Nehardea Magazine

Journal of the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center
No.14, Autumn 2003

EVENTS AT THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

A DEBT REPAID

Mordechai Ben-Porat

S. Hillel, M. Al-Amari, S. Khalastchi, L. Menuhin, B. Salman, D. Fattal, E. Tsafrir, M. Shohet

Iraqi Jews in Israel and the government of Israel were feeling very anxious about the fate of the remnants of the Jewish Community still in Iraq. Accordingly, the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center asked Dr. Nissim Kazzaz to investigate the incidents that took place against the Jewish Community after the massive Aliya and until the present day.

Dr. Kazzaz conducted a comprehensive investigation, and published the accumulated data in a book titled "The End of a Diaspora".

On the 10th November 2002, a study-day was convened at the Heichal Hatarbout in Or-Yehuda† to discuss the book and the brutal maltreatment of the Iraqi Jews by the Iraqi authorities during the years 1952-2002.

More than 500 people participated, including families who suffered persecution and immigrants who arrived in Israel in the 1970's.

Mr. Maurice Shohet, President of the Iraqi Jewish Community in New-York, who left Iraq in the 70's and wrote a book about those events, arrived specifically to take part in the gathering and assisted in financing the study-day.

At 4 p.m. the Center's Director, Mr. Yigal Loushi convened the opening session with Prof. Yitzhak Avishur, the Scientific Director, presiding. Prof. Avishur emphasized the fact that the history of Iraqi Jews was replete with stories full of brutal persecution that took place since the 14th Century until the present day. He discussed the book and pointed out the anxiety felt by the Israeli Government and Iraqi Jews in Israel in the 1970's because of the persecution against Iraqi Jews in the 1960's and 1970's.

He spoke of a scant number of Iraqi Jews who still yearn for Iraq and belatedly doubt the wisdom of their Aliya to Israel. Mr. Ben-Porat described Iraq as "tasht thahab obino aquba" (a golden tub containing a scorpion). These people can see only the gold but ignore the scorpion.

Dr. Zvi Yehuda, Director of the Research Institute of Babylonian Jewry, gave a review of the book and emphasized the importance of its documentation and research.

Prof. Amazia Baram of Haifa University and a specialist in Iraqi history during the Sadam era, lectured on the history of Iraq and the situation in the days following the expected American operations there.

Dr. Salman Khalastchi reviewed the recent events in Iraq. He spoke of the various military overthrows, which led to the violent death of Abdul Karim Qasim. He emphasized Qasim's positive attitude towards Iraqi Jews, but at the same time reminding us that it was Qasim himself who forced the Jewish Community to abandon the ancient Jewish Cemetery and transfer the remains of Jews to a much smaller tract of land for use as a cemetery.

Mr. Khalastchi displayed parts of a film recounting the events, which accompanied Qasim's violent end. Eliahou Shammash read his poem "The Land of the Saddams".

At 6.30 p.m., a debate was held under the direction of Mr. Shlomo Hillel with the participation of Murad Al-Amari, Salman Khalastchi, Linda Menuhin, Ben Zion Salman, David Fattal, Eliezer Tsafrir and Maurice Shohet. They offered such difficult and chilling evidence that Mr. Hillel, well aware of the importance of the evidence, was hard pressed to end the debate due to the limited time allotted.

Mr. Al-Amari, who was close to the leaders of ruling parties in Iraq, spoke of their attitude to the State of Israel.

Mr. Khalastchi spoke proudly of the State of Israel, which absorbed the immigrants and rehabilitated them. Mrs. Menuhin spoke emotionally of her father's murder and disappearance. Mr. Ben Zion Salman described the escape routes that were opened from Baghdad and Basra to Iran through the North of Iraq. Mr. David Fattal, who was sent three times to Teheran, described how he took care of the remnants of Iraqi Jews on their arrival in Iran. Mr. Eliezer Tsafrir described the intervention of the Israeli Mossad together with the Barazani Family to assist the Jews in their flight to Iran. Mr. Maurice Shohet reviewed the harsh and oppressing events, which took place during that period.

Mr. Shlomo Hillel, then Deputy Director of the Foreign Ministry, described the steps taken by the State of Israel to draw the attention of the international community and focusing it on the persecution of Jews by the Iraqi authorities in order to save Jewish detainees from torture and hanging. He described the effect of these steps on the Iraqi regime, which stopped the hangings, but continued to prosecute and murder Jews in secret.

The author of the book, Dr. Nissim Kazzaz thanked the organizers and lecturers for their help and emphasized the assistance extended to him by members of the community residing in Israel and abroad, which helped with his research.

During the evening a musical sequence was played by Mr. Abraham Salman. The evening started at 4 p.m. and ended at 20:30. As the Chairman pointed out, "it was a painful and oppressive evening but it was necessary to memorialise the suffering of the remnants of the community".

