DECEMBER 2009

VOL. 6 ISSUE XI 

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY DECEMBER 2009 

$ 

2 

www.chaldeannews.com 

Spiritual Site 

St. Thomas grotto is a peaceful oasis 

INSIDE 

CHERISHED 

CHRISTMAS RECIPES 

SHENANDOAH 

GM MOVES ON 

ONE ON ONE WITH DETROIT’S 

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2 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2009 

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Gary Sako 248-990-3010 

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DECEMBER 2009 CHALDEAN NEWS 3 

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Monday, December 21 is 

Double Your Donation day at Gleaners! 

December 21 will be MATCHED 

6 meals 

Job loss, wage cuts and other hardships are driving our neighbors 

to food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. 

Unemployment Snapshot 

(September 2009): 

Michigan 15.3 percent 

Wayne County 18.3 percent 

Oakland County 15.6 percent 

 

 

Gleaners is taking action to feed our hungry neighbors by: 

Incrough our network 

of 470 par 

 

 

 

 

Donate Monday, December 21 

at www.gcfb.org or call 866-GLEANER (453-2637) 

NOURISHING COMMUNITIES 

BY FEEDING HUNGRY PEOPLE 

Be a Monday, December 21 

and our match donors will double your donation! 

Donations made to Gleaners Community Food Bank can qualify for an additional tax credit 

on your Michigan State Income Tax return (homeless/food bank contributions) 

 


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CONTENTS DECEMBER 2009 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 6 ISSUE XI 

ON THE COVER: 

NAWAL MCKAY OF 

WEST BLOOMFIELD 

ENJOYS A PEACEFUL 

MOMENT IN THE 

NEW ST. THOMAS 

GROTTO. 

PHOTO BY 

RAMIZ ROMAYA 

departments 

26 

on the cover 

26 SPIRITUAL SITE 

BY JOYCE WISWELL 


features 

24 CHALDEAN ON THE STREET 

BY CAROLINE M. BACALL 

What’s your favorite Christmas morning memory? 

30 GEORGIA ON THEIR MINDS 


Former Soviet republic gets its first Chaldean church 

32 LIFE AS A PERSIAN CHALDEAN 

BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO 

Bishop Ramzi Garmo talks about life for Christians in Iran 

34 MOVING ON 


Shenandoah’s esteemed GM retires 

36 COUNCIL CONNECTS WITH THE COMMUNITY 


Newly elected Detroit council members meet with Chaldean businesses 

40 CHALDEAN CONNECTION 

BY WEAM NAMOU 

Documentary explores Iraqi art and culture 

42 MORE THAN ABCS 

BY WWW.THEREDBULLS.ORG. 

Chaldean elementary school teaches tolerance 

10 FROM THE EDITOR 

11 YOUR LETTERS 

11 GUEST COLUMNS 

BY MICHAEL G. SARAFA 

2009 year end musings 

12 BY LORRAINE ABDULAHAD 

Tragedy drives a love of learning 

15 NOTEWORTHY 

17 COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD 

18 CHAI TIME 

20 HALHOLE 

22 ASK THE ECRC 

BY NERAN KARMO 

Keep the focus on Christ this Christmas 

22 RELIGION 

25 LOOKING BACK 

BY JOSEPH GASSO 

Khalid Bahoura: Chicken tales 

38 ONE ON ONE 

BY MARTIN MANNA 

Charles Pugh: 

‘There is no food desert here’ 

44 ECONOMICS AND ENTERPRISE 


Basketful of Tradition: Chaldean treats make 

a great gift 

45 IN THE KITCHEN WITH … 

BY MARK KASSA 

Ferial and Mahasin Kassa’s 

Christmas favorites 

47 CHALDEAN FOR KIDS 

BY MELODY ARABO AND MARGARET SHAMOUN 

Christmas greetings 

48 CLASSIFIEDS 

50 FROM THE ARCHIVES 

BY DAVE NONA 

Remembering the 

Chaldean American Youth Club 


cn1209_0148.indd 9 

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from the EDITOR 

PUBLISHED BY 

The Chaldean News, LLC 

EDITORIAL 

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

Vanessa Denha-Garmo 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Joyce Wiswell 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Caroline M. Bacall 

Joe Gasso 

Neran Karmo 

Mark Kassa 

Weam Namou 

Michael G. Sarafa 

PROOF READER 

Ken Marten 

ART & PRODUCTION 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS 

Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

Joseph Sesi 

PHOTOGRAPHERS 

David Reed 

Ramiz Romaya 

OPERATIONS 

Interlink Media 

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS 

Paul Alraihani 

CIRCULATION 

Paul Alraihani 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Joyce Wiswell 

SALES 

Interlink Media 

SALES REPRESENTATIVES 

Lisa Kalou 

Crystal Oram 

Lisy Starr 

MANAGERS 


Martin Manna 

Michael Sarafa 

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $20 PER YEAR 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS 

29850 NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY, SUITE 250 

SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034 

WWW.CHALDEANNEWS.COM 

PHONE: (248) 996-8360 

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

monthly; Issue Date: DECEMBER 2009 Subscriptions: 

12 months, $20. Publication Address: 29850 Northwestern 

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

to Mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is Pending at 

Farmington Hills Post Office Postmaster: Send address 

changes to “The Chaldean News 29850 Northwestern 

Highway, Suite 250, Southfield, MI 48034” 

Trust in the Lord 

The other day I was turning 

onto Orchard Lake 

Road from Long Lake 

and the car in front of me with 

Indiana license plates read, 

“In God We Trust.” Without 

thinking I blurted out, “that’s 

right!” 

My daughter, snug in her 

car seat watching a Dora 

video, looked at me startled. 

These past few months, I have 

put so much trust in God, more than I 

have in my entire life. I trusted in God 

when I decided to leave my full-time 

position as press secretary for Wayne 

County Executive Robert Ficano to 

build my own public relations 

and marketing company, Denha 

Media and Communications. 

Yes, I am still co-publisher and 

editor in chief of The Chaldean 

News – God willing, I always 

will be part of this publication I 

launched with my partners and 

that I love so much. 

I truly believe that success takes 

making strategic risks. I knew it was 

time to take that risk. I spend the month 

of December enjoying the holidays, 

resting and preparing to fully launch 

my new website and new company in 

2010. 

I am sure I will face challenges and 

obstacles along the way as new businesses 

do, but I will trust in the Lord 

that everything will fall into place just as 

it should. 

This is a time of year to reflect on 

life. If you need a place of solitude and 

spiritual renewal to help organize your 

thoughts, head to the newly constructed 

grotto at St. Thomas Chaldean 

Catholic Church. A team of talented 

people designed, built and decorated 

VANESSA 

DENHA-GARMO 

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

the place of prayer for all the 

community to enjoy. Joyce 

Wiswell tells the story of how 

the grotto came to be in this 

month’s cover story. 

Think about all those 

things in life that trouble you, 

head to the grotto and give 

them up to God. 

We have an influx of refugees 

with more to come who 

have little money if any. They 

are at the mercy of the government 

and other Chaldeans for assistance. I 

am sure many of them are giving this 

cross they bear up to God this holiday 

season. 

I truly believe that 

success takes making 

strategic risks. 

This is the season we adopt a refugee 

family or another family in need 

through the Chaldean Federation of 

America or the Chaldean American 

Ladies of Charity. Share with your children 

this amazing opportunity to give 

back. Encourage them to actually pick 

out gifts for other children who they 

have never met, wrap them and even 

deliver them to the family. It is a humbling 

and rewarding experience. 

As Christians in Iraq and all over 

the Middle East celebrate the birth 

of Christ, they are praying for safety, 

peace and the opportunity for a better 

life. Sometimes I think about what has 

happened in Iraq; I hear so many stories 

because of The Chaldean News 

and every once in while, I will stop to 

really think about the tragedy and I sit 

in amazement and totally appalled. It 

is during the most drastic times in our 

lives that we feel no hope, yet there is 

no better time to lift our pains to the 

Lord. 

We had an opportunity this month 

to meet the newly elected Detroit City 

Council members. I think about Charles 

Pugh giving up a successful and lucrative 

career as a TV reporter and anchor 

to take on the challenges of the city as 

the council president-elect for a lot less 

money. He and three of the other new 

members of council visited with store 

owners inside Shenandoah last month 

and many of them did express their 

gratitude to God for being able to help 

turn the city around. 

Also new on the city council is Rev. 

Andre Spivey. Perhaps he will bring 

with him to council every day a prayer 

of gratitude, a prayer for strength and 

a prayer for guidance as they give up 

their challenges to the Lord. 

It is liberating and comforting to 

know that God is on your side. I have 

been in the car struggling in my mind 

with what to do about a certain situation 

and I have literally said, “OK God, 

this one is on you. You can figure it out. 

I have too many other things to do.” 

It may not be resolved overnight, 

but some how, some way, God always 

comes through. There is no need to 

go through life’s burdens’ alone – give 

them up to the Lord. 

Alaha Imid Koullen 

(God Be With Us All) 


vdenha@chaldeannews.com 

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11/25/09 5:00:31 PM

GUEST column 

your LETTERS 

2009 year end musings 

MICHAEL G. 

SARAFA 

SPECIAL TO THE 

CHALDEAN NEWS 

What a tough 

year — for 

most of us 

anyway. I hesitate to call 

for celebration that the 

year is over in hopes of 

a much better 2010. We 

tried that last year and 

look what happened. But 

things have to be close 

to “bottomed-out.” It just 

has to be. Hope springs 

eternal. So here’s looking 

forward to the New Year. 

Speaking of having a rough year, 

Kwame Kilpatrick probably tops the 

list. He was disgraced into leaving 

office, served jail time and just 

generally humiliated by his own antics, 

behavior and misguided sense 

of his own “ordination.” Come to 

find out he was actually bribed out 

of office by some of Detroit’s top 

corporate enablers of bad government, 

who should be ashamed of 

themselves for supporting him after 

it was clear he was not worthy of 

their support. But they were “big 

Kwame Kilpatrick fans,” as one of 

them once told me. 

I remember coming out of the 

Archer Administration how some 

in our community took some 

pleasure in the fact that I lined up 

on the wrong side of the next two 

mayoral elections. First I supported 

Gil Hill and then Freman Hendrix. 

Kwame had their number both 

times. But I was thinking about this 

the other day and just wanted to 

say I told you so. 

On another front, it’s getting 

difficult to keep on supporting the 

various and disparate community 

causes — from a financial perspective, 

that is. The Chaldean Federation, 

Adopt-A-Refugee Family, the 

Chamber Foundation and PAC, 

Shenandoah, our churches, the 

E.C.R.C., the Ladies of Charity 

and others. All of these groups 

are hurting for funds. Nowhere is 

the lack of fundraising prowess 

and sophistication more apparent 

than at the church level. It took St. 

Thomas nearly three years to finish 

the grotto because of a lack of 

funds. (By the way, it is beautiful). 

Nonetheless, we need to get our 

act together and better coordinate 

and centralize these efforts. 

It was a good year for gas stations 

in terms of getting 

beer/wine/liquor licenses. 

State law has been completely 

flipped on its head 

as these licenses proliferated 

in drastic numbers 

this year. I’ll buy lunch for 

anyone who can find me a 

gas station with $250,000 

of inventory excluding beer, 

wine, liquor and gas. I’m 

not sure what happened 

but it’s out of control. 

In politics, it has been disappointing 

that President Obama’s 

initial call for bipartisan cooperation 

has fallen flat. His style of leadership, 

which seemed to be exactly 

what the doctor had ordered, may 

prove ineffective. We shall see. It 

is not entirely his fault, however. 

The Republican Party, especially 

in Washington, D.C., has fallen off 

the right side of the partisan cliff 

to become barely recognizable as 

a mainstream political party. Most 

disappointing to me is Congressman 

Pete Hoekstra who, at one 

point, seemed like an interesting 

and independent-minded person 

possibly worthy of support for governor 

of Michigan. But he’s part of 

the herd that fell off the cliff so I no 

longer expect him to be formidable 

in the race for governor. 

On Shenandoah, it seems that 

the club will stay in the hands of 

the community. That arrangement 

should be wrapped up before 

year’s end. That has been a very 

difficult and stressful part of the 

year for many. Thankfully, many 

good people stepped up in different 

ways to help. We have many 

good and loyal members who are 

the bulwark of the club and the 

community. Foremost among the 

supporters has been His Excellency 

Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim. 

Thanks to him for his leadership on 

this and sorry to those who were 

rooting against Shenandoah’s success. 

I’m sure you’ll find another 

cause for the New Year. 

Finally, this year, like all others, 

It seems Shenandoah will stay in the 

hands of the community. That arrangement 

should be wrapped up before year’s end. 

had its ups and downs; its moments 

of happiness and, at times, tears; its 

moments of tragedy and triumph. 

On balance, though, it was a 

somber year, appropriately so. As 

a nation we are still bogged down 

in two wars and a severe economic 

downturn. For those of us in Michigan, 

we are in the midst of an economic 

depression. Somber is the 

feeling for those of us still working 

and living in our own homes. For 

many others, it’s more like fear, anger 

and pain. 

Ultimately, it is a matter of perspective. 

I was reminded of this yet 

again at this year’s Candlelight Vigil 

at Covenant House of Michigan. 

Each year, we hear testimonials 

from young people who have survived 

some of the worst life conditions 

possible in America. These 

are kids who have been tossed out 

on the streets by those unwilling or 

unable to care for them and love 

them. These are young people who 

have crack addicts and murderers 

for parents. Some of the young ladies 

are “babies with babies” and 

have been sexually active since 

their early teens as part of their 

“street” condition. Their personal 

stories are heart wrenching. 

This year we heard from four 

of these kids. They were thankful 

to Covenant House for a place to 

stay and food to eat; for staff that 

guided and loved them. They are 

thankful for the schooling, job training 

and the chance for a career. 

Most of them are just thankful to 

be alive, off the street and amongst 

people who care about them. We 

know from our experience that 

some of them will not make it; they 

will land back in the street, in jail, in 

the hospital or dead. 

But for these kids, for now, it was 

a good year — maybe the best year 

they ever had. May God bless them 

and give them another good year. 

Michael G. Sarafa is president of 

the Bank of Michigan and a 

co-publisher of The Chaldean News. 

