FEBRUARY 2021

VOL. 18 ISSUE I
METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 2021
$
3
www.chaldeannews.com
SPECIAL
VALENTINE’S DAY
FEATURE:
BRINGING
BACK ROMANCE
THE POPE IN IRAQ
POPE FRANCIS’ HISTORIC VISIT
INSIDE
TRADITIONAL
CHALDEAN WEDDINGS
AWAFI FROM
AMIRA’S KITCHEN
COVID & THE
COMMUNITY

CONTACT
ELIE MALOUF
LINCOLN
PRODUCT
SPECIALIST
248-530-4710
DISCOVER THE POWER OF
SANCTUARY
1950 W Maple Rd. Troy, MI 48084
www.lincolnoftroy.com

SHIPPING & FREIGHT ARRANGEMENT SPECIALISTS
FREIGHT ARRANGED.
RESULTS DELIVERED.
SAVINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED &
SERVICE YOU DESERVE
SERVICES AVAILABLE
Truckload Shipments
Partial Truckload
Rail Logistics
Flatbed Trucking
Refrigerated Trucking
LTL Logistics
SERVICING ALL INDUSTRIES &
SHIPMENT VARIETIES
Construction Material & Equipment
Wholesales
Hospitality
Manufacturing
Retail
Store Fronts & More
WE SHOP THE RATES, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO
We shop the nation's top carriers and handle the
arrangement of freight, product, shipment of
any kind to save you time and money.
SAVE TIME AND MONEY
Companies and suppliers up-charge the shipping
costs and pass it to you. By shopping shipping costs
with us, you avoid the mark-up and pocket the
savings. No hidden fees, no-hassle quotes, and no
more inflated rates.
EXPERIENCE THE MFT DIFFERNCE
Our team will be there along the way to ensure a
hands-on approach and be actively engaged in your
delivery from pickup to drop-off.
CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE
www.myfreightteam.com
(888) 787-SHIP
JOHN 15:12
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 3

ELEVATE YOUR LIFESTYLE AT
WABEEK
SAVE YOUR SPOT FOR
THE 2021 SEASON
4000 CLUBGATE DRIVE | BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302 | 248.855.0700
WABEEKCC.COM | FACEBOOK: @WABEEKCOUNTRYCLUB | INSTAGRAM: @WABEEKCC

CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2021
THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 18 ISSUE I
22 30
departments
6 FROM THE EDITOR
BY PAUL JONNA
Love & Self Reflection
16
6 YOUR LETTERS
8 FOUNDATION UPDATE
Serving a community in need
9 IRAQ TODAY
Iraq postpones dates for early
elections by four months
on the cover
16 THE POPE IN IRAQ
BY SARAH KITTLE
A historic visit from the pontiff
features
18 BRINGING BACK ROMANCE
BY PAUL NATINSKY
The wedding industry scoop
20 TRADITIONAL CHALDEAN WEDDINGS
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
22 AMIRA’S KITCHEN
BY SARAH KITTLE
24 COVID AND THE COMMUNITY
BY PAUL NATINSKY
How has the Chaldean community fared?
26 SELF LOVE
BY ALYSE HADDAD, PAIGE JONNA, AND SAMANTHA MEKANI
Caring for ourselves helps us care for others
10 NOTEWORTHY
Appointments, Museum Minute
11 CHALDEAN DIGEST
Pope to visit Iraq; Prayers for peace
12 FAMILY TIME
BY DANIELLE ALEXANDER
Outdoor fun for the family
14 IN MEMORIAM
15 OBITUARIES
Dr. Raad Jajo
Sabbah Kiezi
28 CULTURE & HISTORY
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
The History of Southfield Manor Part III
30 CHALDEANS AROUND THE WORLD
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
Chaldeans in Europe Part V
34 CHALDEAN ON THE STREET
“What is the best love story you know?”
36 THE DOCTOR IS IN
BY DR. SAMIR JAMIL
Understanding the COVID-19 Vaccine
38 EVENTS
CCF PPE Giveaway & COVID testing
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 5

from the EDITOR
PUBLISHED BY
Chaldean News, LLC
Chaldean Community Foundation
Martin Manna
EDITORIAL
ACTING EDITOR IN CHIEF
Paul Jonna
MANAGING EDITOR
Sarah Kittle
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Danielle Alexander
Azal Arabo
Alyse Haddad, FNP, PMHNP, RN
Dr. Samir Jamil
Paige Jonna, MSBS, PA-C
Sarah Kittle
Samantha Mekani, MSBS, PA-C
Adhid Miri, PhD
Paul Natinsky
ART & PRODUCTION
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative
SALES
Interlink Media
Sana Navarrette
SUBSCRIPTIONS: $35 PER YEAR
CONTACT INFORMATION
Story ideas: edit@chaldeannews.com
Advertisements: ads@chaldeannews.com
Subscription and all other inquiries:
info@chaldeannews.com
Chaldean News
30095 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 101
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
www.chaldeannews.com
Phone: (248) 851-8600
Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); Published
monthly; Issue Date: February 2021
Subscriptions:
12 months, $35.
Publication Address:
30095 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 101,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334;
Permit to mail at periodicals postage rates
is on file at Farmington Hills Post Office
Postmaster: Send address changes to
“The Chaldean News 30095 Northwestern Hwy.,
Suite 101, Farmington Hills, MI 48334”
Love & Self Reflection
February is not only the
month St. Valentine’s
Day is celebrated, it
is also the month when
wedding planning begins.
Weddings take months,
even years of planning, and
COVID has thrown us all
off our game. Contributing
writer Paul Natinsky talks
with wedding planning experts
about what to expect
this season in “Bringing
Back Romance.” Love isn’t all parties
and pageantry, either. You need food!
Amira Daboul talked with Sarah Kittle
this month about her newly published
cookbook, Awafi from Amira’s
Kitchen. The book is a compilation
of authentic Chaldean dishes that
are filled with love from the people
that cooked the recipes for years.
Each recipe is painstakingly laid out
and dedicated to someone she loves.
You’ll also find sayings scattered
throughout such as, “Cooking with
family is never a chore…” In fact,
on page 82 you’ll find her Aunt Kurjia’s
recipe that I’ve always known as
Nana’s Arook.
In “COVID and the Community,”
we take a look at how our community
is dealing with the virus. Now that
we have a new president, it’s a good
your LETTERS
The Chaldean News has been a wonderful
asset for our community. You
provide many interesting, informative
and varied articles as well as pictures
for your readers. But there is one writer
in particular that I believe should
PAUL JONNA
ACTING EDITOR
IN CHIEF
be recognized – Dr. Adhid Miri.
Dr. Miri is an extraordinary and
talented writer. His continuing article
on the Southfield Manor is one
of the most detailed and comprehensive
that one could ever read. His
memory of people and unique facets
about them is truly remarkable.
time for some reflection and
introspection. As regards
to COVID and the vaccination,
let’s take a look at
what we know and what we
don’t know. We know that
COVID kills; we know that
President Biden is making it
a priority of his administration
to combat this virus;
and we know that there are
three vaccines available, and
more in development.
What we don’t know is the longterm
effects of the vaccine, but we
do know the long-term effects of
other vaccinations that are similar in
nature. I urge everyone to use logic
when making decisions because emotions
change. We cannot be blind to
viewpoints that differ from our own.
If we want self-determination as a
community, we need to gather all
the necessary information and facts
at our disposal at such time to make
an informed and objective decision.
Our own personal logic and emotions
may change but moral standards and
conviction do not, or should not.
Our morals and convictions are
always tested by outside influences.
We are in a dangerous place when
the ends justify the means. This is
a time for honest, thoughtful, wellinformed
decisions and for breaking
self-boundaries to encourage healthy
growth. In “Self Love,” three mental
health professionals, who also happen
to be best friends, provide much
needed tips for healing and self-care.
From a scientific perspective, Dr.
Samir Jamil explains the COVID
vaccines and how they work in the
column The Doctor Is In.
Dr. Adhid Miri makes history
come alive again in “Southfield Manor,”
as we look back on the characters
who frequented the “club” in its
heyday. He also pens a piece called
“Traditional Chaldean Weddings,”
that entertains as well as educates. Dr.
Miri’s stories are always full of familiar
names and they take us back to a simpler
time and to the Iraq of memory.
Help us keep those memories alive by
sending your pictures and stories to
edit@chaldeannews.com.
The Iraq of memory is not the
Iraq that the Pope will visit when
he goes there in all his papal glory.
In “The Pope in Iraq,” we hear that
Pope Francis’ hope is for all believers
to unite for healing. His tour includes
Ur and the Nineveh Plains and will
happen in March, God willing.
With Gratitude,
Paul Jonna
Acting Editor in Chief
Also, his article about Chaldeans
in Sweden, once again, shows the extreme
accuracy he insists upon. You
are very blessed to have Dr. Miri as
part of your writing core and he is a
true treasure for our community.
Very Truly Yours,
Ronald G. Acho
• FREE MARKET ANALYSIS
ON YOUR HOME
• FREE HOME WARRANTY
• AGENT-OWNED VIRTUAL BROKERAGE
• NOTARY PUBLIC SERVICES
CALL
JIM MANNA
BROKER/OWNER C.R.S., G.R.I., A.B.R.
(248) 763-2622
CONTACT US TO JOIN OUR TEAM!
6 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 7

FOUNDATION update
CCF continues to provide PPE during pandemic
Over the course of the pandemic, the CCF has provided more than 6,300 PPE kits to the local community
to ensure safety within local communities. Donations of PPE were also made to various organizations over
the last 5 months. The CCF looks forward to providing more information regarding the facility, as well as
opportunities for future distributions for the community.
Apply to be a HERO today!
The CCF is seeking qualified candidates to join their team. Positions available include:
• Crisis Case Manager
• Immigration Coordinator
• Brand and Content Coordinator
• Case Worker
• Data Entry Clerk
For more information or to apply, please visit https://www.chaldeanfoundation.org/careers/.
COVID-19 Testing
Through a partnership with the Macomb
County Health Department
and Wayne State Physician Group,
the Chaldean Community Foundation
(CCF) provided free COVID-19
testing on Monday, January 25th,
2021 in the front parking lot of the
CCF. Uninsured and insured patients
were welcome. There was no cost to
be tested and a nasal swab test was
conducted.
Great Kindness
Challenge
In honor of Martin Luther King Day,
the CCF Breaking Barriers Special
Needs Virtual Respite class read an article
about the Great Kindness Challenge
celebrated in schools throughout
the world and participated in
a cooking activity to reinforce the
value of kindness and showing respect
to one another. The class made smiley
face pancakes and they all had a fun
time learning about how to cook and
prepared food for themselves.
8 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

IRAQ today
STEFANIE LOOS/POOL VIA AP, FILE
Iraq postpones dates for early
elections by four months
Baghdad (AP)
Iraq’s Cabinet voted Tuesday
(January 19) to postpone early
elections for four months based
on a recommendation by the country’s
electoral commission, which
proposed the change citing technical
reasons.
Elections will now be held in October,
according to a statement from
the prime minister’s office following
a unanimous vote in the Cabinet.
Previously they were slated for June,
about a year ahead of schedule.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi
announced in July that early polls
would be held to meet the demands
of anti-government protesters. Demonstrators
took to the streets in the
tens of thousands last year to demand
political change, and an end to rampant
corruption and poor services.
More than 500 people were killed
in mass demonstrations as security
forces used live rounds and tear gas
to disperse crowds.
Al-Kadhimi said in the statement
Tuesday the delay was due to “technical”
needs spelled out in a proposal
submitted to the Cabinet to ensure a
transparent electoral process. He did
not provide details on what the technical
issues were.
In a step toward holding elections,
Iraq’s president ratified a new
electoral law late last year aimed
at giving political independents a
chance at winning seats in parliament.
The law was passed despite
objections from political parties.
In its proposal for pushing back
early elections, the electoral commission,
which is legally tasked to organize
the polls, said more time was
needed for nominees to be named
and for electoral commissioners to
fulfill technical requirements.
Al-Kadhimi said the commission
In this October 20, 2020 file photo, Prime Minister of Iraq Mustafa al-Kadhimi speaks
during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the
Chancellery in Berlin, Germany.
was “keen on the integrity of the
elections and equal opportunities for
everyone to run the electoral process
fairly,” according to his statement.
The May 2018 federal elections
were mired in allegations of voter
fraud and corruption and saw historically
low turnout.
Al-Kadhimi said neither political
opposition to the early polls nor
the state’s crumbling finances were
to blame for the extension. The government,
which is suffering through
an unprecedented liquidity crisis due
to low oil prices, said the commission’s
budget is accounted for.
Parliament must also dissolve itself
in order for the polls to be held.
We can’t help you
build a roaring fire.
But we can help you
bank from home.
BIRMINGHAM
Member FDIC
Ad Number: PP-BOAA-21873B Trim: 9" x 5.875"
Perich Job No: 21873 Bleed: NA
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 9

