My father had…with the police…the best…he had a relationship. They respected him, and they would always protect him so that nobody…nobody would hurt him or us, the children. He used to tell them all (his children), “go from here. I am here - don’t be scared! I am here, don’t be scared!”. And he always used to protect us. There really were good Arabs, and there were (also) some who had…how to say…a small (amount of) hatred. Thank G-d, we were on good terms with them until we left (Iraq), and they came to hug us and kiss us (when we left). He (one of the neighbours) would tell him (my brother), “Tsiyon, are you going to Palestine? Tsiyon!”. He would be like that with my brother. “Tsiyon! Are you going to Palestine?”. And it was…really…it was a good relationship with some of them. When we left Iraq, they (the neighbours) wanted to take my brother to their place (to live), and my father did not agree to give him (my brother) away. (The neighbour) said to him, “I will give you whatever you want (if) you leave Tsiyon to me. Give me Tsiyon. Give me him.” (My father) said to him, “no! This is my son. I won’t leave him here.” My father didn’t agree.

At our place in Iraq, we didn’t use to eat things (made) of dairy (on Passover). And we came here (and also did) the same thing. On Passover we didn’t eat neither cream nor yogurt nor cultured milk, and we did not drink milk. We said, “this is hametz”. When you leave it outside, it becomes sour, so it’s hametz.

In Iraq it was - Shavuot - it was called “eid ez-zyaġa. The day after Shavuot, (people) would take food and drinks and go to the river. And they would sit by the river and would bet who would (be able to) cross the river from side to side and return. The whole day they would spend by the river. They would make kahi, only during Shavuot they (would) make kahi. And they would put either sugar or honey on it and they would eat. The neighbours would gather, and each woman would take out plates, and everyone would sit and eat together. 

Stuffed vegetables, my mother would make - stuffed vegetables. My mother would make stuffed vegetables. She would make kechri, she would make chicken with rice, she would make engriyi…all types of those foods. She would make stuffed chicken, tbeet for Shabbat. They would slaughter the sheep and cows day by day. What was made today would not be eaten tomorrow. Every day they would make new food. That’s how they did it in Iraq. Day by day. They (would) eat in the afternoon, and at night…they (would) eat meat, chicken. And the next day they would cook again.

Each person has their own belief. There were (people) who believed in faith…and there are (people) who are hurt by others, and there are (people) who are loved by others. Some are given money and gold, and some are hit with a blow (so big) that they won’t have children. My sister-in-law was like that. She had a pan fall out of her hand (a sign of bad luck) and was cursed (with regards to) children, and the four (children that she gave birth to to) died two days after (their birth). (This continued) until they made her a talisman, (after which) she was able to give birth - blessings and gratitude to G-d. She gave birth to another four, and all of them (remained) alive and got married and had children. Eliyahu Kannush used to come to the synagogue. (Once) he prayed, went home, blessed (the wine for kiddush), ate, and said to his wife, “lay a blanket for me on the floor”. She lay (it) for him, (then) he laid down, and gave his soul to the creator of the world (G-d)(he passed away).

Put henna on us, put henna on us, and bring the happiness to us. We will get engaged and […] and we will put henna on our hands. Put henna on us, put henna on us, and bring the happiness to us. We will get the beloved girl engaged, and bring the happiness to us.

My mother used to embroider…dresses for brides. My father used to sell fabric. My grandfather had a gold shop. And however it was, that’s how they used to support themselves. One night, my mother was asleep, and (two women) came wanting (to steal) a bracelet from her. And she said to the other, “remove the blanket, and look.” (The other woman) said “look, I removed the blanket. There is nothing on her leg.” (The first woman) replied, “cover her, and lets return back.” And my mother woke up in the morning, and told her mother (the story). (My mother) told her, “mother, mother, this is the story, and this is the story”. (My grandmother) said to her, “no! Don’t get inside your own head. You dreamed a dream.” My mother did not work; she stayed home. My father was given a job from the employment bureau. He was a manager of Ilanot, and he was responsible for workers. And for a long time, really, many years. He worked in Ilanot for a long time, until the trees for planting were no more. They said to him, “there is no work anymore”. He was at home for a while, (and then) went once again to the employment bureau. They said to him, “there is no work.”. He said to them “I have nine children at home”. There were nine children, and so on. So until…he told him, “I don’t have…we don’t have work”. I used to return from school and wash stairs and sponge (wash) the house so I could bring (home) money for my mother and father…so we would have something to live on and eat day to day. And this (continued) until…they gave my dad a vegetable shop, and by then we were getting by, thank G-d. Praised be G-d. He would sell (vegetables), (and) the remaining things we would eat at home. In the holiday we would go go out and go pick oranges, and in the afternoon we would go to the packing house, (and) pack the oranges, (and) they (would) send it overseas. A packing house. And when the orange packing house was finished, we would go to Even Yehuda to pick flowers. Flowers - it’s called “flowers”. From there, we would go to do deliveries overseas of flowers. Until I got married (this continued). Then I stopped working.

We boarded the plane, and they brought us to Shaar Haliyah. And from Shaar Haaliyah they took us to Moshav Tzeelim. From Moshav Tzeelim…it wasn’t good there. They took us to Zarait. We couldn’t live there, so we were taken to Yohanan transit camp. From Yohanan transit camp we were taken to Moshav Pedaya, and there were (Palestinian) infiltrators who wanted to kill my father by mistake. An from there we went to Kadima. We lived in Kadima until the last day of my mother and father. We came on a plane, and in the middle of the journey they told us, “the airplane is (too) heavy, and we don’t know what to do.” And they threw all our suitcases into the sea. And we came…we got off the airplane at Shaar Haaliya with nothing, only the clothes that were on us. We didn’t have anything. Yes. That was in the (19)50s. It was really a very, very, very difficult aaliyah (move to Israel). But thank G-d we lived and we sorted ourselves out and everything, we got married, we had children, and we had grandchildren. Thank G-d. Praise G-d. 

There was the Farhud. In the Farhud, they killed some (Jews). Some (Jews) hid, some…when the State of Israel was established, they came and told them (the Jews in Iraq) “there’s the Land of Israel. (If) you want, go to…leave to the Land of Israel”. And my father said to my mother, “Come on! Let’s go to the Land of Israel. The Land of milk and honey.” That’s what they were told. They took the approval (to leave Iraq), they (Iraqi authorities) gave them approval, and we left Kirkuk. When we left on the plane, the stewardess came and told my mother, “you cannot hold him (your baby) in your arms”. My mother said to her, “where should I put him?”. She said to her, “come, put him in…the suitcase compartment. Put him there.” When they got off (the plane), my mother took him from the suitcase compartment.