Hard to Swallow 

An open letter to the Shenandoah Country 

Club Board of Directors: 

This is in regard to the subject of your report 

on August 11, 2009. 

To say that the club “has always been 

something we supported for the enjoyment of 

our families and community, etc.” is a sheer 

misrepresentation of the truth. The fact of the 

matter is that this is and always has been a 

shareholders’ institute as clearly defined in its 

constitution. A good witness to that fact is that 

a shareholders’ value has already been paid 

to certain resigning members. To deprive hundreds 

of resignees of their legal sharing equity 

is to deny them their years of contribution, morally, 

physically and materially, to their beloved 

club. Most of those resigning members were 

forced to resign by old age or inability to pay 

the rising annual fees, or both. I, for one, have 

given a quarter of my life to the service of the 

club as a co-founder, a board vice chairman 

and its bulletin editor. To punish me and hundreds 

of unfortunate retirees is an outrage. 

To say that equity is “no different than 

what has happened to the values of our home 

or investment property” is a misleading interpretation. 

A huge property like a country club, 

equaling in value hundreds of regular homes, 

cannot make a like-kind comparison. 

Your hardship is understandable, but your 

best choice is to keep the prior equity alive 

for the resigning members and their successive 

family generations until such time as 

they can be paid their fair shares. To erase or 

usurp the retirees’ shares by a stroke of your 

pen is not possible. It is a large chunk of legal 

morsel to swallow. 

The court of law is the only legal authority 

to decide the fate of legal shares, especially 

since the club is still alive and functioning and 

no bankruptcy has been declared. It is very 

unfortunate that the board has chosen this 

time to throw this bitter taste in the throats of 

our old-timers. Killing the only link the retirees 

have left with the club is a severe blow to the 

harvest of their lifetime labor for this institute. 

The club downfall is a result of the poor 

management on the part of the successive 

boards. For the retirees to pay the price is 

a big sin. 

It is worth mentioning in this respect that 

I wrote two letters to the club boards warning 

them of the wrong elite stand they were 

adopting by increasing the costs to the members 

and the party-goers, plus the “serving 

staff” who were foreign to our Chaldean culture. 

No reply did I ever receive from the club, 

the reason being, as I see it, that the old-timers 

are something of the past generations, 

regardless of their experience. 

This letter represents the grief of all the 

club retirees. Amen. 

– Joseph Nadhir 

West Bloomfield 


cn1209_0148.indd 11 

11/25/09 5:00:32 PM

GUEST column 

Tragedy drives a love of learning 

“ 

I 

do not like green eggs 

and ham. I do not like 

them Sam-I-Am!” 

My mother’s voice rang 

with joy and laughter as she 

read Dr. Seuss’s rhymes out 

loud. I lay in her arms, pointing 

at words I knew and interrupting 

loudly. 

“Mouse!” I cried excitedly, 

eagerly awaiting her praise. 

My younger brother lay 

close by, watching me jealously 

and shouting out words desperately 

so that he, too, could join the 

world of reading. Encouraging his 

effort, she would patiently sound out 

words with him, until I grew restless 

and demanded the rest of the story. 

This is my family: just my mother, 

my brother and me. A drunken man 

robbed my father’s store, then shot and 

killed him when I was 2 years old, right 

after my brother was born. My mother, 

a prideful Iraqi immigrant, made a great 

sacrifice and chose to remain at home 

until we were both in school. She firmly 

believed that a mother is responsible 

for raising her children — not nannies, 

not daycares. She read us books, 

she sang the alphabet, she encouraged 

questions. But most of all, she taught us 

to love to learn. 

“Education,” she told us almost 

daily, “is your key to the world. It will 

take you wherever you want to go. I 

work hard so you can go to college 

like I was never able to. Make the 

most out of your life, if not for yourself, 

then for me.” 

And so, I began school with an 

open mind and an eagerness to learn. 

As a young girl, the mysterious power 

of automobiles captivated me. Even 

LORRAINE 

ABDULAHAD 


CHALDEAN NEWS 

though I had no male figure 

at home to teach me about 

cars, I made it my mission to 

teach myself. In high school, 

I joined an automotive restoration 

team, the Mott Rodders, 

and helped complete 

a ground-up restoration of a 

’59 Thunderbird that placed 

second in Autorama ’06. 

Soon after, I got involved 

in our school’s Metals program, 

where I meticulously 

machined and blueprinted a miniscule 

jeweler’s vice to win first place 

in the statewide Michigan Industrial 

and Technological Education Society 

(MITES) competition. 

My passion for cars and engineering 

also extends beyond myself. 

In my hometown within metropolitan 

Detroit, the steadily declining 

automotive industry has devastated 

our economy. Every day, we hear 

about automakers closing plants; we 

hear about friends and family losing 

their jobs. In an area built upon the 

automotive industry, we suffer accordingly 

as it struggles. 

I dream of one day helping to lead 

our American automotive industry 

into the 21st century, exploring alternate 

fuels and competing with 

foreign automakers. I want to revive 

the industry with fresh ideas and innovative 

research, consequently 

reviving the economy in my home 

state. Additionally, I yearn to engineer 

an alternative-fuel vehicle that maintains 

performance. Nostalgic toward 

the muscle cars that once flogged the 

streets of Detroit, I love the curvature 

of old body styles and the brute force 

that once accompanied them. Although 

I recognize the need to move 

forward and decrease our dependency 

on oil, I still believe that we can retain 

parts of our rich history. 

Paradoxical though it may sound, 

a car’s simultaneous aura of perfection 

and untapped potential captivates me. 

Automotive engineering technology 

I dream of one day 

helping to lead our 

American automotive 

industry into the 21st 

century, exploring 

alternate fuels and 

competing with 

foreign automakers. 

I want to revive 

the industry with 

fresh ideas and 

innovative research, 

consequently reviving 

the economy in my 

home state. 

intrigues me because no matter how 

flawless cars seem — the way every 

component is meticulously engineered 

to propel a two-ton metal beast — 

there’s always room for improvement. 

Automobile technology resembles the 

graph of a tangent line: it’s constantly 

striving to approach this one invisible 

vertical asymptote, representing 

perfection. Despite appearances, it’s 

never truly touching the line, never 

truly reaching perfection. One must 

always remember how much more can 

improve, how much longer the path 

extends as it hurtles toward infinity, 

striving toward that one nonexistent 

point of pure perfection. 

I know I will face stereotypes as 

I try to excel in the male-dominated 

field of engineering. 

However, I work so hard to fight 

them and try my best in everything I 

do because I want to make something 

out of myself. I want to repay my mother 

for her strength and dedication by 

making a difference in the world. I 

want to honor my father’s memory 

by becoming a woman he would have 

been proud to watch grow. And finally, 

I want to make something out 

of myself for …myself. 

Alcohol and violence devastated 

my life at a young age. A man, too 

lazy to make an honest living, brutally 

murdered my father to make 

a quick dollar. As a result, I have 

grown to despise drugs and alcohol, 

and zealously value hard work. 

I’ve grown up a lot differently 

than most of my fellow peers, but all 

of the past trials I’ve faced has made 

me the person I am today; they are a 

part of me, and I will bring these experiences 

with me wherever I go. 

Warren Mott High School graduate 

Lorraine Abdulahad is now attending 

Yale University. This piece was a High 

School Essay Winner in the Chaldean 

Federation of America’s Chaldean 

Commencement. 


cn1209_0148.indd 12 

11/25/09 5:00:35 PM

A Fond Farewell From Jerry Shannon 

To all of my friends and business partners: 

I 

have left Country Fresh Dairy as General Manager and assumed a new role with a family-owned company located in the city of 

Detroit on November 9. In my time as General Manager of Country Fresh I have been honored and privileged to have known and 

worked with many of you in the Chaldean community. I am no stranger to Southeast Michigan, having been born in Trenton in 1952 and 

working with my father as a milkman for Sealtest Dairy in Detroit growing up. 

I am so impressed with the work ethic and family devotion I have witnessed with all I have been in contact with in your community. In 

this tough and aggressive economic environment we call Detroit, you have never lost sight of what’s important in life and how to be a 

true friend and partner. I admire the ethics and high standards you all demonstrate in your daily lives. 

I want to say thank you to the entire Chaldean community for taking me in and treating me and my associates with honor, respect and 

fairness. I only hope that I, and those individuals who I have been responsible for, have treated all of you with the same level of respect 

and commitment that you have shown us. 

I wish you all much success in my order of priority: Your family, Your life and Your business. Thank you again. 

With sincerity, 

Jerry Shannon 

Country Fresh Dairy 

General Manager 

(517) 937-2133 cell 


cn1209_0148.indd 13 

11/25/09 5:01:04 PM


cn1209_0148.indd 14 

11/25/09 5:01:19 PM

noteworthy 

Sharon 

Hannawa 

Paul Asker 

Kevin Jappaya 

Frank Jonna 

on November 1, 1967. He entered the Chaldean Patriarchal 

Seminary in 1985 and was ordained priest on January 11, 

1991 in Baghdad. His pastoral experience includes serving 

as the parochial vicar at Alqosh from 1993 to 1997 and then 

as pastor until 2000. 

After his seven years in the parish, Archbishop-elect Nona 

was sent to study at the Pontifi cal Lateran University, where he 

earned a doctorate in theology. At present he is an offi cial for the 

Archdiocese of Alqosh and a professor of Anthropology at Babel 

College. He speaks Arabic, Italian, Chaldean and English. 

Frank Asmar 

Bassam 

Salman 

Gerard Van 

Grinsven 

Hannawa Dominates 

Chamber Election 

Sharon Hannawa was the top vote getter on November 11 

at the annual elections of the Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce. She and the other three incumbents up for 

reelection — Paul Asker, Kevin Jappaya and Frank Jonna 

— all ran successful campaigns, as did newcomers Frank 

Asmar, Bassam Salman and Gerard Van Grinsven. 

Interestingly the eighth open seat was a tie of Hyassant 

Najor and Eric Younan. (In accordance to bylaws, the current 

board voted in Younan at a November 24 meeting.) 

Van Grinsven, who is CEO of Henry Ford West Bloomfi eld 

Hospital, is the fi rst non-Chaldean to win a seat on the board. 

Pope Names New 

Archbishop of Mosul 

Hyassant 

Najor and 

Eric Younan 

Fr. Emil Shimoun Nona has been named the new Archbishop 

of Mosul by Pope Benedict. He replaces Archbishop Paulos 

Faraj Rahho, who was kidnapped by militants last February 

and found dead two weeks later. 

The Vatican’s press offi ce announced on November 13 

that the Holy Father “gave his assent to the canonical election 

by the Synod of Bishops of the Chaldean Church of Fr. Emil 

Shimoun Nona.” 

Archbishop-elect Nona, 42, was born in Alqosh, Iraq, 

U.S. Pledges to 

Keep Taking in Refugees 

The United States will take in “substantial” numbers of Iraqi 

refugees next year, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Eric 

Schwartz told Reuters on November 18. 

Speaking in Syria, where hundreds of thousands of Iraqis 

have fl ed confl ict in their homeland, Schwartz said Washington 

would focus on the “most vulnerable.” 

“I am confi dent that we will sustain, generally speaking, 

our level of effort on resettlement, if not do better,” said 

Schwartz. “The bigger challenge for us is to ensure that those 

Iraqis we do resettle have adequate and generous support 

upon arrival. The United States like most other countries has 

been experiencing very diffi cult economic circumstances.” 

Schwartz said he expected at least 17,000 Iraqis to be 

resettled in the United States during fi scal year 2010, which 

ends in September, compared with almost 19,000 this year, 

who included 6,000 living in Syria. 

The United States took in around 14,000 Iraqi refugees in 

fi scal 2008 but only 1,200 in 2007. Sweden, which now holds 

the European Union presidency and has taken in 40,000 Iraqi 

asylum seekers since 2006, has said the issue should be a 

priority for the West. 

“There were very legitimate concerns that the United States 

was not doing its fair share. Over the past couple of years the 

United States has demonstrated its commitment to this issue. 

The numbers we’re resettling are now signifi cant and substantial,” 

Schwartz said, adding that the U.S. government had allocated 

$386 million in aid for Iraqi refugees in fi scal 2009. 

Schwartz said that in his meeting with Deputy Syrian Foreign 

Minister Fayssal al-Mekdad he discussed assistance for 

Iraqi refugees and allowing more humanitarian aid groups in 

Syria into help them. 

– Assyrian International News Agency, www.aini.org 

NOTEWORTHY continued on page 16 

Tareq Aziz was the only Chaldean 

in Saddam Hussein’s inner circle. 

Jordan OKs 

Citizenship of Tareq 

Aziz’s Family 

Jordan has granted citizenship to 

the wife and sons of Iraq’s jailed 

former deputy premier Tareq Aziz. 

They have lived in the kingdom 

since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. 

“The council of ministers granted 

Jordanian citizenship on Monday 

to Saddam Tareq Aziz and 

his mother Violet Yusef Nobud,” 

the offi cial told AFP. “The elder 

son, Ziad Tareq Aziz, and his wife, 

Seba Mzaffar Antwan, have been 

granted citizenship recently, upon 

their request.” 

He gave no further details. 

Named foreign minister in 1983 

and then deputy prime minister in 

1991, Aziz, 73, turned himself into 

U.S. forces in April 2003 after Saddam 

Hussein was overthrown. Aziz, 

who has been convicted for crimes 

against humanity, is Chaldean. 

One of a handful of long-term 

senior survivors of Saddam’s regime, 

Aziz is reported to have suffered 

two heart attacks in custody. 

– Assyrian International News Agency, 

www.aina.org. 

ATTENTION 

CELLPHONE DEALERS 

FLASHING CDMA PHONES!!! 

ONLY $10 - $20 PER PHONE. 

NATIONWIDE CELLULAR 

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Highland Park, MI 48203 

313-869-7993 

WirelessNationGroup@gmail.com 

Contact: Eddie Korkis 

Internet settings available on 

some PDA phones *extra charge. 

We can flash almost any 

phone in between carriers. 

Make those old Sprint, Verizon, 

MetroPCS phones work. 