noteworthy
Chaldeans in Office
Luke Joseph won a
seat in November as
a Birmingham Public
School Trustee, being
the first Chaldean to
serve on that board.
He will serve a six year
term as Trustee. Mr. Joseph
is no stranger to
service as he also serves
on the Housing Board
of Appeals in the city
of Birmingham and is an active member of the
Parish Council at St. Thomas Chaldean Church
in West Bloomfield. The proud father of two sons,
Mr. Joseph is an accountant by trade although he
has volunteered for many various organizations
throughout his life. He lives by these three tenets:
Help, Give a Hand, and Be Happy!
Museum Minute
Dealing with a worldwide pandemic, the Chaldean
Cultural Center (CCC) decided they need to highlight
the Museum’s offerings in a new way and developed
a new concept called the “Museum-Minute.”
It involves filming segments featuring community
members talking about various exhibits. The concept
was designed “in order for our one-of-a-kind
museum to stay active and relevant,” states Weam
Namou, Executive Director of the CCC.
The first segment features Renna Sarafa giving
a brief history of a school tablet displayed in
a section of the museum called Ancient Gallery.
Renna is a senior who will be graduating from
Michigan State University this year with a major
in Finance and minor in Leadership of Organizations.
She chose the school tablet as her Museum
Minute artifact because she “found it fascinating
how students learned in our origin country.” Renna
also shared, “It is very interesting to see how our
education system has advanced from note-taking
on stone to learning via Zoom online classes.”
Like many others, Renna believes that her generation
has not had enough exposure to culture.
“The Chaldean Cultural Center is remarkable,”
she shares. “It is an excellent place for us to learn
about our community, religion and culture from
the beginning days until now.”
The second segment features Martin Manna,
president of the Chaldean American Chamber of
Commerce (CACC) and the Chaldean Community
Foundation. (CCF) Manna chose to highlight
the passport of Tobia Lucia (later renaming himself
Tom George), who arrived in the US in 1926 as the
first of his family. “The patience and perseverance
required for this type of immigration is something
our forefathers had in abundance and is something
we can never repay,” shares Manna. “Our success
here is an attempt to make good on the promise of
their hopes and dreams.”
“I love the idea behind the Museum Minute
and think those will bring a lot more attention to
the Museum and Cultural Center to people on social
media,” says Sarafa.
Weam Namou is hoping that she’s right. “This
is how we will continue to keep our heritage, culture,
and language alive,” she adds.
Atheel Mary - Communicating Through Silence
Atheel Mary was born in Baghdad, Iraq on
July 15, 1959 to Chaldean parents, Dr. Nouri
Yousif Mary and Nakiya Yousif Tomina. They immigrated
to the USA in 1961 and settled in San
Francisco, later moving to Connecticut in 1963
and then to New York in 1965.
Atheel was born deaf. His father, Dr. Mary,
who was the Dean of The College of Pharmacy,
Long Island University in New York, wanted the
best for his only son. He moved his family to New
York because of the opportunity to send Atheel to
Lexington School for the Deaf, the best and largest
school for the deaf in New York State.
Growing up with communication challenges
did not hinder Atheel or prevent him from charting
a path to his professional growth and success.
Today, Atheel is an accountant with the Department
of Defense Financial and Business Operations
Division and makes frequent presentations to
other US government departments using different
methods of communication. He holds an Associate
of Applied Science degree in Accounting and
a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration
from Rochester Institute of Technology.
In his presentations, Atheel discusses typical
misconceptions about deafness and hearing loss,
ways to effectively communicate with deaf and
hard of hearing individuals, strategies for group
interactions and meetings, and the role of a sign
language interpreter, and assistive technology.
10 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

chaldean DIGEST
What others are saying about Chaldeans
Chaldean Catholics in Iraq Praying that Pope’s Visit will be Possible
BY STAFF WRITER
Chaldean Catholics in Iraq are praying
that Pope Francis really will be
able to visit their country in March.
Cardinal Louis Sako, the Baghdad-based
patriarch of the Chaldean
Catholic Church, composed a
prayer for all his faithful to recite together
at Masses beginning Jan. 17.
Agenzia Nova, an Italian news
agency specializing in international
political and economic reporting,
published a story Jan. 12 saying
that a security and intelligence
delegation from Italy had arrived in
Iraq to tour possible sites for papal
events with Iraqi security officials.
While the Vatican announced
the dates for the planned trip —
March 5-8 — a formal program had
not been released as of January 14,
and Pope Francis said in an interview
January 10 that he was not
Chaldean Christian Woman Elected Mayor
of Strategic Town in Kurdistan Region
Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans and head of the
Chaldean Catholic Church, speaks during the inauguration of a Chaldean Catholic
pastoral center in Iraq’s northern multi-ethnic city of Kirkuk on January 2, 2019.
BY HALGURD SHERWANI
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Chaldean-Christian
woman was recently
inaugurated as the mayor of Ibrahim
Khalil, a strategic town in the
Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province,
making her the first female and
Christian person to take the post.
Duhok’s provincial council recently
changed the top leadership
officeholders of the province’s districts
and sub districts. Mardin Hikmat,
a Chaldean-Christian woman,
was elected as Ibrahim Khalil’s
mayor in Duhok’s Zakho district as
part of the council’s move.
Ms. Hikmat, 32, is a civil engineering
graduate with seven years
of public sector experience. Before
assuming the Ibrahim Khalil mayorship,
Hikmat was the head of the
Duhok Traffic Directorate’s engineering
department.
The new mayor is not the only
one from a minority group appointed
to a leadership role. The head of
Zakho Electricity Directorate, for
example, is Armenian. Moreover,
Bersv town’s mayor is Christian.
“As the local government, we
do not differentiate between these
different [ethnic and religious] components,”
Botan Mohsin, the mayor
of Zakho district, told Kurdistan 24.
certain the visit would be possible.
There are obvious security concerns,
but also questions about the
making such a trip in the midst of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Still, Fides, the news agency of
the Congregation for the Evangelization
of Peoples, reported January 14
that the Chaldean Catholics were
asking “the Almighty Lord to make
possible the announced visit of Pope
Francis to the land of the two rivers,”
the Euphrates and the Tigris.
– Catholics News Service
Mardin Hikmat, the recently appointed
Christian Chaldean of Ibrahim Khalil
town in Duhok province.
The Kurdistan Region is wellknown
in Iraq and the broader
region for its rich, diverse culture.
Chaldean and Assyrian Christians
compose a significant portion of the
Kurdish society. They also hold several
top positions in the Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG).
– Kurdistan 24
AFP
KURDISTAN 24
Pope Francis Sends
Condolences to
Suicide Bombing
Victims
BY COURTNEY MARES
Pope Francis is praying for the victims
of two suicide bombings in Baghdad,
which took place less than two months
before his scheduled visit to Iraq.
At least 32 people died after two suicide
bombers detonated explosive vests in
a market near Tayaran Square in central
Baghdad on the morning of January 21.
An estimated 100 others were wounded.
The bombing took place a day after
the Vatican released a statement indicating
that the papal trip to Iraq would
take place “subject to variations” on
March 5-8.
In a television interview on January
10, Pope Francis had expressed doubt
about whether the trip would be able
to take place with the ongoing coronavirus
pandemic.
If the trip to Iraq goes ahead, Pope
Francis is scheduled to visit Christian
communities in the Nineveh Plains,
which were ravaged by the Islamic
State from 2014 to 2016, causing many
Christians to flee the region. The pope
has repeatedly expressed his closeness
to these persecuted Christians.
After the papal trip to Iraq was announced
in December, Chaldean Catholic
Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil
told CNA that he believed that the
pope’s visit had “the potential to change
the trajectory of the Christian presence
in Iraq from one of a disappearing people
to one of a surviving and thriving people.
“For the present, what we need
most is economic opportunity for the
people, some path to dignified livelihoods,”
Warda said. “This is what we
hope the international community can
most understand at this time.”
– Catholic News Agency
Word or Deeds: Shiite Firebrand Pledges to Restore Iraqi Christian Property
BY JAYSON CASPER
Christians in Iraq welcome the “solidarity”
of controversial anti-American
politician and militia leader in
advance of expected visit by Pope
Francis. When Iraqi Christians fled
IS and ran for their lives they left
property behind, much of which
became stolen property. Muqtada
al-Sadr, a leading Shiite politician
fiercely opposed to the US military
presence, has told Christians he will
do something about it.
The Church and the government
have tried. As a safeguard for Christian
property, in 2010 a regulation
was established requiring sales to be
signed by either a church representative
or Christian Member of Parliament.
And in 2017, after the defeat
of ISIS, the government created a
commission with official church representation
that was able to resolve
some cases.
“The government is very busy
with the elections, the problem of
security and militias, as well as the
pandemic and the economy,” Raphael
Sako, patriarch of the Chaldean
Catholic Church based in Baghdad,
told CT. “For them, this is something
marginal, and we understand that.”
Recognized as the second-most
influential religious figure in Iraq
through a study conducted by the US
Institute of Peace, Sako consistently
meets with national leaders to urge
the application of citizenship and
rule of law.
– Christianity Today
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 11

FAMILY time
Taking the Family Outside
BY DANIELLE ALEXANDER
In January, I wrote about ways to
keep kids entertained at home
during the winter months. However,
it’d be remiss of me not to disclose
that my family and I have been
spending a great deal of time out of
the house, as well. It was definitely
easier to find safe, out-of-home activities
to take part in with the kids
during the summer and fall months
since the weather was still decent;
nevertheless, we’ve discovered that
if you’re willing to put a little time
and effort into planning, there are
still numerous ways to safely enjoy
time with your family around metro
Detroit this winter, too.
Igloo dining is fun
Prior to the pandemic, we would
usually carry out one meal during
the week and eat out at a restaurant
every weekend. Thanks to DoorDash
and curbside pickup, carryout has
fortunately still been possible this
past year but to continue supporting
our favorite local restaurants while
simultaneously embracing the opportunity
for a fun family outing, we
have been all about the igloo life this
winter.
Because the majority of the igloos
you see in metro Detroit are heated,
many couples and families are also
embracing the trend. In order to actually
have the opportunity to dine
in an igloo, you’ll need to plan ahead
as some igloos are already booking
out months in advance, especially on
the weekends. Yes, there may be lastminute
cancellations, so it’s always
worth checking online or calling, but
if you can be flexible you’ll probably
have better luck during the week or
at an obscure meal time. Many igloo
reservations require food and drink
minimums, so be sure you’re considering
that ahead of time, especially
if you’re planning to dine with just
your significant other or have little
ones who don’t eat full meals yet.
Our favorite metro Detroit igloos
have been at Bigalora in Southfield,
Detroit Fleat in Ferndale and River
Edge Brewing Company in Milford.
We were also pleasantly surprised by
how warm we were on the heated patios
at Cafe ML in Bloomfield Hills,
Ferndale Project in Ferndale and Garage
Grill and Fuel Bar in Northville!
Clockwise from above: Igloo life at River Edge Brewing Co. in Milford
Alexander Family skating at Dodge Park Ice Arena in Sterling Heights
Visiting Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills
Try an outdoor activity
Normally my family and I would be
spending at least a day or two each
week at metro Detroit indoor play
places, but if we wanted to be able
to get out of the house this year, we
had no choice but to invest in warm
winter gear and find safe outdoor activities
to take part in. Just like igloo
dining, some of these activities do
require pre-registration.
Sterling Heights’ Dodge Park
Ice Rink, for example, offers open
skate times (and skate rentals) for
Sterling Heights’ residents and nonresidents
alike, but patrons must
register. Likewise, in order to participate
in the brand new ‘glow-tubing’
activity at Bowers Farm’s Winter
Park in Bloomfield Hills, it is highly
recommended that you register in
advance online rather than show up
and not have the opportunity to receive
a sanitized tube.
If you do wake up one morning
and feel like getting out of the
house for a bit but did not reserve
anything, consider checking out
Northville’s Heat in the Street.
Every weekend through April, a
few Northville restaurants set up
stands to serve delicious food off
of a preset menu. With Main and
Center Streets closed down for pedestrian
use, my family and I pick
up our food, find a warm spot to sit
or stand, eat and then go check out
the variety of shops and boutiques
that Northville has to offer. My husband
and I love having date nights
here, too, since you’re able to order
wine, beer and mixed drinks to go
and have a walk around. Downtown
Farmington just started something
similar called The Syndicate.
Sledding hills are always a great
outdoor option. We always make
an afternoon out of it, and stop at a
local coffee shop on our way home
for hot chocolate and yummy baked
goods!
Indoor activities are
still an option
Although we’ve been doing our best
to keep our family’s out-of-home
adventures outdoors, we have tried
out some indoor destinations like
Cranbrook Institute of Science in
Bloomfield Hills and The Henry
Ford Museum. Due to the fact that
they both had limited capacity,
required masks, and are so big in
size, my husband and I felt safe and
agreed that we’re game for more indoor
outings like this.
If you’re looking to stay warm but
would rather keep your public exposure
to a minimum, we also recommend
Movie Magic Lakeside’s drivein
movie experience in Sterling
Heights. They do offer concessions,
but we often pick up our favorite carryout
order to indulge in once the
family-friendly film starts playing on
the big screen.
Try these ideas with your own
family, and tag us in your social media
posts (@chaldeannews)!
Danielle Alexander is the owner of
Edify LLC, a tutoring/editing/freelance
writing business, and a frequent
contributor to Family Time.
12 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 13

in MEMORIAM
RECENTLY DECEASED COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Mona Jarbo
Jul 1, 1946 -
Jan 10, 2021
Wadia Kinaya
Aljony
Jul 1, 1934 -
Jan 10, 2021
Farman Hirmis
Polis
Jul 1, 1928 -
Jan 10, 2021
Dr. Qais Gorgis
Asmar
Jan 16, 1942 -
Jan 9, 2021
Dhia Kasto
Jun 17, 1953 -
Jan 9, 2021
Heelo Gorgees
Yaqo
Jul 1, 1931 -
Jan 9, 2021
Fouad Jamil
Zakar
Apr 7, 1950 -
Jan 9, 2021
Rosa Yousif
Mishkoor
Jul 1, 1930 -
Jan 7, 2021
Najib Zia Bitti
Jul 1, 1940 -
Jan 6, 2021
Theresa Nagarah
Oct 13, 1949 -
Jan 6, 2021
Mariam Haji Bahri
Apr 3, 1928 -
Jan 3, 2021
Titiya Kallabat
Oct 1, 1933 -
Jan 3, 2021
Bedour Bakkal
Salman
Jan 18, 1935 -
Jan 3, 2021
Helen Hakim Elia
Jun 2, 1939 -
Jan 1, 2021
Saleem Shamoun
Yaldo
Jul 1, 1926 -
Jan 1, 2021
Souad Dickow
Jul 1, 1934 -
Dec 31, 2020
Rafed Khalil
Ibrahim
Oct 11, 1964 -
Dec 31, 2020
Janet Marogee
Yousif Najjar
Mar 8, 1937 -
Dec 31, 2020
Khoshaba Zaya
Hanna
Jul 1, 1942 -
Dec 30, 2020
Safar Haroun
Rabin
Jul 1, 1937 -
Dec 30, 2020
Chawkat
(Mourad) Said
Feb 16, 1943 -
Dec 29, 2020
Merry Yaqoo
Jul 1, 1932 -
Dec 29, 2020
Jalal Pouls
Younan
Jul 1, 1939 -
Dec 29, 2020
Farid Faraj Zaia
Aug 11, 1949 -
Dec 28, 2020
Najib Tobya Jarbo
Jul 1, 1940 -
Dec 28, 2020
Mary Assy Dado
Kaskorkis
Jul 1, 1940 -
Dec 27, 2020
Suham Yako
Jul 1, 1939 -
Dec 27, 2020
Safrena Waled
Maty Zeto
Oct 19, 2003 -
Dec 25, 2020
Fawzi Estefan
Maqdisi
Jul 1, 1940 -
Dec 25, 2020
Alaman Hermez
Hakim
Aug 17, 1946 -
Dec 23, 2020
Ismail Matti
Feb 13, 1928 -
Dec 22, 2020
Fred Abouna
Nov 22, 1938 -
Dec 22, 2020
Ed Oweis
Nov 28, 1939 -
Dec 22, 2020
Saad Asmar
Nov 20, 1965 -
Dec 21, 2020
Sawsan J Aziz
Jul 31, 1964 -
Dec 21, 2020
Louay Esshaki
Apr 16, 1948 -
Dec 21, 2020
Margrette Hatano
Jan 5, 1931 -
Dec 21, 2020
Suaad Yacoub
Hermez
Jul 1, 1931 -
Dec 21, 2020
Nooria Istifan
Mikhou
Jul 1, 1936 -
Dec 21, 2020
Mariam Mansour
Jul 1, 1937 -
Dec 20, 2020
14 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

