OCTOBER 2023

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY VOL. 20 ISSUE IX OCTOBER 2023 

Verdict 

in Iraq 

IRAQI SUPREME 

FEDERAL COURT 

UPHOLDS 

ALCOHOL 

BAN, LEAVING 

MINORITIES 

BEHIND 

Featuring: 

Fighting for the Underserved 

Sureth in Schools 

In the Beginning There Was Beer

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4 CHALDEAN NEWS OCTOBER 2023


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METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY | OCTOBER 2023 | VOL. 20 ISSUE IX 

ON THE COVER 

20 Verdict in Iraq 

Alcohol ban in Iraq leaves 

minorities behind 

By Cal Abbo 

FEATURES 

22 Rights of Religious 

Minorities in Iraq 

By Weam Namou 

24 Changing Education 

Chaldeans have changed 

how Michigan learns 

By Cal Abbo 

20 

28 Sureth in Schools 

Keeping the language alive 

By Cal Abbo 

32 The Great School Initiative 

Parents organizing for change 

By Weam Namou 

DEPARTMENTS 

8 From the Editor 

Falling Back 

By Sarah Kittle 

10 Guest Column 

Dating While Chaldean 

By Beshar Shukri 

12 Foundation Update 

Scholarships, Little Scholars, 

New Americans 

14 Noteworthy 

Commander Jason Abro, Rana 

Roumayah, Samantha Jarbou 

16 Chaldean Digest 

Cardinal seeks Vatican support, 

Gumma Family update, Tamara Mechael 

18 In Memoriam 

19 Obituary 

Dr. Salim Mansoor 

42 Chaldean Kitchen 

Aida Yousif’s “Mommy’s Salad” 

By Z.Z. Dawod 

44 New Americans 

Bushra Hormis 

46 Family Time 

Nontraditional Halloween 

By Valene Ayar 

48 Event 

Chaldean Community Foundation Gala 

Photos by Wilson Sarkis 

50 Chaldean Scene 

Back to School Photos 

Submitted by Readers 

34 Brand Love 

Lydia Michael’s new book 


36 Fall Color Tour 

Where to go to see the blaze of color 


40 Culture & History 

In the Beginning: Mesopotamian Beer 

By Dr. Adhid Miri 

16 


FROM THE EDITOR 

PUBLISHED BY 

Chaldean News, LLC 

Chaldean Community Foundation 

Martin Manna 

EDITORIAL 

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

Sarah Kittle 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Cal Abbo 

Valene Ayar 

ZZ Dawod 

Dr. Adhid Miri 

Weam Namou 

Beshar Shukri 

ART & PRODUCTION 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

PHOTOGRAPHERS 

Alex Lumelsky 

Wilson Sarkis 

SALES 

Interlink Media 

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CLASSIFIEDS 

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Subscriptions: $35 per year 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

Story ideas: edit@chaldeannews.com 

Advertisements: ads@chaldeannews.com 

Subscription and all other inquiries: 

info@chaldeannews.com 

Chaldean News 

30095 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 101 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

www.chaldeannews.com 

Phone: (248) 851-8600 

Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); 

Published monthly; Issue Date: October 2023 

Subscriptions: 12 months, $35. 

Publication Address: 

30095 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 101, 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334; 

Permit to mail at periodicals postage rates 

is on file at Farmington Hills Post Office 

Postmaster: Send address changes to 

“The Chaldean News 30095 Northwestern 

Hwy., Suite 101, Farmington Hills, MI 48334” 

Falling Back 

Autumn is a time of contemplation; it is 

when we take stock of where we are and 

perhaps re-evaluate and adjust our trajectory 

for the future. For many, it seems like an end – 

the end of summer, the end of the season, the end 

of the year drawing to a close. Early next month, 

on the 5th of November to be exact, our clocks will 

turn back for perhaps the last time, if opponents of 

Daylight Savings Time (DST) have their wish. 

But “falling back” is not necessarily a bad 

thing. Sometimes, falling back means taking extra 

time to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells 

along the way. Here in Michigan, the spectacular 

colors of the trees’ changing hue is 

unmatched, save for a few New England 

states. Fall produce like apples and cranberries 

grace our orchards before they grace 

our tables. You can literally smell the earth 

in the fall in Michigan. How lucky we are to 

live here! 

You may know that we are advocating for the return of 

property to Christians from Iraq who have been displaced 

and their lands and homes confiscated. Weam Namou writes 

about a Chaldean political activist named Diya Butros Sliwa, 

who recently gave a talk hosted by the Iraqi Human Rights 

Society in the US. Sliwa has been fighting for the rights of 

religious minorities in Iraq for more than two decades and 

takes the ruling government in Iraq to task for neither protecting 

them nor the women and children who live in the 

community. 

Our cover story this month tells the sad story of an alcohol 

ban in Iraq that will stifle the productivity and livelihood 

of many Christians still living there. For some, this is seen as 

another way to oust them from the country and take what is 

theirs. Add the fact that the Chaldean Patriarch has removed 

himself to Erbil and you have another recipe for disaster. 

Speaking of recipes, Chaldean Kitchen returns this 

month with a special dish. Aida Yousif invited CN staff into 

her home and shared with them the recipe for “Mommy’s 

SARAH KITTLE 

EDITOR 

IN CHIEF 

We are advocating for the return of 

property to Christians from Iraq who have 

been displaced and their lands and homes 

confiscated. 

Salad.” It is fresh, healthy, and fulfilling – but don’t 

tell the kids! 

And of course, October means Halloween and 

trick-or-treating for some. Our Family Time article 

focuses on the hocus-pocus of it all but in nontraditional 

ways, like hosting scary movie nights or 

making your own haunted house. If you don’t want 

your kids trick-or-treating, we have options. 

Parents having options is what the article about 

the Great School Initiative (GSI) is about. Parents 

had issues with certain school mandates and organized 

to make their protests known. The GSI was born and 

is gaining momentum. Educational content and curriculum 

can be changed, it just takes time and perseverance. Which 

is what the champions of Sureth in schools have demonstrated 

in their push to include the language in the local 

school system. It happened in Illinois and may be happening 

here soon. 

Fall is also a great time to fall in love, although the road 

to happily ever after may have some potholes. Beshar Shukri 

(first-time writer!) shares his tale of speed dating in a guest 

column. Lydia Michael’s new book, Brand Love, just came 

out and it is a great read. 

Turn the page for more, fall back into the cushions and 

enjoy! 

Sarah Kittle 

Editor in Chief 

CONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY. 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHALDEAN NEWS 

AND FOLLOW CN ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 


PUBLISHER'S CIRCLE 

Join the 

Publishers Circle 

As the publication of record for Michigan’s 

Chaldean community, the mission of the 

Chaldean News is to preserve and archive 

Chaldean heritage and history, and to tell the 

ongoing story of Chaldean contributions to the 

communities in which we live and work — in Michigan 

and around the world. 

Since being acquired by the Chaldean Community 

Foundation in 2019, the Chaldean News has substantially 

increased its readership and social media following, 

introduced new digital and website content, and expanded 

storytelling with the help of small grant funding. 

The Publisher’s Circle initiative empowers community members 

to provide major support for the Chaldean News and its 

important mission. With the generous help of individuals and 

organizations, together, we can ensure that this vital resource 

continues to educate and connect the community, while 

evolving to meet the needs of future generations. 

The Chaldean News has ambitious plans which include 

launching a CN app and continuing to expand into new 

media such as radio and TV, all with the goal of preserving 

our culture and telling the story of our people. You 

can take part in helping to preserve your Chaldean 

heritage by joining the Publisher’s Circle today. 

Jibran “Jim” Manna 

Martin and Tamara Manna 

Sylvester and Rita Sandiha 

We are grateful for the generous and 

continuing support of our community. 

To learn more, visit chaldeannews.com 

or contact us at 248-851-8600 

Let’s grow the circle. 

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2023 CHALDEAN NEWS 97

GUEST COLUMN 

Dating While Chaldean 

BY BESHAR SHUKRI 

The topic of dating is 

highly debated and 

ever changing; this 

comes as no surprise because 

it is a universal experience. 

Most of us have dated, will 

date, or are currently dating. 

However, this idea of dating 

is rather new to the Chaldean 

community, when compared 

to the “courting” our parents 

experienced. 

An outdated and antiquated 

practice was once the 

common way of winning the approval 

of your desired mate. However, “dating” 

in its current definition is getting 

to know someone without making 

commitments. This viewpoint and 

technology have led us to the hook-up 

culture we see in the West. What was 

once deemed uncouth has now become 

the norm. 

As Chaldeans began to immigrate 

to America, we were an insulated community; 

it took time for the culture 

to seep into our lives. Nevertheless, 

within a few generations we have seen 

the same issues that plague other communities, 

such as divorce, infidelity, 

and miscegenation (a fancy word for 

marrying outside of your ethnicity). 

Miscegenation is not as negative as 

the other examples I used; however, 

every example was, and still in some 

way is, a foreign idea to the Chaldean 

community. 

It is expected that we stay faithful, 

never divorce, and marry a fellow 

Chaldean—even better, someone from 

the same village as our ancestors. To 

demonstrate how quickly our ways 

have changed, just two to three generations 

ago, our grandparents or greatgrandparents 

had arranged marriages. 

In our parents’ generation, that 

quickly changed to recommendations 

and approval from the family. Now, 

mine and younger generations have 

the choice to marry whom we please, 

though it is more advantageous if our 

family approves. I believe it is more 

challenging to find a suitable partner 

precisely because we have more freedom 

to choose. As the saying goes, 

BESHAR 

SHUKRI 

SPECIAL 

TO THE 

CHALDEAN 

NEWS 

“Freedom comes at a price.” 

In my experience of dating, 

I had many misconceptions 

about our community. 

For Chaldean men, I thought 

you were meant to have your 

fun dating but then marry a 

Chaldean girl. For Chaldean 

women, I thought they were 

to remain pure and find a 

successful Chaldean man to 

wed. I did not think that I 

would find a Chaldean woman 

who was interested unless 

I was well-off and could provide a certain 

lifestyle. 

Considering how much money we 

spend on weddings, I figured I wasn’t 

too far off. I looked elsewhere for some 

time then started to engage with our 

community more. I realized I was projecting 

my concerns onto the entire 

community instead of seeing individual 

Chaldeans. 

Recently, on the recommendation 

of my coworkers, I decided to try 

Chaldean speed dating. It seemed odd 

and very new culturally, but I asked 

myself, “What’s the worst that could 

happen?” Much to my surprise, it went 

well. 

The interactions were fun and 

lively and I was floored how many of 

my preconceived notions were shattered. 

I saw a different side of my community 

that I thought never existed, 

one where income was not the focus. 

Though I am still single, I have new 

hope that courting, and the old ways 

of our culture will not be relegated by 

expectations and the pressures of our 

families. I rather hope that it will be 

the wisdom we carry and the love we 

have for one another that will bring us 

successful marriages. 

