MARCH 2019

VOL. 16 ISSUE II
METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY MARCH 2018
$
3
www.chaldeannews.com
MEN OF
FAITH
“AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?”
GENESIS 4:9
INSIDE
ONE ON ONE WITH ELISSA SLOTKIN
CHAMBER GALA AWARDEES
THE SOCIALITES

Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner says:
“April 1 is the
tax foreclosure deadline.
HELP IS AVAILABLE.”
“I am committed to fighting foreclosure to
keep families in their homes and companies
open for business. Foreclosure prevention
protects property values, stabilizes
neighborhoods, and helps keep Oakland
County a great place to live, work, and play.
Help me fight foreclosure by contacting
our office before the April 1, 2019
tax foreclosure deadline if you
or someone you know has
delinquent taxes.”
Call 248-858-0611 OR VISIT oakgov.com/treasurer

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4 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

CONTENTS MARCH 2019
THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 16 ISSUE II
on the cover
20 MEN OF FAITH
BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:9
20
departments
6 FROM THE EDITOR
BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO
All for love
8 IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS
BY MICHAEL SARAFA
In who do we trust?
10 GUEST COLUMNS
BY ASHOURINA SLEWO
First generation American guilt
12 NOTEWORTHY
14 CHAI TIME
16 ECRC CORNER
17 OBITUARIES
33 ONE ON ONE
BY CHALDEAN NEWS
Representative of the 8th District talks about
her relationship with the Chaldean community
34 DOCTOR IS IN
BY JOHNATHON MARKUS M.D.
The importance of colon cancer screening
36 CLASSIFIEDS
38 CHALDEAN ON THE STREET
BY HALIM SHEENA
Preparing for the holiest holiday of the year
features
24 JESUS AND HIS STEPSIBLINGS
BY M. LAPHAM
A Catholic novel that looks at the non-traditional
family in the time of Christ
25 HEY U VOTE!
BY MONIQUE MANSOUR
Finding a need, seeking a change
26 DEVELOPER, RESTAURANTEUR ZAID
ELIA EARNS CHAMBER HONOR
BY PAUL NATINSKY
27 HUMANITY AFTER LOSS
BY ASHOURINA SLEWO
28 A TRIBUTE TO THE
WEST BLOOMFIELD SUPERVISOR
BY LISA CIPRIANO
29 FIGHTING TO WIN,
FIGHTING TO SURVIVE
BY BIANCA KASAWDISH
30 THE SOCIALITES
BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO
More than six decades of a sisterhood and going strong
32 NECESSITY IS THE
MOTHER OF INVENTION
BY MONIQUE MANSOUR
The genesis of the Chaldean cheat sheet
MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 5

from the EDITOR
PUBLISHED BY
The Chaldean News, LLC
All for love
EDITORIAL
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Vanessa Denha Garmo
MANAGING EDITORS
Denha Media Group Writers
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ashourina Slewo
Halim Sheena
Paul Natinsky
Bianca Kasawdish
Johnathon Markus
Monique Mansour
M. Lapham
Lisa Cipriano
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative
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MANAGERS
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THE CHALDEAN NEWS
30095 NORTHWESTERN HWY, SUITE 101
FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334
WWW.CHALDEANNEWS.COM
PHONE: (248) 851-8600
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does
not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps
no record of wrongs.”— 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
The love of sisterhood
Last month, as I sat at Najat George’s house
listening to a group of women in their twilight
years talk about more than 60 years of friendship,
I found myself a bit envious. They are known
as the Socialites who have spent decades laughing,
crying, celebrating and mourning life. Every
woman needs gal pals like this, I thought as I
took notes and munched on fresh fruit and Najat’s
famous takhratha (meat pies).
They walked me through their lives both individually
and collectively. I share this month the story of these Socialites
who convey messages of loyalty, trust and camaraderie.
They are still together after all these years because
they truly love each other as friends and sisters.
The love of brotherhood
Just as there is a sisterhood in our community, there is a
growing brotherhood among the men. This bond is being
birthed out of the Catholic faith. Our cover story is a
spread, much longer than we typically write, because it is
conveying the stories of three different men’s ministries
within the Chaldean community. However, there are
other men and other groups who participate in retreats,
prayer groups and evangelization.
Men of Faith includes voices of many who talk about
their own personal journeys and their efforts to bring others
to Christ. Their love of faith is what unites them.
VANESSA
DENHA-GARMO
EDITOR IN CHIEF
CO-PUBLISHER
other businesses. Zaid Elia as the Business Person
of the Year just makes sense.
Steve Kaplan is an elected leader who is one
of the few true public servants in the country.
We somehow became a country of elected people
with personal agendas. However, Steve Kaplan
is serving in his position just as our founding fathers
intended – with the focus on the constituents.
The West Bloomfield Township Supervisor
knows his community well and the people living
in it. He should serve as an example for others to
follow. He deserves this special tribute.
John and Ann Mansour have done something
so profound yet unintentional in the
midst of a tragedy – they brought a community together
in faith. Through what can only be deep pain that renders
you breathless, this couple emerged from darkness
to shed light on others. There are no two people more
deserving today of the Humanitarian of the Year Award.
They took a horrific accident and turned their pain into
love for others.
It’s all about love anyway
At the end of the day, isn’t that what life is really all about?
Okay, I haven’t figured out the answer to the trillion-dollar
question: What are we doing here? But I do know that
God put us here and God is love. He shares it with us so
we can share it with others.
So, where’s the love?
In your heart!
Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); Published
monthly; Issue Date: March 2019 Subscriptions:
12 months, $25. Publication Address: 30095
Northwestern Hwy., Suite 101, Farmington Hills,
MI 48334; Application to Mail at Periodicals
Postage Rates is Pending at Farmington Hills Post
Office Postmaster: Send address changes to
“The Chaldean News 30095 Northwestern Hwy.,
Suite 101, Farmington Hills, MI 48334”
Love in the community
We also feature three stories tied to the Chaldean American
Chamber of Commerce. These awardees are all so
deserving of recognition. I am honored to know them all
personally. I am really excited to have them elevated and
acknowledged. Zaid Elia is not only a savvy business man
but he is engaging and insightful. Many people can learn
much from this man who has a series of restaurants and
Alaha Imid Koullen
(God Be With Us All)
Vanessa Denha-Garmo
vanessa@denhamedia.com
Follow her on Twitter @vanessadenha
Follow Chaldean News on Twitter @chaldeannews
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6 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 7

it’s the LITTLE THINGS
In who do we trust?
When our oldest
daughter was about
six months old,
her first word was not mama
or dada. It was “hi.” Not only
did she know how to say it she
seemed to sort of know when
to say it. It was sort of extraordinary
actually and it was
kind of cute. But then it also
became annoying because she
would say it all day long every
time a physical person crossed
her line of vision.
MICHAEL G.
SARAFA
SPECIAL TO THE
CHALDEAN NEWS
I would often marvel how this young baby child
was born with an innate sense of wanting to engage
with people. Of course, she was still unconditioned
by her parents and society where she would ultimately
learn that her first reaction should be to be
wary of people she didn’t know.
It didn’t always used to be that way. In the old
days, things seemed simpler and it was a lot easier
to trust people. I had forgotten about a personal
allegory until my brother was giving a toast
at my wedding. It happened probably about 12
years earlier. I was 18, my brother 17. We passed
a guy on the side of the road with a blown-out
tire. He looked desperate. We stopped.
He was a middle aged white guy with a clunker car
who seemed down on his luck. There didn’t seem to
be much we could do to help. He didn’t have much
of a plan and either did we. After some conversation,
he decided he could walk to a pay phone and call for
a ride. But he didn’t have any money and that didn’t
solve the car problem. After a minute, I gave him a
$20 bill and my AAA card provided to me by my Dad
in case anything like that ever happened to me.
The gentleman was extremely grateful. He took
my address and agreed to mail me back the money
and the AAA. I was more worried about the latter not
fully understanding what a AAA card was all about.
My brother correctly pointed out this this seemed like
a bad idea and that our dad was not going to be happy.
He didn’t think the guy would mail anything back
and frankly I wasn’t quite sure about it either.
About two weeks later, an envelope arrived
with three beat up $5 bills and five singles and the
AAA card along with a grammatically challenged
but sincere letter of thanks. Apparently, the episode
made an impression on my younger brother
who took it as a lesson in the transformational
power of being able to trust those we don’t know.
The whole paradigm of trust has shifted, in my
view, in the wrong direction. In politics, Ronald’s
Reagan’s “trust but verify” has turned into a zerosum
game. In society, what was once a natural inclination
to trust has been destroyed by scandals,
abuse and entitlement.
I was invited last month to Kirk in the Hills
for a presentation by Dr. Gregory Ellison, author
of “Fearless Dialogues.” In his book and presentation,
Dr. Ellison reminds us that welcoming
strangers to our midst is not always easy. Yet, Jesus
calls us to welcome strangers as surely as we would
welcome him. Dr. Ellison writes that when we do
not see and hear each other as persons of worth,
we are unable to collaborate and work toward the
change that may be necessary.
That seems to be a great place to start—to begin
to see every person as a person with worth. This is
not a grand or massive requirement. It can be a series
of daily and weekly little things as opportunities to
connect with and trust people present themselves.
In our youthful vigor, my brother and I tried to
get outside our comfort zone to help a stranger. But
by keeping his word and showing us his genuine
goodness, the stranger became a blessing to us--even
though on the surface it may have been seen the
other way around. We trusted him and he didn’t
violate that trust, teaching us a valuable lesson at a
young age--that people are inherently good.
Just as a little baby is born with an innate
sense of trust and belonging, our willingness to
see people as brothers and sisters may be a blessing
in reverse--one that comes back tenfold. Therein
lies the paradoxical and transformational power of
trusting one another.
Trust. Sometimes it’s just a little thing. But you
never know. It could spark a chain of kind acts.
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8 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER?
There are special numbers that we always look forward to.
We pick them. We own them. We love them. We play them.
They’re our Daily 3&4 numbers.
Try your luck on Michigan Lottery Daily 3&4 games. Daily 3 wagers are 50¢ and
$1, and you can win up to $500; a $1 wager for Daily 4 has a top prize of $5,000.
Drawings are twice a day, seven days a week at 12:59 pm and 7:29 pm. Visit your
favorite Lottery retailer and play Daily 3&4.
Odds of winning: Daily 3: Straight: 1 in 1,000; 3-Way Box: 1 in 333; 6-Way Box: 1 in 167; 1-Off Straight: 1 in 1,000; 1-Off One Digit: 1 in 167. Daily 4: Straight: 1 in 10,000; 4-Way Box: 1 in 2,500; 6-Way Box: 1 in 1,666;
12-Way Box: 1 in 833; 24-Way Box: 1 in 416; 1-Off Straight: 1 in 10,000; 1-Off One Digit: 1 in 1,250. Knowing your limits is always the best bet. Call the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline for confidential help at 1-800-270-7117.
MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 9

GUEST column
First generation American guilt
The American Dream is my
blessing and my burden.
As a first generation
American, the fight to achieve the
American Dream is a constant one.
My parents came to this country not
long after they married in 1992. Escaping
persecution and looking for
an opportunity to be more, they have
been here for more than 20 years.
They never achieved the American
Dream, though.
My mother has worked harder
than anyone I know, only to fall short
of her own American Dream. Instead,
she worked tirelessly to make
the American Dream attainable to
me and my siblings. She struggled so
we could have a shot at success. She
passed her dream onto us.
So why do I feel guilty?
Because of a little thing called
first generation American guilt.
Everything is about my family’s
journey to America. It’s a story I
proudly tell. But it’s the same story
that keeps me feeling rigid on my
path, scared to stray or make any
mistakes that are sure to cheapen
everything my mother has done to
make this path a reality.
I can’t falter because somehow,
it’s become my job to lift myself and
Everyone wants to
make their parents
proud. But when
you are the child
of immigrants, it all
becomes a lot
more urgent.
my family away from this dark backstory
and into a bright future. I can’t
take this opportunity for granted so I
have to succeed. I can’t just be smart.
I can’t just graduate. I have to be the
best. I have to make a name for myself.
All in the name of validating my
mother’s journey.
A lot of pressure comes with being
the child of immigrants.
Everyone wants to make their
parents proud. But when you are the
child of immigrants, it all becomes a
lot more urgent. You’re not just passing
your classes because you want to
go to a respectable college, but because
your parents were forced to flee
their home and never had the opportunity
to go to school. Because they
left their home to give their unborn
children the opportunity they knew
they would never have.
DREAM continued on page 14
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10 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

CHALDEAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
16TH ANNUAL
AWARDS DINNER
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2019 / 6:00 P.M. / SHENANDOAH COUNTRY CLUB
5600 WALNUT LAKE ROAD, WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN 48323
HONORING
Business Person of the Year
Zaid Elia
CEO and founder of
The Elia Group
Humanitarians of the Year
John and Ann Mansour
Alexander & Gabrielle
Mansour Memorial Fund
Special Tribute
Steve Kaplan
Supervisor of
West Bloomfield Township
SPECIAL GUEST
Ambassador Fareed Yasseen
Embassy of the Republic of Iraq
along with several other local,
national and international dignitaries
MASTER OF
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Mojo
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noteworthy
Holiday Inn
Grand Opening
Livonia Mayor Dennis Wright joined
Mike and Kenny Koza for the ribbon
cutting at the new Holiday Inn Hotel
at 275 and 6 mile in Livonia on
Thursday January 31, 2019 at 5 p.m.
Just a 20-minute drive to and
from Detroit Metropolitan Airport,
the new Holiday Inn Detroit Northwest
off of 275 is a choice destination
stay for business travelers as well as
visitors to Michigan. The hotel is
just minutes from restaurants, shopping
and entertainment in cities
Meeting the Pope
On November 21, 2018, the Mansour family,
thanks to the wish granted to Adriana
Mansour by Make A Wish Foundation,
were able to meet Pope Francis after the
Pope’s Audience held at St Peter’s Square
in Rome. “We are thankful to be in the
presence of our Holy Father to have the
opportunity to receive his blessing,” said
the Mansour family.
such as Novi, Plymouth, Northville
and Farmington Hills. It also features
a banquet all for both corporate and
personal events such as weddings and
bridal showers.
“This Holiday Inn-Johnny’s Steakhouse
project is the latest of several
hotels to open in Livonia, continuing
several years of incredible economic
development in our community,” said
Dan West, president and CEO of the
Livonia Chamber of Commerce. “We
are grateful for this latest project that
converted a dated hotel and restaurant
into a fresh new property.”
New Shenandoah
Board Members
The Shenandoah Country Club
board members met in early
January to elect new board
members. The following were
chosen to sit on the board.
State of the City
at Regency
Regency Manor of Southfield is undergoing
extensive exterior renovations
just in time to host the annual State
of the City address organized by the
Southfield Chamber of Commerce.
The event brings together Southfield
and Lathrup Village residents,
businesses, and government leaders to
discuss the future of the cities, build
strategic partnerships and to network.
The event, presented by Beaumont,
will feature speeches from Southfield
Mayor Kenson Siver and Lathrup Village
Mayor Kelly Garret along with remarks
from Beaumont President.
“We always make a point to host
the State of the City in Southfield
and this year we will be doing the
annual address on March 18 at the
Regency Manor,” said Mayor Siver.
“The Regency is a great facility and
we are looking forward to highlighting
the year’s accomplishments and
looking to the future. We’re also
looking forward to employing the
new audio-visual equipment that Regency
has included with their renovations
to give our presentation.”
The renovated exterior will compliment
the elegance of the newly
renovated interior.
Designed to accommodate both
social and corporate events, the newly
renovated luxury hall will offer a
number of amenities for guests.
The venue offers a, “newly renovated
luxury hall with classic, sophisticated
and elegant décor providing a
brilliant ambiance for any special occasion
or event. Designed with high
ceilings, magnificent crystal chandeliers,
two full bars and more than
7,000 Sq. ft of distinctive elegance,
our superbly equipped facility has
been designed to accommodate social
and corporate events alike.”
In addition to these renovations,
Regency Manor offers a “truly
unique” menu and an experienced
staff to bring their guests the perfect
experience.
These renovations to the venue
will be complete just in time to host
the Southfield State of the City address
in mid-March.
Mayor Kenson J. Siver will be giving
his annual State of the City address
on Monday, March 18 at 10:00
a.m. Joining Mayor Siver will be
Lathrup Village Mayor Kelly Garret.
The mayors’ joint address will bring
together residents from both Southfield
and Lathrup Village, businesses,
and government leaders under one
roof to discuss each city’s future, build
strategic leaderships, and network.
“We will be ready to host Mayors
Siver and Garret as they give their annual
State of the City addresses,” said
Jason Najor of Regency Manor. “We
are honored to share and showcase
our beautifully renovated hall while
hosting an event where members of
the community can join their representatives
and leaders in conversations
about the progress of their city.”
Tickets to the State of the City
address can be purchased online.
Tickets must be purchased in advance
as they will not be sold after
March 13 and will not be sold at the
door. Tickets include a plated lunch,
refreshments, valet and coat check.
https://www.southfieldchamber.com/
state-of-the-city-address/
Chaldean News Goes
to Land Down Under
Reader Ban Manna took the February
issue of the Chaldean News on
vacation with her to Australia.
President:
Raad Kathawa
Vice President:
Jamal Kalabat –
Treasurer:
Oliver Bahoura
Secretary:
Nada Jamoua
Officers:
Hani Mio
Patrick Kattoo
Saad Abbo
Kal Najar
Raid Putrus
Raad Kathawa
Receiving
of the Habit
On Saturday, February 2, Postulants
Monique Setto and Angie Kassab
received their habits and religious
names. Becoming Sr. Mary Bernadette
and Sr. Maria Immaculata respectively,
they took this next step in
their formation at Mother of God.
12 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

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MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 13

CHAI time
CHALDEANS CONNECTING
COMMUNITY EVENTS IN AND AROUND METRO DETROIT MARCH 2019
Saturday, March 2
Surviving the Social Jungle: Kids Empowered
is hosting their third annual
Surviving the Social Jungle Conference
for parents, students (grades 3
through 8), and professionals on Saturday,
March 2 at 9:00 a.m. Hosted at
the Academy of the Heart in Bloomfield
Hills, this conference will address the
management of unfriendly peers and
prevent bullying. Shortly after the Surviving
the Social Jungle Conference,
Kid Empowered will be hosting the
Teens Empowered Conference at 1:00
p.m. Open to parents, teens (grades 8
through high school), and professionals,
the Teens Empowered Conference
will be about new strategies for addressing
the challenges that teens are
facing today. Tickets can be purchased
for $16 in advance or $20 at the door.
Tickets can be purchased online at
the following links: Surviving the social
jungle: https://survivingthesocialjungle.
com Teens Empowered: http://teensempowered.org/
Saturday, March 2
Music: The Berman will be hosting
Nashville Hurricane, a one-man guitar
epic for two nights only. Catch the
one-man show on Saturday, March 2
at 8:00 p.m. or on Sunday, march 3
at 4:00 p.m. A manager, a mentor, a
mother, and a guitar prodigy tell their
versions of what happened to the legendary
fretboard phenomenon known
as the “Nashville Hurricane.” Filled with
furious finger picking and unforgettable
characters, the Nashville Hurricane will
blow you away. For more information
or to purchase tickets, call (248) 661-
1900 or visit www.theberman.org
Saturday, March 2
Masked Ball: The Medallion, Macomb’s
Gala event will be hosted at
Penna’s of Sterling in Sterling Heights
on Saturday, March 2 at 6:00 p.m. All
proceeds from this fundraising event
will benefit the Trauma and Surgical
EMPOWERED
Services at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital.
Medallion Award honorees will be
recognized at this black-tie event. In
addition, the evening will feature dining,
dancing, mock gaming, and package
raffles. Tickets are priced at $250.
For more information or to purchase
tickets, call (586) 263-2968.
Friday, March 8
Empty Bowls Detroit: Empty Bowls
Detroit is returning to Eastern market
on Friday, March 8 from 5:00 to
10:30 p.m. The evening of celebration
with live entertainment, wine/beer, and
soups from Detroit-area restaurants to
benefit the Cass Community Social
Services food program. Guests will
take home a ceramic bowl as a reminder
that someone’s bowl is always empty.
Local celebrities will be serving soup
at the event. The Empty Bowls Detroit
auction of custom-painted bowls by celebrities
will be on display. Tickets are
priced at $50 and include soup, bread,
beer/wine, cheese, and dessert. Attendees
must be 21 years or older. For
more information or to purchase tickets,
visit emptybowlsdetroit.com
Saturday, March 9
Night in the City: The McLaren Macomb
Foundation will be celebrating
The Crystal Ball: “Night in the City” on
Saturday, March 9, at the MGM Grand
Detroit at 6:00 p.m. The 34th annual
black-tie gala will feature a cocktail reception
and gourmet dinner, followed
by a raffle and live auction. Guests can
enjoy music by Nouveauté. The expected
crowd of more than 600 will honor
the long-term members of the McLaren
Macomb medical staff and recognize
the exemplary work of 2019’s four
Daisy Award-winning nurses. All proceeds
from the evening will benefit the
new McLaren Macomb In-Patient Rehabilitation
Center. Tickets are priced
at $275. For more information or to
purchase tickets, call (586) 741-4330.
Saturday, March 9
Monte Carlo Night: Join the Belle Isle
Boat House on Saturday, March 9 at
7:00 p.m. for their third annual Monte
Carlo Night to experience its monumental
history. Upon arrival to the red
carpet, guests will be transported to an
evening of vintage glamour in the form
of live entertainment, casino gaming,
hors d’oeuvres, raffles, private drink
service, and culinary stations — all set
against a historic architectural backdrop.
All event proceeds will benefit
further renovations to the boat house.
For more information or to purchase
tickets, visit belleisleboathouse.com
Friday, March 15
Grief Support: Join Allnette as they host
a grief support and recovery night on
Friday, March 15 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
at the Southfield Pavillion. This night is
specifically tailored for individuals who
lost a parent or have suffered any type of
loss. It offers a safe place to seek advice
and support amongst other families.
Some of the most comforting words in
the universe are “me too”. This group
will offer the opportunity for individuals
to honor the life of their loved one by
expressing feelings of personal loss and
grief, learn from others who have experienced
a similar loss, get support, care
and help in a non-judgmental and confidential
environment. For more information,
call (248) 491-8116.
Monday, March 18
State of the City: Hosted at the newly
renovated Regency Manor, the mayors
of Southfield and Lathrup Village
will be giving a joint State of the City
address on March 18 at 10:00 a.m.
The Regency Manor recently underwent
major renovations just in time to
host the State of the City. The venue
offers a, newly renovated luxury hall
with classic, sophisticated and elegant
décor providing a brilliant ambiance
for any special occasion or event. Designed
with high ceilings, magnificent
crystal chandeliers, two full bars and
more than 7,000 Sq. ft of distinctive
elegance, our superbly equipped facility
has been designed to accommodate
social and corporate events alike.
Tickets to this event can be purchased
online https://www.southfieldchamber.
com/state-of-the-city-address/
DREAM continued from page 10
Everything I do is to uplift my
mother and use the opportunity she
gave me to the fullest extent.
It’s a running joke in my family
that when I walked across the stage
at my commencement in 2017 that
my mother should have waked the
stage with me, gotten a degree with
me. But it’s not a joke. It’s the truth.
Her sacrifices are the reason I could
even make it to class every single day
and finally walk across the stage to
receive my degree.
Those sacrifices are the reason
I can’t slip up. If I do, I’m squandering
the opportunity that she
worked so hard to give me.
I get frustrated at times and start
to wonder what it would be like if I
was not first generation American.
What if I was just like everybody
else I grew up with and my parents
had been born in the United States?
I quickly squash those thoughts,
though, because I have overcome
way too much and worked too hard
for this to bring me down. I’m proud
of my story. But I can’t help it when
the guilt eats away at me and make
me feel as though every single one of
my actions has to somehow pay homage
to my mother’s sacrifices.
It’s my job to validate the risks
my mother took and the challenges
she faced so I could have a taste of
the coveted American Dream. It’s a
heavy burden, the American Dream.
Now, I’m not complaining about
the opportunities I’ve been given
or even having to make my mother
proud – I appreciate them more than
anyone will ever know. However, as a
first generation American, everything
you do slowly becomes about your
parents and their sacrifices and less
about your own individual journey.
Where in the book does it say
that I have to sacrifice pieces of myself
to make my mother proud?
She’s certainly never said this
was the case. She just wants me to
be happy. But I can’t shake these
thoughts that I have to do it for her. I
want to do it for her, but I’ve allowed
this guilt to cloud a lot of my own
journey.
It’s hard to put these thoughts
into words; it almost feels selfish to
voice them (there’s that guilt I was
talking about), but my fellow firstgeneration
Americans will understand
where I’m coming from.
14 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

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MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 15

