FEBRUARY 2004

$2.50 VOL. 1 ISSUE I 

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 2004 

Chaldean News 

30095 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 102 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334

16 

17 

CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2004 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 1 ISSUE I 

features 

16 APPOINTED TO THE CHAIR 

BY VANESSA DENHA 

Chaldean woman becomes the head 

of the Liquor Control Commission 

20 

17 LIMITING LICENSES 

BY CHALDEAN NEWS STAFF 

Business leaders talk to Mayor Kilpatrick about 

his campaign to crack down on liquor stores 

28 

24 

18 A NEW LEADER 

BY MERVIT BASHI 

Chaldean bishops elect a new patriarch 

for the Chaldean church 

30 

24 ABUSE OF POWER 


Those who suffered under the Ba’ath Party 

34 PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN 


From Iraqi citizens to Chaldean Americans 

34 

departments 

cover 

21 AN ANCIENT PEOPLE 

IN MODERN TIMES 


Chaldeans: yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

21 

4 FROM THE EDITOR 

5 YOUR LETTERS 

6 NOTEWORTHY COMPILED BY CHALDEAN NEWS STAFF 

7 CHAI TIME COMPILED BY OMAR BINNO AND CHALDEAN NEWS STAFF 

8 HALHOLE! COMPILED BY CHALDEAN NEWS STAFF 

10 RELIGION 

A list of churches with mass schedules 

12 ECONOMICS AND ENTERPRISE BY CHALDEAN NEWS STAFF 

The Chaldean American business community 

14 FROM THE BENCH BY HON. DIANE DICKOW D’AGOSTINI 

Understanding the court system 

26 IN GOOD HEALTH 

BEING HEART SMART BY MERVIT BASHI 

Is Chaldean food healthy for our hearts? 

28 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 

HEAR THE MUSIC BY OMAR BINNO 

Middle Eastern and Mainstream: The New Mix 

30 FOOD AND WINE BY JOHN JONNA 

What are you drinking on Valentine’s Day? 

32 KIDS CORNER COMPILED BY OMAR BINNO 

33 QUESTION OF THE MONTH COMPILED BY OMAR BINNO 

What do you think of the NEW Chaldean News? 

FEBRUARY 2004 CHALDEAN NEWS 3

from the EDITOR 

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Well, here it is — 

the first issue of 

The Chaldean 

News. It has been years in 

the making and a project I 

am personally passionate 

about, not just as one of the 

founding partners, but also 

as a writer. I cannot begin to 

tell you how elated I am to 

write this column. 

What some of you might not know 

is that nearly 40 years ago, a group of 

Chaldeans from the Chaldean 

American Youth Club produced the 

first Chaldean newspaper in 

Michigan. The original group included 

Jamal Shallal, Andy Acho, Freddie 

Najor, Mike Khami and Bill George. 

This was at a time long before computers 

came into play, which I now 

use to write this column. As today’s 

younger generation, we follow behind 

the footsteps of those who came 

before us, and we strive to bring you 

a newsmagazine that has evolved 

along with our community. 

We couldn’t have planned a 

debut issue more appropriate or 

timely. We never expected so much 

to be going on around the world 

relating to the Chaldeans. 

Saddam Hussein is no longer in 

power. Chaldeans have shared so 

many stories of the terror spread by 

this regime. Here, we share a couple 

of those stories with you. Both Roufi 

Ayar and Katrin Michael know, first 

hand, what it was like to suffer under 

the Ba’ath Party. 

The long-awaited news of a patriarch 

was finally announced before 

the end of 2003. Contributing writer 

Mervit Bashi paints the biography of 

the man who now leads our church. 

Within these pages, we will strive 

to keep you abreast of what is going 

on in the community. We have been 

telling you, since our prototype was 

published, that The Chaldean News 

is a newsmagazine about the community, 

for the community, and for 

anyone wanting to build a relationship 

with the Chaldeans. 

We also encourage you to provide 

us with feedback. Please feel free to 

write letters to the editor. If you want 

to announce an engagement, marriage, 

death or birth, please read our 

announcements section, which 

includes submittal instructions. 

As I have stated, this publication is 

the result of years of planning, and it is 

VANESSA 

DENHA 

EDITOR 

being published by a team of 

community members who 

are all proud to be Chaldean. 

Many of you who have 

read the prototype have 

expressed your excitement 

about the magazine and have 

stated that we are filling a 

void. That is our goal. We are 

here to give all of us a voice. 

The Chaldean News is your voice. It is 

your publication — a medium that 

gives all of us an opportunity to present 

the Chaldean people in a positive way. 

We couldn’t have done this without 

the support and encouragement 

of our friends, family and colleagues. 

We would like to thank our two bishops 

and clergy for their support. We 

pride ourselves on our religious 

beliefs and the church is our foundation 

— we are guided by its lead. 

Thanks to all of our community 

organizations for lending support. 

Thanks to the Chaldean American 

Ladies of Charity, to members of 

CARE, to the Chaldean Chamber of 

Commerce, to the Chaldean Iraqi 

American Association of Michigan 

and to the Chaldean Federation. We 

will keep the community informed of 

your events. 

In addition, we could not have 

done this without the support of 

many people outside the Chaldean 

community. We thank Arthur 

Horwitz from The Jewish News 

(Jewish Renaissance Media) and 

his team for their advice and constant 

dialogue as we developed this 

project. We also thank Specialty 

Communications for assisting us in 

getting the prototype published. 

Last, but not least, we thank you — 

the reader. Your support is most important. 

We hope you continue to read 

every publication and interact with us 

by writing letters to the editor, sending 

us your announcements and telling us 

of events happening in the community. 

Alaha Imid Koullen 

(God Be With Us All) 

Vanessa Denha 

vdenha@chaldeannews.com 

Letters to the editor can be sent via 

email to vdenha@chaldeannews.com 

or to: The Chaldean News, Letters to 

the Editor, 30095 Northwestern Hwy., 

Ste 102, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

4 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2004

your LETTERS 

From the U.S. Dept. of Energy 

Greetings: 

Congratulations on the debut issue 

of the Chaldean News. this news 

magazine will fill a void in a community 

with a rich culture and deep roots. The 

United States is home to a rich blend 

of cultures and backgrounds, each 

with a unique voice. This paper will 

give the Chaldean community a new 

opportunity for its voice to be heard. 

The Chaldean News will also be 

a valuable resource for people 

wanting to interact with the 

Chaldean community and to nurture 

existing relationships with the 

community. We will all benefit from 

this publication, and wish the 

Chaldean News great success. 

Sincerely, 

Spencer Abraham 

Secretary of Energy 

From Lansing 

Greetings: 

Congratulations on the upcoming 

publication of your new magazine, 

Chaldean News, and thank you for 

including me in your inaugural issue. 

This new media outlet will be a valuable 

resource for the Chaldean- 

American community, as well as all 

of metro Detroit. 

The Chaldean-American community 

in metro Detroit is an important 

and vibrant part of southeastern 

Michigan’s cultural mosaic. In creating 

the Chaldean News, you are not 

only empowering your own community 

with an authentic voice that reflects 

your true interests and concerns, you 

are also empowering the larger community 

by providing them with information 

and education about your rich 

culture, history, politics, and life. 

Again, I thank you for including me 

in your new magazine, and I wish you 

much success in your new endeavor. I 

look forward to reading the Chaldean 

News when it hits the newsstands. 

Sincerely, 

Jennifer M. Granholm 

Governor 

From the U.S. Congress 

Dear Friends: 

I am pleased to have this opportunity 

to congratulate you as you 

prepare to launch the Chaldean 

News this coming February. 

The Chaldean News, which will 

aim to serve over 100,000 Chaldean 

Americans residing in the Metro 

Detroit area as well as those who live 

and work alongside them, is bound to 

be a tremendous success. The launch 

of this publication will serve to 

enhance the already vibrant and growing 

Chaldean community in Southeast 

Michigan. In addition to providing 

news about the Chaldean community 

to Chaldeans, the Chaldean News 

promises to strengthen existing relationships 

between Chaldeans and 

other groups within our community, 

and to facilitate new relationships and 

foster greater mutual understanding. 

Sincerely, 

Joseph K. Knollenberg 

Member of Congress 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS 

PUBLISHED BY 

The Chaldean News, LLC 

Tony Antone Vanessa Denha Martin Manna 

From Wayne County 

ADVERTISE IN 

Greetings: 

We, in Wayne County, are excited 

about the new Chaldean News. 

We know that this publication is 

not only debuting at the right time 

but it will be a service to the entire 

metropolitan area, not just to the 

Chaldeans. 

Your community is filled with a 

deep history and rich culture; it is only 

appropriate that you have a publication 

that offers the Chaldeans a voice. 

It will be a beneficial read to anyone 

who wants to build a strong and 

lasting relationship with the Chaldean 

community here in Michigan. We look 

forward to the monthly issues. 

Sincerely, 

Robert A. Ficano 

Wayne County Executive 

Advertise in a publication 

that is mailed directly 

to more than 10,000 

Chaldean Households. 

