DECEMBER 2020

VOL. 17 ISSUE XI
METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY DECEMBER 2020
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4 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2020
THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 17 ISSUE XI
26
departments
6 FROM THE EDITOR
BY PAUL JONNA
Celebrating Our Faith
18
7 YOUR LETTERS
8 FOUNDATION UPDATE
Serving a community in need
9 IRAQ TODAY
Elections
10 CHALDEAN DIGEST
Sam Hamama becomes a citizen
12 FAMILY TIME
BY DANIELLE ALEXANDER
Honoring Family Traditions
on the cover
18 A CHALDEAN CHRISTMAS
BY SARAH KITTLE
features
20 IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTING
BY CRYSTAL JABIRO
21 CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
22 40 YEARS OF THE CFL
BY SABER AMMORI
24 CFL 2020 SEASON RECAP
BY SCOTT ACHO
26 THE VINEYARD OF MERCY
BY MORGAN GARMO
A new 12 acre interactive partnership
9
14 RELIGION
The Joy of Christmas
Christmas Mass Schedule
16 IN MEMORIAM
28 CULTURE & HISTORY
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
The History of Southfield Manor
32 CHALDEANS AROUND THE WORLD
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
Chaldeans in Europe Part III:
The United Kingdom
34 ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE
BY PAUL NATINSKY
WFH is a Mixed Bag for Lawyers
36 ONE ON ONE
Vanar Jaddou
38 CHALDEAN ON THE STREET:
“What New Years’ resolution
do you wish you had kept?”
40 KUWTC
42 EVENTS
CCF Donor Appreciation
PPE Giveaway
DECEMBER 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
Scott Acho
Danielle Alexander
Saber Ammori
Azal Arabo
Morgan Garmo
Fr. John Jaddou
Crystal Jabiro
Sarah Kittle
Adhid Miri, PhD
Paul Natinsky
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Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); Published
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Celebrating Our Faith
In this time of Christmas,
let us rejoice in
our loved ones near and
far, and remember the ones
celebrating with us from
above. This past year has
brought many challenges
that have tested our faith,
our determination and our
will. Regardless of the challenges,
our community continues
to connect, to love
and to remain close with
those most special to us. This is what
makes us Chaldean.
This month’s theme, “A Chaldean
Christmas,” is about how we,
as a community, celebrate. Our traditional
Christmas celebrations are
filled with endless people busting
through the doors, with much drinking,
eating, yelling, eating, kissing,
hugging and more eating. We love
each other, and we’re not afraid to
show it. But this year, it’s different.
PAUL JONNA
ACTING EDITOR
IN CHIEF
We are forced to love in a
different way to ensure the
protection of our loved ones
and the loved ones they encounter.
For me, it always comes
back to family and faith.
Even though we may be
“Zoomed out,” thank God
we have the technology
that allows us to connect
so easily! Can you imagine
how isolated the people
that suffered through previous pandemics
felt?
We also have our immediate families
to spend time with, which in our
way-too-busy lives should be put in
the “blessings” column. Even as my
daughter’s head pops into the bottom
of each video conference while
working from home (mainly to tell
me to be quiet so she can listen to
her show), getting to spend time with
the three of them as they sit through
my “boring” meetings has been the
best part of this year. And even if you
are not physically sitting next to your
loved ones, it is the emotional connection
and protective measures that
we take to put them first that is the
greatest gift we could give.
I wish you all the peace and happiness
this Christmas with your family
welcoming the birth of our Lord.
Stay safe and warm with the knowledge
that this is merely a moment
in time that will pass, but family is
forever.
And I wish you a joyous and
prosperous new year, full of love and
hope for the future.
Merry Christmas & Happy New
Year.
With Gratitude,
Paul Jonna
Acting Editor in Chief
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6 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

your LETTERS
Election Results
Dear Editors:
This past election was one of the
most participated elections in modern
times. That it happened during
a pandemic is testimony that our
democracy has deep roots. However,
since the virus was around, I believe
our leaders had the obligation to
prepare and advise us to avoid the
in-person voting since it is done in
a small booth used by many others
throughout the day. It was much safer
to vote by mail or ahead of time.
This brings the question: why
did President Trump urge his supporters
to cast ballots in person
on November 3rd? I would have
thought leaders who care about the
health of their supporters would
urge them instead to vote ahead by
mail or by drop box. What is strange
is that President Trump and most of
his family seem to have used mail
voting while asking others to vote
in person. Millions of Democratleaning
voters used the mail under
the urging of their leaders. But
since many mailed ballots are not
processed until after Election Day a
false impression was created on the
eve of November 3rd that President
Trump was winning. The results
started shifting once the mail-in
ballots were counted. This reversal
gave the President the basis to claim
fraud as many of his supporters wondered
why the results flip flopped in
the days after November 3rd.
There are some troubling questions
here: Did President Trump
urge his supporters to vote in person
so that in case he does not
win, he can claim irregularities and
fraud and point to the reversal as a
proof? If so (and I am only guessing
but wondering) then he used his
supporters without regard to their
health, and that is not a nice thing
to do to those who support you.
The tactic of urging in-person
voting hurt the President and in my
view may have cost him the election.
If one plans to vote in person
on November 3rd, there are many
unexpected contingencies that
might happen and prevent one from
voting. If you plan to vote by mail,
you have weeks to plan and prepare.
Voting by mail or pre-voting appears
to be the norm for the future. As for
this election, the overall numbers of
the popular vote shows Biden votes
exceeding Trump’s by over 5 million.
So, the result nationally does not
show that the results in the battle
ground states to be outside the norm.
Respectfully,
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DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 7

FOUNDATION update
Backpack Giveaway
in Partnership with
Wireless Vision &
Community Choice
Credit Union
On November 4, the Chaldean
Community Foundation hosted a
backpack giveaway in collaboration
with Wireless Vision and Community
Choice Credit Union. More
than 230 kits of personal protective
equipment (PPE) and 500 backpacks
were distributed to families
with school-aged children.
Free Flu Shot Clinic
On October 25, CCF hosted a free
flu shot clinic at Holy Martyrs Chaldean
Catholic Church. More than
70 flu shots were administered during
the three Sunday masses. A PPE kit
was provided to each of those that
received a flu shot. The Ascension
Primary Care Clinic at the Chaldean
Community Foundation will
continue to administer flu shots to
both insured and uninsured patients
to help fight COVID-19. Call (586)
738-9475 to schedule an appointment
today.
Dr. Barkho, Chaldean Community
Foundation Ascension
Primary Care Clinic & Medical
Assistant, Ascension
Chaldean Community Foundation, Wireless Vision and Community Choice Credit Union Staff
Congratulations
2020 Academic
Scholarship Winners!
Through the generosity of w3r Consulting,
the Nona Family, Drs. Nathima
and Peter Atchoo Family, and the
Abdulkarim and Jameela Sesi Memorial
Scholarship, 20 students will be
awarded with scholarships this year
totaling $52,000. The CCF received
more than 100 applicants this year!
The CCF is committed to developing
a continuing scholarship program
to benefit students in need for
years to come. Thanks to the donors
who contributed to these scholarship
funds and for providing support to
our local community. Awardees will
be honored via a virtual Scholarship
Ceremony on December 15.
This Year’s Awardees
w3r Consulting
Scholarship: $5,000
Awardees: Bahaa Kato
and David Shammas
Yvonne E. Nona Women’s
Scholarship: $2,500
Awardees: Wella Yatooma,
Amanda Badri, Ansam Ghareeb,
Janelle Zora, Danela Benyamen,
Megan Adam, Shahad Zaytouna,
Nadin Razoki
Drs. Nathima and Peter Atchoo
Family Foundation Scholarship:
$2,000
Awardees: Humam Sagmen,
Joseph Dakki, Daniel Atty,
Angelina Selou, Kathren Shango,
Marina Kashat
Abdulkarim and Jameela Sesi
Memorial Scholarship: $2,500
Awardees: Rodi Matti, Fadya
Yousif, Ranya Jiddou, Khloe
Hamama
Trunk or Treat
On Halloween, CCF hosted a ‘Trunk or Treat’ event for their Breaking Barriers program, a special needs outreach
that provides assistance and advocacy to individuals and caregivers. Over the course of the day, more than 300
bags of PPE and various other goodies were distributed.
Celebrating 5 years
at 3601 15 Mile Road
On November 10, the Chaldean
Community Foundation celebrated
the 5-year anniversary of the move
from 4171 15 Mile Road to 3601
15 Mile Road. The CCF continues
to address and serve the needs of
the refugee, immigrant and greater
community. In less than five years,
they’ve added an additional 19,000
square feet to the facility, operating
out of a building that is 25 times the
size of its original location. The CCF
team has more than quadrupled!
8 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

IRAQ today
AP PHOTO/NABIL AL-JURANI
A protester waves an Iraqi flag while security forces surround the protest site during ongoing anti-government protests in Basra, Iraq, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020.
Iraq ratifies new election law, paving way for early vote
BY QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s president
ratified on Thursday a new
election law aimed at giving political
independents a better chance
of winning seats in parliament,
paving the way for early elections
next year.
President Barham Saleh stressed
the need for free, fair and transparent
balloting that would restore the Iraqi
citizens’ confidence in the legitimacy
of the process.
The new law changes each of the
country’s 18 provinces into several
electoral districts and prevents parties
from running on unified lists,
which has in the past helped them
easily sweep all the seats in a specific
province. Instead, the seats would go
to whoever gets the most votes in the
electoral districts.
Drafting a new election law has
been a key demand of the hundreds
of thousands of protesters who have
been taking to the streets in Baghdad
and the predominantly Shiite south
since last year. The protesters have
called for an end to endemic corruption
by a political class that is largely
seen as having squandered Iraq’s resources
through greed and mismanagement
over the past years.
The protests were met with a
heavy military crackdown and hundreds
were killed.
The Iraqi president said that although
the new law was not perfect,
it signaled progress and had the potential
to enable future reforms. He
called for the quick fulfillment of remaining
conditions required to hold
elections, including biometric voter
registration and reforming the electoral
commission.
A dispute over the mechanism
to replace retired judges at the Federal
Supreme Court — the body that
rules on constitutional disputes —
still needs to be settled before the
elections can take place.
“We have to create a political climate
which will help alleviate this
suffering, as well as ensuring justice
and integrity during the choosing
“We have to
create a political
climate which will
help alleviate this
suffering, as well as
ensuring justice and
integrity during the
choosing of a strong
government.”
– PRESIDENT BARHAM SALEH
of a strong government,” Saleh said
in a speech Thursday. “This is what
we aspire to, through an electoral
law which will enable Iraqis from all
walks of life to vote and to participate
in elections, God willing, without
the historical problems of forgery,
manipulation and pressure.”
Iraq’s Parliament earlier this week
passed the final version of the new
law despite objections from some
political parties. The 329-member
chamber was elected in May 2018.
The vote is held every four years, but
the protesters have been demanding
early elections.
Meanwhile, in Diyala province,
north of Baghdad, at least three
women were killed and three policemen
were wounded in twin blasts
on Thursday, according to a security
statement.
The Security Media Cell, affiliated
with the armed forces, said
the women died when a motorcycle
bomb exploded, while the policemen
died in a second explosion that went
off when they arrived at the scene of
the first blast.
There was no immediate claim of
responsibility for the attack. Fighters
loyal to the Islamic State group,
which was defeated in Iraq in late
2017, have recently stepped up attacks
in the area.
DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 9

