JANUARY 2011

CHALDEAN NEWS JANUARY 2011

JANUARY 2011 CHALDEAN NEWS




CONTENTS JANUARY 2011 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 7 ISSUE XII 

on the cover 

20 Out of the Shadows 

By Joyce Wiswell 

Fighting domestic violence 

20 

features 

24 Dot-Com Businesses 

Booming 

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

Chaldeans mine entrepreneurial 

talents on the web 

26 ‘Fear and Concern’ 

Situation still dire for refugees 

24 26 

departments 

8 From the Editor 

10 your Letters 

11 Noteworthy 

14 Chai Time 

16 halhole 

18 religion 

19 obituaries 

33 The Counselor Is In 

By Iklas Bashi 

Have a conscious new year 

34 One on One 

By Martin Manna 

The State Department’s Michael Corbin: 

‘We have enormous influence’ 

36 Classifieds 

38 Event 

Passion for Fashion 

28 chaldean on the street 

By Anthony Samona 

What do you think of President Obama so far? 

30 On a Mission 


Our Lady of Perpetual Help 

welcomes refugees 

sports 

32 Sports Roundup 

By Steve Stein 

building community 

22 Celebration! 

By Robert Sklar and Vanessa Denha Garmo 

Chaldean-Jewish initiative toasts successes 

while pledging to work even harder together 

23 Beyond the Honeymoon 


Chaldean-Jewish initiative 

will continue to build 


from the EDITOR 

A plan for the New Year 

Published By 

The Chaldean News, LLC 

Editorial 

Editor in Chief 

Vanessa Denha-Garmo 

managing Editor 

Joyce Wiswell 

Contributing Writers 

Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

Anthony Samona 

Steve Stein 

proof reader 

Valerie Cholagh 

art & production 

creative director 

Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

graphic designers 

Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

Joseph Sesi with Sesi Design 

Photographer 

David Reed 

operations 

Interlink Media 

director of operations 

Paul Alraihani 

circulation 

Paul Alraihani 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Joyce Wiswell 

sales 

Interlink Media 

Jonathon Garmo 

Lisa Kalou 

managers 


Martin Manna 

Michael Sarafa 

subscriptions: $25 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: January 2011 Subscriptions: 

12 months, $25. 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” 

It’s not only a New Year but 

we are entering into a new 

decade. In a 10-year period 

fashion styles are documented, 

milestones are met 

and age lines become more 

visible. Perhaps this 2011 

not only are you making New 

Year’s resolutions, but a todo 

list of goals for the next 

10 years. 

Will a New Year create 

a new you or a new outlook 

on the next 10 years? Do you 

have a game plan? 

Looking back at 10 years ago, are 

you where you thought you would be, 

doing what you thought you would be 

doing, looking like you thought you 

would look and living like you 

thought you would live? If not, 

you might want to ask why. 

Ten years ago, I did not plan 

out a to-do list for the first decade 

of the new millennium. I 

barely remember having a New 

Year’s resolution. If I did, it was 

to lose weight and I am sure my 

weight did change but not on the 

thinner side. 

As we close out every year at the 

Chaldean News, we create a template 

for the next year and discuss in a detailed 

brainstorming session what we 

plan to cover in the next year and what 

we may do differently. We analyze our 

successes and failures. The Jewish 

News and Chaldean News joint venture 

was a hit and we plan on continuing 

the relationship in 2011 — just a bit 

differently. 

We had some failures, as well. Or, 

should I say mistakes made and in 

hindsight we all have 20/20 vision. We 

know what we will not do again and we 

understand the lessons learned. Isn’t 

that what growing older is all about 

– gaining wisdom? 

Perhaps as we look ahead to the 

Vanessa 

denha-garmo 

editor in chief 

co-publisher 

next 10 years and evaluate 

the last 10 years, we can ask 

ourselves what we learned, 

how we have grown and what 

can we do differently with the 

knowledge we have today. 

What are you planning for 

the New Year? 

Every year I like to look 

at what in my life I want to 

change, and then first understand 

if I can change it and if 

so, come up with a game plan 

to do it. Last year, I made a 

decision to leave Wayne 

County and expand my already existing 

communications company into a fullservice 

agency. 

When I started working for County 

Executive Robert Ficano, I planned on 

working for him for at least two fouryear 

terms and possibly three. I did not 

anticipate wanting to leave as early as I 

did. I created an exit plan out of Wayne 

County at the beginning of 2009 and 

executed it at the end of the year. 

Now I create the plan of growing 

my company over the next decade 

and doing the same strategic plan for 

my husband’s company. I try to imagine 

what my life will be like in 10 years 

based on the plan I put in place. 

What’s your plan for the New Year 

and the new decade? 

I realize that life doesn’t always 

unfold exactly as you plan. God’s plan 

may not always be our plan but we 

learn to go with the flow, make the 

needed adjustments and move on. Every 

month, we plan an editorial calendar 

and sometimes we meet our goals and 

some months we make adjustments 

midway through our plan. 

The Chaldean News is not exactly 

what we anticipated nearly a decade 

ago when we were designing the product. 

It is not even where we thought it 

would be when we launched in 2004. 

The media industry changed and we 

changed with it. 

Without some type of plan in place, 

we would not have been able to adjust 

to the unanticipated economic climate 

and circumstances out of our control. 

The point is to have some type of 

understanding of what the goals are in 

life and an idea of how to achieve them. 

Ten years ago, I did not plan out a to-do list for 

the first decade of the new millennium. I barely 

remember having a New Year’s resolution. 

Without a plan, you will be waking up 

in 2021 10 years older, none the wiser 

and in the same place you are today. 

Ask yourself, what’s the plan for 

2011 and the next 10 years? What do 

you want to achieve and how will you 

achieve it? What do you want your life 

to look like? 

Create the plan and make it happen! 

Alaha Imid Koullen 

(God Be With Us All) 


vdenha@chaldeannews.com 



your LETTERS 

Reflections on Iraq 

Your article, “We Can’t Ignore Iraq” [From 

the Editor, December 2010] is one of the 

best I have read describing the plight of 

Christians in Iraq. Your statement, “we 

are brothers and sisters in Christ” is the 

reason that when we discuss this issue, 

we must speak with one united voice as 

Christian, not Syrian, not Chaldean, not 

Assyrian, not Armenian, etc. 

I thank all of you who participated in 

writing these articles including the pictures, 

especially the little boy holding his 

dad’s picture, maybe saying, “where is 

my daddy?” That picture touched my 

heart and made me cry. Peaceful people 

praying in the house of God got slaughtered 

for no reason. Who would commit 

such an act? I will keep praying for the 

families and the relatives who lost their 

loved ones. My uncle’s great-granddaughter, 

24 years old and pregnant, 

with her husband and father-in-law all 

died in that church on October 31. One 

of my nephews told me that he and his 

family of four were planning to go to the 

same church that day, but changed their 

mind at the last minute. Is it coincidence 

or was it a miracle? God knows. 

In 1950 when I was living in Baghdad 

I heard the Jewish people screaming 

and calling for help as they were 

being killed by their assailants. I saw 

their homes and businesses being broken 

into and looted. I had many Jewish 

friends. I will never forget these friends 

saying, “After they are done with us, 

they will turn against you.” My answer 

to them was, “No, America will come 

and help us because it is a Christian 

country.” I was wrong, they were right. 

The time has come to do something 

for our “brothers and sisters in Christ.” 

My suggestions are as follows: 

1. Refugee status. Most of the refugees 

especially living in Syria and Jordan 

are considered to be second-class 

citizens, and can’t find work to support 

themselves. This needs to change. 

2. Asylum. It is very difficult to get asylum 

as many countries are refusing to do so. 

3. Relocation to Nineveh. My concern 

is that if there is a concentration 

of Christians in one area, they will be 

more susceptible to attack. 

4. Relocate and assimilate in Kurdistan. 

I prefer this option because it is safer 

for them to live among the Kurds, where 

the official languages are Kurdish and Arabic. 

They have better services. It would 

be easier for them to find a job, and they 

would have the freedom to build and worship 

in Christian churches. President Barzani 

has already stated that the Christians 

are welcome to live among them. A deal 

could be struck with the Kurdish government 

so the Christians will join the Kurdish 

political parties, thus making them even 

more powerful when negotiating with the 

central government of Baghdad. 

Article 15: The Kurdish constitution 

protects the freedom of all religions. 

Article 16: “Primary education is 

compulsory. Free education in all its 

stages of primary, secondary and university 

is guaranteed to all citizens ….” 

The region has seven universities, medical 

and other technical schools. 

The Kurdish government has indicated 

that if the oil law is not settled 

by June 2011, it will withdraw from the 

central government in Baghdad. Iyad 

Allawi is threatening to withdraw from 

Maliki’s administration also. If this scenario 

takes place, the central government 

will collapse, leading the way for a 

coup d’etat. And the Christians will be 

slaughtered with no one to help them. 

I thank you and commend the Christian 

community in your area for adopting 

Iraqi refugee families. Your reward 

will be in heaven. 

–Sami Hindi 

Lead By Example 

In regard to “Our Unhealthy Obsession 

with Gossip” [The Counselor Is In, November 

2010]: You need only to read the 

first four paragraphs to see that that the 

counselor herself is the one who needs 

counseling! How dare Iklas Bashi accuse 

the whole Chaldean community of having 

an obsession with gossip? And what kind 

of respectable publication would even 

print such nonsense? If Ms. Bashi had a 

bad experience due to someone’s ignorance 

in her past, then how is it the fault 

of every Chaldean? She claims it took her 

“a long time to trust a Chaldean she really 

didn’t know.” Sounds to me like Ms. Bashi 

needs to realize that gossip, like it or not, 

is a part of most cultures. Let he who has 

not sinned cast the first stone! 

While I realize that as an assimilating 

culture, Chaldeans have flaws, it is 

an absolute injustice to label all Chaldeans 

as being obsessed with gossip. 

This article paints Chaldeans as shallow 

idiots who have nothing better to 

do than sit around planning whose life 

we are going to sabotage by inventing 

some wild story to viciously hurt them. 

I am proud to be Chaldean and we 

have so many other wonderful qualities 

as a culture that are so much more worth 

writing about. This article is a prime example 

of one of the faults I mentioned earlier 

and that is as Chaldeans, we have a tendency 

to be over critical of our culture and 

in particular our own people. With all the 

strife and instability in our lives today we 

should not be wasting our time, paper or 

ink on trivial and paranoid accusations. 

If the Chaldean News wants to be a 

representation of or a window into our 

community, then this publication needs 

to be more selective in what articles it 

prints. This article does not represent 

my Chaldean experience. Let us not 

forget that we are Christians and that 

we must lead by example, not scorn. 

– Tammy Shammas 

10 CHALDEAN NEWS JANUARY 2011

noteworthy 

Parihioners rememer victims of the church massacre. 

Iraqi Churches Cancel 

Christmas festivities 

Iraqi Christians called off Christmas festivities across the 

country as al-Qaida insurgents threatened more attacks on a 

beleaguered community still terrified from a bloody siege at a 

Baghdad church two months earlier. 