★ The Chaldeans in Michigan 

are a community of more 

than 120,000 people 

★ Chaldeans own more than 

6,000 businesses in Metro Detroit 

★ The Chaldeans have one of the 

largest disposable incomes 

among all ethnic groups in 

Southeast Michigan 

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

Vanessa Denha 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Alex Lumelsky 

with SKY Creative 

OPERATIONS MANAGER 

Sandra Jolagh 

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR 

Jennifer Harrison-Stang 

with JustWrite 

PHOTOGRAPHER 

Wilson Sarkis Photography 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Mervit Bashi 

Omar Binno 

COLUMNISTS 

Hon. Diane Dickow D’Agostini 

John Jonna 

SALES 

Interlink Media 

Angelo Binno 

Crystal Denha 

Silvia Zoma 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS • 30095 NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY • STE 102 • FARMINGTON HILLS, MI48334 

WWW.CHALDEANNEWS.COM • PH: 248-932-3100 • FAX: 248-932-9161 

30095 Northwestern Highway, Ste 102 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

www.chaldeannews.com 

Call 248-932-3100 or fax: 248-932-9161 


NOTEworthy 

[Local] 

THE BOJI GROUP WINS A BUILDING BID 

A bid from the Boji Group for the former State Plaza Building has been 

accepted. The $12.5 million bid for the 620,000 square foot building at the 

corner of Howard and 6th street in Detroit was one of two bids. The Plaza 

building has been vacant since the State of Michigan moved employees to the 

Cadillac Place building formerly known as the General Motors Headquarters. 

The Boji Group is currently meeting with potential tenants for the building. 

GETTING A GRANT 

The DTE Energy Foundation granted the Chaldean Community Cultural 

Center $150,000 over the next three years. Located in West Bloomfield, the 

Chaldean Community Cultural Center will be the national focus of the 

Chaldean Heritage. The Cultural Center will be dedicated to providing 

insights into the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Chaldeans - 

who trace their history 5,000 years ago to ancient Mesopotamia. The 

Chaldean Community Cultural Center also aims to establish itself as an educational 

institution and a place of cultural pride for the Chaldean American 

Community. The goal of the Chaldean Community Cultural Center is to be 

one of the leaders in the field of cultural diversity and educational activities, as 

well as providing programs and services that are both national and international 

in scope. Some of the activities include: specialized tours of the Center, 

teaching Aramaic, hands-on interactive workshops where the Chaldean culture 

will be taught through dance, culinary arts, embroidery and doll-making. 

[National] 

LEGALLY ABLE TO WORK IN THE U.S. 

President Bush proposed a new temporary worker program to match willing foreign 

workers with willing U.S. employers when no Americans can be found to fill 

the jobs. The program would be open to new foreign workers, and to the undocumented 

men and women currently employed in the U.S. This new program 

would allow workers who currently hold jobs to come out of hiding and participate 

legally in America’s economy while not encouraging further illegal behavior. 

U.S. WORKS TO EMPOWER WOMEN IN IRAQ 

The United States is working with women in Iraq on programs that will 

broaden their political and economic opportunities and increase 

women’s and girls’ access to education and health care. In early 2003, 

the United States committed approximately $2.5 billion in humanitarian 

and reconstruction aid to Iraq. In November 2003, Congress approved 

President Bush’s request for an additional $18.7 billion over the coming 

18 months. 

Some of these funds will be used to restore Iraq’s infrastructure, while 

other portions are allotted to democracy building, economic development, 

employment, medical, and educational needs, with full attention to the equal 

participation of women. 

Please fax over any press releases or news items to the Editorial Department 

at 248-932-9161 


CHAI time 

CHALDEANS CONNECTING 

COMMUNITY EVENTS IN AND AROUND METRO DETROIT FEBRUARY 2004 

James Caviezel as Jesus Christ 

[Monday February 2] 

Baoutha begins – Three days of fasting for the 

feast of St. Ignace. No eating before noon and 

no meat for three days. 

Chaldean American Ladies of Charity Seniors 

Bingo – First Monday each month at Chaldean Manor 

[Wednesday February 11] 

Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce 

Quarterly Networking Meeting 

Chamber is hosting The Honorable Mayor of 

Detroit to discuss the City’s recent “crackdown” 

on party stores. 

[Thursday February 12] 

Fashion Extravaganza – Chaldean Iraqi 

American Association of Michigan’s (CIAAM) 

Women’s Committee along with Neiman Marcus 

present the fashion Extravaganza from 6-9 p.m. 

at the Southfield Manor. Tickets are $75.00 per 

person. Cocktails and boutique shopping at 6 

p.m. followed by Dinner and fashion show. Call 

the Southfield Manor at 248-352-9020 for tickets. 

[Wednesday, February 25] 

Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ 

will be released in more than 2,000 theaters in 

the U.S. The movie is a vivid depiction of the 

last 12 hours of Jesus Christ’s life. James 

Caviezel plays Jesus Christ. Maia Morgenstern 

is Mary and Mary Magdalene is played by 

Monica Bellucci. All spoken language in The 

Passion is in Latin, Aramaic, or Hebrew. 

Please let us know what is going in the community. 

Fax your information to The Chaldean News Editorial 

Department. Subject: Chai Time 

Fax: 248-932-9161 

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HALHOLE! 

[Engagements] 

Rochelle Yono and Joseph Marougi 

Rochelle Yono, daughter of Sam and Lilly is engaged to 

Joseph Marougi son of Salwa and Karim. The tenatha (official 

asking for hand in marriage) was held on a Saturday in 

August 2003. The wedding ceremony is planned for May 

2004 at Mother of God Church in Southfield and the 

reception will be held at Southfield Manor. 

Vanessa Denha and Ron Garmo 

Vanessa Denha, daughter of Souriya Denha and the late 

Sabri Denha will say “I Do” in September 2004 at St. 

Thomas Church in West Bloomfield when she marries 

Ron Garmo, son of Sabah and Maryann. The reception 

will be held at Southfield Manor. Ron proposed on 

September 20, 2003. 

Jennifer Garmo and Michael Curis 

Jennifer Garmo, daughter of Jackie and John will walk 

down the isle this September at Blessed Sacrament 

Cathedral in Detroit. Jennifer got engaged to Michael 

Curis this past summer, son of Michael and Diane. The 

reception will be held at the Ritz Carleton. Jennifer is 

owner of Essence Clothing in West Bloomfield. 

Ann Nona and Hadeer Michael 

Hadeer Michael and Ann Nona will become husband and 

wife this August. The two will exchange vows at Mother of 

God Church. Family and friends will celebrate with the 

happy couple at the Southfield Manor. Hadeer’s parents 

are Samir and Wesal Michael; Ann’s parents are Louay 

and Bushra Nona. Ann is the Marketing Director at 

Triangle Development and Hadeer is a Pharmacist at 

CVS. They are both graduates of Wayne State University. 

Bonita Ayar and Brian Matti 

Recently engaged Bonita Ayar, daughter of Roufi and 

Bassima will marry Brian Matti, son of Kamelia and 

George in September 2004 at Mother of God Church in 

Southfield. They will celebrate their nuptials at the 

Southfield Manor following the ceremony. 

Bridget Kiminaia and Steven Sagmani 

Bridget Kiminaia, daughter of Norman and Nada will 

become Mrs. Steven Sagmani, son of Sabah and Ghalia 

in September 2004. They will celebrate the nuptials at a 

reception being held at the Southfield Manor. Bridget is 

the owner of 110 Couture in Birmingham. 

ADVERTISE IN 

RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW ON THE PAGES OFHalhole! 

BIRTHS! 

ENGAGEMENTS! 

WEDDINGS! 

HALHOLE! 

Advertise 

in a publication 

that is mailed 

directly to more 

than 10,000 

Chaldean 

Households. 

★ The Chaldeans in Michigan are a 

community of more than 120,000 people 

★ Chaldeans own more than 6,000 

businesses in Metro Detroit 

★ The Chaldeans have one of the largest 

disposable incomes among all ethnic 

groups in Southeast Michigan 




Call 248-932-3100 or fax: 248-932-9161 


[Weddings] 

Angelo Boji and Raghad Shaba 

Angelo Boji, son of Basil and Nancy Boji married Raghad 

Shaba, daughter of Sabah and Layla Shaba at Mother of 

God Church. The reception was held at Penna's in 

Sterling Heights. 

Kevin Denha and Contessa Shouneyia 

Kevin Denha, son of Thomas and Virgine, married 

Contessa Shouneyia, daughter of John and Vivian, on 

October 18, 2003 at Mother of God in Southfield. More 

than 600 people danced the night away at the Southfield 

Manor. The two honeymooned in Italy. 

Marvin Putrus and Eve Sitto 

Marvin Putrus, son of Mawfek and Nawal Putrus married 

Eve Sitto, daughter of Nouri and Nazhat Sitto on 

Sunday, December 21, 2003 at Mother of God Church. 

The reception was held at Penna's in Sterling Heights. 

The best man was Javen Putrus, brother of the groom 

and the maid of honor was Vivienne Sitto, first cousin to 

the bride. 

SHARE YOUR 

JOY 

WITH THE COMMUNITY! 