chaldean DIGEST
What others are saying about Chaldeans
PHOTO BY ACLU OF MICHIGAN
Michigan man who fought deportation
to Iraq sworn in as U.S. citizen
BY SARAH RAHAL
Sam Hamama celebrates his US citizenship.
DETROIT – After a long and hard fought deportation
battle West Bloomfield resident Sam Hamama became a
US citizen on Friday, November 13, 2020. The Chaldean
American businessman moved to the United States from
Iraq at the age of 11.
Slow Path of Rebirth
KARAMLES: Mosul and the Nineveh plain have started
a slow path of rebirth after years of sectarian violence and
jihadist rule through initiatives that bring together Christians
and Muslims, especially young people.
Fr. Paul Thabit Mekko, head of the Christian community
in Karamles says Muslims “are working on clearing,
cleaning and restoring churches because they think they
will bring Christians back to the region. The groups are
small, mostly young people, full of good will, trying to undertake
positive initiatives.”
“In a few days, some young Muslims will take part in
the restoration of the cathedral of the Chaldeans in Mosul.”
Such deeds “are evidence of a change in mindset and
help others to join the path of dialogue and exchange.”
As a sign of a renewed climate of trust, the controversy
that recently broke out between France and the Islamic
world has not had serious repercussions in the city. The
row has found some echo on social media, but in practice
no one has protested, clashed or taken to the streets, unlike
the past.
For years, the Chaldean priest has cared for thousands
of families who fled in the summer of 2014 following the
rise of the Islamic State group. In his view, this process of
reconstruction “starts precisely with young people, who
have undertaken an increasing number of projects and
initiatives since Mosul’s liberation.”
Fully rebuilding Mosul and the Nineveh Plain is still a
long way off, but “several steps have been taken” recently
despite some difficulties. One example is the revival of a
PHOTO CREDIT ASIA NEWS
Hamama’s story made local and national headlines
over the last few years. He was one of many Detroit area
Iraqis who were detained by Immigration and Customs
Enforcement agents in the summer of 2017 as part of the
Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
When the deportations of Iraqi nationals started, the
American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan fought in
defense of those who were detained, including Hamama.
The case, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union
of Michigan more than three years ago, sought an end to
the detention of some 1,400 Iraqis nationally, including
114 initially from Metro Detroit, who had been swept up
in Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids for deportation
in June 2017.
Due to the pandemic, Hamama’s citizenship ceremony
was delayed, and he said he couldn’t wait to take the
pledge of allegiance.
“Having the backing of the ACLU, many other people
and my family is what kept me going,” Hamama said. “I
honestly just wish I could have voted in this election.”
– The Detroit News
Fr. Paul Thabit Mekko, head of the Christian community in Karamles.
historic Mosul neighborhood, near the Old City, devastated
by jihadists, where several traditional restaurants and a
large fish market have reopened.
For the Chaldean priest, “The COVID-19 pandemic
is one of many challenges. It might have slowed us down
a bit, but we certainly cannot stop because of the virus.”
– Asia News
President Donald Trump arrives for a
campaign event in Waterford Township
on Friday Oct. 30, 2020.
Trump rages
against Biden,
‘corrupt’ forces
working against him
during Michigan visit
MLIVE.COM
WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, MI —
President Donald Trump delivered a
fiery airing of grievances against his
opponent Joe Biden, Gov. Gretchen
Whitmer and the news media during
a rally in Michigan held four days before
the Nov. 3 election.
The president’s reelection campaign
has kept a tight focus on the
battleground state, which hadn’t been
won by a Republican since 1988, organizing
more than two dozen events in
the last month. Thousands of supporters
came to see Trump at the Oakland
County International Airport, where
he asked voters to defy the “corrupt”
forces opposing him.
The president’s hour-long speech
hit familiar talking points about how
he replaced the North American
Free Trade Agreement and is spurring
investments from automakers in
Michigan. Trump portrayed himself
as a president under siege while characterizing
Biden as a crooked politician
who would “destroy” the economy
and “keep everyone locked up.”
Immigration, one of the president’s
central campaign issues in
2016, received some focus from
Trump during his recent rallies in
Michigan. The president claimed
Biden would allow “unlimited migration”
from war zones and terrorist havens
that would “turn Michigan into
a refugee camp.”
At another point in the rally,
Trump expressed his support for
Michigan’s Chaldean community,
an ethnic group of Christian immigrants
from Iraq.
– Malachi Barrett
mbarret1@mlive.com
NICOLE HESTER/MLIVE.COM
10 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

Sacred Heart parish in Brewster, Wash., which suffered some fire damage
in an apparent arson attack, Nov. 15, 2020.
PHOTO COURTESY BREWSTER PARROQUIA SAGRADO CORAZON
Two churches in
Washington state
burn in apparent
arson attacks
LET US DESIGN YOUR DREAM KITCHEN
Two church buildings—one Baptist,
one Catholic— were damaged by
fires in apparent arson attacks Sunday
morning in Brewster, a town in
central Washington.
Father Pedro Bautista, Sacred
Heart’s pastor, told CNA that most
of Sacred Heart’s parishioners are
Hispanic, and that the community is
“fearful” after the incident. “This is
just adding more stress to the lives of
the people,” he said.
Numerous attacks on Catholic
churches and art in the U.S.
have been documented throughout
2020— including three separate desecrations
of Marian statues in the
same weekend in July.
At least three vandalism attacks
have happened against images of
Mary this year in New York City
alone.
The Cathedral Basilica of the
Immaculate Conception in Denver
was defaced with graffiti during
a protest June 1, with rioters spraypainting
slogans such as “GOD IS
DEAD” and “PEDOFILES” [sic] on
the church’s exterior.
Statues have been toppled, defaced
and beheaded. Various churches
around the country have been
burned. St. Peter Chaldean Catholic
Cathedral in El Cajon on Sept. 25
was defaced with graffiti depicting
“pentagrams, upside down crosses,
Numerous attacks
on Catholic
churches and art
in the U.S. have
been documented
throughout 2020.
white power, swastikas,” as well as
slogans such as “Biden 2020,” and
“BLM”.
The same evening, Our Mother
of Perpetual Help Catholic Church,
also in El Cajon, was similarly attacked,
with the pastor discovering
spray-painted swastikas on an exterior
wall of the church the next day.
Abroad, a recent report chronicled
more than 500 hate crimes
against Christians in Europe in 2019,
included attacks against Catholic
priests, arson attacks on Catholic
churches, the destruction of images
of the Virgin Mary, vandalism of a
pregnancy counseling center, and
the theft of consecrated Eucharistic
hosts from tabernacles.
– Jonah McKeown
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DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 11

FAMILY time
Honoring Christmas Traditions
BY DANIELLE ALEXANDER
I
stopped at my grandmother’s
house a few weeks ago to help her
set up her first-ever smartphone.
88-years-old, she is not only on Facebook
but still insists on hosting our
family’s annual Christmas Eve dinner.
Normally this would have been
about the time when she assigned me
the appetizer or pie she wanted me to
bring; however, neither of us dared to
bring up the holidays out of fear of
what might be said.
What would be my 33rd Christmas
Eve spent at Nana’s house, I
didn’t want to hear it was cancelled,
but, at the same time, I knew a 30-
plus gathering just cannot happen this
year. Our family is currently working
on figuring out a way to make the evening
safe yet still joyful for everyone;
however, there are still a handful of
Christmas traditions that COVID-19
will not be able to take from us.
Getting in the Spirit
Ever since I was a kid, my family and
I have piled in the car, blasted nonstop
Christmas music and drove up
for a day– and some years also overnight–
to Frankenmuth. Although
masks are currently required at Bronner’s
Christmas Wonderland and in
the River Place Shops, and you’re
encouraged to socially distance while
walking through town, my kids and I
still enjoyed our time there, returning
home with the usuals: new ornaments
for our tree, gifts for friends
Denha Family
and family members and, of course,
full bellies.
Another Christmas tradition that
my husband and I actually started
right after we got married is picking
an evening in December to attend
Greenfield Village’s Holiday Nights.
Despite the fact that there are several
program modifications to keep guests
and staff members healthy and safe
this year, Greenfield Village is still
committed to creating a “magical
Holiday Nights experience.” Nothing
gets us in the Christmas spirit like the
taste of spiked hot cider, the smell of
roasting chestnuts and the sound of
Christmas music sung and played by
carolers and fiddlers in costume.
Preparing for Santa
Even during a global pandemic, Santa
Claus still delivers. My kids have already
had conversations about what
type of mask they think he will be
wearing Christmas Eve, but my husband
and I have assured them that
regardless of what it looks like, we will
leave a note telling him he’s allowed
to pull it down to eat the homemade
cookies we always set out for him.
There are several places, including
Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi,
where kids can still see Santa but
in a socially-distanced, non-contact
manner. To avoid large crowds
though, we’ve made the decision to
attend West Bloomfield Parks’ Letters
to Santa event at a pre-reserved
time where our son and daughter can
see Santa and his helpers, give him
their letters and receive a goody bag
on the way out.
Prioritizing the Reason
Kirma Family
for the Season
As much as our children and their
cousins love Santa and the gifts they
receive from both him and us, my
family and in-laws are always working
to remind the little ones of the
true meaning of Christmas. We plan
to still take our kids to in-person
mass on either Christmas Eve or
Christmas Day; however, if this isn’t
an option, churches are offering mass
via live stream.
Vidal and Heather Denha have
always spent the month of December
reading the Bible to their three children
and talking about Jesus’ birthday,
which they still plan to do. Angela
Kirma added that her family specifically
starts reading the Book of Luke
on December 1 since it’s 24 chapters
long, leading right up to Christmas.
“We also love to donate, and we
make the kids a part of that,” Heather
said. “This year, the Giving Trees
at church are only full of giftcard
tabs, but I plan to talk to the kids
about how some people are even in
need of gas.”
Angela agreed, saying that in addition
to adopting a family, she and
her husband Bashar let their children
buy gifts for one another, too: “I always
try to focus more on the giving
than the receiving. It’s so cute to
see their excitement as their sibling
opens the gift that they put time, effort
and thought into!”
Cherish Traditions Safely
If you do decide to attend a gathering,
the CDC recommends that you
bring your own food, drinks, plates,
cups and utensils; wear a mask and
safely store your mask while eating
and drinking; avoid going in and
out of the areas where food is being
prepared or handled, such as in the
kitchen; use single-use options like
salad dressing and condiment packets
and disposable items like food
containers, plates and utensils.
If you host a gathering, the CDC
suggests having a small outdoor meal
with family and friends who live in
your community; limiting the number
of guests; having conversations
with guests ahead of time to set expectations
for celebrating together;
cleaning and disinfecting frequentlytouched
surfaces and items between
use; opening windows if the celebration
is taking place indoors; limiting
the number of people in food preparation
areas; having guests bring
their own food and drink; having one
person serve food and use single-use
options like plastic utensils. Learn
more at cdc.gov.
Danielle Alexander is the owner of
Edify LLC, a tutoring/editing/freelance
writing business. Although the holidays
will look different this year, she hopes
that the Chaldean community will
make the best of it and stay healthy.
12 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

We can’t help you
clean out the garage.
But we can help you
bank from home.
BIRMINGHAM
Member FDIC
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Version: 11.08.20
DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 13

