NOVEMBER 2010

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partnership with Chaldean merchants.” 

As a grocer, Terry Farida, president of Value Center Markets, enjoys the collaboration. “Country Fresh 

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excellent service, but with their commitment to the Chaldean community.” 

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NOVEMBER 2010 CHALDEAN NEWS

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2010 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 7 ISSUE X 

on the cover 

28 Four for the Ages 

By Mike Sarafa 

Elders share their experiences and expectations 

28 

features 

30 Giving Thanks 

By Vanessa Denha Garmo 

Feeling gratitude brings a healthier and happier life 

32 A Joyful Noise 

By Weam Namou 

Church choirs hit all the right notes 

40 Seeking Information 

By Joyce Wiswell 

Reward offered in store killing 

32 44 

On the Cover: 

Salim Shamoun, 

Dr. Jamil Anton, 

Jamil “Jimmy” 

Jonna and 

Norma HakiM. 

Photo by 

David Reed 

departments 

8 From the Editor 

10 YOUR LETTERS 

11 the COUNSELOR is in 

By Iklas J. Bashi, LPC, NCC 

Our unhealthy obsession with gossip 

13 Noteworthy 

15 Community Bulletin Board 

16 Chai Time 

18 halhole 

22 religion 

By Robert Moynihan 

The strange message from Mar Delly 

24 Obituaries 

26 economics & Enterprise 

Full steam ahead: 

CK Mediterranean takes off 

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

44 Events 

Project Bismutha 

Fall Football 

45 Classifieds 

building community 

34 Sparking Dialogue 

By Robert Sklar and Vanessa Denha Garmo 

Chaldean-Jewish communities develop a strategic model to 

build an ethnic network 

35 Talking About Culture 


Jewish and Chaldean teens chat about their differences, 

similarities and stereotypes 

36 All Aboard the Friendship tour 


37 Teen Forum a Great First Step 

By Angelic Gasso 

37 ‘Work as a Community 

to Build One’ 

By Josh Morof 

38 ‘A common cause’ 

By Alan Stamm and Justin Fisette 

Chaldeans, Jews extend parents’ gains through public service 

39 Chaldeans and Jews 

serve side-by-side 

By Justin Fisette 


from the EDITOR 

Word to the wise 

Published By 

The Chaldean News, LLC 

Editorial 

Editor in Chief 

Vanessa Denha-Garmo 

managing Editor 

Joyce Wiswell 

Contributing Writers 

Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

Joseph Kassab 

Weam Namou 

Mike Sarafa 

Robert Sklar 

art & production 

creative director 

Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

graphic designers 

Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

Joseph Sesi with Sesi Design 

Photographers 

Nora Bahrou Downs 

David Reed 

Every morning, I get 

a prayer from Mercy 

High School via email. 

On this sunny cool fall day, I 

opened the email to read this 

prayer: 

“Lord, Your word says, 

‘But if any of you needs wisdom, 

you should ask God for 

it. He is generous and enjoys 

giving to all people, so he 

will give you wisdom’ (James 

1:5). God, Please grant insight, 

foresight and wisdom 

to all of our governmental 

leaders. We ask this in Jesus’ name. 

And we thank You God for the gift of 

this day. Amen.” 

This daily prayer emailed to alumni, 

board members and others is also read 

Vanessa 

denha-garmo 

editor in chief 

co-publisher 

prayer and age that we gain 

the wisdom we hope to pass 

onto the younger generations. 

We thank Norma Hakim, 

Dr. Jamil Antone, Salim Shamoun 

and Jamil “Jimmy” Jonna 

for their candid conversation 

and sharing with us their insight 

and advice with all of us. 

You, too, can read what they 

had to say about some significant 

issues in our community. 

Word to the wise: We 

will never live long enough to 

make every mistake possible in order to 

learn the lesson. Learn from others. 

Sometimes words of wisdom come 

from a generation with few years but 

much experience. This month, the Chal- 

gious and psychological experts about 

the purpose and benefits of expressing 

gratitude. It is something I make an effort 

to do not only daily but throughout 

the day and for those things and people 

I am not grateful to have in my life, I 

pray for them. 

We count our blessings this time of 

year as we spend time with family and 

friends celebrating this land of freedom. 

As we eat our turkey and hammath 

kebbi dinners, perhaps we each 

can recite one thing we are most grateful 

for this decade, this year, this day or 

this moment in our lives. 

Word to the wise: Figure out what 

brings you joy in life and be grateful for it. 

In life, we all will have opportunity 

to share words of wisdom. Pray for it. 

Pray for the wisdom to live a meaningful 

operations 

Interlink Media 

director of operations 

Paul Alraihani 

circulation 

Paul Alraihani 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Joyce Wiswell 

Wisdom is what we all strive to obtain in our years on earth. It is with 

prayer and age that we gain the wisdom we hope to pass onto the 

younger generations. 

sales 

Interlink Media 

Jonathon Garmo 

Lisa Kalou 

managers 


Martin Manna 

Michael Sarafa 

subscriptions: $20 per year 

The Chaldean News 

29850 Northwestern Highway, Suite 250 

Southfield, MI 48034 

www.chaldeannews.com 

Phone: (248) 996-8360 

Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); Published 

monthly; Issue Date: NOVEMBER 2010 Subscriptions: 

12 months, $20. Publication Address: 29850 Northwestern 

Hwy., Suite 250, Southfield, MI 48034; Application 

to Mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is Pending at 

Farmington Hills Post Office Postmaster: Send address 

changes to “The Chaldean News 29850 Northwestern 

Highway, Suite 250, Southfield, MI 48034” 

out loud on the school’s speaker system 

before the school day begins so the entire 

student body, faculty and staff can 

set the day with a prayerful tone. 

I would elaborate in asking God to 

give wisdom to all leaders: corporate, 

community, religious, organizational, 

family as well as government leaders. 

Word to the wise: Let’s start our 

day out with prayer. 

As I sat in our conference room last 

month with Joyce Wiswell listening to 

Mike Sarafa interview four 80-something 

seniors from our community, I 

knew we would be hearing words of 

wisdom. Wisdom is what we all strive 

to obtain in our years on earth. It is with 

dean News and Jewish News Building 

Community Initiative involved a teen 

forum at Model High School in Bloomfield 

Hills. A panel of high school students 

shared with 150 other students, 

faculty, staff, media and guests the underlying 

issues Chaldeans and Jewish 

teens face today and the stereotypes 

and misconceptions about both ethnic 

groups. They are lessons in life we all 

need to learn. 

Word to the wise: Don’t judge a 

person by his or her religion, race or 

ethnicity. 

We also heard words of wisdom 

in our Thanksgiving-related story this 

month. I had the opportunity to ask reli- 

life and share the wisdom with others. 

We all have an opportunity to speak 

truth and set the example for those who 

follow us. 

Word to the wise: Be the example 

of a person living a good life! 

Alaha Imid Koullen 

(God Be With Us All) 


vdenha@chaldeannews.com 

 

 

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your LETTERS 

Good Joe 

Several days ago, I rose at the crack 

of dawn to watch Joseph Kassab 

on the EWTN show, the “Suffering 

Church,” thinking that I would simply 

be a silent spectator and prayerful 

supporter for his continuing advocacy 

on behalf of the persecuted Iraqi 

Christian peoples. I planned to have 

my coffee, then simply say a prayer 

and get on with my busy day. So I 

flipped to the channel and was totally 

engaged by Mr. Kassab’s heartfelt, 

knowledgeable and truly inspired discussion, 

one that moved me, and I am 

sure all who viewed the show, to feelings 

of indignation, tears and the desire 

to help in whatever way possible. 

Over the years of war, occupation 

and civil disruption, some have 

grown too familiar, even hardened, to 

the seemingly never-ending accounts 

of suffering, suppression, maiming 

and slaughter of our Christian brothers 

and sisters. We may have grown 

resigned, too, to what seems to be 

the world’s indifference to the plight of 

our faithful ones — contemporary martyrs 

in the name of Jesus Christ. But 

not Joe Kassab, for he is as fiery and 

passionate an advocate as I remember 

from some four years ago when I first 

met him at the Chaldean Federation of 

America headquarters. 

I recall, as many of you do as 

well, that Joe’s fondest dream at the 

time was to gain recognition for the 

refugee and displaced status of the 

Chaldean, Assyrian, Sabean, Mandean 

and Yezhidi minorities of his homeland. 

The struggle seemed futile then 

as the multiple rules, regulations, laws 

and yes, human obstacles, seemed to 

block that initial dream at every turn, 

but Joe Kassab pressed on. Joe tackled 

the herculean task of identifying a 

significant cross-cut sample of Christian 

refugees who had fled Iraq — that 

“sample” grew to over 20,000 souls 

in Diaspora across 31 of the world’s 

countries. But Joe didn’t stop there, he 

advocated in every venue from our nation’s 

capital to Geneva, Switzerland; 

from Syria and Jordan to Lebanon, 

Greece and Australia. His advocacy 

has born fruit as the waves of refugees 

began — Michigan, California, Arizona, 

Canada and more — and people began 

their journey of hope. 

Joe’s appearances on radio, TV and 

in the press are not new to us, but to 

see and hear him tell the story is to hear 

it for the first time. At the conclusion of 

the broadcast on EWTN, Joe was invited 

by the show’s host to recite the 

Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic. It was truly 

moving to hear those words in the language 

of Jesus Christ as He spoke 

them more than 2,000 years ago. 

Thank you, Joe, for a memorable 

broadcast, for keeping the eyes of the 

world on the suffering Christians within 

Iraq and in Diaspora, and for keeping 

them in our hearts and in our prayers. 

–Phyllis A. Noda, Ed.D. 

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10 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2010

the COUNSELOR is in 

Our unhealthy obsession with gossip 

By Iklas J. Bashi, LPC, NCC 

One morning, my 

friend and I went to 

breakfast at the Big 

Boy restaurant on Woodward 

and 11 Mile. We were pleasantly 

surprised to see an old 

friend, Rene, working there 

as a waitress. We chatted 

a little and Rene sat us near 

a booth where I recognized 

two girls from high school. 

My friend and I had 

breakfast and proceeded to 

pay our bill. Rene refused 

to take money for the bill so 

we argued back and forth about who 

would pay. Finally we gave in and allowed 

her to treat us. We said we’d 

keep in touch and left the restaurant. 

The next morning my friend Nikki 

called me. After the usual hello and 

how are you, she asked, “Iklas, were 

you at Big Boy yesterday at 7 a.m. 

with a bunch of guys, drunk, and they 

called the police and had to kick you 

out of the restaurant?” I nearly fell 

over. My heart sank as I remembered 

the two girls sitting nearby. How could 

Iklas J. Bashi, 

LPC, NCC 

SPECIAL TO THE 

CHALDEAN NEWS 

one of them actually take the 

real scene in the restaurant 

and turn it into such malicious 

gossip? Whoever it 

was, how could she sleep 

knowing she made these 

false accusations about me? 

I found out later that she 

spread this gossip throughout 

her family and others 

who knew my family. When 

I saw her a few months later 

at a wedding, she acted like 

my best friend. I have never 

forgotten it. 

Although it happened over 25 

years ago, I still remember the feelings 

– shock, helplessness, anger, grief. I 

realized something in the moments following 

Nikki’s phone call: “My life is 

not in my own hands.” I remember 

thinking, “Someone, somewhere, at 

any time, can say anything about me 

and I am helpless to do anything about 

it.” It took me a long time to trust a 

Chaldean I didn’t really know. 

What is gossip and why are we obsessed 

with it as a culture? Gossip 

involves habitually revealing personal 

or sensational facts about others, a 

rumor of some kind or a report of an 

intimate nature. 

Why do we gossip? One reason is 

that it makes us feel better and superior 

about ourselves. Many people are 

uncomfortable with silence and oftentimes 

fill the void with gossip. Avoidance 

is another reason. We succeed 

in taking the attention off of ourselves 

by focusing on others. Gossiping may 

make use feel self-important. And the 

more information we have, the more 

powerful we feel – at the expense of 

another. 

Gossip, like news, can be factual. 

We need to look at intention because 

intention is key. If the information being 

spread is likely a lie and likely to 

do harm, then is it clearly gossip. If it 

is an attempt to help, then it is news. 

Sometimes gossip is justified because 

what’s being spread is truth and therefore 

all right to repeat. 

The dark side of gossip is malicious, 

demeaning, degrading and 

when taken to an extreme, harmful. It 

often begins with “Did you know…?” 

or “Have you heard…?” It spreads 

like wildfire. Gossip damages trust 

and morale. It distorts truth and people’s 

privacy is violated. Relationships 

are broken. Our community suffers 

great consequences from malicious 

gossip. Sadly, there is a pervasive 

mistrust among us as a result. 

We cannot change the community, 

though. Change begins with each one 

of us – to honor and respect the privacy 

of others and to have the courage 

to confront those situations we find 

ourselves in that involve gossip. 

Iklas J. Bashi is a Licensed Professional 

Counselor (LPC) and National 

Board Certified Counselor (NBCC), 

speaker and writer. She is in private 

practice in West Bloomfield where 

she offers life coaching and therapy 

services for individuals, couples, 

and families. She is also available to 

speak on mental health and well-being 

issues. Find her at www.ahigherwayllc.com, 

www.psychologytoday. 

com and www.LinkedIn.com. 

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noteworthy 

Pope Benedict XVI receives bishops at the Middle East synod on October 13. 