Please email or mail announcements with a photo to the Chaldean News at: 

vdenha@chaldeannews.com 

Chaldean News; c/o Editor; Subject: Announcements 

30095 NW Hwy, Ste 102; Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

(hard copy of photos can be picked up after the first of the month) 

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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 

Mar (Bishop) Ibrahim N. Ibrahim 

www.chaldeandiocese.org 

MOTHER OF GOD CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

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

PASTOR: Rev. Manuel Boji 

PAROCHIAL VICAR: Rev. Wisam Matti 

MASS SCHEDULE: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. in 

Sourath (Aramaic) and Arabic, Tuesday 5:50 p.m. in Sourath and Arabic, 

Saturday 5:30 p.m. in English, Sunday 8:30 a.m. in Arabic and Sourath, 

10 a.m. in English, 12 p.m. in Sourath 

SACRED HEART CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

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

PASTOR: Rev. Jacob Yasso 

MASS SCHEDULE: Monday - Saturday 5 p.m. in Sourath, Sunday 8:30 a.m. in 

Arabic and Sourath, 10 a.m. in English, 12 p.m. in Sourath 

MAR ADDAI CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

24010 Coolidge Hwy, Oak Park, MI 48237, 248-547-4648 

PASTOR: Rev. Stephen Kallabat 

PAROCHIAL VICAR: Rev. Shlaman Denha 

MASS SCHEDULE: Monday - Friday 10 a.m in Sourath, Sunday 10 a.m. in 

Sourath and Arabic, 12:30 p.m. in Sourath 

ST. JOSEPH CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

2442 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083, 248-528-3676 

PASTOR: Rev. Emanuel Shaleta 

PAROCHIAL VICAR: Rev. Jirjis Abrahim 

MASS SCHEDULE: Monday - Friday 10 a.m in Sourath, Saturday 5 p.m. in 

Soureth, Sunday 8 a.m. in Soureth,10 a.m. in English, 12 p.m. Soureth, 2 

p.m. in Soureth and Arabic 

ST. THOMAS CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

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

PASTOR: Rev. Frank Kalabat 

PAROCHIAL VICAR: Rev. Emanuel Rayes 

MASS SCHEDULE: Monday - Friday 10 a.m. in Sourath, Saturday 5 p.m. in 

English, Sunday 10 a.m. in English, 12 p.m. in Sourath 

ST. TOMA SYRIAC CATHOLIC CHURCH 

2560 Drake Rd., Farmington Hills, MI 48335, 248-478-0835 

PASTOR: Rev. Toma Behnama 

MASS SCHEDULE: Sunday 12 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 6 p.m. All 

masses are in Syriac, Arabic and English 

FEBRUARY CALENDAR 

S M T W T F S 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 

29 

FEB 1 

Memorial of Shimoun Sawa 

(Presentation of Christ to the Temple) 

FEB 2-4 

Fasting of the Ninevites (Baoutha) 

Fasting until noon and abstaining 

from meat 

FEB 6 

Memorial of Greek & Chaldean 

Teachers 

FEB 13 

Memorial of the Patron Saint 

KEY OBSERVATION DATES 

FEB 20 

Memorial of the Faithful Deceased 

FEB 23 

First day of the Great Fast (Lent) 

Abstaining from meat this day and all 

Fridays of Lent 

definitions: 

Sourath (Aramaic) 

Parochial Vicar (an assistant 

member of the clergy) 


obituaries 

Mikha Shamo Foumia 

In loving memory of Mikha Shamo Foumia born 

September 4th, 1908. He passed away on January 

11, 2004. Mr. Foumia leaves behind his wife Losea 

Franso Foumia and was the father to Najeba Houbba, 

the late Najib Foumia, the late Zuhair Foumia, Fahmi 

Foumia, Samir Foumia, Samira Sesi and Bushra 

Nona. His Children-in-law include, Sabri Houbba, 

Samira Foumia, Suad Foumia, Jalila Foumia, Hana 

Foumia, Mekhail Sesi and Louay Nona. He also had 

39 Grandchildren and 36 Great Grandchildren. 

We also mourn the following deaths: 

Jirjise Shamon Makeny, 85 

Sleewa H. MishKour, 77 

Mouaffak F. Haiska, 47 

Shamaya Jerjis Jappaya, 97 

Mikha Maroji Mikha, 71 

Yazy Khemmoro, 79 

Mary Y. Samona, 74 

George Ouro, 78 

Elias Tobia Haddad, 71 

Ayad Dokho, 41 

Please email or mail announcements with a photo to the Chaldean News at: vdenha@chaldeannews.com 

Chaldean News, c/o Editor: Subject: Obituaries, 30095 NW Hwy, Ste 102, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

(hard copy of photos can be picked up after the first of the month) 

“We honor those who have touched our lives and 

we remember them here in the Chaldean News.” 

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ECONOMICS and ENTERPRISE 

THE CHALDEAN AMERICAN 

BUSINESS COMMUNITY 

Over the years, Chaldean Americans Since their migration to America, Chaldeans 

have used their hard work ethic to have had an entrepreneurial spirit. It is estimated 

that two out of every three Chaldean 

build a strong financial network and 

have demonstrated their commitment to business 

and family. However, there has been no 

clear voice for the Chaldean business 

American families own their own business. 

Furthermore, Chaldean Americans are becoming 

more involved in the overall 

people — until now. 

fabric of American society. 

The newly formed Chaldean 

Chaldeans own an estimated 

American Chamber of Commerce 

6,000 plus businesses in 

has elected their first 15-member 

board; the top eight individuals who 

Michigan. 

Aside from entrepreneurial 

received the most votes are serving 

endeavors, Chaldeans have 

a two (2) year term. The remaining 

seven directors are serving a one 

(1) year term. 

The chamber was created for 

Sabah Summa 

branched out into various professions 

through higher education: 

teachers, lawyers and doctors. 

The Metro-Detroit area is home 

many reasons. The community has demonstrated 

an interest in government affairs and promotion 

of business but has lacked a viable organization 

to deliver this message. 

to the largest Chaldean community outside of 

Iraq. Some estimates place the size of the community 

in Michigan at around 120,000 people. 

— Compiled by Chaldean News Staff Writers 

THE CHALDEAN 

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Sabah Hermiz (Summa) - Chairman 

Najib Atisha - Vice Chairman 

Saad Hajjar - Vice Chairman 

Anthony Mona - Treasurer 

Dhafir Nona - Assistant Treasurer 

Dr. Rovetta Qashat - Secretary 

Saber Ammori 

Carl Dallo 

John Denha 

Rocky Husaynu 

Dr. Ramsey Jiddou 

Jamal Kalabat 

Bassam Salman 

Mazen Samona 

Stephen Yatooma 

CHALDEAN BUSINESSES 

BUSINESS SECTOR # OF STORES 

Food Stores 2,500 

Gas Stations 750 

Hotels 150 

Small Businesses 2,000 

(Cellular Stores, 

Dollar Stores, etc.) 

Professional Services 1,000 

TOTAL 6,400 

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from the BENCH 

Understanding the Court System 

HONORABLE 

DIANE DICKOW 

D’AGOSTINI 

COLUMNIST 

When I was approached to 

write a column for the 

Chaldean News, I welcomed 

the opportunity to have a forum 

in which to explain the judicial process 

and the various functions of the court. 

As a District Judge, I often encounter 

people in court who appear to experience 

anxiety, fear or confusion about 

the judicial system. Thus, I hope to 

explain the various aspects of the court 

in this column. 

The 48th District Court is located at 4280 

Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Township at 

Telegraph and Long Lake Road. There are three 

elected judges who serve six-year terms. My 

colleagues include Judge Edward Avadenka 

and Judge Kimberly Small. The court’s jurisdiction 

covers Bloomfield Township, West 

Bloomfield Township, the Cities of Birmingham, 

Bloomfield Hills, Keego Harbor, 

Orchard Lake, and Sylvan Lake. 

Thus, if a crime occurs in any 

of these seven locations, 

the matter will originate 

in the 48th District 

Court. In criminal matters, 

the court handles 

the arraignment, pretrial, 

trial and sentencing 

for misdemeanor 

cases. Misdemeanors 

are crimes punishable by 

up to one year in jail. 

In felony cases, punishable 

by more than one year in jail, the 

District Court covers the arraignment and 

the preliminary examination. A preliminary examination 

is a probable cause hearing where testimony 

is taken. If the Judge finds that there is 

probable cause to believe that the offense has 

been committed, the matter will be bound over to 

the Circuit Court in Pontiac for resolution. 

The 48th District Court covers civil matters 

up to $25,000.00. If you sue someone for more 

than $25,000.00, the matter must be filed in the 

Circuit Court. The District Court also has a 

small claims division for cases valued up to 

$3,000.00; you are not permitted to be represented 

by an attorney in the small 

claims division. Small Claims Court 

can be an effective and less costly 

venue to resolve disputes. One of four 

Magistrates at the court hears the 

matters. The Magistrates are Peter 

Mansour, Julie Nelson-Klein, Howard 

Linden and Kathleen Trott. You may 

also have a small claims case 

removed to the general civil docket in 

District Court, if you wish to have an 

attorney represent you. 

The court also handles all traffic matters, 

also known as civil infractions. You may schedule 

these matters for an informal or a formal 

hearing. At an informal hearing, you may not be 

represented by an attorney. Your case will first 

be scheduled for an informal pretrial conference. 

You will have the opportunity to meet with 

the city or township attorney for possible resolution 

or have it set for a hearing 

where testimony will be heard 

before the Judge. At a formal 

hearing, you will also 

have a pretrial conference 

with the city or 

township attorney. 

You may have an 

attorney represent 

you at the formal 

hearing and have the 

matter set for a hearing 

before the Judge. 

Landlord-Tenant matters 

are also heard in District 

Court for residential and commercial 

tenancies. You may file for a 

jury trial or a hearing before the Judge. These 

matters are scheduled promptly to preserve 

the rights of the parties. 

While this was only a brief overview of the 

court, I hope that this information provided you 

with a description of the court’s function. In the 

future, subjects such as alcohol-related crimes, 

drug offenses, domestic violence and jury service 

will be discussed in this column. Happy 

New Year. 

Diane is a judge with the 48th District Court and 

is a regular columnist for The Chaldean News. 

48 TH 

DISTRICT COURT 

AN OVERVIEW 

• 48th District Court’s jurisdiction covers 

Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield 

Township, the Cities of Birmingham, 

Bloomfield Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard 

Lake, and Sylvan Lake. 

• In criminal matters, District Court handles 

the arraignment, pretrial, trial and 

sentencing for misdemeanor cases. 

Misdemeanors are crimes punishable by 

up to one year in jail 

• District Court handles the arraignment, 

pretrial, trial and sentencing for misdemeanor 

cases. Misdemeanors are crimes 

punishable by up to one year in jail. 