obituaries
Ramy Anwar Zora
Oct 2, 1989 -
Dec 20, 2020
Manal Geliana
Hanna Sitto
Jul 1, 1940 -
Dec 18, 2020
Serro Davut
Jul 1, 1935 -
Dec 19, 2020
Majid Aziz
Shammami
Aug 1, 1944 -
Dec 18, 2020
Isho Khamo
Raihana
Jul 1, 1943 -
Dec 19, 2020
Zakariah Ishac
Zakariah
Jul 3, 1932 -
Dec 18, 2020
Sabah Mikha Kiezi
Sabah Mikha Kiezi, loving husband
of 45 years to Akhlas Kiezi, passed
onto to fullness of everlasting life on
December 28, 2020. Sabah was born
in Iraq on July 1, 1951 and immigrated
to Detroit, Michigan to start
a family in 1979. He was a loving
brother, proud father of Mary, Mark,
Marvin and Mario Kiezi, and doting
grandfather of 11. Sabah enjoyed
gardening, spoiling his grandchildren
and taking care of his family. This
humble man was loved by many.
Dr. Raad Jajo
Dr. Raad Jajo, loving husband to May
Kassid and doting father to Dr. Shahad
and Dr. Yousif Jajo, joined the
faithful in Heaven on December 27,
2020. Dr. Jajo was born on December
2, 1954. He was a cherished brother
to Faiz, Faiza, Ruwyda and Nahla Jajo,
and the adored son of Elias Jajo and
Ghariba Juma. Dr Jajo was a psychiatrist
who took the time to sit down
and give quality patient care to all his
patients. He will be missed dearly by
his patients, family, peers and friends.
Sabryia Habbi
Mansour
Jul 1, 1932 -
Dec 17, 2020
Jamil Ayoub
Salem
Jul 1, 1931 -
Dec 17, 2020
Fred Selomi
Jul 9, 1962 -
Dec 17, 2020
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
Young lungs
at play!
Razzouki Hermiz
Mansour (Yaldo)
Jul 1, 1928 -
Dec 17, 2020
George Aziz
Hedo
Jul 1, 1927 -
Dec 17, 2020
Napoleon
Youkana Mikhou
Mar 15th, 1953 -
Dec 16, 2020
THIS IS A TOBACCO
FREE ZONE
NO SMOKING
NO VAPING
Mouwafak
Jan Bakoss
Nov 14, 1952 -
Dec 15, 2020
Sabih Abdulahad
Nov 28, 1937 –
Dec 14, 2020
Do you support tobacco-free parks in Sterling Heights to
protect children and families from the dangers of secondhand
smoke? To learn more about this initiative, call Ashley at
the Chaldean Community Foundation 586-722-7253
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 15

Chaldean Synod with Pope Francis in the Vatican 2015
The Pope in Iraq
BY SARAH KITTLE
In a spirit of unprecedented cooperation, Pope
Francis is planning to make the first papal visit
ever to Iraq in March of this year. Pope John
Paul II had intended to visit the country in 2000
after declaring it a year of Jubilee, but the instability
of the region at that time had thwarted those
plans. The Great Jubilee in 2000 was a celebration
of the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus
by the Catholic Church, held from Christmas
Eve (December 24) 1999 to Epiphany (January 6)
2001. Like previous Jubilee years it was a celebration
of the mercy of God and the forgiveness of
sins.
Late in 2019, our current pontiff, Pope Francis,
accepted the invitation of Iraqi President Dr. Barham
Salih and Patriarch Louis Raphael Cardinal
Sako to visit the faithful in the war-torn country
that is often recognized as the cradle of civilization.
Cardinal Sako, who was instrumental in making
the event come about, has been working on the
ground in Iraq, reassuring the people and helping
to rebuild the Church.
According to Bishop Basel Yaldo, officially titled
the ‘General Coordinator by the Church for
the Visit of Pope Francis to Iraq’, Pope Francis welcomes
the opportunity “to promote dialogue and
coexistence among all the religious components,
whether at the ecumenical level between Churches
in Iraq, or through Islamic-Christian relations.”
The visit to Iraq will be viewed as an apostolic
journey with stops scheduled in Baghdad, Ur in
Nasiriya – the land of Abraham, the city of Erbil
in Kurdistan as well as Mosul and Qaraqosh in the
Nineveh Plain. The trip is slated for March 5th
through the 8th. With the country still in a state
of lingering unrest compounded by the coronavirus
pandemic that has unsettled the entire world, the
Iraqi government and local churches are working
closely together to ensure the safety of all participants.
The anticipation of this visit is being celebrated
both in Iraq and the US, in addition to wherever
else Iraqi Christians have landed in the diaspora.
Many in Iraq are “competing to be on the front
line for participating in the program,” according to
Bishop Basel.
“In fact, every step in this visit is significant and
has its value in encouraging people to be united
and work together to achieve peace,” explains the
Bishop. “The Pope’s visit will guarantee visibility
to Christians by giving great significance and relevance
to their presence in this part of the world
and their suffering throughout history.”
The Pope is hoping that supporting the Christian
community in Iraq and acknowledging their
trials, while also validating the non-Christian religious
groups that live in the region, will go a long
way towards promoting peace. “We actually hope
to see the outcome of this visit changing Iraqis to
be an open-minded nation,” says Bishop Basel, “especially
by restoring the spirit of youth and living
happily together, building their country and securing
a better future for the next generation.”
The Iraqi government welcomed the Vatican’s
statement, acknowledging that the pontiff’s visit
will indeed be a “historic event.” The foreign ministry
said in a statement, “It symbolizes a message of
peace to Iraq and the whole region.”
Cardinal Sako created an intercessory prayer
specifically for the success of the mission and
churches in Iraq began praying it on January 17.
They will continue each Sunday until the pope’s
arrival. The cardinal also wrote a letter to the Iraqi
16 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

people asking them to prepare in advance
for the long-awaited historic
visit. The Patriarch explained that
the Pope was not coming on a “tourist”
or “luxury” trip, but will be on a
pilgrimage bearing a message of comfort
“for all, at a time of uncertainty.”
He went on to say in the missive,
“We must make it an opportunity for
a great change so that faith and hope
in us become a commitment.”
The Independent Catholic News
reports that preparations are underway
in the northern city of Qaraqosh
which is one of the stops on the
Pope’s itinerary. “Thanks to support
from Christian charities and other
organizations, the Christian community
is returning,” the report states.
“The library reopened in September.
The Church in Qaraqosh has been
rebuilt. Local Christian artist, Thabit
Michael, has made a new statue of
Our Lady to place on the bell tower.
He has also made statues for the
church in Karamles and the Church
of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in
Baghdad.”
Concerns about traveling amid a
pandemic have arisen, of course, and
planning for the visit “will take into
consideration the evolution of the
worldwide health emergency,” according
to Bishop Basel. The Vatican
has also published a special prayer of
intention for this pilgrimage.
Prayers for peace are not being
solely said for the Middle East; Pope
Francis is praying for peace in the US
as well.
The Vatican News reports that
“On his Apostolic Journey to the US
in 2015, he was the first Pope to address
a joint session of Congress. On
that occasion, he delivered a speech
which - through figures such as Abraham
Lincoln, Dorothy Day, Thomas
Merton and Martin Luther King Jr
- underscored what makes American
democracy unique. From that
speech five years ago to his words
at the Angelus on 10 January about
what happened on Capitol Hill four
days earlier, Pope Francis has always
encouraged people to reject disruptive
tendencies, and to work with
patience and courage for reconciliation
and unity.”
Simply put, the Pope urges us to
let the “we” prevail over the “me.”
We await with great expectation
the triumph of a united audience
when Pope Francis visits Iraq in
March.
Learn more at saint-adday.com
Logo of Pope
Francis’ visit to Iraq
The logo was designed to show
Pope Francis greeting and blessing
the Map of Iraq. It also includes
symbols of Iraq such as
the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
The White Dove carrying an olive
branch signifies the desired
peace in Iraq. Also featured are
the flags of the Vatican and the
Republic of Iraq. At the southern
part of Iraq stands proudly
a palm tree, because Iraqi dates
were number one in the world.
At the top of the logo appears
a quote from the Gospel of St.
Matthew (23: 8), “You are all
brothers,” in, Arabic, Chaldean
and Kurdish.
Cardinal Sako’s
Prayer:
Lord our God, grant Pope Francis
health and safety to carry out
successfully this eagerly awaited
visit. Bless his effort to promote
dialogue, enhance fraternal reconciliation,
build confidence,
consolidate peace values and
human dignity, especially for us
Iraqis who have been through
painful “events” that affected
our lives.
Lord and Creator, enlighten
our hearts with Your light, to
recognize goodness and peace,
and to realize them.
Mother Mary, we entrust
Pope Francis’ visit to your maternal
care so that the Lord may
grant us the grace of living in
full national communion, and to
cooperate fraternally to build a
better future for our country and
our citizens. Amen.
LET US DESIGN YOUR DREAM KITCHEN
FREE In-Home Estimates
Full Remodeling Services Available
Shelby Township • West Bloomfield
www.lafata.com • 586.930.1701
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 17

Bringing Back Romance
Weddings Require Creativity Amid COVID
BY PAUL NATINSKY
As people adjust to life under
COVID, lived at home, outdoors,
in small groups, masked
and spaced, the pandemic’s effects
push into cultural events for many
communities. For Chaldean brides and
grooms, family and wedding professionals,
change has been difficult.
Accustomed to 400- and 500-person
gatherings with lavish food, festive
music and loads of tradition, the
Chaldean community is adjusting to
smaller weddings, outdoor and home
events, and a backlog of postponed
nuptials.
“I started to realize that you don’t
have to have a 400- or 500-person
wedding to have the wedding of your
dreams. You can still have a small,
intimate wedding and still have an
amazing time,” said Jon Elias, better
known as The Pastry Guru.
COVID Inspires Creativity
Elias is sort of a one-man show, making
wedding cakes and creating dessert
stations. Until early 2020, wedding
business took up all of his time. Elias
has a degree from culinary school.
He worked at high-end restaurants
around Michigan before transitioning
to his wedding dessert venture. With
wedding business screeching to a halt
in 2020, Elias began accepting preorders
for holidays, including Father’s
Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas and
Thanksgiving. He never expected he
would have time for such sidelines,
but now thinks he will continue with
the expanded offerings.
Event Planners Andrew Keina
and business partner Lawrence Yaldo
turned to “pop-up” events to fill the
revenue gap until they can get back
to their core wedding-planning activities.
The pair, who connected
about fifteen years ago and own Top
That Table, teamed with Elias on
Mother’s Day to provide flower arrangements
with Elias’ cheesecakes.
Keina and Yaldo are no strangers
to working beyond weddings. Top
That Table takes on a variety of large
and small events, including baby
showers, first birthday parties and
providing seasonal decorations for a
West Bloomfield mall for the past decade.
Still, the increase in spontaneous
opportunities is a stop-gap measure
to pay the bills until large events
again become possible.
A Steady Hand
Dalia Attisha found herself working
hard to keep a cool head and present
a reassuring face to her clients. After
finding her calling in event planning
through experience with her father’s
Chaldean community newspaper,
chamber of commerce work and a
degree in business and interior design,
she spent the past twenty years
calming couples and providing expert
help to ensure their big day is a
great experience.
In 2020, that mission stretched to
its limits.
“The biggest challenge was that
planning one wedding became planning
three weddings,” said Attisha.
“The date, budget and guestbook
would change. The ideas would change
in so many different ways. And then,
something else would come up.
“That was the biggest challenge,
because as an event planner, people
are looking to us for advice, for guidance,
and really this was our first
pandemic. They’re looking to us for
answers and we don’t have answers.”
Attisha likened her 2020 experience
to being a flight attendant on
an extremely turbulent flight. The
first person the passengers look to is
the flight attendant, and that person
must control their own stress to keep
everyone calm.
Event venues and vendors have
been compassionate, said Attisha.
She said vendors are waiving fees for
date changes and cancellations and
making deposits transferable, something
that, pre-COVID, could have
cost a couple as much as $500.
Still, the stress is there for everyone
involved in weddings—planners,
couples, families. Adding to the tension
is the scarcity of dates available
in 2021. With restrictions still in
place at press time and several months
of cold weather ahead, the backlog
created in 2020 continues to grow,
pushing those who would have married
this year to push back to 2022.
Backlogs & Adjustments
Popular wedding venue Regency Manor
Banquet Center in Southfield is
feeling the effects of that backlog and
doesn’t see immediate relief in sight.
“The first quarter of 2021 still
18 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