ECRC corner
Faithful: Husbands and fathers leading
families to Christ
What is the role
of the father in
today’s family?
Most of the people reading
this will say “to provide for
his wife and children and
to ensure their financial
future.” That statement is
absolutely true. It is one of
the roles of the father in the
family, but is it the most important
role?
According to the secular
world, the father’s role is a fourfold
plan: a provider, a protector, a leader,
and a teacher. The questions I pose:
what are we teaching our families?
Where are we leading our families?
Let’s address the first question.
What are we teaching our families?
God the Father has given us our
wives and children as gifts to us.
We don’t own them or have control
over them; they belong to God and
He has blessed us with this beautiful
treasure. Our first and foremost duties
as a father is to raise our children
in the faith. We start by teaching
them morals and values according to
what God has written on the human
heart of every man, “The natural law
is written and engraved in the soul of
each and every man” (CCC 1954).
Since we are made in the image
and likeness of God, we have a
JEFF KASSAB
SPECIAL TO THE
CHALDEAN NEWS
deep desire in us to teach
our children the truths
about the Trinitarian family.
(1 Timothy 3:5) for if a
man does not know how to
manage his own household,
how can he care for God’s
Church?
According to St. Paul, a
father must be able to be the
head of the household and
take control of his family
and be the father that God
has created him to be. Now, this does
not mean that a woman has no role
or say in all of this. What it means
is that, we were created in a certain
order with certain roles given to each
parent. God created man and woman
equal; He created woman from the
rib of man, the center of his body to
make her equal with him. Not above
the rib, so she cannot say, “I will rule
over you” and not beneath the rib
so man cannot say “I will rule over
you,” but from the center so they
can say “let’s do this together as one
flesh” (Gen 2:24) Therefore, a man
leaves his father and his mother and
clings to his wife, and they become
one flesh.
The next question I asked: “where
are we leading our families?” Before I
answer this question, it is important
that this role be done as parents; it
cannot be done alone. The husband
needs the support of his wife and the
wife needs the support of her husband.
How can the children see the
love their parents have for the Trinity?
The relationship with God the
Father should be top priority; a true
father should love his wife.
The love and friendship that he
has with his wife should be indispensable.
This love should not stagnate, or
When your children
grow up and have
no clue who Jesus is
or what he has done
for them, don’t be
disappointed with
your children, be
disappointed with
yourself.
worse yet, fizzle out. On the contrary,
his human love blessed supernaturally
by the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
should blossom, grow, and flourish
until the moment of death. The father
should love his children and see
them as a precious treasure that God
has given to him with the primary
purpose of bringing these little ones
to their ultimate destiny, which is
heaven. A child is a gift given to a father
and mother but with the primary
purpose of the parents being ladders
by which the children can climb to
heaven. Fathers must lead their families
to Jesus Christ.
If a father does not know Jesus,
how is he going to get his children
to know Him? When your children
grow up and have no clue who Jesus
is or what he has done for them,
don’t be disappointed with your children,
be disappointed with yourself.
You must provide for the spiritual
needs of your children. Teach
them to pray as soon as possible.
Children have brains like sponges.
Whether they absorb dirty water or
clean water, is up to you. The father
should be a man of prayer and not
be afraid to show it publicly. A man
is at his greatest when he is on his
knees in prayer!
He should pray with his family –
the blessing of meals, family Rosaries
and active participation in the Holy
Mass. A father should pray frequently
and fervently for his family for their
protection from all evils— physical,
moral, spiritual—and for his family’s
sanctification and salvation. An authentic
Christian father should have
his eyes fixed on heaven at all times
and stay aware of the world and the
dangers that menace the flock (his
wife and children) entrusted to him.
The greatest desire of the father for
his family should be the salvation
of their immortal souls. Jesus said,
“What would it profit a man if he
gains the whole world and loses his
soul in the process? What can we offer
in exchange for our immortal soul?”
Man must constantly be in a deep
relationship with God. His wife must
be cherished as the greatest gift on
earth, and his children should be
treasured as priceless gems. Saint
Joseph was the greatest earthly father
ever created; we should turn to
him for his intercession and for his
fatherly instincts. He is the patron
of families, patron of fathers; he will
help us and guide us to be the best
fathers we can be.
St. Joseph foster father of Jesus,
pray for us.
Jeff Kassab has a BA in Pastoral
Theology and is on the board of the
Eastern Catholic Re-evangelization
Center (ECRC).
16 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

obituaries
Don Peter Cassa
July 5, 1923-January 31, 2019
Dear family and friends:
We regret the loss of the late Don Cassa.
Son of Peter and Zarifa Cassa.
Husband of Bahija Cassa.
Father of Michael Cassa; Donna Merogi
and her husband Lahib; Darryl Cassa
and his wife Teri; Ken Cassa and his
wife Nancy; and Claudia Cassa.
Grandfather of Margaret Merogi,
Thomas Cassa, Nicholas Cassa, Matthew
Cassa and Andrew Cassa.
Don Cassa served in the U.S.
Third Army in World War II, 261st
Infantry Regiment, 65th Infantry
Division. His medals, naturalization
papers, and an interview with him
are on display in the Veterans Exhibit
at the Chaldean Cultural Center
at the Shenandoah Country Club.
Thank you and God Bless You.
e"My mom ced to
t me ee's going to
buy me the cemery
pl nt to my dad ,
hontly, I've never ft
more understd or
pleed."
- Andri H
P R E - P L A N N I N G I S A
G R E A T A C T O F L O V E .
Andri struggles with health issues no 22 year old should have
to face. Her mother granted her wish and gave her peace of
mind by pre-planning to ensure she would be buried next to
her father who passed in 2015.
where extraordinary
happensevery day
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MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 17

obituaries
RECENTLY DECEASED COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Latif Ramo
July 01, 1943 -
February 20, 2019
Nuri Salmu
July 14, 1931 -
February 17, 2019
Soham Jamil
March 29, 1950 -
February 16, 2019
Sabri Habbi Houbba
September 20, 1930 -
February 16, 2019
Sami Halata
July 02, 1927 -
February 15, 2019
Kawther Bahnam
July 01, 1926 -
February 14, 2019
Nazhat Kachi
March 20, 1934 -
February 14, 2019
Sabriya Koka
July 01, 1933 -
February 14, 2019
Sabah Naim Jabiro
July 03, 1942 -
February 14, 2019
Yazi Yonan
July 01, 1952 -
February 13, 2019
Madeleine Kalla
September 01, 1929 -
February 09, 2019
Sulaiman Zara
July 01, 1937 -
February 09, 2019
Anjeel Hormez
December 16, 1941 -
February 09, 2019
Shamamtah Al
Sabagh Koki
July 01, 1927 -
February 08, 2019
Shamamta Brikho
July 01, 1933 -
February 07, 2019
Alen Farid Sawa
June 20, 1986 -
February 07, 2019
George Elias Tossa
June 30, 1940 -
February 06, 2019
Farid Habba
December 20, 1958 -
February 05, 2019
Jozven Elias Hourmiz
July 01, 1926 -
February 04, 2019
Fawzi Alaka
August 12, 1942 -
February 04, 2019
Fadi Rafid Kasto
September 29, 1993 -
February 04, 2019
Sabri Yelda Shaou
July 01, 1943 -
February 03, 2019
Najib Shemami
May 13, 1948 -
February 01, 2019
Samiran Istiafan
July 01, 1930 -
February 01, 2019
Don Peter Cassa
July 05, 1923 -
January 31, 2019
Jennifer Hermiz
Kappouta
January 13, 1983 -
January 29, 2019
Amira Kamannou
November 15, 1936 -
January 28, 2019
Maryem Mati
January 01, 1929 -
January 27, 2019
Salim Bacall
September 14, 1949 -
January 26, 2019
Khairia Rabban
March 01, 1960 -
January 26, 2019
Husam Ismail
July 01, 1941 -
January 26, 2019
Rakan Jamil Ita
August 23, 1953 -
January 26, 2019
Antoin Salem
July 01, 1932 -
January 25, 2019
Ibrahim Putrus Shafou
January 06, 1933 -
January 24, 2019
Youbert Tolo
July 01, 1956 -
November 26, 2018
18 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

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MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 19

The men of
Genesis 4:9
Men of faith
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:9
BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO
Here is a question for men in
the community: Are you
your brother’s keeper? If you
ask those who started and participate
in a men’s group, they would answer
with resounding, “yes, I am.”
It was the question Jeff Kassab
asked of himself when he and friend
Bashar Kirma were chatting about
men in the Chaldean community.
“We struck up a conversation about
men who seem so lost and need guidance,”
said Jeff. “We started talking
about prayer and what it means to
be a man of faith. From that conversation,
we decided to start a men’s
group and we called it Genesis 4:9
because we truly believe we are our
brother’s keeper.”
This was to be a true brotherhood
— no wives, sisters, moms,
daughters or aunts allowed. The first
meeting was about three years ago at
Sacred Heart Major Seminary and
about 35 men attended. Today, Jeff
has an email list of nearly 400 men
and more than 200 men are active
in the group. “We have learned that
we have many of the same struggles,”
said Jeff. “We have speakers who
come in and talk about a variety of
subjects like pornography, attending
church, marriage and what it means
to be a man bringing his family into
the faith.”
“This ministry really reflects the
strength in the church,” said Pelar
Esshaki. “The strength in the family
makes the church stronger. A faithful
father and husband strengthens
the family. Our families need a faith
leader at home.”
It is about brothers, beer and
BBQ. The guys will often go out after
the talk and get a bite to eat – often
BBQ – and a beer to drink. They
started to meet every other month at
Mother of God Cathedral in Southfield.
Most recently, they decided to
rotate locations to include St. Joseph.
Pelar was not always a man of
deep convictions. He had a reversion
to Catholicism. “Jesus was not
much more than Santa Claus to me,”
he said. “I didn’t have a relationship
with Christ. When I met my wife
and her devout Catholic Family, I
became stronger in my faith.”
As Pelar grew closer to Christ, his
wife’s faith grew stronger. They were
leading each other as husband and
wife to Jesus. “Our faith skyrocketed
and our relationship is stronger than
ever,” he said.
Parents of soon to be nine children,
they are raising their children
in the faith as they to continue to
evangelize to others. And, so are the
men of these ministries.
The goal is to bring more men
into the ministry. “It is growing but
compared to the community, it is still
a small number,” said Esshaki. I don’t
see as many men in the Chaldean
churches as I do in the Latin Rite
churches.”
Joseph Stephan got involved in
the group from the beginning and
and as a project manager by trade,
organizing events for the men’s group
was a natural task for him. After attending
a Man Up retreat, Stephan
felt a strong nudge from the Holy
Spirit to organize a men’s conference
for the Chaldean community.
“Every person we talked to about the
men’s conference was 100 percent on
board,” said Joseph. “You don’t always
see that kind of support. It was
amazing. Everyone was backing us up
on this conference.”
“A venture like this takes a lot of
planning,” said Jeff. “We worked on
this for months and were blessed to
bring in speakers like Deacon Harold
Burke-Sivers and Justin Fatica.”
Like many others, these men
have busy lives. “This ministry gives
men the opportunity to talk about
their relationships with Christ, with
their spouses and with their families,”
said Joseph. “In our culture, our
emotions are tied to us at the hip. We
can bring our concerns to each other.
I have had men ask me how they can
get their family to pray together because
they have never prayed before.
This ministry has shown these men
how to have a prayerful life. I have
learned so much about my friends
through this ministry. We are helping
eachother.”
Jeff, Pelar, Bashar, and Delone
Arabo all approached Fr. Pierre separately
about wanting to start a men’s
group. “It shows this desire to discern
what God is calling of these
men,” said Fr. Pierre. “We prayed
about this and we knew this ministry
was what God was calling us to do.”
Within the Genesis 4:9, a goal is
to challenge men to form their own
groups within the larger group. “Perhaps
different men can invite men
to hang out at their house around
a sporting event and some beer and
then talk about their lives, their families,
their faith and their role as fathers.
Men relate to men and women
relate to women. It’s human nature,”
said Fr. Pierre.
Faithful fathers
“When you look at the statistics, you
can see the importance of a father’s
role in the family,” said Pelar. “Stats
show that children without fathers
have a greater chance of going to
jail. There is a significant role the
father plays at the leader of the family.
There are things a man brings to
the family that a woman can’t bring.
Children look to their dads as heroes.
A boy should look to his dad and
know what it means to be a man and
a daughter learns from a father how
a man should treat his wife. Fathers
shape the family.”
Fr. Pierre Konja often quotes the
same statistics when he talks about
20 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