• In felony cases, punishable by more 

than one year in jail, the District Court 

covers the arraignment and the preliminary 

examination 

• The 48th District Court covers civil 

matters up to $25,000.00. If you sue 

someone for more than $25,000.00, the 

matter must be filed in the Circuit Court. 

• District Court also has a small claims 

division for cases valued up to $3,000.00 

• District Court also handles all traffic 

matters, also known as civil infractions. 

You may schedule these matters for an 

informal or a formal hearing. 

• Landlord-Tenant matters are also 

heard in District Court for residential and 

commercial tenancies. You may file for a 

jury trial or a hearing before the Judge. 

These matters are scheduled promptly 

to preserve the rights of the parties. 



appointed 

to the chair 

Chaldean woman becomes the head of 

the Liquor Control Commission 

It’s been years since Nida Samona stood 

behind a register ringing up a bottle of 

beer or a pint of Hennessey. Little did she 

know that her experience working at her family’s 

liquor stores in the metro-Detroit area 

would prepare her for the highest-ranking 

appointed position a Chaldean has ever 

received in the state of Michigan. 

Governor Jennifer Granholm 

appointed the 38-year-old attorney, 

as chairperson of the Liquor 

Control Commission (LCC) at 

the end of 2003. 

“It’s an honor,” said Samona. 

“I am the first person of Middle 

Eastern heritage to be appointed 

to the commission.” Her experience 

to hold such a seat goes 

beyond the knowledge she has of 

owning a liquor store. Samona 

has worked for more than 10 

years at the Macomb County 

Prosecutor’s Office. She has also 

been a member of the Southfield 

City Council for six years serving 

as president for two of those 

years. 

It wasn’t long ago when Samona had her 

eyes on the bench in 46th District Court but 

becoming a judge wasn’t meant to be, at least 

for right now, that’s the way Samona looks at 

the loss. 

“I have family members and other supporters 

who were more upset about the loss than I 

was,” explained Samona. “I believe everything 


happens for a reason. I wouldn’t be where I am 

today if I didn’t.” Samona and other area 

Chaldeans believe this appointment is truly a 

win for the entire Chaldean community. 

“With the community owning more than 

1,000 beer, wine and liquor licenses in the 

Detroit area, it is vital that we have an 

appointment on the LCC,” 

said Sabah Hermiz, chairperson of the 

Chaldean Chamber of Commerce. “Nida’s new 

position moves the entire Chaldean community 

a step further ahead in this world.” 

Although humbled and grateful by the support 

of the Chaldean community, Samona 

realizes that certain sacrifices and obstacles 

will come with the territory, including favors 

asked of her that she won’t be able to fulfill. 

“People have been asking for advice from 

me for years,” explained Samona. “But this 

new position is different from being at the 

prosecutor’s office; it is a quasi-judicial position. 

I need to convey to the community, very 

gently, that it may not always be appropriate 

for me to discuss LCC matters. I would always 

tell those people with issues to hire an attorney 

who is competent and who has experience 

in this field.” 

The commission is a five-member team 

with a chairperson. Two of the members are 

hearing officers who travel throughout the 

state and hold hearings based on violations. 

The other three are administrative commissioners 

who hear appeals and license request, 

among other things. 

“I never thought about this job. If someone 

asked me a year ago what I thought about this, 

I would never have considered it,” said 

Samona. “It is completely 

“I never thought 

about this job. If 

someone asked me 

a year ago what I 

thought about this, 

I would never have 

considered it,” said 

Samona. “It is 

completely different 

from what I have 

done, but those 

experiences will 

make me a good 

commissioner.” 

different from what I have 

done, but those experiences 

will make me a good commissioner.” 

What the future has in 

store is yet to be determined 

— Samona is leaving open 

the possibility of running 

for a judicial seat. In the 

meantime, she is learning 

something new every day 

about how the LCC works. 

Nida came to the United 

States with her family in 

1973 at the age of 8. She is 

the youngest of nine children 

born to Jamila and the 

late Dawood Samona. She 

is also the wife of Robert 

Haisha and mom to 4-yearold 

Spencer and 2-year-old Parker. 

“I appreciate the governor making such a 

vital appointment for this community within 

months of her administration,” said Samona. “I 

also want to thank the Chaldeans who have 

always been supportive of all my endeavors. I 

am so proud to be part of this community.” 


limiting licenses 

Business leaders talk to Mayor Kilpatrick 

about his campaign to crack down on liquor stores 

Just before the holiday season, when 

consumers were purchasing champagne 

to toast the New Year, Detroit Mayor 

Kwame Kilpatrick announced that he is 

launching a crackdown on liquor stores. 

“These stores have spread like a cancer 

throughout the city, pouring alcohol into the 

neighborhoods,” said the Mayor. 

The statement prompted an immediate 

reaction from the business community and 

led the Associated Food 

Dealers of Michigan (AFD) to 

issue a response. “Not only 

was the mayor’s statement 

devoid of truth, it is destructive 

to the goodwill and 

progress that many of us have 

worked toward for the last 20 

Kilpatrick 

years,” said Michael Sarafa, 

president of the AFD. 

Sarafa, along with members of the Chaldean 

Chamber of Commerce, called storeowners 

together to discuss the concerns at an emergency 

meeting held at the Southfield Manor. 

Members of both groups discussed legal, public 

relations and communications strategies at the 

meeting. Storeowners expressed their outrage 

at the extent of the enforcement actions being 

taken that included many citations for food 

that actually belonged to workers or owners 

and was not being sold in the store. 

Members of the Chamber and the AFD 

also met with Mayor Kilpatrick in an attempt 

to educate the Mayor on the issues at hand. 

BY CHALDEAN NEWS STAFF 

Tel-5 Party Shop in Detroit 

While the actual number of active liquor 

licenses within Detroit’s limits has gone 

down nearly 5 percent in five years, the AFD 

and the Chamber agree with the Mayor that 

there are still too many unused liquor licenses 

available in Detroit. 

During the last 40 years, Detroit’s population 

— and its quota of licenses — has declined 

by about 38 percent. Although the quota has 

gone down substantially, the actual number of 

licenses has declined only by about 8 percent. 

The reason for this disparity is that, for 

years, every license created never expired. If a 

business closed, the license was either transferred 

or stayed on an “inactive” list indefinitely. 

The AFD, with the backing of other 

industry groups, supported a change in the 

rules that lets licenses expire if they are inactive 

for three years. 

“The mayor’s approach also needs to recognize 

the rights of individuals and businesses 

and stay within good code and law 

enforcement procedures,” said Sarafa. 

“When it comes to moratoriums and 

closures, neither storeowners nor mayors 

are above the law. If liquor license 

applicants meet the rigorous state 

requirements and the nearly insurmountable 

requirements of city ordinances, 

they are, as a matter of law, 

entitled to a license.” 

He further stated that “the mayor’s 

statements, which stressed signage over 

substance, seemed intended to throw 

out more than 30 years of cooperation 

and communication that dates back to 

the administrations of Coleman Young and 

Dennis Archer. 

According to the mayor’s office, the 

absence of dialogue between the office and 

the business community was an oversight. 

“The mayor had instructed staff members to 

LIMITING LICENSES continued on page 33 

WHAT THE MAYOR PROPOSED 

• Forbid new neighborhood liquor or party stores from opening. Detroit has 338 liquor 

stores and 379 stores that sell only beer and wine, according to city officials. 

• Ask the state Liquor Control Commission, which issues licenses, to make it harder for 

people to keep inactive licenses and to transfer licenses. The city is 164 licenses over a 

state quota for party stores based on population, officials said. 

• Push for state or local legislation to increase to 1,500 feet the distance from schools 

where spirits can’t be sold. The current distance is 500 feet. 

• Crack down on the illegal sale of alcohol, drug paraphernalia and cigarettes at stores. Ten 

police officers and sergeants from the gang and vice units would be assigned to the task. 

• Have workers from the city’s Buildings and Safety Engineering Department inspect party 

stores over the next 30 days following the campaign kickoff, and ticket those that violate 

sign and food laws as well as building codes. 


around the WORLD 

a new leader 

Chaldean bishops elect a new patriarch 

for the Chaldean diocese 


Mar Emmanuel III 

DELLY Chaldean 

Patriarch 

Several months after Mar Raphael I Bidawid passed away, 22 

Chaldean Bishops from around the world gathered at the 

Vatican in Rome, Italy to elect a new leader for the 

Chaldean Diocese. 

The first meeting took place in Iraq, but resulted in a deadlock. 

The Pope asked that the Bishops meet in Rome to choose 

the successor to the late Mar Raphael I Bidawid who died on 

July 7, 2003. 

On December 3, 2003 His Beatitude Mar Emmanuel III 

Delley became the new Patriarch of the Chaldean Church. 

Mar Delley was born in Telkaif -Nineveh on September 

27, 1927. He joined the Simon Al-Safa Seminary in 

1940, displaying tremendous faith at an early age. By 

January 21, 1952 he was ordained as a Chaldean Priest 

in Rome, Italy. 

In 1960, Mar Delley received his first doctorate 

degree in theology from Urban University 

and another one in canon law from Lantern 

University in Rome. He excelled throughout 

his studies and was always at the top of 

his class. 

The late Chaldean Patriarch Shikho 

ordained as Archbishop on April 19, 

1963. Displaying great ability, he was 

then elevated to Kuskur Archbishop on 

May 7, 1967. Later, he was appointed as 

counselor to the Holy See Committee on 

dialog of religions and the canon law. 