RELIGION
Christmas Mass Schedule
Come Holy Spirit
of Christmas
FR. JOHN
JADDOU
SPECIAL TO THE
CHALDEAN NEWS
The Christmas season
is upon us,
and for those who
feel hopeless and helpless
with a new shutdown and
political strife, this season
is a light that shines in
the darkness. (John 1:5)
The Light of the world
(John 9:5) is born, and in
this we rejoice and sing
“Joy to the world, the
Lord is come.”
I love everything
about Christmas! The Spirit of
Christmas is one of joy and hope.
Being at St. Joseph in Troy, with the
heavy traffic on Big Beaver, Fr. Rudy,
Fr. Fadie and I made it a point to put
the Christmas lights up extra early
this year. We are all desperate for
some hope, and a small symbol like
Christmas lights and a Christmas
tree, decorated from the ground up,
is just what we need to lift our spirits.
If you don’t usually put up Christmas
lights, it’s not too late! If not for you,
then for others who need a sign that
proclaims, “The Christmas season is
here – let us rejoice and be glad”.
With that being said, even
Christmas lights and a Christmas
tree may not be enough for some who
feel beaten and battered by 2020.
For some, Christmas marks the end
of a year to forget, but this is where
we are mistaken. True joy and light
do not come from outside, but from
within; in our hearts and souls. This
is where God dwells. For joy and
peace are not manufactured feelings,
but gifts of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians
5:22-23)
The true Christmas Spirit is not
a commercialized spirit, but the Holy
Spirit that brightens and warms our
soul to the truth of the Gospel. For
on Christmas Day, we proclaim that
God loves mankind so much that He
became man so that we may become
like God. The Son of God calls us to
be children, sons and daughters, of
God (Romans 8:14-16).
The true Christmas Spirit draws
us to faith in a newborn King whose
kingdom is not of this world. A faith
that is grounded in hope, serving as “an
anchor for our soul” (Hebrews 6:19).
The true Christmas Spirit is one
of hope. This “hope does not disappoint
us, because God’s
love has been poured into
our hearts through the Holy
Spirit that has been given to
us” (Romans 5:5). Our hope is
not that 2020 does not repeat
itself, but that we have faith
enough to keep our eyes fixed
on Jesus, the one who saves
and heals. As faithful, our
hope is in Emmanuel, which
means “God with us.” (Matthew
1:23)
If 2020 has taught us anything,
it’s that we can’t predict what
challenges life throws our way. But
what Christmas reminds us is that
“we do not have a high priest who is
unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who has similarly
been tested in every way, yet without
sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus Christ was
The true Christmas
Spirit is not a
commercialized
spirit, but the Holy
Spirit that brightens
and warms our soul
to the truth of the
Gospel.
born in a lowly manger, amidst poor
shepherds and animals, rejected from
the beginning because there was “no
room in the inn” (Luke 2:7). Jesus
knows our struggle and comes into
this world to give us salvation; not
from suffering, but from sin and death.
This Christmas season, let us remember
that true peace and hope
come from within, and are fruits of
living the true Christmas Spirit.
Come Holy Spirit of Christmas, fill
our hearts with wonder at the truth
that God is with us. Merry Christmas
to you and your families!
Father John is a Chaldean priest at St.
Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church in
Troy, MI.
Mass times are subject to
change due to coronavirus.
For the most updated list,
visit chaldeanchurch.org.
HOLY MARTYRS
كنيسة الشهداء
Christmas Eve (December 24)
2:30 pm (English)
4:00 pm (English)
5:30 pm (Chaldean)
7:00 pm (Arabic)
8:30 pm (English)
10:00 pm (Arabic)
11:30 pm – Prayers (Chaldean)
12:00 am Mass (Chaldean)
Christmas Day (December 25)
9am (Arabic)
10:30 (English)
12:00 (Chaldean)
1:30 (Chaldean/Arabic)
MART MARIAM
كنيسة مريم العذراء
Christmas Eve (December 24)
4:00 pm (Chaldean) 6:00 pm
(English) 8:00 pm (Arabic) 10:30
pm (Chaldean)
Christmas Day (December 25)
10:00 am (Arabic/Chaldean)
New Year’s Eve (December 31)
6:30 pm (English/Chaldean)
New Year’s Day (January 1)
6:30 pm (Arabic/Chaldean)
Epiphany Eve (January 5)
6:30 pm (Mixed Languages)
Epiphany Day (January 6)
4:00 pm Baptisms
MOTHER OF GOD
كاتدرائية ام الله
Christmas Eve (December 24)
12:30 pm (English) Subject to
cancellation
2:30 pm (English) Subject to
cancellation
4:00 pm (English)
6:00 pm (English)
8:00 pm (Arabic)
10:00 pm Evening prayers
10:30 pm (Chaldean)
Christmas Day (December 25)
10:00 am (English)
12:00 Noon (Chaldean)
Solemnity of Mary (December 26)
10:00 am (Chaldean)
New Year’s Eve (December 31)
6:00 pm (English)
11:30 pm (English)
New Year’s Day (January 1)
12:00 Noon (Chaldean)
Feast of the Epiphany (January 6)
9:00 pm Morning Prayers
10:00 am (Chaldean)
2:00 pm Baptisms
4:00 pm Ramsha Prayers
5:00 pm Adoration
6:00 pm (English)
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP
كنيسة ام املعونة الدامئة
Christmas Eve (December 24)
4:30 pm (Chaldean/Arabic)
7:00 pm (Chaldean/Arabic)
9:30 pm (Chaldean/Arabic)
12:00 Midnight (Chaldean)
Christmas Day (December 25)
10:00 am (English)
12:30 pm (Chaldean/Arabic)
Solemnity of Mary (December 26)
11:00 am (Chaldean/Arabic)
The Holy Innocents of Bethlehem
(December 27)
10:00 am (Arabic)
12:30 pm (Chaldean)
New Year’s Eve (December 31)
11:00 am (Chaldean/Arabic)
New Year’s Day (January 1)
12:30 pm (Chaldean/Arabic)
Feast of the Epiphany (January 6)
12:00 noon Baptisms
6:00 pm (Chaldean/Arabic)
SACRED HEART
كنيسة القلب األقدس
Christmas Eve (December 24)
5:00 pm (Chaldean)
7:00 pm (Arabic)
10:30 pm (Arabic/Chaldean)
Christmas Day (December 25)
10:00 am (Arabic)
12:30 pm (Chaldean/Arabic)
New Year’s Day (January 1)
7:00 pm (Chaldean/Arabic)
ST. EPHREM
كنيسة مار افرام
Christmas Eve (December 24)
6:00 pm (English)
8:00 pm (Arabic)
10:00 pm (Chaldean)
Christmas Day (December 25)
9:30 am (Chaldean)
11:00 am (Chaldean/Arabic)
ST. GEORGE
كنيسة مار كوركيس
Christmas Eve (December 24)
3:00 pm (English)
5:00 pm (Chaldean)
7:00 pm (Arabic)
9:00 pm (English)
11:00 pm (Chaldean)
Christmas Day (December 25)
10:00 am (English)
11:30 am (Arabic)
1:00 pm (Chaldean)
ST. PAUL
كنيسة مار بولس
Christmas Eve (December 24)
6:00 pm
8:00 pm
Christmas Day (December 25)
12:00 noon
14 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

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DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 15

ersary -
l see God.
e called
Picture
Nakia Jabro
40th day anniversary
By Saad Jabro
…Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God…
in MEMORIAM
RECENTLY DECEASED COMMUNITY MEMBERS
ers and words..
Mom
rs light,
e,
vy sigh.
g? helpless, tearing me apart, Today.. why is my soul trembling? helpless, tearing me apart,
teps, difficulty breathing, stranded, burdened by heavy steps, difficulty breathing,
ow where to hide. like a fugitive..who does not know where to hide.
assionate heart,
ves,
gentleness emanated,
an I ever repay you?
d was aptly named,
, but you are far,
f a happy life.
In my heart there are remnants of whispers and words..
A tender heart,
a blond hair, green eyes..scatters light,
a gentle smile which brings hope,
followed by wounds and a heavy sigh.
Mom
Mom
Mom
Spring of tenderness and compassionate heart,
the light that illuminated our lives,
the source from which love and gentleness emanated,
you gave without return..how can I ever repay you?
Your name was Nakia..pure, and was aptly named,
I miss you dearly, you are near, but you are far,
in short..you were the secret of a happy life.
Mary Ayar Kada
Jul 1, 1930
- Nov 9, 2020
Hikmat Issa Gulla
Aug 24, 1959
- Nov 6, 2020
Samer Mekaheel
Tobia Shango
Jul 1, 1947
- Nov 8, 2020
Alias Mikael Saco
Jul 1, 1943
- Nov 4, 2020
Jamil Yousif Denha
Jul 2, 1939
- Nov 7, 2020
Anwer Abood
Alkais-Mikha
Jul 1, 1930
- Nov 1, 2020
Sarah Jajju Hirmiz
Jul 1, 1925
- Nov 6, 2020
Suzan Sana
Oct 1, 1971
- Oct 31, 2020
Jamil Alton Yaldo
Jul 1, 1931 – Oct
31, 2020
Wansu Younan
Jul 2, 1953
- Oct 31, 2020
Mike Habib Salmo
Apr 15, 1953
- Oct 30, 2020
Ghanim
Yousif Shaba
Sep 25, 1934 -
Oct 30, 2020
Sami Daoud
Rabinitha
Jul 23, 1949
- Oct 29, 2020
Gorgis Zia Toma
Kas-Shamoun
Jan 1, 1935
- Oct 28, 2020
Jamila Yatooma
Asmar
Jul 1, 1929
- Oct 27, 2020
Saad Putrus Toma
Romaya
Oct 8, 1952
- Oct 27, 2020
Jacob Alan Isho
Jun 8, 1995
- Oct 25, 2020
Azeez Tobia Kazzo
Jul 1, 1940
- Oct 25, 2020
Zaiya Jajw
Shamon
Jul 1, 1949
- Oct 23, 2020
Joseph Hermiz
Hamama
Jun 16, 1926
- Oct 19, 2020
16 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

PROJECT LIGHT THERAPY SERVICES
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Through therapy, you can change self-destructive
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seek therapy for help with issues that may be
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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.

A Chaldean Christmas
BY SARAH KITTLE
The Hannawa family
It’s no surprise that the Chaldean
community loves a celebration
and Christmas is no exception.
But what often makes it ‘exceptional’
is when the seasonal activities
and decor are bigger, bolder and
better than any other celebration.
Marriages might draw thousands of
guests, but the season of giving that
Christmas brings and the celebration
of the birth of our Savior — well,
that tops them all.
According to The Event Planner,
Dalia Atisha, traditional Chaldean
Christmas décor is all about the nativity,
“And don’t forget the three
wise men!” Atisha is noticing some
trends this year, most noticeably, personalized
gifts. With the specter of
COVID-19 hanging over the entire
world, it’s a good time to get to know
ourselves and our loved ones a little
bit better.
Colored trees are also making a
splash this year, and they are going
monochromatic for a more modern
look. “We have been seeing less stars
placed on the trees but more twigs
and artificial flowers are making it to
the top of the tree,” says Atisha, perhaps
an homage to nature.
Candles and twinkling lights
are always popular, and Atisha says
today there’s more emphasis on the
mantle and the stockings being hung
with care. Besides monochromatic
colors, we’ll see mixed metals and
the ombré effect — the blending
of one color hue to another, usually
moving in shades from light to dark.
Are people into celebrating this
year? “People are really still into the
spirit of Christmas, although the
gatherings sizes are shrinking, not
a detail is missed,” explains Atisha.
Family gatherings that typically host
multiple generations and a wide variety
of extended family will be curtailed
this year due to COVID-19.
Many families in our community
have been impacted and some of
them are facing their first holiday season
without lost loved ones, but the
meaning of Christmas resounds. “The
nativity is, and always will be, the star
of Christmas; Jesus is the reason for
the season!” proclaims Atisha.
“So you’ll see the nativity designed
in many different ways, from
as simple as the Holy Family to the
entire manger and those that were
biblically present,” she goes on. “The
nativity has been designed in many
ways — from fabric, to other mixed
materials, to even glass,” says Atisha.
“It’s expressed beautifully in many
ways so any home décor can find a
suitable nativity set that would work
for them.”
But ‘simple’ is not a word that
would be used to describe the decorations
in Nick Hannawa’s yard.
The young family man and partner
at Hannawa Hermiz Law has a couple
of acres to fill with decorations.
He’s made a good beginning, and it
all started with a sale on Christmas
lights at a local Home Depot. “It
was 5 or 6 years ago,” Hannawa explained.
“They were 98 cents a box,
so I bought 500 of one color — a
warm white.”
He then added more colors, LED
lights, and more decorations. He’s
done themes, including a blue and
white theme in honor of Hanukkah.
“I live in Bloomfield Township,”
Hannawa explains, “and I want to be
inclusive.”
Not far from Conan Elementary
and Bloomfield Hills Middle School
on Quarton Road between Telegraph
and Franklin, the Hannawa Family
home lights up the sky. More lights
and more decorations are added each
year. Cars drive up and neighbors
not only stroll by to see the display,
they send thank-you cards. There’s
a 20-foot snowman, nutcracker and
Santa. With a three year old son
and a daughter less than a year old,
Nick and his wife have their hands
full. But Nick is inspired by the kids,
thrilling his son Kingston with a ride
on a boom lift. “I’m adding Grinch
and Olaf for him,” says the happy
dad. Kendall, 9 months old, will have
to wait her turn.
Of course, Hannawa’s friends
wanted in on the action and a kind
of “Friendsgiving” event centered
on the act of decorating eventually
evolved. Creating a tradition to
share with the community became
something greater when the Hannawas
and their friends decided to
host a toy drive. They have a dropoff
box set close to the road for ease
of gifting, and Nick’s wife, Shannon,
and sister, Amanda, work with local
PHOTOS BY RAZIK RANON
community organizations and individuals
to distribute the toys. They
partnered with Jeff Kassab, who together
with his wife runs an annual
toy drive for families in need on the
east side, to deliver two trucks full of
toys last year.
Hannawa’s Christmas display has
grown so large he needed to add storage
for it on his property. Although
it is a large area, it is still difficult
to get permission to build two large
sheds in your yard in Bloomfield
Township. Hannawa was informed
that his permit was approved by way
of Zoom this year due to COVID-19
and is pretty sure the approval was
influenced by the fact that some of
his appreciative neighbors were on
the panel.
The highly contagious virus has
been deadly for many, even though
the majority of those stricken recover.
The risk of exposure and spread is
so high that the Health Department
is recommending no social gatherings
outside your “pod,” or the group
of people you come into contact
with regularly. This means that large
family gatherings should be waylaid,
set aside for the sake of your healthcompromised
loved ones.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t
celebrate Christmas. You can still
party the Chaldean way by including
pacha (stuffed tripe) and koolecha
(date and walnut cookies) in your
meal, topped off with chai. And family
games are always a fun addition
to the menu – cards, a board game,
even marbles! On Christmas Eve,
read the story of Jesus’ birth from the
Bible.
Because that’s why we celebrate.
Even with a 20 foot snowman and
thousands of lights it’s really all about
the nativity.
Nick Hannawa has plans in the
works to build a large manger to accompany
his inflatable nativity. He
consulted his friend and display expert
Lawrence Yaldo of Top That Table
about his Christmas display. “He
told me I need a bigger spotlight,”
Nick laughs.
To donate to Nick’s toy drive, email
nickhannawa@gmail.com.
18 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 19