Church officials in Baghdad, Kirkuk, Mosul and Basra said 

they will not put up Christmas decorations or hold evening 

mass, and urged worshippers to refrain from decorating their 

homes. Even an appearance by Santa Claus was called off. 

“Nobody can ignore the threats of al-Qaida against Iraqi 

Christians,” said Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako in Kirkuk. 

“We cannot find a single source of joy that makes us celebrate. 

The situation of the Christians is bleak.” 

Christians across Iraq have been living in fear since a 

Baghdad church attack in October that left 68 people dead. 

Days later insurgents targeted Christian homes and neighborhoods 

across the capital with a series of bombs. 

An al-Qaida front group that claimed responsibility for the 

church siege vowed at the time to carry out a reign of terror 

against Christians. The Islamic State of Iraq renewed its 

threats in a message posted on Dec. 21 on a website frequented 

by Islamic extremists. The group said it wants the 

release of two women it claims are being held captive by 

Egypt’s Coptic Church. 

Muslim extremists in Egypt say the church has detained the 

women for allegedly converting to Islam. The church denies the 

allegations but extremists in Iraq have latched onto the issue. 

The Dec. 21 message was addressed to Iraq’s Christian community 

and said it was designed to “pressure” Egypt. 

At Baghdad’s Our Lady of Salvation church where more 

than 120 parishioners were held hostage by gunmen on Oct. 

31, there was no Christmas tree and mass on both Christmas 

Eve and Christmas day was canceled. Only a modest 

manger display marked the occasion. 

“We have canceled all celebrations in the church,” said 

Fr. Mukhlis. “We are still in deep mourning.” 

Meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI singled out Christians as 

the religious group that suffers from the most persecution, 

denouncing lack of freedom of worship as an ``intolerable’’ 

threat to world security. 

The message on December 16 reflected a pressing 

concern by Pope Benedict in recent months for the plight 

of Christian minorities in parts of the world, especially in the 

Middle East. 

– Associated Press 

Information Sought 

on Dollar Store Killing 

For the second time in as many months, 

a Chaldean businessman has been killed 

at his place of business. Karim Khamarko 

was gunned down on Nov. 26 at the Dollar 

Club Plus in Ferndale. The assailant(s) 

immediately shot him as they entered the 

business in an apparent robbery. 

Karim Khamarako was 64 years old 

and leaves behind a wife, five children 

and several grandchildren. (See page 

19 for his complete obituary.) 

The Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce, through the Waad Murad 

Advocacy Fund, and Crime Stoppers 

are offering a $15,000 reward for information 

on the killer(s). 

Ferndale Police have few leads, said 

Lt. William Wilson. “We’re looking for 

at least one male – someone who came 

and left on foot,” he said. “This is definitely 

one crime where any input from 

the community is more than welcome 

— and needed.” 

Meanwhile, Southfield Police have no news on the killing 

of Mazin Khmoro, who was shot outside his family’s store, 

Cronin’s Liquor Store, on October 6. A $10,250 reward remains 

in place. 

Information on either crime can be reported to Crime 

Stoppers at (800) SPEAKUP. 

Big Step for Nineveh Plan 

Leaders of 16 political parties and national organizations for 

Iraq’s Christians have agreed to seek the establishment of an 

autonomous region in the Nineveh Plain. 

Meetings held in Erbil on Dec. 4 and Nov. 26 resulted 

in a joint statement from the Chaldeans Syriacs Assyrians 

supporting some sort of administrative area. The leaders also 

agreed to future meetings to hammer out details. 

A Golden Time for Fr. Yasso 

Fr. Jacob O. Yasso celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 

December 10 at a party with friends and family. Fr. Yasso 

Champs! 

Rookie coach Nash Zaitouna’s team captured 

the trophy in the Fall 2010 Chaldean 

Basketball Association Championship 

Game. They beat Omar Ammori’s 

team 37-21. If the final score sounds low, 

consider this: it was only 3-3 nine minutes 

into the first half. 

Sahara Will Reopen 

in Oak Park 

Sahara restaurant will rise from the ashes 

in Oak Park, opening a new restaurant 

sometime around March, said owner 

Saad Attisha. The new restaurant will 

be larger than the one that burned down 

on June 2 at Nine Mile and Coolidge. 

Located at 10 Mile and Coolidge, it will 

encompass 7,500 square feet and seat 

250 people in the site of a former Blockbuster 

video store. 

Kashat International Foods, which 

was also destroyed in the fire, will not 

reopen. Owner Imad Kashat told the 

Chaldean News that he will concentrate 

on opening a packaging company 

for wholesale spices and bulk food. 

Appointments 

for Sarafa 

Michael Sarafa has been 

named to the Board of Directors 

of the Michigan Bankers 

Association. He has also 

joined the Task Force on Judicial 

Selection (co-chaired 

by Supreme Court Chief 

Justice Marilyn Kelly and Retired 

Federal Judge James 

Ryan) with the charge of 

Michael G. 

Sarafa 

reviewing the approach in Michigan of 

how State Supreme Court Justices are 

selected. Sarafa is the president of the 

Bank of Michigan and a co-publisher of 

the Chaldean News. 

DIA Showcases 

Middle East 

The Detroit Institute of Arts opened a 

new gallery devoted to the arts of the 

Ancient Middle East on Dec. 22 – and 

brought back the serpent/dragon panel 

from the Ishtar gate of Babylon. 

The Detroit museum’s new gallery 

was ordained in December 1960 in Rome (inset). NOTEWORTHY continued on page 12 

JANUARY 2011 CHALDEAN NEWS 11

noteworthy 

NOTEWORTHY continued from page 11 

showcases the ancient cultural heritage of what today 

are known as Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Yemen and Armenia. 

The panel from the Ishtar Gate with the symbol of 

Marduk, the patron god of Babylon, is joined by two 

stone wall-carvings from the Royal Palace at Nimrud, 

Iraq. One depicts an Assyrian eagle-headed god 

scraping sap from a sacred palm tree, and the other 

shows the Assyrian ruler Tiglath-Pileser III receiving 

homage. Such pieces were made to adorn palaces 

and communicate powerful messages about nationhood, 

political authority and legitimacy. 

Wolf Speaks for Christians 

Congressman Frank R. Wolf (R-VA) spoke out on behalf 

of Iraq’s beleaguered Christians 

on the floor of the House of Representatives 

in Washington, DC, on 

Dec. 15. Here are his remarks: 

“Madam Speaker, I submit for the 

Record a letter I received from the 

Chaldean Assyrian Syriac Council 

of America regarding the plight of 

Congressman 

Frank R. Wolf 

Iraq’s ancient Christian community, 

which is increasingly under assault 

and facing near extinction from the 

lands they have inhabited for centuries. 

The Wall Street Journal just yesterday noted on 

its editorial page that “some still speak the Aramaic, 

the ancient language of Jesus Christ.” 

“The Journal further noted that of “the 100,000 

Christians who once lived in Mosul, 

Iraq, only some 5,000 are still there.” 

“While the situation in Iraq is perhaps 

the most glaring, it is but representative 

of a larger trend in the Middle 

East where religious minorities 

face growing discrimination, repression 

and outright persecution. The 

Journal continued, “In Egypt, Coptic 

Christians have been brutalized. Assaults 

on churches increase around 

Easter or Christmas, as worshipers 

attempt to observe holy days.” 

“During this season of Advent as 

millions around the world anticipate 

Christmas, let us be mindful of the 

fear gripping these communities and 

commit ourselves to prioritizing their 

protection and preservation throughout 

the Middle East. We have a 

moral obligation to do nothing less. 

For as the famed abolitionist William 

Wilberforce once said, “Having 

heard all this, you may choose to 

look the other way, but you can never again say that 

you did not know.” 

“I close with the solemn warning of the Chaldean 

Assyrian Syriac Council of America to President 

Obama, in a letter sent this November, in which they 

noted that the current situation in Iraq “promises more 

innocent Christian blood in Iraq, more turmoil in that 

country, and more shame for America.” 

New In Inkster 

Boji Group celebrated the completion of the first phase of its $25- 

million Inkster Marketplace project on Dec. 7. Pictured here are 

Wayne County Commissioner Joan Gebhardt, Wayne County Executive 

Robert Ficano, Boji Group Chairman Louie Boji, Boji President 

Ron Boji, Michigan Department of Human Services Director Ismael 

Ahmed, Inkster Mayor Hilliard L. Hapton and Michigan Department 

of Technology, Management & Budget Director Phyllis Mellon. The 

32,100-square-foot building will house a Michigan Department of 

Human Services Wayne County district office. When completed, 

Inkster Marketplace also will include a 6,700-square-foot retail center, 

a 12,600-square-foot YWCA and a new justice center for the 

Inkster Police Department and 22nd District Court. 

West Bloomfield Library 

Makes Elite List 

West Bloomfield Township Public Library was one of 

five libraries honored by First Lady Michelle Obama 

on December 17. The facility received the 2010 National 

Medal for Museum and Library Service — the 

nation’s highest award for libraries and museums — at 

a White House ceremony. 


CHALDEAN COMMERCE 2011 BUSINESS GUIDE 

Place an ad in Metro Detroit’s most comprehensive guide 

to the Chaldean American business community. 

Prices begin at only $200. Ad deadline is January 7, 2010. 

For additional ad information or to place a free business listing 

please contact the Chaldean Chamber office at (248) 996-8340. 


CHAI time 

chaldeans conNecting 

community events in and around metro detroit january 2011 

[Sunday, January 2] 

Presentation: The Star of Bethlehem is a 

multi-media presentation appropriate for 

those ages 12 and older. Presented by Rick 

Larson in cooperation with Ave Maria Radio. 

Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students and children, 

and available at the door. 3 p.m., Brighton 

Center for the Performing Arts, 7878 

Brighton Road (at Brighton High School). 

[Tuesday, January 4] 

Health: DMC physician Ali Elhorr explains 

bariatric surgery at 9 a.m., Ford Community 

and Arts Center in Dearborn. He also gives 

talks on January 10 and 18 in Farmington 

Hills, and again in Dearborn on January 24. 

Fellow physician Michael Wood presents 

the bariatric surgery seminar on January 

6 in Madison Heights and January 13, 22 

and 27 in Southfield. (877) 362-9898. 

[Saturday, January 15 – 

Sunday, January 23] 

Cars: The North American International Auto 

Show has more than 500 vehicles on display. 

Show hours are 9 a.m.-10 p.m. (closes at 7 

p.m. on January 23). Admission is $12 adults, 

$6 seniors and kids 7-12. Cobo Center, Detroit. 

www.naia.com or (248) 643-0250. 


Music: Legends the Band performs 

doo-wop and Motown songs at 3 and 

5 p.m. West Bloomfield Public Library. 

(248) 363-4022. 

[Tuesday, January 18] 

Dance: Sixth-graders enrolled in Joe Cornell 

dance classes celebrate their graduation 

by dancing for a cause from 6:30-8:30 

p.m. in the center court of Orchard Mall 

in West Bloomfield. The goal is to raise 

$10,000 for Kids Kicking Cancer. (248) 

356-6000 or www.joecornell.com. 

