The Jewish Agency @genda
News Reports about Us!
Press Releases
Picture Gallery



June 21, 2003
21 Sivan, 5763
Jerusalem

THE FIRST JEWISH AGENCY EMISSARY RETURNS FROM BAGHDAD

LAST NIGHT THE JEWISH AGENCY'S FIRST EMISSARY TO IRAQ, JEFF KAYE, RETURNED TO ISRAEL

Mr. Kaye had been dispatched on a special mission to establish first contact with the Jewish community of Baghdad and to learn first hand about the present condition and needs of the Jews of Baghdad. The mission was made possible, thanks to the cooperation between the Jewish Agency and HIAS, and a HIAS emissary accompanied Mr. Kaye on his trip.

In his mission, Mr. Kaye dealt with the following matters:

  • The sensitive security situation of the Jewish community in the city and strengthening ties with US security forces.

  • Learning about their physical condition and the morale of the Jewish community

  • Encouraging them spiritually by bringing Psalms, phylacteries, and religious artifacts from Israel.

  • Verifying the numbers of the Baghdadi Jewish community and the possibility of their being crypto-Jews among them.

  • Dealing with the archives of the Jewish community, which relocated in the cellars of the bureaus of Iraqi Intelligence with the intention of eventually bringing them to Israel.

  • Systematic written and visual documentation of members of the Jewish community, their possessions and property.

Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor praised the special emissary for the success of his mission and stressed that, "This is just the first mission, whose aims were to establish direct contact which will lead to fulfilling the needs of the Jewish community of Iraq. This is a most important task and the Jewish Agency will work together with all relevant bodies in Israel and abroad in order to assist the Jews of Iraq most effectively."

Mr. Kaye will report on his mission to the Jewish Agency Board of Governors, which will convene in Jerusalem tomorrow for three days of deliberations. He will likewise report in a meeting with the Prime Minister, which will take place on Monday in the cadre of the Government-Jewish Agency Coordinating Institution.

For additional information contact
the Office of the Spokesman:
Yehuda Weinraub
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media
Jewish Agency for Israel
Mobile:972-53-927017
Fax: 972-2-6204013