No.14, Summer 2003
|
Journal of
the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center No.14, Summer 2003 |
On the 3rd INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
Prof. Yitzhak Avishur
This is the third time that the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center has held an international congress for the research of Babylonian Jewry, in which over fifty lecturers, writers, poets and public figures took part.
The congress was held as an event closing the festivities and marking the golden jubilee of the mass Aliya of Iraqi Jews to Israel in 1952. Therefore, it was natural that a significant part of the Congress be dedicated to that mass Aliya and the integration of Iraqi Jews, socially and economically, in Israel.
From right to left: Mrs. Nuzhat Qassab, Mr. David Petel ,Mr. Mordechai Ben-Porat, Mrs.Shoshana Arbeli-Almozlino, Dr. Barukh Levi, Mr. Shlomo Hilel
The festive opening session was held at Beit Hahayal Halls in Tel-Aviv, where the Minister of Education and other figures participated. Mr. Mordechai Ben-Porat, Chairman of the Center, spoke of the activities of the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center and emphasized its immediate and pressing needs. In her speech, the Minister of Education, Mrs. Limor Livnat, pointed out the uniqueness of Iraqi Jews and their contributions to the State of Israel, and promised to support the Center.
The opening lectures dealt with the central issue of the congress: As the scientific director of the Center, I gave a lecture: "Be tween the Babylonian Jews and Eretz Yisrael", since the exile to Ashur and Babylon and until the 19th Century, an era stretching over 2500 years.
This lecture emphasized the close relations between Babylonian Jews and their brethren in Eretz Yisrael, from the time when the exiles on the rivers of Babylon took the oath "May mine right arm wither if I forget thee, oh Jerusalem", and until their return following Koresh’s declaration and the time of Ezra & Nehemya, and the binding obligation of Babylonian Jewry to Eretz Yisrael. Whenever there was a spiritual decline in Eretz Yisrael, sages from Babylon traveled to the Holy Land and helped to rehabilitate the Jewish Community there.
Then, Dr. Zvi Yehuda, director of the Research Institute of Babylonian Jewry, gave a lecture entitled: "The Jews of Iraq - from Zionism to Integration". In his lecture, Dr. Yehuda described the unique Zionist activities among Iraqi Jews and the fulfillment of the Zionist ideals until the mass Aliya to Israel.
The evening ended on an artistic note with a show that included Israeli songs, selected acts from the play "A Zionist Dream" and Iraqi Jewish comedies.
During the following two days, the sessions were dedicated to various subjects concerning the history and culture of Babylonian Jewry, since the time of their exile and up to the present day. During lectures given in the first session by Profs. Ran Zadok, Bustanai Oded and Michael Heltzer, the status of Jews was discussed during the rule of Ashur, Babylon and Persia.
Member of Knesset Yigal Bibi presided over the second session, which was dedicated to the subject of Aliya from Iraq. Prof. Moshe Gat, Dr. Shaul Sehayik and Dr. Nissim Kazzaz participated.
Two sessions of the Congress were allotted for lectures given by undergraduates studying for advanced academic degrees, who were involved in Babylonian Jewry research. The sessions were alternately presided over by Member of Knesset Ran Cohen and Dr. Ovadia Sofer.
Babylonian Jewry’s literature was discussed in two sessions: one session to do with research of the literature and lectures about the research, were given by Prof. Sasson Somekh, Prof. Shaul Regev and Dr. Lillian Dabby-Jouri. The second session was dedicated to poetry by a panel of poets: Balfur Hakak presided, and Ronny Someck, Yaara Ben-David, Yoav Hayek, Herzel Hakak, Elyiahu Manzur and Jacqueline Shashua participated.
Special sessions were dedicated to the Iraqi Jews of Kurdistan and the Far East. Dr. Yaron Harel and Mr. Moti Zaken participated in the first session. The second session was presided over by Mr. Arie Shemesh, and Prof. Yosef Tobi and Prof. Yitzchak Kerem participated.
Another session was dedicated to medicine, presided over by Mrs. Shoshana Arbeli- Almozlino. Lectures by the researchers, Prof. Eitan Friedman and Prof. Mordechai Pras, attracted many attendants.
During the third day, a session was held to discuss arts and folklore. Retired Judge Eliyahu Nawi presided and Prof. Dov Noy, Prof. Shalom Sabar and Mrs. Idit Sharony-Pinhas participated.
The closing session of the third day was held by a panel chaired by Mr. Yosef Meir, and consisted of Dr. Nissim Kazzaz, Dr. Yehuda Tager, Mr. David Ivri and Mr. Avraham Barzilay. The subject of the role of the Iraqi Jews in the underground Communist movement in Iraq was discussed.
The fourth day and last one of the Congress was devoted to the subject of “The Iraqi Jews in Israeli Society and Economy”. The subject was prepared together with Dahan Center in Bar-Ilan University. The Minister of Science and Culture Mr. Matan Vilnai and delegates from The Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center and Bar-Ilan University welcomed everyone in their opening speeches.
Mr. Oved Ben-Ozeir, Chairman of WOJAC directed the first session, in which the late Prof. Tikva Lecker-Darvish, Dr. Naomi Gal and Prof. Aziza Khazzoom participated. The second session, directed by Prof. Ernest Krausz, was dedicated to the Aliya of the Iraqi Jews to Israel and their absorption. Dr. Daphna Tsimhoni, Prof. Dvora HaCohen and Dr. Esther Meir participated. The closing session, directed by Dr. Baruch Levi, was dedicated to a symposium on the Integration of Iraqi Jews in Israeli Society. Public figures participated together with Iraqi Jewry leaders: Mrs. Shoshana Arbeli Almozlino, Mr. Mordechai Ben-Porat, Mr. Shlomo Hillel, Mr. David Petel, Mrs. Nuzhat Qassab and Mr. Eli Amir.
It should be pointed out that this Congress was characterized by a vast and active attendance at all sessions. The public proved to be attentive and interested. Many came from far away to be present at the Congress and the presence of many teachers and pupils was observed.
