OCTOBER 2025

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY VOL. 22 ISSUE IX OCTOBER 2025

Fighting For

Heritage

THE RISE

OF JONNY

MANSOUR

Chaldean

Pride

JONNY MANSOUR

FIGHTS FOR

HERITAGE

Featuring:

On Immigration

Hungary Helps

Fire Safety Month

OCTOBER 2025 CHALDEAN NEWS 3

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4 CHALDEAN NEWS OCTOBER 2025

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY | OCTOBER 2025 | VOL. 22 ISSUE IX

ON THE COVER

18 Fighting for Heritage

The rise of Jonny Mansour

By Sarah Kittle

FEATURES

20 The Next Generation

Young Chaldeans making their mark

By Eemi Toma

22 History Lesson

Rudy’s recognized for renovation

By Steve Stein

24 Hungary Helps

CCF’s Humanitarian of the Year

By Sarah Kittle

DEPARTMENTS

6 From the Editor

Harvest Time

By Sarah Kittle

8 Guest Column

On Immigration

N. Peter Antone

10 Foundation Update

Civics Bee, School, Tigris Tower, Job Fair

12 Noteworthy

Tigris Tower Update

14 Iraq Today

Soria, 1969: A Village Crucified

By Hanan Qia

16 Sports

Shooting Stars: Yasmine Dabish

& Michael Sulaka

By Steve Stein

30 Culture & History

Jewish Shrines in Iraq Pt. III

By Dr. Adhid Miri

33 Culture & History

Arabic Translation:

Jewish Shrines in Iraq Pt. III

By Dr. Adhid Miri

34 Economics & Enterprise

Marijuana market matures

By Paul Natinsky

36 Arts & Entertainment

Stories that matter

By Sarah Kittle

38 In Memoriam

Obituary

John Mansour

16

26 Reviving Nineveh

Gov. Al-Dakhil champions Iraqi Christians

By Sarah Kittle

28 Devils Night in Detroit

A haunted history

By Jenna Abroo

28 Trunk or Treat

Events in metro Detroit

By Jenna Abroo

20


FROM THE EDITOR

PUBLISHED BY

Chaldean News, LLC

Chaldean Community Foundation

Martin Manna

EDITORIAL

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Sarah Kittle

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

N. Peter Antone

Jenna Abroo

Crystal Kassab Jabiro

Sarah Kittle

Dr. Adhid Miri

Paul Natinsky

Steve Stein

Eemi Toma

Hanan Qia

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Time for Harvest

As the leaves begin to turn and we enter

the season of harvest, we find ourselves

reflecting on what it means to preserve—

and fight for—what we value most. Harvest is

more than just a gathering of crops; it’s a moment

of reckoning—a time to gather the fruits of

labor, memory, and intention. This October, our

issue centers on heritage, and the many ways individuals

and communities are working to protect,

revive, and celebrate it.

Our cover story, “The Rise of Jonny Mansour,”

follows a young Chaldean-American boxer who’s

spent his life in California but recently traveled to Iraq, the

homeland of his parents. He shares what that experience

meant to him—and to others like him—and offers honest reflections

on identity, ancestry, and the question of what we

owe to those who came before us. It’s a story about roots,

and what grows when you return to them.

Dr. Adhid Miri once again unearths the buried layers of

Iraqi history. In Part III of “Jewish Holy Shrines in Iraq,”

he explores five religious sites that, though largely abandoned

or in decay, bear witness to the 2,500-year legacy

of Iraq’s Jewish community. These sites are remnants of a

once-flourishing spiritual landscape—a harvest of memory

struggling to survive the erosion of time and conflict.

We turn to the future in “The Next Generation,” spotlighting

Chaldean youth who are making waves across industries.

These are individuals sowing new seeds—blending

faith, culture, and innovation in ways that nourish

both commerce and community. They’re redefining what

it means to make a living with purpose and integrity.

In “Hungary Helps,” we recognize an international humanitarian

organization that, nearly a decade ago, took

bold action to support the world’s most vulnerable communities.

Their work—honored at the Chaldean Community

Foundation’s annual gala—reminds us that true harvest

comes from investing in others and cultivating hope

where it’s most needed.

We also look unflinchingly at the past. “Soria, 1969: A

SARAH KITTLE

EDITOR

IN CHIEF

Village Crucified” revisits a dark chapter of Iraq’s

history, while the chilling legacy of “Devil’s Night

in Detroit” reminds us that what is sown in fear or

neglect can bear bitter fruit for generations.

But heritage is more than memory—it’s action.

In “History Lesson,” we explore the renovation of

Rudy’s, a restoration of both place and purpose. In

“Reviving Nineveh,” Governor Al-Dakhil’s advocacy

reminds us that even amid political instability,

there are leaders who work to preserve cultural

identity and rebuild what’s been nearly lost.

In “Stories That Matter,” filmmaker Ron Najor

brings the theme of heritage into sharp, emotional focus.

A Chaldean-American raised in a world of family businesses

and tradition, Najor forged a different path: storytelling.

His latest film, Adjunct, draws from his own experiences

and cultural background, weaving a narrative

that’s deeply human, socially aware, and unmistakably

personal. It’s a reminder that storytelling itself is a form

of harvest—one that gathers truth, memory, and meaning.

This month’s issue is a balance of remembrance

and renewal—from the enduring significance of Jewish

shrines in Iraq to the evolving marijuana industry, and

from cultural storytelling to the inspiring success of Chaldean

athletes.

Through it all, one thread remains: resilience.

As we gather with loved ones and celebrate traditions

this fall, may we also take time to reflect on what we’re

harvesting in our own lives—what we’ve nurtured, what

we’ve lost, and what we’re choosing to pass on. Heritage

isn’t just about what we inherit—it’s about what we tend

to, protect, and ultimately, share.

Sarah Kittle

Editor in Chief

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PUBLISHER'S CIRCLE

Join the

Publishers Circle

As the publication of record for Michigan’s

Chaldean community, the mission of the

Chaldean News is to preserve and archive

Chaldean heritage and history, and to tell the

ongoing story of Chaldean contributions to the

communities in which we live and work — in Michigan

and around the world.

In the past five years, the Chaldean News has

substantially increased its readership and social media

following, introduced new digital and website content, and

expanded storytelling with the help of small grant funding.

With the generous help of individuals and organizations,

together, we can ensure that this vital resource continues

to educate and connect the community, while evolving to

meet the needs of future generations.

We truly appreciate your support of our efforts to expand

and strengthen our coverage of the Chaldean community,

both locally and globally. We are excited about the

opportunities ahead, and your support will be essential

in helping us grow our digital presence, preserve our

cultural heritage, and tell even more compelling stories

about the Chaldean community.

You can take part in helping to preserve your

Chaldean heritage by joining the Publisher’s

Circle today. Together, we can continue to

ensure that the Chaldean News remains a

vital resource for generations to come.

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To learn more, visit chaldeannews.com

or contact us at 248-851-8600

Let’s grow the circle.


GUEST COLUMN

On Immigration

The hidden costs of cruelty

The treatment of immigrants

in the United

States, whether legal

or illegal, has become increasingly

harsh. Policies

have shifted from being

pragmatic to punitive. There

is an effort to dehumanize

the undocumented. This

cruelty carries negative consequences

not only for immigrants,

but also for their

children, spouses, our society

and ultimately, the moral

and economic fabric of our nation.

When an immigrant parent who has

been here for decades is detained, deported,

or vilified, the pain extends beyond

the individual. A child who grows

up watching their parents treated as disposable

by the government might question

their own belonging in this country.

They might suffer psychological trauma,

and their remaining families might

need to resort to government assistance

whereas previously their parents were

gainfully employed.

It is easy to stereotype the undocumented

as lawbreakers. In reality, most

fled desperate conditions in their home

countries. They did not intend to break

U.S. laws but acted out of need for survival

for themselves and their kids and

hope for a better future. And while illegal

immigration is not favorable, it has

become for many the only practical option

when legal pathways are delayed or

N. PETER

ANTONE

SPECIAL TO

THE CHALDEAN

NEWS

unavailable. Recognizing the

humanity of these individuals

acknowledges that they came

not to harm, but to build a better

life. They should have done

it the right way, but for most,

there was no right way available.

The above is not in support

of illegal immigration.

The open border policies

during the Biden administration

were a mistake. Instead,

we should find ways where

would be illegal immigrants could be

checked, made to apply, and be provided

with reasonable options if they

wish to contribute to this country. The

U.S. is facing declining birth rates and

an aging population that threatens our

long-term strength as the world greatest

economy. The Biden administration

should have made the effort to convince

Congress and the American people that

we need more permissive immigration

system to counter the unfavorable demographic

changes we are experiencing.

Farmers need seasonal laborers,

small businesses need workers, our aging

population needs healthcare workers,

and our advanced companies need

foreign talent. Many industries like

construction, agriculture, landscaping,

hospitality, and the like need more temporary

workers filling temporary jobs,

not all of whom need necessarily to become

permanent residents or citizens.

But the current administration policies,

while the extreme on the opposite

side of the Biden methods, is not a solution

either. Current policies present

a threat to our future innovation. For

example, America has long attracted

bright students from all over the world

who enroll in U.S. universities and often

stay to become scientists, entrepreneurs,

and innovators. Harsh treatment

of immigrants sends a chilling message

that they are not welcome here. When

foreign students are discouraged from

applying to U.S. schools, we lose not

only tuition dollars but also the chance

to nurture future inventors, doctors,

and business leaders who could have

continued to fuel America’s competitiveness

on the global stage.

I also feel the above cruelty reflects

a kind of inconsistency that, in

my opinion, can be found even within

our own Chaldean community. During

Saddam Hussein’s regime, many Chaldeans

took great risks, leaving Iraq

on foot and crossing into neighboring

countries without visas or official

permission, often continuing on to Europe

or even entering the U.S. through

Mexico. At the time, we admired those

Chaldeans as heroes for risking everything

to secure a better future for

their children. Yet today, some in our

community view Latino migrants from

South America with disapproval, overlooking

the fact that many of us once

faced very similar situation.

At times, harsh policies toward immigrants

are supported by some Americans

who worry about job security or

the changing makeup of the nation

their ancestors helped build. For them,

strict measures can feel like reassurance

that the government is protecting

their interests. These attitudes often

stem from economic anxiety, feeling of

insecurity, or uncertainty about the future,

which can lead to immigrants being

unfairly singled out or becoming a

scapegoat covering broader challenges.

Cruelty in immigration policy does

not exist in vacuum. When we get

comfortable with harshness toward

one vulnerable group, that mindset

can spread, making it easier to justify

similar attitudes toward other communities.

This erosion of compassion

threatens the foundation of democracy,

which depends on respect for

worth of all individuals.

Immigration debate is not only

about laws and borders but also about

values. A nation that prides itself on

freedom and opportunity should not

normalize cruelty. Harsh enforcement

may seem politically expedient,

but the long-term damage to families,

communities, and national character

is immeasurable. We must resist becoming

accustomed to cruelty as standard

practice. Instead, the U.S. should

lead by example: treating all individuals,

regardless of their legal status,

with fairness and dignity.

Immigration is a complex issue,

and illegal immigration is a problem,

but cruelty is not the solution. We must

never abandon the principle that every

human being is entitled to dignity. How

we treat the most vulnerable among us

is a reflection of who we are.

LISTEN TO OUR STORIES!

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FOUNDATION UPDATE

A+ Start to the Year:

School is back in session!

On September 8, the CCF welcomed back their Little Scholars

students as they started their new journeys in Preschool and Pre-

Kindergarten. Little Scholars Preschool for ages 3-4 supports early

learning through songs, stories, and movement while building

language, early literacy, pre-math, social skills, independence,

and confidence.

CCF’s Great Start Readiness Program for ages 4-5 gets children

ready for kindergarten using the HighScope method (Plan/

Do/Review). For more information on CCF’s Preschool and Pre-

Kindergarten offerings, contact Rachel Hall at rachel.hall@chaldeanfoundation.org.

The first, second and third place winners from last year’s Civics Bee competition at the CCF.

National Civics Bee is Back

The Chaldean Community Foundation will partner again with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

to bring the 2026 National Civics Bee® to the community. This nationwide, nonpartisan competition

gives 6th, 7th, and 8th graders the chance to showcase their ideas, sharpen their civics

knowledge, and compete for prizes — all while making a difference in their communities.

Students are asked to submit a four-paragraph essay proposing a solution to improve their communities.

The essay portal for the National Civics Bee closes on February 3 at 11:59 p.m. Hawaiian

Standard Time / February 4 at 5:59 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Top-scoring essays will be invited to a live quiz competition at the Chaldean Community Foundation.

The top three students from the live quiz competition will win prizes and advance to the

Michigan State Competition in Lansing.

To submit your essay for the National Civics Bee competition, visit the National Civics Bee website at

https://civics.uschamberfoundation.org/national-civics-bee/

CCF Little Scholars Program started on September 8.

Move-In Day

New tenants to Tigris Tower were met on Friday, September 19—

move-in day—with a welcome package including, “bread – so

that this house may never know hunger; spice – so your life will

always have flavor; and wine – that joy and prosperity may reign

forever.”

Tigris Tower is still looking for qualified applicants to move

into the building. For more information, visit tigristower.com, or

call (586) 837-2380.

All interested applicants are encouraged to express interest

using the form at tigristower.com/contact, or visit Tigris Tower in

person at 43700 Van Dyke in Sterling Heights.

Participants had on-site interviews and met with various employers.

Forging New Paths

On September 3, the Chaldean Community Foundation welcomed nearly 100 eager job seekers ready

to take the next step in their career journeys. With polished resumes in hand and interview skills

prepped, attendees made meaningful connections and explored exciting opportunities.

18 employers joined the fair — each enthusiastic to meet prospective candidates, share career

pathways, and find their next potential hires.

The CCF hosts two job fairs, one in the spring and one in the fall every year for the wider community.

For more information about future job fairs or to meet with our Career Services staff, visit

the CCF during normal business hours.

On September 19, the Tigris Tower apartments welcomed

their first move-ins to the new attainable housing project.


Preserving tradition, one dish at a time…

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NOTEWORTHY

Tigris Tower Update

Tigris Tower is set to welcome its first residents this

month, marking an exciting milestone for the community.

Several residents have already been approved,

and applications continue to be processed.