Unlock any phone. CDMA/GSM 

Volume discounts available. 


cn1209_0148.indd 15 

11/25/09 5:01:25 PM

noteworthy 

Shot in the Arm 

Some 40 men took advantage of a free prostate 

cancer screening on November 7 at the Karmanos 

Cancer Center. Held in conjunction with the Chaldean 

American Chamber of Commerce and the 

Chaldean American Ladies of Charity, the event 

gave men a PSA blood test for prostate cancer, 

which has a high cure rate if detected early. 

Mobile Clinics Offer Healthcare 

DAC Healthcare has developed a one-doctor mobile clinic 

that can be driven on highways and rural roads. The vehicles 

allow doctors, paramedics and nurse practitioners to 

reach patients in rural and urban underserved areas, providing 

health checkups/screenings, immunizations, diagnostic 

testing and other services that help underserved patients to 

lead healthier lives, while reducing the burden on the overall 

healthcare system. The units can be quickly deployed in 

response to healthcare emergencies, whether caused by 

natural disaster or terrorist attack. 

John Dalaly is the company’s chairman and CEO. Visit 

http://djkcorp.com. 

CFA Moves 

The Chaldean Federation of America has moved its offi ce in 

Farmington Hills and now shares space with the Chaldean 

American Chamber of Commerce and The Chaldean News 

in Southfi eld. 

The CFA’s new address is 29850 Northwestern Highway, 

Southfi eld, MI 48034; (248) 996-8384. Its website remains 

www.chaldeanfederation.org. 

Concert Honors Assyria 

The Chicago Symphony Quartet performs a special program, 

“In Honor of Assyria,” on December 5 at the Christian 

Heritage Academy in Northfi eld, Illinois. 

The concert will feature traditional Assyrian music composed 

and arranged to a classical theme by Italian violinist 

Eloise Meloni. In addition to the music, Assyrian artists Odisho 

Kifarkis and Panipal Giwargis will display some of their 

work. 

The Christmas concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20- 

$50. Learn more by calling (847) 470-1600. 

Crystal Oram 

Channelle Kizy 

White 

Leah Kizy 

People 

The Chaldean News 

has added a new 

sales representative. 

Crystal Oram previously 

sold health insurance 

for Pro Care 

Health Plan. 

Channelle Kizy 

White has joined 

the law fi rm of Beals 

Hubbard, PLC as 

an associate after 

serving Of Counsel 

for the fi rm. She will 

focus her practice 

in the areas of business 

litigation, transactions, 

white collar 

and general criminal 

defense. She is a 

member of the Michigan 

and Oakland 

County Bar Associations 

as well as an 

active member of the 

Woman’s Bar Association 

and the Chaldean American 

Bar Association. 

The Chaldean Community Foundation 

has hired Leah Kizy and Galia 

Thomas to work on the mental 

health grant. Kizy is the program’s 

trilingual translator, while Thomas is 

a case worker. 


cn1209_0148.indd 16 

11/25/09 5:01:36 PM

Community Bulletin Board 

Blame It on Rio 

Timothy Sheena has been living in 

São Paulo, Brazil, since August 2007 

on assignment for the General Motors 

Design Center. He keeps up on 

the news from home – as seen here 

at the famed Christ the Redeemer 

Statue overlooking Rio de Janerio. 

Winning Strategy 

Mike Sawa is the king of the Michigan 

Lottery, having sold the most 

tickets once again last year in the 

entire state. Sawa’s Oak Liquor and 

Wine in Oak Park has had lottery 

sales of more than $2 million for four 

years in a row. “We have three machines 

and put on extra employees 

when there is a big jackpot so people 

can be in and out,” he said. Last year, 

the store sold a $100,000 ticket to a 

lucky winner just a few days before 

Christmas. Sawa is seen here with 

the lottery’s SSR Ray Ukwuoma. 

Dispensing Knowledge 

Heather Thomas, pharmacist at 

Beaumont Medical Center in West 

Bloomfi eld, looks over her notes at the 

Pharmacy Sense for Seniors talk she 

gave at West Bloomfi eld Library on 

November 4. Thomas spoke about the 

most commonly fi lled prescriptions for 

seniors, the meaning of generic drugs 

and how to be an informed consumer 

when at the pharmacy. 

Thanksgiving Spurs Blessings 

The Thanksgiving holiday inspired many Chaldeans to 

help those less fortunate. 

Members of E’rootha and the Chaldean American 

Student Associations of Oakland University, Wayne 

State University, University of Detroit Mercy, University 

of Michigan Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan 

Dearborn (pictured) gathered on November 21 to collect 

and distribute food items to refugees and low-income 

Chaldean Assyrian families. After preparing more 

than 100 food boxes – 65 more than last year – at Mar 

Addai Church in Oak Park, the youth delivered the gifts 

to needy families. The groups’ goal is to distribute 200 

boxes in 2010. To help, contact erootha@gmail.com. 

Out in California, the Neighborhood Market Association 

held Thanksgiving Dinner for some 1,000 

refugees and disadvantaged youth on November 23 in 

El Cajon. A few days earlier, the group joined forces 

with the San Diego National Latino Peace Offi cers 

Association for the 10th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner 

for Youth in Chula Vista. “Many of these refugees and 

disadvantaged youth have never had a Thanksgiving 

dinner,” noted Mark Paul Arabo, president and CEO of 

the Neighborhood Market Association. 

All Star 

Miguel Kattula, a senior at Sterling Heights 

High School, has been named to the All Conference 

and All District Teams in Macomb County 

by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches 

Association. He plays defense on the varsity 

soccer team, which just won back-to-back 

championships in the Macomb Area Conference 

Blue Division, a record-breaking season 

with a record of 17-1-2. Four other Chaldean 

students are on the varsity team: Seniors 

Osama Potres and Manhal Shamo; junior 

David Najor and sophomore Julius Nafso. 

Have an item for the Bulletin Board? Send it to 

Chaldean News, 29850 Northwestern 

Highway, Southfield, MI 48034, or e-mail 

info@chaldeannews.com. 

Spectacular Shopping 

The Chaldean America Ladies of 

Charity’s annual Holiday Shopping 

Extravaganza drew hundreds of 

women eager to get a jump on 

their Christmas lists. The event 

was held at Shenandoah Country 

Club on November 5. 


cn1209_0148.indd 17 

11/25/09 5:02:06 PM

CHAI time 

CHALDEANS CONNECTING 

COMMUNITY EVENTS IN AND AROUND METRO DETROIT DECEMBER 2009 

The Scintas 

perform on 

Wednesday, 

December 9 at 

Shenandoah 

[Thursday, December 10] 

Party: The Chaldean American 

Chamber of Commerce hosts a 

Christmas Party Open House with 

cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 6 

p.m. Members only. Chamber offi ces, 

29850 Northwestern Highway, 

Southfi eld. RSVP to Lisa Kalou at 

(248) 996-8340 or lkalou@ 

chaldeanchamber.com. 

[Thursday, December 3 – Sunday, December 6] 

The Nutcracker: The holiday ballet takes place at 

the Detroit Opera House with special guests, the 

Cincinnati Ballet. Tickets are $29-$76. 

www.michiganopera.org. 


CALC: Chaldean American Ladies of Charity present 

the annual Advent by Candlelight, a time for women 

to gather for refl ection, fellowship and the coming 

of Christ. Guest speaker is Marissa Penrod. Tickets 

are $35 and include dinner. 6:30 p.m., Shenandoah 

Country Club. (248) 538-8300. 

[Saturday, December 5] 

Ordination: Seminarian Anthony Kathawa is ordained 

to the deaconate in preparation for his ordination to the 

priesthood next May. The mass beings at 5 p.m. and all 

are welcome. St. Joseph Chaldean Catholic Church, 

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


Noel Night: 37th annual event includes free 

admission to museums, family activites, shopping 

and music and theater acts. 5-9:30 p.m., Midtown 

Detroit’s Cultural Center area, Cass & John R and 

Kirby & Willis. www.detroitmidtown.com. 

[Saturday, December 5 – Sunday, December 6] 

Brides: Rani Totman, designer and president of St. 

Pucchi, meets brides and showcases her gowns at 

Maria’s Bridal Couture in the Orchard Mall, 6325 Orchard 

Lake Road in West Bloomfield. (248) 539-3090. 

[Saturday, December 5 – 

Saturday, December 19] 

Santa: The Detroit Zoo presents Breakfast with 

Santa on three consecutive Saturdays from 

8:30-10 a.m. Call (248) 541-5717, ext. 3750, for 

reservations. 

[Sunday, December 6] 

Parade: Rochester Hometown Christmas Parade 

celebrates its 58th year. 1:45-4 p.m. through 

downtown Rochester. www.rrc-mi.com. 


Brunch: Shenandoah Country Club has a 

Christmas Brunch with buffet, live music and an 

appearance by Santa Claus. 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 

Open to members and their guests, seats are $15 

and $25. (248) 484-1392. 


Music: A cappella group Straight No Chaser, 

which includes Chaldean Sargon David Isho 

(better known as Seggie) plays the Royal Oak 

Music Theatre at 7 p.m. Tickets are $22. www. 

royaloakmusictheatre.com. The group is in the 

midst of a 50-city tour and will be featured on the 

Today Show on Christmas Day. 

[Wednesday, December 9] 

Concert: The Scintas perform at Shenandoah 

Country Club. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show 

starts an hour later. Tickets are $25-$69. 

(248) 454-1932 or (800) 745-3000. 


Great Russian Nutcracker: The 

Moscow Ballet stages a whimsical 

rendition of the Christmas classic. 

Tickets are $27.50-$100. Fox Theater, 

Detroit. www.OlympiaEntertainment.com. 

Music: CD release party of Big Boi with special 

guest performance by Monica and sounds by DJ 

Fingers and DJ David B. Doors open at 10 p.m. 

Motor City Sound Board, Detroit. Tickets available at 

Ticketmaster. 

[Friday, December 18] 

Faith Night: The Eastern Christian Re-Evangelization 

Center holds Faith Night at Shenandoah Country 

Club. 7 p.m. (248) 538-9903. 

[Friday, December 25] 

Merry Christmas! 


Christmas: St. George Chaldean Catholic Church 

holds its Christmas Party at Palazzo Grande in Shelby 

Township. The festivities include drawing the winner of 

the raffl e for the new BMW. (586) 254-7221. 


Party: Shenandoah Country Club holds its Fifth 

Annual New Year’s Eve Party. Tickets ($125 member, 

$150 guest) include appetizers, fi ve-course dinner 

and champagne toast. Entertainment is by Safa 

Dahan and Zak Baalbaki. Tickets must be purchased 

by December 30. (248) 454-1932. 

Visit our website, www.chaldeannews.com., 

for Christmas mass schedules 

B J ella 

Custom Embroidery 

& Gifts 

ewels 

Also specialize in embroidered 

shirts for the work place 

Mention coupon code: present and get 

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any one item 

Give your Christmas gift 

a Personalized Touch! 

*Swarovski embellished Mud Pie 

clothing and accessories 

*Swankie Blankie Blankets, Bibs, 

Hooded Towels, Burp Cloths, 

Diaper Clutches, etc.. 

*Jewelry Frames, Hair Bow 

Hangers and other Specialty Gifts 

248.760.0441 | bellajewelsgifts@yahoo.com | www.bellajewelsgifts.com 

Serving the Chaldean community 

for 20 years 

Gorgeous and Affordable • Shop Where The Decorators Shop 

Huge Selection of Oil Paintings 

Open 7 days a week 

20331 Mack Ave 

Grosse Pointe Woods, Mi 

Tel 313.640.1850 

www.chaundyart.com 


cn1209_0148.indd 18 

11/25/09 5:02:14 PM

Happy Holidays 

from Tapper’s 

With the ultimate selection of diamonds, 

designer jewelry and fine Swiss timepieces 

in every price range, you are sure to find 

the perfect gift for everyone on your list. 

The Gregg Ruth 

Bouquet Collection 

Cartier Ballon Bleu 

in stainless steel and in 18kt. 

yellow gold and diamonds 

Hearts On Fire 

The world’s most perfectly 

cut diamond, exquisitely set 

in 18kt. white gold 

As an added bonus, we are pleased to offer 

you 2% back on all of your purchases as part 

of our Platinum Rewards loyalty program. 

Orchard Mall, West Bloomfield . 248-932-7700 

Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi . 248-465-1800 . www.tappers.com 

Penny Preville designs 

in diamonds, pink 

tourmaline & 18kt. gold 


cn1209_0148.indd 19 

11/25/09 5:02:25 PM

Beaumont Medical Center Pharmacy 


Located Inside The Beaumont Medical Office Building On Orchard Lake Road 

Heather C. Thomas-Gallozi, R.Ph 

Registered Pharmacist 

TELEPHONE 

248-855-5505 

Dispensing a 

Healthier Life! 

• Chaldean/Arabic speaking employees • Complimentary local home delivery available 

• Centrally located in the heart of West Bloomfield 

• WE BEAT ALL MAJOR COMPETITORSPRICING INCLUDING: 

• KROGER and MEIJER ($4.00 prescription programs) • COSTCO • SAM’S CLUB 

• We accept ALL major insurances including MEDICARE PART-D 

6900 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 104 • West Bloomfield, MI 48322 

Fax: 248-855-5504 • beaumontrxwb@yahoo.com 

HALHOLE! 

[Births] 

Alexander 

We have a new baby brother, he’s 

sweet as can be, we’ll be the best 

big sisters, you just wait and see! 

Giselle and twin sisters Gabrielle 

and Isabelle are delighted to introduce 

their precious baby brother. 

Alexander made his debut into our 

lives on June 16, 2009 at 7:27 

p.m. weighing 7 lbs., 15 oz. and 

measuring 21.25 inches long. Joyful 

parents are Devin & Hala Sesi. 

Alexander is the 10th grandchild 

for Maryam & the late Korkess 

Sesi and the fourth grandchild for 

Rahim & Janet Bahri. Godfather is 

his uncle, Sam Sesi. 

Dallas Manuel 

Robert and Renee (Sesi) Shelide, 

along with big brother Joseph, are 

thrilled to welcome the newest 

member of their family. Dallas 

Manuel was born on June 17, 

2009, weighing 8 lbs., 9 oz. and 

measuring 22 inches long. Loving 

grandparents are the late Manuel 

& Hanaa Sesi and Elaine Stiller. 