Presents and Patronage:
Giving Gifts from our
Small Businesses
BY CRYSTAL KASSAB JABIRO
The Christmas season is upon
us, and Lord knows we need
some comfort and joy! Every
December, we look for something
different to gift our friends and family
members or to give to our kids’
teachers or to bring to the host/
hostess of a gathering. Just skimming
through social media can give
you great ideas, and why not support
our community members and their
small business ventures? As you trim
the tree and deck the halls, shop
these these extraordinary vendors for
unique presents:
Hill’s Boards
IG: @hills_boards
During lockdown, Hillary Sesi started
making fun cheeseboards with other
snacks for her niece and nephews.
While scrolling through Instagram and
watching a virtual class, she used her
creativity to make them more appealing,
and her cousins and friends encouraged
her to sell them. Her exceptional
meat and cheese boards became
a hit on social media and through
word-of-mouth, with her intricate salami
roses and seasonal cheeses and
jams. She can customize anything for
you, including vegan, brunch, and
kids’ boards, starting at $45. This season,
she is also offering the Hot Cocoa
Board for those cold winter nights, because
this school social worker knows
we need all the warm vibes we can get.
Bouqcakes by Revon
IG: bouqcakes_by_revon
Email: r1114@hotmail.com
Revon Antoon has been baking as
long as she can remember. She started
making cupcakes in the form of floral
bouquets as gifts, and like Hillary, was
persuaded by her loved ones to make it
a business. Now, this mom and certified
public accountant is doing a different
kind of math — measuring ingredients
for her delicious cupcakes. Bouqcakes
can be ordered as 7 or 12 cupcakes,
and you can customize the colors and
flavors to your liking. Revon also offers
individual cupcakes and vegan and
gluten-free options, beginning at $25
for 6. Vanilla stuffed with nutella is the
most popular. These flowers are sure to
brighten up any table, and the best part
is they are edible!
Woodwork by Raid
IG: woodworkbyraid9
FB: Ray Abouna
Three years ago, Raid (Ray) Abouna
watched a Youtube video of a woodworker
and became intrigued by the
intricacies of the craft. He bought a
machine and taught himself, using a lot
of trial-and-error. This hobby turned
into a business, and when he is home
from his job at the hospital, he is busy
creating new designs and customizing
requests. He most often makes crosses,
and is often sought out to make party
favors, like the crosses with last names,
and party attractions, like donut walls.
His most recent production is a collection
of mini palm crosses ranging from
$13-$15. They are made from all natural
wood, like African padauk, Bubinga,
walnut, and Zebrawood, which is
often used in the trim of Cadillacs and
Mercedes. These mini palm crosses are
3 ½ x 2, a perfect size for you to physically
grab hold of your faith and pray.
Of Water and Clay
IG: @ofwaterandclay
www.ofwaterandclay.etsy.com
All-around creative Nidhal McCormick
tried her hand at some different
hobbies during the lockdown in Los
Angeles, like playing around with
polymer clay. She started to make earrings
for herself, and then her friends
wanted some too and swayed her to
share her passion with the world. Now,
she is constantly busy with new designs
and custom orders, starting at $16. Her
best-seller is the RBG earring, created
in honor of the late Supreme Court
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Recently,
Nidhal was a regional manager of
medical sales on the west coast, but
she has been more than happy to hop
off that corporate ladder and find her
peace with this innovative art.
Joy by Delux
IG: @joybydelux
Email: joybydelux@gmail.com
2163 Cole Street
Birmingham, MI
248.792.2954
Covid-19 has certainly affected the
floral industry with the absence of or
limited amount of special gatherings
we are used to. That is what florist
Christopher Patros of Delux Floral and
his friend Jennifer Curis were talking
about one night at dinner. The next
day, Jenny called Chris with the idea of
a pop-up shop just before Chris could
call her with the same suggestion.
Great minds think alike! The inviting
and magical decor of this temporary
store in Birmingham offers an eclectic
mix of boutique style shopping from
holiday decor to teacher gifts to unique
items for the home, and for all price
ranges starting at $5. A visit to Joy
will bring you the Christmas cheer you
have been waiting all 2020 for!
20 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

the gift guide
CHLOE’S TREASURES
For a personalized gift, call Mervit Toma at Chloe’s
Treasures. She started the handmade-gift business
as a tribute to her daughter with a handmade rosary,
and although rosaries are still her specialty (with
bridal, Victorian, floral and car rosaries besides the
traditional), it has grown into a personalized jewelry
business as well.
NINO SALVAGGIO
If you’re looking for that special gift, look no farther
than Nino’s. Check out their candles, kitchen tools
and gadgets, wine bags and accessories. And
don’t forget their handcrafted gift baskets! For decades
now their unique selections, hand designed
by their culinary team, have delighted recipients
from sea to shining sea. In addition to their full selection
of standard baskets, they can create custom
themed baskets to suit your taste for personal or
corporate gifts. And because it comes from Nino’s,
you know your gift basket will contain only products
of the highest quality and without exception, they
will be fresh – guaranteed!
LUCIDO
For a look that is both timeless and romantic, shop
the iconic Move Collection by Messika. This collection
is enhanced with three sparkly diamonds in motion.
The perfect symbol of the love of yesterday, today and
tomorrow. Lucido Fine Jewelry is proud to be the only
retailer in Michigan!
Tacori takes diamonds to new heights with exquisite
attention to detail, beauty from every angle and an
eternity of diamonds. These bands are available in
rubies, sapphires or diamonds, and they are exclusive
Tacori RoyalT with the signature Classic Crescent
design on the inner face.
Sweet and petite, leave a lasting impression with a
personal touch. Every love letter tells a story and she
will never want to take off this necklace. This delicate
necklace has your desired initial on a satin finish
charm and is available in 18k Gold (rose, yellow or
white) and Sterling Silver.
DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 21

40 years of the Chaldean Football League
BY SABER AMMORI
After not having played in
the CFL, Chaldean Football
League, for over 10 years, I
started going to the games this year
because my oldest son was playing in
the league. It was great to see so many
familiar faces I have missed over the
years still carrying on this awesome
Sunday fall tradition known to our
community as the CFL. As I stood
on the sidelines watching the games,
many of the former and current players
started sharing so many of their
stories. It became apparent to me, the
new CFL generation does not know a
lot about the league’s almost 40-year
history.
I joined the CFL in 1987 and the
league had just expanded from four
teams to five. We later added a 6th
team. My family had just moved from
Sterling Heights to West Bloomfield,
and I thought I was joining a simple
flag football league. I had no idea the
passion that would be ignited.
I always loved sports, so I was excited
when I was asked to play. Since
I was on an expansion team, all new
players went on the `white jersey’
team. Normally you would get drafted.
This league is where I would go
on to meet some of my lifelong best
friends. I was joining much more than
a flag football league. It was an exclusive
fraternity. Early on, the league
was built on family teams and there
were heated football rivalries. It was
awesome and brought so much fire to
the games. All the teams were wellcoached
and played gritty.
When I joined, the league had
been in existence for some years and
I was quickly brought up to speed on
the tradition and history. Haithem
Sarafa, a CFL legend, shared with me
some history of the league. “The CFL
started in 1981 as a playground game
in Southfield and evolved to Sunday
mornings before 12 so we could open
our stores,” he said. “Some of best
memories were the early years when,
after the games, we would go to Aunt
Margaret’s house and drink tea and
have bread, cheese and watermelon
after the games.” Aunt Margaret was
the mother of Joe Sarafa, a legendary
coach and one of the founders of the
CFL — also known as the Chief Organizer
and First Commissioner.
“We would be filthy, and we would
CFL Game played in 2002 between Team White and Team Green on a muddy field on
Farmington Harrison Field.
sit in her white clean kitchen and we
would always end our meetings with a
prayer to keep everyone safe,” Sarafa
recalled. “Rivalries were always brewing
between our team, Andy Najor
and Frank Jonna’s teams. Frank Jonna
and Pete Jonna would hit guys after
the whistle blew because their theory
was ‘They can’t throw a flag on every
play!’ Frank was also known as the
Godfather of the league.
“No matter how intense and mean
everyone got during the games, it was
always ‘let’s go have breakfast’ after
the games and all bad feelings were
forgotten. We built friendships and
brotherhoods that would last forever.”
It is Margaret Sarafa’s teapot that
sits atop the beautiful CHY Cup trophy
today. (I can’t tell you how good
beer tastes in that old tea pot). When
I would tell stories of this flag football
league to people, I had to explain that
our version of flag football is more like
rugby and I have the damaged shoulders
to prove it! The casual player or
fan just did not understand our passion
for the league. We had students,
doctors, lawyers, architects, businessmen
— grown men with families acting
like this would be their career and
this was the NFL. We have seen over
the years some new guys, some highlevel
high school and small college
football players come into this league
and expect to dominate.
Some went on to be great players,
but some never understood how rough
the league was and the fire that was
needed to be successful in this league.
Playing through a early Sunday morning
hangover also showed toughness.
Captains of teams would take drafting
rookies very seriously and I had
an intense interview process. I would
ask questions like “who is your mother
and father?” or “are you cousins with
so and so?” or “what are you going to
do with your life?”
Personally, I have 20 years of awesome
memories. After a few years as
a player playing for great player and
coach, Anmar Sarafa, I was awarded
a team to captain with Anthony
Toma (he would later trade himself
to another team) — all the battles
with Kevin Denha, Mike Esshaki
and Ramzy Kizy’s teams and personal
football battles with great players
like Denny Sarafa, Karl Dallou and
Anthony Toma. The rivalries were
intense, but they were even more
fun amongst great friends. There was
such a thrill of winning the big game,
the CHY Cup, because you were now
ON THE CUP! Although the losses
could be heartbreaking…
There are so many great players
that impacted the league over the
last 40 years that I couldn’t mention
all of them but you can take a look at
the CHY Cup and you will see their
names proudly engraved. I personally
learned the game from 2 CFL legends
— Haithem Sarafa and Ronnie Jona.
The camaraderie was unbelievable. I
had the pleasure of playing with my
close friends, cousins and even my
nephews (almost made a comeback
for one game this year to play with my
son but came to my senses).
Technically, fighting has always
been banned from the CFL. I was
at a game this year with one of my
younger sons when a skirmish broke
out. I told them that didn’t used to
happen in the old days, but I was
quickly reminded by Ramzy Kizy that
that wasn’t exactly true. “Yea Schuck,
remember when so-and-so bit so-andso
and remember when so-and-so did
this?” and many other stories I can’t
even share in this article. I guess “boys
will be boys” and we are very much
the same 40 years later.
Watching this year’s championship
game on a wet October night on
a perfect turf field in West Bloomfield
reminded me of our championship
games of yesteryear that were played in
late November on a hard dirt surface.
(These young guys are so smart!!)
One player who had a big impact
on the way the game changed from old
school to new school was Joey Jonna.
He went on to win multiple CHY
Cups and was the first son to win a
CHY Cup Championship with his father.
The move to turf fits today’s game
because players are faster and more
skilled and QBs can throw and run.
The game has elite athletes all over
the field, which has elevated the game.
Guys that I saw come into the
league as young men are now the veterans
that have proudly carried on
the league tradition. Although the
athletes may be more elite, the league
itself still is about passion, comradery,
toughness, competition, community
and building relationships. It makes
me and other alumni proud.
In closing, I just ask a few things
of the younger generation of players.
Do not yell at Russ the Ref as he is
a CFL legend. Give Anthony Toma
(another CFL legend) more playing
time because he is not going anywhere.
He has played in all 5 decades
and just passed Amir Dickow as the
oldest player to play in the CFL. Finally,
keep this amazing tradition going!
Thank you for the respect of the
game.
Congratulations to the White
Jersey team captained by Anthony
Atcho and led by Jordan Rasam on
winning this year’s CHY cup!
22 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
ESL CLASSES
January 12 - March 18
Monday-Thursday, 6-9 pm
Beginner ESL
Intermediate ESL
Employment ESL
Citizenship ESL
Classes meet once per week
$40 includes registration and testing
Offered online through Zoom
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Call 586-722-7253 or visit chaldeanfoundation.org
for more information
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 3601 15 MILE ROAD, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 586-722-7253 CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG
DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 23