Located at 43700 Van Dyke, Tigris Tower broke

ground in 2022. The four-story attainable housing

complex includes 135 apartments and 9,000 square

feet of commercial space, with a footprint of 132,726

square feet.

The Chaldean Community Foundation donated

7 of the site’s 10 acres back to the city for greenspace,

ensuring long-term community benefit.

Residents will enjoy 190 surface parking spaces arranged

around a central courtyard, creating a welcoming

environment.

Offering thoughtfully designed spaces that foster

connection and comfort, Tigris Tower features a community

room for gatherings and activities, providing

a vibrant center for interaction. Residents also have

access to a fully equipped fitness center, supporting

active living and overall wellness.

Apartments are designed with community in

mind, combining style, comfort, and functionality.

Furniture and equipment are now being placed, ensuring

spaces are ready for residents to move in and

make the community their own.

Tigris Tower blends affordable housing with

community-oriented design, combining residential

and commercial spaces that bring residents together,

promote health, and encourage meaningful social

connections.

Located within the highly regarded Utica Community

School District, Tigris Tower provides residents

with access to top-rated schools, educational programs,

and extracurricular opportunities. Its location

not only ensures quality education for children but

also situates families in a vibrant, family-friendly community

with convenient access to parks, shopping,

and local amenities.

A Ribbon Cutting celebration, still in planning,

will mark the official opening and welcome the first

residents.

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IRAQ TODAY

Artwork by Mr. George Touma Esho.

Soria, 1969: A Village Crucified

A story of faith, sacrifice, and resilience

BY HANAN QIA

Duhok – September 16, 2025

The Iraqi Chaldean community gathered in solemn

remembrance of the tragic Soria Massacre

of 1969, honoring the 39 innocent lives lost to a

brutal military attack.

The event was organized by the Chaldean Democratic

Union Party in cooperation with the Chaldean

Diocese of Zakho, with the participation of local clergy,

faithful from surrounding towns, and expatriates

from the United States and Europe.

A Village in the Heart of the Borderlands

Nestled in the Slivani plain of Zakho District, just a

few kilometers from Fishkhabour, on the left bank of

the Tigris River at the border triangle of Iraq, Syria,

and Turkey, the village of Soria was a small but vibrant

Chaldean community.

About twenty families lived there, tending to their

farms and livestock, carrying forward a simple life

shaped by faith, tradition, and resilience.

Dawn of Tragedy

At dawn on September 16, 1969, a landmine detonated

beneath an Iraqi military vehicle near the village,

killing several soldiers. Within hours, a military unit

led by Lieutenant Abdul Karim Khalil al-Juhaishi surrounded

Soria.

Men, women, and children were

herded into a nearby orchard. What

followed was a horrific massacre: indiscriminate

gunfire claimed nearly

all lives, children hiding in a grain silo

were executed, homes were burned,

and belongings looted. In some cases,

women’s fingers were severed to steal

jewelry.

Father Hanna Qasha: A Shepherd

Among His Flock

Amid this horror, Father Hanna Yaqub

Qasha, the village priest, stood as a

beacon of courage. Born in 1919 in Mosul

to a family from Mar Yaqo near Duhok, he was ordained

a priest in 1943 after studying at the Seminary

of St. John. He had faithfully served several villages

in the Zakho Diocese and frequently visited Soria to

minister to his community.

On that fateful morning, Father Hanna had celebrated

Mass and baptized a child. When the military

surrounded the village, he stepped forward, raising

his hand and speaking to the officer in an attempt

to protect his parishioners: “Let us talk…” Before he

could finish, a burst of gunfire struck him down.

His body, along with those of his parishioners, lay

Martyred priest Hanna

Yaqoub Qasha.

exposed under the sun for two days.

Finally, a villager from nearby

Der Aboun retrieved Father Hanna’s

remains and brought them to

Zakho, where he was laid to rest in

St. George’s Church in the Christian

Quarter.

His martyrdom remains a profound

symbol of a shepherd laying

down his life for his flock, of faith

confronting violence with courage,

and of selfless devotion that transcends

fear.

In total, 39 men, women, and children

lost their lives that day. They were

laid to rest in two mass graves near the village, their

memory living on in the hearts of their community.

Soria: A Beacon of Resilience

More than half a century later, Soria, once a peaceful

village in the Slivani plain, remains a painful

scar in the history of Iraq’s Christian minorities.

Yet, the blood of its martyrs has become a beacon

of resilience and faith, inspiring future generations

to preserve their roots, uphold their identity,

and maintain their presence in the ancestral land

despite adversity.


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SPORTS

From left: Yasmeen Dabish shoots a free throw last season during her Troy Athens team’s Senior Night game; Michael Sulaka is a 3.71 grade-point average

student at Western Michigan University.

Shooting Stars

Dabish and Sulaka shine on the court and in the classroom

BY STEVE STEIN

Yasmeen Dabish

Yasmine Dabish and Michael Sulaka

will both take the court for

their college basketball teams this

winter. But they’re more than athletes—

they’re standout students with ambitious

career goals beyond basketball.

Dabish, a freshman at the University

of Michigan-Dearborn and a 2025

graduate of Troy Athens High School,

finished high school with a 3.8 GPA.

She’s determined to carry that success

into college as she pursues her dream

of becoming a pediatric surgeon or entering

another medical profession.

At Athens, Dabish sang in the choir

for four years and also performed for

12 years in English, Chaldean and

Arabic choirs at St. Joseph Chaldean

Catholic Church in Troy. She was active

in the Chaldean American Student

Association, National Honor Society

and Circle of Friends. On top of that,

she babysat, tutored and worked at

Café 3:16 in Rochester.

On the court, the 5-foot-8 Dabish

was a three-year starter at power forward

and center, posting 187 points,

183 rebounds and 48 assists as a senior.

“I didn’t want to stop playing basketball

after I left Athens,” she said. “I

love the game. I loved the vibe at Michigan-Dearborn.

That’s why I decided

to go there. I’m fine with whatever God

wants for me, but I’m going to put in

the work to play college basketball.”

Dabish trained all summer to prepare

for her first NAIA season, putting

in hours at the gym, playing pickup

games and studying basketball film. “I

hit the gym a lot and got reps in, and

played 3-on-3, 4-on-4 and sometime

5-on-5 basketball if we had enough

people,” she said. “I watched a lot

of videos, too. Women’s college basketball

videos, and videos that break

Michael Sulaka

down offenses and defenses.”

She’s especially eager to play for

new Michigan-Dearborn coach Becky

Sutton, who was hired in May after

leading teams to six NCAA Tournament

appearances and guiding Lansing

Catholic to the 2023 Division 2

state championship.

Her parents are George Dabish and

Rhana Shngoo.

Sulaka, a 6-foot-9 forward, enters

his redshirt sophomore season at Western

Michigan University. The Warren

De La Salle graduate was considered

PHOTO COURTESY WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

one of the top high school frontcourt

players in Michigan after averaging 12

points and 12 rebounds per game in

2021, helping the Pilots capture the Division

1 state championship.

At Western, Sulaka has maintained

a 3.71 GPA while majoring in finance.

His academic success earned him a

spot on the Mid-American Conference

men’s basketball Academic All-MAC

Team last season. He graduated from

De La Salle with a 4.005 GPA.

“De La Salle definitely prepared me

academically for college,” he said.

Sulaka averaged 2.3 points, 2.0 rebounds

and shot 54.8% from the floor

in limited action last season as the

Broncos finished 12-20. He hopes to

play a bigger role this year.

“You have to be ready when your

number is called,” he said.

To balance basketball with academics,

Sulaka said he tackles assignments

early.

“I get my schoolwork done so it’s out

of the way, and I can focus on basketball

and still have time to relax,” he said.

Western Michigan and Sulaka practiced

for eight weeks over the summer to

gear up for the season. His parents are

Larry and Ann Sulaka of Macomb.


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COVER STORY

Fighting for Heritage

The rise of Jonny Mansour

BY SARAH KITTLE

Jonny’s mom is his guardian angel, cheering him on from Heaven.

Jonny “Magic” Mansour, 25, is a

boxer on the rise. His Instagram

account names him “God’s Chosen

Warrior,” and he’s currently 5-0 in

the ring. He recently had the opportunity

to visit the land of his ancestors;

his parents are both from Alqosh in the

Nineveh Plains of northern Iraq.

Jonny, given name Jonathan, is

American—San Diegan to be precise—

but he’s always been proud of his

Chaldean heritage. His parents never

forgot where they came from. “My dad

insisted we speak Chaldean (Sureth) at

home,” he says.

His recent visit to Iraq was “amazing.”

Life in the motherland is “a lot

different from where I grew up,” says

Mansour. His travels through Alqosh,

Telkaif and by Batnaya showed him an

alternate way of life.

“Our people are driven to succeed,”

he says, “Seeing what they

grew up from tells me why.” The drive

and resilience of the Chaldean people

was formed in the hard clay of Iraq

and the pressure cooker of being surrounded

by people of an aggressive

opposing faith.

Jonny was wooed by the Iraqi government

to represent them in the 2028

Olympics. He was treated like royalty

on his recent trip to the Middle East

and felt safe and comfortable the entire

time. He loved meeting young boys

in small villages who dream of fighting

for their country in the Olympic

games. Jonny’s main goal is “inspiring

people to do good things.”

Jonny started boxing when he was

8 years old. His uncle introduced him

to the sport, and he quickly developed

a passion for it. “It was different from

what everyone else was doing,” he says.

His family was unsure of his new

interest, citing the dangers of boxing

and encouraging him to think about

going into the family business. But

when he made the US Olympic team

at age 19, the full support of the family

swung behind him. “Now they won’t

let me quit,” he says with a laugh.

Jonny currently spars with his

cousin, a few years younger than him.

“We push each other every single day,”

he says.

His heroes in the ring are “Prince”

Nassem Hamed and Amir “King”

Khan, both famous British world

champions of Middle Eastern descent.

They’re known for paving the way for

the next generation.

That is something that Jonny also

aspires to. “I feel like I’m cutting

through the trees,” he says, meaning

clearing a path for others to follow

in his footsteps. Professional boxing

is not a common career for Iraqis, although

fighters like Chaldean American

Austin Bashi from West Bloomfield

and Randa Markos, who was born

in Iraq but moved to Canada as a child,

have made names for themselves in

the world of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).

As a Chaldean American, Jonny

celebrates his heritage and brings it

with him when he steps into the ring.

At a bout at a casino – he thinks it

may have been his fourth fight – his

entrance to the ring was accompanied

by drummers, much like the zaffa entrance

at a wedding. “That was really


cool,” he remembers.

Standing at 5’10” and weighing in

at under 135 pounds, Jonny is not necessarily

menacing. Unless you’re facing

him in the ring. He’s an eight-time

national champion, Golden Glove winner,

and international Gold Medalist

with Team USA. Now he’ll be fighting

for Team Iraq.

When asked what they offered him,

he says, “Offer? No they, promised—a

statue in Baghdad and a million dollars

if I bring them a medal in the 2028

Olympics.”

Iraq first participated in the Olympic

Games in 1948 and has won a total

of one Olympic medal – a bronze

medal in lightweight weightlifting by

Abdul Wahid Aziz at the 1960 Summer

Olympics in Rome.

What does it mean to Mansour to

represent the country where his parents

were born and raised? “It means

everything.” Jonny, who lost his mother

recently to cancer, is extremely motivated

to not only excel, but to inspire

others to excel.

“I want to inspire youth in the

next generation to know that anything

is possible,” he says. Especially the

Chaldean youth in Iraq. “I want them

to dream bigger.”

Asked about his vision of himself

for the next five years, Jonny answers,

“A Gold Medal in LA in 2028 and then

Jonny won this match in March 2025 by a TKO/KO 1:49 into the first round.

the World Boxing Championship—

that’s my goal.”

After that? “I’d like to build a gym in

Iraq,” he says. More than that, he wants

to build a community center and build

actual community in Iraq to support

the young people there. “A charitable

foundation in the Middle East would be

an ultimate goal,” he says.

Jonny is busy preparing for his next

bout, which is scheduled for October

25 in San Diego. “I hope my supporters

in Michigan will come to see me fight,”

he says. He has a lot of support from

the Chaldean American community

here. He expects to compete in Michigan

early next year.

For Jonny Mansour, boxing is more

than a sport—it’s a way to honor his

heritage, inspire others, and leave a

lasting impact on the Chaldean community

both in the U.S. and in Iraq.

With his eyes set on a Gold Medal at

the 2028 Olympics and a professional

boxing career beyond, Jonny is determined

to blaze a trail for future generations.

But his vision extends far beyond

the ring: he dreams of building gyms,

community centers, and foundations

in Iraq to empower youth and show

them that anything is possible. Jonny

“Magic” Mansour isn’t just fighting for

medals—he’s fighting for a legacy.


FEATURE

From left: Madelyn (left) and Taylor Bahoora founded Create My Rosary.

The Next Generation

Young Chaldean entrepreneurs are making their mark

BY EEMI TOMA

Every business begins with a story.

Sometimes it grows out of passion,

sometimes it comes from

necessity, and often it is rooted in values

instilled long before the first customer

arrives. In the Chaldean community,

entrepreneurship has always been more

than a career choice. It is a way of life, a

tradition carried forward by families who

relied on resilience, faith, and an unwavering

belief in hard work. Today, a new

generation is carrying that legacy forward,

adding fresh energy and perspective

to a well-established foundation.

Among them are these young entrepreneurs:

Safa Khoshi, Taylor and

Madelyn Bahoora, and Joseph Dalal.

Their businesses are different, but

their stories carry the same heartbeat.

Each is building more than a company.

Each is carrying forward a legacy that

was handed down to them and reshaping

it into something that speaks to

their generation.

Safa Khoshi and the Art

of Transformation

For as long as he can remember, Safa

Khoshi has been fascinated by cars. Not

only the way they looked on the road,

but the transformation that happens

when a vehicle is restored and cared

for. What began as a personal hobby

soon became something much larger.

“I always knew I wanted to work

with cars,” Safa says. “What made me

realize it could be a business was the

reaction people had when they saw

the results. That sense of pride they

felt in their car gave me pride in my

work.”

That realization eventually grew

into Diamond Mobile Services, a

company offering auto detailing and

window tinting that meets customers

where they are. Yet the business was

not built overnight. In the beginning,

Safa worked out of a small setup, carrying

his equipment in the back of his

car. Some days brought steady customers,

other days barely any. It was during

those quieter times that he questioned

whether his idea had a future.