Above: Above: A happily married couple beside their wedding cake (submitted by
Pastry Guru). Opposite page, clockwise from left: The happy bride and groom.
Table setting by Top That Table. Wedding reception at Regency Manor.
looks bleak,” said General Manager
Jovann Dawood-Mihalian. “No one
is really committing to events because
of the uncertainties of extended
indoor dining restrictions and the
increased spread of the virus. Since
last year we have been forced to
pivot and change our business model
multiple times to keep revenue coming
in and at least make payroll.”
Dawood-Mihalian is hopeful
2021 will be better after first quarter,
but Regency is not taking any
chances.
“We are optimistic that the second
quarter of the year we will begin
to rebound. Just in case though,
for the balance of 2021, we will be
promoting our carry out and off-site
catering menu. Our guests love our
food and service. If they are not allowed
and/or are too uncomfortable
to enjoy our food and service indoors,
we are hopeful that they will use our
services for their private home or outdoor
events. COVID-19 has forced
every business to deep dive into what
they are good at and try to expand on
those qualities to survive. This is still
a rough time for everyone in the food
service industry.”
Government grants and loans
helped several of those interviewed
get their businesses through 2020,
but they mostly helped businesses
pay bills for overhead and didn’t
come close to replacing lost revenue.
There is a lot of anxiety for the
Chaldean community regarding
nuptials in 2021. Smaller weddings,
home and outdoor events will ease
some of the stress, but alternatives
are not very viable.
“Some people have done the
virtual thing, but for our Chaldean
community, we’re very social and
we need each other. We need to be
present with each other. The whole
Zoom, Facetime, Skype thing won’t
work for us,” said Attisha.
Keina, who spoke to me from
Florida, said he has discussed “destination”
weddings in Florida, where it
is warm and restrictions on gatherings
are more liberal, but the cost of
travel and hotel are prohibitive.
It’s Really About the Couples
In the end analysis, Attisha said
weddings are about the couples, the
people who are pledging their lives
to one another. Families often drive
the pomp and circumstance associated
with large weddings. The couples
just want to be together with those
close to them.
Keina recalls a wedding between
two people, both of whom were deaf.
The pair met at a school for the deaf
and many of the guests were deaf
friends from school. Many could not
hear the music that is such a central
part of a Chaldean wedding.
“With Chaldean music it’s so energetic
and loud, but you could feel
their emotions even though they
couldn’t hear anything. They would
wave their napkins or their hands to
signal dancing or clapping,” said Keina.
“It was such a beautiful wedding,
because you truly, truly felt the love
in the air at this wedding.”
In the end, that seems to be the
point. The wedding event is really
about the love between two people
willing to make a lifetime commitment
to one another.
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 19

Khugga
Dance
Traditional Chaldean Weddings
BY DR. ADHID MIRI
To reflect and connect with the
past, it is necessary to shine a
spotlight on the marriages
that took place in the old farming
villages in the Nineveh region of
Iraq. Marriages often took place at a
young age, usually thirteen to fifteen.
The young groom would be assigned
a marriage counselor (“Serdouch” or
“Ustatha”/ leader or expert teacher)
very early in the preparation steps,
to in due course be taught the art of
love.
A newlywed couple would live
with the groom’s parents and grandparents
who had the ultimate say
in everything. There was no dating
those days and all marriages were prearranged
by the parents. After agreeing
to the terms, the groom family
would visit the bride frequently to
present her with gifts which almost
always included a gold cross. Most
people were poor farmers and could
not afford a dowry. The dowry (“Urkha”)
was equivalent to 100 Dinars
(three hundred dollars) and was demanded
by the bride-to-be’s family.
On occasion, the poor groom would
offer two chickens and a rooster as a
token of his love, hence coining the
term, “He is worth two chickens and
a rooster.”
Weddings took place early in the
day on a Sunday in the spring or
summer in the village. On the wedding
day, in route to the church, the
groom, his parents and his relatives
would go to the bride’s home on foot
in a big procession. The men were
in the front followed by the women,
singing and sounding (“Halahil”) accompanied
by the Zarna and Tabul
band.
One of the favorite parts of the
wedding traditions, the blocking of
the doorway, is managed by family
members of the bride as the bride
and groom are exiting the bride’s
house. A few young men would
block the bride in her bedroom and
stand guard to block the door, insisting
on getting paid in order to allow
the bride to leave her family’s home.
Typically, a male family member
from the bride’s side, in this role of
the “bouncer,” is the bride’s brother,
cousin, or younger male relative.
Sometimes there is only one bouncer
and other times there are a few who
partner together to get the job done.
As for who pays up,
this is dependent on the
family. Sometimes the
groom will pay off the
bouncer, other times it’s
the best man, and other
times it’s another family
member from the groom’s
side. The bride will come
out dressed in white and
walk in front of the ladies
toward the church for a
ceremony that requires
two witnesses.
After the ceremony the groom’s
sisters and relatives, along with the
bride, invite families and friends to
the festivities at the groom’s house.
On the way from church to the
groom’s house, the celebrants go
through the town streets and stop in
every corner to sing, drink and dance
to the tunes of the Zarna and Tabul.
Villages were small and everyone
participated in the festivities. Neighbors
stood at their doors with a tray
of sweets, jugs of cold water and a
bottle of Arak (a traditional homemade
drink) ready to pour. When
the wedding group passed a home
whose family had experienced a recent
tragedy or loss of a loved one,
the dancing and music would stop
out of respect.
Before the bride and groom could
Zarna Pipe Player
enter their new home, they had to
offer the men in the neighborhood a
chicken and two bottles of Arak. The
bride would be paraded around the
village sitting on a decorated horse
(the limo of those days) with a child
sitting in front and one behind her.
Her gifts and wedding accessories
(“Jihaz”) were mounted on a second
horse with a little girl astride, led by
an older man. They included pillows,
blankets, mattresses, bed sheets, and
dresses among other items.
The wedding festivities lasted
four days, with parties every night.
On the last night, a large pot of
Piqoota and chicken was served, signaling
to the guests that it’s time to
go home. The guests would sing the
finale: “Fill and fill our bottles and
cups…today we drink, tomorrow you
kick us out.”
On one special occasion, a
judge from Mosul (The Honorable
Ahmmed Al-Awqati) was invited to
a prominent wedding in the village
of Telkepe. This was his first experience
with such festivities and he
was asked to join the village priest
and family procession to church. He
was unaccustomed to the amount of
drinks consumed along the way and
told his son (and my life-long colleague),
Dr. Mamun Al-Awqati, that
CHALDEAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION
by the time they reached the church
he was drunk, the deacon was drunk,
the groom was drunk and above all,
the village priest was drunk. (The
groom was none other than a Southfield
Manor veteran, Faraj Sesi.)
Few things have changed since
then, and many similar festivities
continue in the United States.
Chaldean weddings are notorious
for always being a great time. From
dancing all night to the delicious
midnight snack, these weddings never
cease to amaze.
In the Chaldean culture, there
are several events and traditions
surrounding the actual wedding ceremony
and reception. First, before
any church ceremony, one tradition
that is very common is that the family
of the groom goes to the bride’s
house to “bring her” to her soon-tobe
husband. What happens during
this time is both families dance in
the house and streets, surrounding
the bride with joyful vibes.
The party starts at the bride’s
house which is filled with food,
drinks, music, dancing, and photography.
A traditional folklore band
called “Zarna & Tabul- Pipes &
Drums” typically plays music during
much of the party at the bride’s
home. This band will also accompany
the wedding party as they leave
her home and head to the limousine.
This pre-wedding party usually lasts
around two hours, with everyone
taking pictures with the bride.
Of course, the most important
part of any Chaldean wedding, besides
the amazing reception, is the
Catholic Church ceremony. After
the party at the bride’s home, guests
will head to the church for the wedding
ceremony (“Burakha”) with a
priest. The religious ceremony that
seals the couple’s bond is extremely
important in Chaldean culture. Typically,
the church that is chosen is
one that either of the families has attended
over the years, although this
is not always the case.
A Chaldean wedding ceremony
is filled with beautiful songs and
prayers to celebrate the joining the
bride and groom in the sacrament of
marriage. The priests sing traditional
Chaldean songs and say prayers in
Aramaic before eventually speaking
the vows and asking the bride and
groom to say, “I do.”
A golden crown is placed on the
bride and groom’s heads during the
wedding ceremony, signifying their
Chaldean traditions. The ceremo-
20 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

Clockwise from top
left: 1. Wedding of
Thomas Denha and
Virginia Denha.Dr.
Suad Yousif Mary as
bridesmaid, Baghdad,
1954. 2. Village
wedding reception.
3. Chaldean Wedding
in Telkepe. Dikho
Family - Courtesy of
the Chaldean Heritage
4.Chaldean Wedding -
Zarna and Tabul.
nial crowns represent Christ and the
Church and the equality in their relationship
– you need one to preserve
the other.
You will also see the Kalilla
(white bow) tied to the groom’s arm
at the reception. This bow signifies
that the groom is taking leadership as
the head of his family. The Church
ceremony typically lasts for approximately
one hour.
Photography is a big part of the
wedding occasion. A humorous incident
occurred during one Chaldean
wedding when the best man went
missing. Messages were repeatedly
announced by the band over loudspeakers
requesting him to join the
wedding party for photos. After several
announcements, a gentleman
stepped up and squeezed next to the
groom, posing for the historic wedding
party photo. The photographer,
puzzled by the presence of this gentleman
intruder, asked him, “Sir, why
are you here?” The confident intruder
replied, “You have been calling me
all night, my name is “Basman!”
It is both an American and a Chaldean
tradition that the bride, groom
and wedding party are introduced as
they enter the reception celebration
hall. The Arabic Zeffa is part of a tradition
that makes it more fun and festive,
and has evolved to include the
cutting of the wedding cake.
The characteristic Chaldean
wedding reception usually commences
rather late, around eight in
the evening. To start the party, the
entire bridal party is introduced
during the Zeffa. Once guests have
settled into their seats in the banquet
hall, the bridesmaids and the
groomsmen enter the venue as couples.
Typically, each wedding party
couple will dance their way into the
banquet hall as guests cheer them on.
The couples will continue cheering
and dancing until the entire wedding
party has entered the reception gathering.
After all the wedding party has
entered, everyone in attendance will
head to the dance floor to celebrate
the newlywed couple by dancing and
singing for about a half hour or so before
heading back to their tables.
You’ll never go hungry when attending
a wedding at a Chaldean
banquet hall! To start, the tables are
filled with an array of delicious appetizers.
Wedding food is always plentiful
for guests. Once the guests are fed,
it’s time to hit the dance floor for the
rest of the night.
It’s imperative that all the guests
help celebrate the newlywed couple
by singing and dancing with them
on the dance floor. While slower
songs are sometimes played, the music
tends to stay upbeat with a quick
tempo so that the energy stays up.
The bridesmaids and groomsmen
play an important role in the reception.
Part of their responsibility is
to make sure that the dance floor
is always full, and the party doesn’t
stop. If the members of the wedding
party are on the dance floor celebrating,
it entices the guests to stay on
the dance floor to celebrate as they
dance to traditional Chaldean Khugga
music.
Usually around dinnertime, the
newlywed couple will make their
way around the banquet hall to greet
their guests. Since most of the guests
will be at their tables eating dinner,
this is the ideal time for the bride and
groom to say “hello” and thank them
for being there.
At this point in the celebration,
everyone’s legs are most likely very
tired from all the dancing, but there
remains a buzz in the air from all the
excitement and celebration.
As every Chaldean knows, exiting
out of a wedding celebration can
take forever. Chaldeans are known
for having very lengthy goodbyes.
Once you decide it’s time to leave,
it may take another twenty to thirty
minutes before everyone has said
their goodbyes and hugged each
other; along the way, there’s always
someone urging you to stay and keep
partying. It’s a long process, but the
love shown to each other makes it all
worth it. By the night’s end, participants
are completely exhausted.
Weddings in general are extremely
costly. Hosts spend a large amount
of money on venues, food, and entertainment.
To make their weddings
extravagant, Chaldeans spend an
obscene amount of money to impress
their guests. During the wedding, instead
of presenting gifts to the groom
and bride, it is a tradition to gift
money, because it is understood to
be more useful than gifts, and to purchase
what is needed. Gifting money
is called “Sabahiyya.”
As a guest at a Chaldean wedding,
it will probably take a long
time to recover from the excitement.
This celebration is the most important
day in the life of a couple, and
you just witnessed a night they will
remember for the rest of their lives.
The one thing you feel during these
weddings is the love radiating out
from the bridal party to everyone. It
is amazing how these traditions have
remained intact, and goes to show
how strong the Chaldean community
is. We continue to encourage our
sons and daughters to marry within
the Chaldean community and to
celebrate with the traditions of our
culture.
There’s no wedding like a Chaldean
wedding.
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 21

Amira’s Kitchen
BY SARAH KITTLE
Clockwise from top: Cookbook author Amira and husband Immad baking with the grandchildren; Kahi, the best dessert ever; Everyone’s
favorite, Tikka Pusra; On eof the author’s favorites and so easy to make – Chive Cheese.
Awafi! from Amira’s Kitchen
is a beautiful cookbook of
approximately 250 pages
featuring about as many recipes with
‘the flavor of Tel Keppe,’ as it says
in the introduction. From Apricot
Jam to Zerda, the book spans many
generations of time-worn and much
loved meals, recipes handed down
throughout the years.
The act of preparing a meal is an
overt act of love and these recipes
are treasures. The effort required to
make a meal at a time when you had
no refrigeration or access to ingredients
from anywhere other than down
the road or in your own backyard is
immense, and all that happens before
you get into the kitchen!
Sitting in Amira’s kitchen on Cass
Lake, this author can’t help but notice
how warm and cozy it is and how good
it smells, like all the lovely recipes that
have ever been made there are welcoming
you in. Amira herself, pretty
and petite, puts a plate of homemade
Bata’s Takhratha Da-Khalola (peanut
butter bread - page 49) in front of me
and says with a smile, “I thought you
were Chaldean.”
The cookbook itself is a work of
art, with beautiful photos of each
dish and additional photos of ingredients
and preparation. The recipes
call for fresh, local ingredients with
in-season fruits and vegetables.
Amira’s mother, her grandmother,
her mother-in-law and her sisters
are all co-conspirators in the kitchen
and they helped her perfect these
recipes which often have no specific
measurements. In her forward to the
cookbook Amira wrote:
When I asked my grandmother how
much salt to put in the bowl, she
cupped her hand and said, “This
much.” So began the painstaking
task of putting into words the directions
to prepare our beloved family
dishes. I had a few recipes that would
feed 50 people! Needless to say, I
had to adjust for fewer servings. I
had no written instructions, so I had
to create the correct measurements
through trial and error. Sometimes it
worked; sometimes it didn’t. Hence,
this cookbook is a true labor of love.
Working together in the kitchen
to create a meal to feed those you
love is a bonding experience that
Amira wants to share with her readers.
Her four children, Kristin, Lavonne,
Natalie and Alvin all know
their way around a kitchen but it was
Kristin’s engagement that made her
ask her mother to write down her
recipes. She wanted to carry that tradition
into her own home.
It took more than two years to compile
her collection. Every recipe had to
be tried and some took a while to sort
out the details of ingredient amounts.
Then came the task of writing the
cooking directions. “There are so many
people that helped with this book,” says
Amira. She’s not exaggerating.
From the children that asked to the
husband that shopped and the mothers
that cooked and the friend who wrote
down each step of the cooking process
and everyone else who was involved
– including the guy that unknowingly
gave her the title – Amira is grateful for
the help. Her book includes a “thank
you” page and a lovely forward that explains
the traditions and that some of
the recipes take more time than people
have grown used to. “You must chop
and slice and dice and stir and boil and
bake and roast.” The results, she promises,
are “worth the effort.”
Scientists tell us that our sense of
smell is directly related to memory.
For Amira, the smell of a good meal
takes her back to Tel Keppe where
during the holidays, the entire village
would celebrate as family. “The
aroma still tickles my nose.”
The cookbook is a labor of love
not only for her children, her grandchildren
and her husband, cooking
and preparing meals to nourish their
bodies and souls, but it is also a way
of keeping her mother and grandmother
with her and introducing
them to each new generation. “It’s a
legacy,” she says. “A legacy of love.”
The cookbook is only available at
select locations: Kashat Mediterranean
Market in Farmington Hills; Babylon
Ethnic Foods in West Bloomfield;
Ishtar Ethnic Food in West Bloomfield;
Salon Edge in West Bloomfield
(Amira’s place of employment); North
Oaks Dental in Royal Oak (her son’s
practice), CK Fruit Market in Madison
Heights; the Chaldean Cultural Center
in West Bloomfield; and the website
amiraskitchen.com.
“Homemade, delicious dessert is a
symbol of love when you can’t find
the right words.” So reads the introduction
to the dessert section of the
book. The Chaldean News is pleased
to share “Magda’s recipe” for apricot
preserve coffee cake, Amira’s husband
“Immad’s favorite cake.”
Cake ‘d Murraba
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Prep: preheat oven to 350°.
Ingredients and Materials:
3 eggs
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup sugar
3 ½ -4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cardamom (hale)
zest of one orange
2 cups apricot preserves
2 round 9” pans, greased with solid
Crisco shortening
thick plastic food wrap
large bowl
medium bowl
whisk
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Then
add butter, vanilla, orange juice
and sugar, stirring together for one
minute.
In a medium bowl, mix 3 cups
of flour with baking powder, cardamom
and orange zest. Slowly add
dry ingredients to the large bowl
of wet ingredients. Do not use an
electric mixer; combine ingredients
by hand. Dough should be dry, not
sticky, and able to roll out smoothly.
If dough is too sticky, slowly add a
little flour.
Divide the dough evenly into 4
small balls. Place 1 dough ball between
2 pieces of thick plastic wrap.
Roll out this bottom layer into a 10”
circle. Remove upper plastic wrap
and flip the dough into a baking
pan, carefully removing the second
piece of plastic wrap afterward. Fill
the bottom of the baking pan with
the dough, gently pressing to get the
air out. Next, press the dough halfway
of the sides of the baking pan.
Top this with 1 cup of apricot preserve
and spread evenly. Next, roll
out top dough into a 9” circle. Place
this top layer of rolled dough over
the preserves, gently pressing the
dough. Repeat for the second 9” pan.
Egg wash: In a small bowl, beat
1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Using
a pastry brush, gently brush the
egg wash over the top of each cake
before placing in the oven.
Bake both cakes on middle rack
for 30-35 minutes.
Serve with fresh coffee or tea.
Awafi!
22 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 23

