NOVEMBER 2020

VOL. 17 ISSUE X
METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 2020
$
3
www.chaldeannews.com
THE ARCHBISHOP
OF MOSUL
SAVIOR OF SACRED RELICS
IS RECOGNIZED BY INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY
INSIDE
A CHALDEAN THANKSGIVING
WORLD WAR II VETERAN PETER ESSA
WAYS TO GIVE BACK

Build a beautiful life.
Begin constructing the life you’ve always imagined at
Bloomfield Hunt Club Estates.
Build your new home at
Bloomfield Hunt Club Estates
and experience life with all the sparkle
and joy you’ve always imagined.
OPDYKE RD.
STONYCROFT
HILLS
GOLF CLUB
WOODWARD AVE.
KENSINGTON RD.
BLOOMFIELD
OPEN HUNT
E. LONG LAKE
Only 7 lots remain!
Gated community
Bloomfield Hills schools
For a personal tour of available property or for more information regarding
Bloomfield Hunt Club Estates, contact us at 248.644.7600 or visit our website.
B L O O M F I E L D H U N T C L U B E S T A T E S . C O M
ALL BROKERS PROTECTED.
Customize a plan and start today
Work directly with your architect,
designer or builder
Included:
Bloomfield Open Hunt Club membership

W_Ad_November.pdf 1 10/12/20 5:15 PM
&
INDOOR
OUTDOOR
NOW BOOKING YOUR
FUTURE EVENTS [2020 + 2021]
M
Y
Y
Y
RICHARD HATFIELD
Banquet & Catering Sales Manager
Rhatfield@wabeekcc.com
248.539.7103
DIANE ATTALLAH
Event Sales Director
Diane@wabeekcc.com
248.539.7106
CONTACT
4000 CLUBGATE DRIVE | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302 | 248.855.0700
WABEEKCC.COM | FACEBOOK: @WABEEKCOUNTRYCLUB | INSTAGRAM: @WABEEKCC
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 3

CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2020
THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 17 ISSUE X
28 35
departments
6 FROM THE EDITOR
BY PAUL JONNA
Democracy in the Modern Age
on the cover
18 THE ARCHBISHOP OF MOSUL:
SAVIOR OF SACRED RELICS IS
RECOGNIZED INTERNATIONALLY
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD AND SARAH KITTLE
features
22 ARK ANGEL FUND
BY PAUL NATINSKY
New Angel Fund investment group
created by Chaldean Chamber
24 A CHALDEAN THANKSGIVING
BY CHRISTINA AYAR
New recipe brings historical dish to modern times
26 ALEXANDER THE GREAT:
THE END OF BABYLON
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
The story of this historic figure and
how he ties in to Chaldean culture
18
7 YOUR LETTERS
8 FOUNDATION UPDATE
10 CHALDEAN DIGEST
Who will get the Chaldean vote?
Vandalism in California churches
Backing Eric Esshaki
14 FAMILY TIME
BY DANIELLE ALEXANDER
How to Give Back Safely
16 IN MEMORIAM
17 OBITUARY: DANIAL JADDOU
28 CULTURE & HISTORY
BY CRYSTAL JABIRO
Peter Essa: Honoring a WWII Veteran
30 CHALDEANS AROUND THE WORLD
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
Chaldeans in Europe Part II: France
32 CHALDEAN ON THE STREET
“If there were a COVID-19 vaccine,
would you get it and why/why not?”
34 DOCTOR IS IN
DR. BRANDON KARMO
Wellness Exams: How a Visit
to the Doctor Could Save Your Life
35 ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE
BY PAUL NATINSKY
Urban Air is Back Aloft
36 KEEPING UP WITH THE CHALDEANS
38 EVENT
PPE Giveaway
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 5

from the EDITOR
PUBLISHED BY
Chaldean News, LLC
Chaldean Community Foundation
Martin Manna
EDITORIAL
ACTING EDITOR IN CHIEF
Paul Jonna
MANAGING EDITOR
Sarah Kittle
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Danielle Alexander
Azal Arabo
Christina Ayar
Crystal Jabiro
Dr. Brandon Karmo
Sarah Kittle
Adhid Miri, PhD
Paul Natinsky
ART & PRODUCTION
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative
SALES
Interlink Media
Sana Navarrette
SUBSCRIPTIONS: $35 PER YEAR
CONTACT INFORMATION
Story ideas: edit@chaldeannews.com
Advertisements: ads@chaldeannews.com
Subscription and all other inquiries:
info@chaldeannews.com
Chaldean News
30095 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 101
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
www.chaldeannews.com
Phone: (248) 851-8600
Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); Published
monthly; Issue Date: October 2020
Subscriptions:
12 months, $35.
Publication Address:
30095 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 101,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334;
Permit to mail at periodicals postage rates
is on file at Farmington Hills Post Office
Postmaster: Send address changes to
“The Chaldean News 30095 Northwestern Hwy.,
Suite 101, Farmington Hills, MI 48334”
Defending Democracy
Can we talk about democracy?
Having open
discussions with an an exchange
of ideas is central
to democracy. Everyone,
and I mean everyone has
an opinion, and – this is
key – they have a right to
that opinion. Free thought,
freedom of expression, free
speech; these all exist in our
America.
Although I wasn’t born in Iraq,
I’ve heard enough stories about suppression,
oppression and tyranny to
know how lucky I am to live here in
these United States. Our two-party
system isn’t perfect, but it’s the best
ever created by man, and the fact
that we have a choice at all is something
we should not take for granted.
As a trained attorney, I know
PAUL JONNA
ACTING EDITOR
IN CHIEF
about the importance of
debate and listening to others.
Opinions are formed in
the process of open discussion.
Healthy disagreement
leads to compromise, and
divergence of views can enrich
our history and culture,
but only if a mutual respect
exists between the debating
parties.
Democracy, or the government
“of the people, by
the people, for the people” has existed
in its current incarnation for
just over 200 years in America. For
it to continue, we need to remember
that hand-in-hand with democratic
values, we must value respect. Selfrespect
guides our morals and respect
for others guides our manners.
We’ve heard from some of you,
our readers, who’ve written in with
opinions on articles and topics we’ve
covered. We appreciate each and every
one of you and value your opinions.
We know that many people
have different beliefs, even those
who share common values. Let’s not
let those differences divide us.
We cannot allow democracy to
suffer because we can’t agree. Civil
discourse may not be the norm nowadays,
but I propose we bring it back.
Let’s stick to the issues and make our
best decision based on policy, not
personality.
Remember, democracy is something
we aspire to.
With Gratitude,
Paul Jonna
Acting Editor in Chief
BAN MANNA
EXAMINER
STEVE SUOLAKA
EXAMINER
InternationalDriverTesting.com
AUTOMOBILE & MOTORCYCLE TESTING
Road Skills Testing for Adults and Teenagers
30095 NORTHWESTERN HWY, SUITE 65A • FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334
DRIVER’S EDUCATION (SEGMENT 1 & 2) • TEENS & ADULTS
WEST BLOOMFIELD HIGH SCHOOL
4925 ORCHARD LAKE ROAD • WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 48322
248-535-5855 • BanManna18@yahoo.com
New York Life Congratulates
Gabriel H. Sinawi CLU®, ChFC®
for 40 Years of Service
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED:
Individual Life Insurance, IRAs , SEPs and 529 Plans # , Fixed Immediate and,
Defferred Annuities * , Variable Annuities # , Mutual Funds # , Health Insurance ** ,
Medicare Supplemental Insurance **
CONTACT:
Gabriel H. Sinawi CLU®, ChFC®
Agent, New York Life Insurance Company
Registered Reppresentitive of NYLIFE Securities LLC
Member (FINRA/SIPC), a Licensed Insurance Agency
EMAIL: gsinawi@ft.newyorklife.com
PHONE: 248-357-8971
FAX: 248-286-6304
ADDRESS: 27777 Franklin Dr, Suite 2220, Southfield, MI 48034
*Issued by New York Life Insurance Company or New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corperation #Securities offered
through NYLIFE Securities LLC (member FINRA/SIPC). **Products available through one or more carriers not affiliated
with New York Life, dependent on carrier authorization and product availability in your state or locality. SMRU 522091
6 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

your LETTERS
Single Issue Voting?
Dear Chaldean News Editors,
I thank Fr. Shammami for
discussing in the last publication
the issue of single-issue voting,
although I respectfully reach a
different conclusion than his.
First, the piece does not take
into account that if abortion is
outlawed, it will simply move
underground to be performed
in ways unsafe for the woman.
There is also an implied assumption
in his piece that if
one votes for pro-life candidates
and if those win, abortion will
stop, but that it will increase if
we vote for pro-choice candidates.
But history does not support
such an assumption. Since
the 1970s, most Supreme Court
Justices have been selected by
Republican Presidents; yet those
Judges continued to uphold Roe
vs. Wade (the decision which
allowed a woman to terminate
pregnancy within the first 12
weeks). A possible reason is that
the Court reflects the view of
the majority of Americans that
termination of pregnancy during
the very early embryo stage is not
equivalent to a killing of a baby.
Another statistic is that abortion
dropped under Democratic presidents
more than under Republicans.
Why? I believe the reason
is that Democrats are more
interested in reducing unwanted
pregnancies by funding proper
sex education and providing the
means to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
On the other hand, I am
convinced that for many Republican
politicians, pro-life stands
are a vote-getting strategy, with
little effort to actually reduce
unwanted pregnancies. That is
why I believe a single-issue voting
is a poor choice, as one is
letting himself be manipulated
by politicians, not all of whom
believe in what they claim.
Respectfully,
N. Peter Antone
LET US DESIGN YOUR DREAM KITCHEN
WE’REHIRING!
www.ninosalvaggio.com
FREE In-Home Estimates
Full Remodeling Services Available
Shelby Township • West Bloomfield
www.lafata.com • 586.930.1701
SEASONAL, FULL TIME
AND PART TIME
MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION, 401K,
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
Apply in person at any Nino’s
or visit us online at
nino-salvaggio.careerplug.com/account
St. Clair Shores
27900 Harper Ave.
586-778-3650
Clinton Township
17496 Hall Rd.
586-412-6000
Troy
6835 Rochester Rd.
248-879-9222
Bloomfield Township
6592 Telegraph Rd.
248-970-7000
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 7

