SEPTEMBER 2008

Dinner attendees pose for a picture.
After months of supporting
and helping our refugees, a
group of Chaldeans met
some of them at a dinner last month.
National Wine & Spirits (NWS)
co-hosted the private dinner with the
Chaldean American Ladies of
Charity (CALC) and urged retailers
attending the event to promote the
Johnny Walker, Hennessy and
Belvedere liquor brands. An initiative
by NWS last year raised approximately
$67,000 for refugees thanks to
sales of those brands. The distributor
hopes to raise $75,000 this year.
“We donate anywhere from $1-$3
depending on the brand [per case
sold],” said Michael Housey, vice
president and general manager of the
Classic Brands Division at NWS.
Since 2006, CALC has been
working closely with the Chaldean
Federation of America (CFA) to raise
money and awareness about the Iraqi
refugees arriving in America. CFA
started the Adopt-A-Refugee-Family
program a year ago, in which families
here contribute money to refugee
voices heard
Dinner celebrates refugee program
BY VANESSA DENHA-GARMO
families overseas. The program works
with Jesuits in the Middle East to
identify the refugees and make sure
that 100 percent of the donations
reach the refugees.
Housey heard about the plight of
the refugees while listening to an
interview with Bishop Ibrahim
Ibrahim on a Catholic Radio program
hosted by Teresa Tomeo. “I wanted to
do something to help,” he said in a
speech to the dinner attendees.
Housey is one of the few non-
Chaldeans offering support to the
refugees. “I am hoping more will join
us. It is beyond nationality. This is a
human crisis going on and we need to
help,” he said.
CALC past president Clair Konja,
the evening’s mistress of ceremonies,
introduced current president Sally
Najor, who made brief remarks;
Michael J. George, the president of
the CFA; and Bishop Ibrahim, who
led the attendees in prayer. She also
introduced two recent refugee
arrivals.
Refugee Sabah A. Lafi talked
about life in Iraq and in the United
States. Speaking in Arabic, Lafi said
America feels like a second home, but
the challenges are great. Like many
refugees, he wants to work but cannot
find anyone to hire him. Many of the
refugees, like Lafi and his sons, are
educated but are not certified in the
United States. He hopes that will
change. He said that the refugees
should get the opportunity to pay
back the people helping them so that
they can help the next refugee.
Refugees also have the responsibility
to assist future refugees, he said.
Refugee Maan Dalli explained
how he had a store in Iraq and was
threatened several times, including a
threat against him or his family if he
did not pay $50,000. His shop was
bombed, rebuilt and bombed again.
He fled one night and ended up in
Lebanon. He now lives in Michigan
with his wife and kids.
FILM IN THE MAKING
Paul Jonna, executive producer of a
documentary in the making, showed
a seven-minute trailer of the film
that brought many to tears.
The shaky voices and powerful
words tell the stories of pain and torment
by Iraqis of all ages and backgrounds.
Speaking in Arabic, they
relive days, weeks and sometimes
months in captivity by the insurgents
in Iraq, detailing hours of
abuse.
Jonna and Al Zara had been contemplating
putting together an
event or comedy show to benefit the
Adopt-a-Refugee program. Instead,
it was suggested that they produce a
documentary on the refugees.
Zara serves as executive producer,
interviewer and translator of the
film. Zara and Jonna also teamed up
with Gary Bredow & Per Franchell
of Big Bang Films, who are directors,
editors and cinematographers.
Jonna first heard about the
refugees at a CALC meeting. “I was
blown away by the stories of the
refugees,” he said. “I had heard stories
before but never from an actual
refugee. Everyone needs to hear
these stories first-hand. We wanted
to create a documentary to inform
the world that even though the
refugees are rarely heard from, they
will not be silenced nor will they be
forgotten.”
Jonna sought out the talent of
Bedrow. “Sometimes, the media
keeps you sheltered from the truth.
As a documentary film director, my
34 CHALDEAN NEWS SEPTEMBER 2008