# Shaoul Sassoon

Shaoul Sassoon (b. 1948) is an Iraqi engineer and inventor, who worked as Chief Engineer in the Ministry of Industry and Minerals and Iraqi Scientific Research Council during the era of Saddam Hussein. Additionally, he was a member of the Iraqi Jewish Committee, representing Jews in meetings with the government.
Sasson's contributions were recognized in 1987 when he received a certificate and letter of appreciation from President Saddam Hussein along with a monetary reward. His invention, a kiln feed interruption warning system, was officially registered as patent in 1988. In 1997, he developed a fire-resistant cement formulation essential for high-temperature industrial applications, that was widely adopted for lining industrial furnaces and reactors. His worked to the production of specialized expansion cement, used for structural reinforcement and sealing applications.
During the Gulf War and subsequent sanctions on Iraq, industrial production faced severe disruptions. Sasson continued working in the chemical and metallurgical industries, supervising the construction of high-temperature kilns for ammonia and fertilizer production. He contributed to the engineering of refractory materials used in various industrial applications.

## Early life

Shaul Sassoon was born in 1928 in Al-Sanak, Baghdad. His family lived on Republic Street before being forced to leave in 1952 or 1953 when their house was confiscated. The family was compensated with 1,500 dinars, significantly less than neighboring properties. He worked in cement production in Baghdad until 1978. His father and grandfather were goldsmiths, continuing their trade in Shorja near Al-Alousi Market. The Farhud pogrom led to the looting of their possessions. Sassoon was involved in property management related to the Jewish sect, including overseeing endowments and cemetery maintenance.
His family had roots in both Baqubah and Basra. His father lived in Baqubah, while his mother, Marcel Dawood Shlomo Haik, was from Basra. She married in Baghdad. His family members eventually emigrated, while his parents remained due to financial difficulties. His father passed away in 1983, and his mother in 1994. Sassoon witnessed key events in Iraq's history, including the July 14, 1958, revolution. He saw the corpse of Abdul Ilah being dragged through Rashid Street. He recalled the execution of Yehuda Khudouri Tuweiq in 1971 and noted that 40 Jews were executed during that period.
He attended Menachem School in Baghdad, where he studied Hebrew. He later received Hebrew instruction from Rabbi Najee Baneri in 1965–66. He also studied under Shamash. His schooling was interrupted during times of unrest, and he was a top student despite hardships. In his early years, Sasson encountered difficulties obtaining official identification documents, which were essential for legal and academic processes. Jewish citizens were required to carry a "Non-Dropout Identity Card" to prove they had not emigrated to Israel, as Iraqi authorities were suspicious of those who had.
During Sasson's years in Iraq, the political environment was highly volatile, particularly under the Ba'athist regime. The execution of political dissidents, including Jewish individuals, was a common occurrence. In the early 1970s, a wave of public executions targeted those accused of espionage and anti-government activities. Although Jewish students in university were not directly persecuted, the executions deeply affected the community. Some professors and students expressed condolences to their Jewish colleagues after these incidents. One of his colleagues later became Minister of Construction and Mayor of Baghdad. He climbed the ranks quickly under the Ba’ath Party. After graduating, professors advised him to avoid sensitive government jobs because he was Jewish.

## Representative of Jews

Sassoon was a member of a special committee formed by the Revolutionary Command Council of Iraq under Saddam Hussein. The decision to establish the committee was made in 1971 or 1972, with its primary role being the management of frozen assets and endowment properties related to the Jewish sect in Iraq. The committee included representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and the Jewish sect. Sassoon became a member due to the lack of other available representatives. The committee's secretary was Naji Kazem, and it also included general directors from both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice. Meetings were held once a month, and the same officials remained in their roles throughout his tenure of two years.
The committee oversaw substantial endowments, including multiple markets and properties. Some assets were managed by the sect itself, while others remained under the oversight of the Ministry of Finance. Certain properties, such as Cinema Samiramis, were officially endowment properties, generating rental income that was deposited into the committee’s bank account. The collected funds were not immediately distributed but were allocated for memorial ceremonies in honor of Daniel. The committee's secretary would attend these ceremonies to ensure proper use of funds. A portion of the funds was also designated for committee expenses, such as tea and coffee for meetings.
Over time, some properties under the committee’s oversight were seized by the government. One notable case was a stadium that was repurposed as a police training facility, though it was not originally part of the endowments. Additionally, the sect's cemetery was relocated in 1962 or 1963, and Sassoon later visited it in 1972. Sassoon played a role in preserving the cemetery, personally engraving marble headstones for graves, inscribing them in Hebrew. Some graves belonged to individuals who had been executed, and he documented burial records within the sect. The last recorded visit he made to the cemetery was around 2000 or 2002.
During his time in the committee, a Palestinian man was responsible for collecting rents from sect properties. However, he was later executed, with conflicting reports suggesting either a death sentence in Jordan or an escape. The sect’s official designation in government documents was "The Jewish Sect of Iraq", although properties were not visibly labeled as such. In his later years, Sassoon witnessed increasing chaos regarding burials, including reports of mass graves and exhumations. The sect itself underwent changes, including moving from Jisr Al-Jumhuriya to Jisr Al-Wathba, an area historically referred to as "Death Bridge."

