Prominent Egyptian
Jews of recent times
By Meer Basri
Rabbi Haim Nahum
(1873 - 1960) studied in Istanbul and Paris. He
went to Ethiopia in 1908 to report on the Falasha
Jews. Returning to Istanbul, he was chosen as Chief
Rabbi of Turkey, a post which he held for 12 years.
In 1922 he acted as advisor to the Turkish Prime
Minister Ismet Pasha (Ismet Inonu) at the Conference
in Lausanne. He was called to Cairo in 1925 and
was elected Chief Rabbi of Egypt. He was subsequently
named a Senator by King Fuad and chosen a member
of the new Royal Egyptian Academy of Letters in
1933.
King Fuad entrusted him with old Firman given by
the Sultans of Turkey to his great grandfather Mohammed
Ali Pasha written in old Ottoman official language.
Known only by a few, Nahum translated them into
French and published them literally and with a French
translation.
Joseph Aslan Cattaoui Pasha
(1861-1942)
Leading Egyptian industrialist and financier. He
studied engineering in the famous Ecole Centrale
of Paris and was prominent among the small elite
who built Egypt's national banking and industry.
President of the Jewish community in 1925, he succeeded
to a post held by his family since early nineteenth
century. He was a senator minister of finance and
communication, and for many years president of the
Cairo chamber of commerce. His wife was honorary
lady - in waiting to Queen Nazli.
Sir Victor Harari Pasha
(1857- 1945)
He came from a family of Lebanese origin. He studied
in England and France and was Comptroller General
and director of the Budget in the Egyptian Ministry
of Finance. Relinquishing the government service
in 1905, he entered the economic field and represented
Sir Ernest Cassels, overlooking his vast enterprises
in Egypt.
Chairman and director of several companies.
