םולש לבב תודהי תשרומ זכרמל
תילארשיכו םכלש רתאל יתסנכנש הנושארה םעפה וז
ותדכנ ינא !האג ינאש ןייצל החרכומ ינא - יקריע אצוממ
תורב יתרזענ רבעבו יתיווכלא חלאצ חונמה רמז/רנכה לש
םישרוש תדובעל רשקב םידבועה ראשו רתע
םכל רמול ידכ וזה תונמדזהה תא תאצומ ינא .יבס לע יתישעש
קריע תודהי תחצנהל םישוע םתאש הלועמה הדובעה לע הדות
יתייהו ל"ז הניוות םיענ לש ותריתפ לע עומשל יתרעטצה
םילבא ימוחינ חולשל תנינועמ
יתחפשממ - ותחפשמל
יטנתוא רוניכ זכרמל ןמזמ אל המרת יתחפשמ
יתעידי בטימל
לבחו רוכזיא לכ ךכל יתאצמ אל ךא - יבסל רבעב ךייש היהש
םיעוריאב יתוא ןכדעל ולכות םא דואמ חמשא הרקמ לכב
זכרמב םישחרתמש םיילקיזומ
הדות (52511 ג"ר 55 יקסניטוב'ז :יתבותכ)
 

karin kvity ISRAEL
August 31 2000

I am a professor of English and American literature at the University
of Craiova
Romania. Also
I am very close to the Jewish community in my city

and to the activity of the Research Center for the History and Civilization of
the Jews in South-Eastern Europe that have been functioning in my unversity for
a year or so. You might be interested to know that my graduation paper (1972)
was on Saul Bellow's novels.

I am really impressed by the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center
and I visit the site whenever I have the time to do it. What follows is not exactly a comment

but a piece of memory since my work in Iraq as a translator and interpreter for
a Romanian construction company.

As a matter of fact we were building a cement plant on the banks of the
Euphrates very close to the Sirian border
in a place now called Al-Qaim (its previous name was Al-Houseiba). Well
we - as a foreign company - were supposed
to offer jobs to the native unemployed people. This is how we employed a young
woman belonging to the Ashuri (Christian) community of Iraq. She had been living
most of her life in one of those work communities built by the British along the
pipe line crossing Iraq into Siria and she knew a lot about the area. She had
great confidence in myself and my wife and she could speak freely
without any fear of the secret police. Alas
we understood her so well! One day when we were talking about the condition
of the religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq

she mentioned the situation of two Jewish families living in a village on the
other bank of the Euphrates. They were still there
they had not left for Israel and they were in a way
surviving by hid!
ing within the Moslim majority. Of course
I could never check the truth about it and - as a matter of fact - I did not
know very much about the condition of the Jews in Iraq. This young woman wouldn't
say more and our liberty of movement was rather limited.

When I discovered your web site
I was so impressed and the first thing that crossed my mind was the presumed
presence of the two Jewish families somewhere

in western Iraq
by the rivers of Babylon. By the way when I was there this already famous song was prohibited.

Thank you for your patience in reading this comment.

Yours Sincerely

Emil Sirbulescu.
 

emilsirb@hotmail.com
Emil Sirbulescu ROMANIA
August 30 2000

ודחאתי לבב יאצוי םא רתוי דמחנ היהי הפי רתא
רבעה לע רתוי דומלל תנמ לע לבב תשרומ זכרמ תחת
תידדה הרזעו םיתרבח םירשק ראופמה
תויבויח תובושת לבקל חמשא
 

yosikaduri@bzequint.net
yossi kadoury ISRAEL
August 16 2000

I am originally from Bombay
from Iraqi parents. I love your
website. Thank you for having it.
 

kaplan@deltanet.com
Florence Kaplan UNITED STATES
August 10 2000

My father and husband were born in Iraq but due to certain
circumstances we were never able to go to Iraq to see for my self all the things
my fathers family told us about. It is our dream. But we have seen the museum
in Israel. It gave us a taste of what we have heard about all these years.
Will keep warching the web for more.
Thanks You
 

dot60@juno.com
Sandra Sion UNITED STATES
August 09 2000

I enjoyed the site very much. I left Iraq on 1971 with my family with
the assistance of the Kurdish people to Iran. I studies at menahem daniel
elmentary school and then at Frank Eeny school in Baghdad. It is exciting to see
the sights of Baghdad.

Lilly Shor
Ramat Gan Israel
 

lillyshor@yahoo.com
Lilly Shor (Mendlawy) ISRAEL
August 09 2000

Shalom to all my Sephardi brothers and sisters!
 

voidmstr@primenet.com
Dennis Wilen UNITED STATES
http://www.voidmstr.com
August 07 2000

Most interesting information. I am of Baghdadi origin and I think
that the Babylonian Jewry had a great contribution to Judaism. All the events
and what happened to this diaspora should be documented to show the world that
this is the seed of jewish heritage.
Your work in the Centre is highly appreciated and very well done. You should
continue this great work.

With the best of wishes

Sami Sourani
 

samisourani@cs.com
Sami Sourani CANADA
July 23 2000

Great site
well done.

A message to Jenan Hanna who posted on this site on 1st June 1998. Your email is
no longer valid so if you read this message please get in touch. I was in your
class!
 

bob@yours.com
Robert Khalastchy UNITED KINGDOM
N/A
July 17 2000

Hi!

