The anglicization of Baghdadi Jews in Singapore, 1832–1950

The Baghdadi Jews in the port cities of British Asia were notable for their successful business networks during the colonial era. However, the successes of a few magnates were not equally shared by the rest of the Baghdadi Jewish communities. This study posits that British colonialism aggravated the social divide in the already fragmented Baghdadi communities, where only the higher strata reaped the benefits and resources of colonial society. Moreover, while anglicization served as a means of social ascendency, there were limits to the degree of anglicization of the entire community. Accordingly, this study aims to assess the influence of British colonialism on the Baghdadi Jewish diaspora by comparing the differences in social structure across different generations of Baghdadis in the diaspora and their relation to the Iraqi homeland in the early twentieth century. These differences across generations and social classes can be found in the narratives of migration patterns.