Yigal Loushi, Managing Director
Dear Member,
Activity at the Center in 1997 has been plentiful. First I want to mention that the number of visitors to the Center this year has reached 30,000, including 11,000 schoolchildren and nursery schoolers. The flow of visitors coming in groups from various sectors of Israeli society, not necessarily of Iraqi origin, continues unabated. They are amazed at what they see and hear, and constantly ask, "How come we did not know that such a wonderful place as this existed?"
Other communities continue to take an interest in the Center, and their representatives come to learn how to create one of their own. Recently we have had delegates from the communities of Persia, Yemen, and Morocco. Also, institutions such as the Prison Service have sent representatives to study how to set up a museum. We pray that soon our second floor will be built and we shall be able to display the new museum, which will reflect subjects and display new exhibitions of objects and documents presently kept in the safe and in storage cabinets.
Here I describe the events that was implemented in 1997:
Teacher's Refresher Courses
On 21 October 1996 a new teachers' refresher course started. This year too it was for 56 hours, and 40 teachers participated. We intend to increase the number of participants, but this is contingent on the budget allocated to us by the Ministry of Education. The course curriculum was drawn up by Professor Yitzhak Avishur; the subject coordinator was Ms. Ruth Attar.
On 4 November 1996 the Center held a study evening on "The Jews of Iraq in the Literary Mirror: Fiction or Reality". A discussion on the books "Victoria" by Sami Michael, "The Dove Flyer" by Eli Amir, and "A House in Baaghdad" by Yitzhak Bar-Moshe took place. Participants were Mr Shlomo Hillel, Mr Mordechai Ben-Porat, Prof. Yitzhak Avishur, Dr Moshe Granot, Prof. Shmuel Moreh, and Dr Zvi Yehuda.
On 19 November 1996 an impressive function took place in the Culture Hall in Or Yehuda to celebrate the publication of Mordechai Ben-Porat's book "To Baghdad and Back". An audience of 470 people filled the hall to overflowing, and there was great demand for additional invitations. Participants were Mr Arye (Luba) Eliav, Dr Moshe Gat, Mr Shlomo Hillel, Mr Shlomo Shina, and Dr Yehuda Tagar. Mr Yitzhak Navon, former President of the State and Minister of Education, delivered a lecture on the book. The moderator of the evening was the writer Eli Amir.
On 11 December 1996 the Center welcomed a group of 120 people from the Dekel Circle of Rishon Letzion. This is a circle established at a synagogue in the town, and it holds meetings for Babylonian Jews. Among the initiators and organizers in this framework is a member of the Board of the Center, Mr Yaakov Hakham, and it was he who arranged the visit.
On 26 December 1996 a memorial meeting was held at the Center to mark the anniversary of the death of Rivka Ben-Porat. About 300 people attended, including family members and friends who knew Rivka, of blessed memory.
Memorial for the Victims of the State Executions in Iraq
On 2 January 1997 the traditional memorial gathering was held for the victims of the state executions in Iraq, attended by members of the Society, families of the slain, members of the former clandestine organization, and members of the Prisoners of Zion organization. This year the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Natan Sharansky participated, and he told of his imprisonment in the Soviet Union and of his aliya. Adv. Nahum Yaakov represented the Or Yehuda municipality. Those present laid wreaths at the foot of the memorial stone for the victims of the state executions.
On 6 January 1997 the Academic Council convened at the Center. Among subjects discussed was the implementation of a comprehensive research study and the publication of three books on the history of Babylonian Jewry from the start of the exile to the present day. Dr Zvi Yehuda, Prof. Yitzhak Avishur, and Prof. Shmuel Moreh were assigned the task of preparing the study.
On 21 January 1997 the Center was visited by Efraim Sneh MK accompanied by his Baghdad-born wife Tikva, who reached Israel at the age of six. She is the daughter of the late Yigal Eliyahu, an underground activist in Iraq. They were joined on the visit by Mr Sami Shamoon and his wife, Mr and Mrs Meir Dekel, and Mr Sami Aharon from Hod Hasharon, the uncle of Tikva Sneh.
On 28 January 1997 a study day was held to mark the publication of the book From the Sun in the East by Shemesh Yavin. Its subject is the Jewish community of Kirkuk. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Kirkuk Immigrants Society in Israel.
On 6 March 1997 a study evening was held to mark the appearance of new books on Babylonian Jewry in conjunction with the organization of former members of the HeHalutz Underground Movement in Iraq. Participants were Prof Shmuel Moreh, Chairman of the Academic Council, and Dr Zvi Yehuda, Director of the Babylonian Jewry Research Institute, who lectured on the place of memoirs in the history of Babylonian Jewry. The books discussed were Haviva by Mary Dabby, Hanaqin and the Jewish Community by David Ben-Barukh, and Rose Water by Shmuel Aviezer.
Annual Fundraising Gala
The annual fundraising gala was held at Purim time, on 15 March 1997, at the Gan Oranim Hall in Tel Aviv. About 600 people attended. The gala was held under the auspices of Mr Sami Shamoon, with the participation of Knesset members Efraim Sneh and Raanan Cohen, mayors Zvi Bar and Shabi Tamir, and public figures. The Defence Minister and the Interior Minister, who had planned to attend, were unable to do so because of national security concerns which obliged them to be present at cabinet consultations that same evening. The Master of Ceremonies was Mr Meni Peer. He presented an exact replica of an original candelabra received by the father of the President of the State Mr Ezer Weizman, in Mosul in 1931, which now hangs in the President's private residence at Caesarea. The replica was sold by auction to Mr Sami Shamoon.
The guests enjoyed a rich repast served to them against the background of melodies played by an Iraqi ensemble of 14 musicians. At the end of the evening songs were sung by the vocalist Iman, Fuad Musa, Shawkat Al-Sayad and Shoshana.
We extend our gratitude to all who attended and contributed to the success of the gala. All donations are to go towards development of the Museum and research.
On 31 March 1997 a study day was held at the Center on "Between the Jews of Babylonia and the Jews of Yemen" with the participation of scholars and an invited audience of members of the two communities. At the end of the academic part of the evening an artistic program was presented by artists from Babylonian and Yemeni Jewry.
On 7 April 1997 the festive opening took place at the Center of the exhibition "The Yeshiva of the Geonim" at the Babylonian Jewry Museum.
On 11 April 1997 Mr and Mrs Richard Murphy (USA) visited the Center.
On 15 April 1997 the Center held the opening of the exhibition "Illustrated and Printed Passover Haggadot from Babylonia", attended by about 200 people. The Deputy Chairman of the Center, Mr Aryeh Shemesh, greeted those present. The Curator, Ms Idit Pinhas, spoke at length about the exhibit. A film was screened on the Passover Seder in the custom of Babylonian Jewry, followed by a lecture by Dr Zvi Yehuda, Director of the Babylonian Jewry Research Institute. Dr Shaul Sehayik lectured on the Passover festival experience in Babylonia.