CCF update
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of annual health
screenings, the CCF partnered with Ascension on October 20 to provide
mammograms to women in need through Ascensions Mobile Mammography
unit. Pre-screened individuals were seen by appointment in a private
setting. Each woman received a PPE kit to take home.
CCF Supercuts
Gives First Haircut
CCF’s Supercuts barbershop was
developed to give those with special
needs a safe and quiet environment
to get a haircut. Many of
those suffering from sensory issues
have difficulty during a haircut, as
they do not like anyone touching
their head. CCF’s Supercuts
schedules one-hour appointments
to ensure a one-on-one haircutting
experience that is noise and
stress free and introduces each
piece of styling equipment to the
client before use.
Flu Vaccination Drive
The Chaldean Community Foundation
hosted flu vaccination drives on
Wednesday October 14, 2020 and
Thursday, October 22 at the new Ascension
Primary Health Care clinic,
part of the new facility expansion. PPE
kits were provided to individuals who
received the flu vaccination.
Flu vaccinations will be administered
to the public free of charge
throughout the months of October
and November. Help the fight
against COVID-19 by getting your
flu shot! For more information, contact
the Ascension Primary Care
Clinic at 586-738-9475.
CCF assists PBJ
Outreach, INC
in Detroit
On Saturday September 26, 2020,
staff from the Chaldean Community
Foundation provided and distributed
100 bags filled with personal protection
equipment to individuals attending
the PBJ outreach program
in Detroit. The PBJ outreach program
provides food, refreshments,
and hospitality to 150 – 200 homeless
and impoverished individuals in
downtown Detroit each Saturday.
Their mission is to provide dignity
and respect to people who do not
receive it regularly. The Chaldean
Community Foundation was proud
to partner with and assist such a
wonderful program.
Personal
Protective
Equipment
Giveaway
The Chaldean Community
Foundation hosted two PPE
Giveaway and Voter Registration
events at their location
on August 12 and September
22nd. Over the course of both
afternoons, CCF handed out
more than 1,300 kits filled with
hand sanitizer, face masks, alcohol
pads, face shield and thermometers
and registered more
than 50 people to vote. CCF
efforts are aimed at helping the
community stay safe. Are you
in need of PPE? Stay tuned to
CCF’s Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter pages to learn more
about upcoming giveaways.
8 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
Help
Wanted?
As our Nation plans
to rebuild after this
unprecedented time,
please consider
investing in one of our
many new Americans.
HOW WE HELP:
The Career Services Team
at the Chaldean Community
Foundation offers one-on-one
assistance to help individuals
identify their goals and
develop their careers.
SERVICES INCLUDE:
• Resume Building and Cover Letter Writing
• Job Application Completion
• FAFSA Completion
• Mock Interviews
• Employer Referrals
• Training Opportunities
• Career Fairs
• Access to Transportation via the
Michael J George Chaldean Loan Fund
To inquire about hiring one of our clients and having your business added to our job bank,
please call or email Elias at 586-722-7253 or elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org
CHALDEAN
AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 3601 15 MILE ROAD, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 586-722-7253 CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 9

chaldean DIGEST
What others are saying about Chaldeans
PHOTO BY STEPHEN STARR
Biden Courts Muslim Vote but Not All Back Him
BY STEPHEN STARR
Abu Steif’s restaurant in Sterling Heights, north of downtown
Detroit, where there is a flourishing Arab-American
community.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s
campaign has expended much effort reaching out
to Muslim Americans, many of whom are of Arab
origin. Metro Detroit has the largest Middle Eastern
community in the U.S., and the community’s success
in business has more recently translated to political
clout on the national level. In 2018, Rashida
Tlaib, a Muslim of Palestinian descent who represents
several Detroit districts, was elected to the US
Vandalism at St. Peter Chaldean Catholic Diocese and
Our Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Church
BY PHILLIP MOLNAR
Two Catholic churches in East
County, San Diego, California
reported that they had been vandalized
with swastikas and other
phrases painted across their exteriors,
sheriff’s officials said.
St. Peter Chaldean Catholic
Diocese in Rancho San Diego
shared a video of the graffiti
on its Facebook page Saturday
morning, which had been shared
more than 1,000 times by early
afternoon.
The vandalism included
symbols and phrases of conflicting
ideology: swastikas and
pentagrams were painted alongside
the phrases “white power,”
“BLM” for Black Lives Matter
and “Biden 2020.” The Nazi
symbol, used to target Jewish
people, was most prevalent.
“It makes zero sense,” said Fr.
Daniel Shaba of St. Peter. “As
much as I’ve tried to logically
piece it together, it just makes
no sense to me.”
“Right now, what we are
telling the community to do is
to pray for more peace in the
House of Representatives. Tlaib was the first Muslim
to enter the state legislature and the joint-first
Muslim from an immigrant background elected to
Congress, alongside Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
However, not all Arab Americans are likely to
back Biden. Many, especially the almost 2 millionstrong
Arab Christian community, could lean towards
Trump due, in part, to his verbal promises to
help Christians in Iraq. At a rally outside Detroit
last January, the president singled out the community
for praise. He said he would keep Michigan’s
“wonderful Iraqi Christians”, referring to the threat
of deportation facing hundreds of Christian immigrants
from Iraq.
For Abu Steif, who came to Michigan from Mosul
in 2013, public comments like this mean a lot.
A member of the Chaldean Catholic community,
he runs a restaurant in the Sterling Heights district
north of Detroit. He left the northern Iraqi city just
months before it fell to Islamic State insurgents.
“Donald Trump!” he exclaims, and is echoed by his
co-workers within earshot, when asked who he would
vote for on November 3rd. “He doesn’t like war; he
doesn’t like interfering in other countries. In the past,
America caused a lot of problems in the Arab world.”
– IrishTimes.com
The Sheriff’s Department is investigating graffiti on St. Peter Chaldean
Catholic Diocese.
world, first and foremost,” he
said. “But, also the repentance
of these people that decided to
do this to the church.”
– San Diego Union Tribune
COURTESY OF ST. PETER CHALDEAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE
CNS PHOTO/KAWA OMAR, REUTERS
Women mourn the death of a man who was killed
in a Turkish airstrike in late June in Sheladize, Iraq.
Priests say Turkish
attacks in northern Iraq
displace Christians
BY DALE GAVLAK
AMMAN, Jordan (CNS) — Iraqi Christian
priests warn that the latest Turkish military
attacks in northern Iraq are displacing Christians
and exacerbating a precarious security
situation.
“Already Christian villagers had to escape
their homes because of Turkish military
assaults last year on the pretext that those
forces were attacking the PKK (Kurdistan
Workers’ Party) fighters,” Father Emanuel
Youkhana told Catholic News Service by
phone.
Father Youkhana, a priest, or archimandrite,
of the Assyrian Church of the East,
runs Christian Aid Program Northern Iraq.
CAPNI aids Iraqi Christians and Yazidis uprooted
by Islamic State militants as well as
Syrian Christians and Kurds who escaped to
northern Iraq due to Turkey’s military invasion
of northeastern Syria.
Father Samir Yousef, a Chaldean Catholic
parish priest in the Diocese of Amadiyah,
said the areas where he serves “have been
bombed with greater intensity. Families have
been forced to flee their homes to escape
these attacks.”
Other Christians hoping to return to
their hometowns on the Ninevah Plain following
the area’s 2014 takeover by Islamic
State militants are also facing challenges,
said Father Youkhana. CAPNI and other
humanitarian organizations as well as the
Catholic Church are helping to rebuild the
communities’ lives, their homes, schools and
businesses burned and destroyed by the militants,
who also laid land mines in the area.
Only 45% of the original Christian community
has returned to the Ninevah Plain,
according to Aid to the Church in Need. The
Catholic group’s recent report said there were
102,000 Christians living there in 2014, but
their numbers have dwindled to 36,000 and
could plummet even further by 2024.
– Catholic News Service
10 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

Franklin
Cider Mill
Wameedh Khalid Francis, 21, is one of 15 students attending St Peter’s Chaldean
Seminary in Ankawa.
Iraqi Seminarian speaks about
becoming a priest
BY SABAH
PHOTO CREDIT ASIA NEWS
Erbil (AsiaNews) – In the current
context in Iraq and the world, the
priestly and monastic vocations are
“the pinnacle of love and service,”
said Wameedh Khalid Francis, age
21, one of 15 students attending St.
Peter’s Chaldean Seminary in Ankawa,
the Christian neighborhood
in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.
Born in the village of Telskuf,
he underwent a life-changing experience
following the attack by
the Islamic State group in the summer
of 2014, which “destroyed everything,”
he told AsiaNews. “In a
dangerous context [caused by the
jihadi advance], the priest did his
utmost as an engineer and as the
humblest of workers: people turned
to him for everything.
“In this situation, I understood
the meaning of mission,” says Francis,
“For this reason, I urge young
people to undertake the loving
service that our world needs today.”
Recently, the Chaldean patriarch
Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako
Saving local newspapers
squeezed by hedge funds
BY STEVEN WALDMAN
launched an appeal saying that the
country and its Church need, “new
vocations, both male and female”.
Today Iraq is still in a critical
situation due to sectarian violence
and widespread corruption. The
Christian community must struggle
to keep its culture, presence and
traditions alive despite the massive
exodus of recent years.
To his peers, male or female,
Francis wants to show the beauty of
priestly service and consecrated life.
“Becoming a priest, a monk or a nun,”
says the seminarian, “means living
the Christian mission in its fullness.”
This “involves total service, even if
it has greater value and breadth for a
priest or a consecrated person” than
any other profession or lifestyle.
“To you, Christians and peoples
of the West, I ask you not to forget
us, and to always pray for us, that
peace may reign throughout the
East, so that Christians can finally
live in peace in their land.”
– Ankawa.com
National Historic Site Since 1832
Voted Best Apple Cider Mill
2020
New Online Ordering Options!
Pre-Pay Pick-up & Grub Hub
www.franklincidermill.com
Following CDC & Michigan Safe Guidelines
Order Your Thanksgiving Pies Today!
248.626.8262
Open Thanksgiving Day 8 - 12 noon
Open NOW -> November 29th
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM DAILY
7450 Franklin Road
14 Mile Road & Franklin Road
1 Mile West of Telegraph
Phone: 248.626.8261
The conversation about the crisis in
local news has tended to focus on two
solutions: helping create local news
startups and supporting local newspapers
still in existence. Each approach
has limitations and promise. Birthing
nonprofit news organizations is critically
important and valuable, but so
far there are far too few (around 300),
and their scale is small.
Could some of the 6,700 privately
owned newspapers be transformed
into more community-grounded institutions?
Just as sickly plants can
sometimes gain new life by being
watered and repotted in healthier
soil, could changing their ownership
structures and sources of nourishment
revive some dying newspapers?
Stakeholders in a community
could join together to create a
new entity. Perhaps this would be
driven and financed initially by one
of the 750 community or placebased
foundations in the country.
In Michigan, the Chaldean Community
Foundation purchased the
local newspaper, The Chaldean
News. They’re pledging to convert
it to a digital property and invest
more in local reporting.
– PopularResistance.org
Same Great Fresh Cider & Warm Donuts
Slushes & Caramel Apples
Best In-Season Michigan Apples
Your Favorite Michigan Made Products
• Maple Syrup • Jams • Honey • Cheeses • Meats •
• Chows • Salsas • Dressings • Apple Sauce •
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 11

chaldean DIGEST
What others are saying about Chaldeans
Eric Esshaki on the campaign trail
Middle East Eye
Trump-backed candidate hopes to become first
Iraqi Christian in Congress
BY ALI HARB
Eric Esshaki, a Republican running
for Congress in Michigan,
says his Iraqi-Christian
heritage taught him about hard
work, family and faith, and “the
value of the American dream”. The
36-year-old lawyer, who worked as
a registered nurse in his early 20s,
is backed by US President Donald
Trump to unseat Democratic Congresswoman
Haley Stevens.
If elected, he would become the
first Iraqi-Christian Chaldean to
serve in Congress. Michigan is home
to a large community of Chaldeans
- Iraqi Catholics who are mostly politically
conservative. “My dad came
here because he wanted to partake in
the American dream,” Esshaki told
MEE. “He knew that if he worked
hard and made sacrifices, it wouldn’t
be easy but that he could create a
better life for himself and his family,
and he passed those general sentiments
on to me.”
Despite the rampant anti-immigrant
rhetoric in his Republican
party, the candidate invoked his father
to assert conservative values.
“He knew that the American dream
wasn’t a handout from the government.
It was about having the opportunities,
and if you’re willing to
seize those opportunities and work
hard, you can do what you want to
do in this country.”
The Chaldean community
had favored Trump in 2016. Early
this year, the president vowed to
keep Michigan’s “wonderful” Iraqi
Christians in the country, but most
of those targeted for deportation
are still in drawn-out court battles
to secure their stay in the United
States.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ESSHAKI CAMPAIGN
The Detroit News
Editorial: Our pick
for Congress from
the 11th District
BY THE DETROIT NEWS
EDITORIAL STAFF
The 2018 Democratic landslide
in Michigan turned the 11th
Congressional District, a longstanding
Republican stronghold,
blue. Democrat Haley
Stevens won the seat and is
now completing her freshman
term. Stevens is a good retail
politician and has worked to
familiarize herself with the district.
She’s also a reliable vote
for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s
progressive agenda.
The race this year presents
the 11th District with an opportunity
to return to its traditional
conservative roots, as
well as help provide a better
ideological balance to Congress.
Republican challenger Eric
Esshaki is a principled conservative
with a good feel for the
people of the district and the
challenges they face. He’s prolife,
pro-Second Amendment
and sees the nation’s monumental
debt as a threat to the
future of his two sons. That’s
how all Americans should
view today’s prolific unfunded
spending.
The district covers southern
Oakland and western
Wayne counties and comprises
one of the nation’s most diverse
and prosperous business
communities. Esshaki advocates
a review of regulations
impacting small businesses and
revoking those that impose a
needless burden. He supports
vigorous, legal immigration to
fuel growth. And he sees a limited
role for government in the
private economy.
Eric Esshaki has the potential
to become an influential,
young conservative voice in
Congress, and the voters of the
11th District should send him
there.
12 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
STOP THE
SPREAD OF
COVID-19
In tough times, communities
must come together.
Avoid large public/social gatherings.
Practice social distancing.
Stay home if you are sick.
Wash your hands and cover coughs and sneezes.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Do your part and wear a mask.
Keep Communities Safe.
#MaskupMichigan
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 3601 15 MILE ROAD, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 586-722-7253 CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 13

