Thousands of miles from Nazi Germany, young Heskel Haddad never imagined that Hitler’s ideology would spark bloodshed in his own country—Iraq.
By 1941, antisemitic propaganda had already taken hold in Iraq. That year, a pro-German government rose to power, seeking to end British influence by aligning with Nazi Germany and the Axis powers. In response, Britain launched a military occupation of the country. Iraqi Jews, wrongly perceived as British collaborators, became scapegoats.
In June 1941, a violent pogrom erupted in Baghdad. Policemen and soldiers, fueled by hate and propaganda, led attacks on Jewish homes and neighborhoods.
Eleven-year-old Heskel was at home when he heard a neighbor cry out, “God save us.” In that moment, he understood something chilling: “‘Us’ meant more than just a single Jew in jeopardy… The unseen sword hung over all of ‘us.’”
As the mob reached his street and broke into his house, Heskel and his family fled to the roof. From there, he defended his home the only way he could—by hurling bricks at the attackers. Miraculously, it worked. The mob retreated.
This brutal two-day assault is now remembered as the Farhud, a turning point in Iraqi Jewish history. It claimed the lives of 150 to 180 Jews and shattered a centuries-old community.
Photo credit: The Otniel Margalit Collection, Yad Yitzhak Ben Zvi Archive