Our new Patriarch has faithfully served his 

people and the Chaldean church during the most 

trying times. Throughout the War with Iran, the 

Persian Gulf War and the most recent war in 2003-he 

never left Iraq. 

He has a strong connection with our community here in 

Detroit. Along with Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim and a 

Michigan active fundraising committee, he founded a 

Chaldean Seminary Endowment Fund to ensure the preser- 


“This was the best choice we could have ever made, especially considering 

the present circumstances of Iraq and the Chaldean people,” – BISHOP IBRAHIM 

vation of the Chaldean priesthood. 

Preserving our Christianity in Iraq means 

having significant political recognition and 

structure. “He is aware of the needs of the Iraqi 

people,” said Bishop Ibrahim. 

As the new constitution is written, the 

Patriarch will play an important role in making 

sure that the rights of Iraqi Christians, mainly 

consisting of Iraqi Chaldeans, are preserved. 

Patriarch Delley has and continues to act as a fearless 

mediator with local and international officials 

by standing up for his people and the difficult 

issues that have faced the Chaldean Church. 

He has also ensured aid for the renovation 

and building of many churches, seminaries and 

Chaldean monasteries in Iraq and abroad. 

“This was the best choice we could have 

ever made, especially considering the present 

circumstances of Iraq and the Chaldean people,” 

said Bishop Ibrahim. 

Joseph Kassab, a representative of the 

Chaldean National Congress, agrees that 

Mar Delley was the best choice. He said, 

“Our new Patriarch is well-liked by all, not 

only Chaldeans and other Iraqi Christians, 

but by a large number of Muslims as well.” 

It has been noted that whoever the newly 

elected Patriarch would be, he had to be 

someone who could deal well with others. 

This is particularly important at times of war 

and political unrest. 

Obviously, Mar Delley has the needed 

experience to fulfill his role as the Chaldean 

Patriarch. We look to him in hope as the 

physical and democratic restructuring process 

takes place in Iraq. 


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an ancient people 

in modern times 

Chaldeans: yesterday, today and tomorrow 


It’s a critical time for the Chaldean community, both in Iraq and the United 

States. The sweeping changes that have taken place since the onset of the war 

present us with an opportunity to step back and reflect on the cultural climate. 

Saddam Hussein is no longer in power. Iraq is being rebuilt. The Chaldean church has 

a new patriarch. In order to try to predict the future, one must study the past and understand 

how we got to this point in time. 

Who are the Chaldeans? 

“The Chaldeans of Beth Nahreen, once known as Mesopotamia, present day Iraq, east 

Syria, and south east Turkey, are a living continuation of all the indigenous people of that 

region, regardless of their tribal names,” explained Mar (Bishop) Sarhad Jammo, in an 

extensive essay about Chaldeans printed in several publications. 

Mar Sarhad, a known historian with a doctorate degree, teaches that today’s Chaldeans 

have a heritage that spans the tribal groups once referred to as the Sumarians, Akkadians, 

Amorites, Babylonians, Assyrians and Arameans, in addition, the Chaldeans of today 

speak Aramaic, a dialect of the language spoken by Jesus Christ. 

Continued on page 22 


ANCIENT PEOPLE Continued from page 21 

When these people embraced Christianity, they were known 

officially as the “Church of the East.” This church split from the 

rest of the Christian World (including Rome) in the 5th century. 

It was not until 1552 that a large number of people came 

back to union with Rome. In order to distinguish them from the 

rest of the church that remained separate, the term “Chaldean 

Catholic Church” was given. These Catholics, along with 

their non-Catholic brothers, spoke Aramaic. They 

were not Romans, Medes, Turks, Mongols, or 

Macedonians. Therefore, the name Chaldean has 

come to bear national significance with its linguistic, 

cultural and religious connections. 

Today the Chaldean Church consists of Middle 

Eastern Christians and is one of the 18 Eastern 

Rites recognized by the Vatican in Rome as being 

Catholic. Throughout the world, there are more 

than one million Chaldeans with the greatest 

concentration in Iraq. 

At the turn of the 20th century, a few Chaldean 

families began to emigrate from Iraq, but it wasn’t 

until the 1960s that a large flux of Chaldean families 

left their hometowns of Alqosh and Telkaif (where 

most Chaldeans came from) and settled primarily in 

Detroit and San Diego. They have been moving to 

the United States at a steady pace for many reasons. 

Some wanted to pursue economic opportunities in the 

U.S, others wanted to experience the “new world”, some wanted to 

be near family and some people were trying to escape the Ba’ath 

Party regime. 

In 1958, Ba’ath officers in the army seized power in Baghdad 

by overthrowing King Faisal II. The first attempted assassination 

was preempted by a coup led by General Abdul Karim 

Qassim, who was later killed by the vengeful Ba’ath party. His 

torture and execution was shown on television. They had originally 

selected an assassin by the name of Saddam Hussein. The 

ambush didn’t go as planned and Hussein failed to hit the general 

and was injured himself. 

Hussein then fled to Egypt, where he went to law school but 

never graduated. When he returned to Iraq, he again joined the 

Ba’ath party and quickly rose in rank to become the chief torturer 

in the basement of a former royal palace. He spent his 

days as the interrogator at an infamous dungeon called 

the “Palace of the End.” 

By 1973, Hussein was vice president of Iraq under 

General Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr. In 1979, Hussein 

became the Iraqi dictator and head of the Ba’ath Party, 

after President Bakr resigned under pressure from 

Hussein. He ruled the country until recently when 

the U. S. military captured the dictator eight 

months after its mission, Iraqi Freedom, began. 

“Saddam’s Capture was a relief to everyone,” 

said Rev. Manuel Boji,, pastor of 

Mother of God Church in Southfield. 

“Now, he should be tried by the Iraqis. Unless 

there are evident crimes internationally, his 

crimes should be judged by those in Iraq.” 

However, what to do with Hussein is not the focus 

of the Chaldean church or their mission of spreading 

God’s word and preserving the Chaldean culture. The 

future of the Chaldeans is dependent on many factors 

including whether Chaldeans will continue to emigrate to the 

U.S. or move back to Iraq. 

“It depends on what will develop over the next five years,” 

said Rev. Boji. “People in Iraq are hoping life will get better. 

However, there is still a lack of security. Chaldeans business 

owners who sell liquor at their establishments are still targets 

for criminals. It is a Muslim dominated country and liquor is 


against their religion. There still isn’t a strong safety net for 

Chaldeans in Iraq.” 

A local professor who has studied the Chaldean culture 

agrees with Rev. Boji. 

“I think they are reserving judgment about the stability of 

whatever is likely to develop in Iraq,” said Mary C. Sengstock, 

Ph.D professor of sociology, Wayne State University and author 

of two books on Chaldeans. 

“I don’t think any Chaldeans are likely to decide to return to 

Iraq until they are certain that the situation is safe,” she continued. 

“In addition, most Chaldeans in the Detroit area have 

become quite comfortable in the U.S.” 

Here in the U.S. many Chaldeans are prospering. Most are 

entrepreneurs and professionals raising their families in middle 

class suburbia. Over the years, Chaldeans have adapted to the 

American way. In Iraq, life is different. However, Chaldeans 

will be an influence in the Iraqi government. There is a committee 

now working to establish a fair constitution for all religions 

in Iraq. 

“Life is much better in Alqosh now,” said Sabiha Barno, a 64- 

year- old woman who was born and raised in the northern Iraqi 

town. “The Americans are doing everything for us. They are 

providing running water, they are fixing our roads and our 

schools and they are bringing medicine.” 

The historical town of nearly 7,000 people is tucked away in 

the mountains, and is known for religious miracles having been 

performed over the centuries - stories that have been passed on 

to every new generation. 

It’s a life foreign to the more than 30 American soldiers stationed 

there, including a military physician and a minister, and 

Barno is surprised at how well they have adapted to the 

Chaldean culture. 

“They all come to our weddings and parties bringing gifts,” 

Barno said of the soldiers. “They come knocking on our doors trying 

to see who is making dolma (stuffed grape leaves) for the day. 

They have fallen in love with our food and culture and some of 

them have asked to marry some of the young girls from Alqosh.” 

The soldiers live in a monastery built centuries ago. Its name, 

when translated into English, is “Our Lady of Crops”. Barno 

said that for the first time in years, people feel safe in her town. 

However, not everyone in Iraq lives freely. 

As widely reported, there are tensions, attacks and suicide 

bombings in Mosul and Baghdad. Barno’s daughter narrowly 

escaped death while leaving church one Sunday. She was just a 

few feet away from a car bomb that killed 10 people in Baghdad. 

The mother of 10 children and 17 grandchildren is hopeful 

that life will only get better in her hometown. She believes that 

Alqosh will be one of the most traveled tourist attractions, and 

become known for its lavish landscape, historical buildings, biblical 

stories and churches. 

Although an ancient people, Rev. Boji said we must work 

diligently to preserve our culture, religion, language and history. 

The first generation is the link that will keep the chain 

strong. “The Church is doing the best we can to preserve our 

heritage but our number one focus is religion. It is up to the 

community to keep the culture prospering.” 

Not only does the church teach Aramaic every year, Mar 

(Bishop) Ibrahim Ibrahim has incorporated a series of lectures 

on the history of the Chaldean church. 

“We come to this country bringing our rich flavors, but if we 

don’t preserve them by teaching our children the language and history, 

the community won’t continue to grow,” said Rev. Boji. 

Dr. Sengstock’s books are Chaldean Americans: Changing 

Conceptions of Ethnic Identity (Published By Center for 

Migration Studies, New York — 1st Ed 1982; 2nd Ed, 1999) 

and Detroit Chaldean Community: An ancient people in modern 

America (Published by Michigan State University Press, 2004.) 