[Wednesday, January 19] 

Seminar: Vanessa Denha Garmo leads 

Stand Up! Speak Up!, a seminar with tips 

on effective public speaking. 5:30 p.m., 

The Community House, Birmingham. 

(248) 644-5832 

[Thursday, January 27] 

Chamber: Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce holds its Quarterly Networking 

Meeting from 6-8 p.m. Planterra, 7315 

Drake Road, West Bloomfield. Free; RSVP 

to info@chaldeanchamber.com or call 

(248) 996-8340. 


School: Our Lady of Refuge Catholic 

School holds an open house from 10 

a.m.-2 p.m. The event will be repeated on 

February 2. The school has classes from 

Pre-K through eighth. 3750 Commerce 

Road, Orchard Lake. (248) 682-3422 or 

schaney@olr-school.net. 

Legend the Band 

performs timehonored 

hits from 

many decades at 

the West Bloomfield 

Public Library, Sunday, 

January 16 



HALHOLE! 

[Births] 

Ella Adele 

Robert and Renee (Sesi) Shelide, 

along with big brothers Joseph 

and Dallas, are delighted to 

announce the arrival of their 

little girl. Ella Adele was born 

on August 18, 2010, weighing 

7 lbs., 1 oz. and measuring 21 

inches long. Loving grandparents 

are the late Manuel Sesi, Hanaa 

Sesi and Elaine Stiller. Proud 

godparents are Roxanne Sesi and 

Christopher Yousif. 

Brody Michael 

Brent and Jessica Sheena are 

proud to announce the birth of 

their first son, Brody Michael. Brody 

was born at Beaumont Royal 

Oak Hospital on October 20, 

2010 at 10:55 p.m. He weighed 

6 lbs., 3 oz. and measured 20.5 

inches long. Brody is the first 

grandchild for both Sam & Norma 

Sheena and Jerry & Chris Zimmerman. 

Godparents are Brian 

Sheena and Lauren Marougy. 

Walt Marwan 

Randy & Rana Awdish joyfully announce 

the birth of their precious 

son, Walt Marwan Awdish. He 

was born on November 4, 2010 at 

7:45 a.m., weighing 3 lbs., 14 oz. 

and measuring 16.5 inches. He is 

the seventh grandchild for Fahmi 

& Hana Awdish and the first for 

Nellie & the late Marwan Adawi. 

Proud godparents are Kamal 

Adawi and Rena Awdish Kouza. 

May God bless him always. 

Ella Adele 

Brody Michael 

Walt Marwan 

Eden Isabelle 

Sent to us from Heaven above, a 

gift from God for our family to love. 

Joseph & Louanne Jadan joyfully 

announce the birth of their daughter, 

Eden Isabelle. God blessed 

us with Eden on August 10, 2010, 

weighing 5 lbs., 9 oz. and measuring 

20 inches. Eden is the third 

grandchild for Najib & Ibtissam 

Jadan and the first for Jalal & Jan 

Nannoshi. Godparents are Uncle 

Jonathan Jadan and Auntie Lauren 

Nannoshi. We are truly blessed. 

Eden Isabelle 

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 


Jayden Fadi 

Fadi & Reva Seman are proud 

to announce the birth of their 

first child, Jayden Fadi. Jayden 

was born on May 18, 2010. He 

weighed 7 lbs., 5 oz. and was 

21 inches long. Jayden is the 

third grandchild for Riyadh & 

Batool Karana and the second 

for Ramzi & Janan Seman. 

Godparents are Yousif Seman 

and Rhonda Karana. 

Sebastian Salem 

Savio is proud to announce the 

birth of his little brother, Sebastian 

Salem. Proud parents 

are Sarmad & Yvonne Shayota. 

Sebastian was born on January 

14, 2010 at 7 lbs., 10 oz. and 

measuring 21 inches. Sebastian 

is the second grandchild 

for Salem & Khalidah Shayota 

and Riyadh & Batool Karana. 

Godfather is Fariss Shayota. 

Lucas Edmyne 

Booties, booties, diapers, pins, 

this is where the fun begins! 

A new baby boy to adore; two 

parents who couldn’t ask for 

more. Edmyne & Hilda Dehko 

are filled with happiness and 

joy over their little boy. Lucas 

Edmyne Dehko was born on 

September 17, 2010 at 8:10 

p.m. weighing 8 lbs., 1 oz. and 

measuring 20.5 inches. Our 

son was sent from God above 

to fill our hearts with happiness 

and touch our lives with love. 

Jayden Fadi 

Sebastian Salem 

[Wedding] 

Valerie and Martin 

St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic 

Church was the setting for 

the marriage of Valerie Hailo 

and Martin Shina on October 

17, 2010. The reception was 

held at the Farmington Manor. 

Valerie’s parents are Louie & 

Hedar Hailo and Martin is the 

son of Ghazi & Jamila Shina. 

The couple went to Hawaii for 

their honeymoon. 

Lucas Edmyne 

Valerie and Martin 

Please include your address and phone number to verify 

your paid subscription. Hard copies of photos can be picked 

up after the 15th of the month. Photos are not mailed back. 


RELIGION 

places of prayer 

chaldean churches in and around metro detroit 

THE DIOCESE OF ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE IN THE UNITED STATES 

St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Diocese 

25603 Berg Road, Southfield, MI 48033; (248) 351-0440 

Mar (Bishop) Ibrahim N. Ibrahim 

www.chaldeandiocese.org 

HOLY MARTYRS CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

43700 Merrill, Sterling Heights, MI 48312; (586) 803-3114 

Rector: Rev. Manuel Boji Parochial Vicar: Rev. Ayad Khanjaro 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 9 a.m. in Chaldean; Saturday, 5 p.m. in English; 

Sunday: 9 a.m. in Chaldean and Arabic, 10:30 a.m. in English, morning prayer at 

noon, high mass at 12:30 p.m. in Chaldean. 

MOTHER OF GOD CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

25585 Berg Road, Southfield, MI 48034; (248) 356-0565 

Rector: Rev. Wisam Matti Parochial Vicar: Rev. Anthony Kathawa 

Bible Study: 7-9 p.m. for High School Ages in English; 7-9 p.m. College/Young 

Adult in English; Mass Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8 a.m. mass in 

English; Tuesday, 9 p.m. mass in English; Wednesday, noon-midnight, adoration; 

Saturday, 5:15 p.m. in English; Sunday: 8:30 a.m. in Arabic, 10 a.m. in English, 

noon in Chaldean, 7 p.m. in English 

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP MISSION 

Located inside St. Sylvester Church 

11200 12 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48093; (586) 804-2114 

Mass Schedule: Sunday 12:30 p.m. in Arabic and Chaldean 

SACRED HEART CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

310 W. Seven Mile Road, Detroit, MI 48203; (313) 368-6214 

Pastor: Rev. Jacob Yasso 

Mass Schedule: Friday, 6 p.m. in Chaldean; Sunday 11 a.m. in Chaldean 

MAR ADDAI CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

24010 Coolidge Highway, Oak Park, MI 48237; (248) 547-4648 

Pastor: Rev. Stephen Kallabat Parochial Vicars: Rev. Fadi Habib Khalaf, 

Rev. Suleiman Denha 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 12 noon; Sunday, 10 a.m. in Sourath and Arabic, 

12:30 p.m. in Sourath 

ST. GEORGE CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

45700 Dequindre Road, Shelby Township, MI 48317; (586) 254-7221 

Pastor: Msgr. Emanuel Hana Isho Shaleta Assistant Pastor: Rev. Basel Yaldo 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 10 a.m.; Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Sunday: 8:30 a.m. in 

Chaldean, 10 a.m. in Arabic, 11:30 a.m. in English, 1:15 p.m. in Chaldean. 

ST. JOSEPH CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

2442 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI 48083; (248) 528-3676 

Pastor: Msgr. Zouhair Toma (Kejbou) Parochial Vicar: Fr. Rudy Zoma 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 10 a.m. in Chaldean; Saturday, 5 p.m. in English and 

Chaldean; Sunday, 8 a.m. in Chaldean, 9:30 a.m. in Arabic, 11 a.m. in English, 12:30 

p.m. in Chaldean, 2:15 in Chaldean and Arabic. Baptisms: 3 p.m. on Sundays. 

ST. MARY HOLY APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST 

4320 E. 14 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48092; (586) 825-0290 

Rector: Fr. Benjamin Benjamin 

Mass Schedule: Sunday, 9 a.m. in Assyrian; 12 noon in Assyrian and English 

ST. THOMAS CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

6900 Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322; (248) 788-2460 

Pastor: Rev. Frank Kalabat Rev. Emanuel Rayes (retired) Parochial Vicar: Rev. 

Jirgus Abrahim 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 10 a.m. in Sourath; Saturday, 5 p.m. in English; 

Sunday 9 a.m. in English, 10:30 a.m. in English, 12:30 p.m. in Sourath, 2 p.m. 

in Arabic. First Thursday and Friday of each month, Holy Hour 10 a.m., Mass 

11 a.m. in Sourath. Saturday 3 p.m., Night Vespers (Ramsha) in Sourath. Every 

Wednesday from midnight to Thursday midnight, adoration in the Baptismal Room. 

Grotto is open 24/7 for prayer and reflection. 

ST. TOMA SYRIAC CATHOLIC CHURCH 

25600 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48335; (248) 478-0835 

Pastor: Rev. Toma Behnama Fr. Safaa Habash 

Mass Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 6 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. All 

masses are in Syriac, Arabic and English 


obituaries 

Recently deceased 

Community members 

Louis M. Shina 

December 15, 2010 

Karim Dawood Khamarko 

Karim Dawood Khamarko 

was born in 

Telkaif, Iraq on May 2, 

1946. He was one of 

nine brothers and sisters 

to Dawood and 

Habbaye Khamarko. 

He immigrated to 

the Detroit area in 

1974 and became an entrepreneur. He 

owned businesses for 35 years, starting 

from a party store to video stores 

and ending with a dollar store. His ultimate 

goal was to provide for his family. 

On July 25, 1976 he married the 

love of his life, Aida, and they had five 

children together. The two of them 

were inseparable; they were together 

morning, noon and night. Aida was 

everything to him; they had the kind of 

love that people admired. Even though 

his life was cut short, they enjoyed 34 

wonderful years of happiness together. 

Karim was a man of great wisdom, 

patience and strength. He made his 

family feel protected at all times. He 

was a responsible man and a great role 

model. He truly defined the meaning of 

a “man” and his legacy will live forever. 

Karim was a wonderful husband, 

the best dad and a loving grandfather. 

He had a heart of gold and would do 

anything to help others. He enjoyed 

making barbeque dinners, gardening, 

fixing things around the house and most 

of all playing with his grandsons. His 

grandchildren had a special place in his 

heart and were his pride and joy. The 

boys looked forward to their weekend 

sleepovers at Jido and Nana’s house. 

Karim had a smile that would light 

up any room, especially at our Arabo 

gatherings. He will be missed deeply 

for our Tuesday night dinners with his 

wife, kids and grandsons. The memories 

we have will last us a lifetime, but 

we will always wish we had more. 