## Engineering career

Due to his Jewish background, he faced delays in securing a position, as government officials were hesitant to appoint Jews to sensitive industrial roles. Eventually, he was appointed as a chemical engineer in the state-run cement industry. His employment was formally approved by the Minister of Industry, Tahe Yassin Ramadan.

### Contributions

In 1977, Shaul Sassoon encountered a major issue at his workplace involving a cement kiln. The kiln, a 100-meter-long rotating pipe lined with rings, experienced a blockage in its 900 large chains, each weighing 50 kilograms. This caused a 20-day shutdown, leading to significant production losses. Factory workers were detained for investigation under the strict Ba'ath Party policies but were later released due to lack of evidence. The problem was traced to an inconsistent mixture supply, causing production defects and wastage.
To address this, Sassoon designed a device with a floating mechanism to regulate the mixture supply, preventing disruptions and alerting workers to low levels. This solution improved efficiency, reducing waste and increasing clinker reserves. The reported stock of clinker, initially recorded as 15,000 tons, was later measured accurately at 45,000 tons. Production increased by 300 tons within a year.
In recognition of his contribution, Sassoon received a letter of appreciation in 1977 or 1978. Later, he was approached by the Presidential Office for further inventions. His design was initially dismissed by the Ministry of Industry but was later reviewed and approved. On April 28, 1987, his invention was presented to Saddam Hussein, earning him an official letter of appreciation and a reward of 5,000 Iraqi dinars from Saddam, equivalent to the cost of a new car at the time.
In December 1987, Minister of Industry Hatem Abdul Rashid publicly acknowledged Sassoon’s achievements, highlighting his Jewish background but emphasizing his value as an Iraqi engineer. His recognition was published in newspapers like the Baghdad Observer, and he received another 5,000 dinars.

### Later Developments

In 1987, Iraq required fire-resistant cement for furnace linings due to the lack of imports. Sassoon modified the raw materials at a white cement factory, developing a fire-resistant cement that was later patented in 1997 (Patent No. 2681). The product sold for $2,000 per ton. However, the Iraqi Scientific Research Council took credit for the invention, leaving Sassoon unrecognized. Despite this, he retained the core technical knowledge, ensuring that production required his expertise. After the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, the research council was dismantled, and the team working on the project was disbanded.

### Roles and Recognition

By the late 1980s, Sassoon held a senior engineering position equivalent to Chief Engineer. His responsibilities included overseeing furnace construction and maintenance in industries such as fertilizers, chemicals, and lead production. His work focused on ensuring firebrick installations could withstand high temperatures, crucial for Iraq’s industrial operations.
In one instance, the Minister of Industry summoned Sassoon for a meeting. Initially, security personnel denied him entry due to a false claim that he was Israeli. The misunderstanding was later resolved when the minister confirmed his meeting. By the late 1990s, Sassoon’s salary had been significantly affected by inflation. His final earnings amounted to 500,000 Iraqi dinars, equivalent to approximately $250, with an official salary of only 20,000 dinars supplemented by incentives.

## Personal life and post-war

Sassoon continued to document Jewish history and maintained records of Jewish burials. His last visit to the Jewish cemetery was around 2000–2002. His accounts provide insight into Iraq's Jewish community and their experiences throughout the 20th century. Sasson remained an observant Jew, attending religious services regularly despite the difficulties imposed on the Jewish community. He participated in daily prayers and maintained religious practices, including wearing tefillin. He was involved in organizing minyan services, ensuring that Jewish religious customs continued despite the dwindling Jewish population in Iraq. During the Iran-Iraq War, beginning in 1985, Baghdad faced continuous missile attacks, causing widespread destruction and fear. In 1991, during the Gulf War, U.S.-led airstrikes mistakenly hit civilian areas, including a missile strike on Sassoon’s sister’s house, resulting in the death of an entire family. He is also married and have children.