To summarize which way is best, 

I leave that to you—the reader—to decide. 

Whether it is to return to the villages 

to find a wife like our ancestors 

did, or work within the Western dating 

construct and find a wife among the 

masses. Either way, “The man who 

finds a wife finds a treasure and he receives 

favor from the LORD.” (Proverbs 

18:22). 


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FOUNDATION UPDATE 

Falling into the 

School Year 

To meet the needs of the community, the CCF’s Early 

Childhood Development program has expanded its 

class offerings to include Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten. 

Additionally, GED classes have doubled in 

class size due to increasing enrollment in the program. 

There is still time to register for classes including: 

GED, ESL, and Citizenship Preparation classes. For 

more information on the classes, contact Rachel Hall 

by calling 586-722-7253 or emailing to rachel.hall@ 

chaldeanfoundation.org. 

Congratulations to the CCF’s 2023 Scholarship Winners. 

Honoring Chaldean Scholars 

The CCF experienced a recordbreaking 

year, awarding 33 scholarship 

recipients with a total of 

$103,500 in scholarships at our 

Scholarship Award Reception on 

August 24. 

The CCF has a large donor 

based of donor families and 

businesses including: w3r Consulting, 

Yvonne Nona Memorial 

Scholarship Fund, Drs. Nathima 

and Peter Atchoo Family Foundation 

Scholarship Fund, the 

Abdul Karim and Jameela Sesi 

Memorial Scholarship Fund, 

Derek Dickow and the Children’s 

Health Fund at the Children’s 

Foundation, DA Advisory Group, 

and Alline Salon Group. 

For more information on our 

scholarship program and how to 

contribute to our Karim and Bernadette 

Sarafa General Scholarship 

fund, visit chaldeanfoundation.org 

and search Scholarship 

Program. 

Scholarship donors left to right: Nona Family, Patrick Tomina, 

Andrew Dakki, Matthew Abbo and Derek Dickow. 

The CCF Little Scholars program. 

What it Means 

to be Chaldean 

CCF President Martin Manna was interviewed on 

Sunday Edition with Alisa Zee to discuss the Chaldean 

community and the triumphs and trials the 

community has faced. 

In the 20-minute, 2-part interview, Martin Manna 

also discusses the origins of the Chaldean American 

Chamber of Commerce and the Chaldean Community 

Foundation, what it means to be Chaldean, and the 

current state of the Chaldean community in Iraq and 

other areas. 

You can watch the interview on the Chaldean 

Community Foundation’s YouTube page. 

Celebrating 

New Americans 

The newly designated American citizens received 

certificates of the Citizenship class completion and 

had the opportunity to meet with and speak to Sterling 

Heights Mayor Michael Taylor. Then they began 

the process of becoming registered voters with help 

from the Sterling Heights City Clerk’s office. Attendees 

also had the ability to fill out sample ballots and 

use a tabulator to get familiar with how voting works 

during election cycles. 

This year, the Chaldean Community Foundation 

helped to file 1,654 immigration applications for prospective 

new Americans. 

34 new American citizens were celebrated in front of friends and family for achieving their citizenship on 

September 14 at the Chaldean Community Foundation. 



NOTEWORTHY 

Jason Abro 

Named 

Supervisor 

of the Year 

On September 10, 

members of local 

law enforcement 

were honored during 

the Brighter 

Michigan PAC’s 

America Safety First 

event held at Jimmy 

John’s Field. The political action 

committee honored Macomb County 

Sheriff Anthony Wickersham as Law 

Enforcement Administrator of the 

Year and Macomb County Sheriff Commander 

Jason Abro as Law Enforcement 

Supervisor of the Year. 

Commander Jason Abro was the 

first Chaldean-American hired by the 

Macomb County Sheriff’s Office and 

has stood out as an exemplary officer. 

He has been cited several times for 

going above and beyond and was involved 

with saving the life of a nearly 

drowned toddler earlier this year. 

Rana Sadek 

Roumayah 

Joins 

Honigman 

Honigman LLP announced 

that Rana 

Sadek Roumayah has 

joined its Labor and 

Employment Department 

as a partner in 

the firm’s Detroit office. 

Roumayah joins 

Honigman after working for the National 

Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for 23 

years. At the NLRB, she developed an expertise 

in traditional labor law and other 

aspects of employment law. Specializing 

in case analysis, strategic planning, negotiations, 

and compliance, Roumayah 

has litigated, negotiated, and tried hundreds 

of cases. 

“We are delighted to welcome Rana 

as a partner to our firm,” said Sean 

Crotty, Chair of Honigman’s Labor 

and Employment Department. “Her 

vast experience in traditional labor 

law and her perspective in counseling 

employers will add tremendous value 

to the team, further strengthening our 

ability to provide the highest level of 

service to our clients.” 

Samantha 

Jarbou Shines 

Samantha Jarbou 

graduated salutatorian 

of her class at 

Clio High School, 

where her family 

are the only Chaldeans. 

She was 

vice president of 

Student Council and the National 

Honor Society and the president of 

Clio High School’s Youth Entrepreneurship 

Club for 4 years. Samantha 

is active in the National Foundation 

for Teaching Entrepreneurship, also 

known as NFTE. She invented the 

“Vest Pack” and the “Handy Ottoman” 

which took her to win the local, 

state, and national competitions 

in New York City, the first student 

from Michigan to get that far. She 

participates in HOSA (Future Health 

Professionals of America), a global 

student-led organization that enhances 

students’ leadership, development, 

and communication skills. 

Samantha’s talents and skills have 

earned her many merits and attention; 

she was named “Best and the Brightest” 

on the news station WNEM and 

marched in the Rose Bowl Parade on 

New Years Day. She is majoring in 

Biology with a concentration in Pre- 

Medicine this coming fall and plans to 

become an orthopedic surgeon. 


The Hey U Vote 

Campaign was 

launched in 2017 

by the Chaldean 

Community 

Foundation (CCF) 

to aid individuals 

with non-partisan 

voter registration. 

The goal of the Hey 

U Vote campaign 

is to encourage the 

Chaldean community to 

get out and vote. The CCF 

also offers the service of 

registering individuals to 

vote in our office daily. 

U 

TE 

TO REGISTER TO VOTE, YOU MUST 

BE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: 

• A U.S. Citizen 

• At least 18 years old by Election Day 

• A resident of Michigan 

• A resident of the city or township where 

you are applying to register to vote 

REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE: 

• It is your fundamental right 

• Vote on issues that matter to you and your family 

• Voting ensures that your opinion is taken into account 

• Participate in the decisions that shape our future 

• Personal empowerment 

• Strengthen your social ties 

REGISTER 

TO VOTE HERE: 


CHALDEAN DIGEST 

In this Sunday, April 14, 2019, file photo, Cardinal Louis Raphael I Sako addresses the faithful during the Palm Sunday 

service at Mar Youssif Church in Baghdad, Iraq. 

Cardinal seeks Vatican support to 

regain recognition in Iraq 

Iraq’s Chaldean Catholic Cardinal 

Louis Sako said he would like more 

Vatican support as he tries to regain 

formal recognition as the Chaldean 

patriarch in the country. As reported 

in an earlier edition of the Chaldean 

News, Iraqi President Abdul Latif 

Rashid revoked Cardinal Sako’s decree 

as head of the Chaldean Catholic 

Church in Iraq in July. This action has 

been viewed as a usurpation of the 

clergyman’s position as the officially 

recognized head of Iraq’s Catholic 

Chaldean Church as well of his position 

and powers to administer the 

Chaldean religious endowment, including 

church properties. 

Both the Cardinal and media in 

Iraq say the action was likely instigated 

by Rayan al-Kildani, a leader of 

a nominally Chaldean Catholic militia 

Sterling Heights family speaks out about tragic fatal 

accident and road to recovery moving forward 

in Iraq, the Babylon Brigades, closely 

tied to Iran. Its political wing holds 

four seats in parliament out of five reserved 

for Christian candidates. 

“I want the Vatican also to take a 

strong position,” Cardinal Sako remarked 

on an online press conference 

September 19, referring to the fact that 

al-Kildani posted a photo of himself 

with the Pope on social media, intending 

to show they are aligned. 

“There was a very brief note to 

say that the pope did not see him privately,” 

Cardinal Sako commented, 

referring to a mid-September communique 

to journalists, in which Matteo 

Bruni, Vatican’s spokesman, is quoted 

as responding to journalists’ questions 

that, “His Holiness Pope Francis 

greeted some of the people present, as 

is customary” during the September 6 

Faith Gumma was killed on August 12 

in Sterling Heights when the car she 

was in with her family was struck by 

a teen driver fleeing police. Her son, 

Elijah, survived largely unscathed but 

her husband Norman has been in intensive 

care ever since. 

Patrick Rabban is Norman Gumma’s 

cousin. He remembers receiving 

the call in August when Norman’s dad 

called him with the news. “He called 

me crying and he said, uh, he said, 

‘Norman and Faith got into an accident. 

Faith is gone.’” 

Patrick and Norman are the same 

age and the two of them grew up together. 

Patrick says life has not been 

easy for Norman. “He’s making progress,” 

said Patrick, referring to Norman’s 

recovery in the hospital. “I 

mean, that’s really all you can ask. He 

continues to trend in the right direction. 

Little by little, he’s getting stronger 

every day,” said Rabban. 

The family recently got the good 

news Norman had been accepted at the 

audience. “Among them was a group 

of Iraqis, which included Mr. Rayan Al- 

Kildani, with whom some brief words 

were exchanged.” 

Analyst Michael Knights of the 

Washington Institute for Near East 

Policy commended the Vatican for not 

falling into a trap al-Kildani tried to 

make with his photo op with the pope. 

“It was important to see the way 

the Vatican responded. They put out 

the press release in English, Arabic and 

Italian. They made sure that they covered 

all their bases because they don’t 

want al-Kildani to claim that he has 

been given an audience with the pope 

knowing who he is,” Knights said. 

For Cardinal Sako, the situation 

has made him worried. “I’m ready to 

resign,” he said. 

– OSV News 

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital 

in Grand Rapids. “You know it’s going 

to be a long road back, for sure, based 

on the pace that we’ve seen. But we feel 

confident once we get him to this rehab 

facility that progress will start accelerating 

faster and he’ll start making some 

better progress,” said Rabban. 

The community is supporting this 

family as much as possible. The Go- 

FundMe started on their behalf has 

reached nearly $280,000. 

– WXYZ Detroit 

Songwriter and 

poet Tamara 

Mechael talks 

about her career 

in the arts 

First generation Assyrian-Chaldean 

songwriter and poet Tamara Mechael 

talks about what it’s like being a faithful 

Catholic in an industry that likes to 

take the easy way. She was born in Detroit, 

but Mechael was not cut out to be 

a mechanic or work in science like her 

highly educated parents. Tamara and 

her sister Farrah were born to be artists. 