Bishops Gather for 

Middle East Synod 

Bishops summoned to the Vatican for a Synod on the flight of 

Christians from the Middle East have blamed the Israeli-Palestinian 

conflict for spurring much of the exodus and warned 

that the consequences could be devastating for the birthplace 

of Christianity. 

Some bishops singled out the emergence of fanatical Islam 

for the flight. But others directly or indirectly accused Israel of 

discriminating against Arab Christians and impeding solutions 

to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

In fact, the working document of the two-week synod on 

October 10-24 accused the Israeli “occupation’’ of Palestinian 

territories of creating difficulties in everyday life for Palestinian 

Christians, including their religious life since their access to 

holy sites is dependent on Israeli military permission. 

Pope Benedict XVI called the synod to try to encourage 

Christians in the largely Muslim region, where the Catholic 

Church has long been a minority and is shrinking as a result of 

war, conflict, discrimination and economic problems. 

In Iraq alone, Catholics represented 2.89 percent of the 

population in 1980; by 2008 they were just .89 percent. In Israel, 

home to important Christian holy sites, Catholics made up 

3.8 percent of the population in 1980; by 2008 they were just 

1.82 percent. 

About 185 bishops are taking part in the synod from Latin 

and Eastern rite Catholic churches across the region and from 

the Diaspora. Mar Ibrahim Ibrahim was among the attendees. 

In addition, two Muslim imams and a rabbi were invited. 

Patriarch Gregory III, archbishop of the Greek-Melkites 

in Damascus, Syria, said fundamentalist movements such as 

Hamas or Hezbollah had been born from the Israeli-Palestinian 

conflict and warned that the resulting flight of Christians would 

make a “society with only one color: only Muslim.” 

“Should this happen, should the East be emptied of its 

Christians, this would mean that any occasion would be propitious 

for a new clash of cultures, of civilizations and even of 

Photo by Gregorio Borgia/AP 

religions, a destructive clash between the Muslim 

Arab East and the Christian West,” he said. 

American Cardinal John Foley, a longtime 

Vatican official who now raises money to support 

Christian sites in the Holy Land, also said the conflict 

had contributed to the growth of Islamic fundamentalism 

but blamed Israeli policies specifically. 

“While many including the Holy See have suggested 

a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian 

crisis, the more time passes, the more difficult such 

a solution becomes, as the building of Israeli settlements 

and Israeli-controlled infrastructure in East 

Jerusalem and in other parts of the West Bank make 

increasingly difficult the development of a viable and 

integral Palestinian state,’’ he told the gathering. 

In comments to the Associated Press, Israeli 

foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor contended 

that Israel is “the only country in the Middle East 

where the number of Christians has been constantly increasing 

over the years. In the Palestinian territories, the Christian 

population has dwindled over the years because of pressures 

by Islamic extremists. To ignore this key factor and to pretend 

that the Christian plight is one and the same across the region 

is to do a disservice to truth.” 

Upon opening the synod, Pope Benedict said the Catholic 

Church must be a “sign and instrument of unity and reconciliation.” 

He stressed that the meeting’s aim is mainly pastoral, 

even though it cannot ignore “the delicate, and, at times, dramatic 

social and political situation of several countries.’’ 

The Archbishop of Kirkuk, Iraq, Mgr. Louis Sako, asked 

the faithful of his archdiocese to pray and fast on October 9 

for the successful outcome of the synod, 

“The Synod is very important for the Catholic Church in the 

Middle East and a unique opportunity of communion and solidarity 

among Christians, so they are not limited to mere survival, 

but instead become witnesses and a living presence,” he said. 

– Associated Press and Asia News 

Read more about the Synod on page 22. 

More Chaldeans 

Calling California Home 

Chaldeans are the fastest-growing refugee group in California’s 

San Diego County, according to the U.S. State Department. 

Many are concentrated in the city of El Cajon. “It is easy 

to notice how much the population in the area has changed,” 

said a report on 10 News. “Storefronts with signs in Arabic 

reflect a growing Iraqi influence.” 

In the last few years, 7,000 Chaldeans have moved to San 

Diego and another 4,000 are expected this year. El Cajon Valley 

High School has 200 extra students last year, the report said, 

noteworthy continued on page 14 

Refugees 

Regret Returning, 

Study Says 

A majority of Iraqi refugees who 

have returned from exile to Baghdad 

regret their decision, saying they 

face insecurity, a lack of jobs and inadequate 

health care, the United Nations 

refugee agency said in a report 

released last month. 

Reuters reports that 61 percent 

of those interviewed were sorry they 

had left Syria and Jordan, while one 

in three was unsure of staying in 

Iraq, according to its recently completed 

survey of 2,353 Iraqis who 

returned to the capital between 

2007 and 2008. 

Although many returnees said 

they had left their host countries because 

they could no longer afford 

the cost of living there, 87 percent 

said their income in Iraq was insufficient 

to cover their families’ needs. 

Separate polls of a total of 

3,500 Iraqi refugees living in Syria 

and Jordan, released on October 8, 

found most still reluctant to return 

home on a permanent basis, according 

to the UNHCR. Syria and 

Jordan host some 180,000 registered 

Iraqi refugees. 

The UNHCR does not promote 

returns to Iraq due to insecurity 

and its guidelines to all governments 

strongly recommend that 

Iraqis should not be sent home to 

five central provinces, including 

Baghdad, seen as too dangerous 

However, it helps refugees who 

voluntarily want to go home, providing 

them with transport costs and a 

small cash grant. Fewer than 3,000 

have taken up the offer since 2007, 

though many have returned without 

its support, Reuters reports. 

The UNHCR also said that it remained 

concerned by forced deportations 

of failed Iraqi asylum seekers 

from five countries in Europe (Britain, 

Denmark, Netherlands, Norway 

and Sweden). It knew of seven 

chartered flights, coordinated by 

the European Union border agency 

FRONTEX, believed to have flown 

several hundred Iraqis back to their 

homeland since June. 

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noteworthy 

noteworthy continued from page 13 

requiring it to hire six additional teachers, three for 

English as a second language. 

The report quoted Dr. Michael Bazzi of St. 

Peter’s Chaldean Catholic Church, who talked 

about how the community takes care of its own. 

“Since I have been here, 1985 to today, I challenge 

anyone to show me one Chaldean homeless,” 

he said. 

Refugees from Burma and Somalia are also resettling 

in the San Diego area. 

Denno Runs for MSU Board 

Dennis Denno is running for 

a seat on the Michigan State 

University Board of Trustees 

in the November 2 election. 

Denno, a Democrat whose 

parents are from Mosul, Iraq, 

said he learned his work ethic 

at the family grocery store. He 

is a graduate of Detroit Catholic 

Central, Michigan State 

University and the University 

of Michigan. 

Dennis Denno 

Denno is currently the chief of staff for Senate 

Democratic Floor Leader Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit). 

His said his priorities for MSU are making tuition affordable 

for all families and making sure that research 

dollars are creating jobs throughout Michigan. 

“We will have a voice at one of the largest and 

best research universities in America. Imagine the 

doors that could be opened within research, admissions, 

and scholarships if we have Dennis Denno on 

the board,” said a campaign statement encouraging 

the support of the Chaldean community. “His successful 

election to the MSU Board will also send a 

powerful message that our Iraqi Christian community 

is organized and able to elect one of our own to a 

statewide election and that we are a force that other 

politicians and both political parties need to listen to.” 

Learn more at www.dennisdenno.com or call 

(517) 402-2453. 

Mentors Needed 

Have an hour to spare each week? E’rootha’s Youth 

Refugee Mentoring Program is looking for role 

models between the ages of 16-35 for one-on-one 

tutoring/mentoring of Iraqi refugee youths in Walled 

Lake, Sterling Heights and Madison Heights. 

The refugee children have extremely low reading 

levels and struggle academically and socially, 

E’rootha said. Adjusting is a major challenge 

and they can easily be influenced in the wrong 

direction. Many have had to take on adult responsibilities 

at a young age due to war-widowed parents 

or war-separated families. 

Mentors commit themselves to one hour a 

week from November through May and must attend 

a mandatory training session before they may 

volunteer. Apply at www.erootha.org/youthapp. 

People 

Auday Arabo is the new president and CEO 

of the Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers. 

He was previously the group’s chief 

operating officer. He replaces Jane Shallal, 

who has retired. At attorney, Arabo is the 

former president of the Neighborhood Market 

Association in California. 

Iklas Bashi has opened a private practice 

called A Higher Way, LLC, in West 

Bloomfield. She has been a pioneer in 

helping break the stigma of mental health 

in the Chaldean community, beginning 10 

years ago with the Strengthening Chaldean 

Families Program, then acting as Clinical 

Therapist at the Arab-Chaldean Council’s 

Behavioral Health Program where she 

worked extensively with refugees and their 

families. Visit ahigherwayllc.com. 

John Hindo has been appointed to the 

Wayne County Building Authority Board of 

Directors for a term of five years. The Building 

Authority’s purpose is to acquire, 

furnish, operate and maintain all buildings 

servicing Wayne County. Hindo is a partner 

in the law firm of Mekani, Orow, Mekani, 

Shallal & Hindo, P.C., in Birmingham. 

Channelle Kizy-White has been recognized 

as a Michigan Super Lawyer Rising 

Star for 2010. She is an associate at Beals 

Hubbard, PLC in Farmington Hills and focuses 

her practice in the areas of commercial 

litigation and criminal defense. She is 

also a current board member of the Women’s 

Bar Association. 

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Iklas Bashi 

Channelle 

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Community Bulletin Board 

Check This Out 

Mimi Luljdjuraj and Richard Kallabat 

check out their favorite magazine during a 

recent visit to Czechoslovakia. During the 

trip, Richard proposed to Mimi while on 

a horse and carriage ride. They’re seen 

here at the Old Town Square in Prague. 

Kudos 

Dr. Nathima Atchoo was among the honorees at 

the Esteemed Women of Michigan Luncheon on 

September 27 at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester. 

Atchoo, seen here with her daughter Fanar 

Wright, was named the 2009 Humanitarian 

of the Year by the Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce, she was cited for her volunteer 

work at the Gary Burnstein Community Health 

Clinic in Pontiac. She has been practicing 

medicine for more than 50 years. “Dr. Atchoo is 

loved and respected by all of us at the clinic,” 

said Volunteer Coordinator Pam Haratsis. 

Team Effort 

Thirty-eight members of the 

Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce walked five miles 

around Belle Isle on October 

9 in the annual Making Strides 

for Breast Cancer event. The 

team raised more than $5,400, 

putting it in fourth place. It’s 

not too late to make a donation; 

visit cancer.org/stridesonline 

and click on the Chaldean 

Chamber team page. 

News Maker 

Assyrian Diane Pathieu was the subject 

of a recent feature article on OnMilwaukee.com. 

The Chicago native is seen on 

TMJ4, where she is a news reporter and 

a midday anchor. Her native language 

is Assyrian, but Pathieu, who joined 

the Milwaukee station five years ago, 

has yet to find a way to work it 

into a newscast, the article noted. 

Touring Detroit 

One of the biggest misconceptions about Detroit is that it has no good grocery 

stores. Ask any Chaldean and they will tell you otherwise. They own about 90 

percent of the independent grocery stores in Detroit, including full-service grocery 

and gourmet stores. 

That myth was one of many that the Detroit Regional News Hub worked to 

dispel while hosting 37 reporters on a two-day tour of the Detroit region. 

“There’s no spin to this,” said Marjorie Sorge, executive director of the 

Detroit Regional News Hub, at one of the many events organized for reporters. 

“We’re showing people the good, the bad and the ugly. [But] it’s really a time to 

talk to the media locally and nationally about what we’re doing in the region to 

transform it. A lot of people don’t know all of the things that are happening here.” 

Have an item for the Bulletin Board? Send it to 

Chaldean News, 29850 Northwestern 

Highway, Southfield, MI 48034, or e-mail 

info@chaldeannews.com. 


CHAI time 

chaldeans conNecting 

community events in and around metro detroit NOVEMBER 2010 

[Wednesday, November 3] 

Chamber: The Chaldean American 

Chamber of Commerce holds its 

annual Business Conference. The 

keynote address is by Detroit Mayor 

Dave Bing. 11 a.m., Regency Manor in 

Southfield. Tickets are $50 members, 

$60 non-members. (248) 996-8340 

or lkalou@chaldeanchamber.com. 


Shopping: The Chaldean American Ladies 

of Charity hold their annual Holiday 

Shopping Extravaganza. More than 50 

vendors will be at Shenandoah Country 

Club from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are $20 

and must be purchased in advance. 

(248) 538-8300 or (248) 939-6943. 


Health: Annual Women’s Night Out 

educates women on staying healthy, 

with sessions on gynecology, depression, 

plastic surgery, incontinence, 

osteoporosis and varicose veins. $25 

includes strolling supper, cash bar and 

two breakout sessions. Presented by 

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital 

at the Auburn Hills Marriott-Pontiac at 

Centerpoint. (800) 372-6094. 

[Saturday, November 6] 

Expo: Annual Fall Consumers Expo 

from the Sterling Heights Regional 

Chamber of Commerce features 

exhibitors displaying their goods, giveaways 

and drawings. Free. 10 a.m.-3 

p.m., Warren Community Center 

Multi-Purpose Room, 5460 Arden. 

www.shrcci.com. 


Chamber: Chaldean American 

Chamber of Commerce holds its 

annual elections for board of directors. 

The Quarterly Networking Meeting 

follows. Open to members only. 6 

p.m., Shenandoah Country Club. 

(248) 996-8340. 