Proud godparents are Cameron 

Sesi and Yvonne Sesi. Welcome 

to the world Dallas! 

Elizabeth Bria 

Emily, Andrew and Alexander 

Kado are excited to announce the 

arrival of their little sister. Ellie was 

born on July 8, 2009 at 3:48 p.m. 

She weighed 6 lbs., 8 oz. and 

measured 19 inches. Thankful and 

proud parents are Rasha & Paul 

Kado. Ellie is the seventh grandchild 

to Andrew & Itimad Kado 

and the sixth grandchild of Imad & 

Sohaila Betto. Loving godparents 

are Michael Kado and Farah Betto. 

Lourdes Mary 

Lourdes Mary was born at 4:46 

a.m. on May 25, 2009 to Bashar & 

Janfar Haio. She weighed 7 lbs., 8 

oz. and was 18 inches long. Proud 

big sisters are Tiffany and Brittany. 

Alexander 

Dallas Manuel 

Elizabeth Bria 

Lourdes Mary 

[Wedding] 

Hilda and Edmyne 

On August 8, 2009, Edmyne 

Dehko and Hilda Bahri exchanged 

their vows at St. Thomas Chaldean 

Catholic Church. Joined by family 

and friends, they celebrated their 

reception at Shenandoah Country 

Club. Edmyne is the son of Latifa 

& the late Sabah Dehko, and Hilda 

is the daughter of Rahim & Janet 

Bahri. The couple enjoyed an unforgettable 

honeymoon in Hawaii. 

Hilda and Edmyne 


cn1209_0148.indd 20 

11/25/09 5:02:35 PM

SETTING THE STANDARD 

FOR INTEGRITY 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 

By Appointment | 248.723.4300 | 708/722 N. Old Woodward | Birmingham, MI | romasposa.com 

Hair by Dane Cabrera-Elsila and Make-up by Amber Kaczmarek for Luigi Bruni Salon, Photo by Steve Ragland of Raglandstudios.com 

Stratosphere Hotel & Casino 

Planning a Christmas trip to Vegas? 

We have everything you need for an unforgettable 

getaway. Celebrate in our full-service casino, with all 

of your favorite games, including over a thousand slot 

machines and dozens of table games. Beautiful dealers 

on the casino floor make it the most exciting casino 

experience in town. We have a high limit slot room, 

and our race & sportsbook hosts racing action 

from all the major tracks around the country. 

Relax with live entertainment, an international 

spa & salon, and enjoy shopping in the Tower Shops. 

Of course, all of the Stratosphere restaurants and bars 

will be celebrating the season. And, Don’t forget to 

make reservations at Top of the World Restaurant— 

home to the best views in Las Vegas. 

702-380-7688 (office) 

702-287-0268 (cell) 

Venice Yaldo 

venice.yaldo@acepllc.com 

Middle Eastern Marketing 

www.MariasBridal.com 

2010 St. Pucchi Couture 

All Three Collections 

TRUNK SHOW 

DEC 3rd, 4th 5th 

By Appointment Only 

Maria's Bridal Couture 

6325 Orchard Rd. 

West Bloomfield, MI 48322 

(248) 539-3090 


cn1209_0148.indd 21 

11/25/09 5:02:47 PM

ask the ECRC 

RELIGION 

Keep the focus on 

Christ this Christmas 

Q: How can I get my children 

to remember the reason for the 

season, rather than focusing 

just on presents? 

A: Although most people 

know that Christmas is the 

celebration of Christ’s birth, 

it is easy to get swept up in 

everything else that the holiday 

season entails. Christmas 

is about Christ, so let us 

start with saying “Merry Christmas” 

instead of “Happy Holidays,” and get 

prepared in this season of Advent 

(the four weeks before Christmas devoted 

to preparation for the coming 

of Christ on Christmas). 

Here are a few ideas 

that I hope will help 

you to keep focus on the 

birth of Jesus, not on the 

materialistic aspect of 

this exaggerated shopping 

season. 

• The season of 

Christmas is first and 

foremost about receiving 

the gift of salvation. Read 

again the account of the 

birth of Jesus in the Gospel 

of St. Luke chapter 

two. Families can also 

have fun and bring the 

story to life by acting it 

out. Write catchphrases 

and post them around 

the house like “No room 

in the Inn” and “Glory to 

God in the highest.” This 

will help children memorize 

them and will penetrate into their 

memory for years to come. 

• Families are encouraged to 

start some traditions that enforce the 

meaning of the gift that we are getting 

by the birth of Jesus, like setting 

the nativity scene and explaining 

each character in it. 

• Sing Christmas carols to savor 

the Christmas spirit of peace and joy, 

and have a CD or a movie available 

at this time of the year. 

• Teach your kids that Christmas 

is the season of giving. Teach them 

the importance of sharing with others 

— not only when we have the extras, 

but when we might need to learn how 

to sacrifice in order to reach out to our 

brothers and sisters in Christ. 

NERAN KARMO 


CHALDEAN NEWS 

• Plan a mission project 

every Christmas season. 

Adopt a refugee family here 

or abroad for example, or 

better yet, make it Christmas 

for them all year around. 

Finally, children learn 

best by observing their parents 

as they live their faith. 

Our deeds and actions 

reflect our inner understanding 

of the true message of 

Christmas. Does our lifestyle truly project 

our belief in Jesus’ message? Are the 

choices we make guided by the spirit of 

simplicity, humility and joy? 

We all struggle to maintain our 

Set up a nativity set to remind your children of the real 

meaning of the holiday. 

focus to keep Christ in Christmas in 

the midst of increased materialism. 

Collectively as a faith community 

we can help each other not to bend 

under the worldly pressure. We can 

adopt new traditions that are simple 

and meaningful. 

Let us all pray for the courage to 

live out the true message of Christmas 

and renew in us the gift of Him 

coming and dwelling among us. 

Christ is the reason of the season 

now and forever. 

Neran Karmo is the coordinator of the 

Eastern Christian Re-Evangelization 

Center (ECRC). Visit www.ecrc.us, 

or send your questions to the ECRC 

via info@chaldeannews.com. 

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 

MOTHER OF GOD 

CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

25585 Berg Road, Southfield, MI 48034; 

(248) 356-0565 

Rector: Rev. Manuel Boji 

Parochial Vicar: Rev. Wisam Matti 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays except Tuesday, 

10 a.m.; Tuesday, St. Anthony prayer at 5 p.m. 

followed by mass at 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 5:15 

p.m. in English; Sunday: 8:30 a.m. in Arabic, 

10 a.m. in English, 12 noon in Chaldean, 

7 p.m. in English 

SACRED HEART 


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 


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 

RECENTLY 

DECEASED 

COMMUNITY 

MEMBERS 

Souad Dabish Konja 

November 18, 2009 

Najiba Khemmoro Kizi 


Hatam Yatooma 


Nidhal D. Kallabat 


Adil Toma Shaouni 


Josephine Petrus Sagman 

October 29, 2009 

Hanna Hermiz Dado 


Mary Tomas Kattula 


Gourjia Sarafa 


Mikhail Yalda Mikha 


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, 5 p.m.; Sunday: 8:30 a.m. 

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

Baptisms: 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. 

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. Baptisms: 2:30 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 

ST. TOMA SYRIAC CATHOLIC CHURCH 

2560 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48335; (248) 478-0835 

Pastor: Rev. Toma Behnama 

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

All masses are in Syriac, Arabic and English 

For a list of Christmas masses, visit www.chaldeannews.com 

Submit your loved one’s 

obituary to info@chaldeannews. 

com, or send it to Chaldean 

News, 29850 Northwestern 

Highway, Southfield, MI 48034. 


cn1209_0148.indd 22 

11/25/09 5:02:50 PM

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Please mail the form, with a check made payable to: 

The Chaldean News, Attn: Subscriptions 

29850 Northwestern Highway, Suite 250 • Southfield, MI 48034 

Phone: (248) 996-8318 • Fax: (248) 996-8386 

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cn1209_0148.indd 23 

11/25/09 5:02:59 PM

chaldean on the STREET 

What’s your favorite Christmas morning memory? 

BY CAROLINE M. BACALL 

It has been said that life gives us brief moments with others, and in some of those brief moments we 

get memories that last a lifetime. We asked shoppers and vendors at the recent Chaldean American 

Ladies of Charity’s Holiday Shopping Extravaganza to share a happy Yuletide recollection. 

Last year. Knowing that the 

closest people to me were 

coming to my house, and me 

serving them. I absolutely 

loved everything about it, 

especially doing the cooking 

and putting up decorations. I 

put up four Christmas trees! 

Olivia Dikhow, 37, 

with daughter Alexis, 15 


Pacha on Christmas morning. 

For the past three or 

four years, my sister and I 

have been making pacha because 

it’s been hard for my 

mom. Last year, we made 

over two pots and ate it for 

the next three days. 

Bushra Atisha, 49 

Commerce Township 

One Christmas morning 

when I was a kid, I would 

wake up and see that someone 

ate the cookies and 

drank the milk I left the night 

before for Santa. I would 

also see footprints on the 

floor in powdered sugar to 

make me think it was dust! 

Natasha Robin, 24 


Those Christmas mornings 

when my kids couldn’t wait 

for Santa. My husband and 

I would put all of the gifts 

right under the chimney 

unwrapped. When my kids 

woke up, they would see the 

gifts and say, “Santa really 

was here!” 

Manal Kassab, 38 


I remember one Christmas 

morning the doorbell rang. 

When I opened the door, 

I saw Santa Claus running 

away, and of course it 

was my dad in a Santa suit 

(because Santa was busy). 

When I looked down, it was a 

surprise: cockatiels in a cage. 

Tassia Hanna, 23 


Every Christmas morning 

was great. As an only 

child, I always appreciated 

waking up to my family and 

gifts. Pacha is my favorite 

food, so I look forward to my 

grandma making it for me 

every Christmas. 

Sandra Arafat, 24 

Walled Lake 

Three years ago when I got 

my first iPod. That’s what I 

really wanted. My birthday is 

right before Christmas and I 

didn’t get it for my birthday, 

so I was excited when I got it 

for Christmas. 

Loraina Yaldo, 20 


Last year was my kids’ second 

Christmas and I loved 

watching how happy they 

were, not just with the gifts, 

but with things as simple as 

playing with the wrapping 

paper. 

Tanya Tela, 28 

Commerce Township 

The Christmas morning when 

I was 8, my mom told me and 

my sister to get the laundry 

from the basement, and we 

saw a box on the dryer — it 

meowed at us! My parents 

surprised us with a kitten. 

Brittany Haio, 16 

White Lake 

My daughter’s first Christmas 

morning was memorable 

for me. She was only 

8 months at the time. I loved 

seeing her reaction with 

the colorful toys that made 

noises; it was so cute. 

Dalal Atchu, 45 



cn1209_0148.indd 24 

11/25/09 5:03:11 PM

looking BACK 

Khalid Bahoura: 

Chicken tales 

BY JOSEPH GASSO 

“ 

To this day we have not told 

a single soul,” said a now-retired 

Khalid Bahoura as he 

reminisced upon his days as a teacher in 

the village of Mosul. 

Khalid, 55 and a resident of Sterling 

Heights, always knew he wanted 

to be a teacher, a profession that was 

regarded highly in the northern villages 

of Iraq. It meant tremendous 

respect and frequent dinner invitations 

from residents of the 

villages to express their respect. 

As another long day 

was completed, Khalid and 

his colleagues made their 

way out of the school building 

only to be stopped by a 

well-respected family insisting 

they join them for dinner. 

As young male teachers 

whose highest cooking 

skill was heating soup, they 

knew they were in no position to 

decline. Dinner was a marvelous arrangement 

of some of the finest Iraqi 

dishes topped with freshly brewed tea 

and pastries for desert. By the end of 

the night the men could not decide 

whether their stomachs ached from 

overconsumption of food or from 

laughing over jokes with their dinner 

hosts. Nonetheless, it was a good 

night and an encore was surely in 

store. 

The rest of the week was work 

filled and by the time the weekend 

arrived Khalid wished nothing more 

than to rest. His bed was made and 

the white sheets looked softer than 

ever but as he was making his way 

into his bed, the phone rang. On 

the other line was the family he and 

his colleagues had dinner with a few 

days earlier — who in typical Chaldean 

fashion were calling to invite 

themselves over for dinner and social 

interaction. 

Khalid could not be disrespectful 

and therefore complied, then immediately 

called his colleagues for emergency 

assistance. An entire family 

was visiting his home the next day 

but they were unaware of his poor 

cooking skills and lack of food in his 

house. 

Khalid’s colleagues soon arrived 

Khalid Bahoura 

with cooking materials but each meal 

they attempted to make was worse 

than the previous one. Not knowing 

what to do, the men sat in silence 

and defeat when suddenly Khalid 

came up with an idea. His neighbors 

raised chickens in their backyard, so 

what better solution than to steal 

a chicken and feed it to the guests? 

Khalid’s colleagues praised him for 

his quick thinking and a plan was in 

play. The men would wait 

until midnight when the 

neighbors slept, quickly 

steal a chicken and cook it 

for the dinner guests. 

Midnight arrived and 

the men surrounded their 

target, the chicken coop. 

Khalid slowly opened the 

coop door, trying not to 

wake the chickens, and 

quickly grabbed the first 

one in sight. Chaos erupted 

as the other chickens awoke and 

began to cluck and scramble around 

the coop. The men ran as fast as they 

could back to Khalid’s house. Inside 

the house the cooking progress began 

and Khalid fell soundly asleep soon 

after. 

The dinner guests arrived on time 

the next day and were very impressed 

with the chicken dinner. A big smile 

graced Khalid’s face. The night was 

coming to a close and again Khalid 

was ready to enter his bed but was 

interrupted by some sort of yelling 

outside. He peered out his window 

and to his dismay saw his neighbors 

guarding the chicken coop and viciously 

screaming at what seemed 

like the entire neighborhood. A 

physical fight erupted and Khalid 

quickly rushed to calm his neighbors 

down. His neighbors were outraged 

because their most valued chicken 

was nowhere to be found and all the 

surrounding neighbors were being 

accused of stealing it. 

