Nehardea Magazine

Journal of the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center
No.13, Summer 2001

EVENTS AT THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

A Study Day
BETWEEN THE BABYLONIAN AND THE KURDISTAN JEWS
Rachel Silko

A study-day was organized on 19.6.2000 at the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center on the initiative of three organizations: the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center, the National Organization of the Jews from Kurdistan in Israel and the World Federation of Sephardic Communities-Israeli department.

(R to L) Prof. Yona Sabar, Prof. Yitzhak Avishur,
Prof. Dov Noy

The aims were: to make contact between various communities, to devise a system in order to obtain information and articles for the communities exhibition in the Babylonian Jewry museum and mainly to encourage research on the subject of Iraqi communities in general and Kurdistan in particular.
The study-day was opened by Mr. Yigal Loushi, General Manager of the "Center", Mr. Mordechai Ben-Porat Chairman of the "Center", the General Manager of the World Federation of the Sephardic Communities, Mr. Yehezkel Zakkai, Mr. Siman-Tov Abraham Chairman of the National Organization of the Jews from Kurdistan in Israel and Prof. Yitzhak Avishur, the Academic Director of the "Center".
The study-day included four sessions.
The first session, which was directed by Mr. Yehezkel Zakkai, sketched out historical occurences of the Jews of Kurdistan with relation to the Babylonian Jews. Prof. Avishur inaugurate the session by analysing the history of the Jews in Kurdistan according to sources dating from the day of Ashur’s exile (end of the 8th Century B.C.) until the 17th Century. Dr. Zvi Yehuda spoke of the bonds between the Kurdistani Jews and other communities in Iraq during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Motty Zaken ended the session with a lecture on Kurdistani Jewish history in the new era.

(R to L) Mr. Abraham Siman Tov, Mr. Yehezkel Zakkai,
Mr. Mordechay Ben-Porat

The second session was conducted by Zaki Levy who spoke about the various Jewish Kurdistani Communities. Mordechai Yona, a native of Zakho, detailed the structure of the Jewish Community in that town and its establishments starting with the "Hacham Bashi" down to the Gabbais and the cantors. Yaacov Yaacov discussed the status of women in Kurdistan. Nehamia Hucha, poet and cantor, discussed the religious and spiritual aspects of the Jewish Community in Zakho. Dr. Haya Gavish, who in researching the Zakho Jewish Community including documented interviews, found that this Community was exposed to Zionist influence.

"Sheva' Ahayot" dancers

This session ended with my lecture, which tried to look behind the scenes of the researcher's job in the museum, collecting photographs, manuscripts and articles belonging to the various communities in Iraq. I illuminated this subject by reflecting on the Arbil Jewish Community and their relation to Eretz Yisrael.

Prof. Avishur conducted the third session, which was opened by a lecture given by Prof. Dov Noy on "the folk story of the Jewsof Kurdistan taken from the archives of the folk tales of Israel". Prof. Yona Sabar then took the participants through a journey on use of the Aramaic language celebrating its 3000 years anniversary and discussed at length its value in Iraq and Israel.

"Shbahoth": (R to L) Mr. Abraham Levi, Mr. Nehamia
Hucha

The fourth and last session, conducted by Mr. Arie Shemesh, examined the folklore of Kurdistani Jews comparing it to that of the Babylonian Jews. Prof. Shalom Sabar discussed the life cycle of the Jews in Kurdistan emphasizing their tradition regarding the subjects of birth and circumcision.

Idit Pinhas examined the characteristics of female clothing in Baghdad and Kurdistan. The session was brought to a close by Eyala Goren-Kadman, who lectured on the traditional dances of Kurdistani Jews.

The study-day ended with a special performance, including "Shbahoth" by Nehamia Khucha and Abraham Levy, accompanied by musicians Albert Elias, Victor Ida and Elias Shasha. The Kurdish Folklore troupe "Seven Sisters" delighted everyone with dance exhibition accompanied by "Dohal" (drum) and "Zorna" (trumpet) played by the brothers Boaz and Ronen Yona.

