Nazima's Memoirs and Cuisine

by Rivka Goldman

Rivka Goldman and her family were part of the massive exodus of Jews from Iraq to Israel in 1951. She grew up in Jerusalem.This book takes you on a journey of Jewish Iraqi tradition, culture, including women’s roles and responsibilities as well as massive cultural and communal transformations, which the Jews of Iraq experienced on their emigration to Israel. As you begin to use this book, you will find that the recipes are easy to make. Between the recipes are stories of the author family’s heritage traced back to 1800. Traditional methods of cooking changed. Modern technology replaced a small cooking pilot with electrical stove, gas etc. In the center of this picture is the pilot stove as a memento of the beginning of the Iraqi Jewish life in Israel.

Rivka Goldman

Rivka Goldman was born in Basra, Iraq into an ancient Jewish community with a wonderful tradition and a special cuisine. She immigrated to Israel with her family as part of the massive exodus in 1951 and grew up in Jerusalem. She married an American, Bob Goldman, and raised three children in New Mexico. Her journey documenting the history, culture and tradition of the Jewish-Iraqi people began in her first book, “Mama Nazima’s Jewish-Iraqi Cuisine”, which was published by Hippocrene Books Inc. This second book is a continuation of the same journey, which describes different aspects of Jewish-Iraqi culture and life. It contains other recipes and survival stories dating back to 1800. Rivka learned the art of cooking from her mother, Nazima, who incorporated her healing methods into the traditional cuisine. Since no Jews remain in Iraq and the physical remains of their presence of more than 2500 years are rapidly being erased from the face of land, she is seeking to preserve her heritage through her books, as well as to introduce the reader to its delicious and unique recipes.