Iraq’s Jews fled long ago, heritage struggles on – The Jakarta Post – Jakarta Post
Posted By admin on September 11, 2020
Growing up in Iraq, Omar Farhadi would heat up dinner for his Jewish neighbors when they rested on the Sabbath. Few are left, and their heritage risks fading away too.
Across Iraq, Jewish roots run deep: Abraham was born in Ur in the southern plains, and the Babylonian Talmud, the central text of Judaism, was compiled in the town of the same name in the present-day Arab state.
Jews once comprised 40 percent of Baghdad's population, according to a 1917 Ottoman census.
But after the creation of the Israeli state in 1948, regional tensions skyrocketed and anti-Semitic campaigns took hold, pushing most of Iraq's Jewsto flee.
In the north, the Kurdish regional capital of Arbil was once the heart of the ancient kingdom of Adiabene, which converted to Judaism in the 1st century and helped fund the building of the Temple of Jerusalem.
Today, Iraqis have fond memories of Jewish friends and neighbors, including 82-year-old Farhadi, whose father owned a shop in a Jewish-majority district of Arbil.
Farhadi himself had several Jewish classmates at school and learnt English from a Jewish teacher, Benhaz Isra Salim.
"One day in early 1950,Professor Benhaz came to say goodbye to our Arabic teacher. They hugged and began to cry because Benhaz was travelling to Israel," he recalled.
"All of us students started to cry as well. That was the end of Jews in Arbil."
Fading ties
The roughly 150,000 Jews still in Iraq in 1948 fled fast: by 1951, 96 percent were gone. Staying meant defying growing discrimination and property expropriation.
Following the US-led invasion of 2003, some Jews were flown to Israel on special evacuation flights while others left during the ensuing years of sectarian warfare.
By 2009, there were only eight Jews left in Baghdad, according to diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks.
The internecine violence did not grip the Kurdish region.
A 2015 law in the zone recognized Judaism as a protected religion and created an official representative, a post now held by 58-year-old Sherko Abdallah.
The law, and the lack of sectarian bloodshed in the zone, created an environment of "more coexistence" compared to federally-run areas in the south, he told AFP.
Still, of the estimated 400 families of Jewish descent in the Kurdish zone, some have converted to Islam in recent years.
"Most others practice in secret, because admitting you're Jewish is still a sensitive issue in Iraq," said Abdallah, adding that his "connections" within the Muslim-majority community had helped keep him safe.
A real sense of identity, however, was still missing.
He applied for official permission to build a Jewish community centerbut had not received official approval.
"I want a Jewish leader to come teach us the proper customs, but that's not possible under the current conditions," Abdallah added.
And the link between the few families left and the roughly 219,000 Jews of Iraqi origins in Israel -- the largest contingent from Asian origins -- is fraying.
"Now, the Iraqi Jews who left to Israel in the 1950s still find ways back into the Kurdish region with their Iraqi ID cards," Abdallah told AFP.
"But within five years, they will pass away and the whole relationship will be severed."
Read also: Istanbul Jews fight to save their ancestral tongue
History in ruins
There is already little to see.
Many Jewish homes were seized by the Iraqi state before 2003, and Jewish schools, shops and synagogues across the country are mostly crumbling from lack of maintenance.
In the north, heritage is faring slightly better.
Arbil's Museum of Education, housed in the city's oldest primary school, includes a room dedicated to Daniel Kassab, a well-known Jewish Kurdish art teacher and painter.
Residents of Halabja, Zakho, Koysinjaq and other parts of Kurdistan still refer to old "Jewish neighborhoods" when giving directions in their hometowns.
In Al-Qosh, the Jewish prophet Nahum's tomb is being restored through a $1-million grant from the US as well as funds from local authorities and private donations.
Baghdad and Washington are in talks to return the Iraqi Jewish Archives, over 2,700 books and tens of thousands of documents whisked away to the US after the invasion.
Such initiatives could save Jewish heritage across the country, including the Baghdad home of Sassoon Eskell, Iraq's first finance minister under British mandate.
Eskell established Iraq's first financial system and indexed its currency to gold.
"He was one of the columns in Iraq's history. You don't get two men like that," said Rifaat Abderrazzaq, an expert on Baghdad's Jewish heritage.
But today, Eskell's home on the banks of the Tigris River in the capital lies abandoned and partly ruined.