FAMILY time
Safe Ways to Give Back
BY DANIELLE ALEXANDER
Although there’s definitely
a need for it year-round,
November seems to be the
month when my family partakes in
our annual acts of service. Because
of Covid-19, these acts will undoubtedly
look different this year than in
years past; nevertheless, whether
through the donation of goods, time,
knowledge and/or funds, there are
still plenty of opportunities for us
and others in the community to safely
give back in 2020.
Giving Goods
According to feedingamerica.org,
54 million people in America may
experience hunger because of Covid-19,
which is a 60% increase in the
number of people seeking help from
food banks. Donating to a food drive
or, if you feel comfortable, hosting
your own food drive would be a great
way to give back this year. Like many
metro Detroit churches, Our Lady of
Sorrows Church in Farmington hosts
an annual Thanksgiving Food Drive
where parishioners and students at
the school can bring in a variety of
goods to donate. Gift cards, especially
this year, are highly encouraged.
In hopes of inspiring a sense of giving
in our five-year-old daughter this
holiday season, one way I have decided
to give goods is by “Adopting a Child.”
We have received this child’s wishlist,
and my daughter and I have already
begun brainstorming what we will get
her; she is so excited to take the lead
on this. Once we complete our shopping,
I plan to take my daughter with
me to drop off the unwrapped gifts to
the child welfare agency. In addition to
individual children, entire families are
also always an option.
Giving time and knowledge, safely
Many local metro Detroit food banks
are in need of in-person volunteers
but do have strict Covid-19 precautions
in place. Distributing more
than 45 million pounds of food annually
to those in need from Wayne,
Oakland, Monroe, Livingston and
Macomb counties, Gleaners Food
Bank is one of many food banks with
volunteer opportunities for interested
community members, including
the youth. Whether at distribution
centers, through My Neighborhood
Mobile Grocery or at food pantries,
the team at Gleaners believes the
“generous donation of time and energy
is vitally important.”
Another sometimes less obvious
way to give back is to share your
knowledge. I am a former high school
English and journalism teacher, so
I could easily donate some hours of
my time to tutoring those in need. If
the student does not feel comfortable
meeting in-person right now, we could
also FaceTime or connect on Zoom.
Giving Funds
If you have the means to do so, donating
money to organizations in
need is probably the easiest, least
time-consuming and safest way to
give back this year. However, be sure
you’re passionate about the cause
you decide to support and have done
your research on the organization
ahead of time.
The Chaldean Community Foundation
is a worthy recipient that has
been working doubly hard since the
pandemic, treating concerned clients
and providing PPE for the general
public. It’s easy to give on their website:
Chaldeanfoundation.org.
My nieces love the Detroit Zoo,
so instead of purchasing more toys
for them this year for Christmas, I
adopted each of them a zoo animal.
When they open their presents on
Christmas morning, they will see an
adoption certificate, an 8x10 color
photo of the animal adopted, a fact
sheet on that animal and a gift certificate
for a plush animal from Zoofari
Market. Once the weather warms up
again, a zoo trip to visit their new
“pets” will be in the works, as well.
How community members are
planning to give back
Angela Konja of Farmington Hills said
she hopes St. Thomas in West Bloomfield
continues, “The Giving Tree,”
which is one way people of all ages can
perform a meaningful act of charity by
including someone less fortunate they
don’t know in their Christmas shopping.
“The church always has a tree
in the lobby filled with tags that say
things like ‘Pots and Pans,’ ‘Toddler
Games’ or ‘Gift Cards.’ Then, after
purchasing the item on your tag, you
bring the unwrapped gifts back, and
an organization distributes them to the
needy families,” says Konja.
Novi resident Ramy Sulaiman is
on the steering committee for The
100+ Millennials Who Care, a group
of millennials from all walks of life
and varying financial backgrounds
who are interested in supporting
the Southeast Michigan community
through philanthropy. Each
member gives $100 and one hour of
their time, four times a year. “$100
to charity doesn’t feel like you’re
making a difference, but when 100
people donate $100 at the same time,
they raise $10,000, which can make
a huge impact,” Sulaiman said.
Sterling Heights resident Nahla
Barash said she plans to continue her
yearly act of service and pay off layaway
balances at a local business: “Every
year, I pick a different store, ask
the service desk about their layaways
and pick people who have layaway
toys or kids’ clothes, so I can pay off
their balances. I can’t imagine being
the parent and telling my kids we
can’t afford it. It breaks my heart. I am
blessed and live a good life, so I share
God’s blessings with other people’s
kids. Sometimes people personally
thank me on the phone, and I can’t
help but cry. It’s a great feeling.”
Giving back may take a little
more creativity in 2020, but it is definitely
possible to, “feel good by doing
good.”
Danielle Alexander is the owner of Edify
LLC, a local tutoring, freelance writing
and editing business, as well as the
editorial coordinator for West Bloomfield
Lifestyle Magazine. She’d like to wish the
Chaldean community a safe and healthy
November. Happy Thanksgiving!
14 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

Join the Chaldean
American Chamber
of Commerce.
Nearly 1,000
Members Strong!
INDIVIDUAL
BUSINESS
STUDENT
CORPORATE
MEMBER
BENEFITS
ANNUAL
RATE
Student
$50/yr
Individual /
Non-Business
Owner: $100/yr
Business
Member
$200/yr
Corporate
Member
$1,500/yr
Free attendance
to events
Listed in printed
directory
Ability to submit
content for e-news
Invitation to
exclusive events
Sponsorship of Annual Meeting
with opportunity to exhibit
Opportunity to
sponsor key events
Logo and link on
Chamber website
Business description in Annual
Report/Annual Directory
Ability to host events
Join
today
and refer
a friend!
Now more than ever,
we need each other.
Contact Sana Navarrette at
snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com
or 248-851-1200 for more information
30095 NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY, SUITE 101. FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334
248-851-1200 • CHALDEANCHAMBER.COM

in MEMORIAM
RECENTLY DECEASED COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Badria Garmo
Bakko
Sep 1, 1941 -
Oct 18, 2020
Mikhail Mansoor
Kassab
Jul 1, 1939 -
Oct 18, 2020
Ramzia Jerjis Kato
Hesano
Nov 30, 1947 -
Oct 18, 2020
Marie Kyriakos
Dec 3, 1925 -
Oct 18, 2020
Jina Butrus Yousef
Jul 1, 1937 -
Oct 18, 2020
Nabil George Gully
Nov 4, 1958 -
Oct 17, 2020
Nakia S. Jabro
Feb 23, 1935 -
Oct 17, 2020
Fouad Maqi Juka
Jul 1, 1952 -
Oct 16, 2020
Fktorea Roffa
Hanna Kachel
Jul 1, 1938 -
Oct 16, 2020
Geffrey Nabil
Amanoel
Feb 8, 1994 -
Oct 14, 2020
Warina Zaya Dano
Toma
Jul 1, 1928 -
Oct 13, 2020
Nadeem Yousif
Sep 6, 1950 -
Oct 13, 2020
Roza Salama
Nov 2, 1958 -
Oct 13, 2020
Ghazwan Abdul
Salam Dikhow
Oct 12, 2020
Yohana Somo
Jul 1, 1946 -
Oct 12, 2020
Christian
Stephenson
Hermez
Sep 3, 1992 -
Oct 11, 2020
Salam Farance-
Jajow Dikhow
Apr 1, 1942 -
Oct 11, 2020
Sarkees Sarkisian
Oct 9, 2020
Shammamta
Konja Deza
Jul 1, 1933 -
Oct 8, 2020
Sahera Salmo
Habbo
Jun 11, 1949 -
Oct 7, 2020
Towitha Nafso
Sharrak
Oct 6, 2020
Danial Elias
Jaddou
Aug 18, 1927 -
Oct 6, 2020
Nouriya Namou
Kajy
Jul 1, 1929 -
Oct 6, 2020
Madlin Zoro
Feb 19, 1934 -
Oct 06, 2020
Habiba Marrogi
Yaldo
Dec 6, 1953 -
Oct 6, 2020
Khilod Bahri
Feb 18, 1959 -
Oct 5, 2020
Mukhlis Elias
Jadan
Jul 1, 1941 -
Oct 4, 2020
Akram Jabboori
Jul 13, 1935 -
Oct 3, 2020
Basima (Betty)
Kattoula
May 17, 1954 -
Oct 3, 2020
Andera Hanna
Sanna
Jan 1, 1968 -
Oct 2, 2020
Radhwan Yousif
Kato
Feb 1, 1951 -
Oct 2, 2020
Nahida Shawkat
Francis
Aug 22, 1932 -
Oct 1, 2020
Polis Toma Patros
Jul 1, 1945 –
Oct 1, 2020
Fouad Yalda Sitto
Oct 10, 1950 –
Oct 1, 2020
Raad Faraj Asmar
Feb 25, 1959 -
Sep 30, 2020
Mansour
Hermiz Sana
May 29, 1940 -
Sep 30, 2020
Louci Najor Habba
Jul 1, 1925 -
Sep 26, 2020
Kafi Yaqoub
Salman
Jul 1, 1933 –
Sep 25, 2020
Habib Hailo
Jul 1, 1938 -
Sep 25, 2020
Ikhlass Sando
Youkhanna
Sep 16, 1952 -
Sep 25, 2020
16 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

