Al-Habibiyah Jewish Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery in Baghdad, Iraq. It is located in Sadr City in the Habibiyah neighborhood near apartments. The cemetery contains more than 4 thousand graves and is sponsored by a Turkmen employee, Abu Omar, who receives his salary from the Jewish Mosaic sect, which dates back to the lineage of the Prophet Moses, and also bears the expenses of burial, lighting, water, etc., except construction
| Al-Habibiyah Jewish Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 Baghdad Jewish Cemetery in 2000 | |
| Details | |
| Established | 1975 |
| Location | |
| Country |  Iraq |
| No. of graves | 4000+ |
The cemetery was built in 1975 as an alternative to the old cemetery in Al Nahda by Saddam Hussein, where a new road was built. The tomb was purchased by a Jewish merchant named Daniel who donated it to the Jewish community. It is considered as a treasure trove of antiquities and heritage.
History
editThe old Jewish cemetery was located in the center of Baghdad in the current location of the Al-Nahda Garage and after the expansion of the capital, this cemetery became a barrier to urban development, so the authorities took a decision in 1975 to move the cemetery outside the city where Miah Daniel donated a large plot of land with a total area of five dunams to be a cemetery for the Mosaic sect.[1] In addition to an amount of one million dinars for the purpose of transporting the bodies of members of the sect, Iraqi Jews, to the new place and building their graves.[2] The payment was done by Saddam Hussein.[2]
Until 2003, the Ministry of Endowments was responsible for the cemetery.[3] After the dissolution of the ministry, full responsibility was transferred to the Mosaic sect.[4] Which is based on Al-Nahr Street and has become fully responsible for the cemetery and for paying water and electricity bills as well, and the salaries of workers in the cemetery.[4] In addition to restoring the graves and headstones, and is responsible for all other material belongings.[4]
There are also in a secluded place the graves of Ezra Naji Zalkha, his wife Rawan, and a number of those who were executed with them in Tahrir Square in 1969 on charges of spying for Israel.[5] The last time a Jewish doctor was buried, she was the director of Al-Wasiti Trauma Hospital in 2009.[6] Her name was Violet Hanna.[7]
Cemetery
editSome Muslims, especially women, visit the cemetery to seek the blessing of a holy man called Mr. Bleibel, whose lineage is said to go back to the Prophet Moses, peace be upon him.[8] They light candles and wipe his grave with henna.[9] There are some women who are unable to have children, or as they are colloquially called (al-majbousa), also pray.[10] By visiting this cemetery and jumping over seven graves of Jews who died decades ago in order to open the “gibseh”.[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Studying Gravetones in an Iraqi-Jewish Cemetery". Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ a b "Baghdad Jewish cemetery reminds of bygone days - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012". www.al-monitor.com. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ "Iraq's Jewish sites almost all ruined beyond repair, new heritage report finds". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ a b c "With Jews Largely Gone From Iraq, Memories Survive in Israel - Israel News". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ Renck, Ellen. "BAGHDAD: | Iraq | International Jewish Cemetery Project". IAJGS Cemetery Project. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ "Iraqi Jewish Archive". ijarchive.org. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ www.rudaw.net https://www.rudaw.net/notfound.html. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Murtadha Ridha ~ Jewish Cemetery In Baghdad | مقبرة اليهود في بغداد : Rozenberg Quarterly". Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ www.israelhayom.com https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/03/29/iraqs-jewish-community-dwindles-to-fewer-than-5/. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "On Passover 2021, Iraq's Jewish community dwindles to fewer than five". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ "Old Jewish Cemetery at Baghdad, Iraq | Archive | Diarna.org". archive.diarna.org. Retrieved 2024-08-18.