Jewish Synagogue in Baghdad
JUDAISM
1948 Jewish population in Iraq in 1948: 150,000
In 2003: Approximately 100
One of the longest surviving Jewish communities still lives in Iraq. In
722 B.C, the northern tribes of Jews in Palestine were defeated by
Assyria and a few thousand Jews were taken to what is now known as Iraq.
A larger community was established in 586 B.C, when the Babylonians
conquered the southern tribes of Palestine and enslaved the Jews.
During the Muslim rule, and throughout the Ottoman Empire rule, the
Jewish Community in Iraq was treated well.
After independence in 1932, The Iraqi authorities drew heavily on the
talents of the well-educated Jews. Iraq's first minister of finance,
Yehezkel Sasson, was a Jew.
Only one synagogue continues to function in Bataween, once Baghdad's
main Jewish neighborhood.Jews were free to practice their religion but
were not allowed to hold jobs in state enterprises or join the army.
The Iraqi government (during Saddam’s regime) had refurbished the tombs
of Ezekiel the Prophet and Ezra the Scribe, which are also considered
sacred by Muslims. Jonah the Prophet's tomb has also been renovated.
Saddam Hussein also assigned guards to protect the holy places.
Today, approximately 38 Jews live in Baghdad, and a handful more in the
Kurdish-controlled northern parts of Iraq.
SACRED TEXTS
The central parts of all Jewish learning is the Torah. The other work of
Judaism is the Talmud, which has two parts. The oral law and the
interpretations of this.
RITUALS
Judaism has a rich tradition of festivals. While the main festival is
the weekly Sabbath, other festivals are performed only once a year,
while some only once in a lifetime.
PRAYER
According to their tradition, Jews pray 3 times a day: morning prayer is
called shaharith, afternoon prayer is called minhah and evening prayer
maarib.
LIFE RITUALS
When a Jewish boy is 8 days old, he is circumcised by the rabbi. This is
a symbol of belonging to the pact between God and Abraham. Marriage is
not very religious in Judaism in terms of regulations, even if it
considered being sacred entity. But it is always celebrated inside the
Jewish community and in conjunction with the synagogue.
Jews burry their deaths as soon as possible. Then the family starts a
Seven-day mourning period called Shiva.
PROHIBITIONS AND REGULATIONS
The main regulations for Jews are the dietary laws, which are quite
complex seen from the outside. According to the rules, pork and
shellfish like shrimp and oysters cannot be eaten.
Animals are to be killed by a ritual slaughter called shehitah, who cuts
the throat and lets the animal bleed to death, while being conscious.
There are also regulations on how food should be stored, like that milk
and meat should be kept separately.