Mechael is a songwriter and poet 

Songwriter, author and poet Tamara 

Mechael. 

who had her first book of poetry published 

at 15. With her mom and her 

sister, she created an independent record 

label. FanBoyNation spoke with 

Mechael about what it is like being a 

first generation American, remaining 

true to her faith and maybe one day 

turning some of her father’s Arabic 

and Aramaic poems into songs for her 

and her sister to sing. 

As well as being a published author, 

Tamara is an accomplished songwriter 

whose songs have been performed at 

events such as Los Angeles KIIS FM’s 

Wango Tango and Detroit’s 107.5 Summer 

Jamz. She has worked with international 

producers and songwriters, 

culminating in a sixteen-city United 

States’ tour where she showcased her 

first book, “Utopia Poetry.” 

Tamara honors her Middle Eastern 

heritage by incorporating its language, 

sound, energy, and values into 

her writings. For more information on 

Tamara, visit her official website at 

www.tamaramechael.com 

– FanBoyNation 


AWARD-WINNING ATTORNEY 

ALEXANDER A. AYAR 

Alexander Ayar is a highly respected attorney who focuses his 

law practice on complex business litigation disputes. His clients 

appropriately seek his legal counsel in matters of the highest 

importance, including when the company is on the line and a 

comprehensive legal strategy from an experienced lawyer is required. 

HONORS & RECOGNITION 

Go To Business Litigators, Michigan Lawyers Weekly (2023) 

Super Lawyers (Business Litigation, Michigan) 

DBusiness Top Lawyers (Business Litigation) 

Oakland County Executive Elite 40 Under 40 

Up & Coming Lawyers, Michigan Lawyers Weekly (2016) 

Attorney on the Rise, Chaldean American Bar (2016) 

Special Tribute Recipient from the Michigan Legislature 

Avvo Rating: Superb (highest rating) 

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: 

AV Preeminent Lawyer (highest rating) 

PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS 

Judicial Advisory Committee, Eastern District of Michigan 

Judicial Qualifications Committee, State Bar of Michigan 

Character & Fitness District Committee, State Bar of Michigan 

Client Protection Fund Committee, State Bar of Michigan 

Past President, Chaldean American Bar Association 

A powerhouse attorney who delivers. 

380 N. OLD WOODWARD, SUITE 300, BIRMINGHAM, MI 48009 248.642.0333 WWRPLAW.COM 

Alex Ayar Ad (August 2023 v2).indd 1 

8/16/23 8:37 AM 


IN MEMORIAM 

Akram Oraha 

Esho 

Jul 1, 1950 – 

Aug 15, 2023 

Ban Asso Farida 

Sep 5, 1971 – 


Salam Noori 

Yaldoo 

Aug 8, 1958 – 


Faisal Michael 

Arabo 

Apr 7, 1930 – 


Bakiza Marqus 

Feb 1, 1933 – 


Huda Brikho 

Nov 11, 1960 – 


Latifa Karana 

Manni 

Jul 1, 1936 – 


Nagiba Rafo Dado 

Yaldo 

Jul 1, 1932 – 


Crystal Ikhlas Zara 

May 9, 1961 – 


Madleen Bahoo 

Imseh 

Jul 1, 1933 – 


Raad Naimi 

Apr 16, 1956 – 


Khalid Tobia 

Alkasmikha 

Jul 1, 1940 – 


Shamon Brikho 

Nov 1, 1932 – 


Badria Mikho 

Shallal Dallo 

Jul 1, 1932 – 


Layla Francis 

Markis 

Oct 4, 1944 – 


Sameer Odeesh 

Jul 1, 1956 – 


Wissam 

Constantine 

Oct 22, 1968 – 


Magid Meram 

Jan 6, 1949 – 


Easter Dawood 

Kannu 

Jul 1, 1944 – 


Mansour 

(Mike) Delly 

Jan 7, 1945 – 


Abdulahad Saco 

Jul 1, 1945 – 


Estiklal Zia 

Sheena 

Oct 11, 1932 – 


Farj Jabraeel 

Abdullahed 

Jul 1, 1968 – 


Zexad Sameer 

Denha 

Nov 10, 1972 – 


Kurjeau Abosh 

Ibrahim 

Apr 5, 1936 – 


Adeeb Fawzi 

Shmoni 

Jul 1, 1943 – 


Amanoiel Hanna 

Khami 

Jul 1, 1942 – 

Sep 1, 2023 

Farid Elias Jamil 

Jul 1, 1939 – 


Maskoni Hermiz 

Shabo 


Jalila Yousif 

Zaitouna 

Jul 1, 1931 – 


Norma Nayef 

Shammas Toma 

Nov 6, 1938 – 


Georgette Kashat 

May 7, 1939 – 


Layla Kajy 

Jun 15, 1950 – 


Maher Lateef Bibi 

Aug 25, 1964 – 


Esam Shamoon 

Kachi 

Nov 21, 1952 – 


Lateef Hanna 

Dalaly 

Jun 21, 1929 – 


Aida Azo 

Apr 15, 1950 – 


Latif Yousif Markoz 

Kasha 

Aug 10, 1961 – 


Madeleine Jadan 

Haisha 

Jul 9, 1931 – 


Mariamo Yousif 

Kassab 

Jun 16, 1933 – 



OBITUARY 

Dr. Salim Yusuf Mansoor 

Dr. Salim Yusuf Mansoor, a renowned physiatrist, 

statesman, and former diplomat was born on October 

2, 1938, and passed away on September 3, 2023. Salim, 

who practiced as a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 

doctor, was the former Director of PHMR at Southern Maryland Hospital. 

He served his native country, Iraq, in the diplomatic corps as Consul General, 

Montreal, and established the Iraqi Embassy in Ottawa, Canada in 1972. When 

Iraq invaded Kuwait, Salim was given the “blessings and consent” of President 

George H.W. Bush to lead a delegation to meet with Saddam Hussein and thereby 

obtained the release of 14 American hostages. He is survived by his wife Inaam, 

children Sammid (Darlene) Mansoor, Ramiz (Mary Elizabeth) Mansoor, and 

Deana (Robert) Glista, brother Thamer Mansoor, and grandchildren Alexandra, 

Abigail, Daniel, Madeline, Amelia, Nora, and Daniel. He is also survived by a loving 

extended family, who will always cherish Salim as its patriarch. 

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COVER STORY 

Leaving Minorities Behind 

Iraqi Supreme Federal Court upholds alcohol ban 

BY CAL ABBO 

PHOTO COURTESY AP / IRAQI PARLIAMENT INFORMATION OFFICE 

Ministers of the new Iraqi government are sworn in during the parliamentary session to vote on the new government 

in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. 

In the blistering heat of summer, 

Iraq’s infrastructure and institutions 

have managed to stay intact 

through another year. Its struggles 

with water, climate, electricity, and 

sectarianism preclude the country 

from making a significant economic 

recovery 20 years after the United 

States invaded its borders. 

Christian minorities often bear the 

brunt of Iraq’s various crises, which 

seem to compound rather than resolve. 

In late August, Iraq’s Federal 

Supreme Court heaved another hardship 

on its Christian communities by 

officially upholding a ban on the importation, 

manufacturing, and sale of 

alcoholic beverages. 

When the law was first implemented 

earlier this year, Chaldeans made an 

uproar in protest, their echoes reaching 

all corners of the world where our people 

live. For many centuries, Christians 

have taken on the role of selling alcohol 

in Muslim-majority society, entrenching 

themselves and their families in 

the retail business. This fact will sound 

familiar to Chaldeans in Detroit, as we 

have carried in the tradition from the 

old country. The new ban will demolish 

stores’ legitimate sales and make the 

alcohol industry much more dangerous 

and unregulated. 

While it’s impossible to tell the exact 

intention of the law, in practice, it 

severely handicaps the economic outlook 

for Iraq’s minorities. Christians are 

often outcast from good-paying government 

jobs, professional positions, 

or academia. If they do manage to get 

in, they are looked over for promotions 

and supervisor positions. Over the 

years, the community began to focus 

on where it could thrive and provide 

for its families. Owning your own small 

business, like a convenience store or 

grocery store, is a reliable and independent 

way to earn a living. With the alcohol 

ban, much of that revenue is now 

illegal or has been lost completely. 

Iraq has not been kind to its Christian 

minorities in the 21st century. For 

decades, Chaldeans have dealt with 

land confiscations, both public and 

private, in their villages and fertile territories 

in the North. The land thieves 

forge documents that show false ownership 

and lay claim to the lands. Oftentimes, 

Iraqi courts side with the 

fake deeds, and land which Chaldeans 

have used for centuries is gone forever. 

Of course, Christians have suffered 

serious tragedies and genocide under 

the rule of ISIS. Even now, after the 

terrorist organization is pretty much 

defunct, our villages have not been rebuilt 

or repaired. Mosul, on the other 

hand, which is a key city for the country, 

has seen hefty contributions to aid 

and repair it, which has brought signs 

of life and flourishing back to the city 

that was the site of all-out war just a 

few years ago. 

Countries around the world have 

recognized the genocide and devastation 

against the Chaldean community, 

but Iraq has done little to aid the situation 

or repair the villages. Many of the 

houses and shops are unusable, which 

prevents displaced refugees from returning 

and increases the chance 

these villages will never recover and 

will fade from our collective memories. 

Many Christians in Iraq feel targeted 

by the government on a regular basis. 

Cardinal Louis Sako, who serves as 

the Chaldean patriarch, recently moved 

out of Baghdad after a presidential decree 

revoked some of his ability to manage 

the church’s assets. After a feud 

with the Babylon Movement and Rayan 

al-Kildani escalated, the prime minister 

got involved and moved against Cardinal 

Sako with this decree. 

For now, Christians are far from 

feeling safe and secure going about 

life in many areas of Iraq. But even 

this is a small thing to ask. Iraq’s minorities 

must be given space to prosper 

without overbearing religious laws restricting 

their business and hampering 

their welfare. 


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FEATURE 

Fighting for the Underserved 

The Rights of Religious and National Minorities in Iraq 

BY WEAM NAMOU 

Diya Butros Sliwa, a Chaldean 

political activist, lives in Erbil, 

Iraq, but he gives talks around 

the world on human rights. He visited 

North America recently where he gave 

talks and interviews in Michigan, in 

Canada, and he also plans to travel to 

Washington, DC. His goal is to bring 

awareness to the status of the rights 

of religious and national minorities in 

Iraq and Kurdistan. 

On Saturday, September 2, 2023, he 

lectured at the Mandaean Association 

of Michigan in Warren. The Iraqi Human 

Rights Society in the US, established 

in 1994, hosted the lecture. 

“Today Nineveh is in danger,” said 

Sliwa. “It’s in a terrible dire state. I say 

this with honesty and confidence.” 

Sliwa is the president of the Civil 

Rights and Citizenry Organization; for 

over 20 years, he has watched the situation 

for Christians and other minorities 

in Iraq go from “worse to worser.” 

