Two in the morning edwin szoka is getting ready to go to iraq. Hes a jewish north london with a point to prove. Who is going to even believe that there were jews in iraq. I can no longer carry on living as if nothing else happened and tell my son but he was born in finchley and this was where his as a surgery started. To. Get. We are bottom boss of iraq and i would not let go. I dont want to buy a house north of baghdad. Its so that he can say the iraqi jews still have a stake in their home in. The snow or as a move like this is being taken as long as our house is being bought and use of iraq if we are still there. And that gives me the sense of belonging. For decades baghdad has meant violence. And the last place most people would want to call home especially the jews. But it wasnt always so moved. Not diamond got no further than i think i am a lucky god i got the sun and the molding emblem on that night. I first came across the jews of baghdad when i was asked to catalog an archive. It belonged to the family of david dunn goal. When davids father was born there were one hundred forty thousand jews in baghdad. They made up nearly half the city. Few people in baghdad now remember them. Through their houses and old synagogues are everywhere. Edwin has arrived in baghdad looking for his roots. I feel. I havent finished with this place. I always any toes reach. With Unfinished Business or. I dont even know the dangers lying around that because when i tell people of been here and ive been there and they said my god on the road are you kidding are you crazy. Few. Just being flowery. When we remember. They stayed and wrote the great book of jews. They were the muslims in society but they ran their own. As babylon became mesopotamia and as mesopotamia became iraq. Back in london i went to meet. Us. They were born on the banks of the tigris when iraq was ruled by the british. Now. Its one of the if. It. Was. To show the. Goods. This. In the. Face. His speech was that. We dont have religion its we are all iraqis jews and christians we are all iraqis it was a good time it was then it will spread. This paradise was created by the british who took but one thousand nine hundred seventeen. This little boy being pulled along in a tour of british time. Constant david kalash. On his fathers farm near the town of. I want to do with the world. By far. The relation with their faith right i made a very dear you have to believe you they were like a brother but i say like a brother like a brother i mean they are they come to our whole we were to their whole we were just like part of one house and my father. We were speaking english they were the rulers and if you are in line with the british the levee can be that the north two will iraqi jews were in line with the british i met saleem fatah in israel. Many others like me the people close so the british. Robey our responses. Our are you and you you are are trying to tell us what to do we dont want any foreigners here we want to rule ourselves by ourselves the law been done for you you have nothing to go go. But when british rule ended in one thousand nine hundred two the oilman didnt go home. So young am i did of this not on their country meet with directors of the have to credit him company by sheer magic give the authentic that have touch. Not a packed station how many times have i like it was independents. On tops our today. And their reality lost. Was love the government. The british. But the british were not the only ones after iraqi oil. As disaffection with the british grew the germans promoted hitler as a liberator. And in one nine hundred thirty three one camp was translated into arabic. I met saw in the nash a he was a child in basra. There was a famous say. But in the sky it clearly on the ground this year whether i missed a lovely summer or feel of a vehicle over. It sounds i proposed. The nazis key arab supporter the grand mufti of jerusalem came to baghdad in one thousand thirty nine. The jews did not understand what happened in iraq. With the mufti and with the influence of the nicest during the thirty s. They are in danger the troops are in danger. And. The move to moved into this house on the banks of the tigris in baghdad next door to davids family the done good news. In early one nine hundred forty one the movie was to hit. Your excellences great europe. The palestinian problem has united all the arab states and the mutual hatred of the english and the jews. That abs are willing to shed their blood in the holy war and the oil flow for england. Great futa my wishes for a long life and shining victory. The public mood in iraq turned against the monarchy and in much nine hundred forty one the region fled with the boy king leaving iraq to the fascists and its oil to the germans. Once again the british invaded. Do not give us the first came over all of a little bit of an awful. Lot of fear on. Every doubt that if they dont the rebels all of a load of. The nationalists or they feed it completely by the end of. The half escalations who is the object that can be a victim for this if preservation the truce. I met just bear on spend most sane television. She was living in the suburbs and her family didnt realize anything was wrong my grandfather went chopping he was beaten and very badly they called him you know our jewish you know our english and he was beaten and he was bleeding all over. That night a riot started. In jerusalem i found early i mean he was in the center of baghdad the muslims evaded the jewish quarter we knew it this way or the other bill will kill jews. All night we were up there on the roof. Frightened waiting for something bad to happen they were banging on doors and breaking people shouting crying. We heard the crowd coming on the stairs my father know it to the neighbors and he said please give us every few. Called his god of a solitude tool to the other side. My uncle. Who was a slaughter i think is part of the business both of them if because of the diaper. Thats where they stop the process and took which was outside and