Urmi, Jewish: Life in War-Time

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Transcribed by	Source	Speakers	Place
Geoffrey Khan	Khan, Geoffrey. The Jewish Neo-Aramaic Dialect of Urmi. Gorgias Neo-Aramaic Studies vol. 2. Gorgias Press, 2008	Nisan Aviv	Tel Aviv, IL

	Transcription	Translation
0:00	g-Urmìˈ magón kyétun kìˈ kəmrə́xwa dàwre,ˈ dáwrət ⁺arelè,ˈ dáwrət kartwè,ˈ dáwrət jəllonè,ˈ dáwrət ⁺urusnè,ˈ ayné kullùˈ g-šátət àyˈ əmmà-wˈ arbassàr,ˈ ⁺hal əmmá-w əsrìˈ ayné ətfaqé lóka pirì.ˈ ⁺arelé gdèwaˈ g-xákma ⁺wáda gáat Urmì,ˈ ⁺hukmà godíwa.ˈ ⁺talā̀n godíwa.ˈ əl-⁺hudaé azyàt godíwalu.ˈ bára jəllonè gdéwa.ˈ jəlloné ədyélu gáat Urmìˈ ⁺rába azyàt wə́dlu.ˈ əl-⁺hudaé ⁺rába ⁺rába ⁺mjizìlu.ˈ … ⁺rába ⁺talā̀n wə́dlu l-⁺hudaé.ˈ wá əl-sotí-nan sóni m-gab-dadìˈ əl-d-úne-š har-g-xá-yoma əl-túnnu ⁺qətlìlu,ˈ bod-ód mənnùˈ ⁺rába ⁺məndəġanè hawéluˈ ⁺la-msélu hawìwa báu,ˈ mə́nnu áxxa əttú la-hiwalù.ˈ dhə́llu ⁺qətlìlu.ˈ qrawə́t áy Túrkine kí ədyèluˈ əl-armanyè ⁺rába ⁺mjizìlu.ˈ m-armanyé ⁺rába ⁺qtə̀llu.ˈ bàraˈ kartwè ədyélu.ˈ əl-d-úne m-óka surgùn wídilu kartwé,ˈ ⁺hukmá əntyálu b-idù.ˈ bára ⁺urusnè ədyélu gáat Urmí.ˈ xakmá ⁺wadàˈ ⁺hukmá əntyálu b-íd nòšu.ˈ šuqá-š məqlàlu.ˈ ⁺rába našé ⁺talā̀n wə́dlu.ˈ má-t ⁺lazə́m-wele m-šuqàˈ má-t kí là qílwaˈ gərgə́šlule báat belà.ˈ xákma ⁺wáda šuqàˈ ⁺bóš pəšlàˈ ki-náše yawā́š yawā́š genàˈ reš-šùlu ⁺mtélu.ˈ ó-jur-inan ya-šúla xdə́rre ⁺hal-ki-yá ⁺šultána d-áy Pahlawìˈ ədyèle.ˈ wá yawā́š yawā́š yawā́šˈ ⁺ará xánči ⁺spèla.ˈ wa-yə́llu mắni əl-mằnile,ˈ ⁺šultanà mắnile,ˈ wa-má gărág odìˈ má gắrag là-odi.ˈ ána ⁺məssén amrén baxún kìˈ g-kullá yriwulá kəmmə́t xdíra g-Urmì ⁺hudaé m-kúllu məllətyé bi-zóda azyàt grišú.ˈ kullá ⁺wadá ⁺hudaé hamméša ⁺g-tìna hawé magón kəmrí.ˈ bắle xá-šula gènaˈ əl-əlhá škùr wadéx.ˈ mà-t xdír la-xdír,ˈ mà-t xadə́rwa lá xadə́rwa,ˈ gènaˈ ⁺rába ⁺rába ⁺hudaèˈ mən-d-áy ⁺ará ⁺sàġ ⁺paltíwa.ˈ wa-amrét kí aslànˈ ⁺m-trosá kí ídət malaxé rešù-wela,ˈ kí magón kí axnì fkə́r wáda-welan əllán azyát godí,ˈ mumkún ⁺qatlìlanˈ yá mà odílan.ˈ măsàlˈ amrén baxùnˈ xá-danka jwā́n măsălàˈ wáxtət kí ⁺urusné g-d-áy qráwət dunyé g-arbi-w xàˈ kí b-adéwa gáat Urmì,ˈ arbi-w-xá arbi-w-trè.ˈ ⁺urusné wáxtət wə́rru gáat Urmì,ˈ mən-nā́š šúla lə̀twalu.ˈ gál ⁺tangè-inanˈ gál ⁺arabè,ˈ axní ⁺tangé báat awwalmənjì-zaa xzèlan.ˈ ⁺rába ⁺psə̀xlan kí ədyélu,ˈ čapké dhə̀llan.ˈ bod-mà ⁺psə́xlan?ˈ bod-òdˈ qắmol ⁺urusné idàa,ˈ ⁺batə́t ay-⁺hudaé kullùˈ ni⁺šaná gal-dəmmà,ˈ gállə d-áy smoqà,ˈ idá smoqà,ˈ ni⁺šā̀n dréwaluluˈ kí ăgár Hítler ⁺mtèleˈ ⁺almā́n ⁺mtéle Urmì,ˈ kí ayé ⁺hudaé leká itàˈ kìˈ ⁺məssé tèz masbélu b-ídə d-áy ⁺almannè.ˈ qằmol ⁺urusné idáa yá xábra márənneˈ kí ya-šúla xdə̀rre.ˈ axní xá-yomane gal-dádi zilə̀xwaˈ g-tkánə d-áy ləxmá zabonè,ˈ ləxmà šaqlə́xwa.