After the American-led coalition forces 

ousted Saddam Hussein on March 19, 

2003, attempts to create a new constitution 

began. In October 2005, a 

national referendum approved a new 

constitution. 

“Regrettably, the new and current 

constitution that was adopted in 2005 

had many glitches,” Sliwa said. Then 

he brought forth several examples. 

The constitution establishes Islam 

as the official religion and states that 

no law may be enacted contradicting 

the established provisions of Islam. 

Freedom of Religion or Belief Article 

18 of the Universal Declaration of Human 

Rights (UDHR) says we all have 

the right to our own beliefs, to have a 

religion, have no religion, or to change 

it. Yet in Iraq, if someone changes from 

Islam to another religion, they face the 

death penalty. Furthermore, if either 

parent of a child is Muslim and the 

child is under 18 years of age, the child 

must be Muslim. 

“So where is the freedom of the 

child?” asked Sliwa. 

Diya Butros Sliwa (left) and Hamid Murad (right), president of the Iraqi 

Human Rights Society in the US. 

He’s also concerned about the 

rights of women. According to Amnesty 

International, the Iraqi parliament 

continues to fail to criminalize 

domestic violence despite an increase 

in “honor killings” and other forms of 

gender-based violence documented 

by national NGOs. Recently, a bill was 

The Iraqi parliament 

continues to fail to 

criminalize domestic 

violence despite an 

increase in “honor 

killings” and other 

forms of genderbased 

violence. 

drafted that, if it passes, will cause 

Iraqi citizens to face death or life in 

prison for same-sex relations, a minimum 

of seven years in prison for promoting 

sexuality, and up to three years 

for imitating women. 

Sliwa said that in addition to these 

violations, Iraqis are deprived of basic 

human rights such as education, 

healthcare, economy, housing, and 

others. “They are deprived of life,” 

he opines. “The situation, however, is 

worse for minorities since they are less 

in number. They don’t have armed militias 

and their lands have been stolen 

from them.” 

He adds that the number of Christians 

in Iraq has gone down from 1.5 

million in 2003 to currently “a number 

that’s too little to count.” 

“There’s no real census to document 

that population,” he said, although 

the U.S. State Department 2022 

Report claims the number is estimated 

at 150,000. 

“We seek a democratic framework 

for Iraq, one that would uphold human 

rights for everyone, especially 

minorities,” he said. “Iraqis deserve 

stability, including relief from political 

violence.” 

Sliwa reminded listeners that ISIS 

controlled the Nineveh Plain region 

from 2014 to 2016, causing the inner 

displacement of more than one million 

Iraqi citizens within their own land. 

“It’s a painful situation,” he said. 

“Imagine that, in your own country, 

you are displaced, living in tents. You 

are abandoned and forgotten.” 

PHOTO BY WEAM NAMOU 

When the region was liberated 

from ISIS in 2016, the government 

asked people to return to their homes. 

“But ISIS is still present there and has 

sleeping cells. The government is playing 

a political game. They are currently 

taking the possessions and assets of 

the Christians.” 

While the constitution promotes 

minority rights and protection of Iraq’s 

ethnic and religious diversity, intolerance 

and discrimination have caused 

the number of Christians to decline to 

the point where, “One day we will end 

up like the Jews.” Currently, there are 

said to be three Jews left in Iraq. “If you 

can’t protect your own home, then you 

will consider escaping from it,” he said. 

Why should the world care? “Human 

rights and terrorism are not a local 

or national issue,” he said. “It’s a global 

topic and everyone is responsible for 

the protection against terrorism and the 

protection of minorities in Iraq.” 

He pointed out that the United Nations 

did not do its duty for the minorities 

in Iraq the way they had for Kosova, 

Bosnia, or other wars that took 

place in other parts of the world. “The 

reason for that needs to be studied and 

addressed,” he said. 

During the question-and-answer 

portion of the event on September 2, 

one woman commented, “I don’t like 

the word ‘minority’ for us. Who chose 

me to be a minority? Why am I considered 

a minority in my own country? 

I’m a minority by number, but not by 

my history and essence. That word 

does not suit us.” 

“We shouldn’t be embarrassed by 

the word ‘minority’,” responded Sliwa. 

“Still, we should be considered a 

majority and get the same rights as the 

majority,” she countered. 

“No one is getting their rights in 

the Arab world,” was Sliwa’s reply. 

“So, by being a minority, we have more 

rights.” 

That’s the kind of logic that suits 

Iraq right now. 


Beth Nahrain 

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FEATURE 

Changing Education 

Chaldeans have changed how Michigan learns 

BY CAL ABBO 

Chaldeans have lived and learned 

in Michigan for over 100 years. 

During that time, they have 

brought with them and transmitted 

their culture and traditions, including 

how knowledge is passed down and 

inherited. 

The defining characteristics of Chaldeans 

as it relates to education are family 

and community. Much of what one 

learns, contrary to the popular culture 

and system, is borne out of an informal 

education within the household or 

workplace. This understanding helps 

to frame the system through which new 

and ancient knowledge is conveyed. 

The most important consideration, 

however, is the speed with which these 

systems are changing and how Chaldeans 

have integrated into a traditional 

public/private school system. 

In Chaldean culture, men and women 

play vastly different roles within the 

family unit, which affects how knowledge 

is shared with them. Men and 

women tend to congregate with one 

another and learn from members of the 

same group, which perpetuates and accentuates 

gender roles and differences. 

In ancient Chaldean society, for 

example, young women learned from 

their elders how to run a household or 

raise children. They also learned crafts 

and technical skills as it relates to 

cooking food or making clothes. Men, 

on the other hand, often shadowed 

their father’s work or took an apprenticeship 

with another family member. 

There, they learned the ins and outs of 

productive work that could earn some 

money and support the family. 

This system shows vast differences 

from the American one that we 

are used to. Most importantly, there is 

little barrier to entry. One only has to 

be a part of a family or the community, 

and they are rewarded with access 

to knowledge, rather than buying it 

through tuition or offering their time in 

unpaid internships. This educational 

practice was crucial to the first Chaldeans 

who arrived in Michigan and the 

generations since. 

The ribbon cutting for St. Thomas Montessori School in West Bloomfield last 

December. 

A traditional education in the United 

States relies on public or private schooling 

that keeps even our smallest children 

as busy as a full-time job would. 

This process, however, offers only a 

small portion of the knowledge a teenager 

has when receiving their diploma. 

Learning occurs in all parts of our lives 

and throughout the day, not just during 

the time we spend in traditional school; 

and even then, we learn from our peers 

just as much as our teachers. 

While the very first Chaldeans 

came to Detroit for jobs in the auto 

industry, they quickly opened stalls 

at farmers markets and eventually 

full-blown grocery stores. By sharing 

knowledge and educating one another 

in this business, Chaldeans were able 

to replicate this model many times 

over and achieve community success. 

Fathers passed on their hard-earned 

knowledge to their sons, who took 

over and innovated the family store. 

CHALDEAN 

STORY 

At the same time, women passed 

around their traditions to one another 

and their daughters. As they adjusted 

to life in Michigan, Chaldean women 

took up various professions and duties 

and taught each other new strategies 

for going about life. They relied on 

one another to raise children and feed 

their families and recreate life that resembles 

the village, at least as close as 

they could in the great urban Detroit of 

the early 1900s, while their husbands 

and brothers earned a wage. 

As soon as the first Chaldean 

stepped foot in Detroit, however, the 

slow advance of assimilation began. 

The traditional roles played by men 

and women began to fade and merge, 

as did the memories of life in Iraq. The 

cultural identity of Chaldeans blended 

with that of other American immigrants 

and Americans in general; no longer 

were they endangered indigenous people, 

but a flourishing immigrant community 

that grew in power and wealth 

with each passing year. As such, Chaldeans 

began to enter the professions 

via colleges and universities. While 

these aspects of society were not entirely 

foreign to the community, as they 

had similar institutions in Iraq, they 

were previously reserved for wealthy 

and noble members of society. 

The all-important church, which 

was the center of village life, was transplanted 

to Michigan, but not without 

change. For the earliest Chaldeans, the 

institution maintained its lofty importance. 

In Iraq, the church served as a 

gathering place and pillar of the community. 

This is where children learned 

the customs of the community, how to 

act among their peers and elders, as 

well as how to participate in its traditions 

and religious beliefs through 

structured educational courses. In its 

early days in America, the church was 

essential and served a similar role, but 

its importance has since faded and its 

role in education has become similar 

to other Catholic churches in America. 

As a result, to reestablish their 

cultural influence and rectify imperfections 

in Michigan’s educational 

system, the Chaldean Church has 

begun to establish its own parallel 

educational system. Since the advent 

of COVID-19 and the subsequent pandemic, 

homeschooling and other nontraditional 

learning options became 

popular after public schools ceased inperson 

instruction. In January of this 

year, the Chaldean Church opened its 

very own Montessori school, which is 

open to children up to 6 years old. 

The Montessori method, named after 

Italian physician Maria Montessori, 

emphasizes each child’s individual and 

natural desire for knowledge. It uses an 

open style of learning rather than structured 

instruction and assignments, 

encouraging its students to engage in 

activities that interest them. The Montessori 

method as used in the St. Thomas 

school encourages empathy, social 

This report is made possible with generous support from 

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EDUCATION continued from page 24 

justice, and lifelong learning, according 

to a January article in the Chaldean 

News. “By God’s grace and with the 

community’s support, we hope to offer 

Pre-K thru 8th grade Chaldean Catholic 

education very soon,” said Fr. Pierre 

Konja in the same article. 

In our own right, Chaldeans have 

had a profound mark on Michigan’s 

education system. Members of our 

community have become teachers and 

administrators, and some have started 

their own educational ventures to add 

to Michigan’s trove of schooling. 

The Chaldean community in Detroit, 

following similar diaspora communities 

in the United States, has made attempts 

to incorporate its native language directly 

into the public or private school 

system. In Oakland County Schools, 

where many Chaldean students attend, 

a Sureth language exam is being introduced. 

If a student passes the exam, 

they can get high-school credit for 

knowing a second language, making it 

easier for recently migrated Chaldean 

students to succeed in graduating. 

At the University of Detroit Mercy, 

there is a full-blown Aramaic course 

that students can take for credit. Mahir 

Awrahem, a teacher who is active in 

the movement to restore and revive the 

dying language, instructs this official 

college course as well as other, unofficial 

courses, including some hosted by 

the Chaldean Cultural Center. 

St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic 

Church also holds its own classes to 

teach Sureth to those in Detroit who were 

not taught at home. Shamasha 

Khairy Foumia and Lina Yaldo 

developed a curriculum intended 

for younger children, 

but it can also be used as an 

introductory course for people 

of all ages who want to learn 

the language, according to Michael 

Antoon, who helps lead 

the program at St. Thomas. 

Chaldeans have contributed 

as much to the traditional 

education infrastructure as 

they have to a parallel one they created. 

