rebuilding the school and endowments at the necessary time in the future.
And this is for the needs of the school itself, as well as in any aspect of spending on it. And the order of precedence in the aspects of spending shall be according to
the arrangement mentioned in this paragraph.
It is permissible to manage it or
to entrust it or its ownership
to the administration of the
Iraqi Jewish community in Baghdad
and to any other Jewish committee or association
in Iraq or
to any trustee
from among the community members
whom the trustee
deems appropriate.
Fourth: The trustee may borrow sums of money for the purpose of construction and improvements on the endowed properties, provided that
the repayment of the borrowed sums and their specified interest as endowments is secured within the period and under the conditions that the trustee deems appropriate.
Fifth - The trustee, if he sees it in the interest of the school or the endowments, may replace all or part of the endowed properties, including ⟦that which is more beneficial⟧
dispose of them with other properties to establish a more suitable school or for replacement with more beneficial conditions. And if he replaces the school itself,
he must establish in its place a school more suitable for the purpose for which it was created, and he may buy other properties from the surplus
whether for the purpose of exploitation or for the purpose of expanding the school building, as well as all lands, provided that they are endowed under the same conditions
mentioned in this endowment deed. He may also lease any premises he deems suitable for a school branch, as well as build on it.
provided that every addition or every branch of this kind is named after the school as a bequest.
Sixth - The trusteeship of the endowed properties shall revert to the Spiritual Council of the Israelite Community in Baghdad or the Presidency
which legally replaces it. Therefore, the administration of the school and the assessment of its benefits and conditions, in all respects, shall revert to
the aforementioned Council.
Seventh - The aforementioned trustee may carry out the duties of trusteeship, whether in managing the waqf interest or in managing the school
itself directly or through a special committee formed for this purpose or any general committee <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> operating under his supervision and trusteeship
in the administration of any school or institution or schools or other institutions in general. Therefore, the trustee may appoint one agent
or more to manage the exploitations as an endowment for a lump sum rent or an amount based on a certain percentage of the endowment's income, provided that this does not affect
the authority and trusteeship of the trustee himself in any way.
Eighth - Since the establishment of the school declared for the teaching of trades and crafts in the manner mentioned in Kufa cannot be considered
at present due to immense difficulties, some of which are due to the uncertainty of whether the income from the aforementioned contracts in Kufa is sufficient to implement
all the conditions mentioned above, and some of which are due to the inability of the administration of the Israelite Community in Baghdad in Kufa to
know the extent of its <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> ability to contribute to the expenses of the said school if the matter is suspended, as some of their dislike for it is due to
to the unavailability of the necessary expert teachers to secure the required high level for the aforementioned school, therefore, we hereby
authorize the trustee to use the aforementioned school for the people as an elementary, middle, or general secondary school, or to build and build
the Israeli community in Baghdad according to the following conditions:
1- The name of the school shall be as mentioned above.
2- The proceeds of the contracts and endowments assigned to Kojon as a school or to its proceeds in Kafr as mentioned above
as much as is necessary for that, and the rest of what accumulates in the prohibited Kojiyat in ⟦...⟧ Koj Four and <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> shall not be spent from it
anything on the private Koj mentioned in that Kafr as long as the school is not religious ⟦...⟧ by nature for its original purpose
as detailed above. Therefore, it is possible for the school, as long as it is an elementary or middle school
or a general secondary school, the expenditure on it in terms of administration and assignments shall be the responsibility of the administration of the Israeli community
in Baghdad.
3- The trustee shall <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> himself to urge the administration of the Israeli community in Baghdad to take on the responsibility of the school
mentioned and return it to its original goal as soon as possible. And he must submit a report once every year
at least to the General Council of Israel in Baghdad explaining Kojon’s dislike and the effort he is making to open the school
mentioned, and the decision shall be final regarding the necessity of converting the school into a vocational school according to the aforementioned conditions <del>⟦illegible⟧</del>
<del>⟦illegible⟧</del> and the date set for that depends on the opinion of the aforementioned General Council or ⟦...⟧ our opinion as
endowers that this should appear from him when <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> the joints ⟦...⟧ unanimously.
And on these Kojon and these conditions, we have <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> authorized our aforementioned agent to undertake all necessary transactions and ceremonies
for the purpose of determining the endowment, confirming it, and retracting it, as we wish, to the competent court in that matter, and appointing a guarantor and removing them repeatedly
for which we have given him this power.
( D R A F T . )
Mr. DAVID S. ESKELL,
HOTEL FRANCES DE GALLES.
P A R I S .
Sir Sasson Eskell School
Dear Sir,
Your letter dated 24th October 1949, forwarded to us by <del>Mr</del>
Dr. E. Korine, President, J. S. C., was duly received and its contents
carefully noted with thanks by our Council.
The Council studied carefully your letter and has agreed to
follow the points laid down therein. However, our Council would wish
to bring to the notice of your honourable familythat it has always
appreciated and respectedthe beloved wish of the late Sir Sassoon Eskell
to establish a Technical School in the present Technical-School-Build⟦ing⟧
and was always eager to realise this project in view of the fact that
our Community is greatly in need of such a school.