a father’s role in the family. “These
stats are staggering. They show if
the father is a regular church goer,
the children are substantially more
likely to attend mass, something like
80 percent and only 30 percent if
the mother is a regular church goer,”
said Fr. Pierre. “When you look at
the world, family is at the root of the
problems in the church, in society
and in history.”
Not discounting a woman’s role
in the faith and family, Fr. Pierre
merely notes that it is different than
a man’s role. “I felt very compelled
to promote this men’s ministry so
men can bring their families to God.
Women have an important role to
educate their kids too, but when you
see your father kneeling to the Lord
or praying the Rosary, it has a profound
impact on the family.”
Stephan views the role of faithful
man similar to the parable, ‘if you
give a man a fish, you feed him for
the day. If you teach him to fish, he
feeds his family for a lifetime.’ “There
is nothing more important than a
man’s role in his family,” said Joseph.
“As a husband, I am supposed to lead
my wife to Christ. We cannot be
afraid to show our kids how we pray.
We must take action. We must show
them how to build a relationship
with Christ.”
“I wish more people would ask
this question about their role as
faithful fathers so we can give the answer,”
said Jeff. “Without men leading
their family to Jesus Christ, their
family is doomed. There is no question
about it. As much as the mother
does to lead the family to church, it is
not the same as when a man does it.”
Acknowledging a woman’s role,
Jeff noted, “women have important
roles in the family, of course they do,
but we need the men in our community
to realize their responsibility.
Man was created first. God put
him in charge. From the center of
his body, He made woman. He made
them equal. A man has a certain responsibility
to take care of his family.
When you talk to women, they will
say they want their husband to take
charge of the family.”
It is about .showing, not telling.
“When your children come home
and they see their father with a Bible
or Rosary and they see him praying,
it is a powerful testimony,” said Jeff.
“You don’t have to preach, you have
to show. You can preach it all you
want, but to make a difference, you
must live the faith.”
The Breakfast Club
Every morning a group of men attend
mass at ECRC. What started
out with a handful of men among a
group of 40 some people during the
Lenten season about seven years ago,
evolved into The Breakfast Club.
A group of men hang out after
church, have coffee, breakfast and
talk about faith. “We usually start
out talking about the Gospel reading
and homily,” said Faris Acho. “Helping
others is what today’s homily was
about and you are hearing Shamasha
Salam Rabban tell his story about
doing just that.”
On this day, the men engaged
in storytelling about faith and good
works. The room fills with laughter
and joy, telling stories and sharing
jokes, but most of all talking about
the faith.
“There are many men who think
being Godly is not fun,” said Tom
Naemi. “They focus on things instead
of God and are away from the
church. They think the church is
about rules and it takes the pleasure
out of life. In reality, it is our faith
that brings us joy, peace and serenity.
You wake up calm. You look forward
to going to church and joining in on
this brotherhood.”
In the background, Leo talks over
Naemi and he shouts, “Leo!”
“See now, he is not mad at me
because he knows I love him. If he
yelled at me, I wouldn’t be mad, because
I know he loves me. This is a
brotherhood.”
Fr. Pierre Konja, ECRC’s pastor
at the time, approached Shamasha
Salam Rabban about celebrating
daily mass at 8:00 a.m. during the
fasting weeks leading up to Easter
Sunday. “We saw the turnout. We
saw this hunger. Fr. Pierre asked us to
pray on it. The Holy Spirit worked
and and we continued with daily
mass even after Easter,” said Shamasha
Rabban. “It became our 24-hour
energy. We couldn’t wait for mass the
next morning. There was such a hunger
for Christ.”
They attend mass daily to listen
to the word of God, “and to have it
sink in our minds, our hearts and our
lives,” said Shamasha Rabban.
Every day they apply a verse from
the bible to their day. “That is how
we live our day,” said Shamasha
Rabban. “We live according to the
church teachings and the bible. We
come meek and humble to praise
the lord every morning. We are like
a small flame that is warming up the
whole pot. We are a small group of
men but we offer our prayer to the
whole community.”
Shamasha Rabban recalled handling
the entire morning mass duties
by himself in the beginning. “You
The Men of the
Breakfast Club
had no customers in the beginning
either,” chimed in one of the men,
followed by laughter from the group.
Ibtahal Atisha started making
coffee and offering light refreshments
in the beginning. Rafed Yaldo started
bringing cheese and bread.
The after-mass coffee turned into
conversations about how to encourage
more people to attend morning
mass.
The men credit Sally Najor, Aliya
Mazi, Maha Samona and Atisha
for keeping the breakfast club going.
Each day, a different priest celebrates
mass and often on Tuesday
and Friday, Bishop Francis is the celebrant
and homilists.
“The breakfast club conversation
flows from the mass,” said Faris.
Yaldo started to record the mass
and the cheese he brought to munch
on after mass is what birthed the
Breakfast Club. “We started to go
to the kitchen for Rafed’s cheese,”
Shamasha said with laughter. “We
made what we called the ‘healthy
sandwich’ – a slice of swiss cheese
with bread and toasted it in the oven
and while we waited for the cheese to
melt, we talked about faith.”
It then turned into an all-out
breakfast. Different people took
turns bringing food, making a variety
MEN OF FAITH continued on page 22
MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 21

MEN OF FAITH continued from page 21
of traditional Chaldean dishes like
hareesa, ghamar, kaletcha and even
more elaborate breakfasts for the
holiday season.
“We are nourishing our body and
souls,” said Mike Awdish. “These
daily masses and talks are my daily
bread. The homily, the mass, it gives
me insight for my day.”
“The day I miss morning mass,
something is missing from my life,”
said Mukhles Samona. “I feel it. I
enjoy coming here to see each other
and to share the word of God. It carries
me through my day.”
The men started to bring friends
and family to mass. Khairi Samona
was encouraged to attend mass by
Saad Samona. “I first thought, wow,
8 a.m. that is early for Chaldeans.
I started coming and I love it. I am
semi-retired. I started having responsibilities
like kitchen manager,” he
continued as they laughed.
The Breakfast Club conversations
after the 30-minute mass have
become a bonus for the group. “We
feel good all day,” said Khairi.
“One guy who comes here used
to go the casino and stay up late almost
every night and now he comes
to mass every morning,” noted Tom.
“You don’t know what you are missing
until you start attending daily
mass.”
Daily mass and the Breakfast
Club is now very much part of their
lives. “I enjoy coming here,” said
Awdish. “I enjoy being with the guys
here. I met all of these guys here and
they are now my friends.”
“I started coming here during
Lent,” said Acho. “During this Lenten
time, you take care of the one
thing you are focused on. I thought
coming to daily mass would be a good
thing for Lent then when it was over,
I thought this would be good to do
every day throughout the year. I kept
coming. I realized I was surrounding
myself with good people, holy people
and being nourished through the
gospel and homily. We discern things
about our faith and life during our
Breakfast Club conversations. I invite
others to attend. It is a 30-minute
mass and we spend about another
30-minutes with the Breakfast Club
and it’s an hour of my day. If you are
looking for something to do during
lent, take on a daily mass.”
“We love it, we have built a camaraderie,”
said Naemi. “We have
good friends here. We really love
each other.”
“We pray for others,” said Khairi.
“We have collected donations for
people in need.”
“This daily mass is such a big part
of our lives and we are used to waking
up and coming to church and
when we don’t, we know something
is missing,” said Awdish.
“The friendships we formed are
priceless,” said Mike.
“My faith means a lot to me of
course and to my brothers here,” said
Saad. “We have our Catholic freedom
to speak to God our father and
invite the Holy Spirit in. We don’t
come here passively. We come here
to receive the Eucharist. We receive
God’s graces. This daily mass helps
me with my life. I talk about my faith
with my family. I share it with my
wife and daughters.”
Shamasha Salam didn’t set out to
help people’s marriages but his faith
and this journey he is on has led
him to help others. He credits much
to his breakfast club group who he
shares stories with regularly.
“He is a peacemaker,” said Saad.
“We come here because we enjoy
seeing my brothers daily and it stays
with me all day and keeps my mind
in order.”
Leo Zoma learned about ECRC
through the monthly healing services
by Bishop Francis and Tom Naemi.
In 2014, Leo was suffering with back
problems that were progressively getting
worse. A cousin mentioned the
healing mass. With a herniated disc,
Leo attended and upon Tom praying
on him, he fell out in the Spirit. The
pain started to subside. “I thanked
our Lord the pain was gone,” he said.
“I was amazed. I went to ask Fr. Frank
at that time what I should I do to get
closer to God. He pointing to the
cross he carries and said, ‘increase
your prayer.’ I started to attend daily
mass. Every time I attend, I feel I am
living a piece of heaven on earth. I
am closer to God. He has given me
a comfortable and happy life with
peaceful and good people around me.
I am amazed and appreciative.”
The men continue to express
their gratitude to everyone who
keeps the breakfast club going. “We
appreciate Aliya and Adnan. They
work so hard to keep our club going,”
said Saad. “We come here and
hear so many stories of faith like
people healed through Tom’s healing
service. We understand the sacrament
more. We talk about salvation,
church and our sacraments.”
“We encourage people to come
to daily mass and join our Breakfast
Club,” said Mike Samona. “Come
and give it a try.”
“Men who are the head of the
family and are faithful men are role
models to their kids,” said Leo. “I
have four kids. We pray the Rosary
every night or the Divine Mercy
prayer. We cannot live without
prayer.”
“We must take what we receive
and share it with others,” said Saad.
“We take it to our friends and family.
We share this knowledge. I share
these stories with my wife and children.
We talk about morality and
Shamasha shares the Catechisms
with us. We can take that information
to others. If we get something
wrong, Shamasha corrects us.”
Sharing faith can be a struggle for
some people but through these men’s
groups, it is becoming easier for others.
“We share the truth,” said one of
the group members. “The truth lies
in knowing Jesus Christ.”
“Being a daily communicant, we
understand attending the mass is living
it,” said Shamasha. “We hunger
for Christ. We hunger for the truth
and we know Jesus Christ is the
truth. To come to have Him dwell
in us is powerful. That joy of Christ,
the happiness He brings, we receive
through prayer. We receive graces
and love through prayer of mass. It
is the highest prayer we have in the
church. We take it out to the world
and we profess it. The Eucharist
breathes life in us.”
The daily mass and their Breakfast
Club Group has changed these
men. “You are more patient,” said
Faris. “Things that used to bother
you, bounce right off now. When
you come and see what really matters,
God gave us only Son got die
for us, that changes you forever. God
cares so much about us and He gave
his son for me and for you. We are
so unworthy. We are very humbled;
we get lowered and lifted up at the
same time.”
“You appreciate your family
more,” said Mike. “You feel closer to
them.”
“When you attend mass daily, you
a realize what really matters,” said
Shamasha Rabban. “Life is beautiful
and life is worth living. God gives us
guidance.”
“This is about being joyful and
happy,” said Tom.
They found fulfilment in faith.
It is intertwined in all areas of life
including their work life. “You can
have money,” said Acho. “You can’t
allow money to have you.”
“Faith is sufficient. It gives us
what we need,” said Shamasha. “If
we think about what we want, it is
endless but when we look at life from
a faith perspective, we get what we
need. We can’t live this rat race and
take our eyes off God. You will always
just want more. Earthly things die. If
My faith means a lot to me of course and to my brothers here.
We have our Catholic freedom to speak to God our father and invite
the Holy Spirit in. We don’t come here passively. We come here to
receive the Eucharist.
– SAAD SAMONA
we think about spiritual things, that
gives us life.”
Leo was working 18 hours a day
and seven days a week and barely
found time for his family let alone
his faith. “I didn’t see my family,” he
said. “I barely paid my bills. When
I gave my life to God, everything
turned around. I am not stressed any
more. I can pay bills and take care of
my family. That daily Eucharist is the
security I need. We are supposed to
start Heaven on earth. Hearing God’s
word daily, allows us to do just that.”
Each man in the Breakfast Club
actively invites others to attend daily
mass and join their morning discussions.
“Men who don’t go to church
and join a men’s ministry don’t know
what they are missing,” said Saad.
“We didn’t know. We came here to
learn and our lives changed. Our
families changed. Our kids changed.”
Faith has become a part of every
aspect of their lives. “You cannot
separate faith from your work and
daily life; you have to live your faith
22 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

