Baghdad museum showcases Jewish heyday, as memory of lost community gingerly rekindled

A new museum in Baghdad, the Shamash Jewish Museum, has opened to document the history of Iraq's once-thriving Jewish community, displaying religious artifacts and historical documents. The identities of those behind the museum and the extent of official support remain unclear, as the Iraqi government has made no official announcement.

A new museum in Baghdad, the Shamash Jewish Museum, has opened to document the history of Iraq's once-vibrant Jewish community, displaying Hanukkah menorahs, a kippah, a prayer shawl, historical papers, and videos. The museum is located at the site of the former Shamash School, founded in 1928. The identities of those behind the museum and the extent of official support remain unclear; the Iraqi government has made no official announcement. Ammar al-Tamimi, lawyer for the committee of Iraqi Jews, told AFP it is the only museum in Iraq belonging to the Jewish community. The American organization JIMENA acknowledged meeting with Iraqis leading the restoration but withheld details for safety reasons. The museum has welcomed dozens of visitors. The article notes that the provenance of the displayed items and whether community members were involved in collecting them remain unclear.