obituary
Danial (Aba Nabil)
Jaddou
Danial (Aba Nabil) Jaddou
passed from this earthly life
on October 6, 2020.
Danial was born on July
1, 1927. He was the director
of a 600-member Holy
Rosary Group, a member of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus
group, and he wrote several
articles in the local community
paper. He was a role
model, mentor, and leader
in the Chaldean community.
Danial is survived by his loving
wife of 65 years Almas,
10 children, and 25 grandchildren.
Fouad Hermiz
Razouki
Jul 1, 1941 -
Sep 23, 2020
Gorgis (Korkis)
Hanna Shao
Samona
Jul 1, 1932 -
Sep 22, 2020
Roxi Ibrihim
Kanoona Yaldoo
Mar 19, 1929 -
Sep 22, 2020
Mazen Azzo
Hendo
Jan 6, 1965 -
Sep 17, 2020
the Queen Elizab
came to the US in search of the American dre
created his wonderful reality. As a student he
20-hour days to earn enough money to bring
to America from Baghdad. His father, Kanoon
Roxi A. Yaldoo | March 19, 1929 - September
his mother, Rajoo, and his six siblings; the lat
Jabrio, Theresa George, Mary Shamoun, Ge
Roxi Yaldoo passed
doo, Jerry Yaldoo, & Bernadette George. (His
Georgette Anton was already
surrounded
married
by
in
his
Iraq.
c
countless nieces and nephews He had who seven all childr admir
and loved him. Roxi was Bernard, the true definition Patrick, Cy of
nity. He was a faith-filled Pamela man and & deeply the late dev K
teered at Mother of God Monique, Church for Dominic, over 30 y
building the church we have vor and today. Lennon He was Kyr i
ca from Baghdad, Chaldean KIr
the Queen Southfield; Elizabethw
came to the US in search of the American was a dream Gran
created his wonderful reality. As a student part of he the wC
20-hour days to earn enough money
entire
to bring
comm
his
someone w
to America from Baghdad. His father, Kanoona
uncle, grand
his mother, Rajoo, and his six siblings; the late A
ever the opp
Jabrio, Theresa George, Mary Shamoun, Georg
with us coun
doo, Jerry ever. Yaldoo, A man of & business, Bernadette of integrity, George. of (His faith sia
Georgette with a Anton heart was we can already all hope married to have. in Iraq.) He was H
countless our angel nieces in and heaven nephews and we who are forever all admired grate
and loved him. Roxi was the true definition of en
nity. He was a faith-filled man and deeply devote
teered at Mother of God Church for over 30 yea
building the church we have today. He was inst
Chaldean Knig
Southfield; whi
was a Grand K
part of the Colo
entire commun
someone we w
uncle, grandpa
ever the oppor
with us countle
Roxi Yaldoo passed away peacefully in his home
surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
He had seven children, Terry (Rajaa), Cheryl,
Bernard, Patrick, Cynthia (Tom) Kyriakoza and
Pamela & the late Kenny; five grandchildren;
Monique, Dominic, and Joseph Yaldoo and Trevor
and Lennon Kyriakoza. Roxi came to Ameri-
Roxi A. Yaldoo
March 19, 1929 - September ca from 22, Baghdad, 2020 Iraq at the age of 21 aboard
the Queen Elizabeth. He
oxi Yaldoo passed away peacefully
Rcame in his
to
home
the US
surrounded
in search of
by
the
his
American dream &
children created and his wonderful grandchildren. reality. As He a student he worked
married 20-hour the days love to of earn his enough life — money his to bring his family
southern to America belle, from Peggy, Baghdad. in 1955 His and father, Kanoona Yaldoo,
had his seven mother, children, Rajoo, and Terry his (Rajaa), six siblings; the late Anahid
Cheryl, Jabrio, Bernard, Theresa George, Patrick, Mary Cynthia Shamoun, George Yaldoo,
(Tom) Kyriakoza,
Jerry Yaldoo,
Pamela
& Bernadette
& the late
George. (His sister
Kenny; five grandchildren; Monique,
Georgette Anton was already married in Iraq.) He had
Dominic, and Joseph Yaldoo and
countless nieces and nephews who all admired him
Trevor and Lennon Kyriakoza. Roxi
came and to loved America him. from Roxi Baghdad, was the true Iraq definition of entrepreneurship and community.
the age He was of 21 a faith-filled aboard the man Queen and deeply devoted to his church. He volun-
at
Elizabeth. teered at He Mother came of to God the Church U.S. in for over 30 years and played a pivotal role in
search building of the American church we dream have today. and He was instrumental in starting the First
created his wonderful reality. Chaldean Knights of Columbus Council in
As a student, he worked 20-hour days Southfield; which he took such pride in. He
to earn enough money to bring his was a Grand Knight, District Deputy and
family to America from Baghdad. His part of the Color Corps. A legend to the
father, Kanoona Yaldoo, his mother, entire community, known by all. He was
Rajoo,(Daiza), and his six siblings; the someone Council we were in Southfield; proud to call which baba, dad, he
late Anahid Jabrio, Theresa George, took such pride in. He was a Grand
uncle, grandpa, and mention that fact whenever
the opportunity arose. We will carry
Mary Shamoun, George Yaldoo, Jerry Knight, District Deputy and part of
Yaldoo, & Bernadette George. His sister the Color Corps. A legend to the entire
Georgette Anton was married in Iraq.
with
community,
us countless
and
memories
known by
to
all.
cherish forever.
had countless A man of nieces business, and nephews of integrity, of faith and God, of family and a man
someone we were proud to
He
who with all admired a heart we him can and all loved hope him. to have. He was an angel on earth and is now
call Baba, dad, uncle, grandpa, and
our angel in heaven and we are forever grateful for him and his love.
Roxi was the true definition of mention this whenever the opportunity
entrepreneurship and community. arose. We will carry with us countless
He was a faith-filled man and deeply memories to cherish forever.
devoted to his church. He volunteered
A man of business, of integrity, of faith
at Mother of God Church for more
and God, of family and a man with
than 30 years and played a pivotal role
a heart we can all hope to have. He
in building the church we have today.
was an angel on earth and is now our
He was instrumental in starting the angel in heaven and we are forever
First Chaldean Knights of Columbus grateful for him and his love.
ever. A man of business, of integrity, of faith and
with a heart we can all hope to have. He was an
our angel in heaven and we are forever grateful
Alfred Marogy
Kirma
Jun 20, 1949 -
Sep 20, 2020
Neamah Yousif
Jul 1, 1944 -
Sep 19, 2020
Toma
KasShamoun
Sep 25, 1939 -
Sep 19, 2020
Dawras Alkas
May 9, 1933 -
Sep 19, 2020
Catrinah Polus
Hirmiz
Jul 1, 1935 -
Sep 18, 2020
Victor Jahad Yasso
Mar 18, 1948 -
Sep 18, 2020
Sabri (Sam) Salem
Jun 10, 1943 -
Sep 18, 2020
Angelina Sheena
Dec 12, 2006 -
Sep 18, 2020
A TTORNEYS & C O UNSELORS AT LAW
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 17

Archbishop of Mosul - The Savior of Sacred Relics
Keeps Hope Alive
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD AND SARAH KITTLE
“
We cannot save a tree
without saving its
roots.” To Archbishop
Najib Mikhael Moussa, the thousands
of manuscripts, books and writings
that he almost single-handedly
saved from destruction are the roots
of a religion and culture that stretch
back into the past and connect the
widespread Chaldean community to
an honored history.
That history is one that opposing
forces would like to erase. Both
al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS)
see the Church as an enemy and
IS (sometimes called ISIS) made a
point to tear down and destroy as
many Christian buildings and artifacts
as it could when it invaded Iraq
in 2014.
“Culture and civilization were
born here,” says Moussa. “Today it
is a bath of blood, and the destruction
is almost complete and total,”
he goes on to say, “But even with all
this, we keep the hope for a better
future.”
What does hope to mean to
people who were expelled from
their home by ISIS? How does one
gain trust in a fractured community?
What does interfaith reconciliation
look like in the Iraq of the future?
Many in the Nineveh Plains have
asked these questions. One of the
courageous few forging answers is
Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa.
It takes an extraordinary person
to do extraordinary things. Someone
with courage, motivation, and foresight.
Archbishop Moussa is one of
those people.
Moussa entered religious life at
age 24, becoming a Dominican priest
at 31. His early years of service were
spent at Al-Saa (Our Lady of the
Hour) Church in Mosul, Iraq. There,
he was put in charge of the conservation
of ancient manuscripts, centuries-old
letters and approximately
50,000 books, all irreplaceable historical
documents, and all in danger
of destruction.
Thanks to his years of training,
Moussa was able to preserve the
archives. In 2007, he transferred
them to Qaraqosh, once Iraq’s largest
Christian city, to protect them
during an Islamist insurgency which
saw thousands of Christians flee
Mosul under the threat of conversion
to Islam or death. Archbishop
Moussa was instrumental in helping
those displaced from Mosul and the
Nineveh Plains reach safety, himself
and his brothers passing the checkpoint
just days before IS invaded.
When the Islamic State (IS)
swept across Iraq in 2014, Moussa
again took action. As the jihadists
charged toward Qaraqosh, the Dominican
friar filled his car with rare
manuscripts, 16th century books and
irreplaceable records, fleeing east to
the relative safety of Iraq’s autonomous
Kurdish region.
With two other friars from his order,
Archbishop Moussa also moved
the Oriental Manuscript Digitization
Centre (OMDC), which scans damaged
manuscripts recovered from
churches and villages across northern
Iraq.
“We put what we had in the cars,”
said Moussa. “We had two; many
people were without a car. To save
lives, we had them ride in our cars
and sit on our heritage.
“We said we would live together,
or die together.” The cars sped off
into the darkness. They were in sight
of the checkpoint when a little girl
with the group spotted vehicles with
ISIS flags bearing down on them.
Kurdish security forces fired at the
ISIS vehicles, allowing Moussa and
his group to make it to safety. They
were lucky.
From the Kurdish capital Erbil, he
and a team of Christian and Muslim
experts digitally copied thousands
of Chaldean, Syriac, Aramaic, and
Nestorian manuscripts, preserving
them for future generations.
Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul
from IS in the summer of 2017, and
Moussa returned to the city months
later to attend the first post-IS
Christmas mass. He found his church
in ruins, with rooms transformed
into workshops for bombs and other
explosives; gallows had replaced the
altar. But he insisted there was reason
for hope.
“I’m optimistic,” Archbishop
Moussa said. “The last word will be
one of peace, not the sword.”
Moussa was ordained in January
of 2019 as the new Chaldean Catholic
Archbishop of Mosul. “Our
message to the whole world, and to
all of Mosul’s people, is one of coexistence,
love and peace among all
of Mosul’s different communities,
and the end of the ideology that IS
brought here.”
Mosul is unique for its multicultural
and diverse society. Archbishop
Moussa has the task of restarting the
dialogue and encouraging Muslims,
Christians and other faiths towards
reconciliation and reconstruction
from a perspective of lasting peace.
In November of 2019, the Chaldean
Community Foundation honored
Archbishop Moussa with an
award in recognition of his heroic
actions. Due to instability in Iraq,
18 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

Moussa was unable to travel to the
U.S. to attend the annual gala. The
award was handed to him by a Chaldean
delegation that visited Erbil in
December of 2019.
In a statement released on September
17, 2020, the European Parliament
(EP) announced that Archbishop
Najib Mikhael Moussa had
been nominated for the prestigious
2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of
Thought, which is awarded annually
“to honor exceptional individuals
and organizations defending human
rights and fundamental freedoms.”
The EP nominated the Catholic
Chaldean Archbishop because he
assisted in the evacuation of Christians,
Syriacs and Chaldeans to Iraqi
Kurdistan and safeguarded more than
800 historic manuscripts dating from
the 13th to the 19th century. Not
only did Moussa save sacred writings,
he helped digitize them for future
generations. The statement released
by the EP went on to say, “These
manuscripts were later digitized and
exhibited in France and Italy. Since
1990, he has contributed to safeguarding
8,000 more manuscripts
and 35,000 documents from the
Eastern Church.” Education is the
best weapon against obscurantism.
For Archbishop Moussa, this is
“not a personal recognition, but one
for Iraq as a whole.” He considers the
nomination as “a signature on every
page of the manuscripts.” It is also
a way to remember the “innocent
victims, especially the Yazidis,” says
Moussa, “a peaceful people who had
to face a real tragedy and to whom
I feel particularly connected.” The
nomination means much more than
just winning the prize would.
The Archbishop’s job now is to
rebuild the Church in Mosul. One
of the most important aspects is to
“give hope to our families – all Christian
families, not just Chaldeans – to
come back to Mosul,” said Moussa.
The population in the region has
been affected by the IS reign, from
the schools to the mosques.
“It’s not easy,” the Archbishop acknowledged.
“We have seen a shared
response from everyone, including
Muslims, who have done an extraordinary
job to help Christian families
and save their heritage.
“We need true peace in order
to continue living as a community
based on the principle of citizenship,
overcoming barriers of race, religion,
ethnicity…this is the only viable solution
for the future.”