The Men of Holy
Martyrs Church
completely,” said Saad. “I cannot say
I am at work and I am going to live
this way. That is picking and choosing.
Our faith life must be part of every
area of our lives.”
“When we leave mass, we have
Jesus in our hearts,” said Faris. “Some
people go to church to check the
box and they don’t want to connect
to Christ throughout the day. Jesus
wants us all the time”
“Sometimes when we talk about
Jesus, people say it’s too much,” said
Saad. “They don’t want to hear more
than one line. They walk away.”
“As Christians we represent God
everywhere; we have to bring light
where there is darkness,” said Leo.
“Everything we discussed here
today, we discuss all the time in the
Breakfast Club,” said Faris. “We ask
ourselves these same questions.”
Men in the Church
The idea for a men’s group at Holy
Martyrs was initiated by the desire to
fill a void. “Our parish/community
has many groups dedicated to many
causes, except for men/fathers who
are the head of their families, hence,
the idea of starting a group for men,”
said Shamasha Yousif Elias. “Our
group, Martyrs Men was established
in January 2017 and we chose the
name to reflect Holy Martyrs Church
in Sterling Heights.”
The group – primarily Chaldean
Catholic men – meets once a month
on the first Thursday from 7 to 9:30
p.m. “We recognize our need for
God’s help,” said Shamasha Elias.
“We gather in an atmosphere of trust
and equality to share Jesus Christ as
proclaimed by the Catholic Church
to the world. We unconditionally accept
each other and prayerfully support
one another.”
Up to 20 men typically attend
the meetings that focus on a variety
of topics including current news stories,
“and how these stories impact
our faith and families,” said Shamasha
Elias. “We discuss different topics
of interest to the group. Social,
religious and personal topics of interest
are discussed in an atmosphere of
love and brotherhood.”
Shamasha Elias says the group is
a calling that took about two years to
bring to fruition. “As a father, husband,
and brother, I felt the need for
this comradery and this support from
men of faith,” he said. “I saw the need
within others as I started praying for
this group and planning its inception
with my friend Raad Kashat.”
Like Genesis 4:9 and the Breakfast
Club, the men of Holy Martyrs
want to deepen their faith. “We
want to support men’s Catholic faith,
grow in spirituality, and strengthen
families,” said Shamasha Elias. “This
ministry will try to enrich the reality
of the Church, over and above the
experience of the Sunday liturgy. It
also focuses on men who have lost
the yearning for the Catholic faith
and are minimally or not active in
the Church.”
Their motto is, “As iron sharpens
iron, so one man sharpens another.”
(Prov. 27:17.) “At the other end of
the scale, the ministry offers very active
men a means to step back to take
time for spiritual growth.”
All Catholic/Chaldean men 18
years and older are invited to join
the group. “We need the support and
strength of each other. We’re not going
to talk at you, but you’ll find a
humble, hospitable, and brotherly
atmosphere, in which we share our
experiences and offer support to each
other. We’re planning our second
Lent retreat in March, come join us,”
said Shamasha Elias.
The Men’s Ministry
Whether it is Genesis 4:9, the Breakfast
Club or the Men of Holy Martyrs,
these men of faith are part of
growing ministries within the community.
“We sometimes have a hard
time getting across to other men the
importance of our faith or coming to
a meeting,” said Pelar. “They look
at it as another church thing. It is
about saving souls, saving our community.
Look at what the world offers
and what our community is getting
involved in. We need to lead
our kids and generations after them
to Christ.”
“God, though Jesus, has revealed
himself and that is not an accident,”
said Fr. Pierre. “We receive our fatherhood
from God. We are created
in His image – His love, sacrifice,
mercy and patience. With God in
your marriage and families, you can
change the world. Your children will
know God and they need to know
that God loves them. When you
know the real love of God, you can
reflect that love on your family and
bring Him to the world.”
Genesis 4:9 will be meeting on
March 15 at St. Joseph. The featured
speaker is Dr. Ralph Martin, professor
at Sacred Heart Major Seminary
and President of Renewal Ministry.
ECRC and the Men’s Group are
planning for another Men’s Conference
in 2019.
MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 23

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Every Christmas the iconic image
of the Holy Family – Jesus,
Mary, and Joseph – are seen
across the world. However, in some
branches of Catholicism including
some Orthodox and Eastern Rites
there is much more to this non-traditional
family. In those faiths, Christ
might have had stepsiblings.
The concept of Christ having siblings
is usually more in line with being
a protestant, and in some cases to
discredit his divinity. However,
this understanding of
a stepbrother or sister is not
all that widely understood or
embraced. Brother in Aramaic
is often interchangeable
with the word cousin.
While not widely accepted
in all Catholic traditions,
Bill Kassel’s book My
Brother’s Keeper embraces
the belief. As a practicing
Roman Catholic, however,
the work does not come from
his personal belief.
The novel gives the idea
a great deal of respect and
thought, partially because it
is based on Kassel’s own interest
and study of forgotten
(non-canonical) scripture.
These books were often written
by early Christians and
circulated in the early years
of the church, but the church
later omitted many from the
more recognized version of
the bible
Kassel’s book specifically follows
James, who in the Bible is referred to
as “brother of the Lord” in the book
of Galatians. My Brother’s Keeper
views the statement literally, unlike
most Catholic teachings.
It portrays James as the youngest
son of Joseph and his deceased wife.
Growing up, James is a good student
of the Torah and is sent to Jerusalem
to study to be a rabbi. This all
happens while Jesus is growing up in
Nazareth.
Joseph believes Jesus is destined
for greatness, and on his deathbed
asks James to look after Jesus. From
that point on James life focus was
to protect Jesus, and Kassel said he
“wanted to explore what it means to
be Jesus’ brother.”
He uses the relationship between
Jesus and his stepbrother as a way to
explore and contextualize the religious
and sociopolitical landscape
of the time and how the message of
Christ sent shockwaves through the
political and cultural powers. He
specifically looks at the cultural and
religious complication between three
Jewish groups the Pharisees, Sadducees,
and Essenes, all of which were
vying to be the dominant Jewish
voice, and the Roman Empire, which
feared an uprising.
“I forced myself into the position
of the people ... how would I have reacted,”
said Kassel.
As an example of the tensions, the
Sadducees were influenced heavily
NOVEL continued on page 34
24 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

Hey U Vote!
Finding a need, seeking a change
SOCIAL SECURITY
DISABILITY
Attorney Randall Mansour
Social Security Disability and
Veterans Benefits Attorneys
BY MONIQUE MANSOUR
Located in Sterling Heights, the
Chaldean Community Foundation
– the nonprofit arm of
the Chaldean American Chamber
of Commerce – has a four pillar mission:
advocacy, acculturation, community
development, and cultural
preservation. According to their
website, they are a human and social
services organization providing assistance.
They were founded in 2006,
and host a wide-range of programming
and solutions for the Chaldean
community and beyond.
Stacy Bahri is the Strategic Initiatives
Manager of the Chaldean Community
Foundation. She, along with
a dedicated team, helped to establish
an initiative in fulfilment of the CCF
mission. The Hey U Vote initiative,
launched in 2017,
came together in
order to remedy
an issue within the
Chaldean community.
“We have a large
number of U.S. citizens
in the Chaldean community
that are not
registered to vote. The
Hey U Vote campaign
was launched by the
Chaldean Community
Foundation in an effort
to encourage eligible
community members to
register to vote, as well
as aid with voter registration,”
said Bahri.
In developing the
marketing for the initiative, Bahri
found it essential to include elements
of Chaldean culture. “We came up
with a name for the campaign that
represented the Chaldean community
and heritage. The word ‘Hey U’
in Chaldean means ‘Come.’ In other
words, we are saying, ‘Come vote!’
After the name was created, we
worked with a designer to create the
logo, which incorporates Aramaic.”
The logo can be found on t-
shirts and on posters which are visible
at Hey U Vote drives. Individuals
who register in person at the
Chaldean Community Foundation
receive a t-shirt with the logo.
The initiative prides itself in being
active in the community, as the members
involved with it help to register
individuals at churches, community
events, as well as at various forums.
“Members of our team once helped to
register 50 individuals after mass during
one of our drives,” recalled Bahri.
“It was an exciting moment for all of
us involved with the initiative.”
Another initiative of the Chaldean
Community Foundation, Breaking
Barriers, which provides assistance
and advocacy to those with special
needs, hosts community events from
time to time. Members of the Hey
U Vote initiative were present at
a Breaking Barriers event this past
summer, where they helped individuals
register to vote. “The Chaldean
Community Foundation has registered
hundreds of
individuals to vote
since the launch
of the Hey U Vote
Bahri and her team prepare to register Chaldean voters at
a community event.
Campaign,” said Bahri. “I’m proud to
be a part of such a devoted team who
understands the importance of this.”
“Our goal for the program is to
encourage the Chaldean community
to get out and vote on issues
that matter to them and their family
and participate in the decisions that
shape the future of our community,”
said Bahri. “In the future, it is our
hope that we will have more community
members become politically
involved and hold elected positions.”
Individuals who would like to
register to vote may do so in person
during the regular hours of operation
at the Chaldean Community Foundation.
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MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 25

Developer, restauranteur Zaid Elia earns chamber honor
BY PAUL NATINSKY
The Chaldean American
Chamber of Commerce will
recognize real estate developer
and restauranteur Zaid Elia as
much for his knack for innovation as
for his business expertise at the Chaldean
American Chamber of Commerce’s
Awards Gala May 3, in West
Bloomfield. The chamber will present
Elia, 40, with the Businessperson
of the Year Award at the Chamber’s
16th Annual Awards Gala.
After graduating from the University
of Michigan with a degree in
biology, Elia chose not to follow his
father’s example of practicing medicine
and earned a law degree from
Wayne State University. He used his
legal expertise to work in real estate
development through opportunities
that presented themselves on his
mother’s side of the family.
“I practiced business and real estate
law for a few years. In late 2006,
I formed the Elia Group, LLC, which
is a real estate development company.
We develop and manage commercial
retail shopping centers. We develop
and purchase office buildings, mixed
used buildings, all different types of
real estate,” said Elia.
Shortly after hanging out his shingle,
Elia found himself staring down
the barrel of a recession, an especially
rough time for the real estate and
property development industry. Necessity
being the mother of invention,
Elia happened to run into the development
agent for Subway sandwich
restaurants in western Wayne County
(which includes the entire county, except
for Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland
Park and the Grosse Pointes).
He jumped at the chance to diversify
and was eager to manage
franchises throughout the territory.
There was one catch, the development
agent had to own a franchise
and show a profit running the business.
Elia rolled up his sleeves and
took his Subway shop to three
months of 20 percent-plus profit. Today,
he owns about a dozen Subway
stores and is the development agent
for about 100 stores in Wayne County,
providing business support and
operational expertise to franchisees.
Much like his expansion from real
estate development into restaurant
operations, Elia sort of fell into the
fine dining arena by the peculiar requirements
of a business deal. He ran
into the owner of the Birmingham
landmark restaurant and bar, 220
Merrill. He knew she was selling the
building housing the business and he
was interested in buying. The catch?
Once again, he would have to run a
restaurant business in which he had
no experience—this time a high-end
restaurant. He remodeled the place
and reopened it with new flair.
“From there, I realized that this
was my passion. I loved the hospitality
business. It was exciting. It was a
challenge. I was able to build strong
teams and basically grow from there,”
said Elia. He said he hires highly
qualified people and trusts them to
run the day-to-day operations of the
restaurants, while he manages the
larger aspects of the business.
“My business is two-fold; 50 percent
of my business is real estate
development, and 50 percent of my
business is hospitality. My hospitality
company is called The Iconic Collection,”
said Elia. The fine dining and
iconic venue side of Elia’s business
now includes 220 Merrill, the Parc
Restaurant in Detroit, the anachronistic
press and police hangout, Detroit’s
Anchor Bar and several other
classic Detroit dining and drinking
locations.
Further expansion is on the runway
awaiting take-off. “We have a
full schedule of new restaurants on
the horizon,” said Elia. “We just purchased
Cadillac Tower in Downtown
Detroit. It’s a 425,000 square foot
building that we’re redeveloping. I
am purchasing 511 Woodward in
Downtown Detroit, which we’re going
to redevelop. The Cadillac Tower
is probably going to be developed
into a hotel and apartments. Currently,
it’s an office building. We’re
going to add retail on the first and
second floor, hotel and apartments.”
Elia said his background in real
estate and law has allowed him to
understand the foundation of real estate
and business. “I love the people
side and operational side of retail. I
have combined both of them to kind
of make that winning combination
of right location, right brand and
provide the iconic experience I want
to provide all of our guests,” he said.
The Elia Group employs 600 people.
It started with one employee—
who is still there—in 2006.
Elia is looking forward to the
Chamber’s May 3 awards dinner.
“It is an honor to be recognized
by the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce.
I am proud to be part of an
organization and a community with
so many successful entrepreneurs,”
he said.
26 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