I was very suprised to find Jewry page from Irak.
 

k.keuru@aboavetusarsnova.fi
Kari Keuru FINLAND
http://aboavetusarsnova.fi
July 16 2000

I am interested in contacting an old school friend of mine
from Frank Iny School
Baghdad
Iraq. who is now living in Israel.
His ame is Safa Nadhim Dabbi.
Please let me know if you can help me find him.
 

szilouf@hotmail.com
Simon (Sabah Ezra sami) Zilouf UNITED KINGDOM
July 16 2000

I want yo say that i am verry happy - about what are you doing
hear/
ררושמכ לבא .קריעמ םירוהל ןב ינא םנמא

הרומ 'פורפל םג םירכומה הריש ירפס המכ יתמסרפ)
הביטקפסרפ תילבבה הריציה תא דעתמה רתאב יל רסח
םע המ .היוקל איה ודבל רבעל תוסחייתההש תעדויש
הריש ןיא המל ? דועיתל היואר אל איה - הווהב הריציה
רודב םירצויה לש םגו לבב יררושמ ילודג לש םג הבותכ
הריציל תוסחייתהב שיש בשוח ינא ?? ןורחאה
תיוז לעבל תשרומ -זכרמה ךרע תאלעה
לארשי ץראב הפ
רזוע ףסוי הדות הקימעמ היאר
(051589565

yybo@internet-zahav.net.il
yosef ozer ISRAEL
July 11 2000

This site is absolutely wonderful
Especially the information on the
Diaspora. The songs are super great. I've added this site to my favorites.
Everyone should visit this site often. Toda and shalom.

samd@onemain.com
Sam Daugherty UNITED STATES
July 09 2000

Dear Iraqis Everywhere


First of all
Thank You Very very much for this great and wonderful site. I am
an Iraqi Moslim who is in love with the Iraqi Jewish Heritage and History. I
remember in my childhood days when my Mom always used to say "Oh God Bring me my
Iraqi Jewish neighbours back
will the good old days come back someday and will
I ever see my old iraqi jewish neighbours someday?" and she prayed for that day
to come sooner than any other day. Iraq misses you all
Iraq and Iraqis still
have the same love for you
You and your great effort built a great Iraq at the
time when you were in Iraq.Iraq without you is not Iraq.

I decided to learn Hebrew and once I get my canadian citizenship i'll be flying
to Israel which will be the first country for me to visit once I become
Canadian
Thanks to some ruthless criminal 'Saddam God Burns His Soul in Eternal
Hell" who made life harder than it can ever get! But Dear Iraqi Jews
Know that
Each and Every Single Iraqi inside Iraq right now Hates and Lives on Hating
Saddam
and waits for the day to see all iraqis of all religions unite again
we
have always loved our great iraqi jews and will always do.

Amir Lazam
Toronto/Canada.
 

Amir L CANADA
http://www.iraq.net

I WOULD LIKE TO CORRESPOND WITH ANYBODY WHO KNOWS OR RELATIVE TO MY
FAMILY WHICH ESCAPED FROM BAGHDAD IN 1965. I STUDIED SIX YEARS IN MNAHEM DANEL
SCHOOL (1955-1961)
AND IN AMERICAN BAGHDAD COLLEGE(1961-1965). THANKS.
 

lev-d @ barley.cteh.ac.il.
david mahlab ISRAEL
http://www.barley.cteh.ac.il.
June 18 2000

םיסקמ
(wonderful)
 

Orgad8926@surfree.net.il
Ohad Orgad ISRAEL
May 28 2000

My father's family (the BABAI family) came from Iraq (Baghdad)to
Israel in the 1940's. Prior to living in Iraq they lived in Iran (shiraz). I
am trying to complete the BABAI family tree and would be interested to hear from
anyone who can help in relation to BABAI family members.

Many thanks to anyone who can help.

Limor Eshed
Sydney
Australia
Email: limor@ihug.com.au
 

limor@ihug.com.au
Limor Eshed AUSTRALIA
May 23 2000

I greatly enjoyed looking at your web page. It brought back beautiful
memories of the stories my late father
Emile Marmorstein (zichrono livracha)

would tell of his days as headmaster of the Shamash School (1936-39). The
dignity and piety of the chachamim
the sweet musical chant of the zemirot which
echoed through the ancient synagogues in the dusky twilight at the end of
Shabbat
all of these came back to me as I saw that there are high-tech web
users with the wisdom to be proud of their Baghdadi heritage.
Chazak!
Keep up your great work!
Rabbi Abraham Marmorstein
New York City
 

mehadrin@aol.com
Rabbi Abraham Marmorstein UNITED STATES
May 15 2000

I enjoyed the site very much. Very good job. Hazak ubaruch. I
especially enjoy the audio streams the very much remind me of home.

Salman Chaim Buzi
Houston
Texas
 

scbuzi@hotmail.com
Salman Buzi UNITED STATES
May 13 2000

This is just an incredible insightful educational quality website.
I am so happy to have found it. My boyfriend is an Iraqi jew and I cannot wait
to show this to him. It's interesting for me also
as I am a European (Ukranian)
jew.
Thank you for this!

sungirl590@aol.com
Lisa Rabinovitz UNITED STATES
May 05 2000

רתא שוח (Good Site)
 

hezyse@pelephone.co.il
hezy sela ISRAEL
April 30 2000

I AM VERY
GLAD TO JOIN YOU.
 

lev_d@barley.cteh.ac.il
david mahlab ISRAEL
April 06 2000

Thank you very much for the nice old Iraqi pictures you have posted
on your web site.
 

A. Ibrahim CANADA
April 04 2000

BRAVO FOR YOUR NEW INTERNET SITE.
IT IS REALLY GOOD WORK.
HOPE YOU WILL COMPLETE THE VIDEO SECTION SOON.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

ELI
 

elisaw@classnet.co.il
eli sawdayee ISRAEL
March 16 2000

I'm writing a paper on the debate within the
Jewish community in Iraq over Zionism in the
years leading up to and following the creation of
the state of Israel. Any information about available
sources (both primary and secondary)would be appreciated.
 

mallin@ymail.yu.edu
Leebie Mallin UNITED STATES
March 15 2000

חכ רשי
bravo !
thank you !
 

