SHIN DC Holds First Congressional Farhud Remembrance

On June 5th for our last program of the season, SHIN DC held the first Congressional Farhud Remembrance. The Iraqi Jewish community, diplomatic community and congressional representatives, as well as the wider Sephardic Heritage International community, gathered to commemorate the victims of the Farhud massacre that targeted Baghdad Jewry on June 1, 1941. The commemoration was held in memory of Shlomo Mantzur, a survivor of the Farhud who was born in Baghdad in 1938. At that time, the Iraqi capital was one-third Jewish, at a population of 90,000. He emigrated to Israel and raised a family in Kibbutz Kissufim: five children and 12 grandchildren. On Oct. 7, 2023, Mantzur became the oldest hostage held by Hamas before he was killed by his captors. The remembrance event featured remarks from Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) and was attended by nearly 400 attendees from around the United States and world. Reps. Deborah Wasserman-Schultz, Brad Schneider and Jamie Raskin were congressional sponsors. Other speakers included Maurice Shohet, a SHIN DC board member, Elan Carr, CEO of the Israeli American Council and former U.S. special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, and Rabbi Brian Shamash who conducted memorial prayers at the event — all of Iraqi Jewish heritage. In her virtual remarks from Israel, Shlomo Mantzur’s cousin, Dalia Burgana, talked about how much Mantzur meant to her. Mithal al-Alusi, a former Iraqi parliamentarian who leads the Iraqi Ummah Party and advocates for an Iraqi-U.S.-Israeli alliance, called the Farhud a “very black day” in Iraqi history, one that “cast a shadow over 2,500 years of good relations between Iraqi Jews, Christians, Arabs and Kurds.” ______________________________________________ TIMESTAMPS: 0:10-1:56 Rabbi Brian Shamash, Star Spangled Banner Rabbi and Hazzan of Iraqi Jewish heritage who is a SHIN member. 1:58-3:58 Afraim Katzir, SHIN-DC Director, Introduction 4:05-27:24 Keynote speaker Maurice Shohet Born and raised in Iraq, this SHIN DC Board Member also represents the World Organization of Jews from Iraq. He was an advisor on the project to preserve what became known as the “Iraqi Jewish Archive,” a cache of Iraqi Jewish documents and books rescued in 2003 from the flooded basement of the Baath intelligence headquarters in Baghdad. His mother’s family survived the Farhud with the help of Muslim neighbors. 27:36-43:05 Rabbi Brian Shamash, Memorial Prayers/Farhud Elegy. Rabbi and Hazzan of Iraqi Jewish heritage who is a SHIN member. 43:11-46:28 Memorial Candle Lighting by Special Guests (45:45-46:04 Oreet Foltin on behalf of Jijji and Suleiman families) Congressman Randy Fine, Maurice Shohet, Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt and Symcha Weinblatt, Elan Carr, Dalia Meltzer, Rita Shuker, Richard Foltin, Oreet Foltin, Nikki Goldman, Shlomo Yahana. Standing: Carol Basri and Huda Rafael and their families. 46:28-56:35 Congressman Randy Fine 57:05-1:07:54 Elan Carr CEO of the Israeli American Council, who is of Iraqi Jewish heritage, and is the former U.S. State Department Special Envoy to Combat antisemitism. 1:08:04-1:14:40 Mithal al-Alusi A former two-term Member of the Iraqi parliament. Since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime, he has consistently advocated for Iraqi-Israeli friendship and peace, and he has visited Israel on several occasions. As a result of his first visit some two decades ago, his car was ambushed by armed Iraqi fanatics. Miraculously, Mithal emerged safely but his two sons, his only children, Ayman and Jamal, were killed. Nevertheless, Mithal continued his forthright advocacy for peace with Israel—a view he frequently airs on Iraqi media to this day. He has also been forthright in calling for Iraq to connect to Iraqi Jewish communities around the globe and to connect to the Jewish dimension of Iraq's past. 1:14:49-1:17:15 Dalia Burgana Cousin of Shlomo Mantzur, a"h, who survived the Farhud in 1941, only to perish on October 7 in the Jewish state. 1:17:20-1:20:56 Afraim Katzir, Closing Remarks 1:20:59-1:23:00 Rabbi Brian Shamash, HaTikva Rabbi and Hazzan of Iraqi Jewish heritage who is a SHIN member. 1:23:05-1:24:13 Presentation of event photos with a chanting of Psalm 137, Al “Naharot Bavel” (By the Rivers of Babylon), according to the Iraqi Jewish custom. READ MORE ABOUT THE EVENT IN WASHINGTON JEWISH WEEK: https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/...