Cleaned by: Julia Pappo
Transcribed by: Rev
Interview date: May 1st 2017
Interviewer: Lisette Shashoua
Location: Montreal
Total time: 1:05:52
Albertine Shemie: Born in 1933 in Iraq. Arrived in Israel in 1950. Arrived in Montreal in 1961.
Speaker 1 (00:00:01): All right, I'm gonna need to focus on that. [inaudible 00:00:07].
Lisette Shashoua (00:00:09): [inaudible 00:00:09]. This is the interview number 60 in Montreal. May 1, 2017. The interviewee is Mrs. Bertine Shemie, maiden name Shamash. The date today is the first of May 2017, and location Montreal. The interviewer is Lisette Shashoua, and the camera person is-
Speaker 1 (00:00:40): [inaudible 00:00:40].
Lisette Shashoua (00:00:42): [foreign language 00:00:42]. Joining us today, it's a pleasure to have you.
Albertine Shemie (00:00:51): Thank you.
Lisette Shashoua (00:00:52): I would like you to please tell me your name and your place of birth and your and your date of birth.
Albertine Shemie (00:01:00): Well, my date of birth 1933. But when I left Iraq, I wasn't the age I can leave. So my brother, he used to arrange everything in the synagogue for the [inaudible 00:01:16]. They used to work there. Yes. And he made my age more, 31 so I can leave. And it was very hard. Very hard.
Lisette Shashoua (00:01:33): And your name at birth was?
Albertine Shemie (00:01:36): Sorry?
Lisette Shashoua (00:01:36): Your name at birth, your maiden name?
Albertine Shemie (00:01:40): Albertine Shamash.
Lisette Shashoua (00:01:41): Shamash. Okay, can you tell me something about your family background when you were growing up?
Albertine Shemie (00:01:46): When I was growing up, we grow out in the Battawin. And my house was full of people, full. Like, my father, he had to had someone from the garage, [inaudible 00:02:01] just to open the door. Because we had the door out, you know, in and out the whole. And I used to enjoy it. I don't know, you know, so many people. It was... I like it. Many are from Israel, they come, they stay with us, like [inaudible 00:02:35], you know, he's cousin of my father anyway. Okay. He used to come from Israel and [inaudible 00:02:41] they call them.
Lisette Shashoua (00:02:41): What is a [inaudible 00:02:46]?
Albertine Shemie (00:02:47): Those people, they saved from Israel for six months to prepare everything. And at the same time, you know, our house was full of people. And I remember we had the room downstairs, and it has four blocks. And then it's broken in the edge. They used to put something and all the four comes out. Then there is a, what's your call it, ladder, they go down the stairs like basement, you know? And they have there so many weapons, everything you know, and they never let me see it. But one time I was there, I saw opened it, and they go...
Lisette Shashoua (00:03:42): How old were you?
Albertine Shemie (00:03:43): At that time, I was maybe 10 years.
Lisette Shashoua (00:03:46): And can you just tell me a little about your background? Your your grandparents, the whole life really-
Albertine Shemie (00:03:56): Grandparents [inaudible 00:03:57], Dela. I have Shamash and Dela. My mother is Dela and my father, Shamash.
Lisette Shashoua (00:04:05): And your home life, like the neighborhood, was it the Jewish neighborhood was it-
Albertine Shemie (00:04:11): Yes, yes. It was a Jewish neighborhood.
Lisette Shashoua (00:04:14): In the Battawin.
Albertine Shemie (00:04:17): [inaudible 00:04:17] in front of our house. The only thing there was one as the end of the street, he was a pilot in the army, the Iraqi army. And one time, they brought chemicals and the chemicals spilled on there, and you know everything... But they didn't know anything. Not the neighbors, nobody noticed anything. It used to be... We in a danger [inaudible 00:04:49]. Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:04:58): In spite of all the hardship, [inaudible 00:05:01].
Albertine Shemie (00:05:04): I love Israel. I lived there 10 years, got married there.
Lisette Shashoua (00:05:11): What about the religious life? Did you have the customs in the religion in at home?
Albertine Shemie (00:05:17): At home, yes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:05:18): I mean, what did you follow? Was it-
Albertine Shemie (00:05:21): Well, we followed religion, but not normal one. We were not so... My father wasn't that religious, but he goes to the synagogue and [inaudible 00:05:33].
Lisette Shashoua (00:05:33): Every Saturday?
Albertine Shemie (00:05:34): Every Saturday.
Lisette Shashoua (00:05:34): Okay, like, do you have bar mitzvahs at home? Or did you have...
Albertine Shemie (00:05:44): Yeah, sure. We're had bar mitzvahs.
Lisette Shashoua (00:05:48): Okay, what about the school? What about your school experience?
Albertine Shemie (00:05:52): I went to [inaudible 00:05:54] and I loved it. It was okay,
Lisette Shashoua (00:06:00): You went to the [inaudible 00:06:02] until what age?
Albertine Shemie (00:06:04): I was there till 16, 15. I left... 15 years old when I left.
Lisette Shashoua (00:06:13): Yes. Okay. And you went only to the [inaudible 00:06:17]. You did not have to continue to find... What year did you leave Iraq?
Albertine Shemie (00:06:22): '50
Lisette Shashoua (00:06:23): '50. Okay.
Speaker 1 (00:06:28): [inaudible 00:06:28].
Lisette Shashoua (00:06:29): Okay, now, I was wondering, do you have any memories of your grandparents?
Albertine Shemie (00:06:34): Oh, yeah. My grandfather [inaudible 00:06:37]. They were all Zionists. They were all active, you know. All of them. All my uncles, all my...
Lisette Shashoua (00:06:48): So what do you remember about your grandfather?
Albertine Shemie (00:06:54): Well, he used to have as four [inaudible 00:06:58] every Friday, Saturday morning.
Lisette Shashoua (00:07:02): Did you live with him?
Albertine Shemie (00:07:05): No. I lived with him? No.
Lisette Shashoua (00:07:08): With your grandparents?
Albertine Shemie (00:07:09): I didn't live [inaudible 00:07:11].
Lisette Shashoua (00:07:10): You didn't live with your... When you were growing up, you we're not?
Albertine Shemie (00:07:14): No. I was with my parents.
Lisette Shashoua (00:07:17): Yes, yes. But sometimes the parents and grandparents are in one house.
Albertine Shemie (00:07:22): Not at that time, no I don't think so. They live together? Not in my time. No, I don't remember. No. We used to live separate.
Lisette Shashoua (00:07:32): Yeah?
Albertine Shemie (00:07:32): Yeah?
Lisette Shashoua (00:07:36): Okay, do you remember how your parents met? How did they get married? Was it a love, romance?
Albertine Shemie (00:07:45): That, I don't know. [inaudible 00:07:47], no, it was a marriage. Definitely arranged marriage, always at that time.
Lisette Shashoua (00:07:56): Okay. Now your father's name is?
Albertine Shemie (00:07:59): Haim. H-A-I-M.
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:03): Shamash?
Albertine Shemie (00:08:04): Shamash. Yes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:05): And he was born, do you remember what year around?
Albertine Shemie (00:08:13): '29. I think so. '29.
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:17): '29?
Albertine Shemie (00:08:18): Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:20): No, it can't be because you were born in 32.