COVID and the Community
BY PAUL NATINSKY
Along with the ravages of
the disease and loss of life,
COVID-19 brings with it
a host of non-physical side effects,
among them conflicting views about
the virus’s seriousness, resistance to
precautions that prevent its spreading,
and resistance to the newly available
vaccine. In some cases, the idea that
the disease is a hoax prevails. Even
among those who accept pandemic
realities, “COVID fatigue,” often sets
in—people are just worn out from
restrictive prevention measures and
social isolation and begin to drift
away from taking zealous precautions.
For the Chaldean community, the
long-term separation from friends,
family and colleagues is especially
painful and wearing. The family
oriented, closely-knit nature of the
community tempts many to violate
restrictions and rationalize away the
facts associated with COVID.
‘It’s not sinking in’
“What disturbs me the most is that
I have patients’ families that will
call me and say, ‘Please check on
my mom, the hospital is not letting
me come in.’ They’re experiencing
it even firsthand, but then they are
on social media saying it’s a hoax.
And then they bring politics into
it. It’s like it’s not sinking in, even
though it hits close to home for some
people,” said Dr. Rena Daiza, a family
medicine physician who works in
Bloomfield Township.
Dr. Ghazwan Atto has been caring
for COVID patients since the onset
of the pandemic early last spring. He
practices family medicine in a fivephysician
group in Wyandotte, where
he has lost hundreds of patients to
COVID during the past year.
For Atto, the pandemic also has
touched close to home. He lost his
aunt to the disease, as well as his
wife’s grandmother.
“To me it was probably the worst
professional experience of my career,
with the problems we had with (protective
equipment shortages) and
things like that,” he said. “The impact
of the disease on people and the
death rate I saw was unimaginable.”
One of many misnomers about
COVID is that the virus only affects
the old or those with other health
Rena Daiza, MD
problems, such as obesity or weakened
immune systems. In fact, said
Atto, COVID is also killing young
and healthy people. It is a very unpredictable
virus. Atto said he has
lost patients in their thirties who
were otherwise healthy.
There is resistance
Ghazwan Atto, MD
One of many misnomers about COVID is that the virus only affects the
old or those with other health problems, such as obesity or weakened
immune systems. In fact, COVID is also killing young and healthy
people. It is a very unpredictable virus.
to restrictions
Despite these realities, a substantial
segment of the Chaldean population
continues to skirt restrictions
on large gatherings, social distancing
and mask wearing.
After the onset of the pandemic,
“A lot of people were still congregating,”
said Daiza. “We’re a very family
oriented community, which is a
beautiful thing, but it’s harmed us a
little bit because it’s so hard to follow
rules and not gather—the holidays is
one example.
“I know a lot of people who said,
‘Look, we’re not going to keep our
kids away from their grandparents
and we’re going to get together on the
holidays. I think that caused a lot of
trouble, because it’s a beautiful thing
that our community is so family oriented,
but one of the things we need
to do fight the pandemic was to physically
distance and they didn’t adhere
to that. Similarly, masks were not embraced
as much in the community.
“On a personal note,” she added,
“I haven’t seen my grandma. I used
to see her every Sunday and I haven’t
seen her in months.”
Politics are in play
In addition to going against the grain
of Chaldean family and social norms,
some attitudes dismissive of precautions
stem from external influences.
“I’m definitely seeing it more in
the Chaldean community and I think
for them it’s because it’s become politicized,”
said Daiza. “I haven’t really
seen it much in other communities.
Definitely, a huge number of people
in the Chaldean community are not
coming to grips with the virus, with
the pandemic as a whole, and I think
it’s really harmed our community.
There was a point that probably 90
percent of our COVID beds were
Middle Eastern, either Chaldean or
Arab, but a lot of Chaldean people.”
Sometimes language is a barrier
Along with cultural and political resistance,
something as simple as not
speaking English insulates some of
Diana Zebari, RN, BSN
the population from communicating
with health care professionals or accessing
information on the virus and
how to prevent its spread.
Diana Zebari is a registered nurse
at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak.
Fluent in Chaldean, she is often
called upon to act as a translator for
patients or a liaison to non-English
speaking relatives.
“We will get a few Chaldean patients
or Arabic patients who can’t
speak any English,” said Zebari. “From
that perspective I think it has been
harder for them because there is no
family there that they can communicate
with or can communicate with us.
So it’s just been harder having visitors
for them along with the restrictions.”
Despite challenges maintaining
precautions and COVID’s relentless
persistence, the percentage of those
infected who die is decreasing—a
fact partly masked by the continued
high infection rate.
Better treatments are available
Atto said treatment with steroids,
antibiotics and monoclonal antibodies
(a treatment used on former President
Donald Trump) has help reduced
death rates, particularly for those with
24 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

2454 Monroe St. Suite B, Dearborn, MI 48124
HairRestorationDetroit.com 313-562-3970
BOARD CERTIFIED HEAD AND NECK SURGEONS:
Danny Kewson, MD, FAAOA
Roger S. Toma, MD
Mark S. Toma, MD
Hair
Transplant
Surgery
Platelet
Rich Plasma
-PRP
The
NeoGraft ®
Process
FREE CONSULTATION
SOCIAL SECURITY
DISABILITY
Attorney Randall Mansour
Social Security Disability and
Veterans Benefits Attorneys
LAW OFFICES OF
Kelly, Riggs, & Mansour
625 E. BIG BEAVER STE. 204, TROY, MI 48083
• Specializing in Social Security Cases (SSI/SSD) & VA Benefits
• We’ve won thousands of cases
• Assistance with the initial application process
• Help from start to finish with the entire claim
• Free Consultation
• No fee unless we win
• Fluent in both Arabic and Chaldean at our office
NO VISIBLE SCARS
DISABILITYLAWGROUP.COM
248-838-3000
TOLL FREE
800-838-1100
underlying conditions such as chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD), congestive heart failure,
obesity or being older than 65.
He said blood thinners have also
played a big role in reducing deaths
because physicians and researchers
have learned that COVID causes
deadly blood clots in some patients.
Improved treatments brought the
death rate down from 20 percent at
the beginning of the pandemic to
under 6 percent.
Still, the disease continues to be
unpredictable and can kill patients
very quickly at any point in its progress.
Atto said something called a “cytokine
storm,” an aggressive immune
system reaction, can occur at any time
with COVID patients—at which
point there is nothing medical professionals
can do to save the patient.
“We’re getting better at treating
people, but still when things go
wrong, we cannot do anything about
it,” said Atto.
With the vaccine comes hope
“The vaccine is truly the light at the
end of the tunnel,” said Daiza. “It’s
the way out of the pandemic. We’ve
all heard the term ‘herd immunity’—
we need like 70 percent of the population
to be protected against the
virus. Even those who have had the
COVID virus should get the vaccine,
because we don’t know how long
that immunity lasts.”
“With the vaccine being out, I
feel like a lot more Chaldeans are
hesitant to get the vaccine,” because
some in the community don’t have
enough medical knowledge to understand
the benefits of it, said Zebari.
“They think that the vaccine will
give them COVID and that (COV-
ID) is made up by the government.
I’ve heard this from a lot of family
members; that COVID is made up,
which is just crazy to me because
they haven’t seen the effects of it and
how it affects people.”
Zebari and most of her colleagues
have received the first dose of a twopart
vaccination process. She said
the shot made her arm sore for 24
hours and felt very much the way a
flu shot does.
Daiza said attitudes about the
vaccine seem less political than perceptions
about the virus itself.
“I think it’s going to be a mixed
picture. I don’t think politics plays
a role (with the vaccine), necessarily.
I know plenty of people who are
Trump supporters who want the vaccine
and plenty of people who are
Biden supporters who don’t want the
vaccine,” she said.
“We, as a medical community are
working our hardest every single day
to end this pandemic, emphasized
Daiza. “We need everyone’s help to
push us through this. With the vaccine
rollout, as long as people are
continuing to do their best to socially
distance, we’ll see some normalcy
by the end of this year.”
In the meantime, “Continue social
distancing, continue washing
your hands and I do recommend everybody
when it’s available to them,
get the vaccine,” said Zebari, “and of
course, wear masks.”
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 25

Self
Love
BY ALYSE HADDAD,
PAIGE JONNA, AND
SAMANTHA MEKANI
Caring for
ourselves helps us
care for others
“If you are still looking for that ONE
person who will change your life, take a
look in the mirror.”
With Valentine’s Day upon
us, we can easily get swept
away in the secularization
of the holiday. However, Valentine’s
Day originated as a holy day that celebrates
Saint Valentine, a martyr in
the third century who married Christian
couples in secret against the will
of the Roman Emperor. Eventually he
was beheaded for his efforts. His story
teaches us about what it means to love
– a gift or a sacrifice of self to another,
to God, or to one’s community. And
while Valentine’s Day is traditionally
an opportunity to show those around
you how much you care for them, we
think it can also be a time to work
on loving ourselves a bit more. Selflove
is key to good mental health and
well-being, and it also helps us create
healthier relationships with others.
Let’s start with defining self-love.
It does not mean feeding into our every
whim or desire or overly inflating
our own egos. Self-love is recognizing
that by our mere existence, our lives
have value, we have integrity, and
we are worthy of respect. Self-love
means allowing yourself to prioritize
your own well-being. It’s acknowledging
that every day we wake up, we
are given a gift - an opportunity to
grow physically, spiritually and emotionally.
Self-love is something that
requires practice, and by working
daily on the tips set forth below, we
can form a new sense of self-worth.
Remember – you are enough, just
as you are. Your worth is not determined
by how much you’ve achieved
or how much money you’ve earned,
nor is it determined by your relationship
status or whether you feel beautiful
when you look in the mirror. You
are enough just as you are. Trauma,
symptoms of depression, symptoms of
anxiety and other mental health issues
can cause feelings of worthlessness, insecurity,
and of just not being enough.
Remember, if you are struggling with
these feelings, it’s okay to ask for help.
You are not alone and you have nothing
to be ashamed of. You are worth it.
Mindfulness – Being mindful
means focusing one’s awareness to
the present moment, while calmly acknowledging
one’s feelings, thoughts,
and bodily sensations. By reflecting on
our thoughts and how they affect our
actions, moods, and behaviors, we will
begin to identify negative and illogical
thought processes. It is very easy to
get caught up in a cycle of unhealthy
thought patterns, and the first step to
breaking those patterns is awareness
of them. Use your mood and bodily
sensations as cues to become more
aware of your thoughts. If you are feeling
depressed, angry or anxious, pause
a moment to become more aware of
your thinking. Remain conscious of
negative self-talk throughout the day
and consider whether it is actually true
or just an exaggeration and whether
you would accept someone talking to
a friend of yours in that way.
Forgive yourself – Love is merciful
and good. It’s important to take
responsibility for our actions, but the
bottom line is that we are imperfect
beings, so there’s no preventing us
from messing up from time to time. So
long as you’ve learned from your mistake,
feeling guilty about it serves no
purpose. Make an effort to understand
what you did wrong, how you can repair
the situation, and how you could
do better next time. You may need to
start by admitting fault or apologizing
to those you’ve hurt. Once you’ve
done everything you can, it’s time to
let go. Holding on to guilt can cause
physical symptoms, such as anxiety,
fatigue, and muscle tension. It also
takes you away from the here and
now. The only moment we truly have
is the present, and it’s wasted when we
spend it dwelling on the past.
Set healthy boundaries. We talked
earlier in this article about how love
is sacrifice and gift of self. But you
have to remember that if you are left
drained by your relationships, you will
have nothing left to give. The first step
is acknowledging that it is okay to put
yourself first. It is okay to say no. Also,
acknowledge when you put yourself
around people who respond to you
in a place with less than love, people
who are using you, or people who are
demeaning you. Become aware of the
larger conversations (social media,
group chats, etc.) that you’re apart of
and how they affect you. Once you become
aware of those relationships that
are negatively affecting you, it’s important
to set boundaries. You can do this
by simply communicating what you
need and explaining why it’s important
to you. Remember that learning to set
healthy boundaries takes time, so be
patient with yourself.
Live a life you love. Remember,
every day that you wake up is a
gift. We need to start doing a better
job of appreciating each day that
we are given. Self-care is self-love. It
is important to set goals. These can
be goals for the day or goals for your
life. It’s important to find purpose in
the day-to-day so when we look back
on a week, a month, a year, or even a
lifetime, it doesn’t appear as just one
meaningless blur. Nourish your soul
through prayer or meditation. Nourish
your mind through reading and
education. Nourish your body by cooking
for yourself and exercising. If you
struggle with low motivation, start by
simply making your bed in the morning.
Why? Because small wins lead
to big wins. While your worth is not
based on how much you achieve, you
will find that you feel more satisfied
with your life when you accomplish
even the smallest tasks. Our bodies
are also a gift. This means we need to
love the body that we are in with all its
imperfections. Engage in exercise and
physical activity to not only increase
your physical strength, but to improve
your mood. Exercise can cause you
to feel more connected to your body.
Drink water! For those plant lovers out
there, you know what happens when
you miss a day of watering you plant.
The same thing happens to us, but we
can’t see our insides withering as easily
as we can watch plants’ leaves do. Each
day take small steps toward living a life
you’re proud of instead of setting unrealistic
expectations for yourself. Love
is patient. Love is kind. So be patient
and kind with yourself.
This article was written by Paige
Jonna, MSBS, PA-C, Samantha
Mekani, MSBS, PA-C, Alyse
Haddad, FNP, PMHNP, RN,
founders of “All Reflect,” an online
blog that focuses on bringing mental
health concepts from the clinic to you.
Follow them on Instagram @allreflect.
26 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