Karim has enriched the lives of many 

and loved being surrounded by his 

friends. His friends were like family and 

some of his happiest times were spent 

with them at Nadi (club). He will always 

be a lifelong friend and it is a shame his 

life had to come to an end. Karim will 

truly be admired and adored by many. 

On November 26, 2010, Karim had 

to leave us; his life here on earth was 

through. He lost his life in the most 

tragic way possible; he was robbed and 

shot twice in his Ferndale dollar store. 

God has taken you away from us, and 

taken you to rest, it’s not for us to understand, 

he only takes the best. God 

took him away from us too soon, but 

we will always have great memories of 

a treasured life. Karim you will always 

be missed, but never forgotten. 

Karim is survived by his beautiful 

wife Aida Khamarko; his children, 

Brenda (Ray) Kalasho and their three 

sons Roman, Preston and Sebastian; 

his son Vincent, his daughter Vivian, his 

son Kevin, and his baby Candace. He 

was a wonderful family man and loved 

by all, he devoted his life to his wife, 

their children and grandchildren. We 

are proud to call you our father. You 

will always stay in our memories and 

hearts. We love you and we will always 

miss you, Dad. 

On behalf of the Khamarko family, 

we will be forever grateful for all the 

love, support and prayers we have 

received during this difficult time. We 

truly thank you all from the bottom of 

our hearts. We would also like to thank 

the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce 

and Crime Stoppers for all their help. 

God bless. 

Samira Kachkocha 

Samira Kachkocha 

(July 1, 1944 - November 

9, 2010) was 

born in Telkaif, Iraq, 

and resided in West 

Bloomfield. 

She is survived 

by her husband Salim 

Kachkocha; her children 

Jaklin Shina, Nahila Shina, Ziad 

Mansour, Narmeen Zaya and Dalia 

Manour; and all of her loving grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by 

her father Gorges Habana and nephew 

Alvin Shina. 

Yuma Samira was a daughter, sister, 

wife, mother, grandmother and 

a friend. Not only was she a loving 

mother, but an excellent grandmother! 

She reminded us of the grandma in the 

movie “Soul Food.” She was always 

so generous and loving. Because she 

loved children so much, after raising 

her children she continued to raise her 

grandchildren. Her love for her grandchildren 

was endless. 

Yuma Samira will always be loved 

and never forgotten. She lived a full life, 

complete with laughter and sorrow. She 

is our Guardian Angel in heaven, always 

watching over and protecting us. She 

was our role model and hero here on 

earth. But now we’re surrounded by her 

halo, feeling her embrace everywhere 

we go. She will be missed! But all 

selfishness put aside, she’s in a better 

place, home with our Heavenly Father. 

God rest your soul Yuma. May you 

rest in peace. Thank you for all that you 

have done. We will forever love you! 

Shimama Farida Dalou 

Our beloved Shimama 

Farida Dalou 

took her place in 

heaven on December 

18, 2010 at the age 

of 76. She joins her 

late husband, Shamo 

Yousif Dalou. 

She left behind 

eight kids — Riadh Dalou, Ikbal Marogi, 

Mofawk Dalou, Elham Mona, Iman Bazzi, 

Alham Sitto, Nofal Dalou and Ardwan 

Dalou — 30 grandchildren and 12 

great grandchildren. She was the sister 

of Habiba Dayimiya and Gorgia Sinawi. 

A wonderful aunt and a friend to all, she 

was a well-respected woman in our 

Chaldean community. 

Shimama was a strong woman who 

did everything on her own and never 

asked anyone for anything. She helped 

Khayria Sesi Kato 


Wadie Yousif Jarbo 


Polis Kaskorkis 

November 28, 2010 

Gorguis Petros Shammami 


Astar Ablahad 

Hermiz Shoka 


everyone and was always there when 

you needed her. She’s peaceful with a 

breath of fresh air. She was so much 

a woman of faith. For more than 30 

years she was active at the Mar Addai 

Church in Oak Park. 

God took her away from us too 

soon, for no reason will really explain 

her sudden departure. She will always 

be in our hearts. We will miss her dearly. 

We will remain strong in our faith, 

like she would have wanted. 

On behalf of the family, we would like 

to thank everyone for the love, support 

and prayers during these difficult times. 

May God be with you and bless you all. 

Submission Guidelines 

The Chaldean News welcomes submissions 

of obituaries. They should 

include the deceased’s name, date 

of birth and death, and names of 

immediate survivors. Please also 

include some details about the 

person’s life including career and 

hobbies. We do not publish poems. 

Due to space constraints, obituaries 

can not exceed 350 words. 

We reserve the right to edit those 

that are longer. Send pictures as 

a high-resolution jpeg attachment. 

E-mail obits to info@chaldeannews. 

com, or through the mail to 29850 

Northwestern Highway, Suite 250, 

Southfield, MI 48034. 


out of the 

shadows 

Fighting domestic violence 


As a 5-year-old, “Jane Smith” would hide 

behind the sofa when her father beat her 

mother. When she saw her own 2-year-old 

daughter crouching under a chair nearly 20 years 

later, she knew it was time to break the cycle of 

domestic abuse and leave her husband. 

The ninth of 10 children, Smith grew up in a 

chaotic household. Her father routinely beat her 

mother and some of the older kids, but for some 

reason never touched Jane or her younger sibling. 

When she turned 23, Jane was told by her father 

to either get married or leave the house. As 

she had seen her older siblings do she chose marriage, 

even though in her heart, she knew it was 

the wrong decision. 

Just a few days before the wedding, her fiancée 

slapped Jane. 

“I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “The night 

before the wedding, I said to my friend, ‘I won’t get 

married if you tell me not to’” — but the friend told 

Jane she had to make her own decision. She went 

through with the wedding. 

The very next day, her mistake was confirmed 

when her husband became unglued over a minor 

hassle at the bank. Nonetheless, within several 

months Jane was pregnant. 

Her husband – who went through 13 jobs in 

four years – continued hitting Jane, nearly killing 

her when she was five months pregnant. It continued 

after the baby was born; one day he smashed 

Jane’s head into a cement wall while she was holding 

the infant. 

“He always showed a lot of remorse and said it 

wouldn’t ever happen again,” Jane said. “I felt a lot 

of shame and was very embarrassed. I didn’t want 

to admit it was happening, especially in the 

Chaldean community.” 

The situation continued until the baby turned 

2. When her husband went into a tirade, Jane saw 

her daughter hiding under a rocking chair – and 

flashed back to her own efforts to find refuge behind 

the sofa. In that instant she knew what needed to 

be done. She called the police and had her husband 

arrested, obtained a restraining order against him, 

and started annulment and divorce proceedings. 

The man eventually lost all parental rights to 

his daughter who is now 23. 

After calling the police on her husband, 

Jane called Haven, the Pontiac-based 

resource for victims of domestic 

abuse. “They stayed on the 

phone with me for hours 

and hours,” said Jane, 

who now volunteers her 

time for the non-profit 

organization. 

Today, Jane is a 

college graduate and 

a successful business 

woman. She has a close 

relationship with her 

daughter. She shares 

her story with victims 

of domestic abuse, 

but asked the Chaldean 

News not 

to use her real 

name. 

“My goal is to work with the Chaldean community,” 

she said. “The community isolates the victim 

who publicizes domestic abuse. It’s a mindset that 

is off track. I want people to know they have options. 

Options empower you and give you hope.” 

Life in Hell 

The community’s judgment helps keep “Susan 

Jones” (also not her real name) 

from leaving her husband of 36 

years. Susan, 57, said her husband 

has emotionally abused her since 

the day they married back in Iraq, 

shortly before coming to America. 

“He used to watch every step I 

made and controlled every penny. 

He is always making fun of me, 

putting me down and demeaning 

me in front of other people. 

He makes my life hell.” 

The man is now in ill health 

and Susan is the sole breadwinner. 

“I would love to throw him 

in the street,” she said bitterly, 

“but people will talk about me 

like it’s my fault. You know how 

the Chaldean community is. 

People would not believe me.” 


Victims Are 

Not Alone 

• 1 in 3 Michigan families are 

impacted by domestic violence. 

According to Haven, one in three 

Michigan families are impacted by 

domestic violence and it “happens 

in all kind of families and relationships 

… persons of any class, culture, 

religion, sexual orientation, martial 

status, age and sex can be victims or 

perpetrators,” Haven says. “Abusers 

are not easy to spot … in public they 

appear loving to their partner and 

family. They often only abuse behind 

closed doors.” 

Howard Kahn is a psychologist 

in Farmington Hills in practice with 

his wife, Heather Kahn. While both 

treat Chaldean women who have 

been abused, the problem is certainly 

not exclusive to the community, 

Howard Kahn pointed out. 

“It’s not just Chaldeans – there 

are a lot of cultures that are very 

dominant over women,” he said. 

“They immigrate here but bring their 

old cultural values with them.” 

About 15 years ago, Salma Ajo, 

Ph.D., tried to educate Chaldean 

women with classes at the former 

Southfield Manor on topics like selfdefense 

and domestic violence. “The 

men didn’t like it,” she recalled. “Everyone 

thought we were encouraging 

women to leave their husbands.” 

circles as evil and bad. Living in a 

Muslim country, we picked up a lot 

of their bad habits — including looking 

at women as evil and good for 

nothing but certain things like cooking, 

childbearing and such.” 

Nip It 

Ban Abbo, LLP, is a psychotherapist 

working at Eastwood Clinics in partnership 

with the Chaldean Community 

Foundation. She’s seen plenty of victims 

of domestic abuse during her career. It’s 

important to speak out against the situation 

immediately, she said, rather than 

let it build and escalate. 

“Try to address the problem from 

the start,” she advised. “A person 

should not take abuse no matter 

what. If he hits once, chances are he 

will do it again.” 

Abbo recommends calling the police; 

the shock of that intervention, 

she said, can be enough to change an 

abuser’s ways. 

Abbo has seen an interesting 

trend in her recent work with refugees; 

rather than experiencing a lot 

of domestic violence, as one might 

imagine, the couples are often more 

supportive and understanding of 

each other than Chaldean men and 

or threatened, Kahn said. “The first 

thing they need to do is accept that 

they don’t need to be abused – then 

seek someone who supports them 

in that view, be it a friend, a family 

member or a therapist,” he said. 

“They also need to know that they 

have the right to go to the police.” 

Some women like Jane who are 

raised in violence believe it’s their 

fate. Jane’s sister-in-law angrily chastened 

Jane’s brother for being supportive, 

demanding, “Don’t you hit 

your wife too?” Such attitudes feed 

the cycle of domestic violence. 

“It’s a learned helplessness – women 

grow up to believe it’s the right 

thing and they just have to suffer,” 

Kahn said. “A lot of times women 

are further abused by getting blamed 

for the violence – people say, ‘don’t 

upset him, do what he says.’” 

Despite her husband’s objections, 

Susan returned to college and eventually 

obtained her master’s degree. 

“He fought me but I did it anyway,” 

she said. “I got stronger after 10 

years of marriage.” Susan has been 

in therapy for seven years but doesn’t 

believe she will ever escape the marriage 

due to financial concerns and 

community attitudes. “It’s like slav- 

• In the U.S., 1 in 5 women and 

1 in 33 men have experienced an 

attempted or completed rape. 