Albertine Shemie (00:08:25): I am born in '33.
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:27): '33. '29 to '33 is five years. So you must be...
Albertine Shemie (00:08:33): No.
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:33): What's your was he born?
Albertine Shemie (00:08:36): I am born in [inaudible 00:08:38].
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:37): Hiam, Hiam, your dad.
Albertine Shemie (00:08:42): I forgot, I swear.
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:47): It's not important. And now, you tell me about his profession.
Albertine Shemie (00:08:51): Huh?
Lisette Shashoua (00:08:52): Tell me about his profession now.
Albertine Shemie (00:08:55): His profession, he worked for the... He was director in the post office there. And he had a lot of Muslim friends and they love him. And when there is holy day, they send us all kinds of love after Passover, all that. And really, he was... Everybody knows him. He was, he was such a good person. You know, he helped everybody and especially Israel, for him it was priority.
Lisette Shashoua (00:09:32): And obviously, he spoke English because-
Albertine Shemie (00:09:36): Seven languages, French, English, Cherokee, Irani, Arabic, Hebrew.
Lisette Shashoua (00:09:45): He spoke, he was fluent?
Albertine Shemie (00:09:47): Fluent in everything. He was really good.
Lisette Shashoua (00:09:52): And your mom?
Albertine Shemie (00:09:54): No, mom was regular, you know.
Lisette Shashoua (00:09:56): How many languages?
Albertine Shemie (00:09:58): No, just two. Two and French a little bit.
Lisette Shashoua (00:10:04): So, what did she speak?
Albertine Shemie (00:10:05): Arabic, French and Hebrew.
Lisette Shashoua (00:10:08): How come they spoke Hebrew then in Baghdad?
Albertine Shemie (00:10:13): I know, but she came to Israel. Yeah, my mother came to Montreal a few times.
Lisette Shashoua (00:10:20): Okay. Okay, now tell me about your brothers and sisters. How many do you have? And tell me about them when you're growing up?
Albertine Shemie (00:10:30): Well, I have five brothers. And they went, in 1948, they went to Israel most of them.
Lisette Shashoua (00:10:45): Can you give me their names?
Albertine Shemie (00:10:48): Yes, the first one is [inaudible 00:10:52]. And Joseph, and Harol, Jameel and [inaudible 00:11:05].
Lisette Shashoua (00:11:06): You're the only girl?
Albertine Shemie (00:11:07): I am the only girl.
Lisette Shashoua (00:11:10): That's fun. And how you with them? You're the youngest?
Albertine Shemie (00:11:15): No, I have one brother younger than me.
Lisette Shashoua (00:11:17): So you're close to your brothers?
Albertine Shemie (00:11:20): Yes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:11:20): They spoiled you?
Albertine Shemie (00:11:22): Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:11:24): Okay, what are your earliest memories of Baghdad?
Albertine Shemie (00:11:30): I miss it in a way. You know what?
Lisette Shashoua (00:11:34): What do you miss?
Albertine Shemie (00:11:35): Because I didn't have anything there when I was there. I had fun [inaudible 00:11:42]. I like to see my place again if I can. That's very selfish of me.
Lisette Shashoua (00:11:53): Can you describe what you remember of your place that you miss?
Albertine Shemie (00:11:58): I miss, I miss everything there. The river, the... You know what, when you are young, well, I used to do things like that. So I really miss it. Sometimes I say I want to go back to see it. But then my brothers they said don't want to go anymore. You don't want to see it. So it depends how you know.
Lisette Shashoua (00:12:29): And so now tell me about your, the social circles that your parents have?
Albertine Shemie (00:12:36): My brother, they used to go to the [inaudible 00:12:39]. As a matter of fact, him and [inaudible 00:12:44], and I don't know who, they they made the [inaudible 00:12:49] club. And I used to have fun there, we go with me and [inaudible 00:12:57], we go to the club to laugh at them, this one with that one. Yeah, I have a good life from this.
Lisette Shashoua (00:13:08): It was called [inaudible 00:13:09]? Where was it?
Albertine Shemie (00:13:13): I have no idea somewhere in there. Somewhere, but we, I don't know where it was. You think I remember? No.
Lisette Shashoua (00:13:24): And it was a lot of only Jewish families in it?
Albertine Shemie (00:13:27): Yes, only a young girl. We're not families. No, no. Just-
Lisette Shashoua (00:13:33): Teenagers?
Albertine Shemie (00:13:34): Teenagers. [inaudible 00:13:35] 20, 22, 18.
Lisette Shashoua (00:13:38): And this was the Zionist group?
Albertine Shemie (00:13:40): And they were there, as far as I remember shows [inaudible 00:13:45] her sisters, her brothers, all of them, they belong to that club. And they were young, they [inaudible 00:14:01], you know. And I used to go and have, you know, just to follow my brother's. Me and... We were together, [inaudible 00:14:11] him and me. We used to go there.
Lisette Shashoua (00:14:14): Was it like a Zionist group or just club?
Albertine Shemie (00:14:19): I think it was just a club. This may be as the same guy they used to talk and you know, yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:14:29): So tell me more what your brother, what your brother your dad did.
Albertine Shemie (00:14:35): My my dad, like when he found we were in Israel, when he looked at all the letters and he took all the letters maybe over 60 more families and he stayed late to look at them all. And then he brought it home, and then he called [inaudible 00:15:01] to come and see us and he called the families and he gave them the letters, because he saved so many family with their children. Because those people, they would have hanged him.
Lisette Shashoua (00:15:19): This was the letters going from the family out or from the-
Albertine Shemie (00:15:24): No, from Israel to Baghdad.
Lisette Shashoua (00:15:28): And this was in 1948?
Albertine Shemie (00:15:30): Yes. [inaudible 00:15:32] way after your creation of Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (00:15:35): And they would have hanged him because they have family in Israel?
Albertine Shemie (00:15:39): Sure, it would have been a big thing. I mean, for nothing they hanged them, now that they have letter from Israel-
Lisette Shashoua (00:15:47): Just because they have a letter from their families?
Albertine Shemie (00:15:49): That's right.
Lisette Shashoua (00:15:51): Not because they're saying anything bad?
Albertine Shemie (00:15:53): Well, usually they will find something to say about it.
Lisette Shashoua (00:16:00): Okay. But those-
Albertine Shemie (00:16:05): He was very active, my father. They work with my brother, you know, they work hard for Israel. That's how I remember, you know. I wasn't involved in it. They didn't let me. I don't hear anything or you know.
Lisette Shashoua (00:16:23): Did you go to synagogue yourself with your dad?
Albertine Shemie (00:16:27): Sometimes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:16:28): And do you remember anything about it?
Albertine Shemie (00:16:38): Well, I remember the [inaudible 00:16:40] it was at the end of our street somewhere. You know, like walking the few minutes. I remember we used to go on.
Lisette Shashoua (00:16:55): And do you remember if your brothers had bar mitzvahs there?
Albertine Shemie (00:17:00): Yeah, sure. They had a bar mitzvah in the synagogue. They didn't do a big Bar Mitzvahs in Baghdad.
Lisette Shashoua (00:17:09): Any special tradition, food clothing that you remember that the family liked that people liked at home, your memories of Passover. Are there any special memories?