ˈ ləxmá ⁺rába b-qahtì-wele.ˈ ixalé b-qahtì-weluˈ héč-⁺məndəġ lá maštoxà-wele.ˈ mắni ⁺məssá-wele ăgàrˈ ləxmá šaqə́lwa ⁺m-trosá kìˈ ⁺Rostàm-wele.ˈ zə́llan gal-dádi géb ⁺šatə̀re.ˈ xa-⁺šatə́r-itwa l-dadí kì,ˈ ⁺šatərèˈ ayné ki-ləxmà zabníwa,ˈ ⁺rába gbèwale.ˈ bod-ód bàuˈ má-t ⁺lazə̀m-weleˈ kwə̀lwa.ˈ zə́llan ⁺smə̀xlan.ˈ ⁺rába-š lá ⁺smə̀xlan,ˈ xa-əsrì našé itwá.ˈ téz mdéle tré sangagèˈ tre-jwā́n ləxmè,ˈ hwə́lle ba-dadì.ˈ bára xa-dánka mən-d-áyne polisé ažã̀nˈ mə́re ba-dadìˈ jhùd mə́re,ˈ jhùd,ˈ kí báat ⁺hudaé kəmriwálu lóka jhùd.ˈ mə́re yá ləxmá əmbul-xúlle ⁺tahà yoméˈ xaaxún pišìˈ əl-kúllxun laxxàˈ axnìˈ masmrèx.ˈ dadí mə́re báat ažã̀n,ˈ mə́re ā́t má-t máret ána šamùlen,ˈ bắle axní əlhà-əttanˈ héč ⁺wadá axní əlhá m-bálan lá ambolə̀xxe.ˈ ədyélan belàn.ˈ yómət ki-⁺urusné ədyèlu,ˈ mən-nā̀š šula-lə́twalu.ˈ bàraˈ bərdā́n xzelànˈ yelé gullè mandulú,ˈ lekə̀tˈ xa-dankàˈ polís xazulùˈ ⁺qatòlule.ˈ lá-yəllan mà-xdir.ˈ bára ballì xdə́rra kíˈ ⁺g-darwazá ⁺urusné idàaˈ xa-danká askắrət ⁺urusné ⁺qtə̀lwalu,ˈ bod-ód ⁺urusné lékət kìˈ ažã̀n ya-askár xazàa-weluˈ ⁺qatòla-welu-le.ˈ ədyélu wə́rru gáat knəštà,ˈ ána yərqáli gáat knəštà,ˈ ⁺yalà-weli.ˈ bára … mə́ru ki-áxni mə́nnxun šulá lə́ttan laxxà,ˈ făqat ⁺sarbazèˈ ⁺yani askărè-nanˈ ažã̀ne balboléx laxxá.ˈ áxni mənxún šulá lə̀ttan.ˈ ⁺plə́tli tèz ədyéli ⁺yā́nˈ dadí məštə̀xlile.ˈ mə́re dadí idá ezéx bèlaˈ ⁺ará pùč-jur yarówaˈ bára ⁺g-wərxá idàan,ˈ ⁺urusné dhə́llu xá-danka ažã̀n,ˈ xá-danka ažã́n ⁺qtə̀llule.ˈ dadí xə́rre əllèwˈ mə́re bróni ayolét ya-émni ažã̀n-ile?ˈ mə́ri là.ˈ mə́re hamā́n ò ažã́n-ileˈ ki-zə́llan ləxmá šaqolèˈ mə́re ⁺hudáa əl-d-ay-ləxmá əmbul-xùlleˈ xaaxún fắqat tré ⁺táha pišì.ˈ əlhá ⁺rəwwèle.ˈ bod-mà ay-xábra marə́nne?ˈ hammešá əlhá gallànˈ xdìr.ˈ dùz-ile.ˈ là-maren áxni azyát la-gríšex m-id-goymé,ˈ bălé gènaˈ əl-əlhá škúr wadéx ki-əlhá hammešá gallàn-wele.ˈ g-Urmìˈ magón kyétun kìˈ kəmrə́xwa dàwre,ˈ dáwrət ⁺arelè,ˈ dáwrət kartwè,ˈ dáwrət jəllonè,ˈ dáwrət ⁺urusnè,ˈ ayné kullùˈ g-šátət àyˈ əmmà-wˈ arbassàr,ˈ ⁺hal əmmá-w əsrìˈ ayné ətfaqé lóka pirì.ˈ ⁺arelé gdèwaˈ g-xákma ⁺wáda gáat Urmì,ˈ ⁺hukmà godíwa.ˈ ⁺talā̀n godíwa.ˈ əl-⁺hudaé azyàt godíwalu.ˈ bára jəllonè gdéwa.ˈ jəlloné ədyélu gáat Urmìˈ ⁺rába azyàt wə́dlu.ˈ əl-⁺hudaé ⁺rába ⁺rába ⁺mjizìlu.ˈ … ⁺rába ⁺talā̀n wə́dlu l-⁺hudaé.ˈ wá əl-sotí-nan sóni m-gab-dadìˈ əl-d-úne-š har-g-xá-yoma əl-túnnu ⁺qətlìlu,ˈ bod-ód mənnùˈ ⁺rába ⁺məndəġanè hawéluˈ ⁺la-msélu hawìwa báu,ˈ mə́nnu áxxa əttú la-hiwalù.ˈ dhə́llu ⁺qətlìlu.ˈ qrawə́t áy Túrkine kí ədyèluˈ əl-armanyè ⁺rába ⁺mjizìlu.ˈ m-armanyé ⁺rába ⁺qtə̀llu.ˈ bàraˈ kartwè ədyélu.ˈ əl-d-úne m-óka surgùn wídilu kartwé,ˈ ⁺hukmá əntyálu b-idù.ˈ bára ⁺urusnè ədyélu gáat Urmí.