CFL 2020 Season Recap
BY SCOTT ACHO
In a year where nothing we did
and nothing around us felt normal,
for a couple of hours a week
on Sunday morning, we got to play
football! The CFL (Chaldean Football
League) is a league like no other
in our community. Roughly 40 years
of tradition, 40 years of competition
and brotherhood.
This league has meant so much
to so many people over the years. It
is a family to anyone who has ever
been part of it; bringing together
generations of Chaldeans, building
relationships with past and present
players you would not get elsewhere.
That is why this league means so
much to us all. I, for one, am very
happy we were able to get through
the season without any issues, and
to have been on the winning side as
a member of your 2020 Champions,
Team White! What a special season
it was for this group!
White came into the season as
defending champs, attempting to
go back-to-back. This is a feat only
few teams have accomplished in the
league’s storied history. White has
been a powerhouse for the last few
years, having reached the Chy Cup
(Championship Game) in each of
the last 3 seasons! Led by Captain
and quarterback Anthony Acho,
this is as good a run from a team the
league has ever seen.
The roster in 2020 looked very
similar to years’ past as Anthony was
able to keep much of their core intact
with Jordan Rassam, Derek Putrus,
Dominick Kejbou, Scott Acho,
Pierre Savaya, and Christian Hanna.
They also added the talented George
Sharrak, and rookies Brendan Ammori
(son of former CFL player Saber
Ammori), John Bahnam, Fannr
Korkis, Marcel Kassab, Peter Matty,
and Nick Husaynue.
Team White appeared to have
picked up right where they left off,
running through the regular season
with a 9-1 record. Their only loss
coming at the hands of Team Black,
led by Tarik Kama. White would
have their chance at redemption as
they were set to face off against the
loaded Team Black under the lights
in the coveted Chy Cup Championship.
As if 2020 could not have been
Top Row: George Sharrak, Brendan Ammori, Derek Putrus, Pierre Savaya, Scotty Acho, Peter Matty. Second Row: Nick Husaynu, John
Banham, Marcel Kassab, Christian Hanna. Bottom Row: Jordan Rassam, Dominic Kejbou, Anthony Acho. Not pictured: Fannr Korkis
more ruthless, the night of the Chy
Cup brought weather you would only
expect on a December night in Seattle
- cold, wet, and cold. If you love
football, you love playing in these
kinds of games. In front of a crowd
of approximately 200 people, both
teams put on a show (for the second
half at least).
Both defenses carried their respective
teams in the first half, as
we went to the half-time break with
a score of 6-6. Then QB Anthony
Acho absolutely took over, making
every throw, in very tough conditions
in the second half, propelling
Team White to a win with a final
score of 26-12.
Dom “Spider-Man” Kejbou (regular
season MVP) had yet another
unbelievable performance in this
game on both sides of the ball, scoring
two touchdowns and one interception.
Pierre “Playoff P” Savaya,
and Jordan “Showstopper” Rassam
were all over the field that night, as
all three shared in Chy Cup MVP
honors. Special shout out to Brendan
Ammori as he had to fill in at Offensive
Lineman against some very large
human beings, no surprise as he held
his own…strong bloodlines.
Everyone on the field that night
gave it their all and made the league
proud! It was a night to remember, a
season we will not forget, and a team
that cemented their place in the CFL
history books. Back-to- back! Team
White was able to do it with a target
on their back all season that they
will carry into 2021 as they attempt
to three-peat. If I were a betting man,
I would not bet against them next
season.
Congratulations Team White!
24 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

This holiday season,
let’s protect Jiddou
and Nana from
uninvited guests.
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
18 Employees
7 Co-workers
3 Clients
12 Employees
11 Customers
6 Clients
3 Teachers
18 Classmates
4 Teachers
24 Classmates
5 Friends
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 3601 15 MILE ROAD, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 586-722-7253 CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG
DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 25

New in the Community: The Vineyard of Mercy
BY MORGAN GARMO
One of the things I talk about
often is how I couldn’t imagine
being on this crazy ride
alone. God has gifted us a beautiful
community to celebrate the highs
and overcome the challenges with.
Sure, we could take on this adventure
of life alone, but when we embrace
the individuals God has given
us, a whole new world opens up.
I think it’s the same with work
and volunteering. When we collaborate
with people who have different
experiences, perspectives and Godgiven
talents, we enable ourselves
to create something that we never
would on our own.
Those are the moments we begin
to refine the gifts God has given
us. We find ourselves doing our best
work because it is ultimately God’s
work. That’s something many of us
search to be a part of and the opportunity
is waiting for us at The Vineyard
of Mercy at Holy Martyrs.
The idea for the Vineyard of Mercy
was established by the Holy Martyrs
Men’s Group who have encouraged
and continue to encourage the
project to grow and expand throughout
our community.
The word ‘vineyard’ plays off the
idea that this project is the fruit of
individuals’ God-given gifts and talents.
Like a vineyard, multiple generations
are coming together to create
something for years to come.
The word ‘mercy’ plays off the
idea that in order to grow in faith it
is essential that we begin to understand
the depths of God’s Mercy.
Understanding our history and how
it affects our current journey is the
first step in this process.
Our mission is to discover God’s
mercy through unity, education,
preservation and service.
Unity for us is found when we embrace
each other’s God-given talents,
listen to each other’s experiences
with the hope of having a better understanding
for our brothers and sisters,
and share each other’s ideas and
passions to create something greater
than ourselves. The Vineyard is not
focused on serving one Church, age
group or side of town. Our focus is to
create an all-encompassing experience
in which we can do God’s work
together.
“In being asked to contribute my
experience to the Vineyard Project,
I have been most impressed by the
diversity of volunteers,” said Marla
Garmo from West Bloomfield. “Father
Andrew has organized a comprehensive
group based on individual
gifts and talents, not limited to geography.
There is no mention of East
Side or West Side. That has been so
refreshing to me. I have met amazing
Chaldeans through this project that
are doing incredible work. The unity
that has been created is something
that our Church should continue to
foster.”
The Vineyard has over 15 committees
and is growing! We have
a team of social workers, mental
health care providers and representatives
from various organizations
in the community that are working
together to develop resources that
help people find freedom from their
imprisonments. We have student
architects working alongside welders
and landscape architects working
alongside property managers. We
have a team working on Vineyard
programming and a team working on
the multi-sensory experience. And
so much more!
As new ideas are developed, new
committees are formed. The Vineyard
of Mercy is a community project
which means it’s constantly growing
and changing based on our community’s
ideas and needs.
When you first enter the Vineyard
of Mercy you will see the Alap
Beth (first two letters in the Aramaic
alphabet) playground and outdoor
children’s museum. The space will
be used to educate our youth on the
Aramaic language, geography and
culture of the Middle East.
The playground will also include
a stage and story corner which will
give us a backdrop to teach the youth
about the epic of Gilgamesh and Cuneiform.
This is important because
Chaldeans originated in Mesopotamia
and share similar traditions.
The second half of the Vineyard
is a self-guided, multi-sensory and
multi-lingual retreat. The walking
meditation is built around the journey
of Jesus from Holy Thursday to
Easter Sunday. Within the meditation
there is a last supper table
which will be used for reflection on
the institution of the Eucharist and
to teach about the Passover Seder
which will be led in partnership with
The Temple Israel.
There is a jail which represents
the imprisonment of Jesus and the imprisonment
of man. This jail sets the
tone for the meditative journey. Half
the jail will be a memorial for all those
who have lost their lives because of
their Earthly imprisonments: suicide,
overdoses and addiction. These challenges
are false means of escaping our
Earthly prison. The other half of the
jail will be a monument of thanksgiving
for all those who have overcome
their imprisonments. The jail will be
equipped with QR codes that will enable
visitors to hear individual’s stories
and testimonies.
The meditative walk includes the
Stations of the Cross and ends at the
Empowerment Station which overlooks
the jail. The invitation here is
to not allow which imprisons us to
paralyze us but rather empower us.
Once the meditative walk is
complete, we invite people to visit
the Martyrs Museum and adoration
chapel which is being designed to
look similar to the Churches in the
Middle East.
The fruits of the Vineyard of Mercy
are a product of our communities,
God-given gifts and talents. One
single committee or person would
not have the creativity or expertise
needed to develop this project on
their own.
“The Vineyard is a beautiful project
that not only shows historical
facts about our religion but has also
connected a multitude of people in
our community,” says Nathan Karakuza
from Sterling Heights. “There
are countless people who have had a
hand in helping develop and bringing
this idea to life. Everyone has been
willing to share their gifts and ideas
to ultimately contribute wherever
they can. This project has brought
our community together in numerous
ways. We have and continue to
push the limits of each other’s talents
and ideas. In return, we are beginning
to experience the fruits that we
would expect to see with a project of
this magnitude.”
If you would like to stay updated
on the Vineyard of Mercy at Holy
Martyrs, join a committee or financially
support the project you can
send an email to vineyardintheheights@gmail.com
for additional
information.
26 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
STOP THE
SPREAD OF
COVID-19
With the holidays approaching,
we urge you to take precautions to
protect your friends and family.
When socializing with friends or family:
• Get together outside whenever possible. Risks are up to 20 times higher inside.
• If you do get together inside, include no more than
two households and never more than 10 people.
• If you feel sick, don’t go.
Follow Avoid these large public/social rules whenever gatherings. you can:
Wear a mask – only take it
off when you eat or drink,
then put it back on.
Practice social distancing.
Stay home if you are sick.
Keep voices down – shouting or
cheering can increase COVID-19
in the air by up to 30 times.
Stay six
feet apart.
Wash your hands and cover coughs Wash hands regularly sneezes.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Limit time
together indoors –
more time = more risk.
and do not share utensils.
After a gathering, Do your monitor part and yourself wear a for mask. symptoms of COVID-19.
If anyone in the group feels sick, get tested.
For more information about social gatherings, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.
Questions or concerns can be emailed to COVID19@michigan.gov.
#MaskupMichigan
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 3601 15 MILE ROAD, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 586-722-7253 CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG
DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 27