A wave of guilt passed Khalid as 

he watched the entire neighborhood 

fight over the chicken he had stolen 

but if he confessed his cover would 

be blown. In the end, Khalid kept 

the secret to himself but he hopes his 

former neighbors will read this story 

and be able to laugh about it. 

Come and experience a great dental visit. Valerie Hailo, a Chaldean and 

Arabic speaking dental assistant, will make your child’s visit fun and positive. 


cn1209_0148.indd 25 

11/25/09 5:03:21 PM

spiritual 

site 



Clockwise 

from above: 

The grotto is all 

dressed up for the 

holidays. 

A statue of the Holy 

Family is enhanced 

by the rosaries 

visitors leave 

behind. 

The stone tower 

soars up 22 feet. 

St. Bernadette 

kneels in prayer 

outside the 

structure. 

Fr. Frank Kalabat relishes the chance to sit alone in church, 

praying in quiet refl ection in front of the Eucharist – often 

late at night when his busy day fi nally nears an end. Now 

he’s thrilled that everyone has the opportunity to do the same 

at the new grotto at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church in 

West Bloomfi eld. 

“I go to the Eucharist every day and pray, sometimes at 11:30 p.m. 

or at midnight. I have a key to the church, but most people don’t,” said 

Fr. Frank. “Now they have access to adoring our Lord Jesus Christ face 

to face. That is the most profound thing about this grotto.” 

Three years in the making, the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto was 

officially blessed in mid-October. Located on the far southern end 

of St. Thomas’ parking lot, it’s carved into the side of a small hill 

that’s surrounded by a patch of woods and wetlands. The inspiration 

for the structure, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a 

week, came from the grotto at St. Mary’s of Orchard Lake. 

Built of large fieldstones, the new grotto is striking with its sloped 

“live” roof covered with vegetation and a tower that soars 22 feet 

high. Statues of the Virgin Mary and St. Bernadette grace the outside, 

as does a seven-foot-high marble statue of Jesus that was crafted 

in Italy. 

The entranceway consists of paving stones, an altar below a 

large cross impressed into the wall and memorial candles that 

visitors can light for special intentions. Behind double wooden 

doors is a circular tabernacle that exudes peace and spirituality. 

A large mosaic depicts Jesus Christ and next to that is a small 

opaque glass door beyond which lies the Eucharist. The space 

also includes a statue of the Holy Family, more memorial candles, 

and simple folding chairs and a wooden kneeler. 

Light pours in from a skylight atop the tower and a lovely 


cn1209_0148.indd 26 

11/25/09 5:03:31 PM

stained-glass window depicting the Holy Spirit. Rosaries 

and fresh flowers left behind by worshippers 

adorn the space. Originally, the grotto was to be unheated 

but it was decided near the end of construction 

to add heaters so it is comfortable during the 

winter months. 

Landscape architect Michael J. Dul, who 

owns an eponymous fi rm in Birmingham, designed 

the grotto and its landscaping. The original 

plan, he noted, was to place a much smaller 

grotto next to St. Thomas’ rectory. When that 

plan was scrapped, “I was happy,” he said. “It’s 

now more with the land.” 

Dul said he came up with the design concept 

while dining at a restaurant, then sketched it on a 

placemat to keep the idea fresh in his mind. 

“I took a cue from the land. The whole idea is that 

you walk into the hill, in a sense. It kind of waves in 

with that whole environment,” he said. “Inside the 

chamber in the tower, you’re kind of in the womb of 

the hill and feel very secure and meditative.” 

Atto Construction in Bloomfi eld Hills, owned 

by Richie and Steve Atto, was one of the contractors 

involved with overseeing the project. “It was 

a major project and I know people wondered what 

took so long, but you get so much done and then 

you have the winter months,” said Steve Atto. 

“It was a long process with people donating their 

SPIRITUAL continued on page 28 

PHOTOS BY RAMIZ ROMAYA 


cn1209_0148.indd 27 

11/25/09 5:03:48 PM

A visitor lights a memorial candle. 

PHOTO BY RAMIZ ROMAYA 

SPIRITUAL continued from page 27 

time and getting in there when they 

could.” 

Milford-based Outdoor Accents, 

which is owned by Mark and Rita 

Garmo, was hired to put in the brick 

pavers, then stayed on to install the 

landscaping. “There are a variety of 

perennials that bloom from spring to 

fall, and fountain grasses, evergreens 

and flowering shrubs with a lot of 

color,” said Mark Garmo. “A lot of 

people don’t realize how difficult 

of an installation job this was, the 

amount of concrete needed to waterand 

weatherproof that live roof. 

“In the next two to three years as 

the plants really take root and fill the 

space, it will make it look like the 

grotto is carved right into the earth,” 

he added. “It has a real nice harmonic 

balance of spiritual and natural.” 

The project was a labor of love for 

countless volunteers, said Fr. Frank, 

and many of the items, including 

the statues and stained glass window, 

were donated. Even the contractors 

who were paid put in extra hours 

above and beyond to ensure the grotto’s 

success. 

“It was a lot of people coming 

together – parishioners, the parish 

council, people donating their expertise,” 

said Fr. Frank. “Those who 

came and got involved saw something 

bigger than themselves. They 

didn’t get involved so they could get 

their names in the paper. Even on 

the day of the blessing they did not 

want their names announced. It really 

brings out the true meaning of 

building a place like this.” 

Indeed, several volunteers associated 

with the project declined to 

comment on the record to The Chaldean 

News, saying they wanted their 

good deeds to remain private. “It’s 

in the spirit of Fr. Hanna [Cheikho], 

who built St. Thomas without a single 

public [donation] name,” said Fr. 

Frank. “He started something and we 

maintained that spirit of anonymity, 

the feeling that I am doing something 

without wanting to get credit 

for it.” 

‘It was a lot of people coming together — parishioners, the parish 

council, people donating their expertise. Those who came and got 

involved saw something bigger than themselves. They didn’t get 

involved so they could get their names in the paper. It really brings out 

the true meaning of building a place like this.” – FR. FRANK KALABAT 

Dul, who is Catholic, said the 

timing is good for such a structure. 

“It means so much to everybody,” he 

said. “Everyone has a lot to pray for 

these days.” 

Fr. Frank hopes to see many visitors 

at the grotto. It’s a place, he said, 


cn1209_0148.indd 28 

11/25/09 5:03:49 PM

A Program 

to help 

YOU. 

Services are available for all age groups and focus on those who: 

• A 

re you ex p eriencing: 

• Difficulty adjusting to: 

◊ Any personal life challenges? 

◊ School environments and/or demands? 

◊ Work expectations such as loss of career? 

◊ Inability to use skills practiced in the past? 

• Upsetting thoughts or memories? 

• Loss of home, divorce, war, religious freedoms or persecution? 

• Abuse or other violence? 

• Feelings of sadness? 

• Unable to sleep? 

• Crying spells? 

• Concentrating due to nervousness and anxiety? 

The Chaldean Community Foundation can help with anyone experiencing the above concerns to those 

who have no insurance or the ability to pay. All services provided are FREE of charge. 

Services include: Medications • Transportation (needs will be assessed upon request) • Interpreters 

If you, a loved one or friend are in need of the above services, please contact: 

Jihan Daman, LLMSW 

St. John Health / Eastwood Clinics 

248-288-9333 

Najat Hamama, Outreach Coordinator 

Chaldean Community Foundation 

248-996-8340 

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY 

FOUNDATION 

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


cn1209_0148.indd 29 

11/25/09 5:04:05 PM

georgia on their minds 

Former Soviet republic gets its first Chaldean church 

The new Mar Shemmon Bar Sabbae 

Assyrian-Chaldean Religious 

Cultural Center. 


Chaldeans from around the 

world, including Patriarch 

Archbishop Emmanuel III 

Delly, gathered in Georgia for the October 

17 consecration of the nation’s 

first Chaldean-Assyrian church. 

Fr. Manuel Boji, pastor of Mother 

of God Chaldean Catholic Church 

in Southfield, made the trip along 

with Deacon Yousif Bashi and several 

clergy members from California. 

The men also visited Russia. 

The church, called the Mar Shemmon 

Bar Sabbae Assyrian-Chaldean 

Religious Cultural Center, is 

located in the capital city of Tbilisi. 

Construction began in 2002. 

Archbishop Delly baptizes a baby. 

Children celebrated their First Communion at a mass the day after the grand opening. 

Archbishop Delly elevates Fr. Benny 

Bethyadgar to Monsignor. 

Fr. Boji poses with a man named Israel, 

who years ago was exiled to Siberia for his 

Catholic faith. He worked in a labor camp 

and sustained on just a loaf of bread a day. 

The opening festivities included 

the dedication mass, baptism and 

first communion ceremonies, a performance 

by the choir and the ordination 

of Fr. Benny Bethyadgar to 

Monsignor by Archbishop Delly. 

“In 1994, Fr. Benny was like a 

missionary, starting with three or 

four people talking about Christ,” 

said Fr. Boji. During the former 

USSR’s reign of communism, religion 

was forbidden and most people 

were non-believers. While Georgia 

has 5,000 Chaldean-speaking residents, 

the new church has only 250 

members, Fr. Boji said. There is still 

much confusion about Christianity, 

he said, including the misconception 

that Mary was Jesus’ wife. 

The Diocese of St. Thomas the 

Apostle in the United States funded half 

the construction costs, Fr. Boji said. 

Patriarch Delly (in red) flanked by (from left), a relative of Fr. Benny; Fr. Benny Bethyadgar; Bishop of Urmia, Iran Mar Thomas 

Meram; Mother of God Deacon Yousif Bashi; Patriarch Assistant Fr. Shlaimon Wardoni; Fr. Noel Gorgis of California; an uncle of Fr. 

Benny; and Fr. Manuel Boji. The men are standing in front of the building entrance. 


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11/25/09 5:04:16 PM

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cn1209_0148.indd 31 

11/25/09 5:04:32 PM

life as a persian chaldean 

Bishop Ramzi Garmo talks about life for Christians in Iran 


In recent years, we have focused on 

Christian refugees who have fled 

Iraq to live in surrounding Arab 

countries, to Europe and the United 

States. One country that has not received 

any Christians in recent years, 

yet has a population of Christians living 

there, is Iran. 

Chaldeans today are living all 

over the world, assimilating to new 

countries and learning new languages. 

Not all countries have given the same 

freedoms to immigrants as the United 

States. 

Although they have the freedom 

to worship in Iran, Christians are a 

minority and life is not easy, according 

to Bishop Ramzi Garmo, who has 

been living in Iran since 1976. He was 

sent to Iran just one year after being 

ordained a priest in France because 

there was a high demand for priests. 

In 1996, he was ordained the Bishop 

after Bishop Yohanna Issayi retired. 

“Our faithful in Iran are mostly 

Assyrian Catholics with a small 

Chaldean community originally from 

Telkaif, Iraq,” said Bishop Garmo, 

who was recently visiting his family 

in Michigan for the first time in five 

years. 

The Sourath dialect commonly 

spoken is Assyrian. Masses are also 

done in Farsi, the country’s native 

tongue. His diocese is headquartered 

in Tehran at St. Joseph Cathedral. 

There are a total of seven churches 

within his diocese and only four 

priests. His parishioners are about 

600 families and 3,000 people. “We 

can practice our religion inside our 

churches but we are not allowed to 

evangelize our faith,” he said. 

All women, including Christian 

women, wear the Muslim-required 

headdress — a scarf. Today, it is a bit 

contentious in Iran ever since the 

war began in Iraq; there is a belief by 

many Christians scattered around the 

Middle East and in Iran that the U.S. 

foreign policy caused the terrorist attacks 

in Iraq and now life is chaotic 

for the Christians. In fact, Iran does 

not have a U.S. Embassy. 

Christians work and socialize with 

Bishop Ramzi Garmo has been living in Iran since 1976. 

many Muslims but do maintain their 

own culture and identity. Few interfaith 

marriages have occurred over 

the years; about four a year take place. 

The women are required to follow the 

man’s religion. 

“When the war started between 

Iran and Iraq in 1980, many Christians 

came to Iran,” said Bishop Garmo. 

“They stayed many years but a large 

group has left.” He also explained that 

he has lost many parishioners who 

now live in the United States, primarily 

in California. During his U.S. visit 

he traveled to California to spend 

time with his former parishioners. 

During this last war, Bishop Garmo 

explained that it was much easier for 

Chaldeans to flee to countries where 

Arabic was spoken. Not many Chaldeans 

speak Farsi. They traveled to 

Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. 

Christians are the largest minority 

with Jews falling in second and 

Zoroastrianism in third. Today, there 

is one Assyrian deputy in the parliament, 

two Armenian Christians and 

one Jew. 

He believes many more Christians 

will eventually leave Iran for an easier 

life. “I can’t oblige Christians to stay 

in Iran because the life is difficult,” 

said Bishop Garmo. “It is hard to find 

a job and a decent standard of living 

is costly just like in many countries in 

the Middle East.” 


cn1209_0148.indd 32 

11/25/09 5:04:39 PM

Smile 

a little every day. 

32940 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills 

(248) 855-1730 www.greis.com 


cn1209_0148.indd 33 

11/25/09 5:04:58 PM

moving on 

Shenandoah’s esteemed GM retires 


After navigating Shenandoah 

Country Club through some 

rough financial waters, General 

Manager Kamel Kassem is looking 

forward to simply gazing at them from 

his home on the Red Sea in Egypt. 

Kassem, who is also Shenandoah’s 

chief operating officer, is retiring 

at the end of this month to his home 

in Sharm el-Sheikh, a resort destination 

in his native Egypt. He plans to 

divide his time between the U.S. and 

Egypt with his new consulting company, 

KCG Management. 

“I will take it a little bit easier, 

that’s all,” said the former Mr. Egypt, 

who has made a career specialty of 

turning around troubled properties. 

Lee Sharkis, Shenandoah’s top 

chef, has been named interim general 

manager and is in the running for 

the job on a permanent basis. Before 

joining Shenandoah three years ago, 

he spent more than 15 years with the 

Andiamo restaurant group. 

“They are big shoes to fill – Kamel 

has done a great job for us,” Sharkis 

said. 

