Baghdad Jewish Community Fights for Legacy Amidst Threats
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
The last six Jews in Baghdad have opened a museum to commemorate their community's legacy, but the initiative has drawn threats from the Badr Organization, which accused it of promoting normalization with Israel. The community, once numbering 50,000, is now tiny and vulnerable. Despite accusations and calls for retribution, the museum remains open, with the community demanding protection and threatening legal action against the accusers.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Baghdad's last six Jews opened a museum to preserve their community's legacy.
- The museum's opening sparked threats from the Badr Organization accusing it of normalizing ties with Israel.
- The Jewish community in Baghdad once numbered 50,000 but is now nearly extinct.
- The Badr Organization's leader called the museum a security breach and demanded accountability.
- The Jewish community is demanding protection and threatening legal action against the accusers.
- Despite threats, the Baghdad Jewish museum remains open.
The last six Jews in Baghdad are struggling to preserve the memory of Iraq's once-flourishing Jewish community, which has dwindled to near extinction after more than 2,600 years. Their recent initiative to open a modest museum in the former Shamash Jewish school, established in 1928 on Rashid Street, has sparked controversy and threats.
The museum, housed in a building previously used as a school and later a warehouse, is an independent initiative by the community members themselves, aiming to assert their heritage within Iraqi public space. At its peak in the early 20th century, Baghdad's Jewish population numbered around 50,000, constituting a quarter of the city's residents, with Saturday as the city-wide day of rest due to the prevalence of Jewish merchants.
Despite the community's efforts to protect its remaining assets from various claimants over the years, the opening of the museum has drawn sharp criticism from Mohammed Naji, head of the political bureau of the Badr Organization. Naji accused the museum's establishment of being a security and cultural breach, part of a normalization process with Israel, and a threat to Iraqi national identity. He warned that his organization would not permit such activities with "Zionist dimensions" on Iraqi soil and demanded accountability for those involved.
Naji's statements have been interpreted as a direct threat to the remaining Jewish community, given the Badr Organization's influence and armed wing. Social media users have echoed his sentiments, calling for retribution against the community members. The community has responded by demanding protection from the authorities and threatening legal action against Naji, asserting that the museum was built without Israeli involvement and is a testament to their historical presence in Iraq.
Despite the inflammatory rhetoric and threats, the Jewish museum in Baghdad remains open, with the community hoping its doors will not be forced to close. The situation highlights the precarious existence of the tiny community and their determination to assert their identity before their presence in Iraq completely vanishes.
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