On Shavuot, the Iraqi Jews like to…they don’t (just) like to, they have a custom of making kahi and qemar. And Shavuot in Baghdad, they would go to the Prophet Ezekiel and visit his tomb. And on the morning of the holiday, they eat cheeses…they eat kahi and qemar. That’s the custom of Shavuot in Baghdad. When the wake up on Shabbat, all of the Iraqi Jews eat eggs and eggplant. And we, at home, like to eat pita…hot bread…and eggs and eggplant, salads and amba. And that’s the custom of all Iraqi Jews on Shabbat morning. On the evening of Shabbat, when we do the Shabbat blessings, we say Iraqi Shbahot (Jewish songs of praise). We do it…in our house, we like the Iraqi customs.

Iraqis like sad songs. Without having a sad thing (song), they won’t be happy. Iraqi songs, most of them, are very sad. Like the original ones. And there are also very happy ones. But Iraqis like sad songs of our language. There is a song…”it isn’t fair of you, for your absence to go on so long. And if people ask me about you, what should I answer them? What should I say?”.

That is very, very nice…(it’s by) Salima Pasha. And there’s another song…”the rules of life are all injustice”. That’s also by Salima. 

And there are other songs…happy (ones). All of them are in beautiful Iraqi Arabic.

And we grew up…most of us grew up on the Iraqi shame (modesty). We really respect elders, us Iraqis. And basis in our family is…about shame (modesty) And respect for elders. That’s what we grew up on. This…all Iraqis give their children an education of Baghdad. Even if they came here to Israel, they still…their nature is about Baghdad. That’s how we are at home. I don’t know about others, but that’s how we are at home. And this…is our story.