LONDON CHOP HOUSE
FINE DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • COCKTAILS • DANCING
OPEN
for
LUNCH & DINNER • VALET PARKING
PRIVATE DINING ROOM
for
UP TO 40 GUESTS
WITH SOCIAL DISTANCE GUIDELINES
I55 WEST CONGRESS DETROIT, MI • TEL. 313-962-0277 • THELONDONCHOPHOUSE.COM
20 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

When every detail must be perfect...
Events for up to 300 guests with social distance guidelines
400 Monroe St. 8th Floor Detroit, MI 48226 • 313.963.1400 | www.InternationalBanquets.com
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 21

‘Ark Angel Fund’ To Boost Business Despite Pandemic
BY PAUL NATINSKY
Times of crisis often come
with silver linings. The Ark
Angel Fund is one of those
occasions. Founded in September
under the auspices of the Chaldean
American Chamber of Commerce,
the fund seeks to kick-start new and
early stage businesses, particularly in
the technology sector.
That’s where the silver lining
comes in. Fund Advisor Tom Haji
says the COVID-19 pandemic “actually
helps technology-based companies.”
He pointed out that companies
such as Tesla, Google, Microsoft
and Amazon are doing exceptionally
well during this time.
While the Fund plans to invest
in a number of industry sectors, including
education, health care, retail,
manufacturing and innovation,
Haji says the early technology focus
will help the Fund and its investors
reduce risk in a shaky economy.
According to its website, the
Ark Angel Fund serves as a catalyst
for economic development. It was
launched to support early start-up
businesses and make investments in
emerging companies that will make
a difference in this region. The Fund
will be managed by a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Chaldean American
Chamber of Commerce.
The Fund is working with Ann
Arbor Spark, a self-described “catalyst
for economic development” that
has been working with area businesses
for the past 10 years.
“Right now we’re going to start
working closely with Ann Arbor
Spark so we can get the hang of
things before we start venturing off
and listening to other pitches outside
of that incubator,” says Haji. “That’s
what Ann Arbor Spark is, basically
an incubator for start-up companies.
“The good thing about us working
with Ann Arbor Spark is they already
have the deals, or the start-ups,
ready for us to listen to,” he says.
“Start-ups go to Spark for assistance,
guidance, putting together
their business plans—all the things
that investors want to hear about.
Business plans, exit strategy, what
kind of sales do they have today,
where do they see the forecast, do
they have any patents—they just
help them put together that whole
package and then they kind of look
to funds like us to listen to those
pitches,” says Haji.
According to its website, “Ann
Arbor Spark is a non-profit economic
development organization committed
to growing the Ann Arbor region’s
economy.” The group aims to
advance the region by encouraging
and supporting business acceleration,
attraction, and
retention at all stages of the
business development cycle
— from startups to large organizations.
Internally, the Ark Angel
Fund plans to use a
five-person committee to
hear and review pitches,
ultimately deciding which
projects are funded. Haji
and Fund Manager Martin
Manna will tap three members
of the business community
to join them on an
ad hoc basis to consider pitches. The
three ad hoc members will be selected
based on their expertise in the industry
being pitched. All Fund investors
will be able to dial in and listen
to pitches and deliberations, as well
as invest directly if they so choose.
The Fund will award between
$25,000 and $100,000 per project,
Tommy Haji
beginning after it raises $1 million,
a number Haji says the Fund hopes
to reach by October 31. The Fund’s
ultimate goal is to reach $2 million.
At press time it was approaching the
$700,000 mark.
Manna, who is an investor in the
Fund, told a reporter in September
Martin Manna
that the plan is to award four to eight
projects per year. So far, the Fund has
not officially heard any pitches, although
committee members did listen
in and ask questions on a Spark
pitch over Zoom—a preview of sorts.
The end goal is for the companies
to scale and sell, returning a profit
to investors. For its part, the Fund
will use its endeavors to benefit the
Chaldean community. “We’re doing
this primarily to raise funds for humanitarian
efforts for the Chaldean
Community Foundation. Our management
fee will go toward our humanitarian
efforts,” said Haji.
Haji’s background is in manufacturing.
He worked for 20
years in the executive offices
at Ford Motor Company. He
has experience in real estate,
logistics and retail. He has
engineering degrees from the
University of Michigan and
Wayne State, along with a Six
Sigma Black Belt Certification.
Manna is President of the
Chaldean American Chamber
of Commerce. He has a history
working in the philanthropy
industry, and is skilled in nonprofit
organizations, business
planning, sales, team building and
leadership. He has an MBA focused
in banking, corporate, finance and securities
from Wayne State University.
Together, along with “angel investors”
from the community, they
hope to build business, build relationships,
and build community. It’s
the right time.
22 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

TOBACCO USE & CORONAVIRUS
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
1
2
3
4
5
Tobacco use results in
more aggravated symptoms
of Coronavirus.
Young and healthy people
who regularly inhale tobacco
or marijuana are at greater risk
for contracting Coronavirus.
Vaping could be the reason
1/5 Coronavirus patients
ages 20 – 44 are hospitalized.
Smoking and vaping weaken
the immune system. People who
use tobacco will have a more
difficult time fighting Coronavirus.
Doctors say the best time
to quit is now!
FOR ASSISTANCE QUITTING CALL THE MICHIGAN
TOBACCO QUITLINE 1-800-784- 8669. YOUTH CAN
TEXT “START MY QUIT” TO 855-891-9989.
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 23

A Chaldean Thanksgiving…with a Modern Flair
BY: CHRISTINA SAFAR AYAR
Left: A different twist on a cultural favorite. Right: Ingredients prepared in a traditional way.
Is there really such a thing as a
traditional Chaldean Thanksgiving?
Don’t we almost always serve
the same dishes for all holidays? Disclaimer:
I am a Syrian, married to
a Chaldean. My Instagram page is
moms_cooking_therapy.
Growing up as a young, ethnic
kid in St. Clair Shores, surrounded
by mostly non-Arabs, I always found
the topic of food to be challenging.
My mom didn’t buy me Lunchables,
we didn’t have breakfast for dinner
(yes, I guess that is a thing), and we
certainly did not have a traditional
American-styled Thanksgiving.
I truly never tasted cranberry
sauce, stuffing and green bean casserole
until my family slowly started
introducing those menu items when
the younger generations got married
and started bringing a dish to pass.
With that being said, I am by no
means an expert on Chaldean food.
With the help of my mother-in-law,
some wonderful friends on Instagram
and the Ma Baseema cookbook (if
you have not yet ordered a copy,
consider this my plug!), I have been
able to slowly incorporate Chaldean
foods with a modern flair into our
household.
What I can say for certainty,
whether you are Chaldean, Syrian,
Lebanese, Jordanian, Palestinian or
from any other Middle Eastern culture,
we all have one thing in common:
our love of food. I personally
love everything about food and cooking
– shopping for the items, preparing
the meal, plating and serving with
an eye for details, watching people’s
reactions while they enjoy the meal I
have prepared, and yes, even washing
the dishes – it is all a blessing.
Here is one more thing almost
all Middle Eastern people have in
common: our love of RICE! When
I started brainstorming what I love
most about Thanksgiving dishes,
besides the turkey, is always having
great side dishes – rice, salad, cucumber
yogurt (jajeek), mashed potatoes,
mac and cheese, etc.
One of my favorite Chaldean
meals that can be enjoyed on
Thanksgiving, or any other day, is
yellow rice with meat, almonds and
raisins. My husband tries not to eat
rice, so one day I started experimenting
in the kitchen (which is my therapy
session) and I decided to make
yellow quinoa instead of rice. Let’s
just say, Best.Decision.Ever!
It provided the satisfaction of a
rice dish without the guilt. We also
avoid eating ground beef unless is it
very lean, so instead, I used ground
turkey (fitting for Thanksgiving).
Overall, this is a very easy recipe that
even your beginner cook can prepare
with confidence to “WOW” your
guests on Thanksgiving.
I like to serve this with deep fried
turkey (brine overnight in kosher
salt and brown sugar, deep fry for 20
minutes per pound of turkey in canola
oil) and a side of turkey gravy with
fattoush or Iraqi salad. The perfect
meal!
Here is my recipe for a modern
version of yellow “rice” and toppings:
Yellow Quinoa with Ground
Turkey and Toppings
Ingredients (serves 8 people):
4 cups of quinoa, rinsed
2 pounds ground turkey, browned
2 cups sliced almonds (and/or pine
nuts), toasted
2 cups raisins, lightly fried
2 cups of frozen green peas, defrosted
and lightly fried
8 cups of water
1 tablespoon turmeric (more of an
earthy taste) or saffron (more of a
classic, sweet taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder
Olive oil
Directions:
Yellow Quinoa:
Add water to a medium size pot and
add a dash of salt and a tablespoon
of turmeric or saffron. Once boiled,
added rinsed quinoa. Mix with the
water, lower heat to medium, and
cover with a lid. Leave untouched
for 20 minutes and turn off. Keep the
pot on the stove for another 10 minutes,
then remove the lid and “fluff”
with a fork.
Toppings:
Toppings can be served all together,
or cooked individually and added to
a tray with dividers (here’s a quick
trick I learned from my Mother-inlaw:
use foil as dividers with the tray.
It keeps the toppings warm and organized!).
Brown the ground turkey until no
longer pink. Add salt, pepper and
garlic powder. Remove from stove
and add to the divider tray. Cover
with foil to keep warm.
Sautee the sliced almonds or pine
nuts with a tablespoon of olive oil until
lightly toasted and brown in color.
Be sure to work fast, as they can burn
quickly. Remove from stove and add
to the divider tray. Cover with foil to
keep warm.
Follow the same steps above to
lightly fry the raisins. The key is to
keep them soft, not hard. Remove
from stove and add to the divider
tray. Cover with foil to keep warm.
Follow the same steps to lightly
fry the defrosted green peas. Do not
overcook, otherwise the peas will
start to get mushy. Remove from
stove and add to the divider tray.
Cover with foil to keep warm.
Serve immediately with oven
roasted or deep fried turkey and a
side of gravy, salad and other sides of
your liking.
God bless you and your
families!
24 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

PROJECT LIGHT THERAPY SERVICES
Therapy can be a big step toward being the healthiest
version of yourself and living the best life possible—our
professional therapists are here for you to access.
Through therapy, you can change self-destructive
behaviors and habits, resolve painful feelings,
improve your relationships, and share your
feelings and experiences. Individuals often
seek therapy for help with issues that may be
hard to face alone.
For Your Best Health.
In therapy your trilingual therapist will help you
to establish person centered goals and determine
the steps you will take to reach those goals. Your
relationship with your therapist is confidential and
our common therapeutic goal for those we engage
is to inspire healthy change to improve quality of
life - no matter the challenge.
We invite you seek out the Light of Project Light!
Serving individuals ages 13 years and up. Please call
to request a Project Light Intake at (586) 722-7253.
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
3601 15 MILE ROAD
STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310
WWW.CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG
(586) 722-7253
CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY: The CCF and Project Light is committed to your privacy and confidentiality and
are sensitive to the stigma and stress that come with seeking mental health support. Therefore, all counseling records
are kept strictly confidential. Information is not shared without client’s written consent. Exceptions to confidentiality are
rare and include persons who threaten safety of themselves others or in circumstances of a court order.