[Friday, November 12] 

Fashion: St. Joseph Mercy Oakland 

presents “An Evening with Tracy 

Reese,” a benefit for the hospital’s 

Cancer Resource and Support 

Center, 6 p.m. at the Townsend Hotel 

in Birmingham. Features a reception, 

simple supper, program and informal 

modeling of the designer’s fashions by 

local community members. Tickets are 

$75-$150. (248) 858-6146. 

[Thursday, November 18] 

Awards: The Chaldean American Bar 

Association holds its Second Annual 

Honors Ceremony, honoring Karim Sarafa, 

Peter Mansour and Burt Kassab. 7 

p.m., Shenandoah Country Club. Tickets 

are $40 and include dinner. A portion of 

proceeds benefits the Chaldean Federation 

of America. Derek Dickow, (248) 

521-2900 or derekdickow@hotmail.com. 


Safety: Cyber Safety is a free 

seminar about how to protect your 

family, yourself and your integrity 

online. 7-9 p.m., Handelman Hall 

of the D. Dan and Betty Kahn 

Jewish Community Center in West 

Bloomfield. (248) 432-5411 or 

sbraunstein@hermelinort.org. 

[Friday, November 19] 

Christmas: Detroit Aglow, the annual 

lighting of Detroit’s official Christmas 

tree, begins at 5 p.m. at Campus 

Martius Park, 800 Woodward Avenue. 

www.campusmartiuspark.org. 

[Monday, November 22] 

Shenandoah: General membership 

meeting for members of Shenandoah 

Country Club takes place in the ballroom. 

(248) 683-6363. 


Parade: Detroit’s 84th annual 

Thanksgiving Parade has the theme 

“Celebrate the Spirit.” Step off is at 

9:20 a.m. on Woodward and Mack; 

the parade ends at Congress. 

www.theparade.org. 

HVSH_Sept10EDAd_ChaldeanNews_F.indd 1 

16 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2010 

9/1/10 11:35 AM


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[Births] 

Dominic Basil 

The heavens rejoiced and 

the angels sighed when this 

precious baby boy arrived. 

Brandon & Riva Hannish are 

delighted to announce the birth 

of their son, Dominic Basil. 

Dominic entered the world 

on April 5, 2010 at 8:39 p.m. 

weighing 8 lbs., 2 oz. and 

measuring 19.5 inches long. 

Dominic is the first grandchild 

for Basil & Nidal Hannish and 

Nicolas & Ahlam Abouzeid. 

Proud godparents are Bernard 

Hannish and Laura Abouzeid. 

We are all star struck by his 

arrival. May God bless him. 

Andrew Jacob 

Big brother Anthony would like 

to announce the birth of Andrew 

Jacob. Proud parents are 

Joe & Saly Abro. God blessed 

us with Andrew on December 

1, 2009. He weighed 7 lbs., 10 

oz. and measured 20 inches. 

Andrew is the third grandchild 

for Jawhar & Layla Abro and 

ninth for Sabah & Sabah Salim. 

Blessed godparents are Auntie 

Refel Manjo and Uncle Ronnie 

Abro. 

Freddie Nicholas 

Fred & Mishel Abdou are 

the proud parents of Freddie 

Nicholas Abdou. Freddie was 

born on December 27, 2009. 

He weighed 8 lbs., 5 oz. and 

was 19 inches long. Freddie is 

the fourth grandchild of Jamal 

& Lillian Shallal and the second 

grandchild of Julie Abdou & the 

late Frederick George Abdou. 

Freddie loves to play in the 

water and be outside! Blessed 

godparents are Jennifer (Shallal) 

Werner, Michael Shallal and 

the late Anthony Abdou. 

Khloe Mia 

Alexa Maria Semma is proud to 

announce the birth of her precious 

baby sister, Khloe Mia. 

Blessed parents are Alvin & 

Kristin Semma. Khloe Mia was 

born on June 18, 2010 weighing 

6 lbs., 11 oz. and measuring 

20 inches. She is the fourth 

grandchild for both Sobhi & 

Nawal Semma and Riyadh & 

Najiba Jiddou. Godmother is 

Serena Jiddou. 

Dominic Basil 

Andrew Jacob 

Freddie Nicholas 

Khloe Mia 


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Grace Ann 

All of God’s grace in one little 

face. God has blessed Tony 

& Vanessa Kashat with their 

first child, Grace Anne, who 

was born on August 3, 2010. 

Grace weighed 8 lbs., 7 oz. 

and measured 21.5 inches 

tall. Grace is the first grandchild 

for both Yass & Khilood 

Kashat and Louie & Hedar 

Hailo. Proud godparents are 

Kenny Kashat and Valerie 

Hailo. May God always bless 

our little angel! 

Paris Hanna 

From God’s hands to ours. 

God has blessed Calvin & 

Candice Pattah with the birth 

of their first child, little Paris 

Hanna, on July 16, 2010 at 

6:10 p.m. She weighed 7 lbs., 

3 oz. and measured 20 inches. 

Paris is the fourth grandchild 

for Sam & Bushra Pattah and 

the first for Raad & Hanna 

Binno. Paris was baptized on 

October 17, 2010. Godparents 

are Timmy Pattah and Leslie 

Binno. 

Landon Joseph 

Lilly is proud to announce 

the birth of her baby brother, 

Landon Joseph, on November 

11, 2009. The son of Lamar & 

Candice Najor, he weighed 7 

lbs., 7 oz. Landon is the 14th 

grandchild for Jamil & Ferial 

Najor and the second for Talal 

& Mayada Abro. He was baptized 

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912_3_4C 

Suhaila and Wadi 

Suhaila and Wadi Sokana 

celebrated their 50th 

anniversary on August 9, 2010. 

It was truly a golden moment 

as all their friends and family 

— including their children, 

grandchildren and great 

grandchildren — celebrated 

with them. May God bless 

them always! 

Suhaila and Wadi 

share your joy with the community 

Announcements are offered free of charge to paid subscribers. Please email or mail 

announcements with a photo to the Chaldean News at halhole@chaldeannews.com or: 

Chaldean News; c/o Editor, Subject: Announcements 

29850 Northwestern, Suite 250, Southfield, MI 48034 

Please include your address and phone number to verify your paid subscription. Hard 

copies of photos can be picked up after the15th of the month. Photos are not mailed back. 


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RELIGION 

The strange message from Mar Delly 

By Robert Moynihan 

An old, white-bearded man 

walked out of the Synod aula 

and down the wide, sloping 

steps toward the waiting cars and buses, 

his long robe sweeping the square 

grey Vatican City cobblestones. He 

quickly left behind the light of the 

Paul VI Audience Hall entranceway 

and began to be engulfed by the darkening 

Roman evening. It was 6:30 

p.m. on October 23. 

The man was His Beatitude Cardinal 

Emmanuel III Delly, the 83- 

year-old Patriarch of the Chaldean 

Church in Iraq. 

I’d been hoping to meet him. I 

turned to a fellow journalist who was 

waiting with me by the entrance to 

the Paul VI audience hall, and said, 

“That’s Patriarch Delly, isn’t it?” The 

journalist nodded. 

Mar Delly was already heading for 

the bus that would carry him and other 

Synod Fathers to their residence, 

so I hurried to catch up to him. He 

was walking with a taller man who 

appeared to be his personal secretary. 

“Your Eminence,” I said. “Could I 

have a word with you….” 

“Yes?” said Delly, stopping and 

looking at me quizzically. “Go ahead.” 

He seemed to me quite young for his 

83 years, and when I held out my 

hand to shake his, his grip was unexpectedly 

firm. 

He was about five foot eight, not 

a physically imposing man, but there 

was an energy in his gaze which surprised 

me. I had expected that, from 

close up, he might look old and weary, 

but he looked energetic and in 

good health. 

I told him who I was and that I 

was writing on the Vatican and the 

Synod. He was silent and, it seemed, 

somewhat cold. 

“And I wanted to ask you about 

the remarks you made the other 

night....” 

“I have nothing more to say,” he 

said. “What I had to say, I said to the 

Synod. I’m sorry.” 

A political murder? 

I left Patriarch Delly and walked 

back to the entrance of the Synod 

hall. There, purely by chance, I ran 

into another prelate who has left his 

mark on this two-week Synod: Archbishop 

Ruggero Franceschini, an 

Italian Franciscan who is the successor 

of the slain Italian Bishop Luigi 

Padovese as vicar of Anatolia. 

Last Friday Archbishop Franceschini 

spoke to the Synod — the 

same afternoon as Mar Delly. 

“May I ask you about your talk?” 

I said. 

“Sure,” he said. 

“You have a theory about Bishop 

Padovese and his murder last June, 

right?” 

“Yes,” Franceschini replied. “I 

believe it was premeditated murder 

arranged by ultra-nationalists and 

religious fanatics who do not want 

Turkey to enter Europe.” 

Bishop Padovese’s driver, 

Murat Altun, 26, who 

had been in his employ for 

many years, shot him to 

death in June. 

“He claimed the reason 

for the killing was a 

homosexual relationship 

he had with the Bishop,” 

Archbishop Franceschini 

said. “But it seems that immediately 

after the murder 

he shouted ‘Allah akbar! I 

killed the great Satan.’” 

At the time, the Vatican 

and Turkish government 

stuck to the hypothesis that 

the killing took place for 

“personal reasons” excluding 

the possibility of a religious 

or political motive. 

“I had a terrible time 

with the Secretariat of 

State,” the Franciscan bishop said. 

“They wanted only the version of the 

nuncio, that it was an entirely personal 

matter, but it was not.” 

As we stood there, many of the 

Synod Fathers walked past us: Cardinal 

Mahoney of Los Angeles, Cardinal 

Levada of the Congregation for the 

Doctrone of the Faith, Cardinal Tauran 

of Inter-religious Dialohgue, Cardinaldesignate 

Burke, and many others. 

“And what did you think of Patriarch 

Delly’s talk?” I asked. 

“I disagreed with it,” he said. “But 

he must have his reasons for saying 

what he said,” Archbishop Franceschini 

said. “We don’t know all his 

reasons.” 

“Well, they say someone got up in 

the Synod Hall right after he spoke, 

and was weeping and saying, ‘Why 

are you saying these things?’” 

“No, no,” Archbishop Franceschini 

said, “That’s not what happened. 

I spoke before Patriarch Delly. 

And I was the one who wept. But it 

was about the murder of Monsignor 

Padovese...” 

Once More, the Facts 

The Chaldean Church inside Iraq 

has shrunk in number from 1.5 million 

to less than 500,000 over the 

past seven years. 

Patriarch Delly, the leader of the 

Catholic Chaldeans, has in recent 

years often cried out publicly that his 

people are suffering a “Calvary” and 

Mar Delly’s remarks at the Synod raised eyebrows. 

need help from the rest of the world. 

“The world has forgotten Iraq’s 

Christians,” Patriarch Delly said four 

years go, on October 16, 2006, following 

the murder of his friend, Fr. 

Paulos Eskandar. Mar Delly said the 

indifference of the international community 

threatened the very existence 

of Christians in the Middle East. 

“There is the danger that the 

Middle East, the blessed land of God, 

will be emptied of its Christian presence,” 

he said then. “Already 80 percent 

have gone away.” 

Then on October 15, Mar Delly 

asked for time to make some remarks 

to the Synod, and he was granted the 

time. 

When he spoke, he said almost 

exactly the opposite of what he had 

been saying for seven years. Addressing 

the assembled bishops without a 

prepared text, this is what he said (it 

is a translation, because he spoke in 

Italian). I’m printing this again here 

because I cannot make the argument 

for the strangeness of this text without 

having it here to study: 

“Many people want to hear something 

about Iraq that today occupies 

an important position in the Middle 

East, a position that is a little bit, if 

I say, exaggerated: I sincerely thank 

all those who have spoken about 

Iraq in this hall and have shown 

their sympathy for this country that 

is the cradle of Christians and especially 

the cradle of the Chaldean 

Church, the Eastern Church in the 

Persian Empire, and as of today, 78 

percent of Mesopotamian Christians 

are Chaldean Catholics. The 

population of this country, 

crossed by two famous rivers, 

the Tigris and the Euphrates, 

is 24 million, all 

Muslims, with whom we 

live peacefully and freely. 

In Baghdad alone, the capital 

of Iraq, Christians have 

53 chapels and churches. 

The Chaldeans have more 

than seven dioceses in the 

country, the Patriarch of 

the Chaldean Church lives 

today in Baghdad. 

“Christians are good with 

their fellow Muslims and 

in Iraq there is mutual respect 

among them. Christian 

schools are highly thought of. 

Today people prefer to attend 

these schools directed by the 

Christian institutions, especially 

those run by the religious 

orders. 

“Despite all the political and religious 

situations, and emigration, we 

now have nearly one million Christians 

in Iraq out of 25 million Muslims. 

We have the freedom of religion 

in our Churches. The Bishop or 

Priest, religious leader is listened to 

and respected by his fellow citizens. 

We have our own seminary, and 

Chaldean monks and nuns and religious.” 

(End of Mar Delly’s remarks.) 

In these paragraphs, there is no 

mention at all of the suffering of 

Iraq’s Christians. Mar Delly in this 

text is describing a country, seemingly, 

at peace. 

I have bold-faced the words which 

seem optimistic, positive, hopeful, 

and put in a few notes after Patriarch 

Delly’s phrases: 

synod continued on page 42 


Recognizing our most precious resource: The people in our community. 

A healthy, vibrant community banks on the participation of its members. Bringing a neighborhood together to 

bring about positive change is no small accomplishment. 