Southfield Manor:
The History, the Story, and Farewell
BY ADHID MIRI
Part One: The History
Community clubs, cultural centers and associations
have played a significant part
in the life of many local communities, yet
relatively little has been written about their history
and practice. Leadership, history, geography,
and socio-economic factors are traditionally used
to explain the success of a community and its wellbeing.
In this piece we examine the vision, the development,
and the ideas that led to start the Chaldean
Iraqi American Association of Michigan and
the advancement of Southfield Manor.
Building a community home requires
conviction, commitment, generosity, and
investment. It demands the community
peer into its history, discover future needs
and then plan to meet them. It requires
community leaders exercising their power
rather than delegating to others, and prioritizing
what is in the best interest of that
community.
There are several ways leaders do that
in order to grow institutions within an
emerging community, which subsequently
influence the way a community may be
strengthened. For the early Chaldean pioneers,
building community centers was a
vision powerfully extolled by many who
sought to unify the community, create
institutions for future development, and
establish a local framework for the integration
of churches, associations, women
and youth groups.
To learn the history of the first home for the
community association, one needs to travel back
in time to when a historic meeting occurred. On
April 24, 1943 at Danish Hall in Detroit, the attendees
gathered agreed to form the Chaldean
Iraqi Association (CIA).
The new association started with 60 members
paying $35 each; membership doubled within the
first two years. A draft of the constitution and bylaws
was circulated and approved. Articles of incorporation
were filed with the State of Michigan
by the new group president, Salim Sarafa.
A great deal was written about Southfield Manor
during its colorful 35-year history. The association
was celebrated in publications like Al-Mashriq, the
Chaldean Detroit Times, Al-Ruwad and Al-Muntada
magazines, and other media outlets.
Two excellent books by Jacob Bacall, Chaldeans
in Detroit (2014) and Chaldean Iraqi American
Association of Michigan (2018), both offer a
wealth of information and historic pictures. A significant
amount of the book’s details are included
in this article with the authors’ kind permission.
According to the author Jacob Bacall, on August
31, 1965, articles of incorporation were filed to start
a nonprofit organization and the word “Michigan”
was added to the original entity. The new name became
the Chaldean Iraqi Association of Michigan
(CIAM). The name was amended in June 28, 2000
and the word “American” was added. The association
became known as the Chaldean Iraqi American
Association of Michigan (CIAAM).
A major step forward had occurred earlier in
1964 when the pastor of Mother of God Church
on Hamilton Street and Glynn Court in Detroit,
George Garmo, finalized the purchase of 10.3 acres
on Berg Road in Southfield for $50,000.
Father Garmo spearheaded the efforts to carve
a piece of land to build the long-awaited Chaldean
club and cultural center. This idea was initially rejected
by the Catholic Archbishop of Detroit and
it took increased pressure from influential community
leaders and strong support from Father
Garmo to finalize a deal, under the condition that
the property would return to the seller if CIAM
decided not to build the proposed club.
The CIAM board of directors purchased a
three-acre site from the Archdiocese of Detroit on
November 28, 1968, for $19,500. About an acre
had been purchased earlier from private owners
who lived in Ohio, Norman and Jennie Bennett,
on April 29, 1967, for $16,500. CIAM now owned
four acres of land.
There were other challenges to overcome and
needing resolution. The newly acquired property had
access from Berg Road only, hence any future club
would be land-locked. The ramp on the northwest
side leading to the old house was considered part of
Telegraph Road and the city of Southfield denied access
beyond the old house; however, engineers Sabah
Summa and Michael Nalu were able to solve the issue
with the aid of a second survey that found an additional
two feet that were missed in the first survey
of the lot. The ramp width was now acceptable, and
access to the new club building was approved.
By late 1977, CIAM had accumulated a total
of around $600,000 in the bank, and the four acres
of land was owned free and clear of any debt. It
was time to move forward with the dream
of building a Chaldean social club and community
center.
Michael Nalu was hired to design the facility.
He was later joined by another Chaldean
architect, Michael Sitto, who worked closely
with Jonna Construction Company. Many
others were involved in the construction of
the new club. Community National Bank financed
the project with a $2 million loan.
After a few months, plans were ready for
the final blessing of the CIAM board. Michael
George expressed concern about the
plans and believed that the facility was too
small; the kitchen would not function as
needed. While everyone on the board liked
his ideas, they stated, “We do not have the
money to build a club this size.” Michael
George’s answer was very simple: “Don’t
worry, I will take care of that.”
Soon new plans were underway, and a
loan of $2 million was approved by Community
National Bank of Pontiac, with the condition
of a personal guaranty of two diehard club members
and advocates. Michael George and Manuel
Meram stepped in and signed the note. A contract
was signed with Jonna Construction Company
in the spring of 1979 for a total of $895,000 plus
any construction change orders, furniture fixtures,
equipment, and out-of-pocket expenses.
Construction began in 1979, but as construction
of the new club was underway in 1980, a financial
crisis surfaced due to construction overruns
resulting from change orders. The need to raise
28 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

CIAAM &
SOUTHFIELD
MANOR
PRESIDENTS
AND YEARS
SERVED
1965-1967 Salim Sarafa
1967-1969 Salman Sesi
1969-1970 Karim Sarafa
1970-1971 Salim Sarafa
1971-1972 Karim Sarafa
1972-1973 Paul Vincent
1973-1974 Michael Nalu
1974-1975 Najib Karmo
1975-1976 Salman Sesi
1976-1977 Salim Sarafa
1977-1979 Manuel Meram
1981-1982 Mike George
1983-1986 Manuel Meram
1987 Ralph Ayar
1988 Najib Karmo
1989-1991 Mike George
1992 Kays Zeir
1993-1994 Najib Garmo
1995-1996 Raad Kathawa
1997-1998 Isam Yaldoo
1999-2000 Jamal Shallal
2001- 2002 Jacob Bacall
2003-2004-2005 Adhid Miri
more money was on everybody’s mind. The availability
of an Iraqi government grant at the time
was circulated, and the temptation had some club
members considering accepting it. But the mood
was somewhat sour and skeptical; opinions were
divided on what to do. Was the Iraqi government
seeking political influence through its local agents?
Is it correct to accept the offer? Who was right?
Who was wrong? No clear answers were available
in the minds of many.
An opposing group including Dr. Noori Mansour,
Cal Abbo, Ralph Ayar, Louis Stephen, Gorgies
Naggara and Adnan Gabbara made the rounds,
knocking on the door of every Chaldean store
owner to raise money to resume construction. They
succeeded in collecting a considerable amount of
cash. Cal Abbo was first to pledge $10,000. The
group collected $27,000 but the totals did not tilt
the scale away from the Iraqi government grant.
June 5, 1980 was a decisive day. Mike George,
with his business-minded approach, was a proponent
of the grant idea stating, “Let us get the money now
and we can return it later.” A vote by CIAM members
was 69-59 in favor of receiving the Iraqi government’s
pledge and the $150,000 was accepted.
The first sum of $100,000 was received; the second
amount of $50,000 was conditional, to be handed
over when a club delegation visited Baghdad.
Again, the group of six members moved to action.
A decision was made on June 5, 1980 to support the
club, collect as much money as possible and divert
the delegation from traveling to Iraq. $110,000 was
collected within a week and was offered to CIAM
board of directors. The intervention was successful
and the trip to Baghdad never occurred.
Southfield Manor officially opened on May 31,
1981, at 25626 Telegraph Road in Southfield. The
telephone number was 248-352-9020.
In October 1981, the general membership
voted the first board of directors, and the election
committee, chaired by accountant Georgis Garmo,
announced 10 winners. Seven candidates with
the highest vote totals would serve for two years,
and the other three members would form a reserve
board.
The first board of directors at the new Southfield
Manor in (1981-1983) were Joseph Nadhir,
Bernie Garmo, George Najor; Najib Karmo, Salim
Sarafa, Manuel Meram, Michael J. George, Badie
Bodiya, Ralph Ayar, and Cal Abbo. Samir Ajemmi
was the first General Manager (1981-1987).
On June 21, 1982 a change of status was made.
Southfield Manor had operated as a non-profit social
club for more than a year; its status was amended to
become for-profit corporation. Sometime later the
association name was changed to Chaldean Iraqi
American Association of Michigan (CIAAM).
In the late eighties, the board of directors was
overwhelmed by the pressure of the club’s day-to-day
operations and its absentee-owner style of operation.
After much discussion, it was agreed at a general
membership meeting to hire a management company
to run the banquet hall and member restaurant. The
board believed this would cut costs and increase profitability
to meet mortgage debt and build a reserve for
future remodeling and renovation.
Oak Management was given the contract. It
went well for a while, but in the end, members
complained of poor service and lower quality food.
Oak Management was dismissed, and the club
went back to square one. After another unsuccessful
experience with a second management company,
HDS, the decision was made to tweak the
in-house operation of the club.
In 1996, major renovations took place. Architect
Victor Saroki provided the plans for an addition
of a meeting room, expanded activity room, storage
room, and a new roof, at a cost of $2 million.
Membership growth, demographic shifts, economic
strength, generational changes and future
outlook sparked a new way of thinking, a grander vision
for a much larger facility and community home.
Sharkey George, an avid golfer, was first to learn
that the Shenandoah property was up for sale. He
promptly informed and convinced his brother,
Mike George, to pursue the purchase of the 147-
acre property for future generations. Mike, reluctant
at first, quickly embraced the idea and had the
vision and conviction to advocate the concept of
purchasing the premier property.
The idea was attractive but expensive. Again,
there was a major split in supporting this futuristic
vision and soon debates started at club corridors, corners
and tables. There were two schools of thought
within CIAAM members. The first school supported
staying at the Manor and feared the new facility may
split the unity of the membership and would not be
affordable. On the other end, new generational members
insisted that a new facility was needed and that
we must forge forward towards the future.
The issue was put onto a general membership
agenda for a membership vote. In the discussion
leading to the final vote, there were strong oppos-
SOUTHFIELD MANOR continued on page 23
DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 29

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CIAAM - Southfield Manor Last Board of Directors 2004: Seated: Hanna Shina,
Dr. Adhid Miri and Dr. Shakib Halabu. Standing: Isam Yaldo, Walid Habboo,
Mike Khami, Jacob Bacall, Tony Anton and Raad Kathawa
SOUTHFIELD MANOR
continued from page 23
ing voices present as well as invisible
descending resistance by some members.
On that important evening,
Mike George was among the packed
crowd witnessing the wobbling decision
making atmosphere, he remained
calm and had a plan. Standing near
the back of the hall, he stepped in and
said, “People of the club - If you do
not buy it, I will.” The mood changed
immediately, and the membership
voted to approve the purchase of
Shenandoah Country Club.
On April 3, 1989 the membership
of CIAAM authorized the board
of directors to negotiate the purchase
of Shenandoah Country Club. The
new property was acquired for $4.2
Million.
Funds were needed to reconstruct
the Shenandoah facility. Accordingly,
the board of directors asked President
Jacob Bacall in 2003 to head a special
advisory committee to sell Southfield
Manor. The committee was composed
of Jamal Shallal, Faisal Arabo, Nabby
Yono, Francis Boji, Karim Toma,
Shamil Halabu, and Raad Kathawa.
Landmark Brokerage Services, spearheaded
by CIAAM member John
Kello, handled the sale. After several
bids were received, the board of directors
decided to sell the Manor to
a non-competing business. The building
was sold to Comcast in 2005 for
$3,582,000. Furniture, fixtures, and
equipment were sold at auction.
In June 2006, Comcast became
the owner of the former Chaldean
club. The curtains finally fell and
a ‘farewell’ was said to Southfield
Manor. Construction of Shenandoah
Country Club was in full swing, and
the time had come to say ‘goodbye’
to a facility that served the community
for a quarter century.
The last board of directors serving
at Southfield Manor in 2004 was Adhid
Miri, Jacob Bacall, Isam Yaldo,
Raad Kathawa, Shakib Halabu, Hanna
Shina, Tony Antone, Michael
Khami and Walid Habboo.
Saying ‘farewell’ to the old establishment
was not easy. Southfield Manor
was the site of more than 10,000
events and served the community well
for 25 years. It had seen numerous social,
political, and religious functions,
such as weddings, engagements, funerals,
and communion parties.
Remembering the pioneers that
came before us is an honor and a
duty. The pioneer tradition anchors
the community’s identity to another
age, in order to inform our own generation.
At Southfield Manor, they
built a monument with determination
and bridged two dramatically
different generations. Their legacy
remains relevant to today’s needs.
Their vision continues to shape the
membership and our identity in the
twenty-first century.
With their passing, the pioneer era
may have faded from living memory,
some found fame, many did not – but
all left an imprint. The recognition of
services and the placement of a photo
of Michael George at Shenandoah
Country Club is perfect and well-deserved.
I would like to see a wall of
recognition for many other serving
pioneers in our current club facility.
Future generations of Chaldeans
have the responsibility of carrying
the torch. My hope is that they remain
faithful guardians to their heritage
and formidable custodians of the
community’s new home in Shenandoah
Country Club.
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to
Jacob Bacall, Sabah Summa, Nabby
Yono, Hanna Shina, & Adil Bacall for
their contribution.
30 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