What carried him through was not

luck. It was the values instilled in him

from a young age: work hard, treat

people with respect, and keep showing

up even when results take time.

Slowly, word began to spread. A single

happy client told a neighbor, who then

told a cousin, who then booked an

appointment. Each detail job became

more than just a service. It became an

opportunity to prove that trust mattered.

For Safa, success has never been

defined by the number of cars he

services in a week. “Detailing cars is

what I do,” he explains. “But really, I

am building trust. That is what lasts.”

The business is not only a reflection

of his passion for vehicles, but also of

the way he was raised— to see people

as more than customers, to value the

long-term relationships that endure

long after the shine fades.

Taylor and Madelyn Bahoora and

the Rosaries that Tell Stories

When Taylor and Madelyn Bahoora sat

down in 2016 to make a rosary for their

cousin’s First Communion, they could

not have imagined what would come

of it. At the time, Taylor was just 14 and

Madelyn, only 12. Crafting jewelry was

something they had always enjoyed,

but this project carried a weight they

had never felt before. The finished rosary

was beautiful, but more than that,

it was personal. It was sacred.

“Everyone loved it,” Taylor remembers.

“Soon people were asking if we

could make more. At first it was just

family, but then friends of family, and

then people we didn’t even know.”

What began as a thoughtful gift

quickly transformed into Create My Ro-


From left: Safa Khoshi created Diamond Mobile Services; Joe Dalal started Dalal Recruiting.

sary, a business that has grown steadily

with the support of their family and

community. Their mother drove them

across Michigan in search of the perfect

beads, while their father helped them

set up an Instagram page and later a

website. Slowly, orders began to come

in from people far outside their circle.

The sisters’ creations have found

their way into some of life’s most

meaningful moments. Their rosaries

are wrapped around wedding bouquets,

held by children at their First

Communion, and treasured by families

in times of loss. Each piece tells

a story, not just of the occasion it was

made for, but of the love and care the

sisters poured into it.

For Taylor and Madelyn, meaning

always comes before money. They recall

a moment when a parent told them

their child had started praying more

often simply because the rosary carried

their name. “That,” Taylor says, “was

when we realized how powerful this

could be. We were not just making jewelry.

We were creating something that

could draw people closer to their faith.”

Balancing school, their personal

lives, and the business has never been

easy. There were nights when homework

stretched late into the evening,

only to be followed by hours of stringing

beads. Yet the sisters never questioned

whether it was worth it. Their

business has always been more than

a side project. It has been a way of

honoring the values they were raised

with—family, faith, and purpose. As

Taylor reflects, “Our business is about

family, and it has always been guided

by God. That makes everything we do

more meaningful.”

Joseph Dalal and the

Business of Faith

For Joseph (Joe) Dalal, the path to

entrepreneurship began with loss.

In December 2022, just days before

Christmas, he was laid off from Stellantis.

The timing was devastating. In

that moment, sitting in his car after receiving

the news, he was flooded with

questions. What would come next?

How would he move forward?

Rather than give in to despair, Joe

turned to prayer. “I remember asking,

‘Why me?’” he recalls. “But deep down

I knew it had to be for a reason. I believed

there was a bigger plan.”

Out of that moment of uncertainty

came Dalal Recruiting, a company focused

not just on helping people find

jobs, but on connecting them with

opportunities that could truly change

their lives. Joe insists that his work is

about more than resumes and interviews.

It is about listening, guiding,

and ensuring that both candidates

and companies see the human being

behind the application.

The beginning was anything but

easy. Starting a recruiting firm with

limited resources required long days,

countless phone calls, and the courage

to face skepticism from people

who doubted he could succeed. Yet

Joe refused to compromise his vision.

He promised himself that his company

would be defined by transparency and

care. He would never treat candidates

as numbers.

Those commitments began to set

him apart. Soon, the calls he received

were not only from companies seeking

placements, but from individuals

whose lives had been changed by the

opportunities he created for them.

“Faith is my highest currency,” Joe explains.

“That is what carries me.”

For Joe, success is not measured

in financial growth or expansion. It is

measured in the relief of a parent who

can now provide for their family, or in

the confidence of someone who has

found work that restores their dignity.

Every placement is a reminder of why

he began.

Building More Than Businesses

Safa turns cars into reflections of pride.

Taylor and Madelyn craft rosaries that

bring beauty and meaning to life’s

most important milestones. Joe helps

people find security and opportunity

during times of uncertainty. Their stories

are not alike, yet they are deeply

connected. Each reflects the Chaldean

tradition of entrepreneurship, not simply

as a way to earn a living, but as a

way to serve.

The next generation of Chaldean

entrepreneurs under 30 are not only

preserving the legacy of those who

came before. They are reshaping it,

adding new dimensions of creativity,

innovation, and faith. Their success

reminds us that the true measure of a

business is not only in what it produces,

but in the lives it touches.

They are building more than businesses.

They are building trust. They

are building meaning. They are building

the future.


FEATURE

History Lesson

Rudy’s recognized for their renovation

of a downtown Clarkston ‘treasure’

BY STEVE STEIN

Robert Esshaki greets customers at Rudy’s Prime Steakhouse.

Two Chaldean businessmen were

honored by the state earlier this

year for their transformation of

a historic downtown Clarkston grocery

store into a fine dining establishment.

Robert Esshaki and Christopher

Thomas received a Building Award

from the Michigan Historic Preservation

Network for their renovation of a

more-than-century-old building at 9

Main Street that’s now Rudy’s Prime

Steakhouse, which opened in October

2024.

The award is presented annually

for an outstanding building preservation

project completed within the previous

three years. The project may be

restoration or rehabilitation, must include

exterior work, and may involve

interior work.

“We own an iconic building in

Clarkston, a community treasure, and

we wanted to turn it into a first-class

restaurant,” Esshaki said. “We understand

we’re just temporary stewards of

the building. It was here long before

we owned it, and it will be here long

after we’re gone.”

Birmingham-based Saroki Architecture

and Kelly Building & Development

Company were hired by Esshaki

and Thomas to do the design and

renovation work of the former Rudy’s

Market, “after we partnered with the

Clarkston City Council, Planning Commission

and Historic District Commission

to come up with a plan that would

allow us to update the building, and at

the same time keep its character,” Esshaki

said.

Michael Moon, secretary of the Historic

District Commission, and his wife

Nancy accepted the Building Award

for Esshaki and Thomas at the Historic

Preservation Network’s annual awards

ceremony at Lake Superior State University

in Sault Ste. Marie.

Esshaki and Thomas became the

owners and operators of Rudy’s Market

in 1989 after buying it from the

family of Rudy Schwartz. They closed

Rudy’s Market in 2021 because of their

concerns about the future of independent

grocery stores and pondered

what’s next for the building.

“We thought, ‘What’s going to

change and what’s not going to change

in 10 years?” Esshaki said. “I’m afraid

independent grocery stores aren’t going

to be around. But people always

want a great dining experience.

“It was a challenge adhering to

the guidelines of renovating a historic

building, but it was worth it. There’s

been a lot of community interest in the

building renovation.”

Rudy Schwartz, a German immigrant,

founded Rudy’s Market, a grocery

store and meat market, in 1933 at

the corner of Main and Washington

streets in downtown Clarkston and

moved the business to 9 Main Street in

1954, keeping the bright red “Rudy’s”

neon sign on the front facade.

The “Rudy’s” neon sign now

graces the front of the Rudy’s Prime

Steakhouse building. The restaurant is

named for Schwartz.

Built in 1915 as a one-story parapeted

native stone structure, the 9

Main Street building was originally the

home of Voorheis Ford Service & Auto

Supply Company.

There were two bay windows and a

large double door on the south side of

the building.

By 1942, the bay windows and

double door were enclosed with stone

and a Kroger Grocery & Baking Company

location operated out of the

building. By the mid-1950s, Kroger had

outgrown the building and moved to a

new spot in Independence Township.

That paved the way for Schwartz to

move his business there.

Thanks to the recent renovation,

the bay windows and double door are

seeing the light of day as four large

windows. Also, the stonework was taken

down, repaired, and put back up.

Esshaki said business at the restaurant

has been fantastic so far, mainly

because of his “amazing” team that includes

General Manager Jean Baptiste,

Executive Chief Josh Stockton and

Beverage Director Ann Howard.

The restaurant employs 45 and

seats 130 including the bar/lounge.

Esshaki and Thomas purchased the

former Clarkston News building that’s

next door to Rudy’s Prime Steakhouse

and adjacent parking lot in 2021.

They plan to turn the building into

another restaurant, upscale cigar and

bourbon bar, and a wine cellar that

will serve all their venues.

From left: Kroger Grocery and Baking Company occupied the Rudy’s Prime Steakhouse building in the 1940s and 1950s. Rudy’s Market was a Clarkston treasure.

The iconic original Rudy’s Market red neon sign welcomes diners to Rudy’s Prime Steakhouse.


FEATURE

Do Your Part and Be

Fire-Safety Smart

BY CRYSTAL KASSAB JABIRO

October is recognized as Fire Prevention Month

to raise awareness about fire safety and to promote

practices that prevent fires. The observance

dates back to 1922 when the National Fire Protection

Association (NFPA) established the first Fire

Prevention Week to commemorate the anniversary of

the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that began on October

8. The three-day blaze resulted in over 250 deaths, left

around 100,000 people homeless, and destroyed more

than 17,400 buildings and 2,000 acres of land.

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed

Fire Prevention Week a national observance, noting

that fires were a major cause of waste

and destruction that could be prevented.

Over time, the week-long observance

evolved into a month-long

campaign.

Novi firefighter/EMT Zahi Kassab

claims the most common runs he goes

on are caused by negligence and are

100% preventable. First of all, careless

cooking happens quite often because

people are constantly multi-tasking.

Sometimes they are simply tending

to the typical needs of children, or

they are working from home and on

a conference call, but people forget

they have food on the stove. Some people even leave

the house to run errands while food is still cooking, a

serious mistake that should never happen, he said.

There is no shortage of turkey fryer incidents this

time of year either. It is important to remember not to

fill the fryer with too much oil because when the bird is

inserted, it can overflow and leak on the side not only

onto the heating element, but also the wood deck. The

smoke point will burn the wood, and the stain or paint

is flammable, causing the fire to spread quickly. Kassab

suggests putting the turkey fryer on cement or brick

pavers, and 10-15 feet away from the house and other

combustibles, like an outdoor couch or plastic chairs.

Secondly, Kassab noted careless smoking as one

of the most reckless doings. Whether people smoke

in or out of the house, they have to properly extinguish

their cigarettes and cigars. The best way to do

that is to use a fireproof container, like a deep, sturdy

ashtray or a metal can filled with water or sand.

“Douse your cigarette butts with water and dispose

of them safely,” said Kassab, 45. “And don’t

throw butts on the ground. This can ignite dry leaves,

grass, mulch, or other flammable debris, especially

in dry weather conditions.”

He also noted that leaving a lit cigarette unattended

is more common than one would think. He insists

Novi firefighter/EMT Zahi Kassab.

that smokers never place an ashtray on the arm of a

couch or chair, or even in a bed. A forgotten cigarette

can burn through the ashtray and ignite the upholstery

and the sheets. If you are tired, have taken medication,

or have been drinking, do not smoke, he said. Falling

asleep with a lit cigarette is a deadly fire hazard.

Another reckless oversight Kassab has noticed is

people leaving candles burning unattended. Whether

they are lit for religious worship or for the smell

and ambiance, they have caused big and small fires.

He maintains it is important to blow out the candles

when not in the room and to keep small children

and animals away from them. They

could accidentally knock them

over and get injured or start a fire.

While technology is constantly

evolving, lithium batteries are becoming

more prevalent. NFPA’s

theme this year, “Charge into Fire

Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in

Your Home,” revolves around the

electronics found in homes. Kassab

noted an uptick in electric cars, like

Teslas, catching fire while charging.

“When those batteries are getting

charged, they use a lot of heat

to excite the electrons so the battery

can charge,” Kassab explained. “When thermal runaways

occur, they will cause a fire. With those kinds

of fires, they burn fast and very hot, because of fuel,

heat, and air, so you have to use more and more water

on them, which is why it takes longer to extinguish.”

Kassab has even seen cars melting. He recommends

that electric car owners park the car outside

and charge it outside. He posits that people typically

do not have smoke detectors in the garage, so the element

of detection is not there, and the homeowner

will not immediately know there is a fire.

Lithium batteries can also be found in power

tools, smartphones, and tablets. Though rare, these

batteries can leak or burst, and that may cause not

only a fire, but the release of toxic gases could also

cause unconsciousness and asphyxiation. Unplugging

them after a full charge is one way to prevent

that from happening.

Kassab, a graduate of Schoolcraft Fire Academy in

2001, fulfills his daily duties by three tenets of the fire

service- protecting people, property, and the environment.

He believes that with awareness and common

sense, people can enjoy activities with safety and ease.

“The citizens also have to do their part in keeping

themselves and their neighbors safe,” he began.

“When we know better, we do better.”

Firefighter Z’s

Fire Prevention

and Safety

Planning for

the People:

Hookah - Make sure to dispose of the charcoal

briquets in a metal container with water

or sand. Don’t toss them on the grass. Not only

could people step on them and burn their feet,

but they could also start fires in the grass and

spread, just like cigarette butts do.

Bonfires - Usually, cities have ordinances on

what can be burned. Follow your city ordinance

by going to the website and searching

for it. As a general rule of thumb, the bonfire

should be limited to a receptacle that is meant

for it. Have a cover for it because it keeps ash

and embers contained. Always be in attendance,

watching it and enjoying it. And always

have a means of extinguishment, like a

hose or fire extinguisher.

BBQing - A barbeque grill should be at least 10-

15 feet away from the house. It is important to

clean the grill because grease falls on the heat

tent element, and then the grease catches fire.

The heat from the propane will generate fire

and catch other things on fire. It is never acceptable

to grill in the garage. If it is stored properly

in the garage during the winter months, it can

be pulled 10-15 feet away from the house on

the driveway for a sporadic barbecue, as long

as you make sure it is cooled down before you

return it to the garage. Never barbecue on a balcony

because it is way too close to the building.

Smoke Detectors - Change the batteries in

your smoke detectors at least once a year or

better yet, every six months to make sure they

are working. You should have one on each

floor, including the basement. Some newer

homes even have smoke detectors in the bedrooms.

