Nehardea Magazine

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

IN MEMORIAM

Gourji Shasha

After the writing of this article I had the news informing me the death of Gourji Shasha, may his memory be blessed.

Gourji Shasha decided to give a donation of US$50,000 to the Center.

It was a pleasant opportunity when we met to reminisce about the time of Zionist underground activities in Iraq.

The Shasha family members were among its most staunch adherents and excelled in the Zionist Underground activities in Iraq.

Their residence in Baghdad served as a warm, safe refuge for the Israeli envoys in spite of the many risks his family members were exposed to.

Following the enactment of the law depriving Iraqi Jews of their citizenship, and whilst various means were being explored for a feasible exodus from Iraq, I started to create and staff the organization that would put into effect the massive Aliya to Israel. The organization was staffed mainly by commanders and instructors of the HeHalutz Movement and supplemented by a small numbers of young recruits from the community. Among those whom I approached, Gourji Shasha responded positively. In executing his first mission, he distinguished himself as a dedicated, wise and loyal operator.

Gourji had a special annex added to his house in the south of Baghdad. It consisted of an open yard with many rooms built around it, surrounded by a high wall.

I arrived at Gourji Shasha's house after being released from a brutal incarceration in the jailhouse, where I was tortured by the authorities. I was suffering physically and mentally, my body stinking with the grime of three weeks without a shower. Gourji himself led me to the shower. He stood by me, soaped and scraped my raw skin.

The Masouda Shemtov synagogue was the registration center for the Jews who wanted to immigrate to Israel. Gourji Shasha and Eddy (Yitzhak David Sofer) stayed behind in the synagogue to look after the immigrants until the last one of them left. They hid there, well aware that the Secret Police were almost breathing down their necks. Thanks to their courage, wisdom and caution, they were able to see the last of the passengers leave, while successfully evading the Secret Police.

An incident, which demonstrated Gourji's complete loyalty, occurred when the Israeli Mossad planned my escape from Baghdad. While the Iraqi Secret Police, with my photograph in hand, were looking for me, the Mossad set the date of my escape for the night of the 13th of June 1951, appointing the late Ronny Barnet to act as my escort. Very few knew about the secret plan, and only Eddy, the two wireless operators Shimshon Hobeiba, Menashe Ben Hayim and my "brother" Naim Mandelawy, who stayed with me at the late Naim Abboudy's basement of his house knew about it. A minute after midnight, while the two central figures of the aliya registration were still hiding in the synagogue, Eddy asked Gourji to do a strange thing: to climb up onto the roof of the synagogue and look out for the flickering light of a passenger plane flying in the sky over Baghdad. Gourji hesitated, as he saw no point in climbing up onto the roof at such a late hour in the very center of the city. Eddy insisted and Gourji clambered up. A few minutes later, he spotted the flickering light of an airplane. He then reported it to Eddy. Very curious, he pressed Eddy to tell him what all this was about. Eddy, a wide grin on his face, told Gourji that the flickering light was the signal that Zaki (myself) is on the plane and on his way to Israel. Gourji promptly fainted on hearing the good news, as he was very worried about me. This event fostered a greater feelings of fraternity and loyalty between us.

Gourji Shasha's contribution was but a further expression of the loyalty and dedication of this dear family. The goal for which he worked and fought in Iraq is revealed in the museum of the Babylonian Jewry in Or-Yehuda. Gourji Shasha not only witnessed its materialization, but was also a loyal partner determined to bringing it about.

Mordechai Ben-Porat

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IN MEMORIAM
Gourji Shasha
After the writing of this article I had the news informing me the death of Gourji Shasha, may his memory be blessed. Gourji Shasha decided to give a donation of US$50,000 to the Center. It was a pleasant opportunity when we met to reminisce about the time of Zionist underground activities in Iraq. The Shasha family members were among its most staunch adherents and excelled in the Zionist Underground activities in Iraq. Their residence in Baghdad served as a warm, safe refuge for the Israeli envoys in spite of the many risks his family members were exposed to. Following the enactment of the law depriving Iraqi Jews of their citizenship, and whilst various means were being explored for a feasible exodus from Iraq, I started to create and staff the organization that would put into effect the massive Aliya to Israel. The organization was staffed mainly by commanders and instructors of the HeHalutz Movement and supplemented by a small numbers of young recruits from the community. Among those whom I approached, Gourji Shasha responded positively. In executing his first mission, he distinguished himself as a dedicated, wise and loyal operator. Gourji had a special annex added to his house in the south of Baghdad. It consisted of an open yard with many rooms built around it, surrounded by a high wall. I arrived at Gourji Shasha's house after being released from a brutal incarceration in the jailhouse, where I was tortured by the authorities. I was suffering physically and mentally, my body stinking with the grime of three weeks without a shower. Gourji himself led me to the shower. He stood by me, soaped and scraped my raw skin. The Masouda Shemtov synagogue was the registration center for the Jews who wanted to immigrate to Israel. Gourji Shasha and Eddy (Yitzhak David Sofer) stayed behind in the synagogue to look after the immigrants until the last one of them left. They hid there, well aware that the Secret Police were almost breathing down their necks. Thanks to their courage, wisdom and caution, they were able to see the last of the passengers leave, while successfully evading the Secret Police. An incident, which demonstrated Gourji's complete loyalty, occurred when the Israeli Mossad planned my escape from Baghdad. While the Iraqi Secret Police, with my photograph in hand, were looking for me, the Mossad set the date of my escape for the night of the 13th of June 1951, appointing the late Ronny Barnet to act as my escort. Very few knew about the secret plan, and only Eddy, the two wireless operators Shimshon Hobeiba, Menashe Ben Hayim and my "brother" Naim Mandelawy, who stayed with me at the late Naim Abboudy's basement of his house knew about it. A minute after midnight, while the two central figures of the aliya registration were still hiding in the synagogue, Eddy asked Gourji to do a strange thing: to climb up onto the roof of the synagogue and look out for the flickering light of a passenger plane flying in the sky over Baghdad. Gourji hesitated, as he saw no point in climbing up onto the roof at such a late hour in the very center of the city. Eddy insisted and Gourji clambered up. A few minutes later, he spotted the flickering light of an airplane. He then reported it to Eddy. Very curious, he pressed Eddy to tell him what all this was about. Eddy, a wide grin on his face, told Gourji that the flickering light was the signal that Zaki (myself) is on the plane and on his way to Israel. Gourji promptly fainted on hearing the good news, as he was very worried about me. This event fostered a greater feelings of fraternity and loyalty between us. Gourji Shasha's contribution was but a further expression of the loyalty and dedication of this dear family. The goal for which he worked and fought in Iraq is revealed in the museum of the Babylonian Jewry in Or-Yehuda. Gourji Shasha not only witnessed its materialization, but was also a loyal partner determined to bringing it about. Mordechai Ben-Porat
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