Albertine Shemie (00:17:23): Yeah, it was beautiful. You know, Passover, we all get together with my grandparents, you know. And it was nice. It was really nice.
Lisette Shashoua (00:17:37): And you remember the like, great meal, the parties or the-
Albertine Shemie (00:17:44): Yeah, always there had... My father used to have always a big party in my brother's birthday [inaudible 00:17:52], because he's the firstborn. And I used to be jealous. I said, "How come for him, not for me," you know. And he used to invite all his friends and buy them presents. His best friend was Maurice [inaudible 00:18:15] passed away, my brother went to London. He gave a very big speech. When Mavis came back to Montreal, she called me. She said, "You know what, I have seen someone there. He gave such a nice speech." And I asked who he is. And they said, "Your brother," you know. I said, "Yeah, I know." And when my mother came to Montreal, to visit me, and we had the club here, and we were siting and all of a sudden came [inaudible 00:19:01] from London room. He came and he kisses [inaudible 00:19:07]. And then he came, [inaudible 00:19:16]. Okay? And all of a sudden, he hugged my mother, you know.
Albertine Shemie (00:19:23): They used to come always to our house, she used to do... Even way she used to go for a trip in the summer they used to come and make her the tomato paste. All of the [inaudible 00:19:35].
Lisette Shashoua (00:19:36): Who?
Albertine Shemie (00:19:37): All my brothers friends.
Lisette Shashoua (00:19:38): Wow.
Albertine Shemie (00:19:39): For her to show how they loved her. So when he came and show her at the club, he says... He hugged her and said, "What you're doing here?" "She said my daughter." He said, "Bertine is here?" Tina, they called me. All these years they didn't know me until my mom... Until he saw my mother. [inaudible 00:20:04] our house was full because of my brothers son.
Lisette Shashoua (00:20:07): Can you remember who came to you?
Albertine Shemie (00:20:09): In Baghdad?
Lisette Shashoua (00:20:11): Yeah, the friends, can you remember their names?
Albertine Shemie (00:20:16): I used to joke with all of them. I was young that time. I really, but I know the house was full of a lot of people.
Lisette Shashoua (00:20:25): So Sandra and Maurice [inaudible 00:20:26] were also active with your brother?
Albertine Shemie (00:20:31): [inaudible 00:20:31], I think with [inaudible 00:20:33], the one in London, yes. I'm telling you, she weirdly lived in... I don't know. She used to tell him when I hear the birds in the morning, I said [inaudible 00:20:49] is coming today. They used to love him. Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:20:53): Who said that?
Albertine Shemie (00:20:55): [inaudible 00:20:55].
Lisette Shashoua (00:20:56): [inaudible 00:20:56].
Albertine Shemie (00:20:58): [inaudible 00:20:58]. She is-
Lisette Shashoua (00:21:04): Louise.
Albertine Shemie (00:21:07): Louise exactly. And I met her in Florida at Rachel my sister-in-law years ago, 25 years ago, I don't know. And she said you [inaudible 00:21:19]. They were very good friends. She loved when he comes, you know, he goes for one day or whatever.
Lisette Shashoua (00:21:29): Where?
Albertine Shemie (00:21:30): He was in Paris on [inaudible 00:21:33]. They were where? In Italy. Where they were, I don't know where.
Lisette Shashoua (00:21:37): They were in Iran.
Albertine Shemie (00:21:39): Louise, where she was. Louise was in Iran.
Lisette Shashoua (00:21:42): No, after. She had a brother in Italy, but then she went to London.
Albertine Shemie (00:21:47): No, she went to London. So maybe in London, I don't know. He used to be in Paris all the time, my brother.
Lisette Shashoua (00:21:56): Even, what year? Around what year?
Albertine Shemie (00:22:01): He was there as a, maybe... I left in the '60s. He was from this '50 for eight years, comes back and then they send him again, eight years.
Lisette Shashoua (00:22:18): What does he do?
Albertine Shemie (00:22:19): Well, he does a lot of things. I don't know. He never want to talk about it.
Lisette Shashoua (00:22:25): And how many [inaudible 00:22:26].
Albertine Shemie (00:22:28): He was in the secret...
Lisette Shashoua (00:22:30): Yeah, he was in the secret?
Albertine Shemie (00:22:30): Yeah, he was really active.
Lisette Shashoua (00:22:33): And what... How many languages did he speak?
Albertine Shemie (00:22:35): [inaudible 00:22:35], I think Hebrew, English, French only. My father speaks seven languages. But [inaudible 00:22:45] only three, Arabic, Hebrew, English and French fluent, because he lived in Paris. He lived in Paris most of his life. He wasn't in Israel. He comes to Israel four months, and then they send him.
Lisette Shashoua (00:23:02): And his family?
Albertine Shemie (00:23:03): With him.
Lisette Shashoua (00:23:04): In Paris?
Albertine Shemie (00:23:05): Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:23:08): Okay, now tell me about [inaudible 00:23:10]. What do you remember of [inaudible 00:23:15].
Albertine Shemie (00:23:17): I remember my house was full of people. They come [inaudible 00:23:24] from Israel. They come straight to our house. [inaudible 00:23:29].
Lisette Shashoua (00:23:28): Do you remember what year?
Albertine Shemie (00:23:35): I think from '45.
Lisette Shashoua (00:23:41): Till?
Albertine Shemie (00:23:45): Till I left.
Lisette Shashoua (00:23:48): When did you leave?
Albertine Shemie (00:23:50): On the '50? [inaudible 00:23:52].
Lisette Shashoua (00:23:54): You left with the state, the denationalization?
Albertine Shemie (00:24:00): Yeah, but with another name. Not with... I'm telling you, he made my age older so I can leave the country. And-
Lisette Shashoua (00:24:09): Did you leave alone without your parents?
Albertine Shemie (00:24:12): Without. I came to Israel and then my mother called... I went to the kibbutz [inaudible 00:24:20] and we're all the went to the kibbutz. And then my mother called Matilda [inaudible 00:24:30]. She used to be married to [inaudible 00:24:37]. Okay. So she called her and she said, "I don't want to be [inaudible 00:24:56]." She came and she took me. And then after-
Lisette Shashoua (00:25:00): Who came and took you?
Albertine Shemie (00:25:03): Matilda. She said, "Your mother doesn't take accept." And I did. I like the keyboards. I was very depressed [inaudible 00:25:10]. And then she came, and I got engaged with [inaudible 00:25:15], and we waited for my father and the brother to come from Iraq. And then my brother, they caught him. And he was-
Lisette Shashoua (00:25:28): Who caught him?
Albertine Shemie (00:25:30): He went, he wanted to live Baghdad, you know, and then they arrest him.
Lisette Shashoua (00:25:37): Why?
Albertine Shemie (00:25:39): Because he was going illegal. And then the second time-
Lisette Shashoua (00:25:44): What year?
Albertine Shemie (00:25:51): That's in the '49. No, in the 50, after I left, in the 50. And [inaudible 00:25:59].
Lisette Shashoua (00:25:59): So your brother thanked you before he left. He sent you out [inaudible 00:26:04]?