Bank of America is proud to support the Building Community Initiative sponsored by The Chaldean News 

and The Detroit Jewish News for its leadership in creating common goals and a long-term vision for the 

community. 

Visit us at bankofamerica.com 

©2010 Bank of America Corporation 


obituaries 

Rudy Najor Huhn and Robert J. Huhn 

Mother and son die a day apart 

Rudy Najor Huhn was born in Detroit 

on October 15, 1936, the only daughter 

of one of the original Chaldean pioneer 

leaders, Jack Najor, and his wife, Dorothy. 

She grew up with her two brothers, 

Raymond and Richard, on Boston Boulevard 

in Detroit and attended Blessed 

Sacrament Cathedral Catholic School. 

Later, Jack Najor moved his family to 

what was then considered a distant suburb, 

Birmingham, and she graduated 

from Birmingham High School (now 

known as Seaholm) in 1954. She also Rudy Najor Huhn 

attended Highland Park Junior College. 

Ruby embraced both her father’s 

Chaldean culture and her mother’s American 

culture. She was truly bicultural; 

she embodied the best of both cultures. 

She had a zest for life and participated in 

many Chaldean festivities and everyone 

enjoyed her graceful dancing to the traditional 

Chaldean music. Ruby also loved 

singing, entertaining and being around 

her many cherished Chaldean friends. 

She was an ardent, supportive member 

of the first generation of Chaldean-American 

youth born during the Great Depres- 

Robert J. Huhn 

sion of the 1930s, raised during World War II of the 1940s, and the 

booming postwar era of the 1950s at a time when the core Chaldean 

community was just beginning to gel. Ruby was an icon, a role model 

and well loved by that first generation of Chaldean-Americans. 

Ruby was a pivotal figure in the establishment of the first Chaldean 

Youth Club in the mid 1950s, helping plan many fun-filled, 

wholesome, parent-approved activities for the Chaldean teenagers 

and young adults. Her enthusiasm and initiative helped solidify 

the Chaldean-American identity of our growing young community, 

which was successfully melding the traditional moral values of their 

parents with the more modern customs of the American environment 

in which they were living. 

Ruby was also active in the Chaldean Ladies of Charity in its 

early years and served as a former president of that worthy organization. 

Her youthful vitality and her devotion and love for her 

Chaldean community persisted throughout her life. 

In addition to her radiant physical beauty, Ruby was blessed with a 

kind and generous heart. She never uttered a mean word to or about 

anyone. She always saw the good in others. She was loved and esteemed 

by all who knew her for her grace and gentleness, especially 

by her close-knit Chaldean friends with whom she continued to maintain 

a lasting relationship throughout her lifetime. 

At age 22, Ruby married Robert Huhn, and they raised two 

children, Lisa and Robbie. Ruby and Bob had a very happy, loving 

marriage that lasted more than 52 years. However, Ruby also 

bore grave personal tragedy in her family with great courage. She 

and her husband lost their beloved daughter, Lisa, to cancer in 

2009. Their son, Robbie, had been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes 

at the tender age of 6, and all the complications of this disease 

plagued him throughout his lifetime. He withstood the pain and 

discomfort of peripheral neuropathy, dialysis, a kidney transplant 

donated by his loving father, was legally blind, and suffered the loss 

of both his legs. Robbie endured his calamity with immense fortitude 

and a sense of humor. Sadly, he passed away on September 

19, 2010. His mother, Ruby, tragically lost her battle with leukemia 

the very next day on September 20, 2010. She will be truly missed 

by all who knew her and were touched by her life. 

Ruby Hahn leaves behind her beloved husband, Robert; her 

brother, Richard; three granddaughters from Lisa: Christiana, Jacqueline 

and Monica; four grandsons from Robbie: Noah, Christian, 

Brandon and Dominic; and two great grandsons from Christian. 

– Josephine Saroki Sarafa 

Marjeunta Nafso 

Marjeunta Nafso was born on May 06, 

1930, and passed away on October 10, 

2010. 

Allow me to tell you the story of our 

mother. Let time take us back 80 years, 

when a beautiful girl with bright blue 

eyes was born to two humble parents. 

She was truly the light of their lives, 

just as she was for her sister and two 

brothers, who loved and cared for her 

so much. 

That little girl grew up and her beauty 

grew with her. When she was 12 Marjeunta Nafso 

years old, a wonderful and handsome 

man saw her, and God wanted them for each other. Time passed 

and she became the mother of eight children. She gave them 

her whole life and she gave them all the love that existed in the 

world. She taught them to love and not to hate. She taught them 

to forgive and not to hold grudges. She would always say that 

the lower land brings the better fruit, teaching her children to be 

humble and forgiving. She taught them to live holy lives and to be 

good role models for each other. She succeeded in bringing her 

children along this virtuous path. She never stopped praying to 

God and God always answered her prayers. 

Many years passed and she was blessed with sons-in-law 

and daughters-in-law, as well as 32 grandchildren. Those grandchildren 

became beautiful young men and women. She instilled 

in them valuable morals on how to be righteous and honorable 

people. She loved them with all her heart and that love grew in 

them so that they could pass it on to their children, just as their 

parents had passed it on to them. 

Time passed on and there were good times as well as bad 

times. God wanted her to carry a cross that would make her even 

stronger. Her greatest suffering came when God took the eldest 

of her children. She offered that suffering to Jesus and her suffering 

continued in many different ways, until the day that God 

wanted her to be with Him, and she carried her cross to the end. 

In a very short period of time, He transferred her comfortably and 

with great honor. Being surrounded by her family and hearing 

their prayers, she transferred in the most peaceful way. That was 

our mother, Marjeunta. Her name was as beautiful as she was. 

My dear mother, rest in peace and do not worry about us, 

especially Thair. You and Baba used to worry about Thair and 

Masoud so much. We used to joke with you saying, “You love 

the boys more than you love us.” You would always laugh and 

reply, “There’s no difference between any of you and I love you 

all the same.” 

Nana, we are all here with you: your children and grandchildren, 

who are very proud and thankful that you were their mother; 

your sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, whom you loved deeply, 

and they loved and honored you in return; your dear brother, who 

has always had a special place for you in his heart; your nieces 

and nephews, who were so thankful to have such a wonderful 

aunt; all of your relatives, who will never forget what a kind and 

loving person you were to them; and your friends, who will never 

forget the true friendships you shared with them. We all tell you 

to rest in peace and we ask that you pray for all of us, especially 

your grandchildren and great-grandchildren, so that they can follow 

the same path that you helped us to follow. 

Dear mother, the love of our lives, go on your journey 

happily. You will be together again with Baba, Masoud, Miaad, 

your brother and sister, your mom and dad, and the angelic baby 

girl that you lost too soon, Firyal. They are all anxiously waiting for 

you with their hugs and kisses. 

Marjeunta Nafso is survived by her late husband, Aziz Nafso, and 

their children, the late Masoud (Ahlam) Nafso, Thair (Stephanie) Nafso, 

Suad (Adel) Hilanto, Suhaila Nafso, Faiza (Thamir) Nafso, Maysoon 

(Wadie) Kassab, Khilood (Yass) Kashat, and Wiaam (Raad) Samona. 

Rest in peace. 

– Khilood Kashat 

Recently 

deceased 

Community 

members 

Bassam Yousif Denha 

October 17, 2010 

Amira S. Al-Banna 


Najib Hermez Abbo 


Daoud Roofa Jaadan 


Mowaffaq Tawfiq 

Ousachi 


Mary Hanna Asmar 


Istephan Yousif Kass- 

Shamoun 


Mike Yousif Shango 


Norman (Naim) 

Kherkher 

September 29, 2010 

Peter Samir Mekhaeil 

September 29, 2010 

Submit your loved one’s 

obituary to info@chaldeannews.com, 

or send it to 

Chaldean News, 29850 

Northwestern Highway, 

Southfield, MI 48034. 


Community 

Health 

Initiative 

Competencies 

Ability to provide an emotionally stable environment for consumers. 

Ability to work with diverse populations including children and families 

Appreciation of the cultural background, heritage and identity of client 

Computer literate 

Cultural competence 

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY 

FOUNDATION 

you 

are 

not 

alone 

The Foundation is currently hiring case managers for salaried positions. 

Qualified case manager will need to be able to evaluate mental health needs for appropriate levels of care 

and provide services and resources based on those needs. Must be fluent in Chaldean and Arabic. 

Qualifications 

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the field of psychology, 

social work or a related field. 

One year of experience working with a mentally ill population is preferred. 

Experience with resource development for children and families in need. 

Must have a valid Michigan Driver’s License and appropriate insurance. 

Fluency in Arabic and Chaldean required. 

To apply, please fax resumes to 248.996.8342 or 

email to lisa.kalou@chaldeanfoundation.org. 

A Chaldean Chamber affiliate providing services & support to our community! 

Funding provided by the Chaldean Community Foundation through the Michigan Department of Community Health. 


ECONOMICS & enterprise 

PHOTO BY DAVID REED 

Ouse Gulli at 

the new Detroit 

location of CK 

Mediterranean 

Grille. 

Full steam ahead: CK Mediterranean takes off 

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

When the Gulli family built a gas station 

on the corner of 12 Mile and 

Coolidge in Berkley, they set aside 

1,000 square feet where they could one day open 

an eatery. After considering franchise options, 

they decided to give customers a taste of the 

Mediterranean food to which they were accustomed. 

Several years later, business is soaring. 

It did not come easy. For a year prior, Ouse, 

the oldest of the brothers, toiled under the head 

chef at Al-Oumara in West Bloomfield, who 

taught him how to prepare and cook Middle 

Eastern fare. In 2003, the Gulli family opened 

Mr. Kabob at their gas station. Business was 

moderate, though the mom, Fadia, kept tweaking 

to bring the food to another level. 

Then the Detroit Free Press named it a “Best 

of Detroit” restaurant in 2004, and the media 

attention sparked diners’ interests. Fox 2 News 

even invited the Gullis to cook live on their 

broadcast, and the clan was inspired to expand 

their business. 

“We wanted to make Mediterranean cuisine 

part of the mainstream,” said Ouse. “You 

can find a Chinese or Mexican restaurant 

anywhere, but you can’t always find Mediterranean.” 

In 2008, the family opened Café Kabob 

in Southfield, and a year later, they created a 

franchise for the fast-casual market and trademarked 

their official name as CK (for Café Kabob) 

Mediterranean Grille & Catering. This 

past July, their first franchised restaurant opened 

in San Diego. In August, they opened in downtown 

Detroit on the perimeter of the Compuware 

building, where they serve 200 people an 

hour during the lunchtime rush. 

Ouse, who maintains he could have never 

done it alone, enjoys this partnership with not 

only his own family, but also with his cousins, 

the Kenayas. Together, they wanted to create 

a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere 

where customers could see their food 

freshly made and then pick it up at the 

end of the counter. They also wanted 

their patrons to serve themselves drinks 

and even be able to watch television on 

one of several hanging plasmas. The 

entrepreneurs did not want them to feel intimidated 

by pictures of camels, fake palm trees 

and Arabic music, or even worry about leaving 

a tip. They hoped that eating Mediterranean 

food would just be natural. The company offers 

catering from five to 500 people from everything 

from business meetings to weddings. 

“We have an international concept,” 

Ouse said. “We can take this not only to 

other states, but other countries, like Canada, 

Europe and even the Middle East.” 

While there are many Mediterranean restaurants 

in the Metro Detroit area, Ouse believes 

their food surpasses others because of 

their fusion of Lebanese recipes with a Chaldean 

flair. All ingredients are fresh, never 

frozen, and there are no additives or preservatives. 

The prices are pleasing too; nothing 

costs more than $15, and that is for the Steak 

Kabob dinner, cooked to order from an 8- to 

10-ounce filet mignon. 

The company is pursuing other locations 

“We wanted to make Mediterranean 

cuisine part of the mainstream.” 

in Michigan and California, and is in discussions 

with interested restaurateurs in Arizona, 

Florida, Illinois and Texas. Potential investors 

are encouraged to browse franchise opportunities 

on their website, www.ckgrille.com. 

Ouse said working 80 to100 hours a week 

is worth it. 

“If I didn’t dream big, I’d still be in the gas 

station,” he said. “Anything can be done when 

you put your mind to it.” 

– Ouse Gulli 


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four for the ages 

Elders share their experiences and expectations 

By Mike Sarafa 

They have been in this country 

longer than most living Chaldeans. 

They lived through the 

Great Depression and two world wars 

and have seen 10 U.S. presidents 

come and go. They have watched 

the Chaldean community in Michigan 

grow from a couple hundred to 

more than 120,000 people. They are 

living witnesses to the fits, changes, 

successes and failures that have come 

with that growth. 

The Chaldean News recently sat 

down with Norma Hakim, Dr. Jamil 

Antone, Salim Shamoun and Jamil 

“Jimmy” Jonna to hear their insights 

on a range of topics. All are in their 

mid 80s and have been in the U.S. 

for six to eight decades. 

Here are some highlights from 

the roundtable discussion. 

On Change in the United States 

“The culture and attitudes have 

changed a lot,” said Shamoun. 

“When I first came to this country, 

there was not even one Chaldean on 

welfare. Today people expect something 

for nothing.” 

“Salim and I came in the same 

year [1949],” said Jonna. “There were 

only 60 families at the time within 

10 square miles. We all worked in 

the grocery business and had the entrepreneurial 

spirit. The old timers 

provided us with the chance and we 

took advantage of it.” 