ˈ xakmá ⁺wadàˈ ⁺hukmá əntyálu b-íd nòšu.ˈ šuqá-š məqlàlu.ˈ ⁺rába našé ⁺talā̀n wə́dlu.ˈ má-t ⁺lazə́m-wele m-šuqàˈ má-t kí là qílwaˈ gərgə́šlule báat belà.ˈ xákma ⁺wáda šuqàˈ ⁺bóš pəšlàˈ ki-náše yawā́š yawā́š genàˈ reš-šùlu ⁺mtélu.ˈ ó-jur-inan ya-šúla xdə́rre ⁺hal-ki-yá ⁺šultána d-áy Pahlawìˈ ədyèle.ˈ wá yawā́š yawā́š yawā́šˈ ⁺ará xánči ⁺spèla.ˈ wa-yə́llu mắni əl-mằnile,ˈ ⁺šultanà mắnile,ˈ wa-má gărág odìˈ má gắrag là-odi.ˈ ána ⁺məssén amrén baxún kìˈ g-kullá yriwulá kəmmə́t xdíra g-Urmì ⁺hudaé m-kúllu məllətyé bi-zóda azyàt grišú.ˈ kullá ⁺wadá ⁺hudaé hamméša ⁺g-tìna hawé magón kəmrí.ˈ bắle xá-šula gènaˈ əl-əlhá škùr wadéx.ˈ mà-t xdír la-xdír,ˈ mà-t xadə́rwa lá xadə́rwa,ˈ gènaˈ ⁺rába ⁺rába ⁺hudaèˈ mən-d-áy ⁺ará ⁺sàġ ⁺paltíwa.ˈ wa-amrét kí aslànˈ ⁺m-trosá kí ídət malaxé rešù-wela,ˈ kí magón kí axnì fkə́r wáda-welan əllán azyát godí,ˈ mumkún ⁺qatlìlanˈ yá mà odílan.ˈ măsàlˈ amrén baxùnˈ xá-danka jwā́n măsălàˈ wáxtət kí ⁺urusné g-d-áy qráwət dunyé g-arbi-w xàˈ kí b-adéwa gáat Urmì,ˈ arbi-w-xá arbi-w-trè.ˈ ⁺urusné wáxtət wə́rru gáat Urmì,ˈ mən-nā́š šúla lə̀twalu.ˈ gál ⁺tangè-inanˈ gál ⁺arabè,ˈ axní ⁺tangé báat awwalmənjì-zaa xzèlan.ˈ ⁺rába ⁺psə̀xlan kí ədyélu,ˈ čapké dhə̀llan.ˈ bod-mà ⁺psə́xlan?ˈ bod-òdˈ qắmol ⁺urusné idàa,ˈ ⁺batə́t ay-⁺hudaé kullùˈ ni⁺šaná gal-dəmmà,ˈ gállə d-áy smoqà,ˈ idá smoqà,ˈ ni⁺šā̀n dréwaluluˈ kí ăgár Hítler ⁺mtèleˈ ⁺almā́n ⁺mtéle Urmì,ˈ kí ayé ⁺hudaé leká itàˈ kìˈ ⁺məssé tèz masbélu b-ídə d-áy ⁺almannè.ˈ qằmol ⁺urusné idáa yá xábra márənneˈ kí ya-šúla xdə̀rre.ˈ axní xá-yomane gal-dádi zilə̀xwaˈ g-tkánə d-áy ləxmá zabonè,ˈ ləxmà šaqlə́xwa.ˈ ləxmá ⁺rába b-qahtì-wele.ˈ ixalé b-qahtì-weluˈ héč-⁺məndəġ lá maštoxà-wele.ˈ mắni ⁺məssá-wele ăgàrˈ ləxmá šaqə́lwa ⁺m-trosá kìˈ ⁺Rostàm-wele.ˈ zə́llan gal-dádi géb ⁺šatə̀re.ˈ xa-⁺šatə́r-itwa l-dadí kì,ˈ ⁺šatərèˈ ayné ki-ləxmà zabníwa,ˈ ⁺rába gbèwale.ˈ bod-ód bàuˈ má-t ⁺lazə̀m-weleˈ kwə̀lwa.ˈ zə́llan ⁺smə̀xlan.ˈ ⁺rába-š lá ⁺smə̀xlan,ˈ xa-əsrì našé itwá.ˈ téz mdéle tré sangagèˈ tre-jwā́n ləxmè,ˈ hwə́lle ba-dadì.ˈ bára xa-dánka mən-d-áyne polisé ažã̀nˈ mə́re ba-dadìˈ jhùd mə́re,ˈ jhùd,ˈ kí báat ⁺hudaé kəmriwálu lóka jhùd.ˈ mə́re yá ləxmá əmbul-xúlle ⁺tahà yoméˈ xaaxún pišìˈ əl-kúllxun laxxàˈ axnìˈ masmrèx.ˈ dadí mə́re báat ažã̀n,ˈ mə́re ā́t má-t máret ána šamùlen,ˈ bắle axní əlhà-əttanˈ héč ⁺wadá axní əlhá m-bálan lá ambolə̀xxe.ˈ ədyélan belàn.ˈ yómət ki-⁺urusné ədyèlu,ˈ mən-nā̀š šula-lə́twalu.ˈ bàraˈ bərdā́n xzelànˈ yelé gullè mandulú,ˈ lekə̀tˈ xa-dankàˈ polís xazulùˈ ⁺qatòlule.ˈ lá-yəllan mà-xdir.ˈ bára ballì xdə́rra kíˈ ⁺g-darwazá ⁺urusné idàaˈ xa-danká askắrət ⁺urusné ⁺qtə̀lwalu,ˈ bod-ód ⁺urusné lékət kìˈ ažã̀n ya-askár xazàa-weluˈ ⁺qatòla-welu-le.ˈ ədyélu wə́rru gáat knəštà,ˈ ána yərqáli gáat knəštà,ˈ ⁺yalà-weli.