• Approximately 1 in 5 female 

high school students reports 

being physically or sexually 

abused by a dating partner. 

• 70 percent of teenage and 

college women who are sexually 

assaulted are raped during the 

course of a date. 

• More than 1 million people 

report a violent assault by a 

partner every year in the U.S. 

• Among women admitted to the 

emergency room, 37 percent were 

abused by an intimate partner. 

• 1 out of 4 women will be 

abused by a current/former partner 

at one point in their lives. 

• Domestic violence crimes 

account for almost 40 percent 

of calls to police. 

• Approximately 98 percent of 

batterers are male in the U.S. 

• Women are victims in 85–95 

percent of all reported domestic 

violence. 

Source: Haven 

“The community isolates the victim who publicizes domestic abuse. 

It’s a mindset that if off track. I want people to know they have 

options. Options empower you and give you hope.” 

Not in the Bible 

Fr. Frank Kalabat of St. Thomas Chaldean 

Catholic Church said all the 

trouble between men and women is 

the consequence of sin, not God’s will. 

“When God creates man and 

woman in the Book of Genesis, they 

were created equal,” said Fr. Frank. 

“But as a result of sin, God gives a set 

of curses to the three main characters: 

the snake, Eve and Adam. As 

for the woman, her curse is that of 

the intensity of pain of childbirth, 

and says that the husband shall be 

her master. This again is the result of 

sin and a sinful means of living – it is 

not the intention of God.” 

There is a second reason why 

some men think they are superior 

to women, Fr. Frank said. “It comes 

from the influence of living in a 

Muslim nation. Islam basically looks 

at women as inferior and in many 

women who have been in the U.S. 

for a long time. 

“Maybe it’s because they’ve been 

through so much trauma together 

that they think if they can survive 

that, they can survive anything,” she 

said. “There’s some sort of connectedness. 

I’ve really been struck by it.” 

While it’s usually a man doing the 

hitting, there are plenty of women 

who verbally abuse their husbands. 

“In most cases now in our community, 

the women are the dominant ones,” 

said Abbo. “They have seen what 

their mothers and grandmothers went 

through and they vow they will not 

put themselves in that situation.” 

Ajo said that while violence is never 

acceptable, some women need to 

know when to back off. “I tell people, 

if you argue for more than 15 minutes, 

stop because after that it’s useless.” 

It is never acceptable to be hit 

– “Jane Smith,” survivor of domestic abuse 

ery in a way,” she said of the constant 

verbal abuse she endures. 

Susan said she worries when she 

sees young women desperate to land 

a husband. “I would like these young 

girls to be who they are and not have 

two personalities,” she said. “They 

put on such a front to get married.” 

Jane said she wishes the Chaldean 

Church would speak out more 

against domestic violence. “The 

church needs to come in and say that 

this is not appropriate. Jesus did not 

raise His hand to people.” 

Fr. Frank agrees, but said the 

church can only do so much. 

“We do need to be more vocal 

about that – and also about 150 other 

issues like drugs, gambling and alcoholism,” 

said Fr. Frank. “And it’s not 

just men abusing women. Women do 

abuse men, and there are children 

abusing their parents as well.” 

Is It Abuse? 

Signs to look out for: 

• Are you ever afraid of your 

partner? 

• Does your partner tell you what 

to do and who to see? 

• Has your partner ever threatened 

to harm you? 

• Has your partner ever pushed 

or hit you, thrown things at you, 

or forced you to have sex? 

• Do you feel frightened, hurt, 

confused, disappointed, angry, 

ashamed or hopeless as a result 

of your relationship? 

If you answered yes to any of 

these questions, you could be in 

a dangerous situation. There is a 

lot of help out there. Here are just 

a few resources: 

• Haven 24-Hour Crisis and 

Support Line 

(248) 334-1274 

• Haven Toll-Free Crisis Line 

(877) 922-1274. 

• Michigan Coalition Against 

Domestic and Sexual Violence 

(517) 347-7000 

• National Domestic Violence 

24-Hour Hotline 

(800) 799-7233 




dot-com 

businesses 

booming 

Chaldeans mine entrepreneurial 

talents on the web 

Bruce Toma samples a product. 

Chantal Bacall and Nicole Nona 

are the women behind Nikalet. 


Baby Isabelle inspired her parents Johnny and Sandra 

Oram to begin a fashion site for toddlers. 

Even though the retail market 

has declined, many Chaldeans 

are balancing out with 

creative web-based businesses. For 

some, these small companies are the 

family’s livelihoods; for others, it is a 

second or third job. Moreover, the 

Internet serves as an outlet for innovative 

e-retailers to be creative and 

target a mass audience. 

There are many advantages to owning 

a dot-com business — like a flexible 

schedule — but the greatest benefit 

is passed on to the customers who get 

unique items at fair prices. For buyers, 

the trade-off comes with a hassle-free 

experience at their fingertips. 

Bruce Toma created an Internet 

business based on product knowledge. 

The one-time owner of two 

smoke shops realized the lack of 

variety in personalizing simple gifts 

like cigars. He did his research on 

printing, dye-cutting and branding 

before he launched www.personalcigarbands.com 

three years ago. 

The website allows customers to 

personalize cigar bands for special 

functions like weddings, birth announcements 

and corporate outings. 

Clients can choose from templates or 

create their own. Toma even offers 

packages that include a professional 

roller demonstrating the cigar-making 

process at an event. 

While the minimum order is 50 

bands (no cigars) for $47.50, Toma 

offers the option of including cigars 

for an additional fee. Toma said only 

2 percent of his business comes from 

Michigan. He has fulfilled orders 

throughout the country and even 

overseas to Switzerland, France, and 

Australia. 

While he does own other businesses, 

Toma’s website offers him a 

chance to do something he enjoys on 

a supply-and-demand basis. 

“My schedule is based 

on my orders, which is convenient 

for me,” said Toma. “It also 

gives me the freedom to be creative.” 

Chantal Bacall and Nicole Nona 

also thrive on originality. The sisters, 

who have a passion for fashion, 

launched Nikalet, www.nikalet.com, 

in 2007 to showcase their stylish 

belt buckles. Their simple website 

garnered a lot of attention, especially 

from Internet magazines and 

blogs, and a few months later, they 

revamped the site to include a shopping 

cart and PayPal. 

The designing duo’s trendy belt 

buckles were featured on People’s 

Stylewatch.com, Instyle.com and 

others. Such press has given the sisters 

the business they dreamed about. 

“We wanted to start small with 

something we are passionate about,” 

said Nona. “For us, online is best because 

we can sell to boutiques and be 

exclusive.” 

The one-of-a-kind buckles are 

made by their hands only. There are 

no templates, just their imagination 

and accents like Swarovski crystals, 

lucid beading and fresh ocean-water 

pearls. The buckles average $90 

each. Once a style is sold, it’s taken 

off the website. 

Besides online, Nikalet’s products 

can be found in 30 boutiques in Metro 

Detroit and Miami, and in other 

virtual malls like Emoda.com. 

Fashion is certainly for the younger 

set too. 

When their daughter Isabelle 

was born, Johnny and Sandra Oram 

became fascinated with baby clothing. 

Realizing their search for unique 

baby fashions was limited, they got 

into the business themselves. 

“I networked among business 

Mason Katty models a tee-shirt. 

But Wait, 

There’s More! 

Other notable web-based 

businesses owned by 

Chaldeans include: 

www.royalduchessinc.com 

www.chaldeanforkids.com 

www.sportscardscityusa.com 

www.jovanjane.com 

www.sassysavannah.com 

And these community members 

have businesses on Facebook: 

So Sweet by Marilyn Kassa 

Charmed by Christina Yono 

Sisterly Love Keepsake Candles 

by Kristen Sagmani 

Ooh La La by Bonnie Naemi 

Chloes Treasures by Mervit Toma 

people that I knew,” said Johnny, a 

Realtor with Keller Williams. People 

in the industry helped him make 

international connections. 

Their daughter’s nickname inspired 

the name of their web business, 

Izzy’s Closet Baby Boutique, 

www.izzyscloset.com. 

They sell clothing and accessories 

– some made by the Orams themselves 

— from newborn to 4T for girls 

and boys. On the site, buyers can 

find brands that are rare in department 

stores like Giggle Moon, Mud 

Pie, Haute Baby and Baby Biscotti. 

The top sellers are two-piece outfits, 

hats and dresses. 

The husband-and-wife team says 

the benefits of their Internet business 

go beyond minimal overhead and the 

liberty to dictate their own schedule. 

Spending more time with their 

daughter is the greatest advantage. 

In the meantime, the Orams continue 

to market www.izzyscloset.com. 

“We’re in the business of making babies 

fashionable,” said Johnny. 

Another trendy vendor is Sports 

and Custom Tees, www.sactinc.com, 

where consumers can custom design 

clothes for their companies, sports 

teams or for personal wear. What 

makes it distinctive is that customers 

can upload digital pictures, images, 

words and fonts to the site and then 

design the shirt at their fingertips. 

The company also does ordinary 

screen-printing and embroidery for 

large orders. 

Mason Katty, 24, and his family 

run the warehouse in Ferndale, 

which is not open to the public. 

“Even though Michigan is not 

such a good economy,” he said, “I 

can target the world through this 

website.” 

Buyers have the option of uploading 

their design to Facebook or Twitter 

to get feedback before they order. 

Those checking their notifications 

and tweets can order right on the 

spot too. 

“A lot of work and money went 

into making the experience unique 

and fun,” said Katty. 

His expenditures are greater than 

some other dot-com businesses, partly 

because of work space. They need the 

storage for their inventory sweatpants, 

sweatshirts, jerseys and hats in addition 

to the tee-shirts. They also have 

state-of-the-art machinery and spend 

money on Internet advertising. 

The Kattys also sell their own designs. 

“Kiss Me I’m Chaldean” and 

“Ahoooooo! Ok. Yella. Bye.” have 

been their best-sellers among community 

members looking for a fun 

and culturally expressive shirt. 



Pictured with Dr. Samir Geagea, 

president of the executive body of the 

Lebanese Forces (center) are Saher 

Yaldo (left), Fawzi Dalli, Qais Saco, 

Bishop Michel Kassarji, Bishop Ibrahim 

Ibrahim, Dr. Noori Mansour, Shoki Konja, 

Fr. Roni Hanna and Eddie Bacall. 

‘fear and concern’ 

Situation still dire for refugees 

Several Chaldeans from Metro 

Detroit, including Mar Ibraham 

Ibrahim, visited Lebanon, 

Syria and Jordan in late October to 

assess the situation for Iraq’s Christian 

refugees. The group, known as 

the Chaldean Democratic Forum 

(CDF), included Dr. Noori Mansour, 

Qais Sako, Saher Yaldo, Shoki Konja, 

Fawzi Dalli and Eddie Bacall. 

Mar Ibrahim started out in Rome, 

where he attended the Middle East 

Synod held by Pope Benedict. From 

there, he flew to Paris and met with the 

men of the CDF and Chaldean Voice 

Radio, and the group proceeded to Lebanon. 