Interconnected smoke detectors are a

great idea because they let you know if there

is a fire somewhere in your house where you

are not present. It is also a great idea to have

smoke detectors hooked up to an alarm company

in case you are not home. Video doorbells

have been helpful to firefighters who get

called when people are away. Apartments are

typically not connected to an alarm company,

which is why it is important for every household

to have an ABC fire extinguisher.

Exit Doors - Know where the exits are wherever

you are! Not just a fire exit, but an emergency

exit in case of fire, an active shooter, or

a car crash into the building. Know how to get

out and teach your kids how to crawl out of the

house and give them a meeting place outside.

In many places now, you will see low-level exit

signs towards the bottom of the door, which are

also for firefighters to find their way.


FEATURE

Hungary Helps

Chaldean Community Foundation’s 2025 Humanitarian of the Year

BY SARAH KITTLE

The Chaldean Community

Foundation (CCF) is honoring

Hungary Helps as its 2025 Humanitarian

of the Year, recognizing

Hungary’s extraordinary role in supporting

persecuted Christians in Iraq.

Through its Hungary Helps Program

(HHP), the Hungarian government has

become the world’s leading state-level

advocate for Christian minorities, providing

more aid to Christians in Iraq

than any other nation.

Hungary was the first country to

elevate the plight of persecuted Christians

to public policy. After urgent appeals

from church leaders, the government

created a dedicated department

to address the crisis. Since launching

HHP in 2017, defending and rebuilding

Christian communities has been part

of its mission.

In close contact with local leaders,

HHP has helped more than two million

people remain in or return to their

homelands. In Iraq’s Nineveh Plain,

millions have gone toward rebuilding

villages and schools, providing agricultural

training, and delivering aid.

In 2018, Hungary signed a Memorandum

of Understanding with USAID

to assist religious minorities in northern

Iraq. By 2019, projects were underway

in Qaraqosh and Sinjar. In Qaraqosh,

rubble was cleared, 100 shops

rehabilitated, and 35 homes rebuilt. In

Sinjar, electrical systems were upgraded,

a bakery established, health facilities

restored, and housing created for

women and children.

Hungary’s efforts extend to stabilization

initiatives. More than $2 million

in “D-ISIS” projects have been carried

out in Iraq and northeast Syria. Earlier,

HHP funded 950 homes in Tel Askuf

and 41 in nearby Baqofa, enabling

over 1,000 families to return.

A hallmark of HHP’s philosophy is

providing help directly, enabling refugees

to return and rebuild. This focus

has restored homes, schools, hospitals,

heritage sites, and livelihoods—strengthening

identity and preserving traditions.

Partnering with Hungarian Interchurch

Aid, HHP has revitalized agriculture

in Nineveh by introducing

permaculture, restoring irrigation,

installing solar pumps, and building

reservoirs. These measures have lowered

food costs, reduced imports, and

created jobs. A second phase will add

food processing and training.

Education remains central. With

HHP’s support, a school for displaced

Christians in Iraqi Kurdistan now

serves 1,000 students. President Katalin

Novák inaugurated it in 2022, calling

it a symbol of hope.

Perhaps the most striking example

is Tel Askuf, where Hungarian backing

restored 600 homes, five schools, and St.

George Church, enabling 1,000 of 1,300

displaced families to return. Locals call

the town the “Daughter of Hungary.”

Hungary’s support has also

reached Erbil, where an HHP-funded

school serves both Christians and

Muslims. Featuring Hungarian cultural

influences, it remains a beacon

of education and coexistence.

From villages to livelihoods, Hungary

Helps acts on the principle that

the best way to aid the persecuted is

to help them thrive in their ancestral

homelands. The Chaldean Community

Foundation’s award honors not only

the scale of Hungary’s commitment,

but the depth of its partnership with

Iraq’s Christian community.


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relationships, and emotional resilience.

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licensed, professional therapists are here for you and your

best health. Through the process of therapy, you can change

self-destructive behaviors and habits, resolve painful

emotions, improve relationships, and explore issues that

may be hard to face alone.

Your therapist will help you to establish person centered

goals and determine the steps you will take to reach those

goals. Your relationship with your therapist is confidential

and our common therapeutic goal is to improve the quality

of life, no matter the challenge.

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Serving Michigan residents ages 13 years and up regardless

of insurance status. Please call to request a Project Light

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Chaldean Community Foundation

3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48310


FEATURE

Reviving Nineveh

Governor Al-Dakhil champions the return of Christians

BY SARAH KITTLE

Governor Abdul Qader Al-Dakhil

of Nineveh has been actively

working to support the return

of Christians to the province through

a combination of infrastructure projects,

cultural initiatives, and direct engagement

with the community.

Key efforts include rehabilitating

the main road leading to Mar Matti

Monastery, which had remained neglected

for more than 30 years, and

launching reconstruction works for

historic sites such as the Maskanta

Church, one of Mosul’s oldest Christian

churches. The governor has also

overseen the rebuilding of the Church

Complex of Hosh Al-Bi’aa in Mosul’s

Old City and inaugurated the nuns’

“House of Prayer” in Al-Saa’a Church

following its reconstruction.

Beyond Mosul, restoration efforts

continue across districts and towns

in Nineveh, including projects at Mar

Quriakos Church and numerous other

places of worship. Governor Al-Dakhil

frequently visits churches, dioceses, and

episcopal leaderships, meeting directly

with Christian clergy to coordinate support

and address community needs.

To foster cultural engagement and

a sense of belonging, he is working to

establish a cultural center in the heart

of Old Mosul, aimed at supporting

returning Christians and preserving

the city’s rich heritage. Extending his

outreach internationally, Governor Al-

Dakhil has also met with the Chaldean

American community here in Michigan,

focusing on initiatives that encourage

the return of Christians from

the diaspora.

In addition to these initiatives, Governor

Al-Dakhil has actively contributed

to community development and

support. He made a recommendation

for the creation of the local community

police, provided financial support

to the three sports clubs in the

Nineveh Plain—Alqosh, Teleskuf, and

Qaraqosh—and approved the rehabilitation

of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Church in Telkeif as well as one Assyrian

church in Mosul.

Through these multifaceted efforts,

Governor Abdul Qader Al-Dakhil is actively

contributing to the revitalization

of Christian life in Nineveh, strengthening

both the physical and cultural

foundations that enable communities

to return and flourish.


Chaldean

culture is

unique.

Scan the QR code or visit

https://deltadental.pub/chaldean_HKD

to watch our oral health series.

A toothbrush is one of the best tools

for cleaning your teeth and gums.

But if the toothbrush is worn down or

frayed, it cannot clean as well. Replace

your toothbrush every three to four

months for better oral health.

Jacob Bacall

Jacob Bacall

Jacob Bacall

Jacob Bacall

Delta Dental of Michigan

Scan Code to Purchase

Jacob’s Books on Amazon





Jacob Bacall was born in 1955 in Telkaif-Mosul, Iraq, into a Chaldean

Jacob Bacall was born in 1955 in Telkaif-Mosul, Iraq, into a Chaldean

Christian family. He completed high school in Baghdad and pursued

studies Christian in Mechanical family. Engineering He completed in the high United school Kingdom. in Baghdad In 1977, he and pursued

immigrated studies in to Mechanical the United States, Engineering where he in joined the United his brother, Kingdom. Eddie, In 1977, he

in the immigrated family business to the operating United States, retail drug where stores. he joined Over time, his brother, Eddie,

business the transitioned family business into real operating estate, where retail Jacob drug found stores. his Over true time, the

Jacob calling.

Bacall was born in 1955 in Telkaif-Mosul, Iraq, into a Chaldean

Christian

business family.

transitioned He completed

into high

real school

estate, in Baghdad

where and

Jacob pursued

found his true

studies calling.

Mechanical Engineering in the United Kingdom. In 1977, he

By the early 1990s, Jacob began investing in income-producing

immigrated

Jacob to the United

Bacall

States, where he joined his brother, Eddie,

properties and quickly built a reputation as a successful and

in the

forward-thinking

By family the early business

entrepreneur.

1990s, operating Jacob retail

His business

began drug stores.

portfolio

investing Over

focuses

in time, income-producing

the

on real

business

estate properties transitioned into real estate, where Jacob found his true

development and property management, with investments

Need the and perfect quickly gift for built your a reputation clients, as a successful and

calling.

expanding forward-thinking over the entrepreneur. years to include His shopping business centers, portfolio office focuses on real

buildings, senior living communities, hospitality ventures, and multi-

estate colleagues, development family and or friends? property Explore

management, with investments


family residential properties.

properties expanding the latest quickly over books the built from years a reputation author to include and

as a successful shopping and centers, office

forward-thinking buildings, senior entrepreneur. living communities, His business portfolio hospitality focuses ventures, on real and multi-

estate

Jacob

family historian, development

has remained

residential Jacob and

deeply

properties.

property Bacall. connected management,

to his heritage with

and investments

is actively

expanding

involved in over

the the

Chaldean years to

community. include shopping

He has served centers,

in office

every

buildings,

leadership position on the board of the Chaldean Iraqi American

Association Jacob senior has of Michigan remained living communities, (CIAAM), deeply the connected hospitality ventures,

oldest Chaldean to his heritage and multifamily

One residential hundred properties. percent of the author’s organization and is actively

in the involved United States, in the founded Chaldean in 1943. community. Additionally, He he has has served served on in every

Jacob the leadership boards royalties has remained of position the and deeply Chaldean proceeds on connected the Chamber are board to

donated his of heritage of Commerce, the to Chaldean and is actively Chaldean Iraqi American

involved Community Association in Foundation the of Michigan and community. the (CIAAM), Chaldean He Cultural the has oldest served Center. Chaldean in every organization

various Chaldean non-profit organizations.

leadership in the position United States, on the founded board of the in 1943. Chaldean Additionally, Iraqi American he has served on

Association An the author boards of and Michigan historian of the (CIAAM), at Chaldean heart, the Jacob oldest Chamber has Chaldean written of organization

three Commerce, books: Chaldean

in Chaldeans the United in States, Detroit founded (2014), in Chaldean 1943. Additionally, Iraqi American he has Association served onof

Community To purchase, Foundation please and visit the the Chaldean Mar Ibrahim Cultural Center.

the Michigan boards (2018), of the and Chaldean most recently, Chamber Chaldean of Commerce, Catholic Church Chaldean (2025),

Community co-authored Foundation with Bishop and Bawai the Chaldean Soro.

Cultural Center.

An Library author in and West historian Bloomfield, at heart, Michigan Jacob has or written three books:

An Jacob author Chaldeans order resides and online historian West Detroit at Bloomfield, at amazon.com

(2014), heart, Michigan, Jacob Chaldean has with written Iraqi his wife, American three Anne. books: They Association of

Chaldeans are Michigan proud in parents Detroit (2018), (2014), of and four most Chaldean children recently, Iraqi and American Chaldean grandparents Association Catholic to seven Church of (2025),

Michigan grandchildren. co-authored (2018), and with most Bishop recently, Bawai Chaldean Soro.

Catholic Church (2025),

Jacob co-authored Bacall with was Bishop born in Bawai 1955 in Soro. Telkaif-Mosul, Iraq, into a Chaldean

Christian Jacob family. resides He completed in West Bloomfield, high school Michigan, in Baghdad with and pursued his wife, Anne. They

studies Jacob resides in Mechanical in West Engineering Bloomfield, Michigan, in the United with Kingdom. his wife, Anne. In 1977, They

are proud parents of four children and grandparents to seven

are immigrated proud parents to the United of four States, children where and he joined grandparents his brother, to Eddie,

seven

grandchildren. grandchildren.

in the family business operating retail drug stores. Over time, the

business transitioned into real estate, where Jacob found his true

calling.


properties and quickly built a reputation as a successful and

forward-thinking entrepreneur. His business portfolio focuses on real

estate development and property management, with investments

expanding over the years to include shopping centers, office

buildings, senior living communities, hospitality ventures, and multi-

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FEATURE

Trunk or Treat

Activities

in Metro

Detroit 2025

KW Lakeside

Saturday October 11

12:00pm-3:00pm

45609 Village Boulevard

Shelby Township, MI 48315

Willow Greenhouse

Saturday October 11

2:00pm-4:00pm

7839 Curtis Road,

Northville, MI 48168

Detroit firefighters battle a blaze on Pennsylvania and Sylvester on October 31, 2010.

Devil’s Night in Detroit

A haunted history of fire, fear, and community resilience

BY JENNA ABROO

Many people associate October

with classic fall traditions

such as visiting pumpkin

patches, picking apples, enjoying cider

and donuts, or preparing for Halloween.

These American family customs

trace back more than 200 years,

with roots in Scottish and Irish immigrant

culture.

But the history of Halloween also

includes a lesser-known tradition

unique to Metro Detroit: Devil’s Night.

Observed every October 30, the night

before Halloween is infamous for its

chaos. It even inspired the comic book

that became the feature film The Crow.

Devil’s Night originated from “Mischief

Night” in Europe, particularly

in Great Britain, where young people

would play harmless pranks and indulge

in lighthearted mischief. So how

did this playful tradition evolve into

one of the darker chapters of Detroit’s

history?

Children in the United States have

celebrated Halloween since the 1800s,

but “Devil’s Night” did not take root

in America until the mid-20th century.

What began as harmless pranks—such

as toilet-papering houses, egging cars

and soaping windows—evolved into

dangerous acts of arson and vandalism

across Detroit.

By the 1970s, the playful mischief

of Devil’s Night had escalated into

widespread violence. Arson, property

destruction and unchecked crime ran

rampant through the city. Detroit’s

hundreds of abandoned houses,

warehouses and commercial properties

became easy fuel for the flames.

In a city already struggling with economic

decline and community decay,

the destruction only deepened the

sense of disorder.

The violence peaked in the 1980s. On

October 30, 1984, as many as 800 houses

and cars were burned in a single night,

leaving behind injuries and even deaths.

With police and fire departments underfunded

and understaffed, authorities

struggled to contain the chaos.

Devil’s Night continued its grip

on Detroit throughout the 1980s and

1990s. In an effort to regain control,

the city enacted a curfew in 1986, barring

anyone under 18 from being out

past 10 p.m. without an accompanying

adult, including during the days

leading up to October 30. For many

in Detroit, the destruction of Devil’s

Night became a stark reminder of the

violence that defined the city during

that era.

By the mid-1990s, Detroit launched

massive efforts to clean up the streets

and keep residents safe in the days

leading up to Devil’s Night and Halloween.