Many Chaldean teachers are employed 

by public and private schools in our 

community. In many of these schools, 

Chaldeans dominate the student population 

and have a heavy influence on 

their school’s culture. 

Crystal Jabiro 

Around the state of Michigan, 

universities, high schools, and even 

middle schools have loosely affiliated 

Chaldean American Student Association 

groups, better recognized by its 

acronym CASA. 

Crystal Jabiro is an educator at West 

Bloomfield Schools. She tries 

to incorporate what she sees 

as Chaldean values, such as 

charity, kindness, and empathy, 

in the school. In addition, 

Crystal started the firstever 

CASA for middle school, 

bringing Chaldean culture 

to a variety of students at a 

younger age. 

In her U.S. history classes, 

where it’s relevant, Crystal 

teaches about immigration and acculturation. 

“I point out all the things 

that Chaldean people own here in West 

Bloomfield and metro Detroit,” she said. 

In her ancient history class, she teaches 

about Mesopotamia and has her students 

make their very own clay tablets. 

At Marian High School, a top private 

school for young women in and 

around Bloomfield Hills, the group 

has a significant influence on the rest 

of its school. Teachers and faculty estimate 

that Chaldeans comprise 30% of 

the student population. 

Claudine Denha Tella, who has 

taught at Marian for more than 

15 years and leads the CASA 

group, offered her insights 

into the Chaldean influence at 

the school. According to her, 

Chaldeans bring a lot of culture 

and life to the school. 

Since she began her work 

there, the number of Chaldean 

students rose gradually from a 

few students in her first year 

to where it is now. A lot of the 

change is attributed to Chaldean 

enrollment in feeder schools as 

well as the congregation factor – where 

Chaldeans are, others tend to follow. 

The students and Claudine have 

influenced the school in many ways. 

Chaldeans are well-known for their 

prevalence in serving in school masses. 

Claudine Denha 

Tella 

Above: Michael Antoon’s Chaldean 

class in elementary school. 

Left: Marian High School 

CASA with Claudine Denha. 

In the spring, Marian put on a Chaldean 

Mass which helped show different traditions 

of Catholicism to its students. 

“If you have no Chaldeans here,” Claudine 

said, “there’s no Baghiya, no Mediterranean 

bar, among other things.” 

Claudine is referring to an instance 

when a group of Chaldean students 

taught some of their teachers how to 

dance Baghiya. Claudine got married 

last year and invited some of her fellow 

teachers to the occasion. Those teachers 

implored Chaldean students to teach 

them the dances and other cultural traditions, 

like what to wear, that would be 

good to know for the wedding. 

In the past, according to Claudine, 

students from other minority 

backgrounds, like African American 

students or Mexican immigrants, 

have found a home at CASA among 

the Chaldeans. “Chaldeans serve as a 

welcoming place for other minorities,” 

Claudine said. 

Claudine also tries hard 

to educate her peers on Chaldeans 

so they can be culturally 

informed and know how to 

handle certain situations. She 

gave a presentation last year, 

with the help of the Chaldean 

Community Foundation, to 

members of Marian’s faculty. 

According to her, the presentation 

was well attended, and 

the school gained a lot from it. 

Stories like these are common, with 

Chaldean teachers around the state 

exposing others to our heritage. Without 

Chaldeans, education in Michigan 

would look very different, and many 

schools would lose a significant aspect 

of our culture. 



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FEATURE 

ASSYRIANPOLICY.ORG 

company that develops standardized 

language exams, with the Chaldean 

Community Foundation, which will 

pay the up-front cost for Avant’s services. 

In addition, the CCF will identify 

five target language experts that 

are fluent in English and Chaldean 

who will help develop, rate, and 

score the assessments. The development 

of this exam could pave the 

way for similar efforts in other communities. 

Sponsors and members of the Assyrian Club at Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois. 

Sureth in Schools 

Keeping the language alive 

BY CAL ABBO 

The people sitting in the audience 

of the Niles Township High 

School board meeting focused 

all of their energy on the event that 

would take place in just a few minutes. 

They were adorned with joleh 

d’khomala, a traditional Assyrian outfit 

that shows off bright colors, embroidered 

patterns, and feathers coming 

out of the headdress. 

After a roll call vote by the school 

board confirmed the historic proposal, 

the room erupted in claps and celebrations. 

For the first time in the history 

of the United States, after this board 

meeting in late 2022, Sureth will be 

offered to students as a full-curriculum 

language option in a public high 

school starting in this academic year. 

This is one small step in a worldwide 

effort to maintain our native language 

that is often lost on first-generation immigrants 

and beyond. 

D219 Suraye is the name for a group 

of parents of Assyrian students in Niles, 

a suburb of Chicago, and the surrounding 

towns. Last year, the group estimated 

that 25-30% of students enrolled in 

the district are Assyrian. 

In metro Detroit, similar efforts 

have not yet been engaged, but some 

residents are hopeful that a proposal 

matching the one in Niles can find 

its way into our education system. In 

some specific schools, Chaldeans represent 

more than half of all students. 

While there is no language class on 

the table, Oakland County Schools is 

currently working to add an examination 

for Sureth that would allow students 

to test out of the language requirement 

in school and receive the Michigan 

Seal of Biliteracy upon graduation. 

For some Chaldean students, English 

is a second language, and they are 

required to learn it during their school 

tenure. Requiring a third language, 

especially when it is taught based on 

the very English that the student is still 

mastering, can hamper their development 

in more important areas. Instead, 

this exemption will afford students the 

opportunity to take other, more relevant 

classes that will help them master 

the topics of their choosing. 

Tina Kozlowski, an English Learner 

Consultant, and Jennifer Howe, a Heritage 

and World Languages Consultant, 

both work in Oakland Schools. They 

have been leading efforts to establish a 

Sureth test that would allow Chaldean 

teenagers to pursue opportunities outside 

of learning another language if 

they so desire. 

While working in the school system, 

they noticed the immense number 

of Chaldean students in the system, 

many of whom had a difficult 

time achieving the requirement to 

learn yet another language. It was this 

realization that led to the idea of an exemption 

exam. 

Kozlowski and Howe presented 

the case for a speaking-only Chaldean 

language assessment to the Michigan 

Seal of Biliteracy and World Language 

Council. The council was excited to 

hear about an opportunity to reach the 

Chaldean community. 

The two Oakland Schools consultants 

also connected Avant, a private 

The Sounds of History 

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, 

and Cultural Organization, 

otherwise known as UNESCO, lists 

the language as “definitely endangered.” 

Sureth, which has many dialects 

and is referred to colloquially 

by many names, including Chaldean, 

Assyrian, and Syriac, has evolved 

from a long history that traces back 

to ancient Mesopotamia and the Semitic 

language family. 

Modern Sureth is often referred to 

as Neo-Aramaic because of its ancestry 

in the Aramaic language family; 

however, it is heavily influenced by 

other languages like Akkadian, which 

has roots in ancient Mesopotamia. 

Akkadian shared an ancient form of 

writing called cuneiform with a few 

other ancient languages, like Sumerian. 

Cuneiform is commonly regarded 

as the earliest-known writing system. 

Around 3,000 years ago, Aramaic 

speakers became more prevalent in 

the region belonging to the Assyrian 

Empire. The language began to take 

over from Akkadian because of its easy 

writing system, which had 22 letters, 

compared to Akkadian’s cuneiform 

which had more than 600 distinct 

symbols. Although the writing was replaced, 

the spoken languages almost 

certainly blended with one another. 

During the Mongol invasions, the 

language experienced its most rapid 

decline as Arabic replaced it officially 

almost everywhere besides Northern 

Mesopotamia and a large pocket of 

speakers in Kerala, India. Even many 

liturgies during this time were translated 

to Arabic. 

Since globalization and the dawn 

of modernity, most minority languages 

have declined sharply. Government attempts 

to standardize schooling and 

SURETH continued on page 30 


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SURETH continued from page 28 

language further contribute to this effect. 

Some action, however, has been 

taken to preserve the rich history and 

function of Sureth. 

In 1972, the Ba’athist government 

in Iraq granted cultural rights to 

Sureth speakers and other Christians 

and more autonomy in their own communities. 

This allowed us to use our 

own language in schools and pass it 

down officially. 

When Saddam Hussein came to 

power, however, these rights were 

revoked. Many community schools 

ditched teaching the native language 

in favor of Arabic, leading to a substantial 

decline in fluency. This reality 

was furthered by the ongoing wars 

and terroristic campaigns that have 

destroyed our communities in Iraq. 

In 2004 and 2005, respectively, the 

Constitution of the Iraqi Kurdistan 

Region stated that Sureth will be the 

language of education and culture for 

those who speak it, and the Constitution 

of Iraq gave it the status of an official 

language, “in the administrative 

units in which they constitute density 

of population.” 

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involved in this historic realization, 

including the parents that comprise 

D219 Suraye. In 2019, Atour Sargon, 

who is vice chair of the Assyrian Policy 

Institute (API), was elected to the Lincolnwood 

Board of Trustees as the first 

ethnic Assyrian in the city’s government. 

Lincolnwood is part of the Niles 

school district that implemented the 

language changes. 

“The D219 team hit a roadblock last 

year when it was made clear that in order 

for the proposed course to proceed 

at the local level, it required state-level 

approval,” Sargon said. That’s when 

API stepped in. At the same time as 

this issue came up, API was forming 

the Illinois Assyrian Caucus in the 

the longer term. Assyrian children who 

learn their language, she said, are able 

to maintain critical ties to their culture, 

affirm their identity, and preserve important 

connections with their elders 

and their homeland. “If Assyrian children 

can be exposed to their language 

early enough, thoroughly enough, and 

long enough, it can be hoped that the 

community’s shift away from the language 

can be reversed.” 

Ramina Samuel is an Assyrian 

school counselor in the Niles High 

School District 219 as well as the Vice 

President of an organization called 

BET KANU, which produces digital 

content in Sureth that is geared toward 

language-learning. 

a serious interest in learning the language. 

“We already have non-Assyrians 

who have elected to take the course next 

year,” Samuel said. “We need to remind 

ourselves that we do and can have a 

positive impact in the larger American 

community. Those students grew up 

in the area with Assyrian friends and 

would love to learn the language.” 

Naema Abraham was the President 

of the School Board when the course 

was approved. She originally immigrated 

to the U.S. in 1974 and settled in 

Niles in 1979. Abraham said when she 

first arrived in the town, there were very 

few Assyrians who lived there. In her 

own words, she became Americanized. 

While she doesn’t see this as a bad 

An Ancient Language 

in Modern Times 

Many Chaldeans in diaspora communities 

have launched programs locally 

to teach Sureth to Chaldeans who 

don’t speak it fluently, like the newest 

program at St. Thomas Church, or 

the Aramaic classes offered through 

the Chaldean Cultural Center. Others 

make it a point to teach their children. 