ˈ bára … mə́ru ki-áxni mə́nnxun šulá lə́ttan laxxà,ˈ făqat ⁺sarbazèˈ ⁺yani askărè-nanˈ ažã̀ne balboléx laxxá.ˈ áxni mənxún šulá lə̀ttan.ˈ ⁺plə́tli tèz ədyéli ⁺yā́nˈ dadí məštə̀xlile.ˈ mə́re dadí idá ezéx bèlaˈ ⁺ará pùč-jur yarówaˈ bára ⁺g-wərxá idàan,ˈ ⁺urusné dhə́llu xá-danka ažã̀n,ˈ xá-danka ažã́n ⁺qtə̀llule.ˈ dadí xə́rre əllèwˈ mə́re bróni ayolét ya-émni ažã̀n-ile?ˈ mə́ri là.ˈ mə́re hamā́n ò ažã́n-ileˈ ki-zə́llan ləxmá šaqolèˈ mə́re ⁺hudáa əl-d-ay-ləxmá əmbul-xùlleˈ xaaxún fắqat tré ⁺táha pišì.ˈ əlhá ⁺rəwwèle.ˈ bod-mà ay-xábra marə́nne?ˈ hammešá əlhá gallànˈ xdìr.ˈ dùz-ile.ˈ là-maren áxni azyát la-gríšex m-id-goymé,ˈ bălé gènaˈ əl-əlhá škúr wadéx ki-əlhá hammešá gallàn-wele.ˈ	In Urmi, as you know, we would say times, the time of the Christians, the time of the Kurds, the time of the Jəllone (tribal Assyrians), the time of the Russians, all these events took place there in the years (19)14 to (19)20. The Christians came for some time in Urmi and held power. They plundered. They harassed the Jews a great deal. Then the Jəllone came. The Jəllone came to Urmi and caused a lot of damage. They harassed the Jews a great deal. They plundered the Jews a lot. They killed both my grandmother and grandfather on my father’s side in one day, because they suspected them of having many things and they could not give them to them, they suspected them in this way and they did not give them. They beat them and killed them. When the army of the Turks came, they harassed the Armenians greatly. They killed many of the Armenians. Then the Kurds came. The Kurds banished them from there. They took hold of power. Then the Russians came to Urmi. They took control for some time. They burnt the market. They plundered many people. They carried off home whatever they needed from the market, whatever was not burned. For some time the market remained empty, then people slowly again returned to their jobs. In this way the events took place, until king Pahlavi came and gradually the situation improved. People knew who was who, who was the ruler, what they should do, what they should not do. I can tell you that in all the confusion that happened in Urmi, the Jews suffered more harm than other communities. All the time the Jews were ‘in the mud’, as they say. But we thank God for one thing. Whatever had happened, whatever took place, nevertheless many, many Jews escaped safely from the situation. You would definitely say that, truly, the hand of angels was over them, for we thought that they would harm us, perhaps kill us or something. I’ll tell you an anecdote, a nice anecdote, from the time the Russians were about to come into