Following are some reflections on 

the experience from Eddie Bacall. 

What is the current status on the Iraqi 

refugees in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan? 

Sadly, the majority of refugees remain 

living in fear and concern and in dire 

conditions. They hold no legal documents 

and their refugee certificate 

will not save them from being jailed 

and deported in case of arrest. Not 

even the torture signs on their bodies 

or abnormalities created by terrorist 

attacks can save them. They still wait 

for resettlement abroad. The children 

grow more deprived from schooling 

and basic human rights, working 

anywhere, just like their parents, for 

a living. The help provided by some 

NGOs and the UN is not enough to 

sustain basic human needs. 

Hundreds of thousands have come 

to Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Egypt. 

According to the UN, before 2003 

Iraq’s Christian population was approximately 

1.2-1.5 million, and now 

it is just a few hundred thousand, less 

than half. With the exception of a 

few special cases, there is no agreement 

between these countries regarding 

protection or care for the Iraqi 

refugees. They are frustrated and upset 

not knowing what the future holds 

with everything they left behind. 

At the Middle East Synod, Cardinal 

Delly suggested that Christian Iraqis 

should remain in their homeland and not 

migrate. What is your response? 

Today, the Christians of Iraq are 

once again the object of direct and 

organized persecution. Similar to 

the early Christian ages, believers 

are being attacked. Regardless of 

the difference between young, old, 

man, woman or child, every day 

there are kidnappings and murders. 

Homes and churches are destroyed, 

and priests are kidnapped and assassinated. 

Fear and panic has become 

a part of their daily life. Iraqi Christians 

are left with few choices including 

paying Islamic dues or taxes 

also known as “jizya,” giving up on 

their women and honor, changing 

religion or dying. 

We believe that it is the choice 

of the Iraqi Christians to make the 

decision whether to stay or leave. 

Nobody knows what they are feeling. 

We are sure they do not want to 

leave their country, with no belongings 

or no business, but they are not 

really left a choice. 

If our Church and the Vatican 

believe they should remain, then 

they should take action and provide 

them with security and employment 

– not just lip service. 

Lately, many people have criticized 

our Church and Patriarch 

Delly’s remarks. 

We believe a lot of our people 

know that some who have criticized 

the Church inside and outside of Iraq 

are doing so for personal reasons or 

issues. The criticism is not done constructively, 

but by attacking and putting 

the Church and Church leaders 

down with a lot of false accusations. 

Instead of helping and supporting the 

Church, this is doing the opposite. 

The differences within the Church 

should be discussed among the clergy 

privately within the hierarchy. 

Since the early 1980s, Iraq has 

been going through one of its most 

difficult times in history, including 

the Iran-Iraq War, the first Gulf War, 

the 10-year Embargo, the 2003 U.S. 

Invasion, Islamic terrorism, etc. The 

Church in Iraq, as well as the Vatican 

and all western churches, needs to be a 

loud voice in demanding the attention 

of the world. There are many questions 

that can be asked about this situation: 

• Is the Church calling for both 

political and religious leaders to 

stand up for rights of the minority 

Christian population? 

• Is the Church demanding that 

the mainstream media highlight the 

atrocities? 

• Are all aspects of the Church 

communities united in their commitment 

to being a voice for those 

whose voices are being muffled? 

• The U.S. government has spent 

billions of dollars on the war effort. 

Is the Church demanding the same 

commitment to a peace effort? 

• Is there a united and official 

voice directed towards supporting 

those forced into refugee status? 

• Is there really a future for Christians 

in Iraq, as well as in the whole 

Middle East? 

• Are Christian Churches, 

priests and bishops — whether they 

are Chaldean, Assyrian or Syriac 

— committed to placing the needs of 

their communities above their own 

personal agendas? 

• Is the Catholic Church as aggressive 

as non-Catholic Christians 

reaching out and attending to all of 

the needs of those who have been 

hurt by the events in Iraq? 

The time for trying to be “politically 

correct” should be over. The 

Church needs to be a loud and clear 

voice making sure that the world 

hears and sees the truth. Our Chaldean 

and Assyrian Churches need to 

put their differences aside and start 

working together for the benefit of 

our people. Soon, there will be no 

churches in Iraq or they’ll be possibly 

converted to mosques or museums 

and become history. 

Do you think the destruction of Christianity 

in Iraq is the result of America’s 

invasion of the country? 

The American intervention in the 

“New and Democratic Iraq” did not 

improve the situation of the Christian 

minority. On the contrary, it 

increased their hardships. Today, 

Iraqi Christians are much more persecuted 

and have no security or constitutional 

equality with Arabs and 

Kurds. The terrorists, Al-Qaeda, are 

attacking Christians in Iraq because 

they believe we cooperated with 

Americans, when it is known the 

Shia Muslims and Kurdish are the 

ones who welcomed the occupation 

of Iraq. They are the beneficiaries 

and the Christian community paid 

the highest price of American invasion. 

The American administration 

seems unable to correct any violation 

against our rights and security. 

The Christians of Iraq believe they 

have not only been betrayed by the 

American-led coalition, but also have 

seen their legal status diminish. The 

destruction of Christianity in Iraq is 

taking place because of misguided 

American policies and because the 

Christian community is not deemed 

to be important. The silence of western 

governments about the destruction 

of Christians of Iraq is exchanged 

with dollars. More Christians have 

left Iraq now than under Saddam 

Hussein’s dictatorship. 



chaldean on the STREET 

What do you think of President Obama so far? 

By Anthony Samona 

President Barack Obama hits the two-year point in his presidential term this month. 

Community members shared their opinions about how he has fared thus far. 

President Obama has not 

been the best president this 

country has seen thus far, 

although he does have the potential 

to be a better one. It’s 

very important that he maintain 

a strong focus on the horrific 

acts that are taken place to 

Christians in Iraq. After all, it is 

his country that’s in Iraq trying 

to “make things better.” 

Miranda Ayar, 18 

West Bloomfield 

President Obama has tried to 

help our economy a lot in the 

past two years. He is helping 

people on the verge of losing 

their homes through loan 

modification programs. He 

also encourages increasing 

the workforce by giving credits 

to organizations that make 

new hires. I hope we can see 

some more positive changes 

within the next two remaining 

years of his term. 

Julianna Kassab, 20 

Southfield 

He has led this country well. 

Most people would argue 

otherwise because of the 

current state of our economy. 

Unfortunately, because of all 

the special interest groups 

in Washington, Obama can’t 

seem to get too much done for 

the better. There are still two 

more years in his term left, and 

many changes can be made 

within two years. 

Brandon Hanna, 19 

Oakland Township 

After two years in office, no major 

changes have been made. 

We are still engaged in a losing 

war overseas and the health 

care reform has yet to be fully 

established. Disappointingly, 

President Obama still smokes 

cigarettes as he preaches for 

health reform. However, we 

have seen some positive spikes 

in our economy. He has tried to 

help our economy by presenting 

programs like “Cash for Clunkers” 

and the forced bankruptcy 

of select auto-makers. 

Ryan Samona, 22 

Shelby Township 

It is still early to tell whether 

he has been doing a good job. 

He has reached the first half of 

his term, and some progress 

has been made. However, he 

still has another two years to 

complete, and America should 

give him time. As of now, I do 

believe that he is doing a good 

job, for instance signing the 

health-care reform earlier this 

year and maintaining a strong 

focus on Americans’ health. 

We should be patient and see 

what more positive actions can 

come out of him. 

Fady Mansour, 17 

Commerce Township 

Obama has sent this country 

into more deficits. These deficits 

are in the trillions now! He 

stated he will make a change 

to this country. I still have not 

seen a change. As a Christian I 

am against abortions, however 

Obama is now funding abortions 

all across the country, 

and even in other countries. I 

do pray for Obama to lead this 

country down a better path in 

the next two years of his term. 

With the financial and war 

crisis this country is facing, we 

should have had a Republican 

as president. 

Rafed White, 28 


The negative side to Obama 

is that he has been supporting 

the rights for same-sex marriage 

and abortions. These go 

against our Christian beliefs. 

Another negative situation was 

the BP oil spill. Americans 

befuddled, “Where is the 

president? What is his say in 

this?” The problem went on 

for months and the media did 

not show Obama taking much 

action. However, the positive 

side to Obama is that he is an 

excellent speaker. He stuck to 

his campaign, especially how 

he said he will pull troops from 

Iraq and bring them home 

safely. We need to focus on 

the future, and look at the beneficial 

situations that will make 

this country stronger. 

Yousif Aljony, 18 

Farmington Hills 

He is determined to communicate 

with other foreign 

powers, and works hard to 

make changes not only in the 

U.S., but in other countries 

as well. I see him as a calm 

and peaceful man. Obama 

has extraordinary communication 

skills. He works hard to 

improve education for children 

and make health reform plans 

as well. His speeches always 

keep me interested. Even 

though his views on same-sex 

marriage, stem cell research 

and abortions are un-Christian, 

this should not make others 

look down on him. There is 

time for him to make better 

changes to America in the 

upcoming two years. 

Fadi Arabo, 20 


President Obama successfully 

addressed how much 

our country needs “positive 

change” throughout his 

campaign speeches, and 

of course, lured in massive 

crowds that hung on his every 

word in a time of economic 

crisis. Although American society 

seems to expect a quick 

fix to every major issue, he 

should have focused more on 

realistic issues such as economic 

problems as opposed 

to health care reform. I think 

he talks the talk, but doesn’t 

walk the walk. 

Caroline Bacall, 24 

Tempe, Arizona 

I very much value President 

Obama’s vision for the future 

of our nation; however he 

has failed in turning around 

America’s image completely 

with his failure to close Guantanamo 

Bay. Obama is the 

best leader in re-shaping our 

nation, rather than McCain. To 

have diplomacy and to be fair 

with other countries as well as 

being morally right is what he 

strives to do. However, to torture 

captives is something the 

“free world” should not have 

any connection with, especially 

since it should have ended 

within his first year in office 

as he promised. It makes the 

U.S. look inhumane and most 

of all, hypocritical. 

Jena Yaldo, 18 

Farmington Hills 



on a mission 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help welcomes refugees 


Because of the recent influx of 

Iraqi immigrants to Metro Detroit, 

Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim 

asked Fr. Fadi Philip and then-deacon 

Fawaz Kako to pioneer a new 

mission to serve the growing Chaldean 

community. They decided to 

call it Our Lady of Perpetual Help 

(OLPH) because they trusted the 

Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercession’ 

many of their members are recouping 

their war-torn lives and settling into 

a state of normalcy. 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help takes its 

name from a 15th century icon housed 

at a church in Rome. It is a popular 

Catholic picture depicting a solemn 

Mary holding a frightened Jesus. This 

image foreshadows Christ’s passion as 

He clings on to his mother for support 

while she stares at the viewer. 

The Warren facility is called a 

mission because it is an undertaking 

of the St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic 

Diocese. For now, it shares a building 

with St. Sylvester Catholic Church 

at 11200 12 Mile Road. 