urinbal@inter.net.il
uri dagmi ISRAEL
March 15 2000

My name is Ilana Wassertheil
and I am doing
research in Japan about Jews in Japan. I came accross an artical by
Mr. Ezra Yehezkel-Shaked about the Synagogue in Kobe. He wrote
that the first Jew who came to Japan was a man called Yehezkel
who was sent by Elias Sasson to check the commercial potential.
Was Yehezkel his first name or last name? Do you have any
information about his journey to Japan? Ilana Wassertheil
 

ilanawass@yahoo.com
Ilana Wassertheil UNITED STATES
March 01 2000

SHALOM EVREY BODY. I LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT JEWS IN
KIFRI-IRAQ. MY MOTHER MAHBUBA NASIM. ALL HER FAMILY LEFT IRAQ AT
1948. PLEASE HELP ME
MY MOTHER DIED LAST YEAR IN KIRKUK.
BAKHTYAR AMIN
 

aljaf@worldmailer.com
bakhtyar amin SLOVENIA
February 21 2000

I am a member of the Shem family in the Diaspora.
My family is traced as follows: America ^ Vitebsk-Orsha
Belorus^
Babylonia^ This is where I am halted in my search. If anyone can
help me
Please contact me. I am an employee of the Detroit Public
Library in Michigan
U.S.A. Shalom!!
 

Stephen Franz UNITED STATES
February 15 2000

Searching for any genealogical information
regarding the surname of Joseph. Roots possibly extending to
Spain
England
India
Baghdad
and Austrailia.
 

elijahfire@yahoo.com
Eunice Eunice UNITED STATES
February 10 2000

It was a great
opportunity to have some e-mails of Iraqi people and to corresond
with them. In my first letter there was a mistake in writing my
site address. now it is correct. any body who is interesting in
piyootim (shbahoth) and minhagim of the jews of Iraq
please write
to my e-mail and take a look at my site. thank you very much
and Hazak Ubaroock. Haim Salman (Batzoon)
 

uz12@barak-online.net
haim salman ISRAEL
http://star.zooloo.co.il/uzis1
February 07 2000

the possible Persian or Burmese roots
of my BASSEIN family
I found this website. It is wonderful! Does
anyone know of the name BASSEIN or BASHEIN? There are family stories
that link us with Burma near Rangoon
but also with Persia. Do you
have any suggestions for my further research? Wishing you all well

Miriam Camitta
 

Miriam Camitta UNITED STATES
February 02 2000

GREAT SITE!
MY GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER WERE BOTH BORN IN IRAQ.THEY LIVED IN SINGAPORE WHERE THERE WAS A SMALL JEWISH COMMUNITY.MY GRANDFATHERS NAME IS ABRAHAM EDWARD ELIAS.MY GRANDMOTHERS NAME IS MARY ELIAS.MY GREATGRANDFATHERS WAS A RABBI.MY MOTHER WAS BORN IN SINGAPORE.THEN SHE CAME TO AUSRALIA AND MARRIED MY FATHER WHO IS ENGLISH AND HENCE THE NAME THOMPSON.MY GRANDMOTHER SURVIVED THE JAPANESE TAKEOVER OF SINGAPORE THEN CAME TO LIVE HERE IN AUSTRALIA.I WOULD BE THRILED TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT RELATIVES OF THE ELIAS FAMILY. WE HAVE MANY RELATIVES IN SINGAPORE; HARRY ELIAS
YONA ELIAS
ETC ETC THANK
YOU!
 

danel@spin.net.au
DANNY HOMPSON AUSTRALIA
February 01 2000

My father was born in Bagdad and I saw my fathers name as one of the first Iraqi's to come to this country.My farthers name was Naji Agababa Haim. He arrived after his brother Samuel Haim sent him money to come to the united states. Since many family members scattered throughout the world my family has only been able to locate the family we have in Isreal.If there is a geneology line please email so I can locate the rest of my fathers family. His sister went to China and I beleve another to England. Thanks You ,Joyce Shalom.

roehe@aol.com
Joyce shalom , UNITED STATES
http://

January 17, 2000

I am the youngest son among my five brothers and five sister who were born to Ezra Batzoon in Imarra in Iraq.
we are a larg family. every body in the family plays an eastern instrument as: ood, kanoon, kamanjah (violin) and sings all the Piyootim of the Iraqi jews.
I amm serving as Hazzan in Jerusalem at Beth Kenesseth: "yosef-hayim".
sometimes we record ourselves singing and playing these Piyootim.
if you want to know more about it and want to have some recordings please write to the above e-mail. Jerusalem
Israel

uz12@barak-online.net
haim salman (batzoon) , ISRAEL
http://star.zooloo.co.il/uzs1

January 17, 2000

I was born in Baghdad in 1942 and immigrated to Israel in 1950.
The last place I lived in was in a neighbourhood called ELMUATHAM.
If any one can tell me what happened to this neighborhood I will
appreciate it. I remember the "BILAT" - the palace of King Faisal.
Is it still there on the way to the ELMUATHAM? Who lives there now ?
Thanks. Shaul

shaul@dsw.co.il
Shaul Bar-Yosef , ISRAEL

November 17, 1999

Does anybody know of any jewish families who are of Kuwaiti origin. (I suppose they would be Iraqi jews who lived in Kuwait. I have heard stories from older family members of jewish families in Kuwait right up to the 1940's. My aunt, who is 75 years old, remembers visiting and being visited by her jewish neighbours. She says her father (my grandfather) had many jewish friends. Alas they have all left and I would like to know more about them.
I have been trying to get some names. She doesn't remember well but said Eliahu, Mordach were names.
Please contact me if you have info
thankyou
Ziad

bountyr@hotmail.com
Ziad Rajab , UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

October 3, 1999

Hello, I am looking for information about my grandfather, Abraham Eliezer Abraham. Born in Bombay, India, late 1800's, died in Hong Kong. He was
a merchant in HK.
Thank You.

maomao@ulster.net
Gerald Abraham , UNITED STATES

September 21, 1999

I am interested in any information regarding BABAI family members,
originally from Iran and then Iraq.
Most members emigrated to Israel in 1940's. Researching her family (the BABAI family) Sydney, Australia
limor1@bigpond.com

limor1@bigpond.com
Limor Eshed , AUSTRALIA
September 12, 1999

I am interested in any information on Silas Aaron Hardoon, a real estate tycoon who spent most of his life in Shanghai. I am reasearching his life and would be interested to get in contact with anyone who has even vague recollections/stories about him. Thank you very much!
Chiara Betta

cbetta@ath.forthnet.gr
Chiara Betta , GREECE

September 2, 1999

Your efforts,your work...are highly appreciated Ken.