Join the Chaldean
American Chamber
of Commerce.
Nearly 1,000
Members Strong!
INDIVIDUAL
BUSINESS
CORPORATE
MEMBER
BENEFITS
ANNUAL
RATE
Individual / Non-Business
Owner: $100/yr
Business Member
$200/yr
Corporate Member
$1,500/yr
Free attendance
to events
Listed in printed
directory
Ability to submit
content for e-news
Invitation to
exclusive events
Sponsorship of Annual Meeting
with opportunity to exhibit
Opportunity to
sponsor key events
Logo and link on
Chamber website
Business description in Annual
Report/Annual Directory
Ability to host events
Join
today
and refer
a friend!
Now more than ever,
we need each other.
Contact Sana Navarrette at
snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com
or 248-851-1200 for more information
30095 NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY, SUITE 101. FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334
248-851-1200 • CHALDEANCHAMBER.COM
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 27

Gorial Esshaki, Thomas Denha, Karim Sarafa,
Mansouri Denha, Gorgies Savaya,
and Hormuz Denha circa 1956
Hanna Shina leads Khugga Dance at Southfield Manor
Khugga Dance
Southfield Manor Part III – The Story Continues
BY DR. ADHID MIRI
In this piece, the words and names
come alive and speak to us about
the golden days of Southfield
Manor.
Entertainment and weddings
were some of the main purposes to
frequent the club. Group gatherings
are an extraordinary way to bond
with friends over food, beverages,
and card games in the nighttime.
Playing cards at the club was a huge
attraction and an enjoyable social
activity for our members.
The Games and the Gamers
Card games have always been very
popular among Chaldean people.
Any social gathering or family get
together seems incomplete without
them. Since childhood, we were
taught a lot of card games to play
with siblings, cousins and friends; no
doubt to keep us occupied for many
fun-filled hours.
For some card players, rearranging
or shuffling a deck of cards and playing
a couple of rounds of their most
loved amusement is a tried-and-true
method of loosening up toward the
finish of a difficult day. These games
were ideal for boosting memory and
self-control plus improving intelligence
and reasoning abilities. A
route for individuals to take their
brains off different things without
much effort; for some members, an
occasion to unwind and refocus.
Let me paint a picture: as you
entered the building, you were faced
with the two parts of the banquet
facility. The left side was especially
interesting with its mix of ladies
and their husbands engaged in the
pastime games of Kon-Kan, Poker,
Wishlaiany, Dominos, plus the onlookers
watching from the sidelines.
Familiar names and faces would
fill the room and greet you with energy
you as you entered. Najib, Shakir
and Nouri Karmo, Thomas and Mike
Denha, Jameel Yono, Salim Bahoura,
Latif Yaldoo, Faieq Esshaki, Manuel
and Jimmy Jonna, George Askar,
Faraj Dally, Badie Bodiya, Sliwa Pattah,
Gorgies Dakki, Yousif Kammano,
Yousif Mckanni (Abo Tahseen),
Roxi Yaldo, and Sabah and Gabriel
Sinawi were regulars at the club.
A few younger members would
be hanging around too, looking for a
card game. Zuhair Karmo (Rzayjja),
Mukhlus Karmo, Jerry Yaldo, and
Johnny Koza, to name a few. Zuhair
Yaldo was a distinct character with
his multi-color polyester shirts and
matching color slacks, with a large
set of keys hanging on his side leading
you to think he was a prison warden
or high school superintendent.
The Grand Masters of Poker:
I’m All In!
Poker is one of the most universally
known card games in existence. The
game we know as poker is believed
to have ancient roots that go back
nearly 1,000 years, crossing several
continents and cultures. It is a man’s
game. The gentlemen listed below
showcase Southfield Manor’s best
poker talent and players with the
highest level of skills and guts in this
fun game. The idea of listing these
great poker players is simply to bring
to the forefront the lesser known side
of these Grand Masters.
The Hall and Activity Room
Table one was, without a doubt, the
premier champions’ table was dominated
by master players like Bassim
Kassab, Mike Bahoura, Jamal Koza,
Faris Kassab, Nouri Choulagh, Dr.
Hillal Elia, Karim Toma, Phillip
Shamas, Shawkat Fatoohi, Salman
Yaldo, Rufi Ayar, Dawood Boji,
Yousif Qarana, Charli Askar, Zuhair
Jonna, and Fiktor Choulagh, among
others. Ibrahim Choulagh and Amer
Khames were regulars from Windsor,
Canada. Abo Salih (Amin Tobia
Summa) was a standby player and
chips organizer.
This is where the ‘real’ poker
game was happening, which attracted
solid players. The poker chips
were neatly prepared, counted and
readied ahead of the arrival of the
‘champs.’ There was no time to waste
in this high-stakes game. The chips
organizer, Abo Salih, arrived an hour
before the play to insure the availability
of two new decks of cards (the
Axe type) plus poker chips of various
denominations. Dollar chips were
white, five dollars were red, ten were
green, fifty were yellow and one hundred
dollar chips were black. This
group would never accept replacing
the poker chips with jellybeans or
M&M colored candies.
The game was mostly fair; however,
at times with either heavenly
intervention or swift collection by a
nimble hand during the shuffle, a few
high value chips would miraculously
disappear from the pot to the astonishment
of the winner! A cover up
debate would quickly ensue in order
to dismiss any legal claim, as the players
readied for the next round. By the
end of the night some were poorer,
others a lot happier. At times, the
games would continue after closing
to one of the players’ homes, playing
through to the morning when they
got kicked out by the host’s wife!
There were a few other tables
around the poker room. Table two’s
team was Sammi Kassab, Oraha
Shounia, Sabri Denha, Mike Denha,
and Ramzi Giezy. Table three had Salim
Yaldo, Basil Boji, Freddie Najor,
Mike Khami, Khalid Kalasho, Yalda
Atty, George Abbo, and Zuhair Yaldo.
A pre-Grand Masters game was
played during the first five years of
the club at a table near the hall’s
kitchen door. The game was Dealer’s
Choice/ Cincinnati/ High & Low.
The original players were Bassim
Kassab, Zeek Zebari, Sliwa Battah,
Edward Gorieal, Sabah Attisha,
Karim Toma, Rufi Ayar, Sabah Isho
(Abo NuNu), and Ibrahim Choulagh
from Canada.
Samir Ajemy, the manager, was
very supportive of the player’s needs
and stayed with the players as the
game extended to the early hours
of the morning. At times he would
personally deliver carryout to player’s
home to feed a relocated game and
was then frequently invited to join
the ongoing poker game. Samir,
though, was an amateur and no equal
to the poker masters. Almost always,
he would lose all his pocket cash plus
the delivery money he’d received!
KonKan
This is primarily a lady’s game. Konkan
is the most popular Chaldean card
game for all ages and across the globe.
The Indians, Chinese and Spanish
people play a similar variation of this
popular game. History books are written
about Konkan in order to explore
the origin of this amazing game.
Konkan was a very popular game
among the club ladies who occupied
the left side of the hall, where they
enjoyed playing cards as a source of
fun and excitement. Playing cards
was always in fashion as an ideal way
to reconnect with family and friends,
especially with those not seen in a
long time.
Most people play card games for
the entertainment value it provides,
reaping the benefits of bolstering
emotional and mental health. Card
games like KonKan, Wishlaiany, and
Poker keep the mind active, boosts
concentration, and offers a social
outlet - key factors for a happy and
cheerful life.
The Ladies Konkan tables were
usually made of the same five players
and most of them played together
on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays.
The regulars teams were: Virginia
(Nadhir) Denha, Rabab Binno, Ann
Jonna, Virginia Kassab, and Suham
Mackani; Sherina (Nadhir) Kashat,
Bernadette Sarafa, Hayat Sesi, Thuraiya
Kassab, and Georgette Karmo;
Thuraiya Kassab, Asia Shouniya,
Joan Garmo, Linda Zebari, and Ilham
Elia; Ikhlas Qa-Korkies, Ikhlas
Najor, Azhar Koza, Feryal Dano,
and Lulu Koza; Mary Dabbish, Enam
28 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

Fouad Atto and Adhid Miri
Village costumes
Toma, Samira Yaldo, Lilly Yono, and
Suham Boji; Goorjia Jonna, Gladys
Koza, Naama Toma, Warda Koza,
and Mary Jane Farida; Margreete
Esshaki, Najiba Shounia, Andrea
George, Amira Giezy, Rejo Koza, and
Zihoora Kalabat; and Violina Kassab,
Bassima Ayar, Ghalia Segmani, Suham
Hannawa, and Sundus Jonna.
The most famous male players
of KonKan were: Thomas Denha,
Mike Denha, Thomas Farida, Najeeb
Karmo, Ramzi Giezy, and Salim
Mackhay; and Salah Shouniya, Roxi
Zebari, Gorgies Yono, Faraj Dikho,
and Yousif Garmo.
Wishlaiany
Hanna Shina is a man for all seasons
and all reasons. He is considered the
ultimate event organizer, an actor,
athlete, Tawli master, Wishlaiany
great, Dominos expert, Pin-Pong
star, and Poker specialist as well as a
club connector. He oversaw all gaming
prizes and purchased the winners’
trophies from Dearborn to award the
top winners. The top prize, a set of
worry beads (Yussor), was valued at
one hundred dollars.
Hanna Shina’s services to the
club and the membership were both
unlimited and unconditional. He
was involved whether in/out of the
CIAAM board or on committee. In
fact, he was so popular, in the 2003
board elections, Hanna obtained
the highest number of votes (359
of 540), 66% of the votes - without
campaigning! (A percentage never
again achieved before or after by any
candidate in the club history.)
September 2002 marked the
first world cup of Wishlaiany, held
at Southfield Manor with 16 teams.
Each team was made up of 3 expert
players, world renowned in deciphering
facial signs, winks, lip biting, and
eyebrow movements, chin twisting
and other faking maneuvers, all contrary
to the universal laws of gravity!
The semi-finalists teams were Fouad
Garmo, Zuhair Garmo, and Thomas
Farida; Fakhri Garmo, Riyadh Jiddo,
and Mwafaq Yaldo; Mukhlis Shammami,
Johnny Yalda, and Hussam
Abbo: and finally, Bishop Ibrahim
Ibrahim, Father Sulaiman Denha
and Father Manuel Boji.
Team Number One emerged as
the champions after beating Team
Number 3 on September 18, 2002.
(Evidently there was no heavenly
intervention as the Bishop-led clergy
team was defeated.)
Other top teams were as follows:
Bassim Binno, Najeeb Zebari,
Manuel Najor, and Shibbib Kas-
Korkis; Louie Boij, Oraha Shouniya,
Ramzi Giezy, and Mike Denha;
Karim Dabbish, Manuel Meram,
Mike Denha, and Hanna Dikho (on
Tuesday nights); Zeek Zebari, Louie
Boji, Thomas Denha, Sabri Denha,
and Mike Denha (every Thursday
night); Hanna Shina, Mukhlus
Karmo, Jalal Jameil, and Ramzi
Garmo; Nadir Shammami, Zidan
Hannawa, and Charli Semaan; Paul
Sitto, Dr. Malik McKani, and Zuhair
Koza; Sabah Sigmani, Zuhair Ayar,
and Salem Khamerco; Rufi Ayar,
Hussam Denha, and Mike Denha;
Karim Dabish, George Odish, and
Azziz Dabish; Mike Dikho, Manuel
Meram, Bahi Sesi, and Hanna Dikho;
Jameel Nafsu, Yousif Nafsu, and
Nazar Nafsu; and Adil Kalabat, Zuhair
Kalabat, and Johnny Arafat.
Tawli (Backgammon),
Domino and Billiards
Southfield Manor
backgammon boards
were hand made by
Fouad Atto. This
Babylonian master
carpenter inherited
the trade and crafted
Fouad Atto
the Sumerian invention
units to perfection.
From the dice set to the game
30-piece selection, the shape, color,
size and weight to the wood selection
and stain veneer were perfect.
Originally priced at around one hundred
and fifty dollars in 1980, by the
nineties, due to inflation and high
demand, the price rose to two hundred
and fifty dollars. For a little extra,
the backgammon case would be
engraved with a golden plaque and
signature - a gift proudly made by
Fouad Atto.
Fouad was a good Tawli maker,
yet a lesser player who frequently
lost to other players. During a visit to
Iraq in the nineties, boasting about
his international skills, he was beaten
decisively by three young Atto
nephews. The youngest, aged fifteen
at the time, beat him 5-0! (Fouad
Atto –Adhid picture)
Other passionate Tawli players
at the club included Bassim Kassab,
Hanna Shina, Joury Kas-Mikha, Harry
Dikho, Dr. Hillal Elia, Sabah Attisha,
Mukhlus Shammami, Salman
Qarana, Dr. Peter J. Kalabat, Paul
Sitto, Naji Bahoura, Johnny Yalda,
Raad Kathawa, Salman Konja, Najib
Samouna, Louis Estephan, Bishop
Ibrahim Ibrahim, Father Manuel
Boji, and Father Sulaiman Denha.
The first Backgammon champion
in Southfield Manor History was Dr.
Peter J. Kalabat in 1982.
The champion of the 2003 tournament
was Sabah Attisha. Bassim
Kassab was crowned as champion
in 2004 after defeating Hanna Shina
in the finals. Notable past champions
include Joury Kas- Mikha,
Harry Dikho, Hanna Shina, and
Fouad Atto.
The Domino masters were Karim
Sarafa, Mansouri Sitto, Mikha Sheena,
Hanna Dikho, Azziz Dabish, Bahi
Sesi, Dr. Shakib Halabu, Habbib Yaldo,
Salim Jiddo, and Ramzi Giezy.
Some gamers enjoyed Billiards at
the club. Among these were Louis
Estephan, Habbib Qashat, Thomas
Denha, Shibeeb Qas Korkis, Jack
Najor, Habbib Garmo, Sabah Najor,
and Fouad Atto. Table tennis
was also played in the early days and
the champions were usually Hanna
Shina, Nafe Batah, or Sarmad Jabiro.
With a clock on the side and asking
for limited noise, Freddie Najor
and Mike Khami were some of the
few that played chess at the club.
Chaldean Weddings
Like other cultures, Chaldeans have
their own traditions, styles, and needs
when it comes to weddings. And if
there’s one thing that Chaldeans are
most known for in the United States,
it’s their extravagant weddings. For
Bassim Kassab, 2004 tawli champion
the bride and groom, a typical wedding
is a long, joyous day filled with
multiple parties, an abundance of
food, and (almost too much) dancing.
When Chaldeans celebrate a
wedding, they truly celebrate.
The “right” banquet hall is extremely
important for Chaldean
weddings. They usually have a high
guest count, which means that the
banquet hall must offer ample space
to accommodate everyone comfortably.
You can expect anywhere from
500 to 1,000 guests for a standard
wedding. That’s a lot of aunts, uncles,
and cousins!
Dancing is a large part of the culture,
and guests usually dance from
the beginning to the very end. The
banquet hall had a large dance floor
for guests to celebrate the night away.
Southfield Manor has been a feature
of the area’s local culture for as
long as most people can remember. It
was the landmark of its time and quickly
became a center for all major events
and community functions, especially
weddings. The Southfield Manor provided
one of the best wedding banquet
halls in the Oakland County area.
In the fourth and last part of this
series we will cover the farewell of
The Southfield Manor, the committees,
the social events and management
team that were part of its colorful
folklore, traditions, and history.
Read the first and second installment
of this series at chaldeannews.
com/culture-and-history. If you have
a photo to share, submit it to edit@
chaldeannews.com along with a caption
to be featured in the story. We are
always looking to add more traditions
and pictures to our articles and photography
collection, so we encourage
you to contact us if you have any additional
insight. With your help we hope
to create the most comprehensive list
of past and present wedding traditions.
Acknowledgements for contributions
by Hanna Shina, Adil Bacall
Nabby Yono, and Bassim Kassab.
Special thanks to Jacqueline Raxter
for assistance with editing.
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 29