In 1995, Mayor Dennis W.

Archer introduced “Angel’s Night,” a

community-led initiative designed to

combat the city’s widespread arson

and vandalism during that period.

Thousands of volunteers took to

the streets with flashlights and radios

to help prevent fires and other crimes.

Residents also did their part at home

by keeping porch lights on and even

attaching amber lights to their cars to

deter vandals and arsonists.

These grassroots efforts had a dramatic

effect. Crime decreased steadily

over the next decade, and by 2010,

incidents had dropped significantly.

With the tradition largely under control,

the city officially retired Angel’s

Night in 2017.

In its place, Detroit shifted its focus

to family-friendly celebrations under

the banner of “Halloween in the D,”

honoring the spirit of community involvement

and safety that helped restore

order. Even today, many residents

pay tribute to the Angel’s Night era by

turning on their porch lights and keeping

watch over their neighborhoods, a

lasting symbol of resilience and unity.

Many people in metro Detroit remember

the height of destruction that

once plagued the city in the days leading

up to Halloween. But the progression

of that history also reveals the

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Troy Police Department

Tuesday October 23

5:00pm-8:00pm

500 West Big Beaver Road,

Troy, MI 48084

First Church

Saturday October 25

39400 Dequindre Rd, Sterling

Heights, MI 48310-1705

Chaldean Community

Foundation

Tuesday October 28

4:30pm-7:00pm

2075 Walnut Lake Road,

West Bloomfield

Mercy Education Project

Thursday October 30

5:00pm-7:00pm

450 Howard Street

Detroit, MI 48216

strength of Detroit’s close-knit community.

In the face of violence and unrest,

residents came together to protect

families and restore a sense of safety.

While the dark legacy of Devil’s

Night will always remain part of Detroit’s

past, recent years highlight a

brighter future. October 30 is once

again just the night before Halloween—

a reminder of the city’s resilience and

its ability to turn darkness into light.

Today, as Detroit continues to embrace

community and safety, families

can enjoy Halloween festivities without

fear. From neighborhood trunk-ortreats

to local community events, the

city offers plenty of opportunities for

children to celebrate in a fun and secure

environment.


Do you possess a passion for bettering the lives of others?

Join our ever expanding team!

HIRING

WE ARE

Behavioral Health Therapist - Sterling Heights

Career Services Case Worker - Sterling Heights

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Government Affairs Representative- Washington D.C.

Housing Liaison - Sterling Heights

Political Action Committee (PAC) Coordinator - West Bloomfield

Advocacy

Acculturation

Community Development

Cultural Preservation

For More Information

HR@chaldeanfoundation.org

586-722-7253

www.chaldeanfoundation.org/careers


CULTURE & HISTORY

Jewish Shrines in Iraq:

A Shared Heritage

BY ADHID MIRI, PHD.

Part III

Parts One and Two of this series

explored the history and plight

of Iraq’s Jewish community, an

indigenous minority that practiced its

faith and civil rights amid conspiracies

and persecution that ultimately forced

its emigration to Israel. We also examined

the displacement of Christians,

Mandaeans, and Yazidis, who were

scattered across the globe.

The Iraqi Jewish community, which

thrived for more than 2,500 years in

Mesopotamia, faced a near-total exodus

due to persecution, political instability,

discriminatory laws, racism, and

authoritarian rule. Seven decades after

their mass departure, the story of Iraq’s

Jews remains complex and, even within

the displaced community, often unclear.

After more than two and a half millennia

in Mesopotamia, life became

impossible for Iraqi Jews in the newly

independent Iraq, caught in a vortex

of local political forces and conflicting

international ideologies. The fall of the

Ottoman Empire, British colonial rule,

and the rise of Jewish and Arab nationalist

movements created both internal

and external pressures, ultimately

making the community victims of warring

ideologies.

For modern Iraq, this historical

catastrophe meant the loss of a rich

cultural heritage, the displacement of

educated and productive populations,

the departure of vibrant citizens,

and the deterioration of synagogues,

schools, and other religious and social

institutions.

In this third and final installment,

we highlight five Jewish sites:

Meir Tweig Synagogue – Baghdad

In the crowded Batawieen neighborhood

of Baghdad, the Meir Tweig

Synagogue stands as a shining jewel—

a place of worship and a testament

to the resilience of the city’s Jewish

community. Today, however, life has

largely faded from this once-thriving

synagogue. It is the only synagogue in

Baghdad, rarely opens its doors, and

has no resident rabbis. The faded brick

building is distinguished only by a Hebrew

inscription above its entrance.

The synagogue was built between

1942 and 1946 and named for Meir

Tweig, a Jewish businessman from

Baghdad. At the time, Iraq had a

thriving Jewish population of about

150,000, most of whom lived in Baghdad.

The synagogue served as a major

center of worship, and its architectural

splendor continues to captivate visitors,

blending intricate detail, ornate

design, and the rich, ancient character

of the city.

The Meir Tweig Synagogue was not

the work of a single individual but of

Baghdad’s entire Jewish community.

Its construction reflected a collective effort,

with community members contributing

resources, funds, and labor, while

certain individuals took leadership

roles in establishing this sacred site.

Entering the Meir Tweig Synagogue

is like stepping into a world of sublime

beauty and spiritual reverence.

Towering two-story interior columns,

intricately constructed, testify to the

strength and resilience of the community

they served. Sky-blue walls

stretch seemingly into infinity, creating

an ethereal atmosphere that transcends

worldly concerns. Approaching

the Torah Ark, one sees the meticulous

craftsmanship in every detail, reflecting

the skill of the artisans who built

this venerable repository.

Intricate wood carvings invite

worshippers to pause and reflect on

the sanctity of the space. Within the


synagogue lie treasures of immense

cultural and religious significance,

including Torah scrolls written on

gazelle skin and preserved in carefully

designed cabinets—symbols of

centuries of spiritual heritage, resilience,

and devotion. Marble plaques

engraved with seven-branched candelabras

and sacred psalms remind visitors

of Baghdad’s Jewish community’s

steadfast faith and perseverance amid

the bustle of city life.

The synagogue is no longer in active

use. In 2003, remaining members

of Baghdad’s Jewish community attempted

to protect it terrorist attacks

destroyed synagogues in Istanbul. Following

the U.S. invasion of Iraq that

same year, fears of attacks persisted.

Today, a small group of Jews, accompanied

by Muslims, maintains the

synagogue.

Shrine of Rabbi Yosee

Al-Jalili – Baghdad

Also known as Al-Jaliliyya, this shrine

is associated with Rabbi Yosee (Yosef

ben Halafta), a second-century CE

scholar from Galilee renowned for his

teachings and contributions to Jewish

law. Over the centuries, the site

became a place of veneration for both

Jews and Muslims, reflecting Baghdad’s

layered religious history.

Ownership of the shrine remains

disputed: Muslims regard it as the

tomb of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani,

a revered Sufi saint, while Jews assert

it commemorates Rabbi Yosee. Despite

this disagreement, the shrine continues

to draw visitors from both communities,

symbolizing a shared reverence

for spiritual heritage. Its enduring

presence highlights the historical coexistence

of religious groups in Baghdad

and the city’s rich, intertwined

cultural fabric.

Prophet Daniel’s Shrine – Kirkuk

Located in northern Iraq, Prophet

Daniel’s Shrine is one of several sites

across the Middle East and Central

Asia traditionally associated with the

biblical prophet. Historical accounts

suggest that the original building

was a synagogue, later converted into

a Christian church, and eventually

transformed into a mosque during the

caliphate of Omar ibn Abdul Aziz. The

current structure, notable for its two

blue domes and a minaret decorated

with Ottoman-era faience tiles, has

suffered from years of neglect.

The shrine attracts Muslims, Christians,

and Jews, all of whom venerate

the graves of prophets Daniel, Hananiah

(Chadrach), Mishael (Meshach),

and Azariah (Abednego). Confusion

over the exact identification of the

graves reflects centuries of cultural

and religious interweaving, highlighting

the site’s layered history and its

significance as a shared space of devotion

across faiths.

Shrine of Benjamin – Diyala

Perched on a mountaintop near Qasr

Shirin along the Iraqi-Iranian border,

the Shrine of Benjamin is a revered site

for members of the Benjamin tribe and

local villagers. Known locally as “Fruit

of Benjamin,” the shrine honors the

biblical patriarch and serves as a focal

point for prayer, offerings, and veneration.

Its enduring presence reflects the

deep-rooted connection of local communities

to ancient biblical figures

and highlights the continuity of religious

tradition in the region.

Al-Habibiya Jewish Cemetery –

Baghdad

Established in the early 20th century

and relocated in 1975, the Al-Habibiya

Jewish Cemetery is Baghdad’s primary

Jewish burial site, containing more

than 4,000 graves. The cemetery holds

the remains of Jewish dignitaries, community

leaders, and victims of political

executions, preserving centuries of

cultural memory. Tombstones, often

adorned with the Star of David and inscriptions

such as “

,” provide

a visual record of the community’s

heritage and identity.

Though visits are now rare, the

cemetery continues to be cared for by

a few dedicated individuals, including

Muslims who respect its sanctity.

Some local women still visit specific

graves seeking blessings, a practice

rooted in longstanding cultural traditions.

Al-Habibiya Cemetery remains

one of the few tangible reminders of

Baghdad’s once-thriving Jewish community,

preserving the memory of a

people whose presence in Mesopotamia

stretches back over 2,600 years.

Reflections on a Vanished

Community

At its height, Baghdad’s Jewish community

numbered roughly 53,000 in

1908, about a third of the city’s population.

For centuries, Jews, Christians,

and Muslims coexisted peacefully,

until political upheaval, persecution,

and emigration fractured the community.

Key events included the Farhud

massacre of 1941, subsequent bombings

in the 1950s, mass emigration to

Israel, and the executions of alleged

“Israeli spies” in 1969.

Decades of conflict—including the

Iran-Iraq War, the invasion of Kuwait,

international sanctions, and the 2003

U.S. invasion—further depleted the

population. By 2003, the last synagogue

in Baghdad had closed. Many

Iraqi Jews also faced marginalization

in Israel, often expressing their experience

with the phrase: “In Iraq, we

were Jews; in Israel, we are Arabs.”

Today, these shrines and cemeteries

stand as silent witnesses to a oncecivilized,

integrated Mesopotamian

Jewish community. They reveal the

culture, customs, and daily life of a society

largely swept away by the forces

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of modern Zionism, German Nazism,

and Arab nationalism.

Although international efforts to

preserve these sites have been limited,

the remaining stones and structures

testify to the enduring memory of a

community that played a vital role in

shaping Iraq’s history. They offer a

bridge to the past, ensuring that the

legacy of Baghdad’s Jews continues to

be remembered.

SOURCES: WIKIPEDIA; “JEWISH SHRINES IN IRAQ”

BY DR. WASSAN HUSSEN MUHAIMID; MEMORIES OF

EDEN BY VIOLETTE SHAMASH; THE JEWS OF IRAQ BY

YACOUB YOUSEEF KOREYA; NUZHAT AL-MUSHTAQ

IN THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS OF IRAQ BY YOUSIF

RIZQ-ALLA GHANIMAH; HISTORY OF IRAQI JEWS IN

THE 20TH CENTURY BY MEER BASRI; BAGHDAD YES-

TERDAY: THE MAKING OF AN ARAB JEW BY SASSON

SOMEKH; IMAGES BY LEVI CLANCY, ROBERT PHILPOT;

BRITANNICA, JENIFER MURTOFF.