talltallx@hotmail.com.
Ken Moshea , AUSTRALIA

August 26, 1999

May God bless all of the Children of Israel. I am an Assyrian, born in Jerusalem (the holy city of God), Israel's eternal capital. My father was born in Baghdad. He still lives in Israel. We Assyrians have a deep love to the Jewish people. My father told me countless stories about the tragedies that Iraqi Jews suffered at the hands of the Muslims. We Assyrians are your fellow brothers. My father always told me that the Assyrians did all they could to hide and protect the Jews of Iraq. But, just as Israel was not forgotten of God, as Jews were given the Land of Israel by God Almighty. So, we Assyrians believe that the prophecy in Isaiah chapter 19 will come to pass. Yes, Assyria (the blessed people of God) will rise just as the nation of Israel rose in the end days. May the Almighty bring to pass in our lifetimes. May God bless Israel and all the Jewish people. Please drop by at our site the American Institute of Middle Eastern Studies www.tcsn.net/aimes.

sambabisha@hotmail.com
Samuel A. Babisha , UNITED STATES
http://www.tcsn.net/aimes

June 30, 1999

Shalom everybody. I am a researcher on Sephardi and Mizrachi history. I'm currently writing a book of all the Sephardi and Mizrachi Chachamim throughout the ages if anyone could be of assistance to me either financially or otherwise I would appreciate you email me at hamaccabi@hotmail.com or write me at Joe Weisberger
946 45th Street
Brooklyn NY 11219
Also I recently read a fascinating book called "Opertion Babylon" about the resque of Iraqi Jewry written by MK Shlomo Hillel he mentions that the Hillel family is descended of the sage Hillel the elder who lived in the time of the MIshna in Judea if anyone has info about this family or any other family that claims desent of the Davidic dynasty of the Exilarchs of Babylonia please contact me Thanks so much! Chazak ubaruch!

hamaccabi@hotmail.com
Joe W , UNITED STATES

June 29, 1999

I am 13 years old and am an Iraqi jew. I loved learning about my heritage. My Dad Nasim Yadgar son of Marcel and Yousef Yadgar was an Iraqi Jew that lived in Tehran. My mom the daughter of nathan and evelyn nathan was born in Israel. In my home we keep all Iraqi traditions and speak a lot of arabic. I came into this site to search for information about Chacham Yosef Chaim, if anyone has information about him or was related to hom please E-mail me.

NYBUS54@ AOL.COM
NATAN YADGAR , UNITED STATES

June 15, 1999

If you have information on the Babai family or are a Babai yourself,
I'd love to hear from you.
Researching her family (the Babai family),
Limor Eshed, Sydney

limor@ozemail.com.au
Limor Eshed , AUSTRALIA

May 31, 1999

Dear Iraqi jews: the humane Iraq is a beautiful place to live in
for all- with no exeption at all- in harmony and understanding. So
please work with us to build that iraq because like any other iraqi
nationality you are an integral part of our country. So plan to come back
to your country : IRAQ , for the better future of peace, liberty and
construction - all in the sake of DIJLA and ALFURAT and the children.
If all the good people unite then our dreams will come true tomorrow.
God bless Iraq and all freedom loving iraqis and foreigners:
our brothers & sisters for peace.

fibrahim2@comuserve.com
fawaz ja'fo , UNITED STATES

May 24, 1999

If you have information on the Sharabani family
or are a Sharabani yourself, I'd love to hear from you. researching her family. Shoshana

darnold@aquanet.co.il
Shoshana Arnold , ISRAEL

May 18, 1999

I too remeber the memories of sleeping on the roof of my house during my childhood and counting the stars, and everynow and then, I would see a shooting star.
Baghdad was a unique place. Its people and culture will never be the same unfortunately. I will never forget Baghdad for as long as I live.

m_enwiya@yahoo.com
Mazin Enwiya , UNITED STATES

May 7, 1999

Is it just me or do others of Iraqi origin dream of sleeping on the roof under the stars?...... As an Iraqi jew living in Montreal, Canada, I have tried to recapture the feeling of those childhood memories (by sleeping on a small balcony, with noisy cars and bright street-lamps in the eyes, all the while clouds and hazy skies obstruct the stars). Testament of the magic of the Babylonian skies appeared when an American soldier was quoted in the TIME magazine during the Gulf War as saying so.

andrecharles@yahoo.com
Andre Chitayat , CANADA

May 3, 1999

Great site, congradulations for a well done job.

zakh@netvision.net.il
ISAAC ZAKH , ISRAEL

April 8, 1999

My late father Sayyid Hussain Al-Sadr and my late mother Dr. Fatima Al-Khirsan instilled in me the love of all Iraqis. I grew up in an Iraq of violence and craved to meet members of the Iraqi Jewish community. That was not to be (even though many of my late mother's patients and her tutors in the Royal Medical School, Baghdad, were Jewish. May we all live to see a free Iraq, and may I hear the Jewish-Iraqi dialect spoken in Baghdad again. God bless you all.

malsader@tinet.ie
Mohammed Hussain Al-Sadr , IRELAND
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Quarter/1803

March 28, 1999

I am searching for family of my father. His name is David Aboody. His father was Yeheskel Aboody. On my mom's side..her name is Prancess Aboody. Nee..Sachi. Anyone knowing my relatives roots, pls email me.

cedarc36@hotmail.com
Ilan Aboody , ISRAEL

March 17, 1999

Mazal Tov! on the Mother of all Sites! It is beautiful, and I cannot wait to show it to my husband when he comes home. His origins are from Baghdad. I know he still speaks the Iraqui arabic with his Mom who lives in Israel. Yashar Coa-ach and kol ha kavod!

