Nehardea Magazine

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

EVENTS AT THE CENTER

A MEETING AT THE PRESIDENTIAL HOUSE

Of Jewish veterans from Andres Polish Army and Jews from Iraq

(L to R): Dr. S. Sehayik, Architect D. Azrieli,

President M. Katzav, Mr. M. Ben-Porat, Enginer B. Meirchak

The historical meeting of thousands of refugees and Jewish soldiers from Andres Polish army and Jews from Iraq and Iran in the years 1942-1943 was a good reason for an impressive and emotional reunion at the residence of the President of Israel, Mr. Moshe Katzav.
About 160 participants were present at the meeting, which took place on the 4th September 2001. It was organized following a research conducted by Dr. Shaul Sehayik who made public the fact that Jews from Iraq and Persia assisted and supported Jewish refugees and Jewish Polish soldiers during their stay in Iraq and Iran.
The Jewish community welcomed them affectionately and provided for all their needs. The local Jews risked their own lives by hiding tens of fugitive Jewish soldiers, who escaped from the Andres Army due to rampant anti-Semitism, which infected the Polish army. Those Jewish soldiers were smuggled into Eretz-Yisrael by the HeHalutz Underground Movement in Iraq.
Dr. Shaul Sehayik opened the assembly with a short review of the events, which took place during that period and the circumstances leading to the founding of the Andres Polish Army in the USSR. This army numbered 70,000 soldiers, which included about 4,500 Jewish Polish soldiers. Andres Army was transferred from USSR, through Iran and Iraq to Palestine, and on various fronts fought against Nazism in Europe. This army bivouacked for over a year in Iraq for training. It was accompanied by about 1500 Jewish refugees from Poland, including 750 children known as the Teheran children. These refugees were held in camps at the outskirts of Teheran until they were transferred by sea to Palestine.

Dr. Sehayik described the unforgettable humane experience of the meeting between the Jewish Polish soldiers and refugees, and the Iraqi and Iranian Jews as a symbol of the brotherhood between the Jewish people both from East and West.
Speeches were given by representatives of various organizations such as Eng. Binyamin Meirchak, Director of the Jewish-Polish veterans in Israel, and Rabbi Pinhas Rozengarten, the Chief Rabbi of the Andres Army.

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EVENTS AT THE CENTER
A MEETING AT THE PRESIDENTIAL HOUSE Of Jewish veterans from Andres Polish Army and Jews from Iraq
(L to R): Dr. S. Sehayik, Architect D. Azrieli, President M. Katzav, Mr. M. Ben-Porat, Enginer B. Meirchak The historical meeting of thousands of refugees and Jewish soldiers from Andres Polish army and Jews from Iraq and Iran in the years 1942-1943 was a good reason for an impressive and emotional reunion at the residence of the President of Israel, Mr. Moshe Katzav. About 160 participants were present at the meeting, which took place on the 4th September 2001. It was organized following a research conducted by Dr. Shaul Sehayik who made public the fact that Jews from Iraq and Persia assisted and supported Jewish refugees and Jewish Polish soldiers during their stay in Iraq and Iran. The Jewish community welcomed them affectionately and provided for all their needs. The local Jews risked their own lives by hiding tens of fugitive Jewish soldiers, who escaped from the Andres Army due to rampant anti-Semitism, which infected the Polish army. Those Jewish soldiers were smuggled into Eretz-Yisrael by the HeHalutz Underground Movement in Iraq. Dr. Shaul Sehayik opened the assembly with a short review of the events, which took place during that period and the circumstances leading to the founding of the Andres Polish Army in the USSR. This army numbered 70,000 soldiers, which included about 4,500 Jewish Polish soldiers. Andres Army was transferred from USSR, through Iran and Iraq to Palestine, and on various fronts fought against Nazism in Europe. This army bivouacked for over a year in Iraq for training. It was accompanied by about 1500 Jewish refugees from Poland, including 750 children known as the Teheran children. These refugees were held in camps at the outskirts of Teheran until they were transferred by sea to Palestine. Dr. Sehayik described the unforgettable humane experience of the meeting between the Jewish Polish soldiers and refugees, and the Iraqi and Iranian Jews as a symbol of the brotherhood between the Jewish people both from East and West. Speeches were given by representatives of various organizations such as Eng. Binyamin Meirchak, Director of the Jewish-Polish veterans in Israel, and Rabbi Pinhas Rozengarten, the Chief Rabbi of the Andres Army.
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