Yet more start programs online, like 

the comprehensive course created by 

the Chaldean Community Foundation 

and hosted by Mango Languages. In 

Detroit, the University of Detroit Mercy 

offers an official Aramaic course, and 

these credits transfer to several other 

universities in the area. 

Some organizations try to impart 

the language’s treasures into the 

public school system. In the world of 

school board elections and grassroots 

organizing, these campaigns can take 

years to bear fruit. But that only makes 

the accomplishment all the sweeter 

once it passes. 

Chaldean communities around the 

world can use the example from Niles 

for inspiration. Many people were 

The first D219 Suraye meeting for the school year. 

state legislature. Her political relationships 

helped get a meeting with the Illinois 

State Board of Education, which 

eventually accepted the curriculum 

and added it to the state catalog. 

In addition to its behind-thescenes 

work, API also organized a 

grassroots letter-writing campaign 

that saw more than 800 local residents 

write to the D219 school board to show 

their support for the course, according 

to Sargon. 

“This effort serves a growing interest 

and need among Assyrian-American 

students,” Sargon said. “Schools 

are major venues for language-learning. 

Assyrian language courses at the 

high school level can provide a natural 

context for language-learning and 

help establish Assyrian locally as a 

language spoken on a daily basis.” 

Sargon thinks this new course will 

help address the language problem in 

“My biggest concern is our approach 

as a community regarding our 

beloved language,” she said. “We need 

to get past discussions, disagreements, 

and focus on taking action. We have 

to see our language for its value and 

the richness that it brings to the world 

while shifting our mindset away from 

the idea that it is a dying language.” 

Samuel’s organization is designing 

the curriculum for the course. “The 

curriculum is being built following 

U.S. World Language Standards with 

the guidance and collaboration of experts 

in the field,” she said, adding 

that the course will be taught in a nontraditional 

way. “There is a great focus 

on attaining language skills needed 

for everyday function.” 

Another interesting factor has 

sprung up since the school district announced 

the addition of the course. 

Many regular Americans have shown 

thing, she also thinks it’s important to 

maintain a strong connection with her 

ancestral language and culture. Once 

more Assyrians moved to the Niles 

area, Abraham began to use her native 

language again and reengaged with 

the culture she grew up with. 

Despite this great progress, she 

is still concerned for the next generations. 

Her daughter, for example, 

speaks broken Sureth. Many parents 

in the diaspora try to avoid speaking 

Sureth in their own household so that 

their children will become fluent in 

English. On the other hand, this way 

of thinking contributes to the decline 

of the language overall. 

Abraham said she is beyond excited 

that the course was approved and 

will be initiated this school year. She 

also wants the accomplishments of Assyrian 

community in Niles to provide a 

model for others around the world. 


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FEATURE 

The Great School Initiative 

BY WEAM NAMOU 

In 2020, Nathan Pawl’s son, an 

honor-roll student, felt attacked 

because he wouldn’t wear a mask 

in school. This was in Walled Lake 

School District, and when Pawl, the 

father, tried to resolve the situation, 

he felt frustrated that he wasn’t being 

heard. 

Pawl then decided to act. He 

teamed up with Monica Yatooma, a 

former Oakland County Commissioner 

candidate, and Matthew Nelson, a 

Walled Lake parent, and they founded 

the Great Schools Initiative (GSI), a 

non-profit organization based in Michigan 

and dedicated to advocating for 

premium public education. 

Later other parents jumped on 

board, and the number increased to 

today include over 5,600 parents. GSI 

also quickly gained the support of 

several organizations, legislators, and 

legal institutions. “We’re now a super 

team,” said Maron Yousif, Organizing 

Director. “We go from community to 

community to teach parents what their 

rights are.” 

In this ongoing initiative, the 

group plans to host discussions at different 

places including churches and 

schools. The Chaldean Diocese has 

supported this initiative, and in August, 

they hosted a talk at St. George 

Chaldean Church in Troy, led by Bishop 

Francis. 

“There’s an ongoing attack on family,” 

said Bishop Francis. “We want 

to protect children’s innocence and 

to prevent a mental health crisis.” He 

discussed the laws that have been 

implemented, and others that the 

government is attempting to implement, 

regarding LGBTQ issues – and 

outlined how harmful he felt some of 

them are and how they affect the rights 

of other groups. 

“How did we get there?” asked the 

Bishop. “God’s death! The death of 

God in society, in the schools, in the 

government. It’s no longer a separation 

of Church and State. It’s the abolishment 

of the Church so that the State 

can become small G, god.” 

The Bishop encouraged people 

to fight back for what they believe in 

Bishop Francis Kalabat addressing the Great Schools Initiative. 

while simultaneously respecting and 

loving those with different viewpoints 

and lifestyles. 

“This fight is for public education,” 

said Yatooma, a wife and mother of 

three school aged children, whose 

public address followed the Bishop’s 

talk. “When someone was telling me 

how to live and what I could do or 

couldn’t do, and that I had to put a 

mask on my kids that they weren’t 

comfortable with, I wasn’t comfortable 

with that.” 

She went to the Oakland County 

Board of Commissioners meeting with 

approximately 1,500 other parents to 

learn what was going on and to express 

their views. Deciding that their 

commissioner was “not being the 

voice that she was elected to be,” Yatooma 

ended up running for Oakland 

County Commissioner. 

She didn’t win, but she knew she 

wasn’t done yet, so she prayed for 

what steps to take next. That’s when 

the door for the Great School Initiative 

opened. Pawl approached her about 

becoming one of the directors and after 

some thought and consideration, 

she accepted. 

One of the things they did was 

pursue a lawsuit for the mask mandate. 

They partnered with Thomas 

More Society, a premier not-for-profit 

public interest law firm championing 

life, family, and freedom. As a result, 

that mandate was dropped. From 

there, they went on to pursue their 

next initiative. 

“We asked Thomas More Society to 

support GSI, and thank God they said 

yes,” said Yatooma. “They pledged the 

first million dollars, and pledged to 

be our legal resource so parents like 

all of you can have the legal support 

behind them that they needed if they 

had issues in their schools or if the 

schools were violating Michigan’s MCL 

380.1507.” 

Through research, the GSI learned 

about a law in Michigan (MCL 380.1507) 

where no public school district can 

teach or talk about sex education in 

any classroom setting other than in a 

sex education classroom with a certified 

sex education instructor. Pride 

flags or other sex related information 

can’t be placed in the school anywhere 

outside that classroom. They also 

must have a sex education advisory 

board that must include in it a clergy 

member, parents, school staff, and at 

least one student. 

“If schools are not already doing 

this, they’re in violation of this law,” 

Yatooma said. 

The other part of the law is that all 

parents have the right to opt out of this 

classroom, partially or entirely. The 

schools provide an opt-out form that’s 

very basic and generic, claims Yatooma, 

whereas GSI has one available 

on their website that is more specific 

to what the parents want to opt-out of. 

“When we were in school, we talked 

about traditional reproductive health,” 

said Yatooma. “Now, it’s called Comprehensive 

Sex Education. It’s backed 

and funded by Planned Parenthood.” 

Every school has a sex education 

advisory board and a school board. 

The sex education advisory board 

makes the recommendations to the 

school board as to what the children 

should be taught in the classrooms. 

Ultimately, the school board makes 

the final approval. “That decision is 

set for seven years until the curriculum 

is visited again,” she said. 

That’s why, Yatooma emphasizes, 

it’s important to get involved with the 

sex education advisory board or for 

parents to have their voices heard. 

GSI had a follow-up meeting at Mother 

of God Church on September 23 to 

further educate the public. Parents 

shared their concerns. 

“As an adult, I’m confused by all 

this,” said one parent. “Then imagine 

what it’s doing for my children.” 

Another parent complained that her 

children were taught to accuse her of 

being a homophobe if she disagreed 

with the LGBTQ ideology. She also 

said that as someone who wasn’t born 

in the United States and is multi-lingual, 

it’s difficult for her to use different 

pronouns than what she learned 

when she came to the country. 

Pawl has been married for over 25 

years. He and his wife are the parents 

of two biological children and two godchildren 

from Rwanda (rescued from 

the genocide). He assured attendees 

that, “If we organize, we can be powerful 

for really good change.” 

More information on GSI may be found 

at greatschoolsinitiative.org. 


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FEATURE 

Lydia Michael and “Brand Love” 

Unveiling the Secrets of Customer Loyalty 

BY SARAH KITTLE 

In today’s rapidly evolving world, 

establishing and nurturing a brand 

that captures the hearts and minds 

of consumers is an art form. One individual 

who has masterfully embraced 

this challenge is Lydia Michael, an 

author and brand strategist whose 

groundbreaking book, “Brand Love – 

Building Strong Consumer-Brand Connections,” 

released on July 25, 2023, 

by Kogan Page, a leading independent 

publisher of business books, has taken 

the marketing world by storm. 

However, Lydia is more than an author; 

she is also the visionary founder 

behind Blended Collective, an awardwinning, 

multicultural marketing and 

brand consultancy based in Detroit, 

offering a range of services designed to 

help businesses thrive in the modern 

multicultural landscape. At the core of 

the company’s beliefs is the view that 

consumers connect with brands the 

same way they connect with people. 

Anytime people come to Lydia 

asking for a logo, thinking that is 

“branding;” she and her staff educate 

their clients that “branding” is about 

identifying the entire brand-consumer 

experience beyond the visual identity. 

“To help people understand that 

a brand is more than a logo,” explains 

Michael, “it’s essential to highlight 

the experiences, emotional connections 

and values a brand represents.” 

One of the ways in which products sell 

is to have the customer identify with 

them and see themselves as sharing 

the same values as the brand. It’s that 

easy — and that difficult. 

The company’s mission is simple 

yet powerful: to enrich brands and organizations 

with culture and emotion 

through marketing efforts. Blended 

Collective works closely with clients, 

harnessing the principles explained in 

“Brand Love” to create brand experiences 

and marketing efforts that resonate 

deeply with customers. 

Lydia’s journey to becoming a 

prominent figure in the world of marketing 

and branding began with a fervent 

interest in consumer psychology 

and a determination to comprehend 

why people form deep connections 

with certain brands. She was born 

and raised in Germany and is of Chaldean 

heritage, but Lydia refuses to fit 

in any cultural box. She sees the trait 

of adaptability as quite an asset in the 

current changing marketplace. Navigating 

three cultures for the better part 

of her life has equipped her in the right 

way to do business in any cultural setting 

she walks into. 

Armed with a B.S. degree in marketing 

and an MBA in International Management, 

she embarked on a mission to 

unravel the mysteries of brand loyalty 

after spending several years developing 

and marketing brands of jazz and hiphop 

recording artists internationally. 

Her relentless curiosity and unwavering 

dedication to the field led her to work 

with some of the world’s most iconic 

companies such as L’Oréal in Germany. 

“As customers,” says Michael, “many of 

our choices are based on our values and 

the cultures we grow up in.” 