Attending 

weekly mass 

is a priority 

for the 

Chaldean 

community. 

Photos 

taken at 

St. Thomas 

Church 

in West 

Bloomfield. 


“Our life was miserable,” said Ayar. “After my father was executed 

PHOTOS COURTESY AP 

Saddam Hussein through the years — from the heights of power in 1980 and 1998 and following his arrest in 2003 

abuse 

of power 

Those who suffered under the Ba’ath Party 


More than 30 years after his father was killed, 

Roufi Ayar is returning to Iraq this spring. It will 

be his third visit to his homeland since moving 

to the United States — the first time he will be able to walk 

freely now that Saddam Hussein is no longer in power. 

The capture of the dictator brought back many memories and 

stirred up buried emotions for the Telkaif-born man. However, 

Ayar was not surprised that the U.S. Military was able to sniff 

Hussein out of his rat hole. 

When he turned on the television the Sunday morning of 

Hussein’s capture, Ayar was just as excited as a child on 

Christmas morning. “It was the greatest Christmas gift,” he said. 

However, jubilation is not an emotion Ayar has expressed 

often in his life. His family suffered greatly under the power of 

the Ba’ath Party. 

In 1963, Ayar was a petrified 12-year-old boy huddled in his 

family home in the small northern Iraq village when his father 

was publicly executed. Hussein was not in power at the time, but 

he was a formidable part of the regime and its violent tactics. 

Ayar’s father, Hanna, was killed after being wrongly accused 

of murder; the family was left to fend for themselves leaving his 

widowed mother to look after Ayar, his older brother Zuhair and 

four younger siblings. 

“Our life was miserable,” said Ayar. “After my father was executed 

they put my brother and my uncle in jail.” In fact, the 

government jailed two local priests for providing a burial service 

for Ayar’s father. 

Survival was the focus, but the Ayar family often thought that 

life was too hard to live. “Death would have been better,” he said 

aloud as he remembered those days. They decided to fight back, 

instead. “We had to show some strength. We were not going to be 

cowards. We had to survive.” 


they put my brother and my uncle in jail.” – ROUFI AYAR 

At the start of his teenage years, Ayar was often taken to the 

police station for defending himself while being harassed by 

other children. “We were known as the kids of the traitor,” 

recalled Ayar. “If the mothers saw their children hanging out 

with me, they would take their kids back home.” Although 

traumatizing for a child, he understood that other people also 

lived in trepidation and were only trying to protect their families. 

“It was very hard at that time,” he said. 

The Ayars lived in a prison-like state for years. The government 

put restraining orders on the entire family; they 

lived as if on house arrest. Ayar’s Uncle Mansour, Hanna’s 

brother, was jailed by association. Once released, he stayed in 

hiding until he was able to escape to the United States. 

“He went to the United States in 1968 and returned to get 

his family in 1969,” explained Ayar. “As soon as he landed at the 

airport in Baghdad, he was arrested and jailed for three months.” 

Finally, in the late 60s, the Ayar family traveled to the United 

States with the help of Ayar’s mother’s brother, Mike Denha. 

Roufi obtained a passport by default. The events that led to the 

granting of his passport turned out to be a blessing in disguise. 

A gym teacher, a member of the Ba’ath Party, had harassed 

Ayar, forcing the teenager to fight back. Ayar threw a stack of 

schoolbooks at the teacher, who tried to hit the then15-yearold. 

The next day, Ayar was greeted at school by being beaten 

at the hands of the principal, assistant principal and gym 

teacher. After the whipping, school officials expelled him. 

He was able to obtain a passport by convincing 

the authorities he had no other choices — no work 

or school. It was off to America where Ayar has 

lived for decades. He is married with six children. 

One woman’s fight for freedom 

Dr. Katrin Michael’s hand still shakes, and her lungs 

can’t completely take in a full gasp of air. It’s been 18 

years since she was sprayed by Saddam Hussein’s 

chemical weapons and she still suffers the effects. 

Michael, a Chaldean woman born in northern 

Iraq, joined the Kurdish-based Iraqi resistance 

movement in 1982 to fight against Saddam 

Hussein’s regime. A victim of chemical bombings 

by Hussein’s forces, she fled Iraq in 1988. She has been living in 

the United States since 1997, where she is a leading advocate 

on behalf of Iraqis persecuted by Hussein’s regime. 

In March of 2003, Michael wrote in an op-ed piece in 

Newsday that, “Only Saddam’s removal can free women.” She 

speaks as an Iraqi woman who wages peace and has fought in war. 

This is a story she also shared with President George W. Bush. 

“The stories of Hussein’s brutality are all true,” explained 

Michael. “Ethnic cleansing, summary imprisonment and execution, 

torture and rape are all part of the nightmare. I know this 

from personal experience.” 

Michael’s father founded an Iraqi peace movement, a crime 

for which he was murdered. At the age of 14, the young woman 

was arrested by the regime merely because she joined the Iraqi 

Women’s League and she was not the only young girl arrested 

for such a trivial offense. 

Later, she joined the Kurdish resistance, even though she 

was, in their eyes, a mere woman and a Christian, Michael 

recalled. “I traveled in disguise to Baghdad and around the 

country to organize the opposition to Hussein,” she said. 

“But when I was injured in one of his chemical bombardments 

against hundreds of Kurdish villages in 1987 and 1988, I 

was forced to flee to a refugee camp in southern Turkey, where 

I stayed until I recovered and finally reached freedom in the 

United States in 1997. I continue to suffer to this day from lung, 

nerve and eye damage caused by these weapons.” 

Prior to the war and capture of Hussein, Michael believed that 

no one in Iraq was immune from his brutality — not even the 

closest members of his family. He executed two of his own sonsin-law 

in 1996. “Women were especially targeted as part of his 

broader policies of intimidation,” said Michael. “A commonly 

used form of torture was to bring in a detainee’s female relative, 

preferably his wife, daughter or mother, and gang-rape her in front 

of him. Members of the Iraqi opposition in exile received videotapes 

of their female relatives in Iraq being raped.” 

It didn’t end there. 

Women who criticized or 

merely offended Hussein 

were accused of being 

prostitutes and regularly 

beheaded in public. His 

son, Uday, often led 

these beheadings. They 

occurred in Baghdad, as 

well as in smaller villages 

throughout Iraq. The 

heads of the executed 

women were hung on the 

doors of their houses for 

all to see. 

Up until recently, Michael worked for the Washington 

Kurdish Institute, a nonprofit research and educational organization. 

A member of the Iraqi opposition in the United States, 

she has helped to increase women’s presence in domestic and 

international opposition movements. 

Michael currently has a book in production that tells of 

the chemical and biological bombings in the Kurdistan 

region of Iraq, which forced more than one million Iraqi 

Kurds to flee the country. 

Katrin Michael in the Oval Office with President Bush 

PHOTO COURTESY KATRIN MICHAEL 


in good HEALTH 

being 

heart smart 

Is Chaldean food healthy for our hearts? 

February is Heart Month, which makes it 

a great time to take a step back and look 

at what changes we can make for a 

healthier lifestyle. A balanced, nutritious diet is 

a key factor when it comes to being heart smart. 

Why should we be especially concerned 

about heart disease? 

“Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains 

American’s No. 1 killer, still claiming more 

lives than the rest of major causes of death, 

according to the American Heart Association’s 

Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2004 

Update.” This is true for both men and 

women, despite popular misconceptions that 

breast cancer is more prevalent in women than 

heart disease. 

Of course, food is a central part of our culture. 

Family brings us together and food brings us even 

closer. “Generally speaking, our [Chaldean] food 

is considerably healthy,” said Providence 

Hospital cardiologist Dr. Wassim Nona. 

He notes, however, the importance of 

cooking with less fatty meats and oils. Using 

healthier fats such as olive oil is an easy way 

to make meals better for you. 

These days, we are constantly busy and on 

the go. This doesn’t mean, however, that it is 

impossible to maintain a healthy diet for you 

and your family. 

Registered Dietician Pamela Haddad has 

some suggestions. “Stews can be prepared 

with chicken or even vegetarian style, rather 

than with red meat. Otherwise, make sure to 

use lean meat with brown rice or serve 


“Generally speaking, our [Chaldean] food 

is considerably healthy,” said Providence 

Hospital cardiologist Dr. Wassim Nona 

cracked wheat on the side.” 

“Prepare more food containing fiber, such as 

salads, tabbouli, fattoush, vegetable stews, 

lentils and beans,” Haddad added. She recommends 

doing things like wrapping tabbouli 

with romaine lettuce, rather than with bread. 

Even when eating outside the home, 

healthy choices can be made as well. Order 

dishes that are baked or broiled, made with 

chicken, fish or lean meats. 

Good eating habits should begin at a 

young age. According to the American Heart 

Association, “In 2001, more than 130 million 

adult Americans (65.4 percent of the 

adult population) were overweight or obese. 

At the same time, 3.8 million children ages 

6-11 and 5 million adolescents ages 12-19 

were overweight or obese.” Haddad recommends 

staying away from simple sugars found 

in cakes and sweets. “It’s important to introduce 

children to lots of fruits and vegetables,” 

she said. 

It’s never too late to begin eating more sensibly. 

Trying new things can be fun, especially 

when you’re making an effort to 

improve your health. “Try vegetarian 

dolma using cracked wheat, chickpeas 

and other veggies instead of meat,” said 

Haddad. 

The good news is that everyone can do 

things to reduce their risk and feel great. 

Implement a regular workout regimen. 

“An active daily routine does not replace 

regular exercise such as walking on a 

treadmill or outside when the weather 

allows,” stated Dr. Nona. 