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EVENTS AT THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
A Study Day BETWEEN THE BABYLONIAN AND THE KURDISTAN JEWS Rachel Silko
A study-day was organized on 19.6.2000 at the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center on the initiative of three organizations: the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center, the National Organization of the Jews from Kurdistan in Israel and the World Federation of Sephardic Communities-Israeli department. (R to L) Prof. Yona Sabar, Prof. Yitzhak Avishur, Prof. Dov Noy The aims were: to make contact between various communities, to devise a system in order to obtain information and articles for the communities exhibition in the Babylonian Jewry museum and mainly to encourage research on the subject of Iraqi communities in general and Kurdistan in particular. The study-day was opened by Mr. Yigal Loushi, General Manager of the "Center", Mr. Mordechai Ben-Porat Chairman of the "Center", the General Manager of the World Federation of the Sephardic Communities, Mr. Yehezkel Zakkai, Mr. Siman-Tov Abraham Chairman of the National Organization of the Jews from Kurdistan in Israel and Prof. Yitzhak Avishur, the Academic Director of the "Center". The study-day included four sessions. The first session, which was directed by Mr. Yehezkel Zakkai, sketched out historical occurences of the Jews of Kurdistan with relation to the Babylonian Jews. Prof. Avishur inaugurate the session by analysing the history of the Jews in Kurdistan according to sources dating from the day of Ashur’s exile (end of the 8th Century B.C.) until the 17th Century. Dr. Zvi Yehuda spoke of the bonds between the Kurdistani Jews and other communities in Iraq during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Motty Zaken ended the session with a lecture on Kurdistani Jewish history in the new era. (R to L) Mr. Abraham Siman Tov, Mr. Yehezkel Zakkai, Mr. Mordechay Ben-Porat The second session was conducted by Zaki Levy who spoke about the various Jewish Kurdistani Communities. Mordechai Yona, a native of Zakho, detailed the structure of the Jewish Community in that town and its establishments starting with the "Hacham Bashi" down to the Gabbais and the cantors. Yaacov Yaacov discussed the status of women in Kurdistan. Nehamia Hucha, poet and cantor, discussed the religious and spiritual aspects of the Jewish Community in Zakho. Dr. Haya Gavish, who in researching the Zakho Jewish Community including documented interviews, found that this Community was exposed to Zionist influence. "Sheva' Ahayot" dancers This session ended with my lecture, which tried to look behind the scenes of the researcher's job in the museum, collecting photographs, manuscripts and articles belonging to the various communities in Iraq. I illuminated this subject by reflecting on the Arbil Jewish Community and their relation to Eretz Yisrael. Prof. Avishur conducted the third session, which was opened by a lecture given by Prof. Dov Noy on "the folk story of the Jewsof Kurdistan taken from the archives of the folk tales of Israel". Prof. Yona Sabar then took the participants through a journey on use of the Aramaic language celebrating its 3000 years anniversary and discussed at length its value in Iraq and Israel. "Shbahoth": (R to L) Mr. Abraham Levi, Mr. Nehamia Hucha The fourth and last session, conducted by Mr. Arie Shemesh, examined the folklore of Kurdistani Jews comparing it to that of the Babylonian Jews. Prof. Shalom Sabar discussed the life cycle of the Jews in Kurdistan emphasizing their tradition regarding the subjects of birth and circumcision. Idit Pinhas examined the characteristics of female clothing in Baghdad and Kurdistan. The session was brought to a close by Eyala Goren-Kadman, who lectured on the traditional dances of Kurdistani Jews. The study-day ended with a special performance, including "Shbahoth" by Nehamia Khucha and Abraham Levy, accompanied by musicians Albert Elias, Victor Ida and Elias Shasha. The Kurdish Folklore troupe "Seven Sisters" delighted everyone with dance exhibition accompanied by "Dohal" (drum) and "Zorna" (trumpet) played by the brothers Boaz and Ronen Yona.
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