Humanity
after loss
BY ASHOURINA SLEWO
Inspired by their strength and efforts to give
back and help the community, the Chaldean
American Chamber of Commerce has chosen
to recognize John and Ann Mansour as the Humanitarians
of the Year at this year’s Chamber
Awards Gala for their work within the community.
The 16th Annual Chamber Awards Gala will be
hosted at the Shenandoah Country Club on Friday,
May 3.
“On behalf of my wife and I, it’s bittersweet to
be receiving this honor. It’s been a long road and
the real humanitarians here are my children,”
said John Mansour. “They’re the ones that are
driving all this, they’re the ones that have made
the impact.”
Following the tragic loss of their children Alexander,
11, and Gabrielle, 6, in July of 2013, the
Mansour family found great peace in their faith as
several Chaldean seminarians from Sacred Heart
Major Seminary offered their love, prayers and understanding.
In addition, Father Andrew Seba was
with the family from the onset. “We are grateful to
our diocese, the wonderful priests, and to Bishop
Francis for his support of my family and our mission,”
said John Mansour.
“If you asked me who a seminarian was or what
that meant in early 2013 before the accident, I
wouldn’t know how to answer that question without
going to the dictionary,” Mansour said. “When the
accident occurred, we were in the hospital and a family
member of ours connected us with one of the seminarians
and that was at the time Fr. Patrick Setto.”
Then a seminarian, Fr. Patrick would join the
Mansours at the hospital every day, offering to pray
with them. Not long after accepting Fr. Patrick’s
offer, other seminarians followed suit.
“All the seminarians were at our doorstep from
the start and they’ve continued to be at our doorstep
since,” said Mansour.
Grateful to be enveloped by this great love, the
Mansour family wanted to give back to those that
helped them. Consulting with their church, John
and Ann were curious as to how the seminarians
at Sacred Heart Major Seminary were being financially
supported.
“We were told that there was one offering a year
and that’s kind of how they fundraise, among other
community events,” explained Mansour.
From that point it became clear to the Mansours
that the best way to give back would be through
financial support for the seminarians. Stride for
Seminarians was born.
“It was then that we thought it would be a great
idea to put them on the map and create awareness
about who they are, not just because of who they
are or what their mission is, but for what they’ve
done for my family and what they can do to serve
others in the community,” said Mansour. “…there
was a need to support these guys financially in their
endeavor to become priests.”
Since its inception, Stride for Seminarians
continues to see great success, furthering the Mansours’
mission to support the very seminarians that
supported them. In addition to aiding the seminarians,
John and Ann found they had a calling to
help others as they grieved.
“Unfortunately, following our tragedy, there
were many others that followed suit,” Mansour explained.
“We had folks knocking on our door, asking
us for support behind the scenes and I think it
was soon realized that this was a calling we have to
serve others in need like we are in need.”
As people came to them for support, John and
Ann knew the only way to help anyone through
the grieving process was to come together and lean
on each other.
“Those that have been there, that have lost a
loved one, there is a true connection,” Mansour
said. “We felt in our heart that we had an obligation
to be able to help these people in any way we
can and just understand that first and foremost we
must preserve our faith. We have to continue to
believe and trust in God.”
With the help of Fr. Pierre Konja and the Chaldean
Sisters, John and Ann were able to coordinate
with the church to launch the Grieving with
Faith and Hope support group. Initially, meetings
were hosted at the Chaldean Sisters’ convent, but
as more people came to the meetings, we felt the
need to create more awareness and formally become
part of ECRC. The support group has been
in existence since April 2016.
“It has now moved to ECRC because over
time, unfortunately, this group has continued to
grow and we just want to ensure that we create the
awareness through ECRC, a center we are blessed
to have in our community and with the support of
Patrice Abona and others at ECRC,” Mansour explained.
“It’s an honor to be an addition of ECRC
– this went into effect last year.”
These efforts to help others have proven to be
beneficial to the Mansour family’s own healing as
well, says Mansour. “Our group, filled with many
incredible individuals, have gone promoted our
support group and created awareness and united
people through these efforts, but most importantly
they have been one component of our healing at
home. It’s helped us as much as it has helped our
church and our community to not lose sight of God
and to continue to strengthen our faith.”
While the Mansours are honored to be recognized
by the Chamber, they feel the recognition
goes beyond them. From their children to the community
members that helped them heal and pursue
Stride for Seminarians and the grieving ministry,
the humanitarians are not just John and Ann.
“There are many other humanitarians behind
the scenes that I believe also deserve the recognition;
our seminarians, our diocese our incredible
Stride committee members, and our entire community
who supported my family and have continued
to do so,” Mansour said. “We are grateful for the
support. In my mind, everyone who has had a hand
in all of this, is a humanitarian.”
MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 27

A tribute to
the West
Bloomfield
supervisor
BY LISA CIPRIANO
A
tribute is intended to show
gratitude. And that’s exactly
what the Chaldean
American Chamber of Commerce
is doing for West Bloomfield Township
Supervisor Steven Kaplan this
year.
It will take place at the chamber’s
16th Annual Awards Gala on
May 3 at the Shenandoah Country
Club. Kaplan will be honored with
a special tribute for the devotion he
has shown to the Chaldean community
for which he serves.
“It’s a tremendous honor. I’m
overjoyed and humbled,” said Kaplan.
The Chaldean American Chamber
of Commerce is a partnership of
Chaldean businesses and professionals
working together to strengthen
members’ business, increase job opportunities,
encourage expansion
and promote Chaldean business and
culture. The Chamber seeks to service
and represent Aramaic-speaking
people, including Assyrians,
Chaldeans and Syriacs.
That’s the chamber’s mission
statement and it closely mirrors one
of Kaplan’s goals in West Bloomfield’s
government.
Since taking office in 2016, Kaplan
has made it a priority to appoint
members of the Chaldean community
to various board commissions as
well as hire them to open positions
in the township.
Why has this been a focus for
Kaplan? It’s to better serve a large
portion of his constituency.
West Bloomfield Township has
the second largest Chaldean population
in Michigan, aside from Sterling
Heights. As a result, Kaplan has
been on a mission to make sure they
are properly represented in their local
government.
“Chaldeans make up about 20
percent of the population of West
Bloomfield. There are some very
qualified individuals in the community
and by appointing them,
we’re gaining their knowledge and
understanding of the community,”
explained Kaplan.
Aside from appointing members
of the Chaldean community, Kaplan
has hired seven Chaldeans to positions
at the township offices as well.
Kaplan says he’s not trying to fill
any sort of quota. It’s based on experience
and merit.
“The quality of these individuals
is tremendous,” he explained.
“Chaldeans have historically done
well in business. Many are professions,
lawyers, physicians and architects.
They have something to offer
to the community.”
That diversity not only reflects
the citizens of West Bloomfield
Township, but makes serving them
more efficient.
“We have people working here
who speak Chaldean, Arabic and
even Maltese. That’s really helpful
when we have residents come in
with English as a second language.
Its helps them feel more comfortable,”
he said.
The Chaldean Chamber of
Commerce Annual Awards Gala is
a much awaited annual event with
who’s who of business, political and
civic leaders. Former honorees include
Congressman Sander Levin.
“We like to recognize those leaders
who go beyond the call of duty to
help their constituents,” said Martin
Manna, president of the Chaldean
American Chamber of Commerce.
“Steve is one of those leaders who
truly focuses on serving the residents
in the community in which
he serves. He is well-versed on the
Chaldeans and our needs as well as
on West Bloomfield Township. He
is a relationship builder and a team
player. Our board is proud to recognize
him.”
Kaplan is one of three honorees
at this year’s awards gala where
a video montage highlighting the
inner workings of his office will be
shown. He’s looking forward to the
video educating members of the
Chaldean community about his
commitment to serving them in
both the appointed and hired positions.
“There will be about 950 people
in the audience of mostly Chaldeans.
I think that probably a majority
of them are unaware of the
diversity that we have on our township
board,” explained Kaplan
Kaplan will be attending the gala
dinner with his closest loved ones.
“I’ll be bringing my lovely wife
of 32 years, Lisa, my daughter Stacy
and her two children. We’re a
team,” Kaplan concluded.
28 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

Fighting to
win, fighting
to survive
BY BIANCA KASAWDISH
“
It’s amazing what you learn
about yourself and life when
you have no choice but to embrace
it,” says Clarence Dass.
At just 31 years old, attorney
Clarence Dass found he had a battle
beyond the courtroom to fight. He
found out on Holy Thursday in 2017,
that he had stage 4 colon cancer.
Now founder of his own law firm,
legal expert for WXYZ-TV and Adjunct
Professor at Rochester College,
Dass began to feel off at the beginning
of 2017. He started having
stomach aches that lasted for hours
and even days. He lost his appetite,
became very tired quickly and began
losing weight, all with no explanation.
And when he randomly experienced
a very high fever one day, he
knew something was wrong.
After seeing a gastroenterologist
and then scheduling a colonoscopy,
his doctor told him he found cancer
when he woke from the anesthesia.
This came with no history of colon
cancer in his family, at the age of just
31 years old.
“At the time I learned the news, I
had just left the Oakland County Prosecutor’s
Office. I had just launched
my law firm only a few months prior,
and I had just met the girl who is now
my wife. In a matter of minutes, my
entire life changed,” he says. “A few
questions immediately came to mind.
Would I lose my hair? Would I lose
my strength? Would I be able to work?
Would I make it?”
He began chemotherapy soon
after his diagnosis, and did twelve
rounds over the course of six months.
Dass shares that he would go to the
hospital to get chemo, go home for
three days, and go to work. “While
at the hospital, I would talk to clients,
call courts, and do legal work.
No one knew what was happening,
but I was running my law firm from
my hospital bed,” he says.
In his third week of chemo, the
deportation crisis began. Hundreds of
community members were caught in
raids carried out by Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) and detained.
During this time, Dass went
down to ICE headquarters to help his
clients, who he learned had just been
detained. He stayed with their families
all night, and did an interview
with Fox 2 News about the situation.
“There were times when I was doing
live media interviews about the
deportation crisis while connected
to an IV,” he says. “I remember one
day doing a live interview on The
Mildred Gaddis Show from inside
the bathroom at the hospital, and
speaking with the Detroit Free Press
every few days to provide an update,
all while watching the chemo drip.”
The entire time, Dass kept his
battle a secret from many. “I knew
that if I shared this news, it would
take away from the work I was trying
to accomplish for my clients,” he
explained. “I also knew that I loved
practicing law and helping others. If
I continued to do that, it would also
help me keep fighting the cancer.”
Dass then began radiation every
day, all the while he was planning
his wedding to his wife, Renee. He
shares that with each round, his side
effects became worse, to the point
where he couldn’t get out of bed
some days, leave his room or even
answer the phone. He began to look
different, swollen, tired, and older –
his hair even turned gray. “My life
was becoming slower and slower as
the world around me felt like it was
getting faster and faster,” he says.
Steadfast in his fight, Dass kept
going. Near the end of 2017, he
learned it had all worked. The cancer
had become smaller and smaller, and
in January of 2018, he had surgery to
remove what remained of it. By the
end of the surgery, he learned he was
cancer free.
“Suddenly, the things that mattered
before don’t matter anymore.
All that matters is whether you are
able to wake up in the morning
healthy and happy, and whether you
can share that health and happiness
with the people you love,” he says.
On advice for anyone else going
through a similar situation, he says,
“Each one of us has a cross to bear,
the same way Jesus did. We will all
suffer in some way throughout our
life. But what matters is not how we
are suffering, but rather how we view
our suffering. Every experience in life
is an opportunity to grow and help
others. As bad as things seem at any
particular moment, as long as we are
alive, we have already won half the
battle. Do not give up.”
Dass credits his family for the
love and support they offered him
day in and day out. “I want to thank
my family, my dad, mom, two sisters,
and my wife and her family for being
by my side every step of the way—
with everything from picking things
up from my office for me or at other
times just being there. They are my
biggest blessings, and I would not be
here without them.”
MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 29