Albertine Shemie (00:26:03): Yes. And my mother also came. So my father stayed, he want to wait for my brother to leave, and then he did. And then they, he went to stay with [inaudible 00:26:16] she was a pianist. And after that, they caught him and he was in prison.
Lisette Shashoua (00:26:32): For how long?
Albertine Shemie (00:26:35): 10 days, I don't know. And then Israel gave money, okay, I don't know how. And they got him from the prison with helicopters all the way to Israel. And then when he came to Israel, he knows that [inaudible 00:26:53] works in a [inaudible 00:26:55] Bank. He took a taxi and he went there. Yeah, the [inaudible 00:27:01]. He looked horrible from the prison. You know, they don't...
Lisette Shashoua (00:27:05): And he had his beard.
Albertine Shemie (00:27:07): Beard, and he was married with Madeline [inaudible 00:27:10]. You don't know them, anyway. So we were sitting in Eritrea in the backyard and the door rang, then she opened the door and all of a sudden, we saw [inaudible 00:27:27] coming. And Madeline, you know, we were waiting for him. And he had [inaudible 00:27:32].
Lisette Shashoua (00:27:31): Did you know he was in prison when you were in Israel?
Albertine Shemie (00:27:38): No, we didn't know. And then after he left they went to my father to ask about him. "Where is your son?" He said, "You know what? My son is [inaudible 00:27:49]."
Lisette Shashoua (00:27:51): He's ashamed.
Albertine Shemie (00:27:55): I find him, I will tell [inaudible 00:27:56]. He did that. I don't want him, I don't want to have anything to do with him. Because my father he's very well known with the Muslim people. And after that, my father he said is very tired. He wants to go for a two weeks for vacation. And he left, he left with passport and he came to Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (00:28:20): So what about all the boys and your mom, when did they [inaudible 00:28:24]?
Albertine Shemie (00:28:23): You know, all of them, they were in Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (00:28:24): When did they leave?
Albertine Shemie (00:28:28): Some of them on the four- Most of them, the '49, end of the '48, '49.
Lisette Shashoua (00:28:36): Before you?
Albertine Shemie (00:28:37): Before me. When I was there, they were there all of them.
Lisette Shashoua (00:28:41): They left illegally or they left legally?
Albertine Shemie (00:28:44): No. I think legally they left. At that time, legally.
Lisette Shashoua (00:28:49): And your mom left, no, didn't live with you? She left after you.
Albertine Shemie (00:28:53): She left after me and she came legally too, my mom.
Lisette Shashoua (00:28:57): Okay.
Albertine Shemie (00:29:00): And my father also legally left. He said he's going for vacation. He didn't resign or anything.
Lisette Shashoua (00:29:07): What happened to the house? He sold it?
Albertine Shemie (00:29:11): They took it.
Lisette Shashoua (00:29:11): He didn't sell anything?
Albertine Shemie (00:29:14): You know what? When I saw Saddam Hussein underground, I said, "My god, they learned from our house." Definitely, they went and they and they sold the whole thing down there.
Lisette Shashoua (00:29:29): Oh, it stayed?
Albertine Shemie (00:29:30): Stays. Everything stays there. Sure. I'm sure they demolish they saw all the weapons of the underground. It's like a basement, you know? We used to have like a basement.
Lisette Shashoua (00:29:46): But they didn't use it.
Albertine Shemie (00:29:48): Sure they used it. What do you mean they didn't?
Lisette Shashoua (00:29:52): They used the-
Albertine Shemie (00:29:52): I think they use that. I don't know.
Lisette Shashoua (00:29:54): But it was it was there for their defense, the defenders, but they did not attack people.
Albertine Shemie (00:30:00): No, I don't think so. No. Not that I you know. And they, they didn't tell me. I mean, I was... They don't give me everything. I don't know what they're doing.
Lisette Shashoua (00:30:17): Tell me more about your brother's activities. It's very interesting.
Albertine Shemie (00:30:24): Yeah, I know. They gave to the keyboards.
Lisette Shashoua (00:30:33): No, in Baghdad, what was he in charge of [inaudible 00:30:36]?
Albertine Shemie (00:30:35): Young, they were young, my brothers.
Lisette Shashoua (00:30:38): No, [inaudible 00:30:40]. Tell me about [inaudible 00:30:42].
Albertine Shemie (00:30:42): He used to be with my grandfather [inaudible 00:30:45]. He works business with him. But most of the time is on the other side. You know, when he's working as a Zionist, and then even my grandfather said to him, "What are you doing?" And he was very good in business. He said, "Most of the time, you are not here." He said, "But I'm doing my job."
Lisette Shashoua (00:31:10): So your grandfather didn't know what he was doing?
Albertine Shemie (00:31:14): He didn't know, but my uncles knows. And they were too.
Lisette Shashoua (00:31:19): They were also, so what were they doing?
Albertine Shemie (00:31:22): [inaudible 00:31:22]. They work for Israel. They do everything [inaudible 00:31:26].
Lisette Shashoua (00:31:26): Like what?
Albertine Shemie (00:31:27): I have no idea like, but I know they are active, you know-
Lisette Shashoua (00:31:32): In trying to bring people to Israel [inaudible 00:31:37] to defend themselves [inaudible 00:31:40].
Albertine Shemie (00:31:39): And you know, what? We used to have [inaudible 00:31:44] like basement. And what his near me. His sister Haneem, he was [inaudible 00:32:01], you know [inaudible 00:32:04] the agent for-
Lisette Shashoua (00:32:06): Yes, yes.
Albertine Shemie (00:32:08): His sister was very active with my brother, Haneem, and they used to go in the basement and teach people how to shoot and how to know. And she was one of them.
Lisette Shashoua (00:32:25): And how did your brother marry his wife? Where did you meet her [inaudible 00:32:29]?
Albertine Shemie (00:32:28): Oh, no, it was a love affair, years.
Lisette Shashoua (00:32:33): In Baghdad?
Albertine Shemie (00:32:34): In Baghdad, yes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:32:35): Tell me about it.
Albertine Shemie (00:32:36): Well, they used to see... I don't know. You don't know the [inaudible 00:32:41] family. They used to live in the Battawin [inaudible 00:32:48]. And he was very good friend also of [inaudible 00:32:53] from London. Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:33:00): [inaudible 00:33:00].
Albertine Shemie (00:33:00): Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:33:01): Yes. Yes. So tell-
Albertine Shemie (00:33:05): Because, [inaudible 00:33:06] tells me, "You know who taught my brother bicycle? Is your brother." She just... She remembers more than me, really. I wasn't involved. You know. I have my friend's [inaudible 00:33:21].
Lisette Shashoua (00:33:21): Was [inaudible 00:33:22] also with you in the [inaudible 00:33:24].
Albertine Shemie (00:33:25): Sure.
Lisette Shashoua (00:33:26): [inaudible 00:33:26].
Albertine Shemie (00:33:26): No, the one in London?
Lisette Shashoua (00:33:26): Yes.
Albertine Shemie (00:33:29): No, I don't know. That, I don't know. But I know [inaudible 00:33:36] helps him a lot.
Lisette Shashoua (00:33:36): Tell me about it.
Albertine Shemie (00:33:38): He was always with my brother. Anything, you know, they come, they talk, they discuss, they go, you know, because I guess he knows many people in the government.