After opening on Palm Sunday 

(March 28, 2010) the mission has 

been going strong, adding more programs 

as membership grows. From 

its inception, OLPH implemented a 

First Communion program in Arabic 

for 45 kids who received the Holy 

Spirit in June. This past fall, 200 students 

registered for Catechism and 

seventy of them are preparing for 

Communion, with one class taught 

solely in Arabic and two classes 

taught in English. 

Members have also participated 

in retreats, community initiatives 

and social events. This past Thanksgiving, 

they distributed nearly 250 

turkeys to their needy families, and 

strive to especially help the newly 

settled. Chaldean-American groups 

have been instrumental in aiding 

the mission. The Chaldean American 

Ladies of Charity is working on 

health causes and E’rootha distributed 

Christmas gifts to 200 kids. 

“The mission is really united as 

a big family,” said Fr. Fadi, who is 

OLPH’s administrator. “And those 

photo by David Reed 

Frs. Fadi Philip and Fawaz Kako have big plans for Our Lady of Perpetual Help. 

helping are not visitors, rather they 

are a part of the whole church.” 

Fr. Fadi and now-Fr. Fawaz are 

conscientious about their parishioners’ 

spiritual needs as well and they 

offer daily confession, devotion and 

mass. The mission boasts a Bible 

study in Arabic on Thursdays, which 

attracts many youth. The priests also 

celebrate baptisms and have assembled 

a 30-person choir. 

OLPH and St. Sylvester’s are 

not completely separate. Together, 

they held a mass in memoriam of the 

October 31 church massacre at Our 

Lady of Salvation in Baghdad. They 

also celebrated a mass in English and 

Chaldean on December 8 for the 

Feast of Mary. While their language 

and customs may be different, they 

are united as Catholics. 

“We are so thankful to the Archdiocese 

of Detroit, and to Fr. Gary [Schulte] 

who has been doing everything to 

help our people,” said Fr. Fadi. 

Approximately 500 families come 

from neighboring areas including 

Hazel Park, Madison Heights and 

Clinton Township. Bishop Ibrahim’s 

next goal is to purchase a building 

for OLPH in the same area. For 

now, the priests ask the community 

to spread the word about the mission 

and to lift it up in prayer. 

Visit Our Lady 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help 

Mission is located inside 

St. Sylvester Catholic Church. 

11200 12 Mile Road in Warren. 

Call (586) 804-2114. 

Daily: 5 p.m. 

Confession 

Daily, except Tuesdays: 6 

p.m. 

Devotion (Rosary), 

followed by Mass 

Thursday: 5 p.m. 

Adoration, followed by Mass 

Sunday: 12:30 p.m. 

Mass in Chaldean and Arabic 



sports 

Justin Meram 

celebrates 

a score. 

justin time! 

Soccer star and future dentist ready 

to sink his teeth into pro career 

By Steve Stein 

Photo courtesy U-M Athletic Media Relations 

Justin Meram is excited about the next destination 

of his soccer journey. 

The University of Michigan senior striker 

has been invited to the Major League Soccer 

Player Combine Jan. 7-11 in Ft. Lauderdale, 

Fla., and he’s projected as a possible first-round 

choice on Jan. 13 in the MLS SuperDraft. 

Eighteen teams will participate in the fourround 

draft, selecting 72 players. 

“I had opportunities to play in Europe, but I 

decided to play at home to be closer to my family 

and friends,” Meram said. 

Meram has burst onto the national soccer 

scene since graduating from Eisenhower High 

School in Shelby Township, where he played 

striker for four years and was a First Team All- 

State choice as a senior. 

After a stellar two seasons at Yavapai College 

in Prescott, Ariz. that were climaxed by his 

selection as the 2008 National Junior College 

Player of the Year, Meram transferred to Michigan 

and didn’t miss a beat in his two seasons 

with the Wolverines. 

He even had a brief fling as a placekicker on 

the Michigan football team. He dressed for the 

Wolverines’ season opener Sept. 4 against Connecticut 

at Michigan Stadium, but decided he 

needed to focus his energies on soccer. 

“I’m sure I had the skills to kick for the football 

team, but there were too many conflicts 

with soccer practices and games,” he said. 

Meram isn’t a big guy — he’s 6-feet-1 and 

165 pounds — but he’s blessed with lightningquick 

feet and a lethal shot. He’ll 

probably play left midfield as a 

professional because of his ability 

to cut in front of the net and release 

his shot. 

He had 17 goals and eight assists 

in 23 games this season for 

Michigan. He finished with a 

flourish, scoring at least one goal 

in each of the Wolverines’ final 

nine games. 

Among those games were 

two in the Big Ten tournament 

and four in the NCAA tournament. 

The Wolverines (17-5-3) 

won their first Big Ten tourney 

title and advanced to the NCAA 

semifinals for the first time in program 

history. 

Meram had a dozen goals in 

the nine games, including Michigan’s 

lone goal just 1:02 into a 2-1 

loss to eventual NCAA champion 

Akron in the nationally televised 

NCAA semifinals. 

After collecting a pass, Meram 

raced up the middle of the field 

and fired a laser into the left side 

of the net. 

“I saw a clear path and when 

the defender stepped up on me, I 

just took the shot,” he said. 

His five goals in the NCAA 

tournament led the nation. He 

scored two highlight-reel goals just 15 minutes 

apart in Michigan’s 4-1 victory over host 

Penn State in the Big Ten tournament championship 

game. 

Meram had seven goals and six assists in his 

junior season at Michigan. He was named to 

the All-Big Ten Second Team as a junior and 

senior, and he’s featured on videos on Michigan’s 

athletic website, www.mgoblue.com. 

Yavapai’s strong soccer program and family 

living in Arizona convinced Meram to head 

west after graduating from Eisenhower. He led 

Yavapai to back-to-back national championships 

and left the school with the all-time record 

in career points (132). His 51 goals and 30 

assists are No. 2 on both career lists. 

Several four-year colleges including Michigan, 

Ohio State, San Diego State, California- 

Irvine and New Mexico courted Meram while 

he was at Yavapai, and it came down to a choice 

between Michigan and Ohio State. Michigan’s 

full-ride scholarship offer sealed the deal. 

“They only have nine scholarships for 27 

soccer players, so that showed me they really 

wanted me,” he said. 

He’s in the pre-dental program at Michigan 

and hopes to be a dentist someday, but his days 

of drillings and fillings probably will be delayed by 

the time constraits of a professional soccer career. 

Meram turned 22 on Dec. 4. He’s youngest 

of Hikmat (“Sam”) and Lamia Meram’s four 

sons. 

Fans swarm to 

Pistons website 

Natalie Sitto launched a Detroit Pistons fan website 

six years ago to keep a few of her friends up to 

date about her favorite sports team. Now, her www. 

need4sheed.com has become a daily must-see for 

thousands of Pistons fans. 

The 41-year-old West Bloomfield resident updates 

the website daily in her limited spare time. 

Whatever money she brings in from advertising and 

merchandise sales pays for server hosting costs. This 

is truly a labor of love. 

“I can’t give it up now. Too many people depend 

on me,” she said. 

While Sitto pays to attend Pistons games at The 

Palace, the team gives her access to areas normally offlimits 

to anyone but accredited media. And it supplies 

items like bobbleheads 

for contests. 

“I really appreciate 

their help,” she said. 

Sitto’s website 

has game summaries 

and reviews, videos, 

live game chats, a forum, 

Pistons schedule, 

website links, 

blogroll, and access 

to the need4sheed 

Twitter account. 

Longtime fan Natalie 

Sitto shares her Pistons 

love online. 

“Everything is 

done from a fan’s 

point of view,” she 

said. “While we all love the team, we’re critical 

when we have to be.” 

She said the popularity of the website hasn’t 

waned as the Pistons’ fortunes have declined the 

past few seasons. 

“The true fan doesn’t go away,” she said. “When 

things aren’t going well, that’s when you have to love 

the team even more. We’re all in this together.” 

Sitto has been a Pistons fan for much of her life, 

going back to the days when they played in the 

chilly Pontiac Silverdome. 

“I’ve been a fan ever since they drafted Isiah 

Thomas,” she said. 

The name of her website is a reference to former 

Pistons star Rasheed Wallace. 

In her “day job,” Sitto does IT work and web 

design for a Detroit food distributor. 


the counselor is in 

Have a conscious new year 

“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand 

firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the 

yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1 

Iklas J. Bashi 

special to the 

chaldean news 

A 

new year is upon us – again providing 

rich opportunities for growth and 

renewal. It’s a time to look back and 

reflect on where we’ve been and where we 

want to go. A time to raise our consciousness 

and become more aware of the choices we’ve 

made. A time to be fully present to ourselves 

and to the presence of God in our life. 

No more New Year’s resolutions. Whereas 

resolutions end up becoming self-defeating, 

leading to feelings of guilt, failure and disappointment, 

there is freedom in living consciously. 

A big area for many of us is becoming more aware of 

our money and spending habits. The voice of our current 

culture surrounds us with ads in television, magazines, 

radio, Internet, billboards and even bathroom 

stalls. Their message is clear: “Focus on what you don’t 

have. You are in need of this item or that product to 

make you whole.” The voice of God calls us to a different 

place. It says, “No matter what, you are whole.” 

Raising awareness involves establishing healthy 

boundaries. A boundary is a limit, a line that communicates 

the message, “This is who I am and this is what 

I want and/or need.” Learning to set personal boundaries 

and boundaries with others is critical to well-being. 

Boundaries help us become mentally, spiritually and 

physically healthy. 

Dr. Henry Cloud, author of Boundaries, outlines 

some difficulties and challenges related to money and 

spending: 

• Enabling others: This involves rescuing others 

from their own bad choices around money. When we 

rescue them, we enable them continue to live without 

experiencing consequences of their behavior. This 

keeps us and them in bondage. 

• Impulse spending: The “gotta have it mentality.” 

Reduce the urge to spend on unnecessary items by asking 

yourself if you really need it and if it will lead to 

your freedom or more debt. 

• Careless budgeting: The result of not writing your budget 

on paper. Avoidance is not wanting to think 

about the need for a budget to begin with. 

• Living beyond one’s means: The fruit is 

false wealth, not living in reality. Credit card 

purchases for instant gratification and to maintain 

a “false” sense of luxury and wealth. 

• Credit problems: The ultimate bondage 

of all — reckless spending. 

• Chronically borrowing from friends/relatives: 

Lack of personal responsibility. 

• Working more to pay all the bills: Consciously 

look at the bills. They are a reflection 

of personal choices. Perpetuates the cycle of 

abuse around money. 

Learning to say “no” is an important aspect of 

boundary setting with money. Having a sense of control 

and discipline are key. There is great freedom in 

choosing to delay gratification. As Cloud states, “The 

problem often isn’t the high cost of living – it’s the cost 

of living high.” 

Thinking about our values and principles is critical 

to being able to understand our relationship with 

money. Conscious spending would have you consider 

the following questions: How do I feel about money? 

What are my values and principles about money? What 

about my spouse? My family? How do they feel about 

money? Do my spending habits and money behaviors 

align with my values and principles? 

We need to love and honor the boundaries of others. 

They in turn, will honor and respect our boundaries. 

God’s invitation to a life of freedom is always before us. 