Front row seated on floor, left to right: Rosemary Sarafa, Mary
Romaya, Fadiya Sarafa, Venus Sadek, Najat George, and Caroline
Matti; Middle row sitting on chairs, left to right: Josephine Sarafa,
Jean Farida, Mary Thomas, Margo Kory, Malika Agnastopoulos; Back
row standing, left to right: Julie Hallahan, Lilly George, Fredericka
Bahoora, Nawal Shallal, Selwa Sesi, Juliet Najor, Judy Abbo, Samira
Essa, Paula Denja, Firyal Yono, and Ameera Zachary.
Left to right: Nawal Shallal, Ameera Zachary, Najat George, Josephine Sarafa, Julie Hallahan, Mary Romaya, Paula Denja, Firyal Yono
The Socialites
More than six decades of a sisterhood and going strong
BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO
Youth Club from the 1950s. Left to right, Frank Thomas, Ruby Najor,
Vickie Saroki, George Hakim, Joe Matti, George Najor, Bob Dickow,
Alec Thomas, and Pete Acho.
It all started as a youth group and evolved into
a sisterhood that has lasted more than 60 years.
“We wanted to date and our parents didn’t want
us to date,” recalled Josephine (Saroki) Sarafa, an
original Socialite member. “We started a youth
club so our parents would allow us to get together
and they loved that we were hanging out with each
other because deep down they wanted us to marry
Chaldeans.”
Sarafa was among a small group of Chaldeans
who were born in America or who emigrated as
children. They were teenagers in the 1950s. “We
attended each other’s birthday parties and graduation
parties.”
They came from large families and the boys and
girls were cousins and friends. They played baseball
on Sundays at Palmer Park or Belle Isle. “We
wanted a regular teenage life,” said Josephine.
Mike George started the youth group and served
as the group’s first president. “Michael was a leader
and he really formalized our group,” said Josephine.
“Our parents encouraged us to hang out. They saw
that we were having fun. We were the sparks of the
community. We were the youth.”
“We were good kids,” said Julie. “We would go
out on Saturday night and go to Mass at 2 a.m. at
St. Aloysius church in Detroit.”
“We were brought up as good Catholics,” said
Mary (Denja) Chigi.
“We had pizza at Famous Pizza restaurant on
Woodward across from the Fox Theater,” said Julie
(Najor) Hallahan.
They began to formalize the group and started
meeting at the first Chaldean church in America
– Sacred Heart – located on Euclid and Hamilton
at the time. They named the youth group the
“Sparks”.
“We actually had bylaws and took notes at
meetings,” said Mary.
“We had parties at each other’s homes and our
moms were more than happy to make us food,”
said Josephine.
The women began to branch off into their own
group called the Coronets. “We thought of ourselves
as princesses and we crowned ourselves the Coronets,”
said Josephine, who was the third person to
serve as president of the Sparks Youth Group.
“We put on talent shows and invited our parents,”
said Mary.
The original Socialites originally named the
Coronets started out with 15 women. “We always
got together at Najat’s house,” recalled Julie (Najor)
Hallahan, an original Socialite.
The original included: Najat (Dickow) George,
Paula (George) Hanoosh, Nancy (George) Talia,
Josie (Saroki) Sarafa, Vickie (Saroki) Sarafa, Sally
(Essa) Vanderveer, Margaret (Essa) Jelsch, Virginia
Denja, Mary (Denja) Chigi, Judy (Binno) Abbo,
Ruby (Najor) Huhn, Julie (Najor) Hallahan, Farial
(Najor) Dickow, Theresa (Najor) Bogos, and Rosemary
(Hakim) Abate.
“I remember I ordered a cake for one party with
the number 12 on it because 12 of us attended and
I had our names written on the cake,” said Najat.
“We even had a song about our group,” said Julie.
“Farial Najor Dickow used to sing it.”
Once again at Najat George’s house, a Socialite
who married a Spark – Mike George – a few of the
original members and a couple of women who later
joined, reminisced about their group that evolved
into a lifelong friendship. “We made a pact to never
gossip about anyone,” said Josephine. “We talk
about our lives, our families and exchange recipes,”
noted Mary.
Some of the men at the time joined the military
including Mike George, but eventually the women
began to get married. Some married men they met
in the youth group, others did not. Some married
Chaldeans and others did not.
“These women are like my sisters,” said Julie.
“We have shared so much with each other.”
“I have seven brothers and no sisters and these
women have been there for me. Najat threw me a
bridal shower,” said Firyal Yono.
They have gone through many life stages together
– being single, getting married, having children
and coping with death.
“We were in each other’s weddings,” said Mary.
They even remembered being the first Chaldean
kids to have their communion in America. They
celebrated the Sacrament at Blessed Sacrament
Cathedral in Detroit.
“When I married Raoul, these women immediately
welcomed me into this group,” said Paula Denja,
who is from Spain. “The second time I met Najat
was at a party and she was dancing. I had so much
fun. I thought I was in a movie at the time. I saw
Najat in this beautiful dress dancing to Arabic music.
She immediately welcomed me into the group.”
“Ruby and Najat were the dancers of the group,”
said Julie.
Najat has entertained the group more than any
other member. “I have had 103 parties at this house
throughout the 40 plus years I have lived here,”
said Najat.
“Paula learned Arabic dancing and she taught
us how to dance to Spanish music,” said Najat.
“I will never live on a lake but I truly appreciate
these get togethers overlooking this beautiful
lake,” said Mary. “She has a house conducive for
parties and she has the energy to put them on.”
“Najat treats us like we are royalty,” said Josephine.
“If it wasn’t for this group. I would miss out on
so much,” said Ameera Zachary.
Today, they typically meet every Thursday morning
at Ellen’s Café in Sylvan Lake. “We are taking
the winter off because of the weather but will be back
together in March,” said Mary.
Julie came to America just before her seventh
30 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

irthday. Her family lived near the
Saroki family and she became fast
friends with Josephine. “I met Najat
when I was about 14 or 15 years old,”
said Julie. “She invited me to hang
out with the girls. I have been part of
the group ever since.”
Julie and Josephine attended the
same college and both became educators.
“We have been close friends
since our childhood,” said Julie.
“I remember Josephine insisted
we participate in some kind of Easter
duty,” said Ameera. “She always incorporated
our faith.”
As they sat around the dining
table at Najat’s house, Julie passed
around a photo album of old pictures
and Paula brought along photos from
her sister-in-law, Virginia. “She was
always so protective of the photos.
She was so worried about me taking
them out of her house,” said Paula
about Virginia.
The women attribute the longevity
of the friendship to loyalty and
love.
“We genuinely like each other,”
said Firyal. “We talk about our joys
and problems.”
“We actually love each other like
sisters,” said Julie. “We are not catty.”
“We have never betrayed each
other and we have common values”
said Mary. “Najat has been the glue
in this group.”
“Najat has kept us together,” said
Paula in agreement.
“We never ever gossip about other
people,” said Josephine.
The women hoped their own
daughters and granddaughters would
form the same friendships.
“It’s much different today than
when we were younger,” said Nawal
Shallal. “These women welcomed
me into the group when I was newly
married and new to the country.
They have been a big part of my life.
I wish all women in all generations
could have friendships like this.”
“I think the generations today are
lost generations,” said Najat.
The Socialites today are a mix of
women from varied backgrounds. Some
were stay-at-home moms and homemakers,
others worked full-time jobs
and had careers that lasted decades.
“We know with this group, there is
always someone to lean on,” said Firyal.
“We truly are happy for each other
when good things happen and sad
when something bad happens,” said
Josephine. “We have no resentments
towards each other.”
Fighting back tears, Paula shared
how her Socialite sisters helped her
through a tragic time. “When I lost
my son, these women were here for
me,” she said. “Najat and Mike got
all our friends together and my family
came in from Spain. I will never
The Socialites:
Past and Present
Najat George
Mary Romaya
Josephine Sarafa
Paula Denja
Firyal Yono
Ameera Zachary
Nawal Shallal
Julie Hallahan
Margaret Essa
Sally Essa
Mary Jane Farida
Samira Essa
Mary Denja
Paula Hanoosh
Nancy Talia
Vickie Sarafa
Mary Chigi
Judy Abbo
Margo Kory
Rosemary Abate
Mary Thomas
Juliette Jonna
Venus Sadek
Fadiya Sarafa
Rosie Sarafa
Judy Binno
Juliette Najor
Carolyn Matti
Malika Agnastopoulos
Ruby Huhn
Lilly George
Farial Dickow
Federika Bahoura
Selwa Sesi
forget that. Years earlier she threw
me a surprise birthday party.”
“It was for your 40th,” said Najat.
“She was there for me in the good
times and bad times,” said Paula.
Sharing a similar situation Julie
chimed in. “When I lost my daughter
12 years ago, it was around Najat’s
70th birthday party. I didn’t go
but Najat called me the next day and
was crying on the phone. She told
me how much she missed having me
there.”
After a two-hour conversation
over lunch at Najat’s house, it was
apparent that nothing would ever
break the bond among these women.
“We truly enjoy being with each
other,” said Nawal.
“We like to talk to each other,”
said Firyal.
“There is no jealousy among us,”
said Najat.
“We don’t compete with each
other,” said Josephine.
“We are there for each other in
joyous occasions and sad occasions,”
said Mary. “There is nothing superficial
in this friendship.”
“We genuinely like each other,”
said Paula.
“We are family,” said Ameera.
“We are sisters,” said Julie.
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MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 31
1/10/2019 3:24:35 PM

Who are the
Chaldeans?
1750 BC
Hammurabi
introduces his
Code of Laws
LANGUAGE
HISTORY
The Chaldean language—called
Syriac—is the oldest continuously
spoken language in the world and a
dialect of Aramaic
Aramaic, Arabic and Hebrew all
share the same alphabet and
are all Semitic languages
Aramaic is the oldest continuously
spoken language and the language
spoken by Jesus Christ.
Chaldeans are indigenous to Iraq
History spanning 5,500 years dating back to
Mesopotamia, the land between two rivers
Predate the Arabs, Turks and Kurds
From the Arab world but are not Arabs
The Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar
created the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
(one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World) for his wife
Abraham, the Father of three Faiths, was
from Ur of Chaldeans
The King of Ur created Hammurabi’s
Stele, one of the first known codes of law,
currently on display at the Louvre
3000 BC
Sumerians
invent
writing
RELIGION
Chaldeans are Eastern-rite Catholic,
converted by the Apostle St. Thomas
The Chaldean Church is led by
the Patriarch of Babylon for the
Chaldeans, currently Mar Luis Sako
The Chaldean Catholic Church is in
full Union with the Roman Catholic
Church and the Pope is the highest
authority
DEMOGRAPHICS
Estimated 2,000,000
Chaldean/Assyrian/Syriac
people in the World
Estimated 500,000
Chaldeans in the United
States
Nearly 60% of
Chaldean households own
one business
Two Chaldean
Catholic Bishops in the U.S.
Francis Kalabat in Michigan
and Emanuel Shaleta in
California
There are 160, 000
Chaldeans living in
Southeast Michigan, mostly
in Macomb and Oakland
Counties
Mar Luis Sako
Chaldean businesses
contribute nearly $11 billion
to the economy of Southeast
Michigan
1900
Chaldeans begin immigrating
to the United States
Necessity is the mother of invention
The genesis of the Chaldean cheat sheet
BY MONIQUE MANSOUR
As president of the Chaldean
Community Foundation,
Martin Manna has been
giving presentations to the greater
Metro Detroit area on the Chaldean
community for quite some time now.
“Being a part of the Chaldean Community
Foundation since its inception
in 2006 has given me the opportunity
to speak in front of leaders and
companies about our community, so
that they can understand the Chaldean
community historically, culturally,
and economically, to name just a
few ways, and to give them an overall
sense of our culture,” said Manna.
When Manna received a message
to speak before the Chaldean American
Student Association at Oakland
University, he accepted it straight
away. But this presentation ended a
little differently than he had anticipated.
“I soon recognized that many
of the students didn’t completely understand
what I meant when I began
talking about Chaldean faith, family,
and the history of our community,”
he explained.
There’s a popular proverb in the
English language: Necessity is the
mother of invention. This is precisely
the bolt of insight that rained
down on Manna after giving the presentation.
“All of this made me realize
that we need to do something
to help this new generation within
our Chaldean community, many of
which probably aren’t all that familiar
with the sacrifices made by
the generations before them...nor do
they know how special they are to be
part of this dynamic community...to
speak the language of Christ and to
have a unique history like no other
community in the world.”
Manna decided a one-page digital
document which can be easily
accessed, shared, and referred to was
just the solution to this problem. It
will serve as an educational tool that
people can use to understand what it
means to be Chaldean, and it is an
initiative of the Chaldean Community
Foundation.
“On this document, there will be
facts about the demographics of our
community...it will explain things
like what it means to be an Eastern
Rite Catholic, who our bishop is,
who our patriarch is, some of the contributions
our community has made,
various information which will tell
where it is that we come from.”
The document was posted to Instagram
at the end of February and on
the Chaldean Community Foundation
website? *Insert some facts/stats
about sheet.*
“My hope is that those who read
it and access it will feel a sense of
pride. That they will get closer to
their faith and to our language,”
said Manna. It will also serve as a
valuable tool to explain to others
outside of the Chaldean community
of what it means to be Chaldean.
“All of this is meant to help with
culture preservation, one of the
main tenets of the Chaldean Community
Foundation. Knowledge is
power,” said Manna.
This cheat sheet of sorts will be
updated and reposted as needed. “All
of the dashboards and infographics
that we have at the Chaldean Community
Foundation are revisited
once a year. We make changes and
updates as necessary. We hope to do
the same with the cheat sheet,” said
Manna.
According to their website, the
Chaldean Community Foundation is
a human and social services organization
providing assistance. They aim
to improve the stability, health, and
wellness of those they serve through
advocacy, acculturation, community
development and cultural preservation.
They spearhead various programs
and solutions and are active
on social media. More information
about the organization can be found
on their website, www.chaldeanfoundation.org.
32 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