Urmi, in the World War in (19)41, (19)41 or (19)42. When the Russians entered Urmi, they did not interfere with anybody. (They came) with tanks and cars. We saw tanks for the first time. We were very happy that they came and we applauded. Why were we happy? Because before the Russians came, they had marked all the houses of the Jews with blood, with red, a red hand, so that if Hitler came, the Germans came to Urmi, they would know where the Jews were and could quickly hand them over into the hands of the Germans. I am saying that this happened before the Russians came. Some days we went with my father to the shop that sold bread to buy bread. Bread was in very short supply. Foodstuffs were in short supply. Nothing could be found. Whoever could buy bread was truly a hero. We went with my father to the bakers. There was one baker—bakers are people who sold bread—who loved my father a lot, because he used to give them whatever they needed. We went and waited. We did not wait for long, there were about twenty people. He quickly brought two loaves, two nice loaves of bread and gave them to my father. Then one of the policemen said to my father, he said ‘Jhud, Jhud’, for there they used to call the Jews ‘Jhud’. He said ‘Take this bread and eat it. Your life will last for three days and then we shall destroy all of you here’. My father said to the policeman, he said ‘I hear what you say, but we have God. We shall never forget God’. We went back home. The day the Russians came, they left people alone. Then, suddenly, we saw they were shooting bullets where they saw a policeman and killed him. We did not know what had happened. Afterwards it became clear that as the Russians entered the gate, an army of Russians, they had killed him, because wherever the Russian army saw a policeman, they killed him. They came and entered the synagogue. I ran to the synagogue, I was a boy. Then they said ‘We shall not interfere with you here, we are only looking for soldiers here. We shall not interfere with you’. I went out and quickly went back and found my father. My father said ‘Come, let’s go home. The situation is growing worse’. Then, when we were on the way, (we saw) the Russians beat a policeman, they killed a policeman. My father looked at him and said ‘My son, do you know which policeman that is?’ I said ‘No’. He said ‘He is the policeman who, when we went to buy bread, said “Jew, take this bread and eat it, your life will last for only two or three days.” God is great’. Why do I tell this story? God was always with us. It was true. I do not say that we did not suffer from the hands of the Muslims, but we thank God that he was always with us.

