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



READERS LETTERS
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to: Mr. Yacov Zamir,
Director of the Library of the Babylonian Jewry Center,

I appreciate your sending me the "5 scrolls set - according to the tradition of the Babylonian Jews", which include 4 audio cassettes and the booklet "Rabbi Yosef Hayyim - 90 years after his death": I have already read some of its chapters. It is important for our generation and future ones to preserve our tradition. I believe that some Iraqi Jews have a kind of inferiority complex, and they, at any cost, are willing to overlook their glorious past. What you did was a really grand achievement.

With my best wishes,
David Slaiman Sassoon

The Tale of "Al-Bakura"

Sometimes during 1950, a bulletin was issued by the pupils of the upper grades at Shammash high School under the name "Wahi al-Talaba", meaning "the students’ inspiration".
We, pupils of the lower grades felt like orphans since we were not allowed to write anything in the bulletin. I called a meeting with other pupils and, in that meeting my proposal to issue our own bulletin was accepted.

We set up a crew headed by me and decided to call the bulletin "Al-Bakura". "The Beginning" as in the book of Genesis. In no time our bulletin's popularity rocketed and exceeded that of "Wahi Al-Talaba", which was so heavy and boring that it could not hold a candle to our attractive and eye catching bulletin with its beautifully colored headings, enhancing its charm and appearance.
The pupils looked forward to each weekly issue and responded enthusiastically to it. The most moving article was one taking leave of the school Master, Mr. Meir Zakaria on the eve of his departure to Israel. Up till our own departure, we had already issued ten bulletins, which I packed into my suitcase even though I was well aware that the authorities forbade taking any written material out of Iraq, and was sure that the bulletins would in the end be confiscated at Baghdad airport. The security officer, who, at the airport, found the sheets, asked me "don't you know that written material is forbidden?” I answered that I certainly did, but I pleaded with him that since these sheets are the most important possession I ever had, I would agree to give up the whole suitcase if I could only retain the sheets. It seemed that he was touched by my plea and let me keep them. I was overjoyed and thanked him profusely.

That is how the "Al-Bakura" bulletin was rescued and reached Israel. After 48 years of safeguarding it, I hereby entrust it into the care of the Babylonian Jewry Museum in Or-Yehuda. I hope it will be another connecting link in the documentation of the proud history of Babylonian immigrants.


Latif dori