عمرها 4600 عام لطلب الربكات يف قرب النبي

دانيال ‏-الذي يُحتمل أنه مزور-،‏ وهو اآلن رضيح

إسالمي مُزين بالرايات الخرضاء.‏ ويُعتقد أن القرب

هو املكان الذي دُفن فيه النبي دانيال داخل قلعة

كركوك القدمية.‏

ال تقترص زيارة املسجد عىل املسلمني فحسب،‏

بل يزوره أيضً‏ ا املسيحيون واليهود نظرًا لوجود قبور

األنبياء املبجَّلني يف الديانات الثالث.‏ وكان املسجد

يُستخدم للصالة سابقاً،‏ لكن هذا انتهى عندما طُلب

هدم قلعة كركوك عام 1977 إلجبار السكان الرتكامن

عىل النزوح او الهجرة.‏ ومع ذلك،‏ مل تتوقف زيارات

املسجد ورضيحه.‏

يُبجَّل دانيال من قِبل املسلمني واليهود

واملسيحيني،‏ مع أن املسيحيني وحدهم يعتربونه نبيًا.‏

يزوره مسيحيو ويهود العراق لتقديم احرتامهم لقبور

األنبياء األربعة املزعومة داخل املسجد،‏ وهم ‏)دانيال

وشدرخ وميشاخ وعبد نغو(.‏ وأطلق عىل اخر ثالثة

أسامء ‏)حنني وميخائيل وعُزير(،‏ وهي يف األساس

نسخ مُعرَّبة من أسامئهم العربية ‏)حننيا وميشائيل

وعزريا(.‏ وال يوجد سوى ثالثة قبور موجودة يف

رضيح املسجد إذ أن قرب ميخائيل غري موجود

عىل اإلطالق،‏ وموقعه غري معروف داخل املسجد.‏

وتُخطئ الفتة قرب عبد نغو/عزريا يف تحديد هويته

عىل أنه عزرا التورايت،‏ واملعروف أيضً‏ ا باسم العزير يف

الرتاث اإلسالمي.‏

وحننيا يعترب أحد أنبياء اليهود من الصف العايل،‏

ويقع رضيحه يف قلعة كركوك القدمية بجوار مقام

النبي دانيال.‏ والنبي حننيا ‏)بالعربية(‏ يسمى حنينة

‏)بالعربية(،‏ أو شدرخ ‏)بالكلدانية(.‏

شدرخ وميشاخ وعبد نغو هي شخصيات من سفر

دانيال يف العهد القديم،‏ اشتهروا بتحديهم ألمر امللك

نبوخذ نرص بعبادة صنم ذهبي،‏ وأُلقي بهم يف أتون

النار لرفضهم السجود له،‏ لكن الله حفظهم بأعجوبة،‏

إىل جانب شخصية رابعة بدت ككائن إلهي.‏ ويُحتفى

بهم إلميانهم الراسخ وشجاعتهم يف مواجهة االضطهاد

مام دفع هذا الحدث نبوخذ نرص إىل االعرتاف بقوة

إلههم.‏

وهناك ادعاءات متعددة يف مواقع أخرى،‏ مبا يف

ذلك بابل والعراق وسوريا،‏ بناءً‏ عىل التقاليد التاريخية

والروايات التوراتية.‏ كام تدّعي سوسة،‏ إيران،‏ ومدن يف

العراق ملكيته ملقربته.‏ وتُعترب مدينة سوسة يف إيران

املوقع األكرث قبوالً‏ لقرب دانيال.‏ ويرتبط مقام النبي دانيال

مبواقع متعددة اخرى،‏ لكن أشهرها يقع يف سمرقند،‏

أوزبكستان،‏ ويُعد مقام سمرقند وجهة سياحية شهرية،‏

فهو يضم تابوتًا كبريًا داخل رضيح،‏ تحيط به قصص

وأساطري حول أصوله ومنو رفاته املستمر،‏ والرضيح هو

عبارة عن بناء ضخم يضم تابوتًا طويالً‏ ، يُعتقد أنه يضم

رفات دانيال.‏

ويشتهر املقام بأهميته الروحية وغموضه التاريخي،‏

إذ تتضمن القصص املحيطة مبقربة سمرقند اساطري

تقول بأن جسد دانيال ال يزال ينمو لغاية األن،‏ مام

يتطلب صنع تابوت طويل،‏ وتقول األسطورة األخرى بأن

تيمورلنك أحرض بقايا الرفات إىل هنا بعد فشله يف غزو

سوريا،‏ معتقدًا أن روح دانيال هي روحه.‏

-14 مقام بنيامني،‏ ابن النبي يعقوب - دياىل

يقع عىل إحدى قمم الجبال قرب قرص شريين،‏ عىل

الحدود العراقية اإليرانية.‏ يزوره أهايل القرى من قبيلة

بنيامني،‏ حيث يؤدون الصلوات ويقدمون القرابني

ويُبجّلون بنيامني ويسمونه ‏“مثرة بنيامني”،‏ أي الجد

بنيامني أو بنيامني املقدس.‏

-15 مقربة الحبيبية اليهودية يف بغداد

تقع مقربة الحبيبية اليهودية يف العاصمة بغداد،‏ بني

نصب الشهيد الذي أقامه الرئيس العراقي السابق

صدام حسني،‏ ومعقل الشيعة الشعبي مدينة الصدر.‏

وال يزال رجل مسلم مسن يعتني بالقبور يف املقربة،‏

لكن الزوار نادرون.‏ أُنشئت املقربة يف أوائل القرن

العرشين وكانت املكان الرئييس لدفن اليهود يف

املدينة،‏ حيث دُفن فيه العديد من وجهاء اليهود

املحليني.‏ .

