Conference on Iraqi Jews in the Far East

A conference on the Iraqi Jews in the Far East was held in the Center on 15 June 1997.

The Conference was opened with greetings by Mr. Mordechai Ben Porat, Chairman of the Center, who said:

We attach the greatest importance to the subject of this conference, and are pleased to announce that Mr. Jacob Ballas of Singapore has undertaken to provide the funding for this conference and for the space on the second floor of this building which will be assigned to the subject of Far Eastern Iraqi Jewry. We have already begun extensive research into this field, and during my visit to the United States. I met with various people connected with it. Binyamin Ben Haim will head a team of photographers that will travel to the Far East, seek out the various sites where Iraqi Jewry have resided, and will film whatever remains of Jewish activitiy there - e.g. synagogues, cemeteries, etc. which will probably be the last filmed records to be made of these communities. I also had a meeting with Judge Abe Sopher who was born in India, and whose mother was born in Baghdad. He is now retired and is prepared to give us his advice concerning this subject. Dr. Zvi Yehuda - "Relations Between Iraqi Jews in the Far East and the Jews of Iraq"; Dr. Avraham Ben Yaakov - "Economic contributions of the Sassoon Family in the Far East".

Prof. Shmuel Moreh was the Chairman of the second session which included a memorial address on the victims of the Farhud pogrom in Iraq and distribution of scholarships.

The third session opened by Mr. Yaakov Hacham - Chairman, and included the lectures of Mr. Seno Tweina - " Iraqi Jews in Calcutta"; Mr. Alouf Nathan - "Iraqi Jews in Singapore"; Mr. Ezra Yehezkel-Shaked - "Iraqi Jews in Hongkong"; Mrs. Rebecca Toueg - "Iraqi Jews in Shanghai"; and Mrs. Ruth Attar - "Research on the Iraqi Jews of the Far East Living in Israel".