vardit@ionsys.com
Vardit Zafri , CANADA

March 15, 1999

I am Iraqi/Chaldean (Babylonian) of the Catholic religion. I am aware of the existence of the Jews at the same time during the Chaldean's Empire in Iraq. There are about 100,000 chaldeans in Michigan. I would like to keep in touch and maybe as former minority Iraqi citizens (Chaldean and Jewish) we can combine our roots and culture.

warda00@aol.com
Salma Ajo , UNITED STATES

March 12, 1999

Congratulations, your site is great and so much new information every time I log on.
Helen Bekhor

HelenBekhor@compuserve.com
Helen Bekhor , AUSTRALIA

March 10, 1999

I am very impressed with the website and it makes me proud of our background. My family is part of the Iraquis of Tehran and we moved to Canada after the revolution. Most of my Mothers family (wakil) live in Australia and Israel. There is a new Iraqi Synagouge in NY created by Iranian Iraqis and I will put them in touch with you, Daniel Shahrabani

dshahraban@aol.com
Daniel Shahrabani , UNITED STATES

March 8, 1999

My parents are from Baghdad and it is really interesting to learn more about my heritage.

rnissan86@aol.com
Randy Nissan , UNITED STATES

February 15, 1999

Fabulous web site.
My 6 yr old daughter went to the museum in Aug 98, and today
sat on my lap as we revisted the experience through the internet.
Even better, my 3 yr old son had a chance to start to better
understand his wonderful heritage. I hope one day we can all
go as a family to the museum. Till then this web site will more
than suffice.

mmrm79@aol.com
Rami Abada , USA

January 27, 1999

Shalom, I think this is a great site, and excellent research facility, and good for making contacts!!
I am tracing my family history - so if anybody knows anything about the following families I would be grateful if you can advise me! However the original surname is not Joseph (Yossef), rather "Saeed".
So on my father's father's side I am from the Saeed family. Their father was Shaul Saeed.
His father was Yossef. His father was Reuben. I think his father was Saeed.
The wife of Shaul Saeed was Salha. She was the eldest of 8 children to Yossef Khabbaza and Habibah, from the Khazzam family.
I believe the brothers(?) of Habibah died in a tragic boat accident - their boat overturned in the Tigris and all drowned.
Shaul Saeed came to Israel in 1935. He lived in the Mekor Baruch neighbourhood of Jerusalem. He expired in Jan, 1941, and is buried on Har Zeitim.
My grandfather Reuben and his younger brother Salah (Charles), had another 2 sisters Khatoon and Farha.
They also had another brother, the oldest, called Moshe. He returned to Baghdad from Burma around 1924 by himself and stayed with relatives, I believe an uncle of Shaul, his father.
Apparently a few years later, this uncle threw him out of his house. He was never heard from again.
I also have 3 independant family sources saying there is a connection of the Saeed family (my father's father's side) to the Sadka family - but do not know how!!
In Burma the surname of Joseph (Yossef) was adopted in place of Saeed.
My grandfather Reuben married Rachel Bahar in 1928 in Burma.
My grandfather, Reuben, passed away in India in 1943.
His brother Charles (Salah), passed away in London in 1974 - an extremely rich and influential man.
My father is Moshe. or my brother, Daniel, daniel@jawa.chilli.net.au
Shmuel Reuven Yossef
Netanyah, ISRAEL. Mobile: 972.52.868-259, Tel: 972.9.835-4616

shmuelyo@tsl.co.il
Shmuel Reuven Yossef , ISRAEL

January 20, 1999

I am so pleased that I found your beautiful and delightful site. Congratulations.
While I am not of Iraqi-Jewish origin, I do have a connection. In 1955 and '56,
I worked as a social worker in Israel mainly with the Iraqi olim. Is there anyone
out there who might remember Giveret Ayalah Levy (me) maybe anyone who
lived at the Maabara at Kfar Ana or in Salame or in Machene Israel? I would love
to hear from you and know that you are doing well.

Hildar1@aol.com
Hilda Rothschild , UNITED STATES

January 18, 1999

I am not a Jew from Babylonian descent (my branche came from Toledo, Spain), but I have read this site with great interest. It has been a pleasure to visit you.

elazar@poconos.com
Sandra Elazar , ITALY
http://members.xoom.com/SandraElazar

January 10, 1999

I think that it is fantastic that there exists a web site which gives prudence to the culture and brilliance of Iraqui Jewry. As the son of an Iraqui Jew I am very proud of my heritage, but it is a shame though that Iraqui Jews are marginalized by the divided American Jewish establishment. We are a minority within a minority so that can explain some questions.
This is a great site and I would like to see many more like it.
Chazak Vah Amatz vah Shalom Al Kol Yizra'el!

philojudai@aol.com
Yosef ElHadef , UNITED STATES

December 16, 1998

Hazak Ubaruch on a wonderful website.
I am trying to find out some information on my Iraqi family heritage on my
mothers side of the family. My maternal grandfather Shelomo Shemia, was born
in Iraq, and moved to Egypt when he was very young. My maternal grandmother,
Habiba Shemia, was also born in Iraq and had a maiden name of Sasson. My mother
told me that she was the great grandniece of Ha-Rabi Abdullah Somekh, but I don't
know exactly how that is so. I would like to find out if anyone has any information
about a connection between the Somekh and Sasson families.

yossiaz@aol.com
Yossi Azose , UNITED STATES

December 10, 1998

Great website!
I live in Toronto and am the son of Janet Shem-Tov and Abraham Bar-Moshe
(my parents are first cousins). Your site is very helpful in getting to know the
history and cultural background of my family.
Keep up the good work!

obm@ica.net
Ophir Bar-Moshe , CANADA

December 8, 1998

This is a very interesting website. Although I am not a jew,
I am an Iranian much interested in the history of the middle east.
I can remember a lot of Iraqi Jews in my English language high
school in Iran in the 70s. There were Meirs, Shahrabanis, Shohets,
Zelkhas and Haims. I look forward to visiting this website from
time to time.
Does anybody know if the "The Second International Congress for
Babylonian Jewry Research" issued a document on the minutes of
their conference? I would be interested in obtaining a copy.
Thank you for a great website.

