11 volumes of Perach – The Jewish Gazette – newspaper of Jewish Baghdadi community in India. Calcutta, 1878-1889. Every volume contains 50 consecutive issues.
First year, 1878-1879, first issue is photocopied; second year, 1879-1880; Third year 1880-1881 – issue 12 is missing; fourth year, 1881-1882; fifth year, 1882-1883; sixth year, 1883-1884; seventh year, 1884-1885; eighth year, 1885-1886; ninth year, 1886-1887; tenth year, 1887-1888; eleventh year, 1888-1889 - issues 16,19 are missing. Only 42 issues were printed in 1888-1889. Issue 41 is missing title-page and one leaf.
Perach newspaper was published from summer of 1878 through winter of 1889, which means all issues are present, with exception of several. The original editors were Moshe ben R' Mordechai Meyuchad and Elya Ch. Siliman, and later, from middle of the third year – Eliyahu Moshe Dwich HaCohen. The newspaper was published every Friday and featured news from all over the world, nevertheless, its main aim was serving the community. Therefore, the first page was usually dedicated to announcements of birth, bris milah, marriage, death etc.
Perach introduced the idea of serials. These stories were translated from Hebrew or English, or printed in Hebrew letters parts from "A Thousand and One Nights". From the 14th issue of the third year and onwards, usually bi-weekly, there was a supplement called Alei HaPerach – Special News about the Jews. 50 issues were published yearly (except in the last year). The newspaper's language is Arabic, in Hebrew letters and Rashi script, with some Hebrew.
[2] or [3] leaves in each issue, in hard bindings, 45 cm. Many issues have moth-holes, sometimes with damage to text. Some issues have torn leaves or omissions, usually professionally restored. Generally in good-very good condition.