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Transcription:

g-Urmìˈ magón kyétun kìˈ kəmrə́xwa dàwre,ˈ dáwrət ⁺arelè,ˈ dáwrət kartwè,ˈ dáwrət jəllonè,ˈ dáwrət ⁺urusnè,ˈ ayné kullùˈ g-šátət àyˈ əmmà-wˈ arbassàr,ˈ ⁺hal əmmá-w əsrìˈ ayné ətfaqé lóka pirì.ˈ ⁺arelé gdèwaˈ g-xákma ⁺wáda gáat Urmì,ˈ ⁺hukmà godíwa.ˈ ⁺talā̀n godíwa.ˈ əl-⁺hudaé azyàt godíwalu.ˈ bára jəllonè gdéwa.ˈ jəlloné ədyélu gáat Urmìˈ ⁺rába azyàt wə́dlu.ˈ əl-⁺hudaé ⁺rába ⁺rába ⁺mjizìlu.ˈ … ⁺rába ⁺talā̀n wə́dlu l-⁺hudaé.ˈ wá əl-sotí-nan sóni m-gab-dadìˈ əl-d-úne-š har-g-xá-yoma əl-túnnu ⁺qətlìlu,ˈ bod-ód mənnùˈ ⁺rába ⁺məndəġanè hawéluˈ ⁺la-msélu hawìwa báu,ˈ mə́nnu áxxa əttú la-hiwalù.ˈ dhə́llu ⁺qətlìlu.ˈ qrawə́t áy Túrkine kí ədyèluˈ əl-armanyè ⁺rába ⁺mjizìlu.ˈ m-armanyé ⁺rába ⁺qtə̀llu.ˈ bàraˈ kartwè ədyélu.ˈ əl-d-úne m-óka surgùn wídilu kartwé,ˈ ⁺hukmá əntyálu b-idù.ˈ

bára ⁺urusnè ədyélu gáat Urmí.ˈ xakmá ⁺wadàˈ ⁺hukmá əntyálu b-íd nòšu.ˈ šuqá-š məqlàlu.ˈ ⁺rába našé ⁺talā̀n wə́dlu.ˈ má-t ⁺lazə́m-wele m-šuqàˈ má-t kí là qílwaˈ gərgə́šlule báat belà.ˈ xákma ⁺wáda šuqàˈ ⁺bóš pəšlàˈ ki-náše yawā́š yawā́š genàˈ reš-šùlu ⁺mtélu.ˈ ó-jur-inan ya-šúla xdə́rre ⁺hal-ki-yá ⁺šultána d-áy Pahlawìˈ ədyèle.ˈ wá yawā́š yawā́š yawā́šˈ ⁺ará xánči ⁺spèla.ˈ wa-yə́llu mắni əl-mằnile,ˈ ⁺šultanà mắnile,ˈ wa-má gărág odìˈ má gắrag là-odi.ˈ ána ⁺məssén amrén baxún kìˈ g-kullá yriwulá kəmmə́t xdíra g-Urmì ⁺hudaé m-kúllu məllətyé bi-zóda azyàt grišú.ˈ kullá ⁺wadá ⁺hudaé hamméša ⁺g-tìna hawé magón kəmrí.ˈ bắle xá-šula gènaˈ əl-əlhá škùr wadéx.ˈ mà-t xdír la-xdír,ˈ mà-t xadə́rwa lá xadə́rwa,ˈ gènaˈ ⁺rába ⁺rába ⁺hudaèˈ mən-d-áy ⁺ará ⁺sàġ ⁺paltíwa.ˈ wa-amrét kí aslànˈ ⁺m-trosá kí ídət malaxé rešù-wela,ˈ kí magón kí axnì fkə́r wáda-welan əllán azyát godí,ˈ mumkún ⁺qatlìlanˈ yá mà odílan.ˈ

măsàlˈ amrén baxùnˈ xá-danka jwā́n măsălàˈ wáxtət kí ⁺urusné g-d-áy qráwət dunyé g-arbi-w xàˈ kí b-adéwa gáat Urmì,ˈ arbi-w-xá arbi-w-trè.ˈ ⁺urusné wáxtət wə́rru gáat Urmì,ˈ mən-nā́š šúla lə̀twalu.ˈ gál ⁺tangè-inanˈ gál ⁺arabè,ˈ axní ⁺tangé báat awwalmənjì-zaa xzèlan.ˈ ⁺rába ⁺psə̀xlan kí ədyélu,ˈ čapké dhə̀llan.ˈ bod-mà ⁺psə́xlan?ˈ bod-òdˈ qắmol ⁺urusné idàa,ˈ ⁺batə́t ay-⁺hudaé kullùˈ ni⁺šaná gal-dəmmà,ˈ gállə d-áy smoqà,ˈ idá smoqà,ˈ ni⁺šā̀n dréwaluluˈ kí ăgár Hítler ⁺mtèleˈ ⁺almā́n ⁺mtéle Urmì,ˈ kí ayé ⁺hudaé leká itàˈ kìˈ ⁺məssé tèz masbélu b-ídə d-áy ⁺almannè.ˈ qằmol ⁺urusné idáa yá xábra márənneˈ kí ya-šúla xdə̀rre.ˈ axní xá-yomane gal-dádi zilə̀xwaˈ g-tkánə d-áy ləxmá zabonè,ˈ ləxmà šaqlə́xwa.ˈ ləxmá ⁺rába b-qahtì-wele.ˈ ixalé b-qahtì-weluˈ héč-⁺məndəġ lá maštoxà-wele.ˈ mắni ⁺məssá-wele ăgàrˈ ləxmá šaqə́lwa ⁺m-trosá kìˈ ⁺Rostàm-wele.ˈ zə́llan gal-dádi géb ⁺šatə̀re.ˈ xa-⁺šatə́r-itwa l-dadí kì,ˈ ⁺šatərèˈ ayné ki-ləxmà zabníwa,ˈ ⁺rába gbèwale.ˈ bod-ód bàuˈ má-t ⁺lazə̀m-weleˈ kwə̀lwa.ˈ zə́llan ⁺smə̀xlan.ˈ ⁺rába-š lá ⁺smə̀xlan,ˈ xa-əsrì našé itwá.ˈ téz mdéle tré sangagèˈ tre-jwā́n ləxmè,ˈ hwə́lle ba-dadì.ˈ bára xa-dánka mən-d-áyne polisé ažã̀nˈ mə́re ba-dadìˈ jhùd mə́re,ˈ jhùd,ˈ kí báat ⁺hudaé kəmriwálu lóka jhùd.ˈ mə́re yá ləxmá əmbul-xúlle ⁺tahà yoméˈ xaaxún pišìˈ əl-kúllxun laxxàˈ axnìˈ masmrèx.ˈ dadí mə́re báat ažã̀n,ˈ mə́re ā́t má-t máret ána šamùlen,ˈ bắle axní əlhà-əttanˈ héč ⁺wadá axní əlhá m-bálan lá ambolə̀xxe.ˈ