bhooshnam@hotmail.com
Bijan Hooshnam , UNITED STATES

December 5, 1998

I enjoyed surfing the site, smelling my father's flavours !!!
Please translate it to HEBREW so my children will expand their knowledge
and pride in their heritage, and will be able to use this information in
their school-works. I intend to prepare a family-tree, I would apreciate
help in proper software (in hebrew).
Moty

tomy@isdn.net.il
Mordechay (Moty) Eliezer , ISRAEL

December 3, 1998

Hi - I'm looking for a Goorji... Ellen Gourji, daughter of Naim.
She lived in Montreal in her youth until her teen years, then she went to
England where apparently, she married a Publisher, I believe. Would anyone
have any inkling of an idea of this person? (I can email a picture of her when
she was about 18 - it is a newspaper picture taken in June 1962).
If YES, then I'd very Much like to get in touch. Her dad was my very special 'Uncle'.
Thanks in advance, David Philip Gladstone

dphilips@ican.net
David Philip Gladstone , CANADA
http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/4682/index.html

November 24, 1998

I am not a Jew from Babylonian descent, but I was intrigued to learn about
their history. May Ahavat Yisrael prevail among all Jews!

alex.agranov@jewishmail.com
Alex Agranov , UNITED STATES

October 12, 1998

I was doing research on my family tree and discovered this website.
I was so excited--how wonderful!
My Jewish great-grandfather Silas Levy was born in Bagdad. At some point
he married Hannah Simmons and moved to Shanghai where he conducted
an export business and started a family of five girls, one of which
was my grandmother, Maude.
Thank you very much. Dave Arnold

dave.arnold@cybersafe.com
David Arnold , UNITED STATES

September 23, 1998

I wish good luck to Ben Porat and all the staff.
"YESHAR COACH"
Ezra Morad, Kiryat Malachi

morad-e@internet-zahav.net
ezra morad , ISRAEL

September 2, 1998

It was a splendid opportunity to find a route of communication with
jews from Iraq. As far as my grandfather told me, our ancestors had good
relationships with each other. So I would like to make acquaintance with
young generation jews from Iraqi origin and especially those who descend
from Kurdish jews. With best regards, M. K. Mustafa

m.k.mustafa@med.rug.nl
Mustafa Khasraw Mustafa ,NETHERLANDS

August 19, 1998

I congratulate you for your beautiful web site and would like
to know if your data will be available to search online for lost
relatives.
Thanks.

obs@lycosmail.com
omar levi , UNITED STATES

July 8, 1998

It's a wonderful site ,but why don't you translate the articles and
other information to Hebrew ,so that the younger generation here
will be able to learn about their roots .
Thank you !

activ239@shani.com
avi bar , ISRAEL

June 25, 1998

In my genealogy I link into the Sasson line 5 generations back. Proffesional genealogist linked this to the name Sarsen in England. This would predate the Sassoons in the 1800's in England. They beliieve that they changed the name back to the correct spelling of Sasson when they came to the United States. I know that Sasson's were very well known and respected in the Baghdad community and that is where we started looking for a tie in. We do not know if the genealogist conclusions were correct. The name was carried through as a middle name to one of my great grandfathers Thomas Sasson Smith
My wife wants to know if anybody out there has Sasson genealogy that they would be willing to share. She thinks the tie in is either Baghdad or Israel and doesnt connect to the Sarsen name in England.

2bears@cameron.net
Brad Hardisty , UNITED STATES

June 10, 1998

I have read this site with great interest. I am hoping to hear from any of my former class mates who attended Menaheim Saleh Danial School in Baghdad between the years 1967 to 1973. I keep wondering where my best friend Hilda Haron Hoki is now as well as my favourite school headmistress Sit Marcel Cohen. I hope that somebody out there will remember me from those days.

xkm66@dial.pipex.com
jenan hanna , UNITED KINGDOM

June 1, 1998

I do not know what to say or how to express my feelings. I am an 18 year old Iraqi muslim girl. My parents left Iraq 30 years ago due to the insanity that was beginning to take over their beautiful Baghdad, they have never returned since then and my siblings and I have'nt seen Iraq. My parents neighbours and friends in Iraq were jews they were the LAWY(im not sure of the spelling) family. My father was looking for them for a long period of time but he had no luck.Anyone who knows them or has information about their whereabouts please conact me. I hope that someday our Iraq will be returned. I pray for the end of all Iraqis' misery, and i hope that in the near future all of us Iraqi's no matter what religion we believe in, we will be back in our Iraq. Shalom and Mazel Tov for this great web page. We will be reunited someday our Jews, Muslims, and Christians

ARABIAN_CHICK@YAHOO.COM
Dhabia Al Bayaty , CANADA

May 24, 1998

All those who are interested should perhaps contact the Exilarch's Foundation
at 4 Carlos Place, Mayfair, London to get ,I believe, a free subscription to
the Scribe which gives some good articles about Iraki jews and should create
a bond as well as an insight. It also traces family trees as far as they can,
which is no small achievement as there are not too many written records.

paintbox38@hotmail.com
P. Shahrabani , MONTREAL

April 8, 1998

I am very excited to have learned about this site. My parents,
Dr. Edward and Suzette Mahlab, were born in Iraq. They left in 1950. They travelled through England and lived in Israel for 12 years, where my father was the doctor at Lod Airport. They then moved to New York, which is where I was born. I was fortunate that my parents instilled great pride about their Iraqi Jewish heritage and love of Israel. Arabic is spoken at home and Shabbat and the holidays are observed according to the Iraqi traditions - food, prayers,etc.
I am currently compiling our family tree with much help from family and friends. I would appreciate anyone with further information to contact me. My parents are first cousins. My grandparents are Saleh and Dahoud Mahlab, sons of Sasson David Shalom Mahlab and Guemar Shemtob.
Keep up the wonderful work. It has provided much enjoyment so far.

mahlabedsu@aol.com
Dorothy Mahlab , UNITED STATES

April 2, 1998

This site is really a wonderful place for Iraqi jews like myself to
explore a forgotten heritage. Thank You!
My parents are both of Iraqi origin, my mother was born in Baghdad and my Father in Mosul.
I was born in Israel and moved to Canada with my family in 1967.
Unfortunately, my parents have forgotten many of the customs and traditons that they grew up with in Iraq. Recently I was asked to speak about the Passover traditions of Iraqi Jews at my daughters hebrew day school, and realized that I know very little.
I would welocome any feedback on customs and traditions that differ from the Ashkenazi Passover.