Lisette Shashoua (00:33:57): Tell me, did you have non Jewish friends?
Albertine Shemie (00:34:01): Me?
Lisette Shashoua (00:34:01): Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Albertine Shemie (00:34:02): Yes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:34:03): When you grew up like neighbors or friends.
Albertine Shemie (00:34:06): Yeah, neighbors. Neighbors, all the Jewish. Our streets, mostly Jewish. We had just one.
Lisette Shashoua (00:34:13): Oh, yeah.
Albertine Shemie (00:34:14): Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:34:15): And so you were friendly with [inaudible 00:34:17]? Growing up, they come to your house, you go to theirs?
Albertine Shemie (00:34:22): No. You mean, Muslims?
Lisette Shashoua (00:34:24): Yes.
Albertine Shemie (00:34:24): Not really. I didn't have. I wasn't the age to have all. I had friends here [inaudible 00:34:34].
Lisette Shashoua (00:34:35): Tell me more about your brother's activities because it's very interesting. And your dad.
Albertine Shemie (00:34:43): My dad, as I am telling you, my dad was very active, very, very active. And when he went to Israel, they appreciate him very much. And that's when they wrote all that about him in the paper.
Lisette Shashoua (00:34:57): Can you tell me what they wrote in the paper?
Albertine Shemie (00:34:59): I swear they wrote all his life and how he helped the Jews that all their letter, he got it. [inaudible 00:35:08] everything here is written. I am not so good in Hebrew, I really forgot. Otherwise, I would have... You can have the paper, somebody to translate it.
Lisette Shashoua (00:35:20): Yeah, we'll take pictures of it. We will scan.
Albertine Shemie (00:35:25): Yes, yes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:35:27): Okay, so your mom's name? We didn't get your mom's name.
Albertine Shemie (00:35:32): Flora.
Lisette Shashoua (00:35:33): And her background.
Albertine Shemie (00:35:34): Flora.
Lisette Shashoua (00:35:35): And she had brothers, sisters?
Albertine Shemie (00:35:37): A lot. Brother's, sisters.
Lisette Shashoua (00:35:39): They all lived in Iraq?
Albertine Shemie (00:35:41): They all lived in Iraq.
Lisette Shashoua (00:35:42): And when did they all leave?
Albertine Shemie (00:35:44): At the same time. 1950, most of them.
Lisette Shashoua (00:35:48): Okay. Can you tell me about when you left Iraq. When you got to Israel, how was the reception in Israel?
Albertine Shemie (00:35:58): It was very hard.
Lisette Shashoua (00:36:00): Tell me about it.
Albertine Shemie (00:36:00): I was spoiled in Baghdad. Before I left, my mother made me a sandwich, and I didn't take it. I throw it away. And then I say why I didn't think there was no food. We went to the camp, you know, but me only one day and my brother came to take me.
Lisette Shashoua (00:36:21): How old were you?
Albertine Shemie (00:36:23): I was at that time 15 and a half, something like that. And then I went to the [inaudible 00:36:34] with my brother, two have them in the [inaudible 00:36:36]. So I went, and we came in the same plane [inaudible 00:36:41]. Our brother [inaudible 00:36:44], me, [inaudible 00:36:45], his two nieces.
Lisette Shashoua (00:36:50): [inaudible 00:36:50], your husband?
Albertine Shemie (00:36:50): Yes, yes. Two nieces, we were all in the same plane. And all of us, we went to the [inaudible 00:36:57]. So she always says only two months, and then he went to Tel Aviv to work.
Lisette Shashoua (00:37:05): So by then you and [inaudible 00:37:07] liked each other?
Albertine Shemie (00:37:08): Yeah, we were in love from-
Lisette Shashoua (00:37:10): Baghdad?
Albertine Shemie (00:37:11): Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:37:13): Tell us about it. He followed you?
Albertine Shemie (00:37:14): Yeah. We came together to Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (00:37:17): Yes. And you were in the kibbutz together?
Albertine Shemie (00:37:21): Yeah, just, he didn't stay just a few weeks, three, four weeks.
Lisette Shashoua (00:37:27): How long did you stay in the kibbutz?
Albertine Shemie (00:37:29): I stayed almost four months. And then they arranged us to go and work in the farm. I said, "Oh, that's nice." So we went, Berta and me. When we went, they put us there, they gave us a [inaudible 00:37:47] like that. And we cannot even walk with it. And the sun is was so hot, I said "Berta, I'm gonna faint. I'm going back." She said, "I am going back too, wait." We went back, we said we can't do that. And they said, "What can you do?" So Berta said we can sew if you want us?" They gave us a room in the kibbutz just in the front small room and we start sewing, you know, uniform for all of the... And then I left. But I loved the life of the kibbutz. We were in [inaudible 00:38:28]. Oh boy, I loved it.
Lisette Shashoua (00:38:31): Tell us about it.
Albertine Shemie (00:38:32): We used to work, and there in the evening, we go to the beach. They have the beach there, and at night we make fire. And some of them, they used to work in the kitchen and they steal food. And they bring... It was very hard.
Lisette Shashoua (00:38:54): Hard?
Albertine Shemie (00:38:56): It was nice but it was hard. There was no food, nothing. One time in the kibbutz they brought us soup. And they did this and they find a giblet, and they took it and they start divide it (laughs). A piece of meat. We didn't have anything, but still we were happy. Maybe because we were young. We were, you know, we were happy. I love the life of the kibbutz. I stayed three months, four months. That's all.
Lisette Shashoua (00:39:32): Very short.
Albertine Shemie (00:39:33): Very short, but I liked it.
Lisette Shashoua (00:39:38): And so your mom was in Baghdad, she came after you?
Albertine Shemie (00:39:42): Yes. Before I got married. I mean, I waited for them.
Lisette Shashoua (00:39:48): So when did he propose? Tell me about the love story.
Albertine Shemie (00:39:51): [inaudible 00:39:51] 1952. In-
Lisette Shashoua (00:39:55): So one year after the kibbutz.
Albertine Shemie (00:39:59): No, the kibbutz was in the '50.
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:02): '50, oh, you left in '50?
Albertine Shemie (00:40:04): Yes, I left in the '50.
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:06): But with [inaudible 00:40:07].
Albertine Shemie (00:40:09): [inaudible 00:40:09]. We were the first or the second plane to live Baghdad.
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:14): Wow.
Albertine Shemie (00:40:14): I think the first one.
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:17): How many were you on the plane?
Albertine Shemie (00:40:20): We were a lot that I know. It was Berta, her brother, her cousin, me, [inaudible 00:40:31], his nieces, two of them.
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:35): Who?
Albertine Shemie (00:40:37): [inaudible 00:40:37]. You don't know them, no.
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:42): So tell me about the plane. How big was it? How many people did it take? 50, 60?
Albertine Shemie (00:40:48): [inaudible 00:40:48].
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:48): It was a twin jet, right?
Albertine Shemie (00:40:51): Yeah. Maybe 60 people.
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:53): Tell me, was it one plane a day?
Albertine Shemie (00:40:56): I have no idea, honestly.
Lisette Shashoua (00:40:56): Can you remember?
