Religion: Jews in Iraq

Even as Iraqi Scud missiles fall on Jewish communities in Israel, the small Jewish community in Iraq may also be feeling the effects of allied bombing. When Iraq gained independence from Britain in 1932, the Jewish population numbered about 175,000 and there were over 50 synagogues. But the formation of Israel and repression under Arab regimes has caused that number to dwindle to the current level of about 1,000. Last December, it was reported that only one synagogue remained in Baghdad, where about 600 of the country’s remaining Jews live.