عىل الرغم من أهمية املقابر يف العديد من

املجتمعات اليهودية،‏ إال أن شواهد القبور،‏ عىل وجه

الخصوص،‏ كانت مبثابة نصوص برصية ولغوية مهمة

للمجتمعات اليهودية،‏ إذ ضمنت الحفاظ عىل ذكريات

أحبائهم من جيل إىل جيل وربطها مبكان معني عرب

مسرية الزمان.‏

وكام هو الحال والشواهد للقبور،‏ فإن الذكريات

املكتوبة للمتوىف،‏ واملؤطرة برموز تراثية ‏)مثل نجمة

داود(‏ وتعبريات ‏)مثل “ ”(، تشري إىل

الهوية الثقافية الفريدة للمجتمع وتعكسها،‏ وتوفر

طريقة لرؤية كيف تتغري األمور بعد املوت ومبرور

الوقت،‏ واألهمية الكامنة وراء هذه التغيريات.‏

تحتوي املقربة عىل أكرث من 4000 قرب.‏ وقد تم

بناؤها عام 1975، كبديل للمقربة اليهودية القدمية

قرب كراج النهضة يف مركز بغداد،‏ إذ بعد توسع

العاصمة،‏ أصبحت املقربة القدمية عائقًا أمام التمدد

والتطور العمراين،‏ فاتخذت السلطات عام 1975 قرارًا

بنقل املقربة خارج املدينة،‏ حيث تربع مناحيم دانيال

بقطعة أرض كبرية تبلغ مساحتها خمس دومنات

لتكون مقربة للطائفة املوسوية،‏ باإلضافة إىل مبلغ

مليون دينار لنقل جثث أبناء الطائفة من يهود العراق

إىل املكان الجديد وبناء قبور جديدة لهم.‏

ولغاية عام 2003 كانت وزارة األوقاف العراقية

مسؤولة عن إدارة املقربة.‏ ولكن بعد حل الوزارة،‏

انتقلت املسؤولية الكاملة إىل مكتب الطائفة اليهودية

يف شارع النهر،‏ مثل دفع فواتري املاء والكهرباء،‏

ورواتب العاملني يف املقربة باإلضافة إىل ترميم القبور

وبالطات وشواهد القبور،‏ وجميع املتعلقات املادية

األخرى.‏

مُتُ‏ ثل بالطات ولوحات القبور الشواهد املادية

القليلة عن حياة املجتمع اليهودي يف مختلف األزمان،‏

وحقيقة مؤملة عام آل اليه مصري املجتمع اليهودي

العراقي.‏ ففي مكان منعزل يف املقربة نجد قبور عزرا

ناجي زلخة وزوجته روان وعدد ممن أُعدموا معهام

يف ساحة التحرير عام 1969 بتهمة التجسس لصالح

إرسائيل.‏ كام ودُفنت يف املقربة طبيبة يهودية كانت

مديرة مستشفى الواسطي للصدمات،‏ واسمها فيوليت

حنا يف املقربة الجديدة عام 2009. ويف مارس 2021،

تويف يف بغداد الدكتور ظافر فؤاد الياهو،‏ الذي يُعتقد

أنه آخر طبيب يهودي يف العراق.‏

يزور بعض املسلمني،‏ وخاصة النساء،‏ املقربة طلبًا

لربكة رجل يُدعى ‏)بليبل(،‏ الذي يُقال إن نسبه يعود

إىل النبي موىس،‏ ويُشعلون الشموع وميسحون قربه

بالحناء واملاء وغالبًا هن النساء العقيامت يأتون لطلب

الربكات وتسهيل الحمل والوالدة.‏

ال حياة بال ذكريات وال ذكريات بال حياة

تأخذنا ذكريات األرضحة اليهودية يف رحلة زمنية من

أيام بابل إىل العراق املعارص،‏ إذ تعود جذور اليهود يف

العراق إىل نحو 2600 عاما وفقًا للتقاليد التوراتية،‏ فقد

وصلوا عام 586 قبل امليالد كأرسى للملك البابيل نبوخذ

نرص الثاين بعد تدمريه هيكل سليامن يف القدس.‏

فمن عصور الرخاء إىل عصور الرقي والرقي،‏ وصوالً‏

إىل الظلم والهروب والرحيل عرب التاريخ واملواقع

الدينية.‏ إن الصورة التي انبثقت من مايض بغداد يف

منتصف ستينيات القرن املايض هي صورة التقارب

واأللفة واملصري املشرتك بني أتباع مختلف ديانات

املدينة.‏

خضعت بالد ما بني النهرين لحكم األتراك

العثامنيني ألكرث من 400 عام،‏ وكان ثلث سكان بغداد

من اليهود.‏ كانت مدينة الخلفاء،‏ شهرزاد،‏ وأرض

جنة عدن،‏ مكانًا ساحرًا عاش فيه اليهود واملسيحيون

واملسلمون جنبًا إىل جنب،‏ حياة بسيطة وهادئة،‏

تُحلب األبقار عىل عتبات املنازل،‏ وال يُطلّ‏ العامل

الخارجي إال من خالل فانوس سحري

عاش اليهود يف املدن العراقية منذ أكرث من 2500

عام،‏ يف بابل وبغداد واملوصل،‏ وغريها.‏ كانت بغداد

موطنًا ألكرب جالية يهودية يف العراق،‏ رمبا منذ تأسيسها

يف القرن الثامن.‏ بحلول عام 1908، بلغ عدد يهود

بغداد حوايل 53,000 نسمة،‏ أي ما يقارب ثلث إجاميل

سكان بغداد،‏ وسكنوا يف أحياء عديدة،‏ منها التوراة،‏

وتحت التكية،‏ وأبو سيفني،‏ وسوق حنون.‏ ورغم

انخراط اليهود يف السياسة املحلية،‏ بدأت توترات

جديدة تتصاعد بينهم وبني املسلمني،‏ مام أدى إىل

أعامل شغب معادية لليهود يف 15 أكتوبر/ترشين

األول 1908، وأجربت الحرب العاملية األوىل العديد

منهم عىل الفرار من املدينة.‏

شهد يهود العراق والدة دولة جديدة ‏)العراق(‏

تحت إدارة الربيطانيني،‏ لكن كل يشء بدأ يتغري يف

ثالثينيات القرن املايض.‏ فبعد االستقالل،‏ سقطت

البالد يف أيدي املتعاطفني مع النازية،‏ وبلغت ذروتها

باستيالء مؤيدي النازية عىل السلطة،‏ مام دفع ترششل

إىل إحداث تغيري يف النظام لضامن مصالح بريطانيا

النفطية الحيوية يف العراق.‏

يف أربعينيات وخمسينيات القرن املايض،‏ تعرضت

الجالية اليهودية للرسقة والقتل والتهجري.‏ غادروا البالد

لسببني:‏ أوالً‏ ، ظنوا أن انقالب رشيد عايل الكًيالين عام

1941 حدث بالتواطؤ مع النازيني.‏ ثانيًا،‏ واجه يهود

العراق موجة غضب عارم يف أعقاب الهجرة اليهودية

العاملية إىل فلسطني لبناء دولة يهودية.‏ هُجّر معظمهم

بني عامي 1949-1950 بعد قيام دولة إرسائيل.‏

يف عام 1948، بلغ عدد الجالية اليهودية يف بغداد

حوايل 77000 ومع ذلك،‏ بدأ املجتمع اليهودي يخىش

الحياة يف بغداد بعد حوادث الفرهود،‏ التي وقعت

يف األول من يونيو عام 1941 وأسفرت عن مقتل 130

يهوديًا يف بغداد وفقدان املاليني من أرضار لحقت

باملمتلكات.‏ استمرت مأساة الفرهود املروعة يومني،‏

وكانت مبثابة انتكاسة كبرية أخرى للشعب اليهودي،‏

مام أدى إىل رحيل إحدى أقدم املجتمعات اليهودية يف

العراق إىل األبد.‏

ألهمت مذبحة الفرهود منو الصهيونية والشيوعية

بني أقلية من اليهود يف بغداد الذين شعروا بانفصال

متزايد عن الدولة العراقية،‏ وزادت التفجريات التي

وقعت طوال خمسينيات القرن املايض من عزلة

املجتمع اليهودي،‏ وبحلول عام 1952 مل يبقَ‏ يف العراق

سوى حوايل 6000 يهودي.‏ بحلول عام 1951 غادر

96٪ منهم وتبع ذلك تقريبًا كل من بقي بعد عمليات

اإلعدام العلنية ل”الجواسيس اإلرسائيليني”‏ عام 1969

عىل يد حزب البعث.‏

وتبع ذلك عقود من الرصاع وعدم االستقرار،‏ مع

حرب الثامنينيات بني إيران والعراق،‏ وغزو الكويت،‏

والحصار الدويل،‏ والغزو األمرييك عام ٢٠٠٣، والعنف

الذي تاله،‏ جميعها أكملت تآكل املجتمع اليهودي.‏ لقد

عاىن املجتمع اليهودي املزيد من العنف يف ظل نظام

صدام حسني وبعده،‏ وبحلول عام ٢٠٠٣ تم إغالق آخر

كنيس يهودي يف بغداد.‏

يف الواقع،‏ لعقود بعد ‏“التسقيط”‏ ‏)سحب

الجنسية(،‏ عربّ‏ يهود العراق يف كثري من األحيان عن

شعورهم باإلحباط من الخيانة من جانب كل من

العراق وإرسائيل.‏ وعربّ‏ ت عبارة ‏“باعونا”‏ - أي ‏“باعونا”‏

- عن شعور مرير بانعدام الوطنية وخيانة ذوي

القرىب،‏ ما بني الخوف ما قبل املغادرة ومن االضطهاد

إذا ما بقوا يف العراق إىل مواجهة مواقف استرشاقية

أوروبية-إرسائيلية بعد وصولهم اىل ارسائيل.‏ ومل يكن

هذا الشعور بالغربة املزدوجة بعد ‏“التسقيط”‏ متوافقًا

مع الرواية الرسمية إلنقاذ اليهود من مضطهديهم

املسلمني الدامئني،‏ ولكنه حوّل هجرة اليهود العراقيني

إىل قصة كبش فداء يُضحى به عىل مذبح الرصاع

العريب-اإلرسائييل.‏

ومن عجائب الزمان ويف أعقاب نزوحهم من

العراق وصدمة وصولهم إىل إرسائيل،‏ عاىن يهود

العراق،‏ إىل جانب يهود الرشق األوسط عمومًا،‏ من

اإلقصاء والرفض والتهميش من قبل اليهود األوربيني،‏

وشاع التعبري بينهم ‏“يف العراق كنا يهودًا،‏ ويف إرسائيل

نحن عرب”.‏

لقد وثّقنا يف هذه املقاالت جزءاً‏ من تاريخ مكون

اصيل سكن بالد الرافدين وساهم يف بناء العراق

الحديث وتناولنا مراحل اليأس،‏ واألىس،‏ وفرتة الصداقة،‏

والتعايش.‏ إذ تروي األرضحة اليهودية قصة مجتمع

يهودي رافديني متحرض ومتكامل يف قلب شبه

الجزيرة العربية اإلسالمية،‏ وتتحدث إلينا هذه األحجار

اليوم،‏ وتقدم لنا نظرة ثاقبة عىل ثقافة وعادات وحياة

مجتمع عريق جرفته التيارات العنيفة للصهيونية

الحديثة والنازية األملانية والقومية العربية.‏ وتتيح لنا

ذكريات هذه املعابد فهامً‏ أفضل ألهميتها بالنسبة

للمجتمعات التي أسستها واستخدمتها عىل مر

السنني،‏ وكذلك لكيفية سعي املجتمعات الالحقة إىل

ترسيخ ذاكرتها وهويتها املشرتكة بعد الهجرة املستمرة

لألقليات خارج العراق.‏ ولألسف،‏ فإن الفوىض وتدمري

مجتمع متناغم هو امتداد ملرض ديني مُعدٍ‏ ال يزال

ينترش يف العراق اليوم ويشمل السياسات املعقدة يف

الرشق األوسط.‏

إن الجهود الدولية النادرة إلنقاذ البقايا القليلة

من األثريات يف العراق ال تكفي للحفاظ عىل ما تبقى

من ذكريات مجتمع يهودي كان مزدهراً‏ يف يوم من

األيام.‏ وبينام يتم ترميم الكنوز التاريخية التي دمرها

الجهاديون يف العراق،‏ فإن الجهود الدولية إلنقاذ

الرتاث اليهودي مل تكن كافية مبا يف ذلك كنيس مئري

طويق.‏

وهذه كلها دروس من فصول التأريخ الحديث

لوطن مزقته عقود من الحرب والفساد والجامعات

الدينية املسلحة التي تبتز كل ما تريد يا لألسف.‏

ونأمل يوماً‏ أن يصبح العراق والرشق األوسط منطقةً‏

تفيض بنور املحبة والسالم،‏ وتنعم برحمة وبركة

السامء.‏

املصادر:‏ ويكيبيديا،‏ ‏“املزارات اليهودية يف العراق”‏

للدكتورة وسن حسني محيميد،‏ ذكريات عدن لفيوليت

شمش،‏ يهود العراق ‏)تاريخهم وأحوالهم وهجرتهم(‏

ليعقوب يوسف كوريا،‏ الشوق إىل تاريخ يهود العراق،‏

‏“نزهة املشتاق يف تاريخ يهود العراق”،‏ نُرش عام

1922، ليوسف رزق الله غنيمة،‏ تاريخ يهود العراق

يف القرن العرشين ملري برصي،‏ بغداد األمس - صناعة

يهودي عريب لساسون سوميخ،‏ صور ليفي كالنيس،‏

روبرت فيلبوت،‏ بريتانيكا - جينيفر مورتوف.‏


CULTURE & HISTORY

أنبياء اليهود يف بالد الرافدين – مواقع ومراقد وقصص وأساطري-‏ الجزء الثالث

بقلم د عضيد مريي

ذات أهمية ثقافية ودينية هائلة تقف رموزًا خالدة

لإلخالص والتقاليد،‏ منها مخطوطات التوراة املكتوبة

بخط بديع عىل جلد الغزال وهي محفوظة داخل

خزانة مصممة بدقة،‏ إذ تشهد هذه املخطوطات عىل

قرون من الرتاث الروحي والصمود والوطنية.‏ تحمل

اللوحات الرخامية التي تزين جدران الكنيس صورًا

محفورة لشمعدانات سباعية الفروع ومزامري مقدسة،‏

مبثابة تذكارات مؤثرة بإميان الجالية اليهودية يف بغداد

الراسخ ومثابرتها الجادة وسط صخب املدينة،‏ وليومنا

يقف كنيس مئري طويق كمنارة أمل واستمرارية،‏

ومالذًا جغرافياً‏ وتاريخيا تتناغم فيه أصداء املايض مع

وعدٍ‏ كان يأمل مبستقبل نابض بالحياة.‏

تأثر الكنيس خالل اضطهاد اليهود يف العراق

وترضر أيضً‏ ا خالل مناسبات متكررة من االضطرابات

والحروب.‏ تم ترميمه يف عام 1985 من قبل صدام

حسني وتم توسيعه بشكل أكرب يف عام 1988. مل يعد

كنيس مئري طويق يف بغداد قيد االستخدام ففي عام

2003، حاولت ما تبقى من افراد الجالية اليهودية

يف البتاويني حامية الكنيس بعد أن دمرت هجامت

إرهابية يف إسطنبول كنيسً‏ ا آخر.‏ إذ بعد غزو العراق

عام 2003، كان الكنيس يف خوف من استهدافه يف

الهجامت.‏ اليوم،‏ تقوم مجموعة صغرية من اليهود،‏

برفقة املسلمني،‏ برعاية مبنى الكنيس.‏

ركزت املقاالت حول املقامات اليهودية املقدسة يف

العراق ‏)األجزاء األول والثاين والثالث(‏ عىل تسليط

األضواء عىل تاريخ ومحنة األقليات العرقية األصيلة

يف العراق،‏ التي كانت مُتارس حقوقها املدنية والدينية

يف البداية وكذلك املؤامرات التي استهدفت الجالية

اليهودية وأجربتها عىل الهجرة إىل إرسائيل،‏ فضالً‏

عن تهجري املسيحيني واملندائيني واليزيدين بعدهم

وبعرثتهم حول العامل.‏

الجالية اليهودية العراقية ازدهرت ألكرث من 2500

عام يف بالد الرافدين،‏ ثم شهدت نزوحًا كامالً‏ بسبب

مجموعة من العوامل،‏ منها االضطهاد وعدم االستقرار

السيايس والتمييز يف القوانني التي رسخت التفرقة

وروح العنرصية واالستبداد.‏ إذ بعد سبعة عقود من

نزوحهم الجامعي،‏ ال تزال قصة رحيل يهود العراق

غري واضحة،‏ حتى داخل الجالية املُهجّرة نفسها.‏

فبعد وجودٍ‏ متواصلٍ‏ أللفي عام ونصف يف بالد ما

بني النهرين،‏ أصبحت الحياة مستحيلة لهم يف أعقاب

دوامة تاريخية تولدت من رصاعات قوى سياسية

محلية طاغية وأيديولوجيات دولية متضاربة،‏ حيث

أدى سقوط اإلمرباطورية العثامنية،‏ وما تاله من حكم

االستعامر الربيطاين،‏ وظهور الحركات القومية اليهودية

والعربية،‏ إىل ضغوط سياسية داخلية وخارجية عىل

املجتمع اليهودي العراقي مام أدى اىل دفعهم يف

اتجاهني متعاكسني،‏ انتهى بهم األمر إىل أن يكونوا

ضحايا لأليديولوجيات املتحاربة.‏

بالنسبة لدولة العراق الناشئة أدت تلك الكارثة

التأريخية إىل خسارة وفقدان تراث ثقايف غني،‏ ونزوح

أعداد كبرية من السكان املنتجني واملتعلمني،‏ ورحيل

مواطنني نابضني بالحياة،‏ وتدهور الهياكل الدينية

واملؤسسات االجتامعية،‏ مبا يف ذلك املعابد اليهودية

واملدارس واملواقع الدينية.‏

يف هذا الجزء الثالث واألخري سنتناول خمسة مواقع

يهودية:‏

-11 كنيس مئري طويق يف بغداد

يتعرض تاريخ الجالية اليهودية العراقية،‏ التي كانت

نابضة بالحياة يف املايض،‏ وهي من أقدم الجاليات

اليهودية يف العامل،‏ لخطر جسيم بسبب عقود من

الرصاع وعدم االستقرار السيايس واإلهامل للمواقع

التاريخية،‏ مثل املعابد واملدارس،‏ التي مازالت تتدهور

أو تُدمر،‏ وقد فُقد الكثري بالفعل بسبب االستيالء أو

البيع اال مرشوع أو التدهور البطيء والتقادم واالنهيار.‏

ففي حي مزدحم بالعاصمة العراقية يقف كنيس

مئري طويق كجوهرة متألقة وسط النسيج البرشي

النابض بالحياة ملنطقة البتاويني ببغداد،‏ ليس فقط

مكانًا للعبادة،‏ بل أيضً‏ ا شهادة عىل صمود الجالية

اليهودية يف املنطقة.‏ ولألسف اختفت الحياة يف هذا

الكنيس الذي كان مزدهرًا يف املايض؛ إذ ال يفتح

الكنيس الوحيد يف بغداد ابوابه إال نادرًا،‏ وال يوجد فيه

حاخامات وال ما ميُ‏ يز هذا املبنى الطابوقي الباهت،‏

سوى نقش عربي فوق املدخل.‏

لقد شُ‏ يّد كنيس مئري طويق بني األعوام -1942

1946. وسُ‏ مي عىل اسم مئري طويق،‏ رجل األعامل

اليهودي من بغداد،‏ ويف تلك الفرتة،‏ كان للعراق

جالية يهودية مزدهرة تضم 150 ألف شخص،‏ يعيش

معظمهم يف بغداد.‏ وكان الكنيس مبثابة مكان رئييس

لعبادة يهود بغداد ويأرس بهائه املعامري زواره مبزيجه

املتناغم من التفاصيل الدقيقة والتصميم املزخرف

والطابع البغدادي األثري العتيق.‏

ومل يُبنَى كنيس مئري طويق يف بغداد عىل يد فرد

واحد،‏ بل عىل يد الجالية اليهودية املقيمة يف بغداد

آنذاك.‏ إذ ميُ‏ ثل إنشاء الكنيس جهدًا جامعيًا يعكس

الروح الجامعية والتفاين لدى يهود بغداد وعادةً‏ ما

ينطوي البناء عىل تعاون داخل املجتمع،‏ حيث يساهم

األعضاء باملوارد واألموال والعاملة وقد يكون ألفراد

معينني دور قيادي إلقامة هذه األماكن املقدسة.‏

يقع الكنيس يف حي البتاويني،‏ الذي كان سابقًا الحي

اليهودي الرئييس يف بغداد،‏ وتأسس يف أوائل ثالثينيات

القرن املايض،‏ وسكنه بقية السكان البغداديني من

مسيحيني وإسالم الحقًا بعد أحداث الفرهود عام

.1941

يُشبه دخول كنيس مئري طويق يف بغداد دخول عامل

من الجامل السامي والتبجيل الروحي.‏ إذ تُحيط عظمة

أعمدة البناء الداخلية الشاهقة املكونة من طابقني بالزوار،‏

وهو معروف ببنائه املزخرف وميُ‏ ثل كل عمود شهادة عىل

قوة ومرونة املجتمع الذي يخدمه الكنيس.‏ وتبدو الجدران

املزينة بدرجات اللون األزرق الساموي وكأنها مُتتد إىل ما

ال نهاية،‏ مام يخلق جوًا أثرييًا يتجاوز االهتاممات الدنيوية.‏

وعندما يقرتب املرء من خزانة التوراة املقدسة،‏ تتجىل

براعة الصنع الدقيقة يف كل تفصيل وكل خطوة تؤدي إىل

هذا املستودع املوقر تشهد عىل مهارة الحرفيني،‏ بزخارف

دقيقة منحوتة بإتقان يف الخشب،‏ تدعو املصلني للتوقف

والتأمل يف قدسية املكان.‏

داخل حدود هذا املكان املقدس تكمن كنوز

-12 مقام الحاخام يويس الجلييل أو ‏)الجليلية(‏ يف بغداد

هناك شخصية تاريخية تُعرف باسم الحاخام يويس

‏)أو يوسف(‏ الجلييل،‏ وهو عاملٌ‏ جليلٌ‏ من القرن الثاين

امليالدي،‏ ويُعرف أيضً‏ ا باسم يويس بن حالفته.‏ ويبدو

أن اسم ‏“الجلييل”‏ هو اسمٌ‏ رمبا يعود إىل أصله من

منطقة الجليل يف فلسطني.‏

وهناك اختالف بني السكان املحليني إذ يُشري

املسلمون إىل أن مقامًا يف بغداد يعود ألحد أوليائهم،‏

وهو الشيخ عبد القادر الكيالين،‏ بينام يقول اليهود إن

هذا املقام يعود للحاخام يويس الجلييل أو ‏)الجليلية(.‏

وال يزال هذا األمر محل نزاع بني الطرفني رغم بقاء

املقام مقدساً‏ عند الطرفني.‏

-13 مقام النبي دانيال - كركوك

يقع مسجد النبي دانيال يف كركوك،‏ العراق.‏ ويرتبط

مقام النبي دانيال مبواقع متعددة يف الرشق األوسط

وآسيا أشهرها يقع يف سمرقند،‏ أوزبكستان يُعتقد

أن مرقد دانيال موجودًا فيه.‏ ويقال بأن مقام املبنى

األصيل كان كنيسً‏ ا يهوديًا حُوِّل إىل كنيسة مسيحية.‏

وتروي التقاليد املحلية أن الكنيسة حُوِّلت فيام بعد يف

عهد الخليفة عمر بن عبد العزيز اىل مسجد.‏ ويعود

تاريخ املبنى الحايل إىل بداية العرص التيموري،‏ وجدده

العثامنيون أيضً‏ ا.‏

ويُقال إن السلطات املحلية أهملت املسجد،‏ كام

انهارت بعض أجزاء منه.‏ تبلغ املساحة اإلجاملية

للمسجد 400 مرت مربع،‏ وله قبتان زرقاوتان

ومئذنة واحدة مصنوعة من الطوب ومزينة ببالط

القاشاين،‏ ويعود تاريخها إىل العرص العثامين.‏ كان

اليهود يصعدون إىل قلعة مدينة كركوك التي يبلغ

Meir Taweiq


ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE

Michigan’s Marijuana Market Matures

BY PAUL NATINSKY

Michigan’s marijuana market

is emerging as one of

the most mature in a vastly

complex web extending across the

country. But the state’s status is a

mixed blessing, according to some of

the industry’s stakeholders.

The biggest and most ironic conundrum

affecting weed sellers remains

the drug’s federal illegal status

contrasted with regulation that varies

from state to state. The patchwork

of state regulatory approaches that

stitch together the Midwest market

make the industry lucrative, but

tough to navigate.

Michigan has a very low tax on

marijuana—10 percent—compared to

surrounding states, which range from

about 30 percent to more than 50 percent

in added levies at the register,

said Mike Bahoura, an attorney specializing

in cannabis regulation who

owns four dispensaries under the

Pure Cannabis banner.

In the years since the 2018 referendum

legalizing marijuana sales in Michigan,

a greatly relaxed licensing process

evolved into to the state’s regulatory mix

cratering pot prices in Michigan.

Surrounding states such as Illinois

and Ohio feature higher taxes and

more restrictive licensing programs

than Michigan, while Indiana has yet

to legalize marijuana. Bahoura says

this has created colonies of marijuana

stores in border towns in southern

Michigan. Towns like Monroe and

New Buffalo have dozens of dispensaries

dotting their landscapes—so

much so that New Buffalo has earned

the moniker “New Puffalo.”