"Almost none of the beautiful, widespread Jewish heritage of Baghdad is left," lamented Abderrazzaq.
"There is hardly anything but memories."
Your premium period will expire in 0 day(s)
Subscribe to get unlimited access Get 50% off now
Continue reading here:
Iraq's Jews fled long ago, heritage struggles on - The Jakarta Post - Jakarta Post
- I resisted the call to include non-male voices every time I taught Torah. Then I tried it. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - January 4th, 2021
- Law professor Ray Bernstein, 56, dies in bike accident - The Jewish News of Northern California - January 4th, 2021
- Let's head into the new year in a new frame of mind - The Jewish News of Northern California - January 4th, 2021
- The Purpose Of Chassidus In The Alter Rebbe's Own Words - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - January 4th, 2021
- Opinion/Keep the Faith: Hanukkah reminds us of light and hope, even in dark times - Worcester Telegram - December 19th, 2020
- Opinion: The true meaning of Hanukkah (hint, it's not about joy) - The Detroit News - December 19th, 2020
- Is the Temple Menorah Hidden in the Vatican? - Questions & Answers - Chabad.org - December 19th, 2020
- Circumcision, Berzerkeley, and the Power of Five Minutes - Chabad.org - December 19th, 2020
- He Flew in From London for Reasons He'd Never Imagined - Chabad.org - December 19th, 2020
- Rabbis and Jewish ethicists hail vaccine for COVID-19, encourage its use - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix - December 19th, 2020
- Why it's kosher to go a little wild with the Hanukkah swag - Los Angeles Times - December 16th, 2020
- Increasing the Light of Allyship This Hanukkah - Jewish Journal - December 16th, 2020
- Why it's kosher to bring a little zing to the Hanukkah celebration - Bangor Daily News - December 16th, 2020
- Is the Menorah Hidden in the Vatican? - Chabad.org - December 16th, 2020
- Community mourns the passing of former CJC president Goldie Hershon - The Suburban Newspaper - December 16th, 2020
- Perseverence Vs. Perfection - An Essay on Vayigash - Kabbalah, Chassidism and Jewish Mysticism - Chabad.org - December 16th, 2020
- The New Generation of LGBTQ Jews and Tattoos - jewishboston.com - December 16th, 2020
- Men have dominated Jewish texts for most of history. These women are trying to change that. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - December 11th, 2020
- I knew Hanukkah celebrated defeating the Greeks. Then I moved to Athens and the story got complicated. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - December 11th, 2020
- What are good vegetarian dishes to have on Shabbat? - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - December 11th, 2020
- Five Brave Men and One Brave Woman - Judah the Maccabee and his siblings - Chabad.org - December 11th, 2020
- Hanukkah in Fall River Zooming live courtesy of Temple Beth El - Fall River Herald News - December 11th, 2020
- You Take Christmas, I'll Take Hanukkah | Michael Harvey | The Blogs - The Times of Israel - December 11th, 2020
- Bursting the bubble: Even the Rabbis perpetuated a "hoax!" - jewishpresspinellas - December 11th, 2020
- All up in lights - The River Reporter - December 11th, 2020
- Hanukkah This year and next - Forward - December 11th, 2020
- Dozens of Impressive Siyumim for Volume 5 of the Mishnah Berurah, In the Second Cycle of the Daf Hayomi in Halachah Were Held - Yeshiva World News - December 11th, 2020
- To Be A Wise Guy (Part I) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - December 11th, 2020
- What most Jews don't realise about festival with more gifts than Christmas - The Age - December 11th, 2020
- Jewish digital library gets better and now were in it - The Jewish Standard - November 19th, 2020
- Interfaith: Even when we disagree, we should respect others - VC Star - November 19th, 2020
- Ask a busy person and you'll get the job done - The Jewish Star - November 19th, 2020
- Ibogaine Clinic Treats Suboxone Addiction and Is Saving Lives - Influencive - November 19th, 2020
- Parshat Chayei Sarah and the Wisdom of Old Age - Algemeiner - November 19th, 2020
- Synonyms in the Hebrew Language Boys & Girls (Part 1 of 2) - The Jewish Voice - November 19th, 2020
- Parashat Toldot: Opening the Conversation - My Jewish Learning - November 19th, 2020
- Boys And Girls (Part I) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - November 19th, 2020