Kassem is credited with helping 

Shenandoah get expenses under 

control and improving the club’s 

food and service after an uneven first 

year of operation. When he joined 

Shenandoah in early 2006 the club 

has already had two general managers 

in its first 13 months. His biggest 

challenge was “cutting the fat 

– which we had a lot of,” Kassem 

said. 

“We were overstaffed, no doubt,” 

he recalled. 

Shenandoah’s first year of operation 

saw a $1.5 million operations 

loss; after Kassem’s first year a modest 

$7,000 to $8,000 profit was achieved. 

“I have had the best time here,” he 

said. “I’ve had a great friendship with 

a lot of Chaldean members and the 

Chaldean community is a great community.” 

This past year has been dominated 

by uncertainty as the club 

struggled to meet its deep financial 

obligations with about $24 million 

in debt. Though formal papers had 

Kamel Kassem, seen shortly after joining Shenandoah in 2006. 

not been signed by press time, it’s believed 

that Shenandoah has struck a 

favorable deal with its chief creditor 

and is back on financial track. 

“It is looking very good. Instead 

of the tsunami when I arrived, now 

it is sailing waters,” said Kassem. 

“Whoever takes over needs to keep 

it going; there will still be challenges 

with the economy so we need to be 

more creative.” 

Things were looking so bleak that 

the club had virtually no bookings for 

dates beyond April 2010 due to the 

bad publicity and fears that Shenandoah 

would be lost to foreclosure. 

“Non-Chaldean parties [booking 

the ballroom] asked me to sign the 

contract with them to guarantee that 

we will be open in 2010,” Kassem 

said. “I did it, because I know for a 

fact that the club will be around – for 

2010 and for another 100 years.” 

Intensive marketing and advertising 

efforts have paid off, Kassem said, 

and now every Friday, Saturday and 

Sunday is booked from April through 

October 2010. 

“It’s been a rough road, there is no 

doubt about it,” Kassem said. “2008 

was our best year, but 2009 was very 

shaky and rocky. The board did a 

great job keeping cool and composed 

and navigating in water infested in 

sharks.” 

Former board president Mike 

Sarafa said he hates to see Kassem 

go. 

“He stuck with us in very tough 

times, a very, very high-pressure situation, 

with tremendous dignity and 

integrity,” Sarafa said. ““He’s leaving 

the new management with a clean 

slate.” 

Neb Mekani, who is about to 

serve his second term as president, is 

also a fan. 

“Mr. Kassem has been absolutely 

amazing in accomplishing and 

achieving the goals we had,” Mekani 

said. “He walked a fine line between 

member demands and operating expenses. 

He will be missed, but he has 

made it clear that he will always be 

there to help us in any capacity we 

need.” 

Sharkis plans to offer carry-out 

and delivery and a new menu for the 

Members Dining Room, which will 

be closed for the month of January. 

“We will make it more modern with 

a Middle Eastern flair,” he said. 

Kassem said he hopes the community 

will rally around Shenandoah. 

“The club is in a very good position; 

the club is viable. This is one of the 

10 best clubs in the country in the 

way of architecture and design and 

how lavish it is,” he said. “The Chaldean 

community should be very, very 

proud of what they have, and they 

should stick together.” 


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11/25/09 5:05:01 PM

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cn1209_0148.indd 35 

11/25/09 5:05:11 PM

council connects 

with the community 

Newly elected Detroit council members meet with Chaldean businesses 


No one was arguing that the 

city of Detroit is facing major 

challenges during a November 

dinner meeting with some of 

the newly elected city council members 

and Chaldean store owners. 

“We have a lot of work to do,” 

said Saunteel Jenkins, newly elected 

council member at the Shenandoah 

Country Club event. 

The Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce organized the meet 

and greet event primarily focused on 

store owners in Detroit. “The city 

council and mayor cannot do it alone. 

We are going to come to you. We are 

onto a new beginning,” said Jenkins. 

Four new members of the council 

spoke for a few minutes to the crowd 

of about 50. They included Jenkins, 

Gary Brown, Reverend Andre Spivey 

and Charles Pugh. 

What needs to be addressed is 

how to build a stronger relationship 

between the city of Detroit and Chaldeans 

who operate businesses there and 

Martin Manna, executive director of 

Left: Jillian Semaan was Charles Pugh’s campaign manager. Above: Gary Brown makes a point. 

PHOTOS BY RAMIZ ROMAYA 

the chamber, believes it starts with educating 

people. He began with a brief 

history lesson on the community and 

the store owners. He also appropriately 

addressed the tumultuous relationship 

between former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick 

and the Chaldeans. 

“It is important that the elected 

leaders understand what it costs our 

Chaldeans to do business in the city,” 

said Manna. “We want to build a partnership 

and we understand that we 

must do our part as much as we expect 

the city’s leadership to do their part.” 

Recognizing the respected and 

successful markets, Spivey urged those 

store owners to help those who are not 

doing as good of a job running their 

businesses, and said the city council is 

ready to work with Chaldeans. 

“Some of you could have closed 

up shop, gone across 8 Mile and had 

less crime, less headache and less liability,” 

said Spivey. “We thank you 

for staying in Detroit. When you 

come to council, we will not berate 

you. We are going to work with you 

and as we tell our good stories in Detroit, 

we urge you to do the same. 

Tell your story. Together we will rid 

Detroit of the ‘food desert’ image. 

There are some underserved areas 

but we have great store owners and 

great supermarkets.” 

Gary Brown spent 10 years working 

in a supermarket, Farmer Jack, 

before he became a police officer. 

While still on the force, Brown introduced 

a program that would put more 

officers on the street and help protect 

retailers operating in Detroit. He is 

reintroducing the program, which 

would allow off-duty armed police 

officers in uniform with a scout car to 

work as security for local businesses. 

The officers, although fully equipped 

with radios to talk to dispatch, would 

actually be paid by the store owners 

during their off-duty time to protect 

the store. “This will only work if the 

city properly markets this program 

and you take advantage of it,” said 

Brown. “You can have confidence in 

city council. We are prepared to hit 

the ground running.” 

Although he no longer operates a 

business in the city, Detroit Independent 

Grocers (DIG) Co-Chair John 

Loussia agrees. “People keep telling 

us to reach out and talk about how 

we have contributed to the city,” said 

Loussia. “We cannot just complain 

every time we meet with the city’s 


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11/25/09 5:05:18 PM

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Top of page: Reverend Andre Spivey, grocer Jamal Abro, Saunteel Jenkins, Gary Brown, 

Charles Pugh and grocer Jerry Pattah Above: John Loussia, Gary Brown, Jimmy 

Marogy, Sam Garmo, Rick Farida, Steve Sattam, Mike Dikhow and Nash Pattah. 

leaders. We have a moral obligation 

to those people who have supported 

us to get involved in what goes on 

in Detroit. We want store owners 

to become part of the Detroit Independent 

Grocers group we formed, 

come to events we hold and become 

involved in the Shop Detroit Campaign, 

Clean Up Detroit and Feed 

the Hungry Campaign.” 

The council president-elect 

walked the talk before he was elected. 

Charles Pugh hired Chaldean Jillian 

Semaan as his campaign manager 

and began building his Chaldean 

relationships early. He also acknowledged 

several grocers whose businesses 

he frequents and commended 

them on their products and service. 

“I am encouraged by this last 

election,” said Pugh. “We can get 

past the division in the past and the 

stupidity that affected the relationships 

between African Americans 

and Chaldeans. We need to have 

tough conversations and we have 

stereotypes to get over.” 

Pugh will be promoting his program 

of “Year-Round Shop Detroit.” 

He is encouraging committed residents 

to shop at Detroit retailers, not 

just during the holiday season but all 

year long. “We will market the idea 

that you do not have to go across 8 

Mile to get fresh produce and excellent 

service,” said Pugh. “I look forward to 

being the champion of that message.” 

One issue raised that is a major 

concern to the Chaldean grocers is 

the fact that Meijer received significant 

incentives to open a new store 

in Detroit. Although Pugh and other 

council members believe that the city 

needs a Meijer, they also agree that 

the existing store owners already doing 

business there deserve their own 

incentives for their commitment to 

the city. 

“We just want a fair playing 

field,” DIG Co-Chair Mike Kuza told 

the new city council members. “We 

have dedicated years of our lives to 

the city, invested our own money 

and if others want to do business in 

Detroit, let them do it. We welcome 

them but not if they are going to get 

extra breaks.” 

See page 38 for our One on One 

with Charles Pugh, who has committed 

to quarterly meetings with the 

Chaldean grocers. 


cn1209_0148.indd 37 

11/25/09 5:05:27 PM

one-on-one 

Charles Pugh addresses 

Chaldean Chamber and 

Detroit Independent 

Grocer members at 

Shenandoah 

CN: What do you think are the top three misconceptions 

about Chaldean stores and their owners? 

Charles Pugh: 

‘There is no food desert here’ 

A 

familiar face to most Metro Detroiters due 

to his long career as a TV reporter, Charles 

Pugh garnered the most votes in Detroit’s 

November election for City Council. That means 

he will serve as council president when he takes 

office on January 1. 

Pugh and three of his fellow council election 

winners met over dinner with members of the 

Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce and 

the Detroit Independent Grocers at Shenandoah 

Country Club on November 17 (see page 36). Afterwards, 

he sat down with Chamber Executive 

Director Martin Manna, a Chaldean News co-publisher, 

for a chat. 

Chaldean News: What are your plans as the new Detroit 

City Council president? 

Charles Pugh: I want to continue this important 

dialogue that has been started [with Chaldean business 

owners in Detroit] because the Chaldean community 

has been vital to this community — creating 

convenience, strong neighborhoods, showing 

commitment when others either couldn’t or didn’t, 

and providing jobs. Concerns of the community 

are very important. 

When you rely on somebody, you take them for 

PHOTO BY RAMIZ ROMAYA 

granted. You don’t take the fact that, when you lobby 

for a big chain to come into town, what about all 

the people who have been here, who have invested 

and shown commitment? That is a valid concern to 

have and you won’t hear it unless you sit down and 

talk. Sometimes phone calls and emails get lost; this 

kind of face-to-face dialogue is important. 

The minority communities need to look at our 

commonalities and work with each other. I think 

both communities would be stronger. The African- 

American community and the Chaldean community 

could have a less stereotypical dialogue and a 

real dialogue. As we move forward, realize that a 

strong African-American community and a strong 

Chaldean community is a strong Detroit. So that’s 

what I am committed to. 

Plus, I like clearing up mistakes of the past. 

I like forging a new future where we are more 

open and accepting of people and realize that we 

are really in the same boat. We both really love 

Detroit and are Detroiters. We need to listen 

to these concerns and why we need to earmark 

some of those dollars to support assisting businesses 

that have shown commitment with their 

own money invested in our community, hiring 

Detroiters and providing for our community. That 

is a commitment that we need to keep and make. 

CP: That the store is not clean and the produce or 

meat is not fresh; that stores are changing the dates 

on meat and that kind of stuff. Another misconception 

is that prices are higher in Detroit stores than 

in suburban stores. Maybe another misconception 

is that Chaldean storeowners don’t pay taxes. 

That’s the kind of stuff you hear, crazy things. 

But it is not substantiated and nobody asks or 

checks up on it. It is interesting that you hear those 

things but then you don’t refute it. You know, I 

grew up in the University Foods Market. The first 

time I went there was probably 1977 or ‘78 when I 

was 7 or 8 years old. This was more than 30 years 

ago, when he was located at Trumbell and Forest. 

It was a good grocery store then, and now with the 

new location [on West Warren], it is one of the best 

grocery stores in town, period. So, you can’t refute 

that with BS rumors and misconceptions — they 

have been there a long time and shown their commitment. 

The prices are good, the service is good, 

and the produce and meat are good, the parking 

is good, it’s clean, the cooked food is good. What 

else do you want? I don’t understand how these 

misconceptions can be so pervasive. And maybe 

they’re not as pervasive as they used to be. Maybe 

the people who started these rumors are dying off. 

I think that is an old school mentality. You don’t 

see it on Facebook or Twitter. You don’t really hear 

about it anymore. 

Now my uncles and aunts, when I was little 

they used to say those things. But that was 25-30 

years ago. Today there might be remnants of that 

but there are so many examples that refute that and 

blow it out of the water. Go in the store, walk down 

the aisles, spend some money and talk about it. I 

did that before I ran. When I was a journalist on 

the radio, I was so excited about Mike’s Fresh Market 

coming [to Livernois and Seven Mile] because 

I had been to the one on Gratiot. So I always tell 

everybody to go to the store. If he fails, then everybody 

in this community fails. And that neighborhood 

in particular has to have a grocery store like 

that. I felt that it was my duty as a journalist to 

spread that message. 

It is my duty as one of the leaders of the city to 

spread the message that we need to dispel of any rumors 

and myths. And also form a new relationship 

with the people, a new financial commitment. We 

need to reprioritize the allocation of those dollars. 

A portion of those dollars should be set aside for 

those businesses that already exist, not just to the 

newcomers. 

CN: Chaldeans have been contributing to the city for 

more than 40 years yet as we already discussed, they 

feel there is a bias against them. Chain and non-Chaldean-owned 

stores have received abatements and subsidies, 

and Governor Jennifer Granholm has a plan to 

open 15 new supermarkets and grant millions to non- 

Chaldeans. What are your thoughts? 

CP: My thoughts are that the governor doesn’t 

listen. With all due respect to the governor, who 


cn1209_0148.indd 38 

11/25/09 5:05:36 PM

I think is a smart woman and works 

hard and cares, she doesn’t live 

here. The reality is that for those 

of us who do, it’s incumbent upon 

us to make sure that we do use our 

power as elected folk, and say, “With 

all due respect Madam Governor, 

I think the dollars would be better 

spent in the expansion and renovation 

of those stores that already exist.” 

If we look at a map at the coverage 

areas, we don’t need any new 

grocery stores. We might need one 

or two in some areas but why not 

offer that money to grocers that already 

exist to open second locations? 

CN: Do you believe that Detroit is a 

food desert? 

CP: Hell no, it’s not a food desert. 