ONE on ONE
Representative
of the 8th
District talks
about her
relationship
with the
community
We had the opportunity to
ask Representative Elissa
Slotkin questions as they
pertain to her new position in Congress
and her work with the Chaldean
community. Slotkin represents
the 8th Congressional District.
What are your goals for your first year
in office? What about the first term?
I have a lot I want to accomplish, but
one overarching goal is that, a year
from now, I want people to feel a real
change in the way they interact with
their Member of Congress. My goal
is to bring a new approach in both
style and substance. We’re planning
in-person town halls, but also Facebook
town halls and video updates,
and are looking at ways to bring mobile
offices right to folks’ neighborhoods
in order to be as accessible and
responsive to their issues as possible.
What is your relationship with the
Chaldean Community?
I am so thankful to have a close relationship
with Chaldean community.
Just this past December I participated
in a roundtable with leaders
in Iraqi faith communities, including
many Chaldean leaders. I’m really
proud that my experience serving
three tours in Iraq has brought
me closer to the community in and
around our district.
What are the top issues in your district?
Lowering the cost of healthcare and
prescription drugs, returning a sense
of decency and integrity to our politics,
and passing a once-in-a-generation
infrastructure reform to upgrade
our road and water infrastructure
–– those are the things I hear about
every day from constituents, and I’m
already working on them. On many
of these issues, there is a lot of common
ground between the two parties
— and I’m hopeful that we can
make real progress.
How do you plan to work on both sides
of the aisle on issues in your district?
This is something I deeply believe in,
and I believe it starts by people getting
to know each other. I am already
enjoying getting to know the other
freshman Members of Congress with
service and veteran backgrounds from
both sides of the aisle. If you start any
conversation from a place of common
ground, it is possible to move forward
on important legislation –– on infrastructure,
border security, protecting
the environment. And that’s what
I’m committed to doing.
How did your time in Iraq prepare you
for a career in politics?
My three tours in Iraq taught me the
importance of having a sense of mission.
That no matter what, you wake
up in the morning and you know what
your mission at work is, whether it’s
protecting U.S. forces and the U.S.
homeland, or working to improve
the lives of the people you represent.
Frankly, we need more of that mission-focus
in our politics, and being
able to maintain that focus helps you
cut through the vitriol and just get to
work on the issues that matter.
How do you plan on keeping the community’s
needs at the forefront during
your time in Congress?
As a new member of both the House
Armed Services Committee and
Homeland Security Committee,
I have a platform that allows me
to lead on issues important to the
Chaldean community and to bring
them to the attention of senior
leaders in Washington. I also hope
to take a bipartisan CODEL to Iraq
this year. I pledge to be as available
and responsive as possible to the issues
facing the community — and
I’ve already heard from members of
the Chaldean community on issues
facing folks here in Michigan, and
in the Nineveh Plains. In particular,
we will be opening an office in
Rochester, which will offer a nearby
point of contact.
What are some issues or solutions you
are working on now?
Unfortunately, the government
shutdown was the primary focus
as we entered Congress, but I was
proud to take steps to help ease
the burden on federal workers, as
well as ensure that another federal
Elissa Slotkin
government shutdown never happens
again. I co-sponsored a bill to
allow federal workers to borrow out
of their retirement accounts, as well
as a bill to fund the Coast Guard
during the shutdown, and I am particularly
proud of legislation that I
introduced to end shutdowns for
good, called the Shutdown to End
All Shutdowns Act. This bill would
transfer the pain from federal workers
to the decision-makers in Washington
by suspending their pay and
travel in the event of a government
shutdown.
In addition, I’ve co-introduced
legislation, called the FLAT Prices
Act, to stop abusive drug pricing
practices, and co-sponsored a bill to
allow Medicare to negotiate for lower
drug prices. I co-sponsored the
FAMILY Act, which would provide
60 days of partial paid leave for those
who need time away from work to
care for a new child or a sick loved
one. And I offered my first amendment,
to the Veterans’ Access to
Childcare Act, that would improve
veterans’ access to health care, especially
mental health care. And there
will be lots more to come.
MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 33

DOCTOR is in
The importance of colon cancer screening
Colon cancer is the
second leading
cause of cancerrelated
deaths in the
United States. Every year,
approximately 135,000
people in the United
States are diagnosed with
colorectal cancer and over
50,000 people will die because
of it. These numbers
can be very scary, and
in fact, you might know
someone who has been diagnosed
with colon cancer.
The majority of colon cancers
develop from pre-malignant polyps,
which if left alone, have an
increased risk of turning into cancer.
This process is clinically silent
and typically has no symptoms until
cancer is present. Once present,
many patients will develop fatigue,
weight loss, a change in their bowel
habits, or start to see blood in their
stool. At this point, the process is
less likely to be curable.
Risk factors for colorectal cancer
include but are not limited to a family
history of colon cancer in either
your parents or siblings, certain genetic
disorders, a history of colon
polyps, eating red meat, a high fat
diet, a high calorie diet, smoking,
alcohol use, obesity, and diabetes.
In America, the average citizen has
a 5% lifetime risk of developing colon
cancer, but if you have a family
history, that risk increases to 12% or
higher. It should be noted that red
meat more than doubles your risk of
colon cancer. In our community,
JOHNATHON
MARKUS M.D.
SPECIAL TO THE
CHALDEAN NEWS
red meat is often a core
component of every meal.
There are also protective
factors that you can
take to decrease your risk
of colon cancer. Eating
more fruits and vegetables,
exercising, taking in
an adequate amount of
folate and fiber, and being
compliant with your cholesterol
medication will
decrease your risk of colon
cancer. In addition, quitting smoking,
decreasing red meat consumption,
and controlling your diabetes
are all important and necessary to
lowering the risk.
Fortunately, we now have effective
screening tools, and the vast
majority of colon cancer can be prevented.
There are several different
modalities currently in deployment
to prevent colon cancer, but the
most common one is the colonoscopy.
The colonoscopy is a procedure
where a flexible camera is inserted in
to the rectum and advanced to the
end of the colon to an area called
the cecum. Once there, we slowly
pull the camera back and look for
polyps. Once polyps are identified,
we remove them through the camera,
collect the tissue, and send it
to a pathologist, who then tells us
what kind of polyps were removed.
Based on the number of polyps, the
size, microscopic analysis, and other
risk factors we can then make recommendations
of when to schedule
the next colonoscopy. Depending
on a person’s risk factors, this is
typically 3, 5, or 10 years, with some
exceptions.
As scary as that sounds, most
endoscopy centers and hospitals
(including mine) use medications
such as propofol to keep you sedated
during the procedure. Propofol has
the distinct advantage of putting
you to sleep very quickly once infused,
and you rapidly start to wake
up once the infusion is over. Your
only restriction is to not drive or
We now have
effective screening
tools, and the vast
majority of colon
cancer can be
prevented…the most
common one is the
colonoscopy.
make any medical or legal decisions
that day. If you are afraid of anesthesia
or worried about the rare risks
of perforation or bleeding, talk with
your doctor as an un-sedated colonoscopy
or other screening options
are available.
I frequently tell my patients the
hardest part of the colonoscopy is
not the procedure itself, but rather
the preparation involved. Indeed,
those who have had a colonoscopy
will tell you this is the part they
dread the most. I frequently tell my
patients to consider the prep as a
bowel cleanse. Preps can range from
4 liters of fluid to as little as 72 oz
of solution, but availability ranges
due to cost and insurance coverage.
I cannot stress enough that the
preparation is the most important
part of the whole process. You must
follow your prep instructions exactly
as written. Multiple studies have
shown that prep quality is one of the
most important factors that increase
polyp detection rates.
Colon cancer rates have fallen
over the past two decades and this
can mostly be attributed to screening.
Every patient should undergo
screening colonoscopies at age 50.
This number changes to 40 or 10
years before the youngest family
member was diagnosed if there is a
family history of colon cancer. For
example, if a father was diagnosed
with colon cancer at age 48, his
children should start screening at
age 38. I would also recommend
that if you see blood in your stool,
no matter what age, you should see
a gastroenterologist. Finally, a noninvasive
method of testing for polyps
or colon cancer is a test called
the Cologuard, which was FDA
approved in 2016. This requires
mailing in a stool sample that can
then be analyzed for abnormal tissue,
and if positive, a colonoscopy is
recommended. This test is done on
a yearly basis.
I hope you have found this information
informative.
NOVEL continued from page 24
by Greek and Roman thought, even
giving support to the Romans during
their occupation of Palestine. The
Pharisees believed in an afterlife, in
contrast to the Sadducees, a concept,
while not lacking in modern Judaism,
is far more associated with Christianity.
As a result, he believes James and
Jesus were Pharisees.
The Essenes believed temple
leadership was corrupt and opposed
the Roman occupation so much that
they stockpiled weapons.
Oddly enough, given biblical
accounts of his challenging of the
Pharisees, Kassel believes this would
have been Christ’s school of thought.
He cites Christ’s famous “do unto
others” philosophy as possible paraphrasing
of Hillel, a Pharisee rabbi. Of
course, the Holy Bible does not end
with his effect on the religious practices
of the first century A.D., or even his
crucifixion and neither does this book.
As a rabbi, James cultivated relationships
with Roman leadership,
particularly Pontius Pilate, the Roman
governor who gave the order
to torture and eventually kill Christ.
Despite these relationships, James
could not save Christ.
The focus on these political pressures
shows inevitability to the crucifixion.
This approach of portraying it
from a political light comes from
heavy research into the times
and places Kassel wrote about.
One thing he hopes his research
and writing will work against the
centuries’ long anti-Semitic propaganda
that Jewish people as a
whole are responsible for Christ’s
Crucifixion.
The focus on James’ law background
comes from biblical accounts
of his role in early Christianity. Not
the least of which taking a lead role
in determining what Jewish practices
would be carried over to the new religion,
and if gentiles could practice.
Christ reveals himself to James
after his resurrection, and it is at this
point in the book that James realizes
Christ is the messiah.
While My Brother’s Keeper is
fiction, Kassel said he did not stray
very far from scripture in writing this
book, and believes Chaldeans will
especially enjoy seeing their perspective
on Christianity, which is often
overlooked, represented with reverence.
Bill Kassel talked about his novel on
Ave Maria Radio with Teresa Tomeo.
You can hear the podcast at www.avemariaradio.net.
His book is available
at https://avemariaradio.net/product/
brothers-keeper-novel-family-jesus/
34 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

Cancer. It’s the word that changes
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MARCH 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 35

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offers a broad range of estate planning services. Each client is
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CHALDEAN
AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
CHALDEAN
AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
SANA NAVARRETTE
DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
CELL (248) 925-7773
TEL (248) 851-1200
FAX (248) 851-1348
snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com
www.chaldeanchamber.com
www.chaldeanfoundation.org
ELIAS KATTOULA
CAREER SERVICES MANAGER
3601 15 Mile Road
Sterling Heights, MI 48310
TEL: (586) 722-7253
FAX: (586) 722-7257
elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org
www.chaldeanfoundation.org
CHALDEAN
AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
SANA NAVARRETTE
MEMBERSHIP MANAGER
SANA NAVARRETTE
DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
CELL (248) 925-7773
TEL (248) 851-1200
FAX (248) 851-1348
snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com
www.chaldeanchamber.com
www.chaldeanfoundation.org
Jaguar Land Rover Troy
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snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com
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Tell them you saw it in
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www.chaldeanfoundation.org
Twitter: @ChaldeanChamber
Instagram: @ChaldeanAmericanChamber

chaldean on the STREET
Preparing for the holiest holiday of the year!
BY HALIM SHEENA
With lent and Easter right around the corner, we wanted
to know how members of the community prepare.
I prepare for Easter during lent by incorporating
more prayer throughout the day. Instead of driving
and listening to music, I’ll throw on the rosary or
chaplet of divine mercy. I also really focus on fasting
because I’ve learned through experience that
any form of suffering helps grow closer to God if
you allow him to share you sorrow. I also try and go
to church more than just every Sunday
– Amanda Ibrahim, 21, Sterling Heights
One of my favorite ways to spend my time preparing
for Easter during lent is by watching The
Passion of the Christ. Although it is saddening to
watch, it is a significant reminder of the reality that
Jesus Christ endured on the cross. Furthermore, I
prepare for Easter during lent by fasting. It is important
that we sacrifice something to show our
gratitude towards God sending down his son to die
on the cross for our sins.
– Daleana Dabish, 20, Warren
Preparing for lent I try to be more courageous in
using the gifts God has given me. I begin by giving
myself a reasonable goal that I can continue to do
even after Easter. While praying, fasting, and almsgiving
I try to find ways to feed my soul and the soul
of others. Letting myself truly enter in Lent with
purity and generosity of the heart.
– Nicole Summa, 27, West Bloomfield
To prepare for lent I pray for the strength to keep
my promises to God and to spread his word by letting
him work through me. I also repent to start
my Lenten season with God and I meditate on the
meaning of lent and why we fast in order to grow
throughout the Lenten season.
– Nicole Nofar, 26, West Bloomfield
I spend my time preparing for Easter during lent
by preparing for the resurrection of Jesus Christ
through prayer and fasting. This is the time we are
especially called to repent and ask for mercy and
forgiveness for our sins. I spend a lot of time going
to church, adoration, and confession.
– Dana Betty, 21, West Bloomfield
I pray that my sacrifice, whatever it may be, is truly
offered to Jesus. Also, while I prepare for Easter
during lent I try to surrender everything I have in
my heart to Jesus because he died for all of us and
he is true love!
– Derrick Jemmoa, 22, Troy
38 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2019

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
Help Wanted!
Please consider hiring one of
our many new Americans.
More than 30,000 Chaldean refugees have migrated to Michigan since 2007. Many
possess the skills and determination to work hard for you and your organization.
The Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) has a bank of resumes
of candidates qualified to do a variety of jobs. To inquire about hiring a
New American, call or email Elias at 586-722-7253 or
elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org.
Chaldean Community Foundation
Sterling Heights Office
3601 15 Mile Road
Sterling Heights, MI 48310
586-722-7253
www.chaldeanfoundation.org