- Is Israel being SMART with COVID-19? | Mendel Weinberger - The Times of Israel - November 19th, 2020
- Ruth Calderon to be WZO president - The Jerusalem Post - October 30th, 2020
- Why are the Jews called the people of the Book? - The Jerusalem Post - October 30th, 2020
- Straight rabbis need to offer LGBTQ Jews so much more than just wedding ceremonies - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - October 30th, 2020
- Elijah the Prophet - My Jewish Learning - October 30th, 2020
- Christians have struggled to understand Judaism on its own terms - The Christian Century - October 30th, 2020
- Why Orthodox Jews believe studying Torah protects from COVID-19 - Haaretz.com - October 30th, 2020
- The Plight of MENA Religious Minorities: A War for Civilization? - The Media Line - October 30th, 2020
- Straight rabbis need to offer LGBTQ Jews more than just wedding ceremonie - The Jerusalem Post - October 30th, 2020
- Mikvah off the Coast of Tokyo - First-Person Stories - Chabad.org - October 30th, 2020
- Finally, a podcast that addresses our crisis of meaning - Big Think - October 30th, 2020
- Haredim add to COVID-19 complications in Israel - Cleveland Jewish News - October 30th, 2020
- Amy Coney Barrett needs a Talmudic view of the Constitution J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - October 28th, 2020
- Opinion | What the Talmud can teach Amy Coney Barrett about 'Originalism' - Forward - October 28th, 2020
- A Jewish Guide to Dealing With Demons - jewishboston.com - October 28th, 2020
- The Vibe of the Tribe Podcast: Monsters and Demons in Jewish Folklore - jewishboston.com - October 28th, 2020
- In praise of the yeshiva and yet something crucial is missing - Forward - October 28th, 2020
- A 500-Year-Old Rif - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - October 28th, 2020
- I grew up in Orthodox Brooklyn. We must apply the same COVID-19 standards for all and Jews must choose life. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - October 28th, 2020
- Unity's no goal when not everyone's the same - The Jewish Star - October 28th, 2020
- Prop 14: Don't Stand Idly By - Jewish Journal - October 28th, 2020
- Choose life! That's the Jewish way, and it hasn't changed - The Times of Israel - October 28th, 2020
- Learn how to respond to gossip - The Altamont Enterprise - October 28th, 2020
- The Jewish people have much to thank President Trump for - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - October 28th, 2020
- Judaism can provide the answer to our current crisis of leadership - The Jerusalem Post - October 28th, 2020
- Lubavitch Announces Emissary to the United Arab Emirates - Chabad.org - October 28th, 2020
- 'Bound in the Bond of Life' Anthology Published on Two-Year Commemoration of Massacre - Jewish Exponent - October 28th, 2020
- What Rabbi And Rebbetzin Kramer Want You To Know About Their Daughter Gitty - Yeshiva World News - October 28th, 2020
- A Talmudic duel with Death comes to life in mosaic form in new book - Forward - October 16th, 2020
- Why Is the Torah Read at Shabbat Minchah? - Chabad.org - October 16th, 2020
- Why Do Some Letters in the Torah Have 'Crowns'? - Chabad.org - October 16th, 2020
- 7 Facts About the Traveler's Prayer Every Jew Should Know - Prayer - Chabad.org - October 16th, 2020
- Prop. 18 is vital for teens who want and deserve to vote - The Jewish News of Northern California - October 16th, 2020
- Apostolic asides: 29 brief insights from footnotes Latter-day Saint leaders added to conference talks - East Idaho News - October 16th, 2020
- Amy Coney Barrett may threaten access to IVF, and Jewish fertility advocates are worried - Forward - October 16th, 2020
- Sedra of the Week: Shemini Atzeret | Jewish News - Jewish News - October 10th, 2020
- The Day We Stop in the Name of Love - Jewish Exponent - October 10th, 2020
- JUF News | Less-than-perfect? Perfectly fine: The lesson of the three-walled sukkah - Jewish United Fund - October 8th, 2020
- Simhat Torah in the corona age - The Jerusalem Post - October 8th, 2020
- Dont Forsake Family Traditions - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - October 8th, 2020
- Jewish tradition supports expanding the Supreme Court - Forward - October 8th, 2020
- Shmini Azeret and Simchat Torah - The Jewish Voice - October 8th, 2020
- My shul did everything right and the government still shut us down. Theyre right. - Forward - October 8th, 2020
Comments