Babylon during the time of Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great and the End of Babylon
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
The history of Babylon, up
to and including its end, is
truly amazing. In 539 B.C.E.,
Babylon fell to the forces of Cyrus
the Great, who incorporated the
city into the Persian Empire. About
two centuries later, the city would
fall again to Alexander the Great,
who made it the capital of his own
short-lived empire which collapsed
after his death in 323 B.C.E. Babylon
then fell into a period of decline
and eventually became abandoned,
falling into ruin.
Alexander III of Macedon, more
commonly known as “Alexander
the Great,” ruled over the ancient
Greek Kingdom of Macedon. He was
born in Pella in 356 BC. Most of his
life was spent in military campaigns
throughout Asia and Northeast Africa
with his father King Philip II.
Succeeding his father as king at 20
years of age, by age 30 Alexander
had managed to form one of the most
powerful empires in the ancient ages,
stretching from Greece to northwest
India. He is considered one of history’s
most successful military commanders.
Alexander’s legacy includes the
cultural diffusion which his conquests
gave rise to. He established
twenty cities that carry his name,
the most widely known being Alexandria
in Egypt. With his legend
compared to classical hero Achilles,
he always featured prominently in
the history of both Greek and non-
Greek cultures. He became an icon
for the military leaders to follow.
Even today, military academies all
over the world still teach his tactics
for fighting wars.
When Alexander was on his way
to Babylon in the spring
of 323, many envoys
approached him. Most
of them offered tokens
of submission, hoping
to ward off an invasion,
but one delegate
was more interested
in the well-being of
the king himself. The
Babylonian astronomer
Belephantes’ message
to King Alexander was
sincere and simple:
Alexander was in mortal
danger and should
avoid Babylon. The
king was disturbed.
The Babylonian astronomers,
or Chaldeans, were specialists
in the celestial omens. On
many occasions they had warned
kings of approaching calamities, had
proposed certain sacrifices, and had
been able to avert disasters. In 331,
they had accurately predicted Alexander’s
invasion of Mesopotamia and
his victory at Gaugamela, and ever
since, the Macedonian king attached
great value to their predictions.
Accepting Belephantes’ advice,
he decided not to go to Babylon,
agreeing to make a remarkable sacrifice
to the gods - he would rebuild
the Etemenanki, the temple-tower
(ziggurat) of Babylon. This pyramid,
The death of Alexander the Great
90 meters high, was believed to be
the foundation of heaven on earth
and was among the most important
sanctuaries in the ancient world.
Once this project was completed, the
supreme god of Babylonia, Marduk,
could not remain angry and would
no doubt bless the king.
Later, Alexander reversed his
decision. Greek philosophers at
his court had reproached him for
his credulity and convinced him
that the Babylonian astronomers
had scared him to obtain money
for their temple. Alexander was
persuaded to listen to his Greek
advisors and decided to inspect the
city.
Alexander made his
way to Babylon in the
spring of 323, after a decisive
victory against King
Darius III at Gaugamela.
According to lore, the
great king could not believe
his eyes when approaching
Babylon and
witnessing the amazing reflections
of the deep blue
glazed buildings under the
desert sun. Blue was a rare
natural color in the Mesopotamian
world and the
glazed bricks were a striking
appearance to visitors.
At Alexander’s entrance,
many Babylonians took positions
on the walls, eager to have a
view of their new king. Many went
out to meet him, including Bagophanes,
the man in charge of the citadel
and royal treasury. In paying his
respects to Alexander, Bagophanes
had carpeted the entire road with
26 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

flowers and garlands, setting up silver
altars at intervals on both sides,
heaped not just with frankincense
but with all manner of perfumes.
Following Bagophenes were
Alexander’s gifts - herds of cattle
and horses, with lions and leopards
carried along in cages. Next
came the Magians chanting a song
in their native fashion, and behind
them were the Chaldeans, then the
Babylonians, represented not only
by priests but also by musicians
equipped with their national instrument.
(The role of the latter was to
sing the praises of the Persian kings,
that of the Chaldeans to reveal astronomical
movements and regular
seasonal changes.)
The rebuilding of the Etemenanki
had not been completed. Alexander,
educated by Aristotle the
philosopher, took no half measures.
No less than 20,000 soldiers were ordered
to demolish the entire monument
and prepare the terrain for a
new, larger ziggurat. (Archaeologists
have found the debris.) The operation
was already well underway when
Alexander, ignoring the advice of
the Chaldeans, arrived in Babylon
and took up residence in the ancient
royal palace.
Alexander was on his way returning
to his home in Macedonia to see
his mother, still depressed and mistrustful
of his gods and his friends,
when he fell ill. With death staring
him in the face, Alexander realized
how his conquests, his mighty
army, his sharp sword, and all his
wealth were of no consequence. He
now longed to reach home and see
his Mother’s face and say his last
goodbyes. Ultimately, he had to accept
the fact that his sinking health
would not permit him to reach his
distant Macedonia.
According to historians, Alexander
the Great called his generals and
said, “I will depart from this world
soon. I have three wishes, carry them
without fail”. With tears on their faces,
the generals reluctantly agreed to
abide by their king’s last wishes.
His first request was, “My physicians
alone must carry my coffin.”
When pressed, his explanation was,
“I want the physicians to carry my
coffin (not the generals) so people
realize that when the hour comes,
no doctor on earth can cure anybody,
not even King Alexander. They are
powerless and cannot save a person
from the clutches of death.”
His second wish was that “the
path leading to the graveyard be
strewn with the gold, silver, precious
stones which we collected in our
treasury during conquests. This is to
tell the people that I spent my life of
power earning riches, but not even a
Alexander
the Great’s
Dying Wishes
• My first wish is that
my physicians alone
must carry my coffin.
• Secondly, I desire
that the path leading
to the graveyard be
strewn with the gold,
silver, precious stones
which we collected
in our treasury during
conquests.
• My third and last wish
is that both my hands
be kept dangling out of
my coffin.
fraction of gold will come with me.
These precious items we took from
people and must be returned to the
people.”
Alexander’s third and last wish
is that “both my hands be kept
dangling out of my coffin, to let all
people know that I came into this
world empty handed and will leave it
empty handed.”
Alexander the Great departed
this life leaving a legacy not only of
military prowess and command, but
simple life lessons he taught at the
hour of his death: Remember, your
health is in your hands, look after it;
wealth is only meaningful if you can
share and enjoy while still alive and
healthy; and what you do for yourself,
dies with you. What you do for
others will live forever.
Upon uttering his final words,
the king closed his eyes. Soon after,
death conquered the great conqueror.
Alexander died in Babylon in 323
BC at the age of 32. He was buried
nearby in a little town called Alexandria,
near Hilla, Iraq. Since then,
historians have debated his cause of
death, proposing everything from
malaria, typhoid, and alcohol poisoning,
to assassination by one of his
rivals.
The Chaldean scientific paradigm
had been corroborated. But the
Babylonian astronomers were not
the type of men to boast about their
successes. With scientific detachment,
the Chaldean on duty wrote,
“the king died, clouds made it impossible
to observe the skies.”
Another great title from
Mention
ad this
and
a
receive
copy
FREE
Read
of
Write
and
Aramaic
Fr. by
J.
Michael
Bazzi
($12.99
value)
www.letinthelightpublishing.com
(619)586-3523
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 27

CULTURE & history
Purple Heart Awardee Peter Essa is a National Hero
BY CRYSTAL KASSAB JABIRO
It is no surprise that Peter
Essa was interested in cars
as a teenager growing up
in Detroit. Ford, Chrysler, and
General Motors dominated the
auto industry by the time he
was born there in 1925, bringing
296,000 manufacturing
jobs to the city. At 18, he had
bought a used 1936 Oldsmobile
for about $20.
At 18, he was also drafted
into World War II.
There was a mix of emotions.
Some people thought it
was an honor. His mother, Susana,
who had come to America
when she was four, was terrified,
as he was the only son
with six sisters. His sisters, he
believed, were secretly happy
because he was tough on them,
he joked.
“I was scared to death,” said
Essa.
Private 1st Class Peter Essa
was first sent to Fort Custer in
Battle Creek, Michigan for a
two-week training. Then he
was shipped to Camp Vandorn
in Centreville, Mississippi
for basic training. After
11 months, he traveled to Fort
Meade, Maryland for recruit
training - that is, an intense
physical and psychological process
that truly prepares them
for combat. It was his first
experience with heavy weaponry.
A month later, he ended
up at Camp Shanks in Orangeville,
New York, the largest
U.S. Army embarkation camp,
where he practiced with new
armaments. It was known as
“Last Stop USA” and for Essa
that was true. He ended up
on the SS Luxembourg to Europe,
thinking he was going to do some
more training.
“We didn’t know we were going
to invade. None of our division
knew,” Essa recalled. “They don’t
want you to know.”
That is because Essa was being
groomed for “Operation Overlord,” a
secret mission that had started a few
weeks before on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Essa remembers General Dwight
D. Eisenhower, who later became the
34th president of the United States,
announcing on the loudspeaker:
“We’re an invasion force.” And from
there, they received some directions
and were transferred to landing
crafts, barge-like boats made out of
wood that carried about three dozen
troops at a time. When they got close
to the shore of Normandy, France, a
ramp dropped down from the landing
craft, and they sunk down into the
water, holding their rifles and other
provisions over their heads. Once it
became really shallow, they started
crawling to the shore.
On land, Essa and the rest of his
unit continued to slither through
the sand of Omaha Beach, the U.S.
military’s codename for a stretch of
land on the Douvre River facing the
English Channel. There were four
other sections the Allied forces had
set up for their invasion of Germanoccupied
France.
“We dug foxholes to fortify ourselves,”
he relived. “Two to a foxhole.
It was rainy and there were a
lot of mosquitoes.”
Normandy was like a big apple
orchard, Essa remembered. The Germans
were up in the trees hiding, and
they had already put barriers up
around the shore. The Americans
had to wait for further orders
from the general.
Thousands of Allied troops
stormed the beaches of Normandy
to face thousands of
German troops. Omaha Beach,
where Essa recalls he fought,
was heavily fortified, and
American bombs failed to take
them down. The gunfire was
intense. Essa and the other soldiers
were advised by First Sergeant
Durham not to help each
other if one got hurt. They
were told to keep going.
“All I knew was that I was
shooting into the trees. That’s
where all the snipers were,”
Essa looked back. “I was thinking…
I’m shooting and killing
children my age.”
Fearing for his life while
trying to defeat the enemy, Essa
got shot by a wooden bullet to
his left ankle. It went in and
out, forming a sort of crater. He
screamed for medics. The First
Sergeant ran to him, carried
him on his back, and left him
to the side.
In a letter to his mother,
Essa wrote:
“We heard screaming and
then they opened up with every
weapon they had. We ran
like mad dogs. My buddy was
killed. He had about four holes
through his back. We kept
running until we came up to a
hedgerow. This is where a machine
gun got me, right in the
ankle, breaking all the bones,
and when I tried to take a few
more steps, the ankle buckled
up and I stepped on the broken
part. It didn’t hurt at first. It felt like
an electric shock.”
Medics put him on a stretcher to
take him to the field hospital where
there was no bombing. Since it was
a serious injury, they flew him to another
field hospital in England. The
mountain of dead bodies piling up is
forever etched into his memory.
Though they persisted, 2,400
Americans either died or were wounded
at Omaha Beach, including Sergeant
Durham who had been killed
hours after he carried Essa to safety.
28 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

Essa’s mother had received a telegram
saying he had been “slightly
wounded” and that she would be
later advised. In a letter he had previously
sent her before being shot, he
expressed his uncertainty about coming
back home. He had told her to
sell his 1936 Olds to his best friend
Charlie, so she did, fearing that may
have been her son’s last request for
her.
Fortunately, she also received
word that he was coming back to the
US to heal at a hospital one state
away.
In England, the doctors performed
some surgeries on Essa’s ankle,
and then he was sent to Crile
Military Hospital in Cleveland,
Ohio for more. After six surgeries for
the harsh wound, the Army presented
him with an honorable discharge
in 1945 before the war ended.
A serviceman drove Essa home to
Detroit 13 months after he arrived in
Ohio. The family threw a little party
and had some friends come by. He
received the Purple Heart and took
advantage of the GI Bill to learn to
be a butcher. Thereafter, he went to
Iraq to find his bride. He has been
married to Samira for 62 years and
has five kids.
Peter Essa was also awarded the
Bronze Star and the Combat Infantry
Badge, as well as the European-African-Middle-Easter
Campaign Medal.
He is 95 years old and lives in metro-
Detroit. Though the Battle of Normandy
raged on for another month
without him, Essa was still part of
liberating France from the Nazis and
is a true American hero.
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 29