“Our way of life is different,” 

added Hakim. “Life was much simpler 

back then. Today is different, we 

have different expectations. But our 

quality of life is better too. When I 

first came to this country, we had no 

refrigeration, no electricity and no 

gas.” 

“I have seen a big change in the 

education of our children,” said Antone, 

a retired educator. “Kids are 

smarter, better leaders. We have more 

and more graduates from the professions. 

Before, a college degree was 

very rare. Now it has mushroomed.” 

On Iraq 

“In my time working at Iraqi Petroleum, 

everybody got along,” said 

Shamoun. “There was no Muslim 

and no Christian, no hate.” 

Dr. Anton agreed. “As a young 

teacher, I was selected and promoted 

to a supervisory position in the education 

system, which included supervising 

Muslim teachers and students 

and even the teaching of Islam.” 

Norma Hakim has been here the 

longest amongst the four, immigrating 

more than 73 years ago. “Well, I 

don’t miss it to tell you the truth. It’s 

been so many years.” 

Jonna agreed. He had operated a 

hotel, restaurant and liquor store in 

Baghdad. “When they started cracking 

down on liquor licenses, I ran out 

of there as fast as I could. I love this 

country [America] more than anything 

in my life, including Iraq.” 

On the Future of 

Chaldeans in Iraq 

Most agreed that the future for Chaldeans 

in Iraq is bleak. “Not now,” 

said Shamoun. “How can they have 

a chance? Telkapa’s gone.” 

“It’s very bad,” said Hakim. “There’s 

not any Chaldeans left [in Telkaif].” 

“Maybe in the north near the 

Kurds,” said Jonna. ‘There are still a 

lot of Chaldean people there and they 

need to have a chance somewhere.” 

Antone took a longer view. “I 

think there should be [a future]. This 

is our home. We are the historical 

people of that land. The first priority 

belongs to us.” 

On Assimilating 

into American Culture 

“Everyone tells me I never change,” 

said Shamoun. “That’s the way I 

like it. I’m old fashion. [On another 

note], gambling has caused a lot of 

damage. People lose their money, 

their store, their house, their wife.” 

“One thing I’ve noticed,” said 

Antone, “when I was living in Basra, 

we never saw divorce or separation. 

Some people are following the 

American way of life and we are losing 

our culture.” 

Hakim thinks things have 

changed dramatically due to the 

population numbers. “My brotherin-law 

used to say ‘don’t let too many 

[Chaldeans] in.’” 

Jonna was more philosophical. 


From left: 

Salim Shamoun 

said he worked 

“eight days a week 

for 25 cents an 

hour” when he first 

came to Michigan. 

“It’s better here,” 

says Norma Hakim, 

who came to the 

United States in 

1937. 

Jamil “Jimmy” 

Jonna was named 

Business Person 

of the Year by the 

Chaldean American 

Chamber of 

Commerce in 2006. 

Dr. Jamil Antone, 

who has a doctorate 

from Wayne 

State University, 

put two younger 

brothers through 

college. 

Photos by David Reed 

“People have to adapt. Young people 

have their own ways. Things 

change every 10 years, so I’ve seen 

six changes. Things are more open 

now. They don’t close their eyes the 

way we did.” 

On Today’s Economy 

and President Obama 

Hakim keeps things in perspective. 

“When I first came here,” she said. 

“Things were pretty tough. So, even 

the last two years don’t seem so bad.” 

The others weren’t so sure. 

“Chaldeans have improved every 

year since I’ve been here until now. 

Now is the worst time,” said Shamoun. 

Antone looked back to the 

last presidential election. “We were 

promised change,” he said, “but it 

seems it’s not for the better.” 

“The American economy is like 

a rollercoaster,” said Jonna. “Things 

were up and down through the ‘70s, 

‘80s and ‘90s, but 2010 is the worst 

I’ve ever seen.” But, he said, things 

will improve. “Americans are the 

most intelligent people in the world. 

I was happy when Obama won because 

it was historic but he has to 

learn on the job.” 

“Who’s going to teach him?” 

piped up Shamoun. 

“It seems his administration is failing,” 

added Antone. “All the indicators 

are moving in the wrong direction.” 

What’s your advice 

for young people? 

Norma Hakim: “There’s a saying in Chaldean — ‘when you go to 

buy a dress, make sure it’s not too long or you’ll trip.’ In other words, 

live within your means.” 

Jamil Antone: “If you don’t have it, don’t do it. Invest in education 

and graduate. It will improve your life.” 

Jamil Jonna: “There’s another good saying: ‘If you’re covered with 

a blanket, don’t stick your foot out because you will get cold.’ In other 

words, don’t expect more than is available. And keep going to college.” 

Salim Shamoun: “Work hard. Stay out of trouble. Unite more.” 

“And he’s spending money we 

don’t have,” said Hakim. 

Shamoun agreed. “He hasn’t 

done anything right.” 

On Social Issues 

“When you get married, you marry 

the whole family,” said Antone. 

Shamoun put it more bluntly. “If 

you don’t marry one of your kind, 

you’re in trouble.” 

Hakim disagreed. “No, that’s not 

how it is anymore,” she said. “There 

are a lot of nice American people.” 

Jonna concurred. “My kids 

married a Greek, an Armenian, an 

American, a Dutch and a Palestinian. 

They’re all great.” 

All four agreed about the pitfalls 

of materialism. 

“Today, people struggle to keep 

their honor,” Antone said. “They 

have to keep up with others with 

no regard to legality or ethics. They 

get into drugs, crime and even killing 

over money, and want to be rich 

no matter what. In a materialistic society 

like the United States, this is 

expected.” 

Jonna agreed. “People live above 

their means and that’s how they get 

in trouble.” 

Shamoun believes that the parents 

must do a better job in this regard. 

“These things can be [impacted] 

by the mother and father.” 

On Community Organizations 

This group of pioneers has watched 

the community not only grow, but 

organize. Shamoun and Jonna were 

both around when the first money 

was raised to build Southfield Manor, 

the precursor to Shenandoah Country 

Club. “Now we have the most 

beautiful community organization 

and club in the state,” said Jonna, 

one of the original co-founders of the 

Chaldean Iraqi American Association 

of Michigan. 

Hakim was one of the founders 

of the Chaldean American Ladies of 

Charity and has watched its progress 

for more than 40 years. “I’m very 

proud of them,” she said. 

For years, Antone led the education 

efforts for the Chaldean Federation 

of America and presided over 

the annual Chaldean Commencement 

ceremony. 

Said Jonna, “Our organizations 

are excellent. Everybody has gotten 

together to work for the community. 

We have the best organizations starting 

with Shenandoah.” 

But all agreed that more unity in 

the community is needed. “There 

are so many problems that require 

good leadership to bring the people 

together,” said Antone. 


giving thanks 

Feeling gratitude brings a healthier and happier life 


When we receive gifts 

or kind words we are 

taught to say thank you, 

showing gratitude. 

The essence of Christianity is 

knowing that life is a gift from God. 

As Psalm 75 says, “As believers in 

God almighty, we know that all that 

we are and all that we have is a gift 

from God. We give thanks to God for 

the gift of life itself, for the gift of creation 

that speaks of His wonders.” 

Although Americans celebrate 

Thanksgiving as a national holiday, 

giving thanks is a prominent practice 

in Christianity. And Thanksgiving 

is the time of the year Americans 

tend to reflect on the goodness life 

offers. “Gratitude begins with what 

you have and being content with it,” 

said Fr. Frank Kalabat, pastor of St. 

Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church 

in West Bloomfield. “Not to say that 

one cannot petition the Lord, but unfortunately 

many of us only petition 

and refuse to see what we have.” 

Quoting from Philipians 2, Fr. 

Frank continued, “What we have is 

an awesome God who loves me and 

you to death, even death on a cross. 

When we begin with Him, then I 

can truly fall in love with Him, and 

out of that conviction, I see Him as 

He is, and then my heart moves to 

say, ‘Thank you ... I love You ... I give 

You my all because You deserve it 

and much more!’ 

“Therefore, ‘Give thanks to the 

Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures 

forever,’” continued Fr. Frank, 

quoting from Psalm 136. “This giving 

thanks comes from a personal 

encounter with God, first by seeing 

Him as He is ‘Good’ and then seeing 

His many gifts in creation and in my 

personal life. ‘For His mercy endures 

forever.’” 

In recent years, there have been 

research studies, books and talk show 

topics focused on this concept of 

gratitude. However, religious leaders, 

philosophers and psychologists have 

long embraced gratitude as a way to 

manifest a healthy and balanced life. 

“Gratitude can make the difference 

between success and failure,” said clinical 

psychologist Rhonda (George) 

Laurencelle, Ph.D., who works with 

recently laid-off executives on a daily 

basis. She explained that those unemployed 

people who can look their previous 

employers in the eye and thank 

them for the opportunity to be a part 

of their company have a much greater 

chance of finding employment. “Not 

only is gratitude great for the soul, 

people want to help those who express 

gratitude. We are psychologically 

pulled to them as if our psyche is 

searching and trying to connect with 

those with healthy minds and hearts,” 

said Laurencelle. 

“Without gratitude, we just expect 

everything and tend to have 

a sense of entitlement,” said Iklas 

Bashi, a licensed professional counselor. 

“Being grateful is important 

because we choose to see and nurture 

the gifts God bestows on us, out of 

His goodness and love for us. Give 

back to the people who have cared 

for and supported you. Authentic 

happiness is a byproduct of cultivating 

gratitude in our life.” 

This practice of expressing gratitude 

is becoming a common in our 

culture today with an increase of 

books on the issue published every 

year. “Any faith book easily translates 

into a book of gratitude because 

when we explore our faith, it is a natural 

expression of our growing faith 

to be grateful,” said Cheryl Dickow, 

publisher of Bezalel Books in Waterford. 

“We understand the value of 

our lives, the graces we’ve been given 

and the mercy we’ve been shown. 

Living in faith will always translate 

into living in gratitude.” 

Studies and research show that 

there are tremendous benefits to the 

practice of showing gratitude. Many 

experts recommend ending your day 

by writing in a journal five things you 

are grateful for that day. A Miami 

University study on the subject of 

gratitude and Thanksgiving showed 

that participants who kept gratitude 

lists were more likely to have made 

progress toward important personal 

goals such as academic, interpersonal 

and health-based goals over a 

two-month period. 

The recent economic downturn 

in our country has given people a 

different perspective on life. The experts 

in this area say there is no better 

time to focus on the good then when 

negative things seem to be happening 

around us. “We begin to develop 

a deep appreciation and gratitude for 

the basics — food, water, shelter — 

things that many of us have taken for 

granted,” said Laurencelle. “These 

situations often bring people closer 

to God and, in fact, some scholars 

believe that human beings are internally 

wired to search for a higher 

power to guide them through these 

situations.” 

“Western culture has tipped the 

scale in monstrous propositions 

when it comes to materialism, and 

Chaldeans are right there at the head 

of the line,” said Bashi. “We have an 

excess of everything and no matter 

how much stuff we acquire, we 

cannot seem to be fulfilled. We are 

seeped in gluttony. Gratitude is a hot 

topic because there’s a huge need for 

it in our culture.” 

There are several ways to practice 

daily gratitude expressions. With her 

clients, Bashi has created the “values 

inventory,” asking them to identify 

everything in life they value. “Most 

of the time, people realize there’s a 

lot they take for granted like their 

spouse, children and leisure time,” 

said Bashi. She also recommends that 

people write down the top 10 things 

they take for granted. “It is not a ‘to 

do’ list. It is a ‘to be’ list.” 

Using St. Therese of Lisieux as an 

example, Laurencelle reminds people 

to be grateful for the little things, as 

well as public service. “Think about 

bringing joy to others,” she recommended. 

“Go help someone else. Not 

only will you feel gratitude for what 

you have in life, you will be uplifted 

by being able to do something good 

for someone else.” 

Bazelel has several books that 

touch on gratitude including “Where 

Do Priests Come From?,” a book of 

gratitude for the men who have responded 

to God’s call upon their 

lives. “The Rosary Workout” is about 

spiritual and physical health and the 

overriding gratitude for Mary’s “yes.” 

As Psalm 8 says, “We give thanks 

to You, O God, we give thanks, For 

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a joyful noise 

Church choirs hit all the right notes 

By Weam Namou 

Nearly 800 people jammed 

into the new Holy Martyrs 

Chaldean Catholic Church 

in Sterling Heights on October 16 for 

the Sixth Annual Choirs Concert. 

The 250 choir members (spread 

over seven churches) were each allowed 

to invite several people. The 

event is so crowded that it’s not open 

to the public. 

It used to be that the church 

hosting the concert organized the 

entire event. For the past two years, 

the choir committee, which consists 

of seven members (one representative 

from each church), has been in 

charge. Each church donates money 

that is primarily used for the afterconcert 

party held in the church 

hall for the choir members and the 

attendees. 

“Fr. Boji is very encouraging 

of this choir concert,” said Mayce 

George, a committee member representing 

Mother of God Church. 

“He’s our major fan.” 

To the pastor of Holy Martyrs, the 

music represents much more than 

simple songs. 

“The continuous history of persecution 

that our church has experienced 

caused the Chaldeans not to 

have schools and universities,” said 

Fr. Boji. “Our heritage, even our theology, 

was kept alive through singing 

hymns.” 

Hymns were sung in English, traditional 

Arabic and Chaldean at the 

concert, which had the theme “The 

Life of Jesus Christ.” 