People come in from out of town, 

swoop in and do these studies. Okay, 

there are neighborhoods that have to 

drive an extra 10 minutes, but that’s 

not a desert. In the very neighborhood 

where the governor had the 

news conference about the produce 

trucks delivering food is King Cole, 

one of the best grocery stores in the 

city. There was a point when it burned 

down, but it got rebuilt. I was one of 

those people that got on the radio and 

said, “Now this neighborhood is underserved 

because there is no grocery 

store.” Little did I know it was going 

to rebuild even better. I thought it was 

gone forever. Because in so many cases, 

like Lelli’s on Woodward, it burned 

down and rebuilt in Auburn Hills. So 

we have had examples of businesses 

that were destroyed by fire and then 

did not reopen. 

But there is no food desert here. 

There are areas where people may 

have to drive a little further. And people 

who have transportation problems. 

CN: We talked about the governor’s 

plan. City Council typically approves 

abatements and subsidies for new stores, 

and I know there has been talk about 

Meijer. What is your position on that? 

CP: I don’t want to knock Meijer 

– we need a Meijer; a major metropolis 

needs a store that sells everything 

and is open 24 hours. However, I 

am certainly for abatements and 

other incentives being offered to the 

stores that are here. There is nothing 

wrong with rewarding the businesses 

that are already here, enabling 

them to expand if they want or get a 

second location. Why go to another 

grocer if you can provide the grocers 

who are here with an opportunity for 

growth with some kind of tax relief? 

I am 100 percent in support of this. 

When I decided to run for council, 

one of my community engagement 

objectives was to have citizens patrol 

our neighborhood stores and protest 

if necessary. I don’t know that there 

will be a need for this if we are working 

with groups like the Chaldean 

Chamber that is very serious about 

quality, good product, good relationships 

and good environments. 

CN: What can Chaldeans do to help 

the city? 

CP: Tell your story more. You can’t 

let one bad apple spoil the bunch. 

If you have had one bad experience 

or one bad situation in one grocery 

store, you can’t hate everybody else 

with the same grudge; that’s not fair. 

CN: Have you considered a Shop 

Detroit campaign? 

CP: I am personally committed to 

that because it was one of my ideas 

anyway. I realized as a radio commentator 

that we need a concerted 

effort from our retailers to market 

the idea around Metro Detroit. I 

am committed to cheerleading for 

Detroit businesses and spending dollars 

in the city. That’s how we stay 

strong and reward the people who 

are committed to us, and it also 

keeps the neighborhood strong. 

CN: What hopes do you have in Mayor 

Dave Bing? 

CP: I pray for strength for him when 

dealing with the unions. He has a 

tough job that the council does not 

have to deal with. I pray for a strong 

vision for our city. I pray that he has 

the courage to make the decisions we 

know need to be made to balance our 

budget and create a deficit elimination 

plan. I pray for a greater spirit of 

cooperation. He has already shown 

a willingness and active outreach to 

the incoming council on many occasions. 

[Councilman-elect] Gary 

Brown and myself met with Mayor 

Bing a couple of days ago and had a 

very encouraging conversation and 

agreed that we would be agreeable 

even in our disagreements — that we 

would be mutually respectful and focus 

on the areas we all know we need 

to. It was a good beginning to our relationship. 

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chaldean connection 

Documentary explores Iraqi art and culture 

BY WEAM NAMOU 

From left: 

Saad Mesi, Wisam Arabo, 

Ala Alshakarchi and Adnan 

Yousif make up the 

new band Marhaba for 

the Iraqi Tradition. 

Iman, Hamid Dalo 

and Salah Kulato are 

interviewed by Darrel 

Cumberbatch. 

The positive aspects of life in Iraq 

before the war is the focus of an 

upcoming documentary from a 

Toronto film crew. 

The crew from Supreme Master TV 

visited Detroit on October 24 to film the 

founders and members of the Iraqi Artists 

Association (IAA), including myself. 

“We feature uplifting and meaningful 

programs and love to show the beautiful 

music, cultures and arts from various 

countries in the world,” said crew member 

Laura Park. 

Supreme Master TV is an international 

channel that broadcasts on 14 satellite 

platforms, 22 IP TV and cable networks 

worldwide as well as online. It airs a variety 

of programs in more than 60 languages 

and 40 language subtitles, including 

Arabic. Camera crews in various cities 

around the world arrange the interviews. 

The documentary is still in progress and 

no air date has yet been announced. 

The filmmakers wanted to hear all 

about the things that reflect the beautiful 

Iraqi culture – economy, relationships, 

music, arts, education, famous Iraqis and 

famous places. 

“We do not want to discuss the war, 

controversial people or topics, or anything 

that does not express the constructive 

nature of Iraqis,” said crew member 

Mona Pai. 

The majority of the interviews were 

held at the Chaldean Educational Center 

of America, located adjacent to the Sacred 

Heart Chaldean Catholic Church in Detroit. 

Darrel Cumberbatch, a man originally 

from the Caribbean, was the interviewer. 

“We believe in positive programming 

for a peaceful world,” he said. 

The crew spent more than seven hours 

interviewing people from the community, 

starting off with Fr. Jacob Yasso, who recounted 

the rich history of Iraq and the 

Chaldeans. 

“The Chaldeans had a naturalist philosophy 

– a natural observation of the 

world,” said Fr. Yasso. “They played a role 

in everything, from astrology to medicine. 

They were also known to be magicians 

and soothsayers.” 

The crew’s focus then shifted to the 

filmmakers and actors of the community, 

including myself as the co-founder 

and president of IAA. I’m working on a 

film called Green Card Wedding, a comedy-drama, 

with writer/producer/director 

Lance Kawas, my former teacher at the 

Motion Picture Institute of Michigan. 

Kawas has written 33 film scripts – 19 

of which have won awards – and is now 

working on a film with Scott Rosenfelt, 

producer of such hits as Home Alone and 

Mystic Pizza, on The Violinist, which tells 

the story of an Arab and Jewish man who 

come together through music. 

“That it’ll be the first Iraqi-American 

film to reach Hollywood makes me want 

to support it even more,” Kawa said of 

Green Card Wedding. 

Actors Sonia Diri, Iman, Salah Kulato 

and Hamid Dali were also interviewed as 

well as Adnan Namou, who is the creative 

consultant for the film. 

The film crew then focused on the 

newly formed band, Marhaba for the Iraqi 

Tradition, which is led by Ala Alshakarchi 

and managed by Adnan Asmar. 

Dressed in traditional Iraqi costumes, the 

band performed live on stage for the Toronto 

film crew. 

The band consists of two instrument 

players, Ala Alshakarchi (harp) and Saad 

Mesi (dumbug) and two singers, Wisam 

Arabo, an Iraqi pioneer singer; and Adnan 

Yousif, who sings maqam. All have participated 

in concerts with such legends as 

Kathem Al Sahir and Fouad Salem. They 

started performing live at Marhaba Restaurant 

in Farmington Hills in November 

‘We feature uplifting and 

meaningful programs and love 

to show the beautiful music, cultures 

and arts from various countries 

in the world.’ – LAURA PARK 

and will continue to do so every Saturday 

in a family-friendly atmosphere. 

“This band is a link between the 

Iraqi culture from Iraq to the one here in 

America,” said Asmar. “We’re now training 

in order to do tours.” 

The Toronto film crew also visited 

the home of Haydar Al Yasiri to view his 

art work and speak to Salam Jamil, a ceramic 

sculpture. “Both do extraordinary 

work and show an incredible passion for 

their art,” Cumberbatch said of the men. 

“Indeed,” he added, “Detroit is blessed 

with wonderful talent and people.” 


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cn1209_0148.indd 41 

11/25/09 5:06:08 PM

more 

than 

ABCs 

Chaldean 

elementary 

school teaches 

tolerance 

BY WWW.THEREDBULLS.ORG 

St. Efram Elementary students 

happily took a break from their 

school day to welcome and entertain 

some unexpected visitors. 

U.S. Soldiers from Contingency 

Operating Base Basra were greeted 

by a chorus of little voices singing the 

Iraqi National Anthem when they 

surprised the children with school 

supplies, treats and even guitars on 

October 22. The kindergartners were 

also eager to make the American 

soldiers feel at home by performing 

a couple of classics in English: “Head 

and Shoulders, Knees and Toes” as 

well as the English alphabet. 

The soldiers were surprised to 

discover that this is no ordinary elementary 

school. 

Archbishop of Basra Imad Al 

Banna explained the two schools 

sponsored by the Chaldean Church 

are the only kindergartens in the 

country to combine children of 

mixed religions in one learning environment. 

“They are the future and hope 

of Iraq,” Archbishop Al Banna said 

of the children. “It’s very important 

that they grow together with peace, 

love and good ideas.” 

By learning together, children of 

mixed religions and backgrounds set 

the groundwork for a generation that 

is more accepting of its own cultural 

differences. 

“When you teach children together 

they learn to become one nation,” said 

Archbishop Al Banna. “They learn 

more about their country and culture 

and become united. They learn to love 

and serve by love and not war.” 

As Iraq continues to develop and 

progress in spite of decades of oppression, 

violence and religious conflict, 

Archbishop Al Banna pointed out 

there is more to building a nation 

than material endeavors. 

“We now understand how to 

build bridges and hospitals. Now we 

need to understand how to build the 

human,” he said. 

St. Efram accomplishes this by 

introducing its culturally diverse students 

to a variety of subjects, including 

art, math, science, music, English, 

Arabic and other languages. 

The mixed-gender classes include 

children from Christian, Muslim 

and Sabean families. Many former 

students have gone on to pursue college-educated 

careers, such as medicine 

and engineering. They got their 

start at St. Efram Kindergarten, and 

now their children are following in 

their footsteps. 

“When they get out, they always 

have higher grades because they begin 

their education early,” said Archbishop 

Al Banna. 

Although enrollment is high, St. 

Efram lacks the classrooms and staff 

Above: Excited students welcome the 

soldiers to their classroom. 

Left: Children line up to receive treats 

and supplies from the soldiers. 

to accommodate all who apply. This 

year, 250 families wanted to register 

their children, but the school could 

only admit 165 students. The other 

school, Albeshera, has 190 students. 

There are many impoverished 

families in the area who cannot afford 

to pay tuition, but because some 

families are able to pay more, the 

community and church can provide 

needy children with the opportunity 

for an early education. 

Archbishop Al Banna believes 

“one child’s smile is worth millions.” 

The two schools sponsored by the Chaldean Church are the only 

kindergartens in the country to combine children of mixed religions 

in one learning environment. 

As the children poured out of classrooms 

onto the playground, laughing 

and showing soldiers and their teachers 

what they got in their care packages, 

the Basra community suddenly 

became very rich. 

“In the future, when these children 

know someone cared for them, 

they will care for others,” Archbishop 

Al Banna said. “It will build the 

love.” 

By www.theredbulls.org. 

Reprinted with permission of 

the Assyrian International News 

Agency (aina.org). 


cn1209_0148.indd 42 

11/25/09 5:06:10 PM

It’s all 

about 

the Spirit 

 

 

 

Every moment spent in the 

wonder of creation enriches us. 

Find it in holy prayer, in an infant’s 

sweet breath, in a snowflake 

that is like no other. This holiday 

season, re-discover your awe in 

every experience of your life. Let 

God’s handiwork take your breath 

away. Joy to a world that lives the 

holiday spirit throughout the year. 

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cn1209_0148.indd 43 

11/25/09 5:06:20 PM

ECONOMICS & enterprise 

Basketful 

of Tradition 

Chaldean treats 

make a great gift 


Ron Asmar has been selling 

gourmet baskets and trays at 

his Vineyards Deli for more 

than 25 years – but it wasn’t until this 

season, after the recommendation of 

a customer, that he’s added products 

specifically tailored to the Chaldean 

and Assyrian market. 

“I never thought of doing it,” 

confessed Asmar. “Then all kinds of 

lights started popping on.” 

A variety of food baskets and trays 

are produced on-site through Vineyards’ 

Nibbles & Nuts division, a 

business launched in 1980 

and purchased by Asmar 

in 1990. Some 7,000 to 

10,000 baskets and trays 

will be sold this Christmas 

and Chanukah season 

alone. 

The Chaldean trays 

contain a sweet variety 

of community favorites, 

including klecha, walnut-filled 

dates, baksum 

(sesame cookies), sesame 

honey bars, locum (jellytype 

sweets with nuts), 

minal sama (French-style 

toffee with nuts), Jordan 

almonds, jarez (Mediterranean-style 

mixed nuts), 

suker lema (sugar cookies), 

dried apricots and figs, and 

baklava. Prices range from $25 to 

$100. The gifts are festively wrapped 

in ribbons and bows, and each has a 

sticker depicting the Chaldean and 

Assyrian flags with the lion of Babylon 

“as a moderator in between,” Asmar 

said with a smile. 

“A lot of people are excited over 

them,” he added. 

Other baskets offered at the store 

are filled with chocolate pretzels, 

baked goods and/or gourmet foods 

and wines. Reflecting its large Jewish 

clientele, Vineyards also offers Chanukah 

baskets and wines from Israel. 

Shoppers at the store snatch up 

the baskets, but the lion’s share of 

sales comes from corporate accounts. 

In these tough times, companies that 

still send the baskets will really stand 

out, Asmar said. “It makes so much 

difference this year, and the companies 

that are still sending baskets will 

really score big,” he said. 

Most of the items not made on-site 

come from somewhere in Michigan. 

There’s even a Best of Michigan basket 

with items from Sanders, Cherry 

Republic, Carp River, Morely, and a 

chocolate map of Michigan made by 

Asmar’s wife, Maggie. 

“Why buy something from another 

manufacturer somewhere 

else?” Asmar said. “We try to keep 

the money in Michigan.” 

Vineyards’ Farmington Hills location 

is a welcoming enclave of fine 

wines, gourmet food and tempting 

chocolate treats. After owning a drug 

store in Detroit for 18 years, Asmar 

bought the location in 1984. At the 

time it was merely a 2,000-squarefoot 

party store; Asmar has expanded 

and renovated over the years and today 

the building totals 11,000 square 

feet. Customers are welcome to linger 

on the plush sofa up front or eat 

at a booth or table near the back. 

Thirty people are employed at 

Vineyards, which includes a full catering 

operation, a kosher kitchen 

and, new this past summer, an organic 

garden in back. All items are 

made fresh daily with no preservatives 

or salt, and a number of vegan 

(no animal products), gluten- and 

lactose-free items are offered. Everything 

is made fresh and on site from 

soup to bread; even the croutons in 

the salads are homemade. 