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Table of Contents

EVENTS AT THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
A DEBT REPAID Mordechai Ben-Porat
S. Hillel, M. Al-Amari, S. Khalastchi, L. Menuhin, B. Salman, D. Fattal, E. Tsafrir, M. Shohet Iraqi Jews in Israel and the government of Israel were feeling very anxious about the fate of the remnants of the Jewish Community still in Iraq. Accordingly, the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center asked Dr. Nissim Kazzaz to investigate the incidents that took place against the Jewish Community after the massive Aliya and until the present day. Dr. Kazzaz conducted a comprehensive investigation, and published the accumulated data in a book titled "The End of a Diaspora". On the 10th November 2002, a study-day was convened at the Heichal Hatarbout in Or-Yehuda† to discuss the book and the brutal maltreatment of the Iraqi Jews by the Iraqi authorities during the years 1952-2002. More than 500 people participated, including families who suffered persecution and immigrants who arrived in Israel in the 1970's. Mr. Maurice Shohet, President of the Iraqi Jewish Community in New-York, who left Iraq in the 70's and wrote a book about those events, arrived specifically to take part in the gathering and assisted in financing the study-day. At 4 p.m. the Center's Director, Mr. Yigal Loushi convened the opening session with Prof. Yitzhak Avishur, the Scientific Director, presiding. Prof. Avishur emphasized the fact that the history of Iraqi Jews was replete with stories full of brutal persecution that took place since the 14th Century until the present day. He discussed the book and pointed out the anxiety felt by the Israeli Government and Iraqi Jews in Israel in the 1970's because of the persecution against Iraqi Jews in the 1960's and 1970's. He spoke of a scant number of Iraqi Jews who still yearn for Iraq and belatedly doubt the wisdom of their Aliya to Israel. Mr. Ben-Porat described Iraq as "tasht thahab obino aquba" (a golden tub containing a scorpion). These people can see only the gold but ignore the scorpion. Dr. Zvi Yehuda, Director of the Research Institute of Babylonian Jewry, gave a review of the book and emphasized the importance of its documentation and research. Prof. Amazia Baram of Haifa University and a specialist in Iraqi history during the Sadam era, lectured on the history of Iraq and the situation in the days following the expected American operations there. Dr. Salman Khalastchi reviewed the recent events in Iraq. He spoke of the various military overthrows, which led to the violent death of Abdul Karim Qasim. He emphasized Qasim's positive attitude towards Iraqi Jews, but at the same time reminding us that it was Qasim himself who forced the Jewish Community to abandon the ancient Jewish Cemetery and transfer the remains of Jews to a much smaller tract of land for use as a cemetery. Mr. Khalastchi displayed parts of a film recounting the events, which accompanied Qasim's violent end. Eliahou Shammash read his poem "The Land of the Saddams". At 6.30 p.m., a debate was held under the direction of Mr. Shlomo Hillel with the participation of Murad Al-Amari, Salman Khalastchi, Linda Menuhin, Ben Zion Salman, David Fattal, Eliezer Tsafrir and Maurice Shohet. They offered such difficult and chilling evidence that Mr. Hillel, well aware of the importance of the evidence, was hard pressed to end the debate due to the limited time allotted. Mr. Al-Amari, who was close to the leaders of ruling parties in Iraq, spoke of their attitude to the State of Israel. Mr. Khalastchi spoke proudly of the State of Israel, which absorbed the immigrants and rehabilitated them. Mrs. Menuhin spoke emotionally of her father's murder and disappearance. Mr. Ben Zion Salman described the escape routes that were opened from Baghdad and Basra to Iran through the North of Iraq. Mr. David Fattal, who was sent three times to Teheran, described how he took care of the remnants of Iraqi Jews on their arrival in Iran. Mr. Eliezer Tsafrir described the intervention of the Israeli Mossad together with the Barazani Family to assist the Jews in their flight to Iran. Mr. Maurice Shohet reviewed the harsh and oppressing events, which took place during that period. Mr. Shlomo Hillel, then Deputy Director of the Foreign Ministry, described the steps taken by the State of Israel to draw the attention of the international community and focusing it on the persecution of Jews by the Iraqi authorities in order to save Jewish detainees from torture and hanging. He described the effect of these steps on the Iraqi regime, which stopped the hangings, but continued to prosecute and murder Jews in secret. The author of the book, Dr. Nissim Kazzaz thanked the organizers and lecturers for their help and emphasized the assistance extended to him by members of the community residing in Israel and abroad, which helped with his research. During the evening a musical sequence was played by Mr. Abraham Salman. The evening started at 4 p.m. and ended at 20:30. As the Chairman pointed out, "it was a painful and oppressive evening but it was necessary to memorialise the suffering of the remnants of the community".
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