Albertine Shemie (00:41:00): I wasn't involved at all. They didn't get me. So I really don't know. They didn't [inaudible 00:41:17] me, you know, anything about it because they were afraid that I go and talk or whatever it is.
Lisette Shashoua (00:41:24): Yeah.
Albertine Shemie (00:41:25): So I wasn't really...
Lisette Shashoua (00:41:28): So you were on the first plane?
Albertine Shemie (00:41:30): On the first plane we were. Berta [inaudible 00:41:33] with me she was.
Lisette Shashoua (00:41:37): And tell me the pilot. Do you know anything about the pilot? I think?
Albertine Shemie (00:41:43): You think I remember? Tell me yesterday what I ate I forget.
Lisette Shashoua (00:41:47): Okay. The plane, you had seat belts?
Albertine Shemie (00:41:51): I think so.
Lisette Shashoua (00:41:52): It was comfortable?
Albertine Shemie (00:41:52): Yes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:41:57): And when you arrived, did they put fleet on you?
Albertine Shemie (00:42:02): Yes, they did.
Lisette Shashoua (00:42:04): Can you tell me about it?
Albertine Shemie (00:42:06): They just put fleet and we went to the...
Lisette Shashoua (00:42:10): DDT on your head?
Albertine Shemie (00:42:12): [inaudible 00:42:12]. And they took us to a...
Lisette Shashoua (00:42:13): Were you insulted?
Albertine Shemie (00:42:18): No. No, the Jews? No. I wasn't insulted. I thought you know they're doing the right thing. But then they start kissing the floor. Many people-
Lisette Shashoua (00:42:34): Who arrived to Israel-
Albertine Shemie (00:42:36): Yeah, but then they took us right straight from there to the camp. To the... To the tents of the...
Lisette Shashoua (00:42:47): Yes. To the refugee camp?
Albertine Shemie (00:42:50): But I stayed only in one day and my brother came to pick me up and we all went to the kibbutz together.
Lisette Shashoua (00:42:58): And what was the name of the kibbutz?
Albertine Shemie (00:42:58): Caesarea.
Lisette Shashoua (00:43:02): It was called Caesarea.
Albertine Shemie (00:43:03): It was called... But Caesarea at that time was just the beach and a few places, not like Caesarea now. Here you go and get the bus from this street. You have three quarter of an hour to walk if nobody gives you a lift, you know what I mean? But now, Caesarea. What can I tell you? When we went to Israel, it was a few streets. Just a few, few, you know, like [inaudible 00:43:38], they have [inaudible 00:43:38]. There was nothing and now go and see what's there. Oh, my God. When we were Tel Aviv, it was [inaudible 00:43:51]. That's all, you don't see other things. And they made it beautiful. They really is really beautiful. You can't believe it in 60 years, 70 years, that's what became.
Lisette Shashoua (00:44:06): And your family helped build it?
Albertine Shemie (00:44:06): Yeah, well. It's really nice.
Lisette Shashoua (00:44:29): So tell me about Salah. It's very interesting to know about Salah, his friends. What he did.
Albertine Shemie (00:44:36): I told you all his friends. He has lots of friends. Has [inaudible 00:44:42]. They all worked together for Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (00:44:55): And you still don't know what did in Paris? You don't know what he...
Albertine Shemie (00:45:02): I think he was spy for Israel. I don't know. It was very secret his work, very, very secret. And his daughter, she worked at the same thing in Israel for 30 years. Nobody knows what she's doing till she retired now.
Lisette Shashoua (00:45:31): Where was she born?
Albertine Shemie (00:45:32): In Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (00:45:37): And okay, this is, this is really new... It's very different and it's very interesting. So tell me what preparations did your family have in Baghdad before emigrating? What were the preparation? It was sudden they decided to leave? Things got bad in Baghdad that they decided to leave?
Albertine Shemie (00:46:08): Well, because we want to go to Israel. That's the only reason. I mean, after we left, things went bad in Baghdad, you know, after we left,
Lisette Shashoua (00:46:24): And you were not disappointed in Israel at all
Albertine Shemie (00:46:28): In Israel? When I first went, yes. No food, and I was spoiled. I was... But I loved it. And we had a great time, the best years of my life. The 10 years that I was in Israel, 11 years. I always say that the best... I wouldn't have leave Israel if it wasn't for Shalom's family. They came from Baghdad and he wanted to be with them. It was hard for me to come here.
Lisette Shashoua (00:47:08): Was [inaudible 00:47:09]?
Albertine Shemie (00:47:09): No, [inaudible 00:47:13]. He got married before them.
Lisette Shashoua (00:47:26): Oh.
Albertine Shemie (00:47:32): [inaudible 00:47:32] older, no.
Lisette Shashoua (00:47:34): And [inaudible 00:47:37]?
Albertine Shemie (00:47:37): [inaudible 00:47:37] younger.
Lisette Shashoua (00:47:37): Oh. So tell me now, you stayed 10 years in Israel and then you came here. Tell me about Montreal.
Albertine Shemie (00:47:56): 11 years I was in Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (00:47:59): Did you have the children here?
Albertine Shemie (00:48:00): When I came to Montreal, I had a hard time. I cried every night to go back because it was different mentality. You know what I mean? It's not the same. We grew up in Israel is different. And it used to be different here when we first came. Now it's... You know, like, [inaudible 00:48:30] invited us... I don't know what she had, birthday or something. And I went with [inaudible 00:48:36] and then when they do are open he saw a lot of [inaudible 00:48:40]. He says, "Maybe I'm not invited." And then Yvette said, "No, no, come. They are sitting here, and the man is over there." We are not used to this.
Lisette Shashoua (00:48:48): Yes, yes.
Albertine Shemie (00:48:49): Okay. That's how it used to be in the '61.
Lisette Shashoua (00:48:54): [crosstalk 00:48:54].
Albertine Shemie (00:48:54): We never. In Israel, we're all together... What?
Lisette Shashoua (00:48:57): Boy and girls?
Albertine Shemie (00:48:59): No marriage, people.
Lisette Shashoua (00:49:01): Yes.
Albertine Shemie (00:49:04): It was hard for me here, but then I got used to it. [inaudible 00:49:11]. I have a great grand daughter.
Lisette Shashoua (00:49:12): So [inaudible 00:49:16].
Albertine Shemie (00:49:15): Thank you.
Lisette Shashoua (00:49:17): And the children were born in Israel or here?
Albertine Shemie (00:49:20): Israel. [inaudible 00:49:21], she was three months old when I brought her to Montreal. That's why I have a time, I had.
Lisette Shashoua (00:49:28): Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Albertine Shemie (00:49:32): [inaudible 00:49:32] born in Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (00:49:38): Okay, can you remember anything about your mom? You didn't tell me much about your mom.
Albertine Shemie (00:49:45): Well, you know the life in Baghdad. They used to have friends every Wednesday. Every time somewhere-
Lisette Shashoua (00:49:54): [inaudible 00:49:54], people come to you, your house every Wednesday?
Albertine Shemie (00:49:57): Yes, but she goes to them too. They call it, you know-
Lisette Shashoua (00:50:03): [inaudible 00:50:03].
Albertine Shemie (00:50:04): Yeah. And that since she was busy and...
Lisette Shashoua (00:50:10): And she went to Israel and then she came and visited you?