they killed our neighbors were marched them. To my mother. And her neighbor we were very good friends. Shes a breast fed me and god bless her caylee i has been. Came to our house youre strong for the big one. Of their. Own ship look fifty dollars for three days. To shift our life. After nine hundred forty one with the money to keep back in place iraq was a piece for the rest of the war. The mostly fled and went to berlin. To dangle was brought the house where he lived and the kids got to play in the most is god. The more hawkish touched them. There were parties every night the community was living in a bubble. They were not touched by the holocaust and they were living as if there was no war and nothing has happened much. So my father was very happy to to to stay on and back that. David chim ashes davydenko as neighbor in london as he was in baghdad when they were children. Theres always hope that a bad episode was a one off and it wont repeat itself. With a certain amount of Wishful Thinking but. The truth and nothing. But the less well off jews why are. They still the right during the war as a warning. To rally joined a secret cell. Followed. There are those who are we continue. To hone. Didnt begin the shares do but no more lawyer. Law sort of call the law the iraq. Today he teaches kids at the Babylonian Museum mentality. And hes bringing his replica guns to tell them about how scientists working for the creation of israel came to trade them in fact that werent able to tell a lot more shoe industry leaders. To give him course if you. Are thomas kushal how to. Cook you must have a cook book that. You should rush how much of. The kenyan pact i design ists were essential to the jewish leader david bengurion. He was building his new country and he wanted a Million Immigrants to people it and to defend it. Of the time dont argue with me bring bring the jews here. Because we dont want to happen tomorrow today i know you cant bring themselves bring the jews. Around spend most shame decided to learn hebrew the chosen one which is the new state i dont know of all the people that came to study with me. We went far far away in the desert somewhere we are. Near the river or somewhere very far in over there is there not a soul of the. First lady of the world that. We have picnics. They were talking about this or it was a lie on the end like either but all the movie the so everybody was interested to go. In may nine hundred forty eight palestine was partitioned to make way for the new jewish homeland israel. The dream came to the zionists. And the nightmare began for the jews still living in the ira. From egypt from transjordan from the north with support of other arab states palestine is invaded as the United Nations looked for ways to stop the war. Raging erupted out of palestine and ignited in the streets of iraq. The fierce the tough and when israel won the war the Iraqi Government at the time most severely against the jews over there were a very difficult situation and gave nine hundred fifty. Jews were fired from government jobs and the people who today shops. Jews closed their businesses they do not dare to go through the streets. They hang. Jewish before the fords i own the zim and their land there are two for communism. So every one and the store but there was no way for us to leave their. Money open the door was. A deal funded by american scientists with sweetness for the prime in a. His family allowed for the jews to renounce their iraqi citizenship and leave. At first the take up was slow. Some people didnt want to go they had their jobs and their money and their houses. My parents were not violent they were jews. They have all the whatever it you use to do holidays and all at the synagogue they want not really dying. But then a series of bombs went off in jewish district of baghdad although the government accused in one hind to zionists for doing it in order to drive in the creation. No one believed them now they were afraid or they are throwing bombs in the synagogue so we have to move so they went to register all of the seven hundred thousand when the register in the synagogue so we were about one hundred twenty thousand. The minute they close the list of all those wanted to go to jerusalem they confiscated all the money in the banks or what you had you cant sell im moving you can sell your house you can sell not even a pen. And we left iraq with them pounds. Throughout the summer of one nine hundred fifty one planes flew continuously from baghdad to tell of the. Until one hundred twenty thousand iraqi jews were carried away. But the welcome wasnt what they were expecting. Looking like creatures from the arabian. Its a colorful sight but scarcely a pretty one. A sort of weird costume ball and pulls in front of you musing bizarre but. It was. They concede that people have no cause to be so does not exist the our language is the language of the enemy and they define. Black people. Move through or some of these people may have been well to do or even well things like me until now for they are all penniless. Basically the message just came back guys dont rush for gods sake we rush to this place and we sitting in tents with a russian. In one nine hundred fifty one life for edwins family under the monarchy was comfortable. To leave. Along with seven thousand when. They stayed on. And when its left the safety of the hotel to look for his childhood home now sandwiched between the notoriously violent side to city and the river. The area is controlled by a shia militia. The taxi driver is nervous difficult for the more she. Can possibly last so much for a loved one a. Father was shot early on will be. Adda careful because they could be the police. But cut them cut them cut them up we would call. Them adoption or other. By the g. The be of you know how that doesnt require. A lot of bit other bit you know the have it well go for the ball go. Oh my god. Oh my god the solution. To the floyd way way way way. That as we know judy and paul they got to the how do you how difficult we know but if