“We’ve been preparing for this 

since February,” said George. “It’s 

a lot of work, but it pays off. It’s rewarding 

to learn songs, get to know 

each other, and listen to other peoples’ 

work.” 

Nora Sheena, a committee member 

representing St. Thomas, likes 

that when the choirs come together, 

there’s no Eastside/Westside mentality. 

Rather than one labeling another 

by residence, it is more like, “Oh, 

you’re from St. Joseph, you’re from 

Mar Addai,” she said. “We’re all on 

even ground, all serving the church 

in the same way, all doing our best to 

give the gift God gave us to everyone 

around us. It’s nice to come in and 

1 

2 

6 

7 

1. Mother of 

God’s Youth 

Choir 

2. The Chaldean 

Choir of Mother 

of God 

3. The choir of 

Holy Martyrs 

4. Fr. Manual 

Boji, Fr. Fadi 

Philip and Fr. 

Ayad Khanjaro 

5. James 

Khawaja of 

St. Joseph 

6. Holy Family 

Church of 

Windsor 

7. St. Thomas’ 

choir 

8. All gathered 

for a closing 

song 


witness that. Even those from across 

the border have gathered here.” 

Indeed, Fr. Niaz Toma from Holy 

Family Church in Windsor, Canada, 

and his church’s choir have participated 

in the concert from the beginning. 

“Having the choirs come together 

like this is a tradition that in Iraq has 

been going on for many, many years,” 

said Rafi Ballo, a committee member 

representing Holy Family. “There’s 

no competition here. As we’re all 

here to praise the Lord, we’re in a 

harmonious relationship.” 

Ballo said being in choir makes 

him feel closer to the Chaldean Mass 

and lets him learn more about the 

“rich Chaldean liturgy.” 

“It is perceived that when you 

sing something it’s nicer than when 

you say it,” he said, noting that the 

area in the brain that stores music, 

the auditory cortex, is the last to 

deteriorate. 

“I saw a man with Alzheimer’s 

who was reciting prayers and singing 

— without skipping words,” Ballo 

said. “I was very impressed.” 

The requirements to join a Chaldean 

church choir are simple: a love 

of God, an interest in singing, and a 

desire to interact with others in the 

community. 

These are the reasons that a group 

of five women from Holy Martyrs got 

involved, despite having young children 

and jobs. 

“When we practice we bring our 

children with us,” said Suhair Shayia. 

“This church is simple but it’s a 

strong connection to our hearts.” 

The Our Lady of Perpetual Help 

Mission is happy with their large 

group of choir members, claiming 

it’s “God’s blessings!” 

“Doing this is what keeps me going,” 

said Rami Suleiman. “It inspires me.” 

“We’re here because we love God, 

honey!” said Vivian Osachi. “God is 

No. 1 in our life.” 

“Two things draw people to the 

choir,” noted Fr. Boji. “One, the spiritual 

aspect — glorifying God and 

appreciating the talent He has given 

them. Second, it’s the social component. 

The concert shows that the 

choirs belong to different parishes, 

but finally one diocese.” 

Each church has its own rehearsal 

schedule, but most practice an average 

of two to four hours per week 

— more as the big concert nears. Organizers 

hope to one day take it to 

a theater and sell tickets to the 

general public. 

“We need those who are not 

familiar with the caliber of good singers 

and orchestrators in our church 

to come in and enjoy the Chaldean 

hymns,” said Fr. Boji, who noted 

that everything in the Church of the 

East is based off songs. That is how 

it was kept going from generation 

to generation. It was an easy way to 

learn, especially for the mothers and 

fathers who didn’t know how to read 

and write. 

“Many of these songs were sung 

by our mothers and grandmothers 

to their babies while putting them 

to sleep,” said Fr. Boji. “Hymns are 

something very special and important 

in our culture.” 

Photos by Nora Bahrou Downs 

3 4 

5 

8

sparking dialogue 

Chaldean-Jewish communities develop a strategic model 

to build an ethnic network. 

ROBERT SKLAR 

EDITOR | DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 

VANESSA DENHA-GARMO 

EDITOR | CHALDEAN NEWS 

Eighth of a nine-part monthly series 

The Chaldean-Jewish initiative 

begun last April as a 

fragile, cross-cultural experiment 

in community building continues 

to create awareness and buzz 

outside the two ethnic communities. 

Interfaith groups, hospitals and 

health systems, universities, public 

school districts, political leaders, 

foundation executive directors and 

business entrepreneurs have communicated 

their interest in the initia- 

tive, dubbed “Building Community.” 

Some intend to participate 

in the evolving initiative 

as it moves beyond its 

formal wind-down in January 

to a second, more grassroots-led 

stage next February. 

Others have expressed a desire 

to expand the cultural footprint 

to include other ethnic 

and religious groups in Southeastern 

Michigan. 

The original hope was to draw 

together the Chaldean and Jewish 

communities, which share common 

roots in the Middle East (Iraq for the 

Chaldean community and Israel for 

the Jewish community). The goal 

was to have the communities mingle, 

appreciate each other’s culture, 

work together to improve the quality 

of life in Metro Detroit — and 

perhaps serve as a regional or even 

national model for a multicultural 

ethnic network. 

While the planks of that ambitious 

model continue to be laid, 

Building Community’s original ethnic 

groups are discussing the possibility 

of arranging a mini-mission of 

Chaldeans and Jews to travel to Israel 

and the Holy Land. The groups 

would travel together, explore their 

respective religious and cultural heritages 

and link up for shared events 

and celebrations. 

“The glue that binds this initiative 

together are the opportunities 

created for face-to-face interactions,” 

said Arthur Horwitz, publisher of the 

Detroit Jewish News. 

Strengthening Fabric 

Building Community is a joint project 

of the JN and the Chaldean 

News, both based in Southfi eld a 

short distance apart on Northwestern 

Highway. Here in Metro Detroit, 

the two ethnic groups share parallel 

patterns in geographic location, entrepreneurial 

interests and professional 

careers. 

“Over the past several months,” 

Horwitz said, “individual friendships 

have been made and, in some cases, 

renewed. Business opportunities and 

collaborations have emerged among 

entrepreneurs. And Chaldean and 

Jewish families have broken 

bread together.” 

New insights continue to 

bubble up. 

The University of Michigan-Dearborn 

College of 

Business benchmarked attitudes 

and perceptions of 

Chaldeans toward Jews, and 

Jews toward Chaldeans, at 

the outset of this project. 

In the coming months, 

U-M will update its research. 

“We expect to see statistically 

signifi cant improvements 

in these attitudes and 

perceptions as a result of the 

Building Community initiative,” 

Horwitz said. 

Leaders from both ethnic 

groups contribute to Southeast 

Michigan’s economic, 

philanthropic, political, cultural 

and religious wellbeing. 

Ron Asmar 

Jeannie Weiner 

Solid Teamwork 

The Building Community initiative 

inspired four ad hoc workgroups, listed 

here with their co-chairs: 

 

Saad Hajjar, Ron Asmar, Howard 

Rosenberg; 

 

ma, Jeannie Weiner; 

 

Nancy Welber Barr; 

 

 

Under the guidance of Jewish 

News Publisher Arthur Horwitz 

and Chaldean News Co-Publisher 

Martin Manna, the two newspapers 

will continue to furnish counsel and 

support to assist the workgroups; the 

workgroups, however, are not tied to 

either publication. 

Saad Hajjar, one of the Chaldean 

co-chairs of the Economic Development 

Committee, is enthused about 

the progress of the workgroup, which 

meets weekly. 

“There is a lot of knowledge both 

the Chaldean and Jewish communities 

can share together; a lot of 

potential when we work 

together,” said Hajjar, the 

CEO of West Bloomfi eldbased 

Advanced Technology 

Systems and a former 

chair of the Chaldean 

American Chamber of 

Commerce. 

Hajjar and his fellow 

chairs — Ron Asmar, the 

 

yards Deli in Farmington 

Hills, and Howard Rosenberg, 

a Jewish attorney, 

investor and hedge fund 

creator — are concentrating 

on such ideas as 

teaching about franchising 

opportunities. Their 

goal is to bring more jobs 

to Michigan. 

“Chaldeans and Jews 

have been supporting 

each other for many years and we 

want to see more of it happen,” Asmar 

said. “We want to make sure that 

everyone understands that when you 

support a Jewish business or a Chaldean 

business, it really helps out 

the whole entire community. We 

need especially to be teaching our 

young people the importance of having 

stronger ties. It’s one of the legs 

Michigan needs to get back on the 

right economic track.” 

The Social Action workgroup has 

met twice while the two co-chairs 

have met several times, partly to get 

acquainted and mostly to begin planning 

how to engage Jews and Chaldeans 

in inter-community projects. 

“Networking does not take long, 

and these potential partnerships and 

coalitions may reap benefi ts long into 

the future for the participants as well 

as for the larger community,” said 

continued on page 36 


Talking about Culture 

Jewish and Chaldean teens chat about their differences, similarities 

and stereotypes. 

BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO 

EDITOR | CHALDEAN NEWS 

Jewish and Chaldean teenagers 

were encouraged to speak candidly 

about their cultural similarities 

and differences at a teen forum hosted 

by Bloomfi eld Hills Schools on Oct 6. 

as part of the Detroit Jewish News and 

Chaldean News Building Community 

collaboration. 

Although teens did share some 

ideas and misconceptions, the hesitation 

to be open was apparent and 

the tendency to gravitate to one’s 

own culture was evident by the split 

in the room at Model High School in 

Bloomfi eld Hills. Most of the Jewish 

kids sat on one side, while the Chaldeans 

gathered on the opposite side of 

the room. 

The cross-cultural teen forum was 

hosted by radio personality Mojo of 

95.5-FM (Tom Carballo) who entertainingly 

encouraged the nearly 150 

teenagers to be honest and to not worry 

about offending anyone with their 

portrayals of the Jewish and Chaldean 

communities in Michigan. 

He posed candid questions to the 

teen panel as well as to the audience, 

starting out the session with the appropriate 

question: “What is the fi rst 

thing that comes to mind when you 

hear the word Chaldean or Jew?” The 

Chaldeans kids said they think of Jews 

being wealthy, business people and 

stingy with their money; the Jewish 

teens thought of Chaldeans as gas station 

owners and wearers of designer 

attire such as Ed Hardy. 

Mojo, who is of Cuban descent, 

said his house sits between a Jewish 

family and a Chaldean family. “I am 

really impressed with my Jewish and 

Chaldean neighbors because you guys 

take care of each other,” he said. “Nobody 

takes care of their cultures better 

than Jews and Chaldeans. You stand 

up for cultures, fi ght for each other 

and do everything you can to make 

sure your family is taken care of. You 

guys love being Jewish and love being 

Chaldean.” 

The panel consisted 

of two religious leaders, 

Rabbi Josh Bennett from 

Temple Israel in West 

Bloomfi eld and Fr. Antho- 

 

of God Chaldean Church 

in Southfi eld, and four 

students from Bloomfi eld 

Hills Schools. Chaldeans 

were represented by students 

Thomas Sandiha 

and Angelic Gasso, while 

the two Jewish teens were 

Marli Siegel and Josh Morof. 

First Exposure 

Prior to moving to Michigan 

from Chicago, Bennett 

had never heard of 

Chaldeans. He recognized 

the stereotypes, but said 

what he struggles with 

is what is never talked 

about. 

“What is more diffi - 

cult is what we don’t say 

out loud and what persists 

in the undercurrent,” he 

said, speaking of biases 

each community holds. 

Before being asked to be part of the 

 

counters with any Jewish people and 

had only stereotypical perceptions 

about the Jewish community. “The 

fi rst time I sat down with a Jewish person 

was when I met Arthur Horwitz 

and Rabbi Bennett,” he said. 

Bennett explained that the communities 

share more similarities than 

differences. Both trace their lineage 

to Abraham; both communities have 

been persecuted; and both have assimilated 

and succeeded in the United 

States. 

Gasso related how she is often mistaken 

for a non-Chaldean and recalled 

being offended by remarks made by 

both non-Chaldeans and Chaldeans. 

“When I meet Chaldeans for the 

fi rst time, I have heard girls say in 

Chaldean, ‘What is this white girl 

Nearly 150 teens attended the Jewish-Chaldean teen forum at Bloomfield 

Hills Model High School. 

Mojo asks for responses from the teen audience. 

doing here?’ They have no idea I am 

Chaldean because I don’t look it.” 

Gasso admits she does not like 

dealing with the negative talk about 

the Chaldeans so she does not confront 

it. Josh Morof can relate. He, 

too, is bothered by offensive statements. 

He said the stereotypical jokes 

voiced at the expense of the Jews are 

what upset him most. “There are Jewish 

stereotypes and jokes out there, 

and it is so surprising that it is still out 

there; and these jokes are said all the 

time, and I don’t like it at all,” he said. 

Marli Siegel recalled an afternoon 

a couple of years ago the day before a 

Jewish holiday, when she heard fellow 

students talking. “They said, ‘The only 

reason I love Jews is because of these 

days,’ because they got the holidays 

off of school,” she said. “It made me 

realize that these people don’t know 


me personally and are 

making these remarks 

without knowing me 

as a Jew.” 

Thomas Sandiha 

expressed a positive 

trait about being 

Chaldean he is proud 

to share with others 

— the similarities between 

the Chaldean 

and Jewish communities 

and the positive 

attributes that the 

communities want 

others to know and 

remember. “Church 

is important to us and 

so is family,” Sandiha 

said. 