chaldeans AROUND THE WORLD
Church of St. Thomas the Apostle in Sarcelles, France
Chaldeans in Europe - Part II – France
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
Chaldean immigration out of
Iraq to European countries
at the end of the twentieth
century and beginning of the twenty
first century Europe is considered recent
compared to the early immigration
wave of the last century to the
Americas. The reasons remain the
same, mainly religious persecution,
famine and instability.
The Christian population of the
Middle East has been threatened for
centuries with war and persecution.
To this day, Chaldeans still live with
the dilemma of staying or leaving
their homeland. The poignant current
situation is Chaldeans live with
their heads in the diaspora, but with
their hearts in their homeland.
Chaldean people link their
homeland to their identity, culture,
language, faith, and traditions. They
attach great importance on linking
their homeland to their identity, because
it is what identifies them, together
with their Christian faith.
Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in
2003 and the war unleashed by the
terrorist groups there, the number
of Chaldeans in Iraq has shrunk further.
Chaldeans in the 21st century
are spread over all the continents of
the world.
We find Chaldean communities
in France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden,
the United Kingdom, the Netherlands,
Denmark, Norway, Finland,
Austria, Switzerland and Greece. An
estimated 550,000 Chaldeans now
live in Europe.
Chaldeans in France
The Assyro-Chaldean community
has history in France dating back
to the First World War, with most
arriving in Marseille during the
1920s when some Assyrians fleeing
genocide found refuge there.
Others arrived from rural southeastern
Turkey and northern Iraq
as a result of the Kurdish –Turkish
conflict in the 1960s and 70s. Their
numbers swelled after the Iraq War in
2003, with an influx of refugees arriving
from beleaguered Iraqi cities.
Around 10,000 of the 16,000 Assyrians
currently in France are mainly
concentrated in the northern French
suburbs of Sarcelles, where several
thousand Chaldean Catholics live,
and also in Gonesse and Villiers-le-
Bel. They are generally compared
to French Jews, who are seen as inward-looking,
conservative and wellintegrated
in the French society.
Chaldeans that have made their
home in France come from Iraq, Turkey
and other Middle Eastern countries.
The first community was formed
around fifty years ago; it is composed
of priests and lay people who wish to
keep alive the historical, cultural, liturgical
and linguistic traditions of their
ancient Eastern Catholic Church.
Most of the faithful live in Paris
and Sarcelles, but about 130 Chaldean
families live in Marseille, in
southern France. There are many
Chaldean Churches in Paris, its suburbs
and in Marseille.
Chaldean Church of Sarcelles
in Ile-de-France
The community built a large new
church dedicated to St Thomas the
Apostle in the little town of Sarcelles,
Ile de France. The foundation
stone was laid in 2001. It is the
largest Chaldean Church in Europe
dedicated to the Eastern Christian
community. Built in the Babylonian
style, true to Chaldean tradition, it
seats 1,000 people. Inaugurated by
Bishop Bidawid, the building is located
on a large plot of land outside
Paris, yet it is not large enough for
the crowds that come to pray every
week. Many believers listen to the
Mass while standing inside the corridors
of the church or outside in the
large yard behind the church.
Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger,
the spiritual father of the Chaldeans
in France, consecrated the Church
of Saint Thomas the Apostle with
Archbishop Ibrahim Ibrahim, Bishop
of Detroit, who came from the United
States. The mass was celebrated
in the Aramaic language with a series
of eastern rituals. Families came
in their most beautiful clothes and
clouds of incense spread throughout
the church, blessing the walls and
the altar.
Various meetings are held in the
Church of Saint-Thomas-Apostle,
30 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

Chaldean Churches in France
• Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle in Sarcelles
• Church of Our Lady of the Chaldéens Notre-Dame de Chaldée in Paris
• The Church of Saint John the Apostle in Arnoville
• Holy Trinity Church in Sarcelles-Lochères
• Church of Saint François d’Assise in the région of Junes
• Church of John XXIII in Clichy-sous-Bois
• The Assyrian Chaldean Church (Notre Dame Chaldean - Saint Mark) –
Eglise Assyro-Chaldéenne Notre-Dame de Chaldée-Saint-Marc in Marseille (12th arrondissement)
• The Chaldean Church of Saint Ephrem in Vau or Flan (Église Saint-Éphrem des Chaldéens à Vaulx-en-Velin)
Church of Our Lady of the Chaldeens -
Notre Dame de Chaldee, Paris, France
or in the Church of Saint-Hanna
in the new Saint-Jean-d’Arnouville
district, which opened recently near
Sarcelles.
Most young Chaldeans in France
immerse themselves in the Chaldean
culture from birth. Their parents
came from Turkey in the 1970s, or
more recently from Iraq, but they
brought their traditions and beliefs
with them. Chaldean youth in France
is engaged in their faith, not just by
committing to attend Mass but also
in group activities for university and
high school students. There is also
the catechesis, meetings of young
clergymen appointed to serve mass,
or regular film screening followed by
spiritual discussion.
floor. Once a month, the parishioners
gather for lunch, and everyone
brings an Iraqi dish.
The Church of Saint
John the Apostle
The Church of Saint John the Apostle
was inaugurated in Arnoville on
March 6, 2016. The Chaldean patriarch
Cardinal Louis Sako came
especially from Iraq to dedicate the
third Assyro-Chaldean church in
France. The French minister of Interior,
Bernard Cazeneuve, attended
the ceremony with the Cardinal of
Paris, Monsignor André Vingt-Trois.
The Chaldean Community
in Sarcelles
With 8,000 members in Sarcelles,
the Chaldean community is well established
in the Val-d’Oise region.
But more and more members are concerned
about the future of their faith.
“It’s a huge fear on a daily basis,” says
Jocelyn Zerrin, one of the leaders of
Church of St. Thomas the Apostle in Sarcelles, France
the parish choir. She regrets the lack
of cultural transmission to young
people. “The problem is that the new
generation is fully integrated into
French culture, at the expense of our
Chaldean culture and customs. Children
begin to speak French before
Aramaic, which is good for integration
in France. But we do not want
our culture to disappear!”
Christophe Yalbir, a 22-year-old
devout Christian, understands this
danger. Born in France to parents who
arrived in Paris in 1991, he feels that
his religion and culture are threatened.
“I speak French more than Aramaic,”
admits the young man.
Hence the need to teach Aramaic
to young people, says Father Narsai
Soli, himself a second-generation immigrant.
“Aramaic is a precious language;
it is part of the transmission
challenge we face towards young people,”
explains the 35-year-old pastor.
“Young people are essential. Without
them there might be a missing link.”
Bernadette Yildiz, 28 years old,
strictly exercises her faith. “For us, going
to mass is just like going to work,”
the young woman says. “It’s normal.”
In the church front yard, Bernadette
speaks and discusses religion with
other practicing youth. They were all
born in France and know each other
directly or indirectly. They participate
in the survival and continuation
of their sect in terms of religion and
culture and the traditions that they
learned within their families.
“Our role is to help our society
maintain its roots,” says Zeren. “This
goes through many little things in
everyday life. For example, learning
to cook a traditional dish.” This
30-year-old volunteer has two children
from the third generation of
immigrants. A new wave, according
to Jocelyn, must be learned by young
people themselves. “We are kind of
a bridge between old and young. We
need to integrate them as best we can
into society.”
The Notre-Dame de Chaldée
The Notre-Dame de Chaldée Chaldean
Church is in the 18th arrondissement
of Paris. Construction
on the four-floor structure began in
1987 and was completed in 1992. In
a sad twist, the architect, a Chaldean
engineer, was killed in Turkey during
a visit to his deported family during
Saddam’s war against the Kurds.
The church receives Chaldean
parishioners from Iraq and Turkey,
Chaldean and Assyrian refugees from
Syria. Parishioners may also come
to learn French, except on Sunday,
when mass is held.
Every Sunday at the eleventh
hour, the parish comes to participate
and listen to the ritual of the mass
that is recited in both Chaldean
and French languages. Afterwards,
tea, coffee and biscuits are distributed
to the attendees on the ground
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 31

chaldean on the STREET
We’re curious: “If there were a vaccine for COVID-19,
would you take it? Why or why not?”
“I would not volunteer to take the vaccine
if it were to come out soon because
although they would have gone through
multiple trials for it to get approved, I
still wouldn’t want to take the chance
that there could be long-term side effects.
Short-term side effects are being
ruled out currently but the vaccine
is being developed in such a rush that
they will not be able to rule out anything
long-term as of now. I wouldn’t want to
risk my health in that way.”
– Vanessa Polis, 24, West Bloomfield
“Yes I would take it. I am ready to have
access to something that will protect
me from the virus. If scientists say it‘s
safe and it passes the necessary tests,
then there is no reason for me to not
take it. ”
– Veronica Rabban, 17,
West Bloomfield
“I would need the vaccine to be approved
by scientists broadly worldwide,
and not just in the USA for me to
be comfortable with others taking it as
well as myself. It all depends on how
the studies come out, I guess. I will not
take it blindly.”
– Jake Jarbou, 27, Shelby Township
“If there was a COVID vaccine out right
now, I would take it. Everyone needs to
do their part to end this pandemic. I feel
like it’s everyone’s civic duty to take the
vaccine if offered. They’re not releasing
a vaccine before testing it, so I think it
will be safe to take one. We need to put
faith in our doctors and scientists working
day and night to get a vaccine out.”
– Anabelle Dally, 17, Ann Arbor
“If there was a vaccine for coronavirus,
I would take it. Coronavirus needs a
vaccine as soon as possible so people
don’t have to be scared anymore. I
would take it because that is the smart
thing to do. I wouldn’t be scared to
take it because they would have to test
it many times and it would have to go
through many trials before giving it to
the public.”
– Nashwan Kenaya, West Bloomfield
“If there was a COVID vaccine, I
would be hesitant to take it due to the
unknown side effects it can have on
the body. I am not opposed to taking
it once a large amount of people have
taken it first. Once I know it’s safe, I
have no opposition. However, when
it first comes out, I am not willing to
take it for my own safety and because
I don’t know how my body will react.”
– Juliana Gumma, 24, West Bloomfield
“If there was a COVID vaccine I would
not take it. Simply because it is a new
vaccine being developed very fast. This
vaccine will not have years of testing
and research done on it. Since there
will not be many tests on it, we don’t
know the long-term or short-term side
effects that may come with the vaccine.
We also won’t be sure of how safe it
is. Although I am not against taking the
vaccine, I do think there needs to be
years of testing and research on it before
I take it.”
– Maria Isso, 19, West Bloomfield
“If there was a vaccine for COVID, I
would take it. The world health organization
and the FDA will not approve of
a vaccine unless sufficient data shows
that the benefits outweigh the side effects.
Whether you trust the President
or not, scientists and doctors will not
harm the public. COVID is deadly. If
there is a way to prevent it then I would
do my part and take the vaccine to save
my life and others around me. If we do
not take the vaccine then we will never
be able to go back to our normal lives
before COVID.”
– Tamara Hermiz, West Bloomfield
32 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

STRONG
TAKES
A LEAP
OF
FAITH
Become #MarianStrong
Academic excellence, exceptional athletics, empowering environment, and
more tuition assistance opportunities than ever before. Find your strength
at Marian. Talk to us about Fall Open House on Sunday, November 8.
Call (248)502-3033.
marian-hs.org
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 33

DOCTOR is in
Wellness Exams: How a Visit
to the Doctor Could Save Your Life
It has been said that good
physicians treat disease, but
great physicians prevent
them. In a time where COVID
has changed our way of life, it
is now more important than
ever to take a closer look at our
own health. Many of us may be
engaging in unhealthy behaviors
that could lead to serious
consequences if not corrected
early. For this reason, an annual
wellness exam (or “physical”)
is a great opportunity to
develop a personalized plan to
BY DR. BRAN-
DON KARMO
SPECIAL TO THE
CHALDEAN NEWS
help prevent disease based on your current health
and risk factors.
The wellness visit usually includes measuring
your height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and
your doctor may also do a physical exam. The visit
also is a chance to review healthy and potentially
unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as diet, exercise
pattern, smoking, and alcohol use. The wellness
exam is also a great opportunity to discuss stress,
depression, anxiety, and sleep issues.
Another critical component of the yearly annual is
to discuss cancer screening tests. Colon cancer, breast
cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, and prostate cancer
are some of the examples of extremely important
preventive screening tests that can be ordered depending
on your age. Detecting cancer at an early stage
could be the difference between life and death.
Recently, a patient of mine who felt otherwise
healthy came to see me for a wellness visit. This
patient had no complaints and as part of the wellness
exam I referred the patient for a colonoscopy
due to their age. During the colonoscopy, a large
pre-cancerous polyp was discovered and removed.
The patient tolerated the procedure well and we
were able to prevent the patient from developing
colon cancer. This is just one of many examples of
how important preventive exams can be.
There is also good news, many annual wellness
exams are covered by your insurance. If you have
Medicare, you may be eligible for a once a year annual
wellness visit with no cost to you. Check with
your insurance provider to see what costs if any are
associated with your wellness visit.
If the COVID pandemic has taught us anything,
it’s to value life and to prepare for the unexpected.
Now is the time to focus on our mental and
physical well-being. Having a yearly wellness visit
with your doctor is the first step in your journey to
good health. Talk to your primary care physician
and schedule your yearly check-up today.
An annual wellness exam
(or “physical”) is a great
opportunity to develop a
personalized plan.
Dr. Brandon Karmo is a Board Certified Family
Physician at Orchard Primary Care in Farmington
Hills. He is also an Assistant Professor of Family
Medicine at Michigan State University College of
Human Medicine and teaches resident physicians at
Ascension Providence.
Simply delicious food served
by the finest Professionals
Delta Dental of Michigan
CASUAL DINING AT ITS BEST
Authentic Italian style restaurant featuring cut to order steaks, fresh seafood, homemade pasta and pizzas and several salad options.
Spacious Banquet rooms available perfect for corporate events and meetings, family celebrations, weddings and showers.
All tobacco use can increase your risk for a number
of oral health conditions. This includes e-cigarettes
and smokeless (spit). Talk to your dentist about any
tobacco use. Don’t let it affect your smile!
5600 Crooks Road, Troy, Michigan
248.813.0700 ◆ www.loccino.com
34 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