ədyélan belàn.ˈ yómət ki-⁺urusné ədyèlu,ˈ mən-nā̀š šula-lə́twalu.ˈ bàraˈ bərdā́n xzelànˈ yelé gullè mandulú,ˈ lekə̀tˈ xa-dankàˈ polís xazulùˈ ⁺qatòlule.ˈ lá-yəllan mà-xdir.ˈ bára ballì xdə́rra kíˈ ⁺g-darwazá ⁺urusné idàaˈ xa-danká askắrət ⁺urusné ⁺qtə̀lwalu,ˈ bod-ód ⁺urusné lékət kìˈ ažã̀n ya-askár xazàa-weluˈ ⁺qatòla-welu-le.ˈ ədyélu wə́rru gáat knəštà,ˈ ána yərqáli gáat knəštà,ˈ ⁺yalà-weli.ˈ bára … mə́ru ki-áxni mə́nnxun šulá lə́ttan laxxà,ˈ făqat ⁺sarbazèˈ ⁺yani askărè-nanˈ ažã̀ne balboléx laxxá.ˈ áxni mənxún šulá lə̀ttan.ˈ ⁺plə́tli tèz ədyéli ⁺yā́nˈ dadí məštə̀xlile.ˈ mə́re dadí idá ezéx bèlaˈ ⁺ará pùč-jur yarówaˈ bára ⁺g-wərxá idàan,ˈ ⁺urusné dhə́llu xá-danka ažã̀n,ˈ xá-danka ažã́n ⁺qtə̀llule.ˈ dadí xə́rre əllèwˈ mə́re bróni ayolét ya-émni ažã̀n-ile?ˈ mə́ri là.ˈ mə́re hamā́n ò ažã́n-ileˈ ki-zə́llan ləxmá šaqolèˈ mə́re ⁺hudáa əl-d-ay-ləxmá əmbul-xùlleˈ xaaxún fắqat tré ⁺táha pišì.ˈ əlhá ⁺rəwwèle.ˈ bod-mà ay-xábra marə́nne?ˈ hammešá əlhá gallànˈ xdìr.ˈ dùz-ile.ˈ là-maren áxni azyát la-gríšex m-id-goymé,ˈ bălé gènaˈ əl-əlhá škúr wadéx ki-əlhá hammešá gallàn-wele.ˈ

Translation:

In Urmi, as you know, we would say times, the time of the Christians, the time of the Kurds, the time of the Jəllone (tribal Assyrians), the time of the Russians, all these events took place there in the years (19)14 to (19)20. The Christians came for some time in Urmi and held power. They plundered. They harassed the Jews a great deal. Then the Jəllone came. The Jəllone came to Urmi and caused a lot of damage. They harassed the Jews a great deal. They plundered the Jews a lot. They killed both my grandmother and grandfather on my father’s side in one day, because they suspected them of having many things and they could not give them to them, they suspected them in this way and they did not give them. They beat them and killed them. When the army of the Turks came, they harassed the Armenians greatly. They killed many of the Armenians. Then the Kurds came. The Kurds banished them from there. They took hold of power.

Then the Russians came to Urmi. They took control for some time. They burnt the market. They plundered many people. They carried off home whatever they needed from the market, whatever was not burned. For some time the market remained empty, then people slowly again returned to their jobs. In this way the events took place, until king Pahlavi came and gradually the situation improved. People knew who was who, who was the ruler, what they should do, what they should not do. I can tell you that in all the confusion that happened in Urmi, the Jews suffered more harm than other communities. All the time the Jews were ‘in the mud’, as they say. But we thank God for one thing. Whatever had happened, whatever took place, nevertheless many, many Jews escaped safely from the situation. You would definitely say that, truly, the hand of angels was over them, for we thought that they would harm us, perhaps kill us or something.