TOBACCO USE & CORONAVIRUS
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
1
2
3
4
5
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of Coronavirus.
Young and healthy people
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Vaping could be the reason
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Smoking and vaping weaken
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Doctors say the best time
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DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 31

chaldeans around the WORLD
Chaldeans in Europe - Part III: The United Kingdom
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
Large numbers of Chaldeans remain
in their homeland and a
larger part in the diaspora. Although
they may live in the diaspora,
they remain connected to each other
because of faith and identity. Bound
to their identity, language and culture,
Chaldeans are in a continuous
pursuit to integrate into various societies
around the world. In current
times, we find Chaldeans have successfully
established themselves in
all continents of the world.
In the life of every Chaldean,
Syriac and Assyrian, faith has always
been something unshakable. Wherever
they find themselves, no matter
what fate has thrown at them,
they are resilient as a result of their
resolute faith. These strong people
have resisted pressure, oppression,
violence, cruelty and injustice. Their
survival and ability to endure is
something far stronger than a sense
of national self-preservation. It always
has been and continues to be
their Christian faith.
Since the invasion of Iraq by the
United States in 2003, the ethnic
cleansing between 2006 and 2014,
and the war unleashed by the terrorist
group ‘Islamic State’ in Syria and Iraq,
the number of Chaldeans in the latter
countries along with other Christian
populations has shrunk further.
Examining Europe, we find Chaldean
communities in the United
Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Belgium,
the Netherlands, Denmark,
Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany,
Austria, Switzerland and Greece.
A historical overview of the Chaldean
Catholic community in the
United Kingdom indicated that the
vanguard of the Catholic Chaldeans
landed on the shores of Britain at the
end of the 19th Century. Regrettably,
there are no records to show who
they were or where they settled.
The earliest recorded Iraqi Christian
in the UK was Hormuzd Rassam,
the famed archaeologist and politician
from Mosul-Iraq. Rassam made
several important archaeological discoveries
from 1877 to 1882, including
the clay tablets that contained
the Epic of Gilgamesh, the world’s
oldest literature. He became a diplomat
in the UK in the mid-19th century
and settled in Brighton.
The theologian Louis Cheikho
spent time in the United Kingdom
in the late 19th century. The theologian
and orientalist Alphonse Mingana
was also a notable early arrival
in the Edwardian period.
The Chaldean Patriarch Immanuel
visited Britain in 1920 to reveal to the
authorities the damages that befell
the Christians in Iraq and Turkey as a
consequence of World War I and the
atrocities that were committed against
them. Patriarch Yousif Ghanima VII
also visited Britain in 1950 to meet the
small community that existed there.
It is believed that over one hundred
families settled in the United
Kingdom during the 1970s; most of
them were into academics or business.
The number gradually increased
due to the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
There is a Mission in the United
Kingdom, and Patriarch Paulous
Sheikho appointed Father Phillip
Najim in 1986 as its pastor. The
Mass was held at St. Anne’s Roman
Catholic Church in London and the
community’s appetency or desire for
practicing their faith and solidarity
continued unabated. There were several
fundraising activities which resulted
in the purchase of the Mission’s
current residence in West Ealing.
Father Andrawis Abbouna was
appointed by His Beatitude Raphael
I Bidawid in 1991 as the new Mission’s
pastor and was tasked to serve
the Chaldean community. Father
Andrawis was later ordained a Bishop
by Pope John Paul II in Rome.
Subsequently, he was appointed an
assistant for Patriarch Immanuel
Dally III, based in Baghdad.
Father Habib Jajou was appointed
by Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid
in 2003 to take over the Mission in
the UK. As a result of the continuous
increase of parishioners, most of
them living in west London, the congregation
moved its place of worship
to the Holy Family Catholic Church
in Acton, West London in August
2004. After serving 10 years as a parish
priest to the Iraqi Catholic Chaldeans
in Britain, Father Habib Jajou
was consecrated in January 2014 as
the Archbishop of the Episcopal
Diocese of Basra and Southern Iraq.
Father Nadheer Dako then served
the Mission from April 2014 through
February 2018.
The Catholic Chaldean refugees
from Iraq in the United Kingdom
wanted to establish their own spiritual
home in Britain where they could
preserve their language, customs and
culture. Father Nadheer Dako, who
ministers 4,000 Chaldeans across
Britain, said, “Chaldeans are not just
another ethnic chaplaincy; they are
facing genocide in Iraq.” Ironically,
when the Archbishop of Erbil visited
London and asked Cardinal Vincent
Nichols for a church, he was refused!
Father Nadheer Dako moved from
Iraq in 2014 to head the UK’s Chaldean
community. ISIS’s persecution
of Christians in Iraq meant thoughts
never strayed far from home. In the
spacious nave of a Roman Catholic
Church in London’s district of West
Acton, Father Nadheer Dako had a
busy schedule of preparations.
Typically 150 people attend Sunday
services; however, on Christmas
Day, as many as 500 congregants may
fill the aisles of the church, a slightly
imposing brick structure with a confusingly
angled roof that looks a bit
like a gym from the outside, but with
a warm and welcoming feeling inside.
“The church services for the UK
Chaldean congregation are in three
languages: Aramaic, Arabic, and English,”
explained Dako. The church
does not meet as regularly as in Iraq.
There is not as much interaction
with the congregation daily - that is
something that I miss. But Christmas
should be a good gathering.”
Away from Iraq, acclimatizing
to the different needs of his congregation
in the UK, Dako says, has
proved both challenging and rewarding.
There are around 800 Chaldean
families in the UK. The majority are
based in London, with smaller communities
whom Dako visits monthly
located in cities like Birmingham,
Manchester, and Cardiff.
In the UK, there are generations
of Chaldeans. The elders have maintained
many traditions and practices,
while the younger generation have
adapted to the British way of life.
Since taking up his position in London,
Dako has travelled back to Iraq
three times to see relatives and friends.
He describes the experience of visiting
his homeland with palpable emotion.
During a taxi journey from Dako’s
home to the church in West Acton,
the Chaldean priest explained that on
his last three trips to Iraq he was unable
to visit the graveyard where his parents
were buried. The town of Batnaya lies
just 14 miles north of Mosul and fell
under ISIS control. However, in October
the ISIS-held town was liberated by
Kurdish Peshmerga forces taking part
in the assault of Mosul.
In more recent months, Christian
clergy have returned to several villages
liberated from ISIS. Poignant
services are being held once again
inside churches badly vandalized by
ISIS militants; a glimmer of hope for
the future of Iraq’s ancient Christian
community.
32 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

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ECONOMICS & enterprise
WFH is a Mixed Bag for Attorneys
BY PAUL NATINSKY
As Michigan prepares to enter
the ninth month of the
coronavirus pandemic, a resurgence
of COVID-19 has extended
work from home for professionals
who have been housebound and
Zoom-dependent since March.
A mid-November communication
from Governor Gretchen Whitmer
and the Michigan Department
of Health and Human Services (MD-
HHS) requires those who can work
at home to continue to do so through
the first week in December. As the
virus spreads at its highest rate since
the onset of the pandemic, there is
no guarantee that stay-at-home requirements
will end there.
“I can basically do everything
I need to do at the office at home,”
said Justin Hanna, an attorney with
the Southfield law firm Jaffe, Raitt,
Heuer and Weiss. Hanna has a printer,
scanner, three-screen set-up, air
pods and cell phone in his home office.
The firm forwards his calls to his
home office and has access to assistants
and paralegals who work a limited
in-office schedule. As a result,
Hanna has visited the office once
during the past few months, and then
only to pick up some files.
Francesca Lousia stocked her office
at the outset of the March CO-
VID-19 lockdown. Lousia, who is an
attorney with the Taubman Group,
performed all of her duties from the
company’s offices before the pandemic.
She has an office in her house, but
didn’t substantially outfit it until she
began to work from home.
Justin Hanna
Efficiency
Lousia commuted an hour one-way
to Taubman’s offices prior to working
at home. She would arrive at 8:30 or
9:00 a.m. and leave at 5:00 p.m. Now,
she finds herself working straight
through the day, skipping lunch and
undistracted by water cooler conversations
and other office distractions.
“In the office, you go in, you’re
laser focused, doing your work, getting
it done. And once you’re done,
you’re on your way home,” says Hanna.
“Working at home I try to be as
Francesca Loussia
efficient as possible with my work,
but at the same time I find myself
taking more, smaller breaks.”
Hanna also skips lunch, and with
Zoom meetings replacing out-ofoffice
work with clients and no colleagues
close at hand, he too sees an
increase in productivity.
Changes At Work
The Taubman Group owns, manages
and/or leases 26 regional, superregional
and outlet shopping malls
in the United States and Asia. It’s a
very busy place as of late.
Lousia mostly works on compliance
with the company’s tenants.
“My position really changed to renegotiating
our leases portfolio-wide,”
she said.
Once the initial shutdown took
place in March retailers began suffering
losses. Even after they reopened,
losses continued.
“Now, it’s really just come down
to, ‘We need help with our rent for
the closure period and possibly longer
to deal with the losses we have
sustained from these government
shutdowns,’” explained Lousia. “The
volume has become far more tremendous.”
For Hanna, the pace and volume
of work depend on the nature of a client’s
business. He said aircraft parts
suppliers are not getting the volume
of business they normally get from
manufacturers like Boeing, resulting
in fewer deals, fewer transactions
and less legal work. However,
construction companies are finding
themselves busier than they were prepandemic.
Hanna said they are “full
steam ahead” pursuing new deals.
34 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

Hanna takes one or two Zoom
calls a week and another few Zoom
calls with the Chaldean Chamber of
Commerce, Association for Corporate
Growth and other professional
groups in which he participates.
He said a more recent uptick in
his side of the business is attributable
to companies’ desire to close deals in
2020, ahead of anticipated corporate
tax hikes in 2021 and beyond.
Overall, Jaffe has been able to
keep its 250 employees busy during
the pandemic. Hanna says any dip
in revenue for this year is more than
covered by the savings the firm gains
in a remote work environment.
Home, Sweet Home
Hanna’s infant son, born in July, is
the first baby for him and his wife.
He enjoys being home and seeing
the baby much more often than he
would if were at the office all day.
“I’m grateful to have the opportunity
to be home and be around.
Any time I want to I come and play
with him. It’s certainly a distraction.
If he’s crying or if he’s irritable, sometimes
it takes me away from what I’m
focused on at work.”
Lousia says switching to a home
office environment and eliminating
the two hours a day she spent in the
car has opened up time and provided
flexibility in her busy schedule. Lousia,
who has three children ages 8, 10
and 12, is more easily able to manage
the crazy quilt of schoolwork, travel
sports, showers and baths her children
require.
Lousia says the return of family
dinners is another bright spot
in the pall of the pandemic. When
she commuted two hours a day and
helped manage her children’s activities,
family dinners were hard to pull
off. Now they are a regular occurrence.
“If there is on positive take away
in all of this, it is just being able to
spend quality time with my family
and not having all of the obligations,”
she said.
Still, the change from a separate
office culture and home life is a
challenge. “The lines are a lot more
blurred now,” she says.
Camaraderie
Informal social and professional contact
with colleagues is one of the
features of work life that is easy to
take for granted. Even when working
at home opens up conveniences
and efficiencies, those little moments
at work in which professionals bond
or seek casual advice and opinions
from one another are more important
than they might seem. In other
cases, certain types of work functions
are just better in person.
“Sometimes it’s nice to just pop
into an office and ask them a few
questions or advice on how they
might handle something,” says Hanna.
“Now, I’m picking up the phone,
maybe they are available, maybe
they are not available. I don’t know
who’s doing what.”
He says one of the few things
Zoom meetings and phone calls can’t
replace is a few lawyers gathered in a
room in front of a white board, mapping
out a new corporate structure
for a client—it just doesn’t work as
well remotely.
Lousia said the social aspect of
office life is very important. She said
she has formed close relationships
everywhere she has worked.
“The people I work with at Taubman
are so awesome, they are such a
fabulous team. Probably the hardest
part about this is not being able to
communicate face-to-face with them
for months,” she said.
Employers Cautious And Flexible
“Taubman has been really, really
great, because they have been so flexible
from the beginning,” says Lousia.
Their position is really, as long as
schools aren’t completely open and
you have all of these orders that are
restricting activity, they have allowed
employees to work from home.”
Taubman plans to retain a workat-home
policy for the near future,
with periodic reassessments.
Jaffe runs a lean ship, says Hanna,
so the firm has had few personnel
cutbacks. He says Jaffe has been following
state government guidelines
and will continue to, but assesses
pandemic policies on its own to help
determine policy. The law firm will
employ a work-at-home strategy until
at least the end of March 2021,
says Hanna. He likes the company’s
approach because it allows him plan
ahead for a few months rather than
guessing from week to week, as was
the case at the outset of the pandemic.
While the pandemic persists and
it looks like it’s going to be a long
winter—especially with outdoor activities
unavailable—professionals
are finding ways to be efficient at
their jobs and enjoying reconnecting
with their families.
Your child’s back-to-school checklist may
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DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 35