Albertine Shemie (00:50:13): Yeah, she came few times to Montreal. She came [inaudible 00:50:20] wedding, she came a few times.
Lisette Shashoua (00:50:33): And your, your father left after you're [inaudible 00:50:37].
Albertine Shemie (00:50:36): After, yes.
Lisette Shashoua (00:50:38): Around '51. Did he come to your wedding in Israel?
Albertine Shemie (00:50:42): Yeah, he came. I waited for him. I got married January '52. He came in the '51.
Lisette Shashoua (00:50:51): And you had to learn Hebrew in Israel, right?
Albertine Shemie (00:50:54): I know Hebrew from Baghdad. We used to have someone to come and we read. And I hear also, you know, they speak Hebrew. [inaudible 00:51:04] was a fluent Hebrew. And-
Lisette Shashoua (00:51:07): So you had more problems settling in Canada than you did in Israel?
Albertine Shemie (00:51:13): Oh, yeah, definitely. Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:51:21): So tell me about the things you left behind in Baghdad.
Albertine Shemie (00:51:26): [inaudible 00:51:26], my mother had, she put your money in it. And then our house, everything in it, including the weapons and [inaudible 00:51:38].
Lisette Shashoua (00:51:38): Where did the weapons come from?
Albertine Shemie (00:51:42): I have no idea. I have no idea. From where? It's true, I don't.
Lisette Shashoua (00:51:52): So your father and your brother left it? They didn't have to redistribute it.
Albertine Shemie (00:51:57): No, they left everything as it is. That's why I hear all these houses, they demolish, so when they demolish that, I'm sure they find. And when I saw, his name, underground, I said, "They learned from us." Anyway, it was a nice life. I had a good time in Baghdad. You know, with all this activity in my house full of people all the time. I mean full of people all the time.
Lisette Shashoua (00:52:45): Beautiful. Now tell me this is just at the end. As a [inaudible 00:52:52], did you preserve it?
Albertine Shemie (00:52:57): I would say yes, to a certain extent.
Lisette Shashoua (00:53:03): In what way? Like the food?
Albertine Shemie (00:53:06): The food, the holidays.
Lisette Shashoua (00:53:09): And the children are...
Albertine Shemie (00:53:13): Oh yeah, definitely. Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:53:17): Okay, what to you is the most important part of your Sephardic background.
Albertine Shemie (00:53:25): I like the holidays, how it used to be in Baghdad, all the family and, you know, I still remember all that.
Lisette Shashoua (00:53:38): And how would you describe yourself in terms of your identity? What do you consider yourself? Jewish, Israeli, Canadian?
Albertine Shemie (00:53:49): I like Israeli. I never say I am Iraqi. I never say, I speak you know. I love Israel. For me, I am Israeli all the time.
Lisette Shashoua (00:54:04): Do you consider yourself a refugee or an immigrant or migrant here?
Albertine Shemie (00:54:10): Me?
Lisette Shashoua (00:54:11): Yeah, yeah. I mean, you were you... You were a refugee leaving Iraq or?
Albertine Shemie (00:54:16): It should be. The [inaudible 00:54:18] is a refugee. Yeah, it should be.
Lisette Shashoua (00:54:22): And where for you is home? Home, where is home? Where's your Where is your home in your mind? Always Israel, always.
Albertine Shemie (00:54:34): And I go to Israel every year, every year and a half. You know, yesterday, I was talking to my brother. I was there a year ago. And he said, "You know, you haven't been here for 15 years. What you do?" I got old. So I'm gonna try to go in September.
Lisette Shashoua (00:54:57): When you go, how long do you stay?
Albertine Shemie (00:55:01): Usually I used to stay two months more. Now, no. I stay three weeks, it's enough for me.
Lisette Shashoua (00:55:10): And the identity you want to pass to your children, the identity that you gave them, what is the identity you give them?
Albertine Shemie (00:55:18): Israeli. They are Israeli. They cannot... They have to go with Israeli passport.
Lisette Shashoua (00:55:26): And what language do you speak to them?
Albertine Shemie (00:55:30): I used to speak mostly Arabic, on the Hebrew a little bit, which is regretted. But [inaudible 00:55:39], she didn't forget her Hebrew. When she goes back, it comes to her again. But not for [inaudible 00:55:47].
Lisette Shashoua (00:55:49): And what do you speak to them now, English?
Albertine Shemie (00:55:53): English. Mostly English, Arabic, you know, mixed.
Lisette Shashoua (00:55:58): And what impact did this refugee migration experience have on your life?
Albertine Shemie (00:56:13): What experience I had in my life.
Lisette Shashoua (00:56:15): No, the impact it had in your life of being a refugee of being a migrant, what impact? How did it affect your life?
Albertine Shemie (00:56:27): I was young. You know, it didn't really. I was happy in Israel. So I didn't have hard time or... I loved it.
Lisette Shashoua (00:56:42): But you didn't have any trauma from Iraq?
Albertine Shemie (00:56:46): No, no, no. Well, I remember a little bit of Rashid Ali, but there was nothing near us. Nothing.
Lisette Shashoua (00:56:56): But you remember what happened, with how people-
Albertine Shemie (00:56:59): I remember what happened.
Lisette Shashoua (00:57:00): Can you tell me what you remember from that?
Albertine Shemie (00:57:03): I remember we have my mother cousin, that she was killed with her three children. And that was very sad because I remember she used to take me to go and visit them in Baghdad. They used to live somewhere. I still have this-
Lisette Shashoua (00:57:25): [inaudible 00:57:25].
Albertine Shemie (00:57:26): [inaudible 00:57:26].
Lisette Shashoua (00:57:26): Do you remember anything else about that horrible time?
Albertine Shemie (00:57:29): About the [inaudible 00:57:30]. I remember my neighbor's there was the [inaudible 00:57:34]. There were three girls and one boy. And the mother only, they didn't have a father. They came to our house to stay with us, and my brother, he had a gun and all that. He was in the, on the roof to take care of all of us. And but we didn't have anything near us. We didn't.
Lisette Shashoua (00:58:04): So you were one of the few families who had a gun to defend yourself in the [inaudible 00:58:10]?
Albertine Shemie (00:58:10): Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (00:58:10): How old was he, your brother?
Albertine Shemie (00:58:14): At that time? He will he was born on in 1924. So [inaudible 00:58:25], how old was he?
Lisette Shashoua (00:58:26): 24. [inaudible 00:58:28] was 41. He was a teenager.
Albertine Shemie (00:58:31): Teenager. Okay. And he still was Zionist at that time.
Lisette Shashoua (00:58:36): Do you know why... Do you know who kind of, how did you-
Albertine Shemie (00:58:42): [inaudible 00:58:42] from the other.
Lisette Shashoua (00:58:48): Like, who influenced-
Albertine Shemie (00:58:50): [inaudible 00:58:50] from where he got the gun.
Lisette Shashoua (00:58:54): Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Albertine Shemie (00:58:54): I don't know.
Lisette Shashoua (00:58:55): Do you remember anything more about [inaudible 00:59:01], the president of the community.
Albertine Shemie (00:59:03): I know that always he used to meet with [inaudible 00:59:07] and my brother. [inaudible 00:59:10] was very active. When my brother came here, [inaudible 00:59:14] was here. They were in the club the whole time sitting talking. About what? I don't know.