I’ll tell you an anecdote, a nice anecdote, from the time the Russians were about to come into Urmi, in the World War in (19)41, (19)41 or (19)42. When the Russians entered Urmi, they did not interfere with anybody. (They came) with tanks and cars. We saw tanks for the first time. We were very happy that they came and we applauded. Why were we happy? Because before the Russians came, they had marked all the houses of the Jews with blood, with red, a red hand, so that if Hitler came, the Germans came to Urmi, they would know where the Jews were and could quickly hand them over into the hands of the Germans. I am saying that this happened before the Russians came. Some days we went with my father to the shop that sold bread to buy bread. Bread was in very short supply. Foodstuffs were in short supply. Nothing could be found. Whoever could buy bread was truly a hero. We went with my father to the bakers. There was one baker—bakers are people who sold bread—who loved my father a lot, because he used to give them whatever they needed. We went and waited. We did not wait for long, there were about twenty people. He quickly brought two loaves, two nice loaves of bread and gave them to my father. Then one of the policemen said to my father, he said ‘Jhud, Jhud’, for there they used to call the Jews ‘Jhud’. He said ‘Take this bread and eat it. Your life will last for three days and then we shall destroy all of you here’. My father said to the policeman, he said ‘I hear what you say, but we have God. We shall never forget God’.

We went back home. The day the Russians came, they left people alone. Then, suddenly, we saw they were shooting bullets where they saw a policeman and killed him. We did not know what had happened. Afterwards it became clear that as the Russians entered the gate, an army of Russians, they had killed him, because wherever the Russian army saw a policeman, they killed him. They came and entered the synagogue. I ran to the synagogue, I was a boy. Then they said ‘We shall not interfere with you here, we are only looking for soldiers here. We shall not interfere with you’. I went out and quickly went back and found my father. My father said ‘Come, let’s go home. The situation is growing worse’. Then, when we were on the way, (we saw) the Russians beat a policeman, they killed a policeman. My father looked at him and said ‘My son, do you know which policeman that is?’ I said ‘No’. He said ‘He is the policeman who, when we went to buy bread, said “Jew, take this bread and eat it, your life will last for only two or three days.” God is great’. Why do I tell this story? God was always with us. It was true. I do not say that we did not suffer from the hands of the Muslims, but we thank God that he was always with us.