Stress levels are definitely a consideration 

as well. Exercising regularly helps to 

reduce stress levels and maintain a 

healthy heart. 

Dr. Nona stresses the value of avoiding 

fried, fatty foods and eating late at night. 

Late night eating greatly contributes to 

weight gain and obesity, 

which increases the risk for 

heart disease. He added, 

“Smoking cessation is an 

absolute must.” 

Creating awareness is only 

the first step. Making the necessary 

adjustments in diet and including exercise 

will get you on the road to living a better life. 

For more information on local programs and 

events contact the American Heart 

Association: 24445 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 

100, Southfield, MI 48075. Phone: (248) 

827-4214. Or go to: www.americanheart.org 


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ARTS & entertainent 

hear the music 

work. Along with the Middle Eastern beats and 

instrument sounds, there is an assortment of 

songs ranging from Hip-Hop to Classical. 

Middle Eastern and Mainstream: The New Mix 

When we hear Latin music 

resounding through a nightclub, 

we often engage in Salsa 

dancing. Similarly, when we hear Chaldean or 

Arabic music at various activities, the Khigga (a 

traditional Middle Eastern dance) springs to life. 

Over the last six years, various styles of 

music from cultures around the world have 

infiltrated Middle Eastern music. In 1997, the 

Latin style crashed into the Middle Eastern 

world with the release of Egyptian singer Amr 

al-Diab’s song, Habibi Ya Noor Al Ain. 

Since then, other internationally recognized 

Middle Eastern artists have combined 

styles of pop, techno, House Dance 

Music, Fusion, and Reggae to create the 

unique blend of melodies and beats that 

pervade today’s Chaldean and Arabic 

music. 

“It’s amazing how technology has helped 

us sample sounds of different instruments,” 

said Salam Kakka, formerly with the Bells 

Band, one of the top bands in the local community. 

“Now we hear Middle Eastern instruments 

in other kinds of music and we hear 

instruments from other cultures in our own 

music.” 

The millennium erupted with a new and 

astonishing era in Middle Eastern and American 

music. World-renowned British singer Sting 

combined his talent with Algerian singer Cheb 

Mami to produce a top forty hit in February 2000. 

In the main verses of the song, Sting demonstrated 

his prolific songwriting and lyrics. In the background, 

Cheb Mami yodeled out Arabic lyrics 

with impressive vocals to match the melody of 

the song. The result was the hit, Desert Rose. 

BY OMAR BINNO 

Also during that year, performers like rapper 

Jay Z with his top 10 hit Big Pimpin and pop 

artist Mandy Moore with her song In My Pocket, 

incorporated Arabic melodies and styles into 

their music. “Our musicians are just as talented as 

the big-time American musicians we see on T.V,” 

said Thair Joseph, one of the most recognized 

keyboardists in the local Chaldean Community 

and husband to local singer Sawsan Kizy. “One 

day, I hope that the Chaldean musicians get the 

recognition that we deserve.” 

Within the last two 

Left: 

Kadim 

Al Kadim 

Above: 

Sawsan 

Kizy 

years, Arabic and English music 

have intertwined as rap and pop artists continue 

to bring the Middle Eastern flavor into their 

music. Interestingly, Middle Eastern singers have 

integrated American sounds into their work. 

Internationally renowned Iraqi singer, Kadim 

Al-Sahir performed a song entirely in English 

called, Intihat Al Harb (The War Is Over) on 

his latest CD entitled barefooted, released 

September 2003. Sahir also coats several other 

songs with American sounds and styles in his 

Omar’s Review of the Local Talent 

The top local bands have also adapted this technique 

of combining the American style with the 

Middle Eastern sound. These bands include 

Salam Kakka and Al-Nijoom, Ameed Asmaro 

and the Sun Band and the new female singer 

Sawsan Kizy. They reproduce the current popular 

Middle Eastern hits and perform the songs at festivities 

within the local Chaldean community. 

According to several store operators who 

distribute Chaldean and Arabic CD’s and cassettes, 

Sahir’s CD sold 250 copies a week in its 

first two months of the release and Sawsan 

Kizy’s CD, Sawsan Kizy Live released August 

2003 also sold well. “We had 2000 copies 

printed,” said Joseph, Sawsan’s husband. “We 

sold all of them within two months.” This may 

seem like small numbers compared to national 

artists, but it is a triumph for this performer. In 

most cases, the local bands are only able to 

sell half that amount in a two-month 

period. 

Kizy’s CD includes all the latest Arabic 

hits such as, Ttablaih and Ah Ya Lail 

reproduced with the American pop 

sounds. Kizy also displays phenomenal 

vocals in the songs she performs on the 

CD. “My next CD will have all new and original 

songs,” she stated. It is highly likely that this 

talented singer has a long and promising future 

ahead of her. 

Music is a powerful gift that alters our mood 

perhaps quicker than books, movies, or paintings. 

Certain songs evoke happiness within us, 

while others produce deep sorrow. “Music is 

like an ocean,” said Joseph. “We have an 

unlimited amount of chords, melodies and 

styles to work with and the results are infinite.” 

Our lives are stories embodied in a well-written 

song, whether simple or profound. The integration 

of Middle Eastern music is a chapter in 

a new story for us to write. It is a story that can 

teach us the uniqueness of other cultures and 

allow us to teach others about the beauty of the 

Chaldean culture and community. 


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food & WINE 

What are you drinking 

on Valentine’s Day? 

JOHN JONNA 

COLUMNIST 

Apatron once asked me, “How 

do you select the products you 

choose to sell?” Good question, 

considering my eclectic selection 

of unusual, odd and mysterious foods 

on my shelves. However, the answer is 

simple, “I buy what I love and then I try 

to sell it; not because it’s good, but 

because it’s great.” 

I said to this person, “You see this can of San 

Marzano plum tomatoes I offer? It is from the high 

altitude plains of Italy where the soil, sun and climate 

cooperate to produce the perfect growing 

conditions for the ideal ripening of this gorgeous 

hybrid fruit. If carefully picked, handled gently, 

peeled with precision, packed whole in its own 

juice, with a touch of salt and an aromatic leaf of 

natural bodacious basil, this my dear patron, is the 

apex of the plum tomato.” 

“My — you are a passionate person,” my 

patron purred. 

“That is it,” I mused. Passion is not 

a gift; it is a choice. People misconstrue 

passion with lust — big difference. 

Lust is carnality and passion is 

spiritual. Hormones drive lust and 

passion derives from the soul. Add a 

dose of passion to anything, writing, 

acting, cooking and working — you 

will improve it dramatically. 

I have passion for food, wine, 

people, places, and things — not 

because passion juice was 

injected inside me, but because 

at some point in my life, I was 

smitten by some experience. (I 

created the word metanoya, 

which means to find the secret 

quality in everything). I look for 

metanoya every day. 

Because of that singular dramatic 

experience, I analyze, 

scrutinize and criticize (carefully) 

every food and wine. From this, I 

derive satisfaction and pleasure. If you 

wish to love, or be loved, you must 

have passion. 

Speaking of love, what are you 

imbibing on Valentine’s Day? Do you 

know how to pick the perfect wine for 

this curious holiday of confusing emotions? 

(Women know exactly what to 

do, while men are perennially confused.) 

Men, whatever wine you choose, flowers are 

mandatory. A single rose is modern and subtle 

— think color. A day like this is perfect for any 

rosé. I love rosé champagne with the color of a 

chubby cherub’s cheeks or the soft hues of a 

fading sunset over the east shores of the 

Chaldean Cass Lake. 

Rosés can range from the sumptuous, sultry 

sweetness of an Italian Sparkling Brachetto di 

Aqui to the crisp dry Blanc de Noir (made 

entirely form the pinot noir grape) of the French 

Nicholas Fuillete Champagne. Rosés make 

good openers for any appetizer and can flow 

nicely into a first course when fuller bodied. 

French, Italian and Spanish Rosés lean toward 

the drier crisper side, while American and 

Australians are more medium dry. For reds, 

choose the Syrah, Shiraz, and Sangiovese. 

The Sangiovese grape, King of Chianti, produces 

soft, smooth, not too dry, light reds that 

are perfect with traditional Chaldean Cuisine 

such as, hamuth kubi or kubehba, (cream of 

wheat and meat dish). For harissa (Chaldean 

style barley soup), use Syrah from the 

Languedoc or California. 

In addition, for that special moment, try a 

big, full-bodied, rich California Napa (and I 

mean Napa) Cabernet with your lamb kuzi. For 

a dare with flare, you might delve into a rich 

Chilean red made from the Carmenere grapesoft, 

supple, but with a touch of blackberry 

backbone. 

Whatever you choose, pick with passion in mind 

(and heart). Go for quality, not quantity, and make 

an intelligent choice based on knowledge. 

John Jonna, the passionate wine guy from the 

Merchant’s Fine Wine, is a regular columnist 

with the Chaldean News 

Some of the 

many fine 

wines that 

can be found 

on Merchant’s 

shelves. 


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kids’ CORNER 

DID YOU KNOW? 

MESOPOTAMIA was the site of the world’s first civilization. 

In about 3500 BCE, a group of people called the 

Sumerians lived in the southern part of this fertile land. It was 

during this time that pictographic writing was developed, 

temples were erected, and towns were built. Civilization was 

not held to have begun, however, until about 3100 BCE, 

with the development of cuneiform writing. Cuneiform was 

a system of wedge-shaped writing done on clay tablets. It 

was used for about 2000 years after its development to 

write down stories and teachings. Even after the 

Sumerian language and civilization became extinct, 

cuneiform was still used by other Mesopotamian civilizations. 

CULTURE WORD SEARCH 

CAN YOU FIND THESE WORDS? 

TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES RIVERS: These two rivers begin in eastern Turkey, flow 

in a southeast direction through Iraq, and end in the Persian Gulf. They 

were the two rivers, which bordered and surrounded ancient Mesopotamia. 

MESOPOTAMIA: The word means “The land between two rivers.” This was 

the site of the world’s first civilization. 

SUMER: This was the world’s first civilization. It was located in the southern 

part of Mesopotamia where the two rivers flowed together. Its people 

were called Sumerians. 

LEVEES: Areas of earth (dirt) which the Sumerians raised, in order to control 

the seasonal flooding of the two rivers. 

ZIGGURAT: A religious temple within each Sumerian city-state, which represented 

the god of that particular province. The term means “Mountain of 

God” or “Hill of Heave.”” 

CUNEIFORM: This was the Sumerian’s system of writing. It was also the 

first system of writing invented. The term means “wedge-shaped.” 

EDUBBA: Sumerian School, where young boys were taught their reading, 

writing, and math. 

GILGAMESH: One of Mesopotamia’s most legendary priest-kings, from the citystate 

of Uruk. 

HAMMURABI OF BABYLON: King of Babylon about 1800 B.C. His rule was 

often referred to as the “Golden age of Mesopotamia.” 

EMPIRE: Several kingdoms or city-states under the government of a single ruler. 

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QUESTION of the month 

FEBRUARY QUESTION 

My wife and I feel that the introduction 

of The Chaldean News 

magazine is a great idea. Not only 

will it keep the community informed 

of what’s happening within it; it’s 

also a great way, for people within 

and outside our community, to 

advertise. We also believe that it will 

provide a clear looking glass into 

our culture and heritage. As with 

other tightly knit ethnic communities, 

who have remained united, we 

feel that The Chaldean News is a 

great beginning, and hopefully a 

start for more things like it to come 

for Chaldeans everywhere. 

Fabian and Vanessa Boji 

Walled Lake. 

Iam glad to see the bold step that 

members within our community are 

taking in developing this magazine. 

Perhaps this magazine will open windows 

of opportunity for other 

Chaldeans to present their ideas to 

better the community. I look forward 

to seeing Chaldeans in the news 

such as athletes, actors/actresses, 

musicians, professionals, etc. The 

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS NEW PUBLICATION THE CHALDEAN NEWS? 

Chaldean News will hopefully, provide 

an excellent forum to bring the 

facets of the Chaldean culture 

together. I would like to see this 

magazine reach out to the young and 

old alike. The younger generation 

can always learn from the past - who 

better to explain it then the older 

members of our community. 

Salam Petro, Oak Park MI 

Ithink the new Chaldean News will 

benefit the entire Chaldean community. 

The magazine will broaden our 

learning of what’s happening in our 

community. I also think it is a good 

way to get it out to the younger 

Chaldean generation that is changing. 

They will learn more about current 

events and their heritage. The 

Chaldean News will hopefully, have a 

good affect on everybody. I will subscribe 

to the magazine and have my 

fellow co-workers read it; they are 

always asking questions about 

Chaldeans. The Chaldean News will 

give them a good sense of who 

Chaldeans are. The Chaldean News 

is a great idea. 

Jennifer Orow, Troy 

Iam very excited to see a magazine 

such as this come about. I think it 

is long overdue. I hope that this 

MARCH’S QUESTION OF THE MONTH 

WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE 

SADDAM HUSSEIN’S PUNISHMENT? 

magazine will not only be a means of 

communication for the Chaldean 

community, but will also be a voice 

to educate others that may have certain 

stereotypes about Chaldeans. 

We are a very diverse community, 

involved in different types of employment, 

with varied interests and 

thoughts. The Chaldean News will 

give us an opportunity to show that 

in a format that is enjoyable to all. 

Nancy Attisha, Farmington Hills 

Welcome to the 

Question of the Month 

In every issue we will ask our 

readers a question. We look 

forward to your answers. 

Ibelieve that by creating this newspaper, 

the Chaldean people might 

finally get a chance to let people 

outside of our community learn a little 

bit more about our culture and 

our beliefs, which many people 

don’t understand or just don’t want 

to know. They only believe in what 

they hear or see in the news. Also, 

we need more people around the 

country to know about us and know 

that we are good people who work 

hard and have many family values 

and that many of our people have 

lived in the U.S. for a very long time. 

Peter Rabban, Farmington Hills 

Please email or mail your answer to 

the editorial department. Please 

include your picture. 

The Chaldean News 

C/o Editorial: Question of the month 

30095 NW Hwy, Ste 102 


Email with photo to: 

obinno@chaldeannews.com 

If emailed, photos should be in JPEG 

format. All hard copy photos can be 

picked up after the first of the month. 

LIMITING LICENSES continued from page 17 

meet with store owners prior to the campaign 

press conference, and someone dropped the 

ball,” said Dave Manney, spokesperson for 

Mayor Kilpatrick. 

Meanwhile, the AFD has worked with the 

City Planning Commission and Detroit City 

Council and recently supported a zoning ordinance 

that expressly addresses the concentration 

of liquor stores in the city, as well as their 

proximity to schools and churches. 

In addition, the AFD worked with the 

Building Department director to educate members 

about code enforcement and compliance 

with city codes and zoning ordinances. 

Last March, the AFD sponsored a forum for 

Detroit members with all of the police precinct 

commanders, lieutenants and inspectors present 

to have a dialogue on these and other issues. 

Manney said there has been a positive working 

relationship between storeowners and the 

city all along, and that the storeowners are in 

agreement with the mayor’s campaign. The 

two sides agree that the law should not be broken; 

merchants should not sell alcoholic beverages 

to minors or offer any type of drug paraphernalia. 

In fact, the AFD has regularly published 

pictures of drug paraphernalia along 

with urgings not to carry such items. 

While Sarafa explained that Detroit’s liquor 

stores are also its neighborhood grocery stores 

and, in some cases, have been so for more than 

40 years, Manney said there are too many in 

the city and limiting the number of liquor 

licenses would be beneficial to the already 

existing license owners, because it would 

reduce competition. 

Sarafa also pointed out that the same stores 

that were referred to as “a cancer” are the stores 

that give back to the communities they are in 

every day — whether they support the local 

church, sponsor the neighborhood Little League 

team or donate to the school in the area. 

Manney contends that the mayor is not 

going after particular storeowners. Since the 

campaign kicked off, the AFD has received several 

complaints by storeowners saying they are 

being harassed and targeted by Detroit police. 

“Storeowners should not be bullied by officers,” 

said Manney. “If this is going on, then the mayor 

will address it; no one is being targeted. We are 

just asking that storeowners obey the law.” 

Sarafa insists that so far, the Mayor’s words 

have not mirrored the actions of the Detroit 

Police; the overzealous and unfair enforcement 

is still taking place. 

The lines of communication between the 

mayor’s office and the business community 

remain open. However, Manney said the 

mayor in no way is changing his campaign initiative. 

He is still asking storeowners to paint 

over their liquor signs, and doesn’t believe this 

will offend the community. 


proud to be 

an american 

From Iraqi citizens to Chaldean Americans 


Rows of folding chairs filled the 

Southfield Civic Center, December 

2003 as more than 900 people, 

accompanied by family and friends, became U. 

S. citizens. Of the 900, 130 were from Iraq. 

This past naturalization 

ceremony was one of biggest 

in the Metro Detroit area in 

recent years. The Chaldean 

American Ladies of Charity 

(CALC) co- hosted the 

event with Carl Dallo. 

While Nicole Hakim Yohn 

led the audience in song, Najib Konja made 

sure the sound system chimed out the 

Christmas tunes. CALC President Jane Shallal 

was the mistress of ceremonies. 

“It was a challenge to organize and host this 

event for the 2,000 attendees,” said Shallal. 

“However, the work and efforts have put our 

community in a good light, particularly at a 

time when sentiment regarding Iraqis can 

sometimes be negative.” 

The CALC volunteers demonstrated the 

importance of celebrating culture and religious 

heritage by displaying artifacts from Iraq and 

serving coffee and traditional sweets, baklowa 

(baklava). “It’s important to have a community 

group involved in the ceremony,” said Greg 

Palmore from the U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security. “We love working with the Chaldean 

Community and with the Ladies of Charity.” 

As a young girl, Shallal became a U. S. citizen 

in 1964 having emigrated from her birthplace 

of Baghdad, Iraq. “Our migration to and 

residence in the United States has helped us to 

become a stronger community — politically, 

religiously, and socially,” explained Shallal. 

“We need to thank the United States for 

helping us grow in this way. I also believe that 

we have contributed positively to the image of 

Iraqis, through the process of awareness and education, 

and simply our presence in the United 

States. We mostly have our U.S. citizens and 

Chaldean immigrants to thank for that.” 

The Chaldean News congratulates those who 

became U. S. Citizens. Pictured are: Lara Yatomo, 

Ghazwan Yatoma, Ayman Shamou, Najat 

Yatooma, Noor Omar Mezy, Kevin Mezy, Luna 

Sequeira-Mansour, Nadir P. Mansour, Ban Jamil 

Zora, Samia Yousif, Suha Abdal, Hanan Abdal, 

Natalia Nona Rechel, Rana Safer, Adeeb Fares 

Faranso, Faris Faranso, Jonhnny Shakis Dalal 

Below: CALC members along with Hiwather Greene 

from the Citizenship and Immigration Office. From 

left to right Maisoon Tato, Julie Garmo, Julie Hakim, 

Tammy Kory, Clair Konja, Hiwatha Greene, Jane 

Shallal, Rosemary Antone, Hanna Manna. 

Left: Nicole Hakim Yohn sings at the event. 


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