Nick Hannawa of Puff Cannabis

says his company built its business

with stores on the Ohio, Indiana

and Wisconsin borders. Puff has

13 dispensaries in Michigan with

the recent additions of locations in

Menominee and New Buffalo. The

company has also moved into its new

20,000-square-foot headquarters in

Troy, which houses the company’s

in-house marketing department, inhouse

controller, in-house inventory

manager and in-house chef.

The interior of a Puff Cannabis dispensary.

This witches’ brew of low taxes

and loose licensing is accelerated by

state and local tax windfalls.

The first six months of 2025 saw

$1.31 billion in cannabis sales, according

to the Cannabis Regulatory

Agency. Excise taxes collected in 2024

totaled $331 million. License fees for

May 2025 totaled just under $4 million.

So state and local government has

much to gain promoting high-volume

marijuana sales, while proprietors

are left with severe price compression

and low margins.

Homefield Advantage

Pure Cannabis and Puff have succeeded

where national players, such

as TerrAscend and its Gage-branded

stores have failed. In early July,

TerrAscend announced that it was

closing its 20 Michigan locations that

employed more than 200, labeling

the Michigan market “extremely difficult.”

“They weren’t able to weather the

storm. At Puff, we have built a company

that is able weather the storm.

And we’ve been able to continue to

expand,” said Hannawa.

Despite his company’s success,

Hannawa would rather operate in a

controlled market, where licenses are

limited and product prices remain

high enough to support the industry.

Nick Hannawa of Puff Cannabis.

Puff is considering deals in Kentucky

and other states where those conditions

prevail.

High volume and low margins are

familiar to both Hannawa and Bahoura,

both of whom have roots in the

grocery business. Grocery-business

like conditions have been a major factor

in driving out well-financed companies

because the newcomers don’t

understand how to operate in Michigan.

Bahoura says he would much

rather have as neighbor a multi-state

company operated by businesspeople

unfamiliar with the market then a

homegrown Michigan company.

For those thinking about taking a

flier on Michigan’s soaring, but complex

market, bad news. It’s too late.

First to market brands that built a

customer base from the early days are

the ones that are thriving, says Hannawa.

“The days of thinking that you

can be a lone ranger and just apply

for a license and open stores in one or

two cities is basically over.”

“If new potential clients call me,

my best advice is don’t get in the industry,

it’s too late,” said Bahoura.

“It’s really difficult to enter the Michigan

cannabis space at this time if

you’re not already established, if you

don’t already have the network of

vendors and brand partners…it would

be a very difficult time for somebody

to try to open up. And the chances for

success are much smaller than they

were five years ago.”

One Step Forward…

While marijuana market dynamics

continue to evolve, some major regulatory

structures remain at a standstill.

As mentioned, the drug remains illegal

under federal law. While those engaged

in the industry are ignored from

a federal criminal perspective and industry

operatives have figured out how

to perform basic business functions

without the use of federally insured

banks (largely through specialized

credit unions), interstate commerce

involving marijuana is prohibited and

the industry cannot deduct typical

business expenses from its tax bill.

Bahoura says there are some ways

around these restrictions if a dispensary

owner also has growing and processing

operations. But lack of federal

movement continues to be an impediment

to industry growth. He says the

well-financed pharmaceutical industry

with its heavy Washington influence

views marijuana as a threat to

sales of prescription drugs. Bahoura

says the marijuana industry has a tiny

lobbying budget by contrast.

While operating a marijuana business

in Michigan is loaded with challenges,

for those who got in early,

know the state and have weathered

the storm, it seems there is sunshine

on the horizon.


LOOKING TO HIRE?

CAREER

SERVICES

WE HAVE THE PEOPLE!

POST YOUR OPENINGS AND HIRE ONE OF OUR JOB-READY CLIENTS TODAY!

WHAT WE DO

The Career Services Department provides one-on-one

guidance to help clients navigate job placement and build

successful careers.

• Career Fairs

• Employer Referrals

• Job Application Completion

• Training Opportunities

• Resume Building

• Cover Letter Writing

• FAFSA Completion

For more information,

please contact Elias Kattoula at 586-722-7253 or elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org

Chaldean Community Foundation | 3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48310


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Stories That Matter

‘Adjunct’ showcases filmmaker Ron Najor’s wide ranging talents

BY SARAH KITTLE

Ron Najor may not be a household

name—yet—but within the world

of independent film, he’s earned

a reputation for telling deeply human,

heartfelt, multi-layered stories.

Born into a Chaldean-American family

and raised among the entrepreneurial

spirit of small businesses and tight-knit

community ties, Najor has taken a different

path: film. His most recent work, Adjunct,

showcases his talents not only as a filmmaker,

but also as a writer, director, and

actor—all while telling a story rooted in

personal struggle and cultural authenticity.

Recently, I had the pleasant experience

of sitting down with Ron in the CN podcast

studio, along with his uncle and early supporter,

Fred Najor. The conversation peeled

back the layers behind Adjunct and offered

a raw and insightful look into the career of a filmmaker

shaped by his heritage, hardships, and humor.

From Sundance to the Classroom

Ron Najor’s breakout moment came in 2012 with I Am

Not a Hipster, which he produced under the aptly

named Uncle Freddy Productions—a nod to his uncle

Fred, who provided the financial backing that made

the project possible.

“That was really the start,” Najor recalls. “We

shot it with friends and family, and it got into Sundance.

That changed everything for me.”

The following year, he produced Short Term

12, starring then-unknowns Brie Larson and Rami

Malek. That film went on to win both the Grand Jury

Prize and the Audience Award at the 2013 South by

Southwest Film Festival.

Despite these early successes, Najor found himself

back in academia, teaching as an adjunct professor—work

that was meaningful but precarious.

“After Short Term 12, I started teaching part-time just

to make ends meet,” he said. “I was even driving for

Uber. One day I thought, what if a student saw me doing

that? That became the seed for Adjunct.”

A Film That Hits Home

Adjunct, which premiered earlier this year, follows

Amer Yousif, an English professor, struggling writer,

and part-time Uber driver—all roles that mirror Najor’s

own life. It’s a story about ambition, identity,

family pressure, and survival in a system stacked

against the underdog.

“Is Amer me? Not exactly,” Najor explained.

Fred (left) and Ron Najor in the CN podcast studio.

“But a lot of it is based on my life. And the rest is

drawn from other adjuncts I interviewed. I wanted it

to feel authentic.”

Authenticity is the film’s superpower. Not only are

the stories real, so are the people: many characters

are played by Najor’s actual family members and former

students. The family restaurant depicted in the

film is Sahara—an actual family-owned restaurant in

San Diego. The game night scene, full of laughter and

gentle teasing, is pulled directly from his real family’s

weekly Wishliana gatherings.

Even his student-turned-friend and executive producer

makes an appearance as an HR representative

in the film—a subtle yet powerful nod to the idea that

mentorship is a two-way street.

Layered Realities

Beyond its humor and charm, Adjunct is a poignant

critique of America’s adjunct system and the institutional

inequities that underlie it.

“Being an adjunct means you most likely won’t

have healthcare, no pension, and no job security,”

Najor said. “You’re constantly trying to prove yourself

while living paycheck to paycheck. The film industry

can be the same way.”

One particularly resonant moment in the film

comes when Amer discovers that he’s expected to

serve on a university panel for free, while a newly

hired full-time professor, not yet in the system, is

paid a stipend. That, Najor says, is taken directly

from real life.

“People don’t realize how common that is,” he said.

“And it’s not just about money—it’s about being valued.”

Chaldean Identity

Though Adjunct never explicitly states Amer’s ethnicity

beyond Middle Eastern, it’s unmistakably

Chaldean in its spirit. From the family dynamics to

the constant push-pull between tradition and individual

ambition, the cultural cues are rich and relatable.

“There’s always pressure to go into the family

business,” Najor said. “That’s a huge part of our

culture. But I went a different route.”

That tension between forging your own path and

honoring where you come from is a central theme

of Adjunct—and of Najor’s life. “Sometimes I wonder

if I made the right choices,” he admitted. “But I’ve

always had my family’s support, especially from

Uncle Fred, who helped launch my career.”

Fred Najor, sitting beside him in the interview,

beamed with pride. “We always knew Ron was going

to do something special,” he said. “He makes

films that tell a story. Real stories. Not just explosions

and gimmicks.”

For Najor, filmmaking is a vehicle for honesty.

“Whenever I talk to students or mentor young filmmakers,

they always say, ‘You’re the most honest

person we’ve talked to about this business.’ And I

think that’s important.”

Still, despite its heavy themes, Adjunct isn’t a

lecture—it’s a story told with warmth and humor. “I

want people to laugh,” Najor said. “I want them to

feel something, to relate to the characters.”

Though Najor now works full-time as an executive

at a film production company—yes, he finally

has healthcare—he’s still developing new projects

PHOTO BY LAITH AMANOEL


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JACQUELINE RAXTER, LMSW, LPC

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

PROGRAM MANAGER

ELIAS KATTOULA

CAREER SERVICES MANAGER

3601 15 Mile Road

Sterling Heights, MI 48310

TEL: (586) 722-7253

FAX: (586) 722-7257

3601 15 Mile Road


TEL: (586) 722-7253

FAX: (586) 722-7257

jacqueline.raxter@chaldeanfoundation.org

www.chaldeanfoundation.org

elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org


MARYANA SHABO

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST

For all your business and family

immigration needs

MARIAM ABDALLA

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST

CAMARON M. VOYLES

3601 15 Mile Road


TEL: (586) 722-7253

FAX: (586) 722-7257

maryana.shabo@chaldeanfoundation.org


Immigration Attorney & Partner

DIANE E. HUNT

Immigration Attorney & Partner

(248) 406-4100

www.antone.com | law@antone.com

31555 West 14 Mile Road, Suite 100

Farmington Hills, MI 48334

3601 15 Mile Road


TEL: (586) 722-7253

FAX: (586) 722-7257

mariam.abdalla@chaldeanfoundation.org


SANA NAVARRETTE

Membership Director

248.851.1200 office

248.925.7773 cell

chaldeanchamber.com

snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com



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2075 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323

as a producer and director. His recent production,

Lucky Lu, premiered at Cannes and screened in

Toronto, proving that he continues to evolve while

staying grounded in storytelling that matters.

“I’ve got a few ideas brewing,” he said with a

smile. “But I’m not rushing it. I want the next one to

be just as personal.”

When asked what message he hopes audiences

take away from Adjunct, Najor paused before answering:

“Take a swing. Believe in yourself. And

hopefully, like me, you have a family that’s got your

back.”

Whether you’re part of the Chaldean community

or simply someone who’s ever questioned the path

you’re on, Adjunct is a film that speaks with honesty,

heart, and humor. And in Ron Najor, we have a storyteller

worth listening to.

Adjunct is now available to rent or purchase on

Apple, Google Play, and Amazon. And yes—there may

be a special screening coming soon at CCF West.


IN MEMORIAM

OBITUARY

Abdulahad Aboodi

Ablahad

Jan 19, 1934 -

Aug 22, 2025

Sam Daheen

Nov 9, 1960 -

Aug 23, 2025

Salem Murad

Apr 8, 1938 -

Aug 24, 2025

Charlie Jalal Zia

Aug 9, 1953 -

Aug 24, 2025

Nadhir Moshy

Bajoka

Jul 3, 1966 -

August 25, 2025

John Mansour

Peter Kattula

Mar 2, 1949 -

Aug 25, 2025

Gorjia “Gulla”

Jarbo

Jul 1, 1940 -

Aug 25, 2025

Karima Mousa

Jul 1, 1939 -

Aug 25, 2025

Amina Robin

Rayes

Oct 15, 1944 -

Aug 25, 2025

Madiha Shaker

Mansoor

Dec 9, 1937 -

Aug 28, 2025

John Mansour, cherished son of Emanuel and Antoinette

Mansour, was born on December 29, 1968, and went to

Heaven on September 17, 2025. The loving husband of Ann

“Ahlam” Mansour, John was a faithful father to Adriana,

the late Alexander, and the late Gabrielle Mansour and

caring brother of Steven (Zenia) Mansour and Marvin

Mansour. John passed away after a courageous battle with

cancer. He is now reunited in eternal rest with his children,

Alexander and Gabrielle, in God’s loving embrace.

Sami Kraim

Jul 1, 1932 -

Aug 29, 2025

Muna Yaldo

Jul 1, 1953 -

Aug 29, 2025

Professor

Khudaida Shabo-

Khoshaba Oshana

May 20, 1962 -

Aug 30, 2025

Mouayed Jarjees

Jul 1, 1948 -

Sep 1, 2025

Mariam Kizy Alatto

Jul 1, 1937 -

Sep 2, 2025

Twaitha Shamami

Sabagh

Jul 1, 1940 -

Sep 2, 2025

Masaod Daoud

Najor

Jan 23, 1950 -

Sep 3, 2025

Raad Yousif Toma

Jul 1, 1951 -

Sep 4, 2025

Mariam Hermez

Jul 1, 1949 -

Sep 7, 2025

Niemi Isa Ballo

Feb 25, 1926 -

Sep 8, 2025

Virgine Hesano

Dec 2, 1929 -

Sep 8, 2025

Khalid Salim

Kamel

Dec 22, 1955 -

Sep 8, 2025

Najat Yaldo Dally

Jul 1, 1943 -

Sep 10, 2025

Mazen Hazem

Mammo

May 9, 1988 -

Sep 10, 2025

Shawki Easo

Apr 10, 1949 -

Sep 11, 2025

Souad Merim

Ayyar

Jul 1, 1931 -

Sep 13, 2025

Gardane Jebbo

Shana

Jul 1, 1950 -

Sep 15, 2025

Shawki Kammash

“Gamsho”

Jul 1, 1940 -

Sep 16, 2025

Adel Iskander

Cholagh

Nov 1, 1947 -

Sep 11, 2025

Yousif Qitta

Nov 10, 2012 -

Sep 11, 2025

Bashar Allos

Aug 2, 1963 -

Sep 12, 2025

Sameer

Badaweed

Jun 11, 1953 -

Sep 12, 2025

Samir Michael

Oct 16, 1941 -

Sep 12, 2025

Barbara Louise

Elias

Jul 25, 1944 -

Sep 15, 2025


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Go To Business Litigators, Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Oakland County Executive Elite 40 Under 40

Up & Coming Lawyers, Michigan Lawyers Weekly

Attorney on the Rise, Chaldean American Bar

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