Bill Boyle, principal 

of Model High 

School and Bowers 

Academy, said he was 

honored to host the 

event. “The benefi t 

is giving kids a process 

and forum to talk 

about and learn things 

about each other,” 

he said. “They know 

about the tensions 

and stereotypes, but when we have a 

process in place like this, we can all 

learn from this.” 

Moving Forward 

Bloomfi eld Hills Schools spokesperson 

Betsy Ericson said, “Education 

thought leaders say that empathy is 

the No. 1 skill set for success in the 

21st century. This Building Community 

initiative is one important step 

in nurturing understanding in our increasingly 

diverse community. We’re 

grateful the Jewish News and Chaldean 

News included our high school 

students in this endeavor.” 

This panel broke new ground 

within the communities and, with 

the help of Mojo and religious leaders, 

engaged the teens in a productive 

conversation. 

continued on page 37 


continued from page 34 

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Jeannie Weiner, the Jewish co-chair. 

Friendships and relationships 

require time to grow (even at the 

leadership level), but Weiner is excited 

about the prospects. The past 

president of the Jewish Community 

Relations Council of Metropolitan 

Detroit has some Chaldean friends 

who go back 20 years. 

“This is a wonderful opportunity 

for Southeast Michigan to demonstrate 

that different religious groups 

can come together as neighbors, colleagues, 

clients and friends,” she said. 

“If friendships and better understanding 

between the groups were the only 

result, it would be enough; but much, 

much more is happening, and I fi nd it 

very gratifying.” 

Real Change 

When Building Community was 

launched, the JN’s Horwitz and the 

Chaldean News’ Manna could not 

have imagined the amount of interest 

and support their newspapers would 

receive for the effort. 

“It seems that with each monthly 

installment of the Building Community 

content that appears in our publications,” 

Horwitz said, “additional 

ideas for collaboration emerge. 

“Most of the ideas and desire to 

participate come from the grassroots 

level, a sign that we are fundamentally 

changing the ways these two communities 

will interact for years, and 

perhaps decades, to come.” 

Creative director, Deborah Schultz 

Senior copy editor, David Sachs 

Story development editor, 

Keri Guten Cohen 

Our eighth two-page monthly spread, 

developed by the Farmington Hills 

strategic communications fi rm Tanner 

Friedman, appears on pages 38-39 

T h e P o w e r o f Y o u r C o m m u n i t y e = D T E ® 

All Aboard The Friendship Tour 

The Chaldean/Jewish Friendship Tour, a special occasion on Nov. 15 

presented by Building Community’s Arts & Culture Committee, marks 

the fi rst public event from one of the initiative’s grassroots workgroups. 

Participants will gain an understanding of the architecture, symbolism, 

usability, history and culture of each community’s central facilities 

— Shenandoah Country Club and the Jewish Community Center. Both 

are located in West Bloomfi eld. 

The night begins at 6 p.m. at Shenandoah for wine, hors d’oeuvres 

and a tour of the facility by its architect, Victor Saroki of Birmingham. 

Shenandoah is owned by the Chaldean Iraqi American Association of 

Michigan (CIAAM) and is a favorite gathering place among community 

members. 

At 7:30, participants will drive to the Jewish Community Center for 

a tour by JCC Executive Director Mark Lit and architect Joel Smith, 

whose fi rm Neumann/Smith Associates of Southfi eld designed the 

Frankel Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit and the under-construction 

Berman Center for the Performing Arts, both part of the JCC 

building complex. Coffee and a sampling of Jewish-inspired sweets at 

the JCC round out the evening, which concludes at 9 p.m. 

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Send checks payable 

to the Jewish Community Center to the JCC, 6600 W. Maple Road, 

West Bloomfi eld, MI 48322. Learn more by calling Avita Bacall at (248) 

681-5050 or Monika Whale, (248) 432-5419. 

The Arts & Culture Committee is headed by Mary Romaya and Barbara 

Kratchman. Committee members are Mira Burak, Stephen Goldman, 

Mark Kassa, Mark Lit, Dr. Sulafa Roumayah, Dale Rubin, Michelle 

Saroki, Firyal Yono and Sharon Zimmerman. 

— Joyce Wiswell, managing editor, Chaldean News 


continued from page 35 

“The morning started with stereotypes 

and ended with truth, compassion 

and empathy,” Mojo said. “I am so 

impressed with those high school kids.” 

Focus On Youth 

The teen forum represents an important 

progression in the Building 

Community initiative. While all 

previous interactions associated with 

this initiative have been between 

Chaldean and Jewish adults, this 

was the fi rst time the two publishing 

companies provided a forum and a 

safe space for youth to strip away the 

veneer of stereotypes and recognize 

the commonalities they share. 

“In many households, high schoolage 

children have the most opportunities 

for interaction and involvement 

with Chaldeans and Jews,” said Arthur 

Horwitz, publisher of the Jewish 

News. “We’re hopeful content from 

the forum provides ‘teachable moments’ 

in reverse, with the children 

enlightening their parents.” 

Horwitz and Martin Manna, copublisher 

of the Chaldean News, are 

spearheading the Building Community 

initiative. 

Both are pleased that other school 

districts with signifi cant Chaldean 

and Jewish student populations are 

interested in hosting their own teen 

forums, and they look forward to facilitating 

this with them. 

“The only way to rid people of 

their ignorance about each other is 

to talk about our differences and similarities,” 

Manna said. 

“This is what the teen forum was 

all about — to educate people about 

the Jewish and Chaldean communities.” 

Teen forum a great 

first step. 

BY ANGELIC GASSO 

People stereotype one another 

daily. It’s usually unintentional 

and, in most cases, the origin is 

unknown. People are stereotyped by 

the color of their skin, gender, religious 

beliefs and even culture. High 

school is a very common ground for 

stereotyping. It happens because we 

are unaware of one another’s differences 

so, in turn, we generalize. 

Bloomfi eld Hills Lahser and 

Andover high schools 

have a clear separation 

amongst the Jewish and 

Chaldean teenage populations. 

Both cultures 

have attended school 

in the same district for 

years, but neither group 

has made the effort to 

understand the other on 

a higher and intellectual 

level until now. 

On Oct. 6, Chaldean 

and Jewish students, 

a priest, a rabbi 

Angelic Gasso 

and Mojo from 95.5-FM 

met at Model High School in Bloomfi 

eld Hills to discuss cultural differences 

and similarities. Students were 

allowed to sit anywhere they pleased 

— naturally, the two cultures generally 

sat on opposing sides. This further 

evidenced the separation that 

exists amongst the groups not only in 

school, but also extracurricular activities, 

work settings and free time. 

I will admit, my knowledge of the 

Jewish culture is rather limited. I was 

eager to learn more about the Jewish 

community and the forum provided 

just that exactly. In the short hour the 

forum lasted, I learned more about the 

Jewish community than I had learned 

in my entire life. 

Mojo challenged the audience 

to directly answer questions regarding 

each culture. One Jewish girl was 

asked how her parents would react if 

she married someone outside her Jewish 

faith. 

“My parents defi nitely would not 

be happy because it would create a 

halt in my culture,” she said. “It’s not 

that they disrespect other cultures, it’s 

just the fact that they want our Jewish 

culture to thrive and grow by sticking 

together.” 

I saw many students’ 

heads nod in 

agreement, including 

my own. 

To me, the forum 

was an overall shock. 

I never realized nor 

took the time to think 

that other cultures, 

though different, may 

be the same after all. 

Both the Jewish 

and Chaldean communities 

value and 

pride themselves in 

their cultures, a key 

component in maintaining any ethnicity. 

The forum made me feel accomplished 

and gave me a sense of 

hope for the two cultures. The participants 

were honest; every stereotype 

was brought to the surface in raw 

form. 

It was a big step for both groups in 

tightening the gap between the Jewish 

and Chaldean communities, but it is 

just the beginning. With time and further 

knowledge of one another’s cultures, 

I feel a sense of community and 

understanding will be gained. 

— Angelic Gasso is a senior 

at Bloomfi eld Hills 

Lahser High School. 

‘Work as a community 

to build one.’ 

BY JOSH MOROF 

As an active member of both 

Andover High School and 

the Jewish community, I 

was chosen to serve on a panel for 

the “Building Community” teen forum 

held Oct. 6. Along with Rabbi 

Josh Bennett of Temple Israel in 

West Bloomfi eld and Father Anthony 

 

of God Chaldean 

Church in Southfi eld, 

there were two Chaldean 

students and a 

second Jewish student. 

In the audience were 

more than 100 Bloomfi 

eld Hills students. 

One of the very 

fi rst things discussed 

was stereotyping. “You 

don’t look Jewish.” 

“You don’t act Chaldean.” 

I personally 

Josh Morof 

hate hearing Jewish jokes and stereotypes 

as often as I do. I have never 

been able to understand how someone 

could classify or even make fun 

of another person based on something 

like their religion. 

However, before this forum, I never 

looked at the situation the other 

way around. Even when we do not 

realize it, we are constantly categorizing 

and judging those around us. If 

you tell yourself that you have never 

made fun of someone because of the 

way they look, act, talk or even because 

of their beliefs, you would most 

likely be lying to yourself. 

One question that really stood out 

to me was asked by a student. The 

question was not “How do we improve 

the relationship between Jews 

and Chaldeans?” but rather “How 

do we create a relationship between 

Chaldeans and Jews?” This question 

is so interesting to me because 

it points out that there is currently 

not a relationship between Jews and 

Chaldeans. 

Within Andover High School, 

there is extremely limited interaction 

between the two groups. The Chaldeans 

have their benches in the main 

hallway, and the Jews congregate in 

front of the stairs to the 

second fl oor. Even at the 

forum, the Chaldeans 

and Jews automatically 

separated, each generally 

sitting on different sides 

of the room. Outside of 

school it is not much 

different. Jewish teens 

hang out with other 

Jews, and the same with 

Chaldeans. Personally, I 

have very few Chaldean 

friends, only one I ever 

see outside of school. 

It is about time we 

start breaking down the walls between 

the two groups — and the 

Building Community initiative has 

defi nitely begun this process. However, 

it is up to both Jews and Chaldeans 

alike to make this happen. If we all 

did something as simple as inviting a 

Chaldean friend or neighbor over for 

a Shabbat dinner, imagine the impact 

that would have on the relationship 

between both Jews and Chaldeans. 

We have an opportunity to begin 

focusing on how to improve our relationship 

instead of worrying about 

how to create one. All we have to is 

work as a community in order to build 

one. 

— Josh Morof is a junior at 

Bloomfi eld Hills 

Andover High School. 


C O MM U N I T 

Y 

‘A common cause’ 

Chaldeans, Jews extend parents’ 

gains through public service 

By Alan Stamm and Justin Fisette 

Our parents’ most vivid lessons last a lifetime. For Michael 

J. George and Carl Levin, values gained during childhood 

kindled enduring commitments to community service. 

George, founder of a successful business group, has 

given many Chaldean store owners a startup boost through loans 

and mentoring. Levin, with a public service career spanning nearly 

half a century, is a sixth-term U.S. senator who earlier held state and 

city government posts. Even as a teen, he was elected an officer by 

the Class of 1952 at Central High in Detroit. 

“As kids, [my parents] really taught us to participate in a common 

cause,” says the 76-year-old senator. The native Detroiter became 

interested in politics “when I was a kid at the dinner table with my 

dad and mother, talking about FDR and the New Deal, and how we 

all had to pull together to get out of a Depression.” 

Brother Sander Levin, a U.S. Representative and Chair of the 

House Ways and Means Committee, has been influential in the fight 

“With each generation, the 

more educated they became, 

the more they were involved in 

the American system.” 

Michael J. George, business leader 

for minority rights and religious freedom, here and abroad. “We consider 

it our duty to try to respond,” he says of persecution in Iraq, an 

issue he says resonates powerfully among the Jewish community. 

Their father Saul, an attorney, set an example of public service 

through volunteer assistance to immigrants and farm workers and as 

a four-year appointee on the Michigan Corrections Commission. Another 

role model was uncle Theodore Levin, an immigration lawyer 

and federal judge in Detroit, after whom the federal courthouse for 

the Eastern District of Michigan is named. 

Building a future 

A powerful example also inspired George, who created Melody Farms 

Dairy and a family-led business group called George Enterprises. His 

father Tom left Iraq in 1929 and opened a small grocery in Detroit 

— carving a foothold in a land where he didn’t know the language. 

Like other second-generation Chaldean Americans, the plucky 

son used education to expand parental achievements. In 1950, 

George created Tom George & Sons Dairy Distributors, which grew 

into Melody Farms — a three-generation firm sold to Dallas-based 

Dean Foods Co. in 2003. “When I went into business,” the founder 

recalls, “a lot of [Chaldean] people couldn’t get support from the 

banks because they didn’t have financial documents. We helped with 

loans and business advice.” 

George also served on many civic groups, including a Detroit 

casino gambling study commission. In Lansing, he worked to reduce 

hurdles for merchants seeking retail liquor licenses. 

Now the 78-year-old entrepreneur is heartened to see political science 

become a popular college major among Chaldeans. “With each 

generation, the more educated they became, the more they were involved 

in the American system — becoming professionals — and many 

want to be politicians. They want to be involved in how the country 

runs.” The son of pioneering immigrants expects to see more Chaldeans 

in public service, following another group’s path. 

“The Jewish community was here ahead of us, a 

generation or two ahead of us,” he notes. 

Recruiting Chaldeans 

Also involved in the American system is Zahra 

Roberts, a Central Intelligence Agency program 

manager for Middle East community outreach. 