“We make everything in small 

batches like you do at home, so you 

don’t need preservatives,” Asmar said. 

Upstairs there’s a virtual factory 

where workers bake the goodies and 

assemble them in gift baskets and 

trays. There’s a shrink-wrapping machine, 

rows and rows of cardboard 

shipping boxes (the gifts have been 

sent as far as England and Australia), 

shelves of wicker baskets and trays 

made in China to Asmar’s specifications, 

and even a small studio where 

products are photographed for the 

website and catalog. Asmar is considering 

adding a new kitchen for the 

production of Chaldean and Jewish 

products at his 15,000-square-foot 

Clockwise from top: 

Ron Asmar shows off a Chaldean tray. 

Thirty-year employee Miriam Meyers 

assembles a gift tray. “When Ron bought 

the store, I came with it,” she joked. 

Chaldean and Assyrian trays come 

packed with cultural treats. 

warehouse in Oak Park. 

Asmar takes pride in helping 

out a number of charitable groups, 

including the Make a Wish Foundation, 

Alzheimer’s Association and 

Adopt-A-Refugee-Family. 

These days, Asmar is particularly 

excited about Flax Bars, a new 

health bar he and Maggie developed 

that is made with organic flax and 

oats and is 100 percent natural. “We 

introduced them a few months ago,” 

he said, “and now people are buying 

them by the case.” 

Vineyards is located at 32418 

Northwestern Highway in Farmington 

Hills. Visit VineyardDeli.com or, for 

gift items, NibblesandNuts.com. 


cn1209_0148.indd 44 

11/25/09 5:06:28 PM

in the KITCHEN with 

Haresa (Barley Soup) 

INGREDIENTS 

35 Cups Water 

4-5 Pounds Beef Chuck Roast 

2 Chopped Onions 

4 Cups Barley 

4 Tablespoons Salt 

2 Teaspoons Black Pepper 

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon 

3 10 oz. Cans Chick Peas 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Add water, salt, onion and meat to stock 

pot. Bring to a boil. Add barley and cook 

for an hour over the stove. Set oven 

temperature to 320 degrees. Add the 

cinnamon, black pepper and more water if 

necessary to top off. Then cover the stock 

pot and bake in the oven overnight. In the 

morning, remove the bones from the meat 

if applicable. Then, add the chick peas 

along with half of the liquid in each can. 

If consistency needs adjusting, stir in hot 

water and check salt and spice content 

before serving. 

Ferial and Mahasin Kassa’s 

Christmas Favorites 

BY MARK KASSA 

Keeping up with traditions cultivates a 

deeper-rooted culture in our younger generations. 

Through different times people 

evolve accordingly. In many instances, everyday 

life takes a hold of us and our families, and it’s 

difficult to keep up with what got us here in the 

first place. 

Many of the oldest traditions have been the 

most respected over time; that is why they still 

exist. Although the reason can be distorted, it has 

to be the youth that trusts the older generations 

enough to keep the old country heritage alive. If it 

cannot be done on a consistent basis, then those 

traditions must be embraced during the holidays. 

With Christmas upon us, a couple of perfect 

examples of those long-passed-down traditions in 

the food category are Klecha and Haresa. 

Not that it should come as a shocker considering 

my culinary background, but while I was a 

young child growing up I was not like others in 

that I enjoyed trying new foods and lots of them. 

But there were two things my paternal grandmother 

knew that I did not particularly like to 

eat. It’s not to say that I would not try them, but 

Klecha and Haresa were ironically on that extremely 

short list. 

Now, many years later, I have found myself 

in the kitchen with Ferial, wife of George 

Kassa, and Mahasin, wife of Joseph Kassa, both 

of whom attribute a great deal of their cooking 

knowledge to the same woman as my dad’s maternal 

grandmother — my great grandmother, 

Habouba. Therefore, in a sense, here I was eating 

the same Klecha and Haresa that I avoided 

as a kid. The differences are my more mature 

palate of course, but mainly a deeper sense of 

the importance of this great food culture. 

These two sisters-in-law have a very typical 

story. As well-recommended Chaldean girls 

in Telkaif, they both were discovered through a 

related source, Masair Saint Paul, who was their 

soon-to-be husbands’ sister’s sister-in-law teaching 

religion class in Telkaif. 

The two Kassa brothers, having been born 

and raised in Detroit, went over to Iraq for the 

first and last time in 1963. George describes the 

experience as “uprooting” for the young wives, 

who only a couple months after their joint wedding 

in Iraq were to leave and never even have a 

slight return. Although with the solid enclave we 

Chaldeans have in the Detroit area, many of Ferial 

and Mahasin’s relatives and friends who were 

not already in Michigan already would eventually 

end up here. 

Forty-six years, four children and 12 grandchildren 

later for each family, Ferial and Mahasin are 

still preparing Klecha together. Both staple foods 

during the Christmastime celebration, Haresa is 

usually eaten after midnight mass on Christmas 

Eve and the morning thereafter, while Klecha is 

snacked on during various times throughout the 

three days of holiday celebrating with family. 

For this Christmas, Ferial and Mahasin have 

collaborated in providing their simple yet delicious 

passed-down recipes. 

Mark Kassa has a bachelor’s degree from Michigan 

State University and a culinary arts degree from 

Schoolcraft College. He currently helps operate 

the grocery and meat departments at While Lake 

Supermarket. To have your dish featured in In the 

Kitchen With, drop a line to info@chaldeannews.com. 

PHOTO BY DAVID REED 

Mahasin and 

Ferial Kassa 

ladle up a treat 

for Mark Kassa 

Klecha (Date-Walnut 

Stuffed Cookies) 

INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH 

5 Pounds All Purpose Flour 

1 ¾ Pounds Melted Unsalted Butter 

1 Cup Melted (but not liquefied) Crisco 

Shortening 

3-3 ½ Cups Warm Water 

½ Cup Sugar 

1 Teaspoon Cardamom 

1 Package of Dry Yeast 

1 Teaspoon Salt 

1 Cup Egg Wash (1 egg whisked with a 

couple drops of water and 1 drop of yellow 

food dye) 

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING (1) 

3 Pounds Ground Walnuts 

2 ½ Cups Sugar 

1 Heaping Teaspoon Cardamom 

¼ Cup Rose Water 

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING (2) 

3 Pounds Dates 

1 Pound Walnuts 

1 Heaping Teaspoon Cardamom 

INSTRUCTIONS 

In 13-quart mixing bowl, combine dry 

ingredients. Smooth the butter and Crisco 

together and hand mix with the dry ingredients. 

Then add the water and knead the 

dough. Form into one big ball. Cover in 

plastic wrap and a towel allowing one hour 

for it to rise. 

After the dough rises, put small rolled 

balls in the cuff of your hand and stuff 

with the well-mixed walnut filling (1). With 

leftover dough, roll flat. Also, in between 

two sheets of plastic wrap, roll flat filling 

(2). Remove plastic. Place on top of rolledout 

dough. Then roll out and slice into 

date-swirled cookies. Place cookies on a 

baking sheet with a wax paper liner. Brush 

with egg wash and bake in oven on 350 

degrees for a half hour. 


cn1209_0148.indd 45 

11/25/09 5:06:30 PM


cn1209_0148.indd 46 

11/25/09 5:06:38 PM

chaldean for KIDS 

Christmas Greetings! 


Give your grandparents the greatest 

Christmas present ever – 

cn_1208_0160 1/22/09 3:12 PM Page 53 

greet them in Chaldean! Hurry – 

you have a few weeks to get these 

chaldean for KIDS 

expressions memorized 

in time for the big day. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

What better way to celebrate Christmas than learning some 

Chaldean words pertaining to the holiday? 


“LOOK AT 

HOW BEAUTIFUL 

THE TREE IS” 

“Khor ma khleetha 

eela hee-la-nah” 

“MERRY 

CHRISTMAS” 

“Ethokhoon 

breekha” 

Snow: 

tell-ga 

“JESUS 

IS BORN” 

“Ee-shoa 

hweli” 

“LET’S LEAVE MILK AND 

COOKIES FOR SANTA” 

“B’shokookh khilya 

(haleep) ew koolachi 

te Baba Noel” 

“I HOPE 

SANTA COMES” 

“Inshalla b’dathi 

Baba Noel” 

Chaldean for Kids is a series of books designed to teach the 

Chaldean language through English. Available titles include 

Volume 1 - Numbers, Colors, Parts of the Body, Prayers; 

and Volume 2 - Animals, Clothing, Food, Nursery 

Rhymes. All books are hardcover and include an audio CD 

to ensure correct pronunciation. Visit www.chaldeanforkids.com. 

Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. 

PRONUNCIATION KEY 

h = 

s = 

t = 

th = 

th = 

hard h sound, 

no English 

equivalent 

hard s sound, 

no English 

equivalent 

hard t sound, 

no English 

equivalent 

hard th sound 

as pronounced 

in THE 

soft th sound as 

pronounced 

in THING 

gh = 

kh = 

rr = 

ll = 

gurgling sound, 

no English 

equivalent 

clearing of the 

throat, no English 

equivalent 

rolling r sound, 

similar to a cat 

purring 

soft l sound 

often found in the 

French language, 

no English 

equivalent 

All other letters follow traditional sounds and patterns found 

in the English language. All words were formulated by 

breaking sounds apart into syllables and choosing the most 

effective pattern for each to ensure accurate pronunciation. 

Chaldean for Kids is a series of 

books designed to teach the Chaldean 

language through English. Available titles 

include Volume 1 - Numbers, Colors, Parts 

of the Body, Prayers; and Volume 2 - 

Animals, Clothing, Food, Nursery Rhymes. 

All books are hardcover and include an 

audio CD to ensure correct pronunciation. 

Visit www.chaldeanforkids.com. 

Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. 


cn1209_0148.indd 47 

11/25/09 5:07:13 PM

classified listings 

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sq. ft.. Contact George or Patricia, 

(313) 259-6720. 

BUILDING FOR LEASE 

PRIME LOCATION FOR BRIDAL 

SHOP OR ALTERATIONS 

2,000 sq. ft. Excellent location next 

to tuxedo shop. Livonia - Plymouth 

Road west of Farmington Road. 

(734) 525-0020. 

SERVICES OFFERED 

BUSINESS FOR SALE W/EQUIP. 

1,600 Sq. Foot Restaurant 

Complete with Hookah, 

Arabic Food & Ice Cream. 

Contact Jerry @ 248-761-3442 

PARTY STORE W/LIQUOR 

LICENSE 

on Novi Road & Grand River in 

Novi. Contact George or 

Patricia, (313) 259-6720. 

BEST PRICES 

On all home improvement and 

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LIQUOR LICENSE 

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Call (313) 574-2494 ask for Abdo. 

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6635 Orchard Lake Road 

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Cigar Bar Coming December 20 th 

Wholesaler/Retailer, Cigar Tastings, 

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cn1209_0148.indd 48 

11/25/09 5:07:20 PM

PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS 

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26075 Woodward, Suite 200 

Huntington Woods, MI 48070 

Office: (248) 548-4400 Ext. 208 

Fax: (248) 548-8775 

Cell Phone: (248) 790-9366 

E-mail: mikebahry@remax.net 

SHORT SALE SPECIALIST 

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IN OUR NEW BUSINESS DIRECTORY SECTION! 

To place your ad, contact us today! 

PHONE: (248) 996-8360 FAX: (248) 996-8342 

29850 NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY, SUITE 250 • SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034 

ww.chaldeannews.com 


cn1209_0148.indd 49 

11/25/09 5:07:30 PM

from the archives 

1 

Remembering 

the Chaldean 

American 

Youth Club 

BY DAVE NONA 

Top of page: 

Members of the Chaldean American Youth Club pose for a picture in 

1973 – when moustaches and white shoes were apparently all the rage 

First row: Wadi Yono, Najah Kajy, Zuhair Karmo, Mouafak Karmo, 

Fawzi Dalli and Showki Konja 

Second row: Janette Shallal, Sajida Atisha, Gloria Saffar Kassa, 

Nadia Dickow Karima, Carol Khami, Ann Oram and Helena Kassa 

Third row: Dave Nona, Ismat Karmo, Nazar Stephan, Nabeel Yousif, 

Amer Asmar, Najib Konja, Saher Haddad, Augeen Kalasho, Imad Zeer, 

George Kalabat, Samer Kassab, Mukhles Karmo and Dhia Babbie 

Fourth row: Adel Sesi, Jamal Kalabat, Mike Kassa and Ray Saffar 

Above: 

The club 

was founded 

in 1972 

by Ronnie 

Asmar (left), 

Dave Nona, 

Janette 

Shallal, Wadi 

Yono and 

Thomas 

Thomas. 

2 

These historic photos show people you may 

presently know but may have difficulty 

recognizing because of the impact of the 

ravages of time on their youthful features. It is interesting 

to note that many of the young men and 

women who were active in the Chaldean American 

Youth Club have moved on and continued to 

be active in other community organizations, and 

even helped found new ones that have made a difference 

in the community. 

I hope that our present-day youth organizations 

such as CASA (Chaldean American Student Association, 

with chapters in most local college campuses) 

and E’rootha will be instrumental in nurturing 

and mentoring future leaders for the existing and 

new organizations that are necessary to meet the expanding 

needs of our community, and to deal with 

the tragic plight of our people in and out of Iraq. 

We invite those in this photo, or those who know 

someone who appears, to write us about their 

reflections on change and the passage of time. Send 

an email to info@chaldeannews.com, or write to 

Chaldean News, 29850 Northwestern Highway, 

Suite 250, Southfield, MI 48034. 


cn1209_0148.indd 50 

11/25/09 5:07:39 PM

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Super Premium Bar Available for an Additional $3.95 per Person 

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* For more information call Rhonda Foumia at (248) 454-1933 or Haroon Chaudhry at (248) 454-1927 

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* All Prices Subject to Change without Notice 


cn1209_0148.indd 51 

11/25/09 5:13:43 PM

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cn1209_0148.indd 52 

11/25/09 5:08:02 PM

DECEMBER 2009

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