“Brand Love” stands as a monumental 

work that distills Lydia Michael’s 

decades of experience and 

research into a comprehensive guide 

for marketers, brand managers, and 

anyone in consumer-facing roles. 

The book serves as a revelation, offering 

fresh perspectives on how to 

construct and foster brand loyalty in 

the hyper-competitive landscape of 

today’s market with an intersection 

of culture and emotion, all while realizing 

the importance of the human 

behind the brand. 

“The Eight Brand Love Stages” 

Brand love is a powerful concept in 

marketing that represents the deep 

emotional connection consumers can 

form with certain brands. While there 

isn’t a universally agreed-upon framework 

for the stages of brand love, 

many experts have identified various 

phases in this process. Lydia’s “Brand 

Love Drivers” and “The Eight Brand 

Love Stages” model illustrate how 

consumers’ relationships with brands 

can develop and evolve over time using 

both rational and emotional elements 

in the journey. 

Awareness: The journey toward 

brand love often begins with simple 

awareness. At this stage, consumers 

become familiar with a brand’s existence 

and may recognize its name 

or logo. This basic recognition is the 

foundation upon which all subsequent 

stages are built. 

Familiarity: After becoming aware 

of a brand, consumers may start to 

develop a sense of familiarity. They’ve 

seen the brand’s products or advertisements 

more than once, and they might 


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EXCELLENCE 

have some knowledge of what the 

brand represents or offers. 

Interest: In this stage, consumers 

actively evaluate the brand as a potential 

choice. They weigh the brand’s attributes, 

benefits, and values against their 

own needs and preferences. It is the 

time for brands to listen to the consumer 

and ensure their needs are being met. A 

brand centers around your audience. 

Likeness: Once consumers have 

considered a brand and its offerings, 

they may develop a preference for it. 

This means that the brand stands out 

as a favored choice among the options 

available, and consumers are more 

likely to choose it when making a purchase 

decision. 

Lydia’s “Brand 

Love Drivers” and 

“The Eight Brand 

Love Stages” 

model illustrate 

how consumers’ 

relationships with 

brands can develop 

and evolve over time 

using both rational 

and emotional 

elements in the 

journey. 

Trust: This is the stage where brand 

intimacy begins to form. Consistency 

is key at this point. Once trust is broken, 

it is very difficult to rebuild. 

Attachment: Beyond satisfaction, 

some consumers form deep emotional 

connections with a brand. They develop 

a sense of attachment, feeling a 

genuine fondness and affection for the 

brand. This emotional bond often extends 

beyond mere product usage and 

can lead to advocacy and loyalty. 

Love: The ultimate stage in the 

brand love journey is, of course, brand 

love itself. At this point, consumers 

have a passionate, enduring affection 

for the brand. 

Loyalty and Advocacy: At this point, 

consumers are not only loyal customers 

but also vocal advocates who enthusiastically 

promote the brand to others. 

Brand love is a testament to the brand’s 

ability to inspire deep emotional connections 

and long-lasting relationships 

with its customers. 

Understanding these stages of 

brand love can help marketers develop 

strategies to nurture and strengthen 

these connections, leading to greater 

customer loyalty, advocacy, brand success 

and profit. 

Key Themes 

Emotional Connection: Lydia posits that 

successful brands transcend the realm 

of mere utility by forging profound emotional 

connections with their customers. 

Through captivating case studies, she 

demonstrates how brands such as Toyota, 

LEGO and Huda Beauty have mastered 

the art of establishing emotional 

bonds that go beyond transactions, resulting 

in loyalty that lasts a lifetime. 

Authenticity: In a world where authenticity 

is highly treasured, Lydia underscores 

the importance of a brand’s 

genuine voice and values. She explores 

how brands can effectively communicate 

their authenticity and resonate 

with consumers who are in search of 

authentic connections. One of the ways 

that her company, Blended Collective, 

demonstrates authenticity is that they 

only use their own original photos for 

marketing. No stock photos here. 

Community Building: The creation 

of communities centered around 

a brand is a potent strategy, as Michael 

illustrates with examples from 

streetwear brands like The Hundreds. 

She provides actionable insights on 

how to foster brand communities that 

not only thrive but also actively support 

and engage with one another. 

Humanization: Being human is 

a brand’s biggest asset as customers 

look for companies that go beyond 

transactional value and know how 

to laugh and cry with you, building 

meaningful connections. The truth 

is consumers want brands who think 

and act like them. People connect with 

the human side of brands. 

Culture: Humans look at the world 

based on the way they perceive it. For 

customers, many choices are based on 

their values. It is also true that customers 

view the world based on the 

cultures they grow up in and the cultures 

that surround them. This has an 

BRAND LOVE continued on page 49 

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FEATURE 

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at the height of the Fall color season. 

Finding Fall Color 

in the Mitten 

Few places match Michigan’s natural Autumn beauty 

BY SARAH KITTLE 

Michigan is such a beautiful 

state. We are surrounded on 

three sides by water – fresh, 

glorious water – and have the advantage 

of experiencing all four seasons of 

the year, sometimes in the same week! 

(You may have seen memes on social 

media that say, “Everyone: “You can’t 

have all four seasons in one week.” 

Michigan: “Hold my Faygo.”) 

Now that summer has wound to a 

close, it’s time to get in our cars and 

make the drive to see the fall colors. 

Our Upper Peninsula (UP) was named 

the “#1 Destination for Fall Foliage” by 

USA Today. It’s not just about the color 

either; autumn smells and sounds 

abound across the Great Lake State. 

The crisp autumn air and gentle postsummer 

wind rustling through the 

trees are experiences to savor. With 

nature trails to hike and delicious aromatic 

apples to munch, Pure Michigan 

has it all for fall. 

Higher elevations in the Lower 

Peninsula are experiencing peak color 

right now, and areas closest to the Great 

Lakes will peak mid to late October, according 

to the state website. It is the 

best time of year for a regional road trip! 

Leaf-peepers are encouraged to keep in 

mind that there are always exceptions 

to the rule, and that some areas have 

been stressed by summer weather. 

When you’re in Michigan, they say 

you are never more than six miles from 

a body of water, so add some sparkling 

turquoise water to your tour. The setting 

sun reflecting off a clear blue 

lake is an iconic scene but imagine 

seeing the fall color tour from the air. 

The highest point in the Midwest, a 

ski jump at Copper Peak in Ironwood 

accessible by an 800-foor chairlift, 

promises a spectacular 360-degree 

view called the Copper Peak Adventure 

Ride. Their marketing claims that 

on a clear day, you can see three states 

plus Canada at the same time. 

Or try the Lake of the Clouds in the 

UP’s Porcupine Mountains Wilderness 

State Park. There’s a hiking trail 

to match anyone’s ability, and when 

you reach your destination, there are 

views for days! There’s a reason why 

the Lake of the Clouds Overlook is one 

of the most photographed spots in the 

UP. The view reflected in the pristine 

lake is unmatched. 

Stay in your car and take a look 

at Lake Michigan from the Cut River 

Bridge Overlook, which is located about 

50 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. 

The bridge stands 150 feet above the Cut 

River and, if you do want to venture out 

of your vehicle, it has access trails to 

both the river and the lake. 

In fact, Michigan has many points 

providing panoramic views of fall 

beauty, from Sunset Park in Petoskey 

FALL COLOR continued on page 38 


CHALDEAN 

STORY 

Made possible with generous support from Michigan 

Stories, a Michigan Humanities Grants initiative. 


FEATURE 

FALL COLOR continued from page 36 

to Pyramid Point in Maple City near 

Glen Arbor. Take a scenic drive along 

the shores or rent a kayak or paddleboard 

to get up close and personal 

with the vibrant hues. 

For a day trip, Whiting Overlook 

Park in Midland is just down the road 

from the Chippewa Nature Center and 

its trails. Its wide-open spaces allow 

visitors the opportunity to relax and 

enjoy the wildlife. The park is known 

to bird watchers across the state because 

rare species of waterfowl visit 

during migration season. Additionally, 

the park features an extension of the 

Chippewa Trail, allowing bikers, hikers, 

and joggers to loop through Overlook 

Park and connect to it. 

From Grand Rapids to Port Sanilac, 

Belleville to Belle Isle, Michigan has 

the most when it comes to fall color. 

Horizon Park is a gem you may never 

have heard of. Located on the shore 

of Belleville Lake, the site is home to 

the Belleville War Memorial and offers 

lovely lake views. Abundant trees give 

gorgeous fall color and with a picnic 

pavilion, arbor, benches, tables, and 

restrooms, it is a nice place to spend an 

autumn afternoon. The Horizon Park 

Waterfront offers a lakeside boardwalk, 

courtesy boat docks and an ADA accessible 

canoe/kayak launch. A favorite 

activity of area residents is watching 

the sun set over the lake. 

Trees are not the only thing showing 

color in nature at this time of year. 

Sunsets and sunrises are spectacular 

at Belle Isle’s Sunset Point. Brilliant 

reds, oranges and purples blend to 

give a showstopping scene everywhere 

you look at sundown; the park is surrounded 

by water that reflects the 

view, effectively doubling its glory. As 

a bonus, the aquarium and conservatory 

are now open to enjoy as well. 

But of course, trees and leaves are 

what we want to see in Michigan in fall, 

and there are distinct routes planned 

out to take advantage of the fall color. 

In the Petoskey area, you have the Tunnel 

of Trees. Closer to home, we have 

Addison Oaks Park in Leonard, where 

the beauty of the trees is reflected in the 

water. The park boasts a 20-mile trail 

system to hike, bike, or ride on horseback. 

What a way to see the trees! 

Bald Mountain Recreation Area in 

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Lake Orion gives you a chance to get up 

close to fall color. With a beach, streams, 

lakes, and 15 miles of marked trails, you 

can spend all day here. It has some of 

the most rugged terrain in southeastern 

Michigan if you’re up for it. 

Brighton Recreation Area in Howell 

offers a shoreline of oaks and maples for 

color and grassy shrub marches for wildlife, 

such as sandhill cranes and herons. 

20 miles of trails to bike and hike plus 

picnic shelters and modern bathrooms 

make this site a hit for family fun. 

If a local color drive is what you’re 

looking for, there’s a 150-mile loop 

from Flint, through Brighton and 

Bloomfield Hills. Be sure to circle 

through Cranbrook, a historic landmark 

with gorgeous grounds (and 

attractions like an art museum and 

science center). Beyond fall-prime 

cider mills and orchards, swing by 

other beautiful parks including Seven 

Lakes State Park in Holly, Ortonville 

Recreation Area, and For-Mar Nature 

Preserve and Arboretum near Flint — 

and even more in Brighton, Commerce 

Township and White Lake. 

Cranbrook House and Gardens in 

Bloomfield Hills are beautiful all year 

‘round, but they are spectacular in 

the fall. There are 40 acres of gardens 

to see on a self-guided tour, and you 

can even bring your dog, provided you 

also bring (and use) a leash! 