ECONOMICS & enterprise
Urban Air Is Back Aloft!
BY PAUL NATINSKY
The COVID-19 pandemic has
been difficult for businesses in
general, but especially hard
for some. Urban Air Trampoline &
Adventure Park in Sterling Heights
finds itself in the latter category.
Owner Wes Ayar said his entertainment
venue was finally able to open
its doors on October 10, after 209
days closed.
Through the entertainment venue’s
hiatus, Ayar has relied on the
Paycheck Protection Program, other
loans, leniency from his landlord and
from the 130-location Urban Air
franchise company.
Ayar has owned Urban Air since
March 2019. The Chaldean News
covered the Grand Opening in the
2019 October issue, when Ayar had
high hopes for a booming business.
The indoor adventure park offered a
fun (and at the time, safe) environment
for keeping kids occupied.
About 30 percent of Urban Air’s
footprint is trampoline attractions.
The park also features a rock-climbing
wall, bumper cars, ropes course,
virtual reality experience, zip line
and other activities.
Urban Air provides year-round
indoor amusements. On its website,
the company describes itself as “the
ultimate indoor playground” for
families. It hosts children’s birthday
parties and touts a more varied and
expansive presentation than typical
indoor trampoline parks.
The company has been on an upward
trajectory, voted Best Gym In
America for Kids by Shape Magazine,
Best Place To Take Energetic
Kids and Best Trampoline Parks.
While now open, Ayar says the
450-capacity park is now limited to
120. Open day passes that allowed
patrons to come and go have given
way to scheduled time blocks. Mask
wearing and social distancing are in
full effect, as is enhanced sanitation,
which required hiring an additional
employee.
Urban Air faces a stiff challenge
to profitability under current COV-
ID protocols. Ayar says almost all of
the 130 franchises across the country
re-opened ahead of those in Michigan,
and began recovering profits
as pandemic protocols loosened in
other states.
“Our hope is to ramp up, little
by little,” Ayar said. He, too, hopes
slowly to return to profitability, but
says he would need to operate at 50
percent capacity, at least, and sell out
all of the time slots available.
“With the general public there
are two things right now. A) Most
people still don’t know we’re open
and B) The people who know we
are open are still not coming because
they are not yet comfortable, and we
completely understand that.”
Ayar is working hard to get the
word out that Urban Air is open,
clean and safe. Urban Air is working
with a company on “hyper-local”
marketing and hitting social media
hard, while the franchise puts out
national ads.
In addition to attracting customers,
Urban Air’s future depends to a
significant extent on the rules it must
follow going forward, particularly regarding
capacity.
“Twenty-five percent just doesn’t
get us anywhere because of what our
rent is and what our expenses are.
Twenty-five percent capacity just
wouldn’t allow us to make any money
or break even,” says Ayar. He says
the business can only sustain itself
under the current rules for a month
or two, without a substantial influx
of new money.
If there is no change in state rules
governing capacity, will the business
be able to continue?
“That’s a really open-ended question.
If my partner and I are willing
to refinance our homes and take that
money and put it into the business,
we can make the business float. But
as far as the business itself, a month,
two months might be all the business
could withstand with the current level
of capacity and the (the other added
costs and restrictions),” says Ayar.
Changes at least in process are
taking place at the state level. A recent
court ruling has shifted decision
making on Michigan’s COVID precautions
from exclusively under the
Wes Ayar
of Urban Air
control of the governor to a status
more inclusive of the state’s legislature.
It remains to be seen what effect
the move will have on businesses
limited by current rules.
“At the capacity that we’re at, we
would have to run our business close
to perfect to just get to a break-even
point every month with rent, with
our loans and our payroll and our insurance,”
says Ayar.
When we talked, Ayar said Urban
Air had been open three days. “The
experience for the guests seemed
to be positive. We didn’t have any
guests who had anything negative to
say, so that was a big plus for us.”
For now, trampoline and adventure
parks join the ranks of re-opened
restaurants, hair salons and recently
re-opened movie theaters trying to
figure out how to serve their customers,
pay their employees and earn a
living as they wait for rules changes
that allow them to increase their
bottom lines.
NOVEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 35

KEEPING UP WITH THE CHALDEANS
1.
Anthony and Junior took a
look back at the first 99 episodes
in this hour and forty-five minute
special, recapping each episode
and giving updates on the guests.
2.
Jason Yousif from ClearView
visits the guys to talk about
where security and technology meet.
Not just a guest, Jason is also a sponsor
of the show and friend of the hosts.
He shared the story of how he started
in the security business by hooking
up a camera to catch (on videotape!)
whoever was egging his client’s business.
His customer base and offerings
have grown quite a bit since then.
3.
Episode #102 sees Gregory
Gabbara from “Goin’ Postal”
on the set, describing his business
which offers postal services to compete
with FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
Goin’ Postal is a registered post office
in West Bloomfield. Greg guarantees
that his rates will beat the
big carriers. His company doesn’t
charge to pack items for their customers,
so think about them for
Christmas mailings!
4.
Venar Ayar from Ayar Law
sits with Junior and Anthony
and talks taxes. Venar says
most of his clients have tax issues;
Anthony and Junior
Gregory Gabbara
people don’t know that the IRS
will file for you if you don’t file
your taxes, and interest will rack
up quickly. Negotiations with the
Jason Yousif
Venar Ayar
Internal Revenue Service are his
specialty. Don’t wait if you’re having
trouble with taxes, call Ayar
Law and let them help you.
2454 Monroe St. Suite B, Dearborn, MI 48124
HairRestorationDetroit.com 313-562-3970
BOARD CERTIFIED HEAD AND NECK SURGEONS:
Danny Kewson, MD, FAAOA
Roger S. Toma, MD
Mark S. Toma, MD
Hair
Transplant
Surgery
Platelet
Rich Plasma
-PRP
The
NeoGraft ®
Process
FREE CONSULTATION
SOCIAL SECURITY
DISABILITY
Attorney Randall Mansour
Social Security Disability and
Veterans Benefits Attorneys
LAW OFFICES OF
Kelly, Riggs, & Mansour
625 E. BIG BEAVER STE. 204, TROY, MI 48083
• Specializing in Social Security Cases (SSI/SSD) & VA Benefits
• We’ve won thousands of cases
• Assistance with the initial application process
• Help from start to finish with the entire claim
• Free Consultation
• No fee unless we win
• Fluent in both Arabic and Chaldean at our office
NO VISIBLE SCARS
DISABILITYLAWGROUP.COM
248-838-3000
TOLL FREE
800-838-1100
36 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS
Your Home
Guaranteed
or I’ll Buy It!
844-SOLD-BY-Z • SoldByMarkZ.com
Phone: (248) 851-2227
(248) 851-BCBS
Fax: (248) 851-2215
rockyhpip1@aol.com
ROCKY H. HUSAYNU
Professional Insurance Planners
Individual & Group Health Plans
Medicare Supplement Plans
31000 Northwestern Hwy. • Suite 110
Farmington Hills, Ml 48334
Over 40 years of experience.
Safaa Macany
VP of Mortgage
Lending
o: (248) 216-1255
c: (248) 229-4422
smacany@rate.com
www.rate.com/SafaaMacany
1700 W. Big Beaver
Suite 225
Troy, MI 48084
Guaranteed Rate NMLS: 2611 • NMLS ID: 138658, LO#: MI - 138658
Experience • Knowledge • Personal Service
Experience • Knowledge • Personal Service
TOP 1% OF REALTORS
TOP
TOP
1% OF
1% IN OAKLAND REALTORS
OF REALTORS
IN
COUNTY IN OAKLAND 1993 – 2015
OAKLAND COUNTY 2019
COUNTY 1993 – 2015
2015 REAL ESTATE
ALL2015 STAR 2019
REAL - REAL
ESTATE
ESTATE
HOUR MEDIA ALL ALL STAR STAR - –
HOUR MEDIA
Proudly serving Birmingham,
Bloomfield, Proudly Farmington serving Birmingham, Hills, Bloomfield,
Farmington Hills, West Bloomfield, the
Proudly serving Birmingham,
Each office is independently
West Bloomfield, the Lakes
Bloomfield, Lakes and Farmington surrounding areas.
Owned and Operated Brian S. Yaldoo and surrounding areas. Hills,
Each office is independently Associated Broker West Bloomfield, the Lakes
Owned and OperatedBrian BrianS. Office (248)737-6800 • Mobile Yaldoo
(248)752-4010and surrounding areas.
Toll Associated Free (866) 762-3960
Broker
Email: brianyaldoo@remax.com Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com
Office Office (248) www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com
(248)737-6800 • Mobile (248)752-4010
752-4010
Toll Free (866) 762-3960
Email: brianyaldoo@remax.net Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com
Email: brianyaldoo@remax.com Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com
www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com
Each office is independently
Owned and Operated
Jason S. Samona, D.O.
Orthopedic Surgery
Hand, Elbow and Shoulder Surgeon
Jaguar Land Rover Troy
Sammi A. Naoum
1815 Maplelawn Drive
Troy, MI 48084
TEL 248-341-8015
MOBILE 248-219-5525
snaoum@suburbancollection.com
Auburn Hills
3100 Cross Creek Pkwy
Suite 150
248-475-0502
Warren
11012 E. 13 Mile Rd
Suite 112
586-573-6880
West Bloomfield
2300 Haggerty Rd
Suite 1110
248-863-9254
www.msspc.org
Advertise
for As little As $ 85
in our business directory section!
to place your ad, contact us today!
phone: 248-851-8600 fax: 248-851-1348
30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
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
HealtH Insurance
& MedIcare specIalIst
stephen M. George
office 248-535-0444
fax 248-633-2099
stephengeorge1000@gmail.com
Contact me for a free consultation
on Health Care Reform, Medicare
and Life Insurance
CHALDEAN
AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
SANA NAVARRETTE
MEMBERSHIP MANAGER
30850 TELEGRAPH ROAD, SUITE 200
BINGHAM FARMS, MI 48025
TEL: (248) 996-8340 CELL: (248) 925-7773
FAX: (248) 996-8342
snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com
www.chaldeanchamber.com
www.chaldeanfoundation.org
Twitter: @ChaldeanChamber
Instagram: @ChaldeanAmericanChamber
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

event
1
2
3
4
CCF PPE and Voter
Registration Drive
The Chaldean Community Foundation has been busy serving the community in these
unprecedented times. Along with their normal social services, they’ve hosted several Personal
Protection Equipment (PPE) giveaways aimed at keeping the community safe and
protected. On August 12 and September 22, they gave away PPE kits and registered people
to vote. If you are looking for PPE for yourself or someone else, stay tuned to CCF’s Facebook,
Instagram and Twitter pages to learn more about upcoming giveaways.
1. CCF staff helps drive
up clients register to vote
2. Social distancing
protocols were in effect
3. A client drives up to
receive their PPE kit
4. It was a busy day
in the CCF parking lot
38 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

14505 MICHIGAN AVENUE
DEARBORN, MI 48126
WWW.SUPERIORONLINE.COM
313-846-1122