Lisette Shashoua (00:59:23): You should have listened-
Albertine Shemie (00:59:24): She was very active. Very, very active [inaudible 00:59:28]. And she was always with her father, wherever he goes wherever.
Lisette Shashoua (00:59:40): Wow. Obviously, you never went back to Iraq, but you go back to Israel.
Albertine Shemie (00:59:47): Yeah, yeah, Israel, I go every second year.
Lisette Shashoua (00:59:50): Okay. What is the message that you would like to give to anyone who might listen to this interview? What is the message you want to give to people?
Albertine Shemie (01:00:05): I want to say they were through united. And so they fought, they fought for Israel the whole time, you know. And I was very proud of it. At that as the time I didn't understand it. I was young. But now I appreciate everything they did.
Lisette Shashoua (01:00:28): And who are you saying they? Who is they?
Albertine Shemie (01:00:30): All the tnuah.
Lisette Shashoua (01:00:32): And who are the tnuah?
Albertine Shemie (01:00:33): There are a lot of them.
Lisette Shashoua (01:00:35): Yeah, explain to us the person who doesn't know what tnuah is.
Albertine Shemie (01:00:38): Tnuah is those people that they work for Israel. Okay, they are a group and anybody that comes here will be in the tnuah. They call it, you know, a group of... And I'm very proud of them. They did a very good job. Very good job they did.
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:00): Were they disappointed when they got to Israel? Were they mistreated?
Albertine Shemie (01:01:06): No. Why? Mistreated? No.
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:10): Well, because being Sephardi as opposed to [inaudible 01:01:13].
Albertine Shemie (01:01:12): Not really, wouldn't find this. Not with... I don't know. Not with my family.
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:21): And do you have an idea how many they were like 100, 200?
Albertine Shemie (01:01:24): Tnuah?
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:24): Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Albertine Shemie (01:01:26): I think a lot. A lot. It's a big group.
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:29): Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Albertine Shemie (01:01:29): A lot of them.
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:36): Thank you very, very [crosstalk 01:01:38].
Albertine Shemie (01:01:39): All the young.
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:39): All the young? Are there 200, five, six.
Albertine Shemie (01:01:41): More, more, more, I am sure more.
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:44): And most of them left?
Albertine Shemie (01:01:46): And many houses that they used to keep the people from this [inaudible 01:01:51] there. [inaudible 01:01:52], that they come from [inaudible 01:01:56].
Lisette Shashoua (01:01:56): [inaudible 01:01:56] means?
Albertine Shemie (01:01:57): It means? It means. You know, like when he came [inaudible 01:02:03]. How do you say it?
Lisette Shashoua (01:02:09): To convince people to come to Israel?
Albertine Shemie (01:02:12): Yeah.
Lisette Shashoua (01:02:13): And what about, there was somebody else who was imprisoned with [inaudible 01:02:18] and he stayed in prison for 10 years? Do you know who it was? There was somebody who was... They were in [inaudible 01:02:32].
Albertine Shemie (01:02:35): [inaudible 01:02:35].
Lisette Shashoua (01:02:35): I don't his name. I don't know.
Albertine Shemie (01:02:38): I don't know. It's as I'm saying, I wasn't... They didn't let me be involved in it. Okay? I didn't hear anything, they don't.
Lisette Shashoua (01:02:45): Wouldn't you have wanted to know more now?
Albertine Shemie (01:02:47): Yes, I would have.
Lisette Shashoua (01:02:48): Is there anybody [inaudible 01:02:49].
Albertine Shemie (01:02:48): And I was curious to go and listen what they say [inaudible 01:02:53].
Lisette Shashoua (01:02:53): But is there anybody you can find out more from now? Who was with your brother? Because your brother is not... Is your brother in alive?
Albertine Shemie (01:03:02): No, he passed away.
Lisette Shashoua (01:03:06): How about your other brothers? Why don't you find out from them?
Albertine Shemie (01:03:13): What?
Lisette Shashoua (01:03:14): What you didn't know.
Albertine Shemie (01:03:14): You think [inaudible 01:03:16] doesn't remember. I mean he is now [inaudible 01:03:20]. Only [inaudible 01:03:22], the young one, maybe?
Lisette Shashoua (01:03:27): Well, that was a wonderful, wonderful sharing. Thank you. So we have the picture of you. whose wedding was it?
Albertine Shemie (01:03:36): Gilda, my daughter.
Lisette Shashoua (01:03:36): Gilda's wedding.
Albertine Shemie (01:03:38): I think my mother also she is in the picture.
Lisette Shashoua (01:03:43): Okay. This this newspaper was... Do you know how old it is? What year?
Albertine Shemie (01:03:50): 1952.
Lisette Shashoua (01:03:51): 1952, this newspaper?
Albertine Shemie (01:03:55): Yes, it should be October. I think there is a date, you know.
Lisette Shashoua (01:04:03): I'm looking for the date. It's down here. I think it's 1975 it says.
Albertine Shemie (01:04:10): '75.
Lisette Shashoua (01:04:10): Okay.
Albertine Shemie (01:04:12): No, no, no.
Lisette Shashoua (01:04:15): Here. 14/5/1975.
Albertine Shemie (01:04:19): No, that's he lived, that's the age he lived. That's not the... That was in 1952.
Lisette Shashoua (01:04:28): Okay, okay, because here Gila, she's eight months old?
Albertine Shemie (01:04:35): No.
Lisette Shashoua (01:04:37): Gila is his...
Albertine Shemie (01:04:38): That's my brother daughter [inaudible 01:04:42].
Lisette Shashoua (01:04:41): Mm-hmm (affirmative). And that's your father?
Albertine Shemie (01:04:45): That's my father, and this is my father.
Lisette Shashoua (01:04:47): Okay. Can you tell me what they... Just an idea what they said about him in this paper?
Albertine Shemie (01:04:52): They said that he helped so many Jews in Baghdad because-
Lisette Shashoua (01:04:58): He was-
Albertine Shemie (01:04:59): He took all the letters. He used to work in the office, in the post office, okay? And were in Israel in 1948, he went and he find all the letters that came from Israel to the people. He took it all and he brought it home. He called the people and he gave it to them. And they are writing here that he saved so many lives of people with their children, and how we worked hard for Israel and what they did. Everything is here written.
Lisette Shashoua (01:05:38): Beautiful. And is this picture in Israel?
Albertine Shemie (01:05:40): Yes.
Lisette Shashoua (01:05:40): Oh, this is in Israel.
Albertine Shemie (01:05:40): This is in Israel, this is in Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (01:05:41): Oh, the two Israel?
Albertine Shemie (01:05:41): No, this is Baghdad. This is Israel.
Lisette Shashoua (01:05:46): With the [inaudible 01:05:47].
Albertine Shemie (01:05:47): This is, he used to go to the office. He has to wear the [inaudible 01:05:52].
Lisette Shashoua (01:05:53): Oh, that's part of the uniform?
Albertine Shemie (01:05:55): Yes, [crosstalk 01:05:56] uniform.
Lisette Shashoua (01:05:56): Okay. Thank you very much Bertine.
Albertine Shemie (01:05:59): Okay [crosstalk 01:05:59].