RonMayer@msn.com
Rony Meir , CANADA

March 30, 1998

Excellent site, I am not jewish but you have brought back wonderful memories of the homeland.
It has been a pleasure to visit with you.

jamjum@usa.net
Nameer SAM , IRAQ

March 29, 1998

"ALA-KEFAK"

YOAV BEN DOR , ISRAEL

March 22, 1998

Hello everybody! I was born in the city of Kerkuk and left Iraq
many years ago. My mother is an Iraqi jew and is interested in
finding jews who lived in Kerkuk. Please write to me if you
made aliya from Kerkuk at the time of the Farhood or later.
We might be relatives. We live in Gothenborg, Sweden.

Gab.dav@usa.net
Nebil , SWEDEN

March 19, 1998

I was born in Iraq, and named after my father's best friend, Sami
Yousif Hai from Baghdad who should be now about 60 years old. His
father worked at the Iraqi Railway Company. My father, John David
Aziz, worked at the British Bank in Bagdad. If anyone knows him,
please feel free to contact me at (408) 942-8200 ext 108
in San Jose CA, USA. I know my father would love to hear from
his old best friend.
Thank you
Sami Aziz

sam@devcon-const.com
Sami Aziz , UNITED STATES

February 25, 1998

Ivri-Nasawi Jewish Multicultural Association is pleased to include
in our membership and intellectual/artistic contributors a
significant number of Iraqis, including Ella Shohat, Joyce Dallal,
Carmella Pardo, Diane Cohen and others. We encourage Iraqis to enter
the National Sephardi Literary Contest (complete rules at our site,
www.ivri-nasawi.org) and to send queries to the editors for future
essays and fiction, to appear in IVRI, our forthcoming international
magazine weaving together diverse Sephardi and Mizrahi communities
worldwide.
Kol Tuv to the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center and Nehardea!
Jordan Elgrably and cofounders of Ivri-Nasawi.

sephardi@ivri-nasawi.org
Jordan Elgrably , UNITED STATES
http://www.ivri-nasawi.org

February 21, 1998

Me an My Twin brother are 25 and sons of an Iraqi father born in
Bagdad who then lived in India as a child with his parents and two
brothers and then in Israel as a young man. His mother was Marcel Dangoor
daughter of Eliyahoo Dangoor, his father was David Pathi. It is my
understanding Pathi (Fat-he) in Israel is Iftah, our relatives use that
last name. I would love any information on my family heritage. If anyone
in the USA is related in some way please email me more info and history
of family.
Your website is very informative.
Michael Pathi

mpathi@mci2000.com
Michael Pathi , UNITED STATES

February 17, 1998

It is a good website.
I (David) was born in Baghdad (Iraq).
Please write to my e-mail.

charazi@aluf.technion.ac.il
David S. and his family , ISRAEL

February 11, 1998

In the name of Congregation Bene Naharayim, I would like to
congratulate you on building a beautiful web site. My family and I
have been browsing it for several hours now, and continue to find
fascinating pictures and information. We all feel that what you are
doing is a wonderful thing, and will go a long way to preserving
our heritage and culture for all future generations.
If there is anything I can do to support your efforts, please do not
hesitate to let me know.
Eliahou Shamash & family
President, Congregation Bene Naharayim

yegal@erols.com
Eliahou Shamash & family, N.Y., U.S.A.

February 2, 1998

Hello! I am 25 years old. I was born in Kerkouk and am from the
Turkeman minority in Iraq. My father said that jews added to the
Iraqi society nice colours. He loved Iraqi jews and so do I.
I dream about returning to Iraq and seeing Iraqi jews among the Iraqi
people again the way it was during my father's time. Yashar Ahmad

Yashar Ahmad, Almo, SWEDEN

January 25, 1998

Fabulous and excellent site!
I'm looking for friends of Baghdad College and Al-Hikma
University 1958-1968.

y_qashat@hotmail.com
Nazar Youssef Qashat/Kashat , CANADA

January 3, 1998

I a member of a generation born into exile; a native of Nigeria, and a
child of a fleeing Iraqi couple.
I was taught to love Iraq, in its entirety, and to nurture it within
the folds of my soul. I grew a whole Iraq in my chest, and oh, how heavy
is this lost soul.
At point, I was obsessed with a community that was driven out of Iraq, and
pulled into Eretz Israel. I asked myself, will any of them come back? Will
there come a time, in Iraq, with no bar or bat-mitzvahs, or the call of the
Shofar?
Could 1950, and the exodus of the Jews, be a point in history, when this
land of the two rivers, lost a piece of itself in the turbid waters of a
tumulous History?
I read, researched, and brooded, and yes, Iraq had lost a beautiful thread
from its exquisite fabric, forever.
Today, there are four million Iraqis who have fled their land, because almost
a generation ago, Iraqis stood silent as a community, as a piece of themselves,
was lost.

st941841@pip.cc.brandeis.edu
Nibras Kazimi , UNITED STATES
http://www.brandeis.edu/students/st941841

December 23, 1997

This site is great! Thank-you for the link to the web page for my film
Nana, George & me. Had this site been around when I first started doing
research for the film it would have been very useful.
Best Regards,
Joe Balass