Michigan is known for its breathtaking 

fall foliage, and there is no 

better way to experience it than with 

a scenic drive. As the leaves turn brilliant 

shades of red, orange, and gold, 

the many bodies of water around the 

area reflect the stunning autumn colors, 

creating a picturesque landscape 

that is sure to take your breath away. 

On Pure Michigan’s site, you’ll find 

tips for leaf spotting and planning a 

fall color tour. 

Take a leisurely drive through the 

winding roads and enjoy the stunning 

views of the forests and lakes. 

Don’t forget to bring your camera and 

capture the beauty of fall in Michigan. 

Whether you’re a nature enthusiast or 

just looking for a relaxing weekend 

getaway, a scenic drive through Michigan’s 

fall foliage is an experience you 

won’t want to miss. 

With 19 million acres of forest, the 

state motto rings true: “If you seek a 

pleasant peninsula, look about you.” 

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CULTURE & HISTORY 

In the Beginning: 

Mesopotamian Beer 

BY ADHID MIRI, PHD 

Martin Luther is credited with 

saying, “Whoever drinks 

beer, he is quick to sleep; 

whoever sleeps long, does not sin; 

whoever does not sin, enters Heaven. 

Thus, let us drink beer!” 

Beer is one of the oldest drinks 

known to man. 

Before Adolphus Busch, Arthur 

Amstel, and Samuel Adams – before 

Budweiser, Miller Lite, Coors, Michelob, 

the English Newcastle Brown 

Ale, the Irish Guinness, the Dutch 

Heineken, the Mexican Corona, the 

Belgian Stella Artois, and the Australian 

Fosters, there was Mesopotamian 

beer from Sumer. 

In the writings of the ancient Sumerians, 

beer was considered a magical 

brew from the gods endowing the 

drinker with health, peace of mind, 

and happiness. They even had a goddess 

of beer named Ninkasi. 

In Babylon, beer was considered a 

divine drink, a true gift from the Gods. 

It was also a sign of wealth. The Code 

of Hammurabi, the ancient Babylonian 

set of laws, decreed a daily beer 

ration to citizens. Every citizen had 

his daily dose of beer, depending on 

his wealth. The drink was so respected 

that people were sometimes paid for 

work in beer, instead of money. 

History 

Beer was invented in Mesopotamia by 

hunter-gatherers who learned to ferment 

wild grains. They soon settled in 

villages to cultivate and brew. 

The ruins of Mesopotamian civilizations 

are full of hundreds of clay 

tablets and artifacts that record the 

methods and means of making and 

drinking beer; they even depict drink 

councils. Cups and vessels for drinking 

and manufacturing wine were also 

found. Archeologists discovered and 

deciphered an ode to Ninkasi, the patron 

goddess of brewing. This poem 

contained the oldest known recipe for 

making beer, using barley from bread. 

The most ancient depiction of beer 

drinking is found on a 6,000-year-old 

clay tablet showing people sipping the 

beverage through straws from a large 

communal bowl. There was no way of 

filtering beer back then, so their beer 

was thick, like porridge, and hard to 

drink; however, the ancients considered 

beer a safer alternative to water, 

as nearby rivers and canals often became 

contaminated by animal waste. 

Also, since alcohol is a chemical 

preservative, the process of fermentation 

boiled out harmful microorganisms 

while preserving nutrients 

absent from other drinks. Thus, it is 

unsurprising that, besides its use in 

religious ceremonies and rituals, beer 

was associated with the gods. 

Brewing Methods 

Every beer that you have been served 

at your local brewery, bar, or restaurant 

can be broken down into two basic 

types: ales and lagers. The main 

differences between an ale and a lager 

are the type of yeast used to ferment 

the beer and fermentation time. The 

four main ingredients in beer are water, 

malt, hops, and yeast. 

The ancient brewing process was 

quite labor-intensive and began with 

the malting of grains. The grains were 

soaked in water for several days, then 

dried in the sun or on hot stones. The 

malted grains were then ground into a 

coarse powder which was mixed with 

water to form a mash. 

The mash was boiled, then strained 

to remove the husks and other solids. 

The resulting liquid, known as wort, 

was then boiled again and flavored with 

herbs and spices. Finally, the wort was 

fermented with yeast, resulting in beer. 

For centuries, the basic way to 

make beer was to boil malted barley 

with water and let it ferment. Sometimes, 

natural yeast did the vital work, 

but generally, the brewers would add 

yeast to speed up the process. The 

resulting mix would then be flavored 

with a mixture of various herbs. Adding 

hops improved the chances that 

the beer would not spoil, but the large 

variety of recipes continued to make 

beer-making difficult. 

The ancient brewing process was 

quite different from modern brewing, 

as it was more of an art than a science. 

Ancient brewers had to rely on their 

senses to determine when the beer was 

ready to drink; they did not have access 

to the sophisticated technologies 

used in modern brewing. As a result, 

ancient beer was often sour or bitter 

and could be quite strong. 

The Industrial Revolution brought 

the mechanization of brewing. Better 

control over the process, with the use 

of the thermometer and saccharometer, 

was developed in Britain and transferred 

to the continent, where the development 

of ice-making and refrigeration equipment 

in the late 19th century enabled 

lager beers to be brewed in the summer. 

The origin of the word “beer” is 

somewhat unclear, but it likely comes 

from an ancient Germanic word meaning 

“barley.” This makes sense, as barley 

was one of the main ingredients 

used in early beer production. Another 

theory is that the word “beer” comes 

from the Latin word “bibere,” which 

means “to drink.” 

Iraqi Beer 

European style beer was introduced to 

Iraq shortly after World War II, when 

Iraq was ruled by the British-backed 

monarchy. Madhaf Khedairi, a wealthy 

Muslim businessman, bought a small 

brewery from a British naval vessel. He 

founded The Iraq Brewery Co. in 1950 

and began making stout. It was not 

profitable, so he invested more money 

and switched to making lager. 

In 1956, Khadhuri Khadhuri, a Christian, 

established the Eastern Brewery 

Company and made Farida, a nutty 

brew which became a symbol of Iraq. 

The plant was in the Zaafaraniya industrial 

area near Baghdad. The street leading 

to is still called “Bottle Road.” 

These two firms flourished. British 

colonial servants and, later, prosperous 

Iraqi businessmen gathered 

to quench their thirsts at the elegant 

teak bar of the Alwiya Club off Firdus 

Square in central Baghdad. The 


1958 revolution swept away the king 

and the British, but not the beer – although 

the deeply suspicious officers 

who took power considered the Alwiya 

Club a subversive organization. 

Beer not only survived the seizure 

of power by the secular pan-Arab socialistic 

Baath party in 1968, but breweries 

proliferated. The party nationalized 

the Khedairi firm in 1973-74 and 

in 1975-76, the government established 

two breweries; one in the city of Mosul 

and the other at Amara, an extremely 

strict Muslim city where workers had 

to be brought from China. 

Farida achieved peak production of 

thirty million bottles a year during the 

1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. Their slogan? 

“Always in bottles, never in cans.” 

There was another major twist of 

events during the sanction years of the 

1990s, when Saddam Hussein’s oldest 

son Uday started harassing the private 

sector companies and successful brewery 

owners. Uday, a sadist with a taste 

for cruelty, sports cars, women, and 

alcohol, had a complex, dark character 

and carried a grudge against the elite. 

Once you came to Uday’s notice, he 

never left you alone. He also had an appetite 

for liquor and beer. 

Uday, also known as Al-Ustath, had 

his staff call Khadhuri’s son and managing 

partner 

of the Eastern 

Brewery Company 

for a meeting 

in his office. In that 

meeting, Uday claimed 

the company was best 

run by the state and offered 

to buy the company with Iraqi 

currency. The Iraqi dinar at that 

time was a worthless piece of paper 

printed by the government during 

the Iran-Iraq war. 

Khadhuri politely tried to decline 

the offer, stating that the brewery was 

the only family business, and many 

family members depend upon it for 

their living. Khadhuri’s request to decline 

the offer was denied; however, as 

a gesture of good will, Uday told the 

owner’s son that he would keep him 

on as a plant manager. 

Two years later, after the sanctions 

squeeze and a series of reversals, 

Uday summed Khadhuri again and 

asked him to buy the company back, 

this time with US dollars that the family 

must have stashed in the west. With 

his own survival instincts and some 

knowledge of Ustath Uday’s history of 

deceit, Khadhuri took his family and 

fled to Jordan the next day. 

Beer and Politics 

The ancient Iraqis made drinks from 

barley and wine extracted from palm 

dates. The wine from palm juice was 

made by cutting the top of the trunk 

of the palm tree, collecting the resulting 

juice, and fermenting it for two or 

three days. It became quite a strong 

intoxicant. The drink was intended for 

the people, distributed at a rate of more 

than a gallon per person; meanwhile, 

the Iraqi government of today prevents 

it, confiscates it, and forbids it. 

When sanctions were imposed by 

the UN in 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait, 

the government imposed a 50 per 

cent cut in production and banned money 

transfers abroad. Farida carried on by 

obtaining malt and hops from a supplier 

who did not mind flouting the decree. It 

is reported that a Farida spokesperson 

said, “How he paid was not our concern. 

He gave us one hundred tons of malt for 

30,000 cases of beer!” 

In 1998 Farida licensed a Jordanian 

company to make their beer in Amman, 

Jordan. Farida remained privately 

owned until 2001, when ousted President 

Saddam Hussein’s eldest son, 

Uday, and his friends took over the firm 

and made soft drinks as well as beer. 

In the weeks after the invasion of 

Iraq by the Bush administration, Farida 

was forced to compete with imports 

from Holland and Turkey. Popular 

name brands and imports such as Amstel, 

Heineken, Almaza, Corona, and 

Budweiser dominated the Iraqi market. 

Until Shia fundamentalists were 

installed in power in Iraq by the US 

occupation, brewing beer was a profitable 

business. In 2004, Shia fundamentalists 

halted beer production 

in all breweries. Smugglers hawking 

chilled beer appeared beneath the 

Jadriya Bridge alongside peddlers 

selling illegal drugs. The supplies 

of Farida vanished. Sadly, today the 

breweries and shops selling beer and 

other alcoholic drinks have shut down 

or been torched. Clubs, bars, and restaurants 

have closed. 

Carrying on the Tradition 

Beers that were brewed in Iraq have 

mostly female names. In addition to 

the most famous of all — Farida, meaning 

“unique”— there was Diana, “the 

golden lager;” Shahrazad; Loulou’a; 

Kahramana; and Sanabel. 

In the 1940s, King Farouk of Egypt 

married the Iranian princess Safinaz 

Zulfiqar, and then called her Princess 

Farida. Like most other nations, the 

Iraqi were obsessed with the ruling 

royal family, and so was the managing 

director of the Iraqi Eastern Beer Company, 

who bestowed upon their product 

the name “Farida.” 