youre going to. I think i would be out of my shoes are noble. Why do you think you always have a noble mark on the boat. Well i would. Like to. When i saw the house in perth. That you have to leave your old home. Like a criminal. Case difficult to put myself into the cauldron of boiling motions. On the jew who always lived here. Its a kind of a feeling of belonging. Theres just other mother other than a minute but you can only be jewish funny how that could be a goof what i left out of on the other shot of him in him should be you almost have it with his heart and of the heart and all of the love about that guy but the courage to do we reduce human who has not with you edwin is still in his Old Neighborhood trying to find his familys synagogue its called me a twig. And its now the only maintained synagogue in iraq who uses. The hope that it. May tweak is still standing. When Saddam Hussein needed to p. Z. Americans hearing street to be preserved. But its too dangerous to choose to actually question. Baghdad was the center of the jewish world for over fifteen hundred years. They were both in color moved from babylonian talmud. Why isis is put so much into iraq. Cant see if. We the fact that my grandfather sperry here. And that weve abandoned him and we just say goodbye but. Could play minutes with a. Good boy everything. We dont know gave in the back. While the clink follows egyptian president nasr as it makes a public appearance following caesar in the same. Scene by the first when suicide took place my father could see that it was a momentous thing happening in the middle east. It was the first time that nationalism asserted itself i remember he used to listen to news day and night he couldnt get away from it one minute the women i mean probably david done good said to my mother who are not happy. You could feel a kind of anxiety behind the sort of facade of easygoing life. Our house was on the riverfront and the royal palace was on the other side we work up to the sound of gunfire. It must have been a. Sort of first light. The radio came on announcing the army had taken over. Two years after series in one nine hundred fifty eight the monarchy in iraq was overthrown in a leftwing military coup. It had lasted thirty seven year. Veteran and reassign just opposed his plan to end the republican rebels of up to ten thousand pounds on his wrist. Insisting the new one thing is a victim and is doable. This is i became qassam he was the leader of the revolt the idea that the king should be replaced by a republic was something strange to us and quite bewildering in some ways even though we knew very little about politics we knew something cataclysmic was happening. I was three years old when the coup happened everybody rushed to the balcony to watch. The Prime Minister for russia and the reciting they tied his body to a car and just the usual. Revenge would pull his body through the streets on. Baghdad i remember my mother grandmother screaming as the as the body was passed through all of the other and me squeezing between them to see what was the commotion. King faisal the second in the royal family were gunned down. And the crown princes mutilated body was displayed on the walls of the ministry of defense. In one nine hundred fifty nine david parents finally made the decision to leave iraq we came to england when we had finally got our entry permit. My father had hoped to make his life in the land his forefathers it was south. I never went back. After the revolution we had to bring it down we didnt want anybody to come and see we have the king canute of the war. Lets put it down when were at it. And put it away in is still rule. Two thousand jews state after the revolution. The First Six Months we thought we are going to be called when east. Now even want to learn about communism with us were out of stuff we are going to be probably. The david calash had to dealership selling fancy american cars we have brought about seventy or eighty dollars. When the revolution came in we thought no board you were there to write in a big car you want to go in this war or otherwise there would kill you. You corrode we leave you in six months the government they open the embassies of the east Russia Embassy because of. China and these people they are starving for american cars. With going in the room with every car street agent because of the short. Break. In one thousand nine hundred sixty three with the tacit support of the cia kasem was killed in another coup by the bath party who included some old wartime fascists and a young officer Saddam Hussein. Israel was back as an issue. And within weeks jewish passports were taken away. I was lucky i was really lucky. I live. In march to have a modest idea if he said. Everything changed in sixty seven when the six day war started. To clear a member coming home from school my mother picked us up. By look at her face. The traffic was stopped by police. Convoy with lots of soldiers holding their guns. Iran was one of five states fighting his trail in the six day war in june one thousand nine hundred sixty seven and. I remember my brother distinctly say you know this is very bad for us if israelis win then theyre going to come back and take their revenge on us and israelis know as well were all going to as the only way. The israelis won. And the consequences were immediate for the two thousand jews still living in baghdad. People from being post office blocked on the door i opened the door myself of the house where the the car phones on and i just took them they pulled the cords from the war and took over the instrument and they said im sorry but rules are rules jews are not allowed anymore the use of the telephone. My mother was placed immediately on the house to house arrest luckily she knew with the chief inspector of police back that he protected her. There was a lot of help from our muslim friends. In early one nine hundred sixty nine the path leadership laid on an event in response to the six day war and its aftermath Saddam Hussein now deputy leader was given