Baljfilm@aol.com
Joe Balass , CANADA
http://www.spectr.com/blork/nana/

December 13, 1997

I'm a young man (19), born and raised in Eastern Europe,
but of Iraqi Shia origins. I believe that fate has not been
merciful to any of the Iraqi peoples. Iraqi jews played a great
role in the history of Iraq, which is not a secret to anyone.
Thank you all. Shalom.

bloodriver@rocketmail.com
Furat Abbas , SWEDEN

November 21, 1997

I think this is very educational. I needed some last minute information
and I was worried that I would not get it done, so I checked here and I
found it. Thanks a million. Nancye Francois.

nancye@jeburke.com
Nancye Francois , UNITED STATES

October 19, 1997

Your site is beautiful. Thank you for all the hard work that
was involved.
In the 1930's through the mid 1950's my aunt and uncle operated
a Jewish girls' and a Jewish boys' school in Baghdad.
Their names were Mony and Tzipora Dayan.My mother, Eva Lerman Shedroff
taught English there for several years before coming to the States
in 1939. Later, my aunt and uncle moved to Paris. If anyone was a
student, or knew of these schools, I would love to hear form you.

ltdeck@iaonline.com
Iris Decker , UNITED STATES

August 17, 1997

I was happy to find a site established for the Iraqi Jewish
community and others interested in the heritage of the
Babylonian Jewry. I think it is important to make younger
generations like myself (29) and future generations aware
of the legacy of their past, and to feel pride in the
significance the jews of Iraq played in helping progress
modern society of that time. This is overlooked many times
by the disregard of the roles jews played in arab society due
to on-going political turmoil, and due to the depiction of the
Ashkenazim as the sole representatives of Judaism in the Western
world.

jmowlem@cyburban.com
James Mowlem , UNITED STATES

August 16, 1997

We have found your site very interesting and are glad to
have had the opportunity to visit it. The site is very
easy to navigate. We hope that many others, like us, will
find an interest in the site. Good luck.

amar@family.net
Yeheskel and Bertha Habba , ISRAEL

August 15, 1997

This is an outstanding site with wonderful information.
I am an Assyrian Christian from Baghdad and found your
site while seraching for information on folk music.
I understand there is some similarity in the folk music
and dance of the Assyrians and the Hebrews and thought
since this site has information on Iraqi Jews that I might
find relative information that might help me in my research.
Shalom, Esha Tamras

bardaisan@edessa.com
Esha Tamras , UNITED STATES
http://www.edessa.com

August 14, 1997

I am really happy about the Babylonian Jewry Heritage because
I love Iraqi Jewish and State with all my heart. My parents
taught me how to love people. Since I was a child I listened
to Radio Kol Israel in Arabic. With greetings of Shalom, Dawood

H Dawood , SWEDEN
August 13, 1997

Thank you for the work you have done. It is impressive. A lot of hours, efforts, caring and love invested to make it happen... Not to mention
the funds... I feel proud and fortunate to belong to this community. To be one of the Returnee"s to Israel from "Galuth" and help build what
Nebukhadnassar and the other followers destroyed... Cincinnati, Ohio
Joe@cinternet.net

joes@cinternet.net
Joseph Shochat , UNITED STATES

June 20, 1997

What a wonderful surprise to find you on the internet. It made my day.
I am looking forward to learning more about the culture of Iraqui Jewry.
My mother (Marcelle Somekh) and my father (Naim Yehuda). any relatives out there?
Keep up the good work.
Leila Javid.

leila.javid@virgin.net
Leila Javid ,UNITED KINGDOM

June 12, 1997

Congratulations on an excellent venture to allow ongoing contact
with our past. Please continue to post the NeharDea articles,
they are of good value and I will pass them on to my family members who are not
quite 'net-friendly'..
Thank you.

sshemie@sickkids.on.ca
Sami Shemie , CANADA

June 12, 1997

A wonderful site!
I would love to hear from anyone who went to
Frank Iny School or Al-Hikma University.
My mother is Bertine Dangoor and my father Yossef Korine.
Any relatives out there?

vsolnik@actcom.co.il
Vilma Korine-Solnik , ISRAEL
June 10, 1997

What a woderful surprise to find this site. Keep up the good work.
David Frank Yamen.

davyboy@cygnus.uwa.edu.au
david frank-yamen , AUSTRALIA

June 1, 1997

I was very impressed with this site, and on my several visits to the center, please continue the good work and would any classmates from FRANK INY school contact me.

gatephar@globalnet.co.uk
SALMAN HIKMET , UNITED KINGDOM

May 5, 1997

I am really impressed by the information which I found in this page about the Iraqi Jewish Community. I wish you all the best.

mclidgsa@mh1.mcc.ac.uk
Gasan Alabedi , UNITED KINGDOM

May 1, 1997

It goes without saying that the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center is serving as a mouthpiece for our Iraqi Jewish Community which is dispersed worldwide. The vast information provided about the Babylonian heritage is enough evidence to prove this point. I am proud to add my name to your long list of admirers for a job well done.

mshohet@exchange.ml.com
Maurice Moshe Shohet , UNITED STATES

April 2, 1997

Very impressive site

centauri@alizanet.com
Igal Stulbach , ISRAEL
http://www.alizanet.com/topage

April 1, 1997

I am descendant of the jewish community of Baghdad. It was a great pleasure for me to find this site on the Web and take notice of how my ancestors used to live and behave in their former land.
Israel is nowadays the land of all the jews and this causes pride to every jew but it doesn't mean to forget the past and let it die.
The site is one way to keep the tradition and the memory alive inside people of my age. 19 years
Brazil

bekhor@netpoint.com.br
Michel Bekhor , BRAZIL

April 1, 1997

Wonderful site! This was a great idea loading the issues of
the Nehardea newsletter.

Gabi S. , ISRAEL

April 1, 1997

The BJHC reserves the right to edit and/or shorten the comments.
Only comments that have a relevance to Babylonian Jewry or to Iraq will be added.
The BJHC bears no responsibility as to the content of the comments.