chaldeans around the WORLD
Chaldeans in Europe - Part V
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD
There have been many waves
of refugees and emigrants
from Iraq since the late 1970s
through to the present. Major events
in Iraq led to these flights for millions
of Iraqis. Relative to more than three
decades of repression, occasional
violent attacks and massacres from
1980–1988, the 1991 Gulf War and
the resulting economic sanctions
that lasted from 1991 until the toppling
of Saddam Hussein, and the
2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.
By 2008, due to the continuous
violence that unfolded since US-led
2003 invasion of Iraq, a total of 4.7
million people have been displaced:
2.7 million are internally displaced
persons (IDPs), and the remaining 2
million have fled the country in search
of refuge. Iraqis have become the third
largest refugee population after the Afghans
and the Palestinians.
Europe has hosted an important
population of Iraqi exiles since the
1980s with the outbreak of the Iran–
Iraq War. The US-led invasion of Iraq
has been widely criticized and denounced
as a major reason for asylum
applicants accepted by the European
Union (EU). In particular, the Iraqi
diaspora has had a strong presence in
the Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom
(UK), Sweden, Denmark, Norway,
and the Netherlands.
The United Nations (UN) called
on western nations to accept more
Iraqi refugees, signaling specifically
the United States (US) and the UK,
adding that the latter should “Take
the lead in Europe by immediately
announcing a program to resettle
some of the Iraqi refugees currently
living in the most difficult conditions
and continue to trigger their further
migration to Europe.”
Chaldeans in Germany
1 Missions in Germany
2 Parish in Germany
Approximately 100,000 Chaldeans/
Syriacs/Assyrians currently reside in
Germany, 10,000 of whom live in
Greater Essen, in the state of North
Rhine Westphalia. Others live in
Munich, Wiesbaden, Paderborn, Bietigheim
- Bissingen, Goppingen,
Koln, Hamburg, Augsburg and Gutersloh.
Being oppressed and persecuted
throughout the 20th century for
Chaldeans in Germany
their religion, many arrived from
Turkey, Iraq, Syria seeking a better
life. The first large wave arrived in
the 1960s and 1970s as Germany was
seeking immigrant workers. Many
Chaldeans/Syriacs/Assyrians saw
this as an opportunity for freedom
and success, thus applying for visas.
Chaldeans started working in restaurants
or as construction workers for
companies and many began running
their own shops. The second wave of
refugees came in the 1980s and 1990s
because of the Turkish-PKK conflict
in the region of Kurdistan.
These Chaldean immigrants in
Germany organized themselves by
forming cultural clubs and building
churches. The first official Chaldean
Catholic parish was recently established
in Germany, having its own
church, the Church of Mar Adai and
Mar Mari.
Initially most Iraqis in Essen’s
Chaldean Catholic community came
to Germany as refugees, experiencing
war and oppression firsthand in
Iraq. Currently the parish community
provides help the so-called “quota
refugees” who are now arriving in
Germany from Iraq - without regard
to religious affiliation.
In November of 2008, the European
Union (EU) decided to accept
a total of 10,000 refugees. Germany
has since agreed to take in 2,500
Iraqi refugees, helping the “most
vulnerable.” The Office of the UN
High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) and the Federal Office
for Migration and Refugees selected
a number of these “most vulnerable”
people for resettlement in Germany.
This group includes single mothers
with children, women and girls
threatened by violence, and members
of persecuted religious minorities,
such as the Christians, Mandeans
and Yazidis. According to
available information, at least half of
the selected refugees were Chaldean
Christians, who have been suffering
increasing persecution since
the Iraq War of 2003.
On October 22,
2017, the Chaldean-
Catholic community
of Mar Shimon Bar
Sabbai in Stuttgart
celebrated the opening
of the first center
of the Chaldean Catholic
Church in Europe.
The Stuttgart municipality
is named after the 4th-century
martyr bishop and church chief,
Shimon Bar Sabbai. The Chaldean
church has 6,000 faithfuls’ in southern
Germany. 2,000 came from the
greater Stuttgart area, another 1,500
from the entire diocese and 2,500
from outside the diocese. The parish
priest Sizar Happe celebrated the inauguration
service. Auxiliary Bishop
Matthäus Karrer from the Diocese of
Rottenburg-Stuttgart gave the sermon
and blessed the newly renovated
communal areas after the service.
Every weekend, 400-500 Chaldean-Catholic
Christians come together
in Stuttgart’s Rohracker district.
Ten years ago, work started in the
diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, where
about eighty percent of the faithful are
from Iraq, ten percent are from Syria
and ten percent are from Turkey.
The situation for Christians in
Iraq became even worse after 2014
when IS (Islamic State) conquered
Mosul and vast areas in northern
Iraq. Several thousand Christians fled
to Germany, many to the Diocese of
Rottenburg-Stuttgart. The initially
small community in Stuttgart grew.
Chaldean Christians living in Essen
are very well integrated into the
community, they are employed, they
have even built houses, and their
children attend the more academically
oriented secondary schools.
The Chaldean communities in Germany
play a major role in the integration
of refugee arrivals.
Chaldeans in Belgium
1 Mission in Belgium (Plus 2 Centers)
The Chaldean European story is no
different in Belgium. In Mechelen
there are currently two Catholic parishes,
St. Peter and Paul’s Church
and St. Libertus Church. St. Peter
and Paul’s Church mainly consists of
Catholic Christians from the village
of Hessana in Turkey. The parish of
St. Libertus includes Catholic Christians
from the villages of Herbul,
Geznakh and Bespin,, also in Turkey.
Apart from Chaldean Christians
from Turkey, there are also many
Chaldean and Aramean
Christians from Iraq and
Syria who also-remove
belong to the various
Chaldean, Syrian
Orthodox and Syrian-Catholic
parishes
in Belgium.
In Mechelen and
surroundings areas, the
people known as ‘Assyrians’
are largely a mix of Chaldeans,
Assyrians and Syrian Orthodox. In
practice, they identify themselves as
Assyrians for the sake of familiarity
with the term or because of the belief
that they are ethnic Assyrians of the
ancient Assyrian Empire. Many Chaldeans
identify themselves in their
mother tongue as ‘Keldayé’ (= Chaldeans),
yet in Dutch as Assyrians.
In addition to the Chaldean community
house of St. Libertus parish
and the Assyrian community house
of Beth-El (House of God) there is
Beth Hessana and Flemish-Assyrian
House. Beth Hessana focuses on the
EUROPE continued from page 32
30 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

PROJECT LIGHT THERAPY SERVICES
Therapy can be a big step toward being the healthiest
version of yourself and living the best life possible—our
professional therapists are here for you to access.
Through therapy, you can change self-destructive
behaviors and habits, resolve painful feelings,
improve your relationships, and share your
feelings and experiences. Individuals often
seek therapy for help with issues that may be
hard to face alone.
For Your Best Health.
In therapy your trilingual therapist will help you
to establish person centered goals and determine
the steps you will take to reach those goals. Your
relationship with your therapist is confidential and
our common therapeutic goal for those we engage
is to inspire healthy change to improve quality of
life - no matter the challenge.
We invite you seek out the Light of Project Light!
Serving individuals ages 13 years and up. Please call
to request a Project Light Intake at (586) 722-7253.
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
3601 15 MILE ROAD
STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310
WWW.CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG
(586) 722-7253
CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY: The CCF and Project Light is committed to your privacy and confidentiality and
are sensitive to the stigma and stress that come with seeking mental health support. Therefore, all counseling records
are kept strictly confidential. Information is not shared without client’s written consent. Exceptions to confidentiality are
rare and include persons who threaten safety of themselves others or in circumstances of a court order.
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 31

Chaldeans flying the flag of Belgium.
EUROPE continued from page 30
broader community with respect for
the Assyrian, Chaldean and Aramean
identities. Their main activity is food
distribution to the impoverished.
There are other associations active
in Belgium, which are separate
from the existing community houses.
‘Chaldean League Belgium’ is an international
overarching Chaldean
organization founded on the initiative
of the Chaldean Church, led by
the patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphael
I Sako. The head office is in Iraq and
in all countries with large Chaldean
communities there is a branch as part
of the Chaldean League, some countries
have multiple branches.
Chaldeans in austria
1 Mission in Austria
There are few Chaldeans in Austria
with one Church Mission. Iraqi
Christians, Kurds, Yazidis and others
fled war ravaged Iraq crossing seven
borders and the Aegean Sea to seek
refuge in Europe or asylum in Austria.
They travelled by boat, train,
automobile and on foot navigating
the Austrian and German police cordons
on the bridge linking the two
neighboring countries.
By 2015 about 57,000 people had
applied for asylum in Austria. Germany
welcomed 800,000 refugees.
The number of refugees arriving in
these countries needing registration
and protection is putting enormous
pressure on European governments.
As they await resolution of their own
uncertain status, efforts to bridge cultures
and language barriers for Arabic
speakers seeking safety in Europe has
been welcomed by refugees and the
community in Austria and Germany.
The Assyrian community in
Austria began immigrating in 1974
when Assyrians mostly from southern
Turkey and later from Iraq Assyrian
homeland immigrated to Vienna.
Here the numbers are less than 5000.
Most Assyrians in Austria belong to
the Syriacs Orthodox Church though
a minority belong to the Assyrian
Church of the East. The Patriarchal
Vicar responsible for the Syriac Orthodox
Community in Austria resides
in the Swiss town of Arth. In 1987,
the Syriac Orthodox Church was recognized
as a religious community by
the government of Austria.
Chaldeans In The Denmark
1 Parish in Denmark
Denmark has been a strong host nation
to Iraqi refugees, where there are
approximately 12,000 Iraqis, (are-remove)
one of the largest Arab ethnic
groups residing in Denmark. This is
partially due to the large number of
Kurds and Assyrians who have emigrated
from northern Iraq.
The Chaldean congregation
in Denmark is composed of some
2000 Catholics primarily from Iraq
and the Chaldean congregation in
Aarhus is the largest in Denmark.
After 1991 and degradation in security
forced many Christians to flee in
the 2000s, which has caused the congregation
in Denmark and Aarhus to
grow. As of 2010 some 400 Chaldean
families resided in Denmark.
Saint Nikolaj Church is a church
in Aarhus, Denmark. Saint Nikolaj
Church is today owned and operated
by the Catholic Church in Denmark
and home to the local Chaldean
congregation in Aarhus. The church
is 700 square meters in size and can
accommodate up to 300 individuals.
Sankt Nikolaj Kirke (Aarhus) Chaldean
Church in the Denmark
As with other Christian groups, rituals
of the Sunday mass highlight and
confirm the congregations’ faith and
community, these rituals also serve
other functions related to identification
and belonging. The Sunday rituals
facilitate connection with God,
place, and time. Iraqi Chaldeans, Assyrians,
in the Denmark Church remember
the pre-migration past and
‘homeland’.
Chaldeans In The Netherland
1 Parish in Holland
There are over 50,000 Iraqis in the
Netherlands, including immigrants
from Iraq and locally born people of
Iraqi heritage. Some sources claim
an estimation of 60,000 people of
Iraqi descent are living in the Netherlands.
The Iraqi community in the
Netherlands is the 4th largest and
has the highest percentage of qualified
and professional people and artistes
who have integrated well and
(have-remove) become useful members
of the Dutch society.
The first wave of immigrants was
in 1992, the data confirm duo this
phenomenon, which rose gradually
to reach a peak in 1998. The Iraqi
community in the Netherlands has
increased from 8,000 in 1995 to approximately
40,000 in 2002. Apart
from this group, there is an unknown
number of Iraqis illegally staying in
the Netherlands.
The main motives of the Iraqi
migration are political asylum seeking,
resulting previous conditions in
Iraq regarding the nature of the former
regime, and the circumstances
of successive wars and the economic
embargo which was imposed on Iraq.
Initially in the 1970s few Chaldeans
and Assyrians came to the
Netherlands. Today their number is
estimated to be between 25,000 and
35,000. (and-remove) They mainly
live in the eastside of the country, in
the province of Overijssel, in such
cities as Enschede, Hengelo, Almelo
and Borne.
Largely Assyrians are concentrated
there because the eastside is
an industrial area which lies at the
Germany-Netherlands border, where
a large German Assyrian population
resides. Many Assyrians in the Netherlands
have relatives in Germany.
The latest group to migrate to the
Netherlands are from Iraq, and they
have been arriving there since the
first Gulf War.
Chaldeans In Switzerland
The population of Iraqis in Switzerland
is estimated to be around 5,000.
However, the Swiss government is
closing doors to future Iraqi refugees,
offering to instead send external aid.
Chaldeans in Switzerland came
mostly as refugees from the towns
of Midyat, Mardin and Beth-Zabady
(Idil) in TurAbdin, most of them
are Syriac Orthodox (about 1,600
Families).
The seat of the Syriac Orthodox
Bishop of the Swiss and Austrian diocese
is in the St. Avgin (Eugene) Monastery
in Arth, near Lucerne, where
part of the Chaldean community
lives. They also live on the eastside of
the country in the Canton of St. Gallen
(Wil-Area) and in Baden about
20 km from Zurich. A large number
of the Chaldeans in Switzerland also
live in the Italian Part of Switzerland
in Canton of Ticio, mostly in Lugano
and Locarno.
Asylum seekers from Iraq say,
“Iraq is finished”. While others like
deacon Slewa Kalka, at St. John’s
Church, take a more positive view,
saying, “Iraq will be a free land, but
we don’t know when.” “It was very
beautiful, we had a very good life in
Iraq, but wars destroyed it all,” his
wife Jamila said, “We pray every day
for peace in Iraq”.
Special thanks to Mrs. Jacqueline
Raxter for help with editing.
32 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

