Khedouri Zilkha

Khedouri Zilkha
Born1884
Baghdad, Iraq
Died1956 (aged 71–72)
New York City, U.S.
NationalityIraqi
OccupationBanker
SpouseLouise (Bashi) Zilkha
Children7, including: Ezra Zilkha
Selim Zilkha
Maurice Zilkha
Abdullah Zilkha

Khedouri Aboody Zilkha (1884–1956) was an Iraqi-Jewish banker.

Early life

Khedouri Zilkha was born in Baghdad in 1884[1] (or 1886),[2] the only son of the textile merchant Aboudi Zilkha[1] (1862–1904).[citation needed]

Career

He started as a banker in Baghdad in 1902, founding Zilkha Bank, and gradually expanded to Beirut (Banque Zilkha), Damascus, Cairo, Alexandria, Geneva, New York, Paris and the Far East.[1][2]

In 1941[3] or 1942, he emigrated to New York and died there in 1956.[2]

Personal life

He married Louise (Bashi) Zilkha[3] and had four sons and three daughters:

His son Ezra was an American financier and philanthropist. His son Selim was a British entrepreneur who founded the large Mothercare chain. His son Abdullah ran an investment bank in Zurich named Ufitec. His son Maurice was an Egyptian banker.[4]

Legacy

His son Ezra established in his father's memory the Khedouri Zilkha Fund for the Study of the History of Jewish Civilization in the Near East at Princeton University.[5] The fund supports a professorship, the current holder of which is Marina Rustow and past holders Mark R. Cohen and Abraham Udovitch.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Zilkha Family". Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Basri, Meer. "Prominent Iraqi Jews of recent times". dangoor. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, J.T. White, 1967. p. 421
  4. ^ Berman, Phyllis (23 February 1998). "From Baghdad to Bel Air". Forbes. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  5. ^ University, Issues 75-81, Princeton University, 1978, p.19.
  6. ^ "Display Person - Department of Near Eastern Studies". princeton.edu. Retrieved 10 September 2016.