the job of turning it into a National Festival they rounded out a number of people mostly jews and they accused them of being spies for israel and for the west when they said spy that member of my dads complection chain he. Was suddenly said. That doesnt sound good he knew that there probably meant the jews. Show trial of the suspects was mounted in january. On the day of the trial i remember we were petrified all of us. Suddenly we see them on television the doorbell rings and when the doorbell rings in the middle of the night even of for be a good night of look at the evening for everybody they do or dont theres no reason for their doorbell to ring let its trouble and sure enough it was my are saying. Theyve taken well. They had come to ask you to check. No matter what we tried to with how we tried we could not find out where he was. For me it was like almost the end of the world. If you time when small crew another ninety jewish men furnished the nest family. Then came uses dannys uncle. It was a notice like one of those adverts you sell an apartment on the fifth a side color. And his partner were found guilty yesterday of the spy and there will be. Tomorrow morning. That was my turn point i guess. It was only one thought which is the same thing and everybody had just one thought left it to get out. Jews were not allowed to have possible so they couldnt leave the country. So there was no other option just. Seventy seventy one that your school was the year youre going to school every morning you count and you look around who is left in your classroom. My mother we had an idea that she was planning to run away. But not at all of the ventures for. Very secure she tried to keep myself occupied. She was making those walk he men and women in customs. Plans were to go on holiday such to Northern Iraq is beautiful its lovely. Once were in the kurdish areas were pretty much safe because they didnt have any in a must to do was this. We knew that this was a proper way to escape. Over seventy one my father brought the family together and told us that. In two hours we depart the house wherever. We have to go through checkpoints you tried to be cool. Pretending to be your holiday. Jolie and youre looking at around that your sisters who are younger to a grandmother who was praying about lee. Is it possible this soldier i would suspect he has a family that looks like you know is jewish they look frightened. So when we crossed the border between iraq and kurdish iraq and the guy turned around and said youre ok no youve made it. It was just it was amazing we knew that we we were free and we were just ecstatic. Eleven years after his passport had been. In a way her application for a new one suddenly went through. Its work clothes into. We had less suitcases with us where went to a friends house and the next morning were length of the f. Lot and left. In arrived in london on the eighteenth of december nine hundred seventy four heaving two hundred eighty jews in baghdad. Once you leave the country and dont return waited three months and all your property is confiscated. And you lose your nice ladies your nationality and whats considered the author of the law. In two thousand and three iraq was once again invaded. And nondoing American Alliance wanted to be rid of Saddam Hussein. Im going to be to edwin in Northern Iraq hes buying his house and have built the capital of the kurdish area. He wanted to join the last five to still living in baghdad but its too dangerous that. Which is not to say at the least safe islamic states frontline is just a short drive from met bill city center. There is the only. Problem a little bit further than. I board this house is a step in my dream long. You know what maybe just maybe in thirty forty fifty sixty years torah jews would reconnect with their birthplace. Could die with me but if i dont see that my dream in my lifetime i can east i know i set it in motion. Of course i know im going for a bit for the behavior i longed for but god my about it that. I knew all morning for that it is so natural. But you dont go there. I dont want to go back. Theres a lot of people who left baghdad in the good times so they have a nice nostalgic memory of it. I know that my memory is just marred by the loss of my uncle. Good rock still in awe blood. In. Its like a distant bell ringing in the back of a heads. Always reminding us where we came from. I still miss that. I wouldnt let the going out because its all in. The gates. Says i know. Im not the say. Its its that to remember. Everything as it is grows as well as it was it because it. Was dreamy. To. Rise and shine time to cast off lucas abstain get his take on the telling. Welcome to my hamburg summer tour always pretty close to the water and theres plenty of it in this city. Next. Swimming with dolphins for a long time it could be done off the coast or sounds far but hordes of tourists are scared the dolphins are where. The problem is its not regulated by the government. I make closer north to step and see them now conservationists and tour guides are working together to find a solution go at it for a go for thirty minutes to deliver. Lehman brothers ten years. On a story of ambition greed and megalomania. We are so clever the arms control the rich blacks were. Coming best me bankers call ourselves would never stop. Everybody was wrong the wanted to ignore the reality of the whole thing my clock in my face of a system that spun out of control. Over the world and of course were going to. Crush the Investment BankLehman Brothers start september thirteenth on t. W. After. Iran russia and turkey have failed to agree on a cease fire that would prevent a Syrian Government offensive in italy a province the last major rebel stronghold at a summit in tehran leaders from the three countries did agree that there could be no military solution to the syrian conflict they say the war can end only through a negotiated political process. Former Trump Campaign adviser George Papadopoulos has been sentenced to fourteen days in prison as well as parole