Birth certificate of Reby Messod Malka, notarized witness statement, 

Stamped and signed by Rabby Moshe Meir Hai Elyakim, Casablanca, 1945 in French and Judeo-Arabic 

Signed by Rabby Moshe Meir Hai Elyakim, 

Salomon Elmaalem (Notary Rabbi) and Selom Zagory (Notary Rabbi) 

Size: 24.5 x 17 cm. (9.6 x 6.6 inches) 

Condition: wear, soiling, staining, bends, small tears to bends 

Par devant nous (Notaires près le Tribunal Rabbinique de Casablanca), soussignés, ont comparu les nommés : Reby Messod Malka, fils de Rebby Eliahou, demeurant à Impasse Dalia, N° 51 et Meyer Elleb, fils de Rebby Abraham, demeurant Rue Arset Ftieh, N° 10 ; lesquels, sous la foi du témoignage légal et absolu, déclarent avoir à leur parfaite connaissance que le garçon Judah OUAKNINE, fils de Messod Ouaknine et de Zohra Chabbat, est né à CASABLANCA (Maroc) au mois de Septembre 1944 (Mil neuf cent quarante quatre). Telle est la teneur de leur déclaration. En foi de quoi, nous signons le présent que nous certifions régulier, sincère et véridique à Casablanca le Jeudi 4 Chébat 5705 de l'ère hébraïque correspondant au 18 Janvier 1945 (Mil neuf cent quarante-cinq). Le présent est extrait du Registre des Déclarations, Vol. XXI, N° 423. Signé : Salomon Elmaâlem (Rabbin Notaire) Signé : Selom Zagory (Rabbin Notaire) Vu authentiques les signatures ci-dessus. Signé : Moché Méir Haï Elvakim, Président du Tribunal Rabbinique de Casablanca, dont le sceau est apposé à la suite de sa signature. Before us (Notaries attached to the Rabbinical Court of Casablanca), the undersigned, appeared the following: Reby Messod Malka, son of Rebby Eliahou, residing at Impasse Dalia, No. 51, and Meyer Elleb, son of Rebby Abraham, residing at Rue Arset Ftieh, No. 10; who, under the authority of legal and absolute testimony, declare that they have full knowledge that the boy Judah Ouaknine, son of Messod Ouaknine and Zohra Chabbat, was born in Casablanca (Morocco) in September 1944 (nineteen hundred and forty-four). This is the content of their declaration. In witness whereof, we sign this document, which we certify to be regular, sincere, and true, in Casablanca on Thursday, the 4th of Shebat 5705 of the Hebrew era, corresponding to January 18, 1945 (nineteen hundred and forty-five). This document is extracted from the Register of Declarations, Vol. XXI, No. 423. Signed: Salomon Elmaalem (Notary Rabbi) Signed: Selom Zagory (Notary Rabbi) The above signatures are authentic. 

Signed: Moché Meir Haï Elvakim, President of the Rabbinical Court of Casablanca, whose seal is affixed following his signature. 

Moshe Meir Hai Elyakim (1871-1949) This is not an original birth certificate, but a notarized witness statement entered into the registry of the Casablanca Rabbinical Court. Two witnesses attest to the fact of Yehuda (Judah) Ouaknin's birth in September 1944, after which the statement is certified by rabbinical notaries and the presiding judge. This document was often used for subsequent birth registrations and the acquisition of official documents. Judeo-Arabic, sometimes referred to as Sharh in its high-level translation calque, is a group of related ethnolects or religiolects within the branches of the Arabic language used by Jewish communities. Judeo-Arabic is a mixed form of Arabic, in its formal and vernacular varieties, as it has been used by Jews, and refers to both written forms and spoken dialects. Although Jewish dialectical forms of Arabic, which predate Islam, have been distinct from those of other religious communities, they are not a uniform linguistic entity.