I wish to point out further that the Sub-Committee, specially
appointed for the purpose of studying this subject, referred to in our
letter dated 16th Jan. 1949, has reported that a Technical School as the
one proposed would require not less than IDs. 5000/- for its yearly
upkeep. Apart from that it is estimated that a sum of IDs. 12500/- would
be required to complement the existing building with workshops and to
furnish them with the necessary equipments and plants. In view of the fact
that the necessary yearly expenses are beyond the means of our Community
and/⟦un⟧obtainable under the present circumstances, our Council thinks it
unlikely that it will be able to start the proposed Technical School in
the immediate future. We do not, of course, imply that the plan need not
be realised. Our Council wishes to repeat here its assurance that it will
spare no effort to locate funds <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> for the purpose, although this
may take time.
We have, in the meantime, requested Maitre Joseph El-Kabir, to
lay out - in accordance with your wishes, - a draft of the (Waqouf) docu-
ments, copy of which I have the pleasure to enclose herewith duly transla-
ted into English, I would be glad to receive your comments on its contents
at your earliest convenience. In this connection I wish to point out that
⟦illegible⟧
our Council is of the opinion that it would be more suitable if the
condition appearing in paragraph (2)-c- of your letter under reference,
were to be altered to allow for the exchange of the present school
building, the teacher's house and the piece of land adjoining to them,
by another suitable building or another suitable piece of land. This is
found necessary as a preca⟦u⟧tionary measure, in case the local Authorities
would, at any time, refuse to grant the necessary permit for the opening
of a Technical School in the district of the present building.
In the hope of receiving your esteemed reply at an early date,
I wish to remain,
Yours very Sincerely.
⟦illegible⟧
9/2/50.
PRESIDENT
JEWISH LAY COUNCIL BAGHDAD.
Jewish Schools Committee
BAGHDAD
Jewish Schools Committee
Baghdad
Number: M / 501 / 8
Date: 5 / 1 / 1950
Administration of the Lay Council ⟦illegible⟧
Number 950 / 426 / J
Date 6 / 1 / 950
File Number ⟦illegible⟧
His Excellency the President of the Respected Lay Council
Greetings and Respect,
We refer to you the letter received from Mr. Daoud Heskel Al-Bawakh
on October 24, 1949, with a copy of the letter received by us attached from Dr.
Ezra Qara'ini. This committee discussed in its session held on 2 / 1 / 950
the conditions for making the school a secondary school to accept students from Albert Sassoon Intermediate School and found
the conditions presented in the report regarding this subject to be appropriate. As for the conditions
pertaining to the Industrial School, this is left to the decision of your esteemed council.
Please accept our highest respect.
⟦signature⟧
President
Picture of the book by Dr. Ezra Kaza'in
His Excellency the Vice President of the Israeli Schools Committee in Baghdad
Greetings and longings,
I present herewith the letter from Mr. Daoud Heskel, in which he proposes his conditions for making the school
mentioned in his letter a temporary high school. After a long debate, I convinced him of the necessity of such a school
in the current circumstances until it crystallizes and the search <del>for</del> <ins>for</ins> successful foundations to make it
an industrial school. I found in my discussions with him that he truly wishes this school to be of
benefit to our students, and that the delay until now in reaching a solution was due to a misunderstanding between him
(he and his family members) and the successive committees that dealt with school matters in Baghdad.
I hope to announce that paragraph (1) of Article
Two can be softened and made, for example, as follows: (that the school's location can be changed to another if the majority
or two-thirds of the General Council members agree to that, and that the change or transfer shall be to a suitable and appropriate location
to the desires and interests of the students, etc. - He agreed to this amendment in the aforementioned paragraph after he
consulted his brother and family.
Secondly - Mr. Ezra Daoud Heskel wishes Mr. Yousef Al-Kabeer to be an active member
in preparing the endowment and asks him to do so specifically, as well as to send him an English translated copy.
I hope that your efforts will be crowned with success for the benefit of our children and students, and may you remain well.
Accept more greetings,
Sincerely,
Signature of Dr. Kazain
Paris on 6/12/1949
Note - I would like to specifically thank Mr. Ibrahim Al-Kabeer for his actual assistance and efforts
regarding the completion of this school's mission and bringing it to this desired result.
Please send the correspondence in my name, and I will forward it to Mr. Daoud afterwards.
David S. Eskell,
Hotel Prince de Galles,
Paris.
24th October, 1949.
The President,
Jewish Lay Council,
Bagdad.
Dear Sir,
"Sir Sassoon Eskell School"
I refer to the above matter and after having discussed
the whole problem with Dr. E. D. Korine, President J. S. C., who
is at present in Paris, and after having given full consideration
to the question of the School which he had placed before me and in
view of the urgent need of the Community to possess a building to
accommodate the overflow of Students who are now studying in the
Albert Sassoon College, we have arrived at an agreement as follows:-
1. The above School shall remain, as it was intended to
be by the late Sir Sassoon Eskell as a "Technical
School", and the Jewish Community represented by its
Lay Council should always endeavour by all its means
to establish it as a Technical one.