When we give freedom, we get freedom. By establishing 

our own healthy boundaries, we automatically give permission 

to others to do the same. 

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. Email questions and comments to 

ahigherwayllc@gmail.com. 

A Resource Guide 

Check out the following book titles 

to become more conscious about 

your finances: 

• Why Enough Is Never Enough: 

Overcoming Worries About Money – 

A Catholic Perspective, by Gregory Jeffrey 

• Conscious Spending for Couples: 

Seven Skills for Financial Harmony, 

by Deborah Knuckey 

• 7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free: 

A Catholic Guide to Managing Your 

Money Workbook, by Phil Lenahan 

• How to Give Up Shopping (Or at 

Least Cut Down): The Journey Back to 

Conscious Spending, by Neradine Tisaj 

Jesus tells us in John 8:32, “And you will 

know the truth, and the truth will set you 

free.” 

Writing things down on paper 

crystallizes them and helps us move 

out of the darkness of unknowing into 

consciousness about money. 

Look up these tools to help build 

awareness, think about choices and 

organize spending: 

• Build-a-Budget Worksheet by 

Erin Huffstetler at www.about.com. 

• Even more detailed budget worksheets 

at www.budgetworksheets.org. 

• Electronic budgeting at 

www. money.strands.com. 

Check out your local community 

resources for inexpensive classes and 

training about finances and budgeting. 

Following is just a beginning list. Search 

your own city for community education. 

• Walled Lake Community Education, 

www.wlcsd.org 

• Sterling Heights Community Education, 

www.ci.sterling-heights.mi.us 

• Detroit Community Education, 

www.detroitk12.org 

• West Bloomfield Community Education, 

www.wbcommed.org 

Lastly, the best things in life still are free! 

Your local library has a wealth of 

information and resources. 


ONE on ONE 

The State Department’s Michael Corbin: 

‘We have enormous influence’ 

Michael Corbin, Deputy Assistant 

to the Secretary of 

State, paid his third visit 

to the Detroit area to meet with 

community leaders on December 8. 

His last appearance in June became 

so heated by audience members angry 

over the deportation controversy 

that he had to be escorted from the 

room. Things were calmer this time 

around. 

During his time in Michigan, 

Corbin sat down with Co-Publisher 

Martin Manna. Here are some excerpts 

from that conversation. 

The Chaldean News: What is the 

purpose of your visit? 

Michael Corbin: My responsibilities 

are uniquely focused on all aspects 

of current policy towards Iraq. One 

of our enormous concerns is security 

in Iraq for the minorities or compartments, 

as they preferred to be 

called. We look with great concern 

and condemnation on the attack on 

Sayidat Al-Nejat [Our Lady of Salvation] 

Church on October 31 — and 

then the declarations of some Islamic 

groups and [continued] violence. So 

we are here to hear from the communities 

– and I was just in Chicago for 

two days – [and discuss] what we are 

doing to address this extremely important 

humanitarian issue. 

CN: You and your predecessor have 

been here several times. What influence 

do you have with the administration 

and the U.S. Congress? Can you 

make a difference? 

MC: We have enormous influence 

and we’re making a huge 

change in Iraq. If you compare the 

situation in 2006 to 2010, lots of 

things have changed. We continue 

to work with refugees and internally 

displaced people in Iraq. We 

work with Congress on the minority 

directives and on targeting assistance 

for minority component 

communities in Iraq. We also work 

on the policy with Iraqi government 

constantly through our embassy. 

I was in Iraq in May and met 

with religious leaders, traveled to 

the Nineveh Plains and met four 

days with my team there. The State 

Department and the U.S. government 

have enormous influence in 

Michael Corbin meets with community members at the Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce office. 

Iraq and we plan to use that influence 

to move forward. 

We saw the December 4 declaration 

from Erbil about support for some 

sort of autonomous region. We will 

absolutely study that. Details have 

to be worked out on whether it’s parliament 

legislation or action by the 

prime minister — this is something 

we are absolutely ready to study. 

We’ve also seen the Iraqi security 

forces increase their ability to act 

and after the attack on the church, 

we saw them arrest the leader responsible. 

We’ve seen them crack 

down on extremists groups and increase 

security because of our pressing 

them. 

CN: Oftentimes diplomats from D.C. 

and Iraqi officials who come into town 

say that “all of Iraq is suffering.” But 

we believe the minority populations 

are suffering more. Things have not 

improved since 2006 for the Christian 

community. 

MC: We think there has been 

change on the ground. We think 

the security situation is going to 

continue and that the terrorist networks 

have much less of a chance of 

creating the havoc they did in 2006. 

This is a situation where they are 

purposely seeking the point of weakness 

– and that is minority communities. 

This is a crisis and we have 

to see that Iraqi forces have been 

able to step up. When you look at 

the number of attacks, the trend of 

violence, the terrorists are not able 

to do what they were before. 

CN: Many believe that we have reached 

a point that the Christians remaining 

just don’t have the means to leave. Others 

feel that they should stay, no matter 

what the price, because they are the indigenous 

people of Iraq. Does the U.S. 

feel an obligation or moral responsibility 

to figure out a solution for Iraq’s Christian 

community, since U.S. policy created 

this situation? 

MC: Christians and others left 

Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in droves. This 

has been a problem and is a problem 

throughout the Middle East. 

CN: But not at this rate. 

MC: Okay, but your statement 

that this is completely a result of U.S. 

policy is something I would debate. 

What I would say is that, clearly, we 

support protection of the communities 

in Iraq that are particularly targeted 

– and these are the minority 

communities. We will support the 

communities in every way that we 

can. We support those that want to 

stay. We have refugee programs for 

those who are under direct threat and 

leave the country. We don’t have a 

policy on whether people should stay 

or go. So what we’re going to do is 

work to preserve those communities 

in Iraq to the extent that they believe 

they can stay. The main thing is 

jobs, extensive protection, a sense of 

country; the Iraqi government has to 

show that it will protect these communities. 

We believe that after a lot 

of hard work, we have a government 

that is not an extremist and radical 

government. We have a government 

that will be inclusive. 

CN: Barack Obama advocated for 

the protection of Iraq’s Christian community 

more when he was a senator 

than now as president. A lot of critics 

have called his response to the Baghdad 

church massacre “anemic.” 

MC: I disagree with that 100 percent. 

Iraq has been responsible for 

the security in the city since June 

2009 per the security agreement. 

We have been working closely with 

Iraqi security forces to improve their 

ability to defend the minority communities 

wherever they are. President 

Obama has sent a letter already 

and is working on reaching out to 

the communities in terms of support. 

The issue has got to be, how 

can the Iraqi government and Iraqi 

security forces protect the minority 

and component communities? We 

can’t do it. If we put U.S. soldiers in 

front of churches it makes it a double 

target. We don’t believe the UN is 

an option. We see indications that 

the government of Iraq is taking the 

right steps. Prime Minister Al-Maliki 

visited the church after the attack 

and promised to rebuild it. You’ve 

seen Iraqi security forces taking real 

steps. This is late, this should have 

happened before. But what we’ve got 

to do is continue the pressure. 

CN: History has shown that once 

Christians leave Iraq, they don’t return. 

What is the U.S. doing to assure that 

the Iraqi constitution, which is based 

on Sharia law, is more inclusive of its 

minorities? 

MC: The constitution respects all 

religions; it has an article that talks 

about the role of the Islamic religion 

but it also talks about protecting all 

religions in a way that other countries 

do not. We believe some people, 

such as Yonadam Kanna, who leads 

the Christian Caucus, are looking for 

a way to make the constitution provide 

more protection. But we believe 

that constitution, which we had a 


lot of influence in working with the 

Iraqis on creating, provides the protections 

for the minorities that you 

don’t see in other countries. 

CN: Other minorities in the Middle East 

have been under attack for quite some 

time. Arab governments have never had 

a tolerance for people who aren’t Muslim, 

and this is happening now in Iraq. 

Is this something the U.S. is looking to 

enforce? 

MC: The constitution does treat 

them as equal citizens and we are very 

concerned about the outflow of Christians 

from the Middle East. That’s why 

we believe there has got to be more 

universal solutions that allow these 

people, who are such an important 

part of Iraq and the history of Iraq, to 

continue to be part of the Middle East. 

Now, how do we address this? Part of it 

is through jobs and having a stake in 

court to come up with a proposal 

that would make the most sense. Of 

course, the constitution and these 

Arab/Kurd differences have to be 

taken into account. There are many 

different routes on this and we are 

looking at all of them. 

“This is an opportunity in 

Iraq for communities to 

have a greater voice in 

what is going on.” 

– Michael Corbin 

those countries’ future. There are not 

the economic prospects for the young 

people and there is not a feeling of participation 

of the government to create 

the economic prospect. If you look 

at the March 7 elections in Iraq, the 

people chose more secular, middle-ofthe-road 

parties and blocks. The religious 

extremists whether Sunni, Shiite 

or Kurdish did not do well. We think 

in fact there is opportunity in Iraq for 

communities to have a greater voice in 

what is going on. 

CN: Many feel the only solution left 

for our community in Iraq is an autonomous 

administrative region in the 

Nineveh Plains area. Do you agree? 

MC: With the December 4 announcement 

from Erbil that groups 

of Chaldean Assyrian Syriac groups 

support some sort of administrative 

area, and following the statement of 

President Talabani that the Kurdish 

Regional Government also supports 

such a regional body, this is definitely 

worth much more study now. But 

the ball is in the Iraqi components’ 

CN: From our understanding and responses 

from our folks living there, approximately 

$30-40 million allocated 

in congressional budgets for the reconstruction 

and renewal of minority villages 

in the Nineveh Plains area never got 

to them directly and didn’t help change 

their lives. Money went to things like 

conflict mediation and U.S. contractors 

already in that region – nothing directly 

impacting or helping these people. 

MC: Some of the general projects 

helped the community at large rather 

than specific communities. But we 

have gotten better at targeting specific 

communities as we go forward, and 

we will continue to do that. We’re 

looking for communities that have 

legitimate Iraqi representation on the 

ground that can work with us to create 

effective aid projects that impact the 

communities but don’t increase their 

risk of being linked with the U.S. and 

becoming targets for terrorism. 

CN: As a representative of the U.S. 

government, what do you want to tell 

those who have lost hope and don’t think 

there is much of a future for Christians 

in their ancestral land? 

MC: The message I want to get 

across is that the U.S. is very involved 

in Iraq and we are using our 

influence in every way to maintain 

those communities. They are an essential 

part of the fabric of Iraq. We 

believe there are political leadership 

figures in Iraq who recognize this and 

that the new government provides 

an opportunity to address this. But 

this is a terrible humanitarian crisis 

and we recognize that. We are very 

focused on it. 


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events 

passion for fashion 

Photos by David Reed 

It was a night to see and be seen as more than 

400 people gathered at Shenandoah Country 

Club. The occasion was the Second Annual 

Passion for Fashion, which raised funds for the 

Chaldean Federation of America. 

Luna 

Shaaya 

and Anita 

Sabri 

Veronica 

Kassab, 

Paul Jonna 

and Candice 

Dickow 

Chris 

Jamil and 

Clark 

Pattah

JANUARY 2011

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