ONE-on-ONE
A Conversation with an Award-Winning Script Writer
Vanar Jaddou is a first-generation
Chaldean American
who recently won an award
for his original script. The Chaldean
News sat down and had a conversation
about the community, the arts,
and how he hopes to inspire other
young people to find their voice.
CN: How long have you been filmmaking/writing
scripts?
VJ: I started writing screenplays after
college. I was 22 when I started, so
it’s been 9 years now.
CN: Was this your first career choice?
VJ: I wanted to be a lawyer. I loved
to debate when I was younger—loved
anything that involved analytical reasoning.
But I was a creative at heart.
I started to realize that the one thing
I excelled at, the thing that I had a
competitive edge in, was telling stories.
Of course, law involves a lot of
writing to defend or justify a particular
point of view, but I never had a
deep passion for it. Writing fiction is
the first thing I think about when I
wake up in the morning and the last
thing I think about before I sleep.
CN: What was your childhood like?
VJ: It was highly exploratory. Traditional
in most senses, in all the
great ways that make us Chaldean,
but experimental in others. When
my brothers and I were in elementary
school, my mom wouldn’t let us
outside to play sports unless we either
drew something or wrote a short
story. We also didn’t have cable for a
number of years, but my dad owned
a small video store, and perhaps
that’s where some of the initial seeds
were planted—taking some of those
VHS tapes home on the days that I
worked. The best were the “not for
sale or redistribution” promotional
tapes that came to us while the movie
was still in theaters. Those were
the good days. Where this all started.
My father’s video store.
In high school, I became really
competitive when it came to grades.
All the people I was competing
against were my closest friends and
we had this running bet going of
which one of us was going to get into
Harvard. It was incredibly motivating,
and I wouldn’t have nearly the
drive I have today without them. But
Vanar Jaddou
they, like most of my extended family,
were all interested in business,
or law, or medicine, or engineering.
Consequently, I never viewed the
arts as something that was a viable
trajectory, especially because I went
to a specialized high school for math,
science, and technology, and because
I hadn’t seen people pursuing the arts
within our community.
CN: Tell us about the award you recently
won with the script “GOOD-
BYE, IRAQ.”
VJ: The Academy Nicholl Fellowship
is a once-a-year competition
administered by the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Five fellows are selected with a prize
of $35,000. 166 winners have been
selected since 1986. For the fellows,
there is normally a week-long event
where you’re wined and dined and
taken to studios and to networking
events that are all set up to help
you succeed. To cap it off there is an
awards ceremony at the Academy
headquarters crammed with industry
professionals and artists alike who
enjoy a night of speeches and live
table reads from renowned actors. In
light of COVID this year, everything
is virtual.
This year there was a record number
of entries—7,831. Any up-andcoming
artist in the industry will
tell you that we’re always crawling
to get in the door, pushing someone
else to read our work, or watch our
reel, or listen to some of our music
composition. It feels very humbling
to have studios and production companies
and agencies and law firms
calling and emailing you or your
manager asking to read your script
and wondering what you’re going
to write next. Even being a semifinalist,
which is about the top 2.5%,
or the top 150 scripts, can give writers
a jumpstart to their careers, so I
would encourage all aspiring, eligible
screenwriters to apply.
CN: Why Iraq? Were you born there?
What is your affiliation?
VJ: I’m first-generation. My parents
are both Chaldean and were born in
Iraq. Writing this script was an opportunity
to write something that
I knew no one else in Hollywood
could. The initial seeds were planted
by untold stories from my grandfather
and father. Undocumented
ones about life in a village that most
people outside our community have
never heard of. But inspiration is
never predicated on one thing. That
seed needs food, water, sunlight,
and many other things to grow and
blossom and flourish. Those ideas
often come from books, from movies,
from listening to current global
and human issues that have existed
Writing this script was an opportunity to write something that I knew
no one else in Hollywood could. The initial seeds were planted by
untold stories from my grandfather and father.
for decades. The script ultimately is
an action thriller about a paranoid
ex-soldier who tries to assassinate
Saddam Hussein, and when he fails,
he and his 13-year-old daughter
have to make a nightmarish trek
from Iraq to the U.S. while they’re
hunted by Saddam’s ruthless regime.
GOODBYE, IRAQ was a way to
subtextually introduce important
global and human issues in a new,
exciting theatrical way. But it also
became a binding contract between
me and readers—one that says that
I will do my best to engage you, to
inform you, and most importantly,
to entertain and enchant you.
CN: How did you end up in Hollywood?
36 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

VJ: I had moved to California at
the start of this year, prior to the
pandemic, in order to put myself in
a collaborative environment with
the best artists in the world. Being
in Detroit, I had found it difficult to
find such a community who remain
supremely dedicated to their crafts,
and I thought being submerged in
that would will be incredibly motivating
for me. I didn’t want to
work with hobbyists or people who
made passion projects. I wanted to
work with real professionals who
live and breathe filmmaking, people
who were much better than me.
You might be one of the top artists
in your community, or city, or
state, but when you go out to Hollywood,
you realize just how much talent
there is. It’ll force you to work
harder, strive for something higher.
Because if you don’t, you’re going to
get passed up pretty quickly. I don’t
want my progress to stall. I want to
keep going. I want to keep improving.
In light of the pandemic I’ve recently
returned home to Michigan.
I intend to wait for things to clear
up before I get back out there.
CN: Do you think the Chaldean/Assyrian/Syriac
people are well represented in
Hollywood?
VJ: Not at all. There are very few
Chaldean/Assyrian/Syriac people
working in Hollywood—quite literally
a handful. This, mind you, is out
of hundreds of thousands of people
who work in the business in that
city. I think this goes back to my
earlier point, that film industry isn’t
something with which our community
is familiar. It’s new. It’s risky. It’s
full of unknowns. I truly hope that
as time goes on, Chaldeans and Assyrians
and Syriac people can look
to the arts as something empowering,
something where they can
leave behind a piece of themselves.
My grandfather, Danial Jaddou, who
recently passed away, told me something
in our last conversation. He
said he was proud of what I was trying
to accomplish. As I reflect back
on that moment, I realize what he
meant: Pursuing the humanities as
a career is a necessary part of our
preservation, not just in sharing
our personal narratives, but having
a platform to show them using one
of the most empowering mediums of
all—film.
CN: What advice would you offer aspiring
writers and actors?
VJ: There are several things. The
first is about scripts themselves. Concept
will intrigue someone, but story,
character, and properly executed
structure are what people will remember.
When I was about 18, one
of my professors called me into his
office and he had my short story on
his desk. It was full of red ink. He was
pacing around and said, “Why don’t
you stop weaseling around on the
page and command it!” That pushed
me to a new level. He also told me to
be specific, be bold, be original, and
be taboo if I want. To write something
that no one else can, because
in the end, the best advantage you
have is being yourself. Steve Martin
once said, “Be so good they can’t ignore
you.”
The second thing I want to say
is to view challenges are opportunities.
Failure is a detour on your
journey. Rejections are simply a
way of saying, “do better.” Face that
scrutiny head on. Open yourself
to criticism—remember that film
is a collaborative art form, and a
screenplay is always a living, breathing
organism. Never get defensive.
Stay hungry, stay humble, be obsessive,
and be prepared to give more
tomorrow than you did today. As a
writer, as an actor, as a director, you
are competing against people from
all around the world, but the most
important person you’re competing
against is yourself. Are you a better
version of yourself today than you
were yesterday? When you sit down
to write or act, do it with force, with
emotion, do it to inspire and entertain
and engage.
The third thing I will say is that
to overcome my biggest challenge,
I had to view satisfaction as the enemy
of artistry. Never, ever, be delusional
about what you can do. Because
as good as you think you are,
you haven’t reached your peak. If
you go a week or even a day without
working on your craft, you are
moving backwards. I don’t believe
in backup plans. Backup plans are
an excuse to quit. Keep searching for
mentors. I have not achieved nearly
as much as I want to, and there are
far better mentors then me, but for
any Chaldeans looking to pursue
screenwriting, I would encourage you
to reach out to me if you’re serious
about going on this journey. And remember
that the way society defines
success—money or status—is flawed.
Success is the road getting from A to
B, not the result. It’s the journey.
DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 37

chaldean on the STREET
“What is a New Year’s resolution you wish you had kept?”
I wish I would have read the Bible
more often. I definitely did that through
quarantine but fell off after the lockdown
had ended. I feel this year was
a great opportunity to do that and an
important one as well because we
learned that life is short and full of
unexpectedness.
– Arleena Saroki
I always make my career my priority. I
wanted to put more effort on working
out, adoration, my relationships
with friends/family, and meeting new
people. The stay at home made me
work more than ever.
– Rita Somo
Every single New Year’s, I make a
resolution to stop drinking coffee/Red
Bull and fail every year. I blame my job.
Don’t go to law school.
– Sam Jarbo
A new year’s resolution I wish I had
kept was to stay productive & on top
of my priorities especially with college
coming up!
– Isabelle Dally
I wish I would have kept and started
my New Years’ resolution on January
1st like I promised myself. It was to
take charge of my health! Like many,
our goal is to lose weight and get in
shape. Although I have now started
my journey in July 2020 and am down
50lbs, I can only image having started
in January and seeing how far I would
have come. All in all I’m looking forward
to new New Year’s resolutions!
– Melody Khemmoro
A New Year’s resolution I wish I kept
is spending less time on social media.
I wanted to spend more time in the
present moment when I was with
family and friends rather than being
indulged in social media. It also
causes a lot of stress and can drain
one’s energy. I will definitely attempt to
tackle this resolution again!
– Janel Hakim
I wish I kept my New Year’s resolution
to eat health/ work out multiple times
a week. With COVID restrictions, it
becomes a very challenging time to
stick with my resolution as a result of
all the things that have changed. But,
hard work will prevail in the end.
– Matt Hermiz
My new year’s resolution was to travel
more. I had an entire trip planned
around the world. My stops were set
for Japan, Greece, and the Maldives.
Unfortunately, when I found out that
all traveling was canceled in March, I
was devastated. However, I am grateful
that my brother Dom was able to
install some software on my computer
(Google Earth), so I could see those
sights from the safety of my own
home!
– Destiny Dabish
38 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020

DECEMBER 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 39

of Read
KEEPING UP WITH THE CHALDEANS
Charles Langworthy
Charles Langworthy ran as a
Republican candidate for Michigan’s
9th congressional district.
He sees how today’s politicians
would rather fight and argue
instead of serving the people
who voted them in in the first
place and wants to change that.
He addresses important issues
as he speaks with Junior and
Anthony.
Frances George McCullough –
Muscle Care, Inc.
This guest could honestly do
a podcast of her own! Frances
joins the cast to promote her
new upcoming book titled, “The
Man, He’s Stupid and the Girl,
She’s so Bitch” and to talk about
her business of spiritual and
physical healing. Together, they
cover God, relationships, CO-
VID-19, and many other topics.
The Chaldean Collective
The Chaldean Collective is an event planning
organization serving the Chaldean
Diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle. Father
John, Natalia Salem, and Janel Yaldo join
the team at KUWTC to discuss how they
want to bring the community together
through Christ, as well as their upcoming
Black Friday Ball. The proceeds from the
event will go to supporting the construction
of a new student lounge inside the Sacred
Heart Chaldean Catholic Church.
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ELIAS KATTOULA
CAREER SERVICES MANAGER
3601 15 Mile Road
Sterling Heights, MI 48310
TEL: (586) 722-7253
FAX: (586) 722-7257
elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org
www.chaldeanfoundation.org
CHALDEAN
AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
SANA NAVARRETTE
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
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IVA MALYNE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST
3601 15 Mile Road
Sterling Heights, MI 48310
TEL: (586) 722-7253
FAX: (586) 722-7257
iva.malyne@chaldeanfoundation.org
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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

event
CCF Thanks
Donors
The Chaldean Community Foundation
hosted a Donor Appreciation Night on
October 29 in lieu of an Annual Gala
this year. The event drew more than 35
donors to the event, giving them access
to explore the new expansion and the
inner workings of the Life Skills Center.
The evening started with small guided
tours of the facility, followed by a networking
session and a brief presentation
in the Wireless Vision Gymnasium. The
program outlined goals for the upcoming
year, and featured videos showcasing
major donors, Project Light, and a 2020
Year in Review. Attendees heard from
Sly Sandiha, CCF President Martin
Manna and Kevin Denha about the importance
of giving to create a legacy for
the entire community. For information
on donating, call 586-722-7253.
Clockwise from top left:
The main lobby has its own “donor wall” – a list of CCF
supporters; Board Chair Sly Sandiha addresses the
attendees; guests and staff meet in front of the Donor
Wall; Wild Bill’s Cantina served as the buffet for the
evening’s fare.
42 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2020