2. The Lay Council shall submit a yearly Report to the
General Assembly (Majlis Amoomi) indicating therein
what endeavours are being made and the steps that are
being taken by them to establish the School as a
Technical institution, and in the event of difficulties
being encountered by them in the establishment thereof,
full discussion of the question shall take place in a
plenary session. We trust, however, that at an early
date the endeavours of the Council to this end will be
successful and that as a Technical School it will prove
of great benefit to the Iraqi Youth in general and to
the Jewish Community in particular. In the meantime
and only as a temporary measure, however, the School
building as well as the teacher's house adjoining it
may be used as a "Secondary School" on the following
conditions:-
- 2 -
24th October, 1949.- Continued.
The President, Jewish Lay Council, Bagdad.
(a). The Bagdad Community shall undertake full
responsibility in maintaining and supervising the
functioning of the school at all times, without
any call shall be made upon us at any time or
circumstances whatsoever in respect thereof
financially or otherwise.
(b). The School shall always be called and known as
"Sir Sassoon Eskell School" and in no
circumstances this name shall at any time in
the future be changed or substituted by any
another name, or shall any other name or names be
shares with it in the event of donations are made
to the institution by some other person or persons.
⟦? ? ?⟧
(c). The present School Building, the teacher's House,
and the piece of land adjoining shall not at any
time in the future be alienated, sold, exchanged
or the School itself transferred or removed to
some other site however desirable such exchange,
transfer or sale might be considered to be by the
local Community or any other authority or
institution administering the school from time to
time.
(d). That appropriately inscribed tablets bearing the
name of "Sir Sassoon Eskell" shall be placed in
the principal entrance of the School as well as
in a prominent place inside the School building.
The Community or those in charge to undertake
to replace the same in the event of damage at
any time.
(e). Upon satisfactory Waouf documents being drawn
and agreed to, a sum of money <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> approximately
£22,000.- Stg. (twenty two thousand) shall be
handed over to you to be constituted as a trust
fund solely for the benefit of the School under
the supervision of the Community, the income
from which shall be used exclusively for improve-
ments and general maintenance of the School, the
School building and the teacher's house. This
Capital Fund may be used to buy income producing
buildings or other property, the income of which
shall be spent on the School maintenance. The
above-mentioned Capital Fund may, however, be
used or the buildings or property represented
thereby may be sold only upon the express purpose
and in connection with the full establishment of
a "technical school" and not for any other purpose.
It is expressly agreed that as long as the School
remains as a "Secondary School", the Capital Fund
- 3 -
24th October, 1949.- Continued.
The President, Jewish Lay Council, Bagdad.
or such buildings or other property that may
have been purchased with that fund shall remain
intact and only such income as is realised
therefrom shall be expended for the maintenance
of the School and the teacher's House.
(f). Any income accrued to the "Trust Fund" shall
remain unexpended annually, <del>and</del> the same shall
be added to and be part of the Capital Fund.
3. It is further agreed that when the plan of the
establishment of the "Technical School" is finally
carried out by you, any expenditure that may be
required from time to time for the maintenance,
enlargement, repairs or any other requirements in
connection therewith, the full cost thereof shall be
guaranteed and shall be met by the Jewish Community
and there shall not, in any circumstances, a call be
made upon us for any contribution of funds whatsoever
in respect thereof.
I trust that the above answers fully the need of the
Community and shall look forward to your reply in this connection
at an early date.
Yours faithfully,
⟦signature⟧
David S. Eskell.
The Lay Council
of the Jewish Community * Baghdad
⟦line⟧
Honorable Vice President
⟦line⟧
Since the study of the report of the Artisans Committee will require
some time, I believe, do you not see it appropriate
that a letter of appreciation or an acknowledgment of receipt of the report be sent
until the Council <del>finishes</del> studying the report ..
219
⟦illegible⟧
24/4/⟦illegible⟧
1950
950 / 472 / ⟦illegible⟧
1950 / 3 / 16
Dear Sirs,
Daoud Shlomo
Abdullah Obedia
Sami Ibrahim Hayyim
Ezra Shal
Shai Tuweq
Respected members of the Defense Committee.
After greetings,
The Council received with great thanks your report dated 21 / 9 / 1949
Which includes the results of your committee's study of the project to open Sir Sassoon Hesqel's School of Crafts.
With your suggestions in this regard.
Please accept the Council's deep thanks and appreciation for the troubles you have endured
In your mission in this regard, wishing you continued success.
And please accept our highest regards;
The Council
Vice President
President
This letter was written by
His Honor the Vice President in ⟦illegible⟧
7 / 14
⟦illegible⟧ / 14
2
10/4/51
10/15/50
1/6
10/18/50
8/7/51
C/ 25/900
1950/2/⟦illegible⟧
Presidency of the Schools Committee
⟦illegible⟧
We are sending you herewith a copy of the report of the Crafts Committee dated 9/21/1949, requesting
that you study it and provide your observations regarding it. Best regards.
Vice President
Crafts Committee
4/20/2