She spreads the word to Chaldean and Arab- 

American groups in Chicago and Metro Detroit 

about a need for recruits with specialized cultural 

and linguistic backgrounds. “We’re still very much in the education 

phase,” Roberts says. “We attend events and are on the right 

track. It’s a long-term commitment.” 

Not all jobs involve espionage or risky field work. Career paths 

include human resources, engineering, finance, information technology, 

data analysis and translation. Mid-career professionals, as well 

as recent graduates, are wanted. 

“The U.S. government is interested in heritage communities 

across the board,” says the outreach manager. “We can do a much 

better job in providing information to policymakers if we have people 

from every part of the country working in government.” 

Federal judges in Detroit 

For Avern Cohn, born in Detroit 86 years ago, the route to public 

service led from the University of Michigan (undergraduate and law 

degrees) to his dad’s law office for 12 years to state and city com- 


P R E S E N T I N G S P O N S O R 

G O L D S P O N S O R S 

Diane D’Agostini Marc Barron 

Kimberly Small 

Chaldeans and Jews serve side-by-side 

As one of the first Chaldeans in 

Metro Detroit to break into public 

service, Diane D’Agostini focuses 

on keeping her community 

safe in her role as a 48th District 

Court judge in Oakland County. 

“I saw more members of the 

Chaldean community robbed 

and murdered at their place of 

business. I wanted to help victims 

of crime and be their voice,” 

D’Agostini explains. 

She serves alongside Judges 

Marc Barron and Kimberly 

Small, both Jewish. They handle 

cases from Bloomfield Township, 

West Bloomfield, Bloomfield 

Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard 

Lake Village, Sylvan Lake 

and Birmingham. The court’s 

bench offers a snapshot of the 

population they serve. 

“There is a large percentage 

in this district of both Jewish 

and Chaldean individuals, and I 

think it’s given us perspective to 

really understand some of the dynamics 

that are involved in both 

communities,” says D’Agostini of 

the mix on the bench. “You don’t 

need to be of an ethnic group to 

understand it, but we may understand 

a bit better because of 

the community aspect.” 

Her community supported 

D’Agostini while running for office, 

culminating in an electionnight 

victory and a tray of popsicles 

being sent by a voter she 

connected with while campaigning. 

“One couple invited me 

into their house, and we talked 

about both communities while 

reviewing my qualifications. The 

husband even offered me a popsicle,” 

D’Agostini recalls. 

Ultimately, D’Agostini feels, 

the victory uplifts more than one 

person. “When I succeeded, the 

Chaldean community felt joy, not 

just me,” she explains. “The Chaldean 

community realized how 

significant it was to vote and be 

involved in the political process. 

It’s important for all groups to be 

a part of the process.” 

– Justin Fisette 

S I LV E R S P O N S O R S 

mission appointments and ultimately to a federal judgeship 

— “catching the brass ring,” as Cohn describes 

it. He still hears cases at U.S. District Court in Detroit 

— where colleagues include Chief Judge Gerald Rosen, 

Paul D. Borman, Nancy Edmunds, Bernard Friedman 

and Stewart Newblatt, and where Jewish predecessors 

include Lawrence Gubow (1968-78) and Theodore 

Levin (1946-70). A new generation of Jewish judges 

will include Mark Goldsmith, to be sworn in later this 

month. Another Jewish Detroiter, Helene White, currently 

serves on the region’s U.S. Court of Appeals for 

the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati. 

“In the Jewish community, it seemed natural to be active” 

in community service, says Cohn, a past president 

of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit who was 

nominated to his lifetime judgeship by President Jimmy 

Carter in May 1979. “Some people naturally gravitate toward 

political and social activity,” he adds. “The effort you 

extend to support yourself isn’t really sufficient to satisfy 

all your needs. . . . Man does not live on bread alone.” 

Alan Stamm and Justin Fisette are writers for 

Tanner Friedman, a marketing communications 

firm in Farmington Hills.

seeking 

information 

Reward offered in store killing 


A 

$12,500 cash reward has been offered 

for information on the death of Mazin 

Khmoro, who was gunned down outside 

his family’s Southfield liquor store on October 6. 

Khmoro, a resident of Farmington Hills, was taking 

out the trash behind Cronin’s Liquor Store on 

the 29000 block of Northwestern Highway when 

he was shot and killed at about 4 p.m. Police said 

surveillance video shows that the suspect’s vehicle 

waited more than an hour before the 

shooting. It is described as a four-door, 

mid-size sports utility vehicle, possibly 

a black GMC Envoy, and was occupied 

by a thin male with a dark complexion 

wearing a light-colored dress shirt. 

“We believe someone who knows the 

victim and the store operation knows 

something about this,” said Southfield 

Police Chief Joseph E. Thomas, Jr., at an 

emotional press conference on October 

14. “This was deliberate and intended 

for one particular person.” 

Crimes Stoppers of Michigan put up 

the initial $2,500 reward. The Waad 

Murad Advocacy Fund, a division of the 

Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, 

added $10,000. The reward is for 

information that leads to the arrest of the person or 

people responsible for the killing. 

“He died right in my arms,” sobbed the victim’s 

sister, May Khemmoro (who spells her name differently) 

at the press conference. “He was a good 

father, brother and son, and a good friend to all of 

us. My brother was the kindest man — he helped 

everybody. We just want to know why [he was 

killed],” she said. 

“Our hearts are really broken. My brother read 

the Bible every single day,” said a second sister, 

Brenda Thweny. “We have to vote for the death 

penalty in Michigan.” 

Thomas said the perpetrator lied in wait for 

at least two days. “This is not stranger danger,” 

Above: 

The press conference included remarks by Police Chief 

Joseph E. Thomas, Jr., Crime Stoppers President John 

Broad, and the victim’s sisters, May Khemmoro and 

Brenda Thweny. 

Left: The suspect’s vehicle 

he said. “We will be dogmatic about this and 

the person involved will not be unpunished,” he 

said. “Somebody needs to get off the couch and 

make a phone call.” 

The chief vowed that the case will be solved. 

“We’re going to hunt this person down,” he said. 

“We’re going to make it hurt.” 

People with information on the crime are urged 

to call Crime Stoppers, (800) SPEAK UP, visit 

www.1800speakup.org, or text CSM and your 

message to 274637. 

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synod continued from page 22 

“The population of this country 

... is 24 million, all Muslims, with 

whom we live peacefully and freely.” 

(Note one oddity: Iraq’s population, 

of course, is not “all Muslims” 

— the Chaldeans are Iraqis. Why 

did he say this? It is not clear.) 

“The Patriarch of the Chaldean 

Church (that is, Mar Delly himself; 

he is speaking of himself here in 

the third person, instead of saying, 

“I”) lives in Baghdad.” (That is, has 

not fled, or been forced to leave; he 

is still at home, in his community.) 

“Christians are good with their 

fellow Muslims and there is mutual 

respect among them.” (No hint of 

any tensions at all.) 

“Despite all the political and religious 

situations, and emigration, 

we now have nearly one million 

Christians in Iraq out of 25 million 

Muslims.” (He says “political 

and religious situations” instead of 

more negative words like “wars, invasions, 

car bombings, kidnappings, 

religious fanaticism” — all these 

are subsumed under “situations.” 

Then he says there are “nearly 

one million Christians in Iraq out 

of 25 million Muslims.” Again 

an odd phrase, since one million 

Christians and 25 million Muslims 

would make 26 million Iraqis, not 

25 million.) 

“We have the freedom of religion 

in our Churches. The Bishop or 

Priest, religious leader is listened to 

and respected by his fellow citizens. 

We have our own seminary, and 

Chaldean monks and nuns and religious.” 

(He says “we have freedom 

of religion in our Churches” — but 

he does not say if there is freedom 

of religion in the country, in Iraq in 

general. He says the “religious leader” 

— the word is in the singular; is 

he referring perhaps to himself? — is 

“listened to and respected.” However, 

we know that Archbishop Delly 

himself, despite his years of crying 

out on behalf of his people, has not 

been listened to. “We have our own 

seminary,” he says — but another 

Iraqi speaker said the seminary has 

actually been moved out of Baghdad 

because of a bombing incident, and 

reopened, but only hundreds of miles 

to the north.) 

Seeking the meaning 

On many occasions this week, I 

asked Synod participants and other 

journalists what they thought of Patriarch 

Delly’s remarks. 

I was told variously that he is 

“misinformed,” that his staff “no 

longer informs him of the true situation,” 

that he “lives in a palace” and 

is now “out of touch” with the reality 

on the ground; that he has gotten 

“old and weary” of the struggle 

he faces; that he wishes to emphasize 

the positive because emphasizing the 

negative has not served any positive 

purpose; and that he is “afraid is stirring 

up anything.” 

“Despite all the 

political and religious 

situations, and 

emigration, we now 

have nearly one 

million Christians in 

Iraq out of 25 million 

Muslims.” 

– Mar delly 

Someone told me that a bishop 

from Turkey had been so upset with 

Mar Delly’s words that he had stood up 

with tears in eyes and asked Mar Delly 

how he could speak in the way he had. 

A couple of days ago, I wrote a 

piece suggesting that Mar Delly may 

have been speaking in a veiled, or 

intentionally coded, way like that 

used by persecuted men in all countries 

when they wish to get a message 

across without arousing the ire of 

their persecutors. 

I noted that Leo Strauss, the primary 

intellectual influence in the founding 

of the neo-conservative movement 

in America, had worked out a theory 

that in every age the persecuted must 

resort to elegant, imaginative subterfuges 

to get their true message across 

and not be censored, or silenced, as 

they try to fly “under the radar” of the 

“inquisitors” of their time. 

Pivotal moments 

The intervention of Patriarch Delly was 

a pivotal moment in the Synod. Archbishop 

Franceschini’s talk was also. 

What the Synod will lead to in 

terms of concrete action to help the 

Christians of the Middle East, I do 

not know. 

But that the Christians of the 

region need the solidarity of Christians, 

and others of good will, from 

the rest of the world if they are to 

survive is clear. 

This is what the silence of Mar 

Delly, and the tears of Archbishop 

Franceschini, mean. 

Robert Moynihan, Ph.D., is the editor 

of Inside the Vatican Magazine, 

www.InsideTheVatican.com. 

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events 

1 

2 

3 4 5 

6 

8 

fall 

football 


Football fans and fanatics once again gathered for the annual Chaldean 

Football League Chy Cup game on October 16. Team White won in a 

20-7 game over Team Green. Before that action, the ladies took to the 

field in the second annual East. vs. West Powder Puff game. West won 

in triple overtime, 12-6. 

7 

1. Nick Hermiz 

catches a pass 

between Tony 

Attisha and 

Anthony Yaldo. 

2. Team White 

quarterback 

and coach Joey 

Jonna rolls to his 

right and looks 

downfield. 

3. Justin Orow 

of Team Green 

intercepts 

the ball. 

4. Mark Hajjar 

catches a pass. 

5. Sandy Acho 

of East runs, but 

Jenny Farida pulls 

her flag while 

Linda Zetouna 

gets in front 

to help. 

6. Bianca Jiddou 

looks to elude 

the rush. 

7. Vanessa Zeer 

shows off the 

trophy. 

8. West 

celebrates 

their win. 


classified listings 

HELP WANTED 

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preferred. Requires Masters 

in Science, Electrical or 

Mechanical Engineering. 

Will accept any suitable 

combination of education, 

training or experience. 

Travel & relocation may be 

required. Send resumes to: 

HR, PES Group, P.C., 615 

Griswold Street, Suite 805, 

Detroit, MI 48226 EOE. 

INSURANCE AGENT / 

MANAGER or CSR 

We sell Auto & Home 

Insurance (NOVI, MI). 

Must be experienced. 

Salary or Hourly plus 

commission $$$$$$$. 

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Business for Sale 

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ww.chaldeannews.com 


events 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

project bismutha 


1. Fr. Manuel 

Boji 

2. Master of 

ceremonies Al 

Zara 

3. Margaret 

Butti, Suhair 

Kallabat, 

Shahraz 

Hanaee and 

Bernie Garmo 

4. Michael & 

Najat George, 

Dr. Nathima 

Atchoo and 

Rula Yono 

5. Heather 

& Regheed 

Akrawi and 

Hanadi & Holly 

Gallozi 

6. Sawson 

Shayota, Rand 

Thary and 

Lavon Ammori 

7. CALC 

President 

LeeAnn Kirma 

8. Dr. Nahid 

Elyas, 

president of 

CAAHP 

9 

9. Mindi Fynke, 

president 

and CEO of 

Employee 

Health 

Insurance 

Management 

Project Bismutha had its premiere event on October 13 at 

Shenandoah Country Club. The organization has been established 

by the Chaldean American Ladies of Charity and 

the Chaldean American Association of Health Professionals 

to provide free medical services to qualified uninsured 

individuals. Visit ProjectBismutha.org. 


Proudly 

serving the 

Chaldean 

community 

for 49 years! 

14 Mile & Franklin Road, 1 Mile West of Telegraph 

National Historic Site since 1832 

177th Year Anniversary 

Featuring U-Pick Apples 

Michigan’s largest variety of fresh apples- all Michigan grown! 

Home of the “Honey Crisp” Apple - Always in stock 

Large assortment of: 

• Indian Corn 

• Corn Stalks 

• Baby Pumpkins 

Come See Our New 

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OPEN NOW through November 28th 

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Call for field trips, and school outings. 

Carve Pumpkins & Gourds 

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Meat and Cheeses 

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weekdays 

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248-626-8261

NOVEMBER 2010

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