Journal of the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center No.16, Spring  2008

 

FIFTEEN JEWISH PHARMACISTS FROM IRAQ
A laboratory in the Medical School in Baghdad, 1948 The story continues with the life of Heskel Menahem Nakkar who remained in Iraq   until 1971. Most of his colleagues from the Royal College of Pharmacy in Baghdad left for Israel and contributed to the Israeli pharmaceutical sector.  In 1936, a new College of Pharmacy was opened in Baghdad under the title Royal College of Pharmacy running a five year pharmacy degree course. In the same year, twelve applicants for the college for the first year had low grades which ended in failure. In 1937, fifteen Jewish applicants with high grades were accepted to fill the spaces which totaled 25 candidates. The College staff consisted of British and Egyptian lecturers connected to the Royal College of Medicine.  After graduation in 1942, Heskel Nakkar joined a military training course to become an officer. In 1943 Heskel and one of his colleagues Jacob Dalal set up a pharmacy and a drug store in Baghdad. In 1947, when talks started in the UN to establish the State of Israel, the authorities rejected their import licenses.  Shafiq & Ibrahim Adas – Gurgi IshaK    Adas was an agent for many global companies one of which was the Ford Motor Company together with a pharmaceutical division known as the Rafidain Drug Store Company. Gurgi Ishak established a drug store for the import and distribution of leading pharmaceutical companies in the world since 1918. The Ministry of Trade stopped granting import licenses to both in 1947 due to anti-Jewish attitudes as the talks to establish the State of Israel in the UN commenced. Both companies together with their agencies were up for sale and it was bought by the Prime Minister at the time, Tawfiq al-Suwaidi in the name of his son Luay and kept the same trading name as it was during Adas, The Rafidain Drug Stores. The Suwaidis came to an arrangement with Heskel Nakkar to become the managing director. Later he became a partner. He kept many Jewish employees among them Frank Yamen who became the chief accountant and in charge of the correspondence department. The Rafidain Drug Stores developed and expanded with two new buildings and at least 80 employees. Abdul Karim Kassim and the 1958 Revolution Abdul Karim toppled the Kingdom and Iraq became a Republic. Tawfiq al Suwaidi was imprisoned and later on was exiled to Lebanon. Abd al Karim Kassim was fair to the Jews and the business carried on without any interruptions. On one occasion, Abdul Karim Kassim attended a pharmaceutical exhibition where the Rafidain Drug Store was displaying their wares. He well remembered a conversation with Heskel Nakkar and shook his hand. (As shown in the photographs). Abdul Salam Arif Revolution 1963 The Ba'th party's revolution came to power with a severe and rigid policy against the Jews. Abdul Salam was killed in 1964 and was replaced by his brother Abdul Rahman Arif. The regime joined with the National Arabian party influenced by Addul Nasser policy. They copied the Trade Nationalization where the pharmaceuticals were among the top ten commodities to be nationalized. The Rafidain Drug Stores came to an end when the Ministry of Health withdrew its business license in December 1965. Heskel Nakkar and Frank Yamen were labeled Israeli spies, and the Zionist were thriving around them. The six day war 1967  It became very difficult time for the remaining Jews. Imprisonment, torture, and public hangings took place in 1969. In December 1969 Heskel Nakkar was imprisoned and incarcerated with the secret police for 121 days. He was released in April 1970. Leaving Iraq Miraculously, Heskel Nakkar escaped from Iraq in November 1971 with his wife and three children for London where he established his export business to Iraq up until 1991, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. The trade with Iraq ceased as the UK was considered an enemy for taking part in the liberation of Kuwait. Despite the cut off from Iraq, Heskel kept in touch with his clients untill the present day. List of  the 15 College of Pharmacy graduates in Iraq 1. Heskel Nakkar 2. Eliyahoo Karim 3. Eliyahoo Al-Ani 4. Niamat Naji 5. Ezra Somekh 6. Yacob Dallal 7. Ibrahim Shemtob 8. Dawood Zakaria 9. Saleh Al-Kuwaiti 10. Naji Cohen 11. Yamen Mikhael 12. Sabih Abu Dawood 13. Yacob Hoori 14.  Ben Moshi 15. Naim Haron Amari
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