Distributed by: Value Wholesale Distributors, MI / Ph: +1 248-967-2900
STRONG
TAKES
A LEAP
OF
FAITH
Become #MarianStrong
Academic excellence, exceptional athletics, empowering environment, and
more tuition assistance opportunities than ever before. Find your strength
at Marian. Schedule your family’s personal tour today!
Call (248)502-3033.
marian-hs.org
FEBRUARY 2021 CHALDEAN NEWS 33

chaldean on the STREET
Tell Us a Love Story
We asked the Chaldean on the Street, “In the name of romance, please share with us your favorite
love story.” Where are the romantic men? Only women responded…
My husband and I met three years ago when I went
in to Princess Mediterranean Grill on 14 Mile and
Orchard Lake to pick up food. I thought he was very
handsome. His cousin worked with him at Princess
and during the week, worked with my mom. My
mother gave his cousin my number and since then
we have not left each other’s side. 3 years later, we
got married during a pandemic and we can’t wait to
see what the future holds!
– Miranda Bachi, Farmington Hills
I am a certified pastry chef and used to make cakes
by order only from home. Jack was picking up an
order from me. I thought he was just “some other
customer” and sent him my address to pick up his order.
The way he was driving, I texted him not to brake
too hard or the cake would go flying. His response
“oops too late, lol,” then “just joking” and the rest
was history! On our wedding day at the altar, Father
Andrew said he had never seen a couple so in sync.
Together five years, married two and a half with a
baby girl due any day now; that connection and love
for each other is like never before.
– Eden Bahoura Hannah, Sterling Heights
My husband and I met 13 years before we got married.
We worked together at a young age, our early
20s. We dated for 3 months and when he came over
to ask for my hand, my parents refused - due to him
not having a good enough job to support a family!
Years went by and parents were not happy to see him
around. He wasn’t Chaldean so they wouldn’t give him
a chance. He persisted, got a career with the government
and wouldn’t let go, so the second time he came
around they accepted him. He was there to help my
mother in the hospital when she was being treated for
cancer. She loved him before she passed.
– Eva Shaboo Cooley, Sterling Heights
In 2004, I went on a blind date with my now husband
of 15 years. During our first date, we talked about many
things; how he was born in Iraq and came here when
he was 3, and how our parents met and married. When
I got home that night I told my dad about my date and
his name. My dad immediately pulled out his and my
mom’s wedding album and said that the guy I went on
a date with and his entire family attended my parents’
wedding in 1974. My husband is in my parents’ wedding
photo when he was just 3 with his entire family!
(They were neighbors at the time). He is my fated
soulmate; I had that engraved in his wedding band.
– Zena Michael
Tom and I met in a co-op class at Southfield High
School. He told the teacher he would help me
in class, and I couldn’t believe this GQ wanted
anything to do with me! We dated for eight years
and spent a lot of money talking on the pay phone!
Tom wouldn’t marry me until he had a business, and
I finished my degree. We met in 1987 and married
in 1995. We will be married 26 years in 2021. Marriage
is work, not rainbows and unicorns. To have
a good marriage, you need two important things -
compromise and forgiveness.
– Hilda Shunia, Milford
My favorite love story would have to be my godmother’s.
She met her husband here in Michigan while she
was visiting my family. She is originally from Pennsylvania.
They started a long distance relationship and it was
so inspiring to see how they were able to be together
even though they did not see each other every day.
Their relationship has made me value the importance of
communication and commitment in a relationship. Yes,
they had their ups and downs but they didn’t let that
affect how they felt about each other. Their relationship
showed me that no matter the distance between two
people, a relationship can be strong as long as one’s
heart and soul is willing to put in the work.
– Stephanie Hanna, Livonia
34 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

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

DOCTOR is in
Did you know? More than 34 million children
and adults in the U.S. have diabetes. Regular
dental visits are more important for people
with diabetes. See your dentist today!
Delta Dental of Michigan
A TTORNEYS & C O UNSELORS AT LAW
Understanding the
COVID-19 Vaccine
Most people have
heard of DNA
(deoxyribonucleic
acid), the molecule SARS-
CoV-2 viral spike that creates
our unique genetic code,
and some may even have
heard of RNA (ribonucleic
acid). They are sometimes
called “messenger genes;”
they carry information between
cells and also carry
the genetic information of
many viruses.
Coronaviruses are enveloped
RNA viruses. The spikes
projecting out from their surface
gave them the name “coronavirus.”
(“Corona” means “crown). The
structure of SARS-CoV-2, the virus
that causes COVID-19 illness, has
a unique feature that could explain
why it is so transmissible between
people. A scientific study identified
a structural loop in the SARS-
CoV-2 spike protein, the area of the
virus that facilitates entry into a
human cell, and a sequence of four
amino acids in this loop.
To understand how vaccines
work, it helps to first look at how
our bodies fight illness. When germs,
such as the virus that causes COV-
ID-19, invade our bodies, they attack
and multiply. This invasion, called
an infection, is what causes illness.
Our immune system uses several
tools to fight infection. Blood contains
red cells, which carry oxygen
to tissues and organs, and white or
immune cells, which fight infection.
Different types of white blood cells
fight infection in different ways.
The first time a person is infected
with the virus that causes COVID-19,
it can take several days or weeks for
DR. SAMIR JAMIL
SPECIAL TO THE
CHALDEAN NEWS
their body to make and use
all the germ-fighting tools
needed to get over the infection.
After the infection,
the person’s immune system
remembers what it learned
about how to protect the
body against that disease.
The body keeps a few
T-lymphocytes called memory
cells that go into action
quickly if the body encounters
the same virus again.
When the familiar antigens are detected,
B-lymphocytes produce antibodies
to attack them.
How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies
develop immunity to the COV-
ID-19 virus without us having to get
the illness. Different types of vaccines
work in different ways to offer
protection, but all types of vaccines
will result in the body having a supply
of “memory” T-lymphocytes as
well as B-lymphocytes that will remember
how to fight this virus in
the future.
It will take a few weeks for the
body to produce adequate T-lymphocytes
and B-lymphocytes after
vaccination. Most vaccines use two
shots separated by 3-4 weeks. It is
possible that a person could be infected
with the virus that causes
COVID-19 just before or after vaccination.
They would then get sick
because the vaccine did not have
enough time to provide protection.
Sometimes after a vaccination,
the process of building immunity
can cause symptoms, such as fever.
These symptoms are normal and are
a sign that the body is building immunity.
36 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS
Your Home
Guaranteed
or I’ll Buy It!
844-SOLD-BY-Z • SoldByMarkZ.com
Phone: (248) 851-2227
(248) 851-BCBS
Fax: (248) 851-2215
rockyhpip1@aol.com
ROCKY H. HUSAYNU
Professional Insurance Planners
Individual & Group Health Plans
Medicare Supplement Plans
31000 Northwestern Hwy. • Suite 110
Farmington Hills, Ml 48334
Over 40 years of experience.
LITIGATION
continued on page 37
Safaa Macany
VP of Mortgage
Lending
o: (248) 216-1255
c: (248) 229-4422
smacany@rate.com
www.rate.com/SafaaMacany
1700 W. Big Beaver
Suite 225
Troy, MI 48084
Guaranteed Rate NMLS: 2611 • NMLS ID: 138658, LO#: MI - 138658
ANGELA KAKOS
Ranked In The Top 1% Nationwide!
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 FOUR YEARS IN A ROW
Call to get PRE-APPROVED now!
248-622-0704
2456 Metropolitan Pkwy,
Sterling Heights MI 48310
(16 & Dequindre)
CHALDEAN
AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
Experience • Knowledge • Personal Service
Experience • Knowledge • Personal Service
TOP 1% OF REALTORS
TOP
TOP
1% OF
1% IN OAKLAND REALTORS
OF REALTORS
IN
COUNTY IN OAKLAND 1993 – 2015
OAKLAND COUNTY 2020
COUNTY 1993 – 2015
Proudly serving Birmingham,
Each office is independently
West Bloomfield, the Lakes
Bloomfield, Lakes and Farmington surrounding areas.
Owned and Operated Brian S. Yaldoo and surrounding areas. Hills,
Each office is independently Associated Broker West Bloomfield, the Lakes
Owned and OperatedBrian BrianS. Office (248)737-6800 • Mobile Yaldoo
(248)752-4010and surrounding areas.
Toll Associated Free (866) 762-3960
Broker
Email: brianyaldoo@remax.com Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com
Office Office (248) www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com
(248)737-6800 • Mobile (248)752-4010
752-4010
Toll Free (866) 762-3960
Email: brianyaldoo@remax.net Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com
Email: brianyaldoo@remax.com Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com
www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com
Each office is independently
Owned and Operated
Jaguar Land Rover Troy
Sammi A. Naoum
1815 Maplelawn Drive
Troy, MI 48084
TEL 248-341-8015
MOBILE 248-219-5525
snaoum@suburbancollection.com
2015 REAL ESTATE
ALL2015 STAR 2020
REAL - REAL
ESTATE
ESTATE
HOUR MEDIA ALL ALL STAR STAR - –
HOUR MEDIA
Proudly serving Birmingham,
Bloomfield, Proudly Farmington serving Birmingham, Hills, Bloomfield,
Farmington Hills, West Bloomfield, the
ELIAS KATTOULA
CAREER SERVICES MANAGER
3601 15 Mile Road
Sterling Heights, MI 48310
TEL: (586) 722-7253
FAX: (586) 722-7257
elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org
www.chaldeanfoundation.org
CHALDEAN
AMERICAN
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
SANA NAVARRETTE
MEMBERSHIP MANAGER
SANA NAVARRETTE
DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
CELL (248) 925-7773
TEL (248) 851-1200
FAX (248) 851-1348
snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com
www.chaldeanchamber.com
www.chaldeanfoundation.org
Types of Vaccines
Currently, there are three main
types of COVID-19 vaccines that
either are or soon will be available
in the United States:
mRNA vaccines contain material
from the virus that causes
COVID-19 which gives our cells
instructions on how to make a
harmless protein that is unique to
the virus (spike protein). After our
cells make copies of the protein,
they destroy the genetic material
from the vaccine.
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
Protein subunit vaccines include
harmless pieces (proteins) of the virus
that cause COVID-19 instead of
the entire virus.
Vector vaccines contain a weakened
version of a live virus (a different
virus than the one that causes
COVID-19) that has genetic material
from the virus that causes COV-
ID-19 inserted in it (this is called a
viral vector). Once the viral vector
is inside our cells, the genetic material
gives cells instructions to make
a protein that is unique to the virus
that causes COVID-19. Using these
instructions, our cells make copies
of the protein
All three types of vaccine cause
our bodies to recognize that the protein
SARS-CoV-2 viral spike should
not be there so your body builds T-
lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes
that will remember how to fight the
virus that causes COVID-19 if we
are infected in the future.
Getting vaccinated is one of
many steps you can take to protect
yourself and others from CO-
VID-19. Protection is critically
important because as we know, for
some people this virus can cause severe
illness or death.
Vaccines work with your immune
system so your body will be
ready to fight the virus if you are
later exposed. Other steps like
wearing masks and social distancing
help reduce your chance of being
exposed to the virus or spreading
it to others.
Stopping a pandemic requires using
all the tools available.

event
Serving the Community While Socially Distancing
On Monday, January 25, the Chaldean Community Foundation, in partnership with the Macomb County Health Department,
administered free mobile COVID testing in the parking lot of their community center. No ID or insurance was required but
appointments were mandatory. They also offered free blood pressure screening.
Protecting the Community
On Thursday, January 21, the Chaldean Community Foundation held another PPE Giveaway to the community in a
drive-thru format. Over the course of the event, the team distributed over 865 kits to the local community. The kits included
facemasks, face shields, hand sanitizers, antibacterial wipes, and more. Since August, CCF has provided over 6,300 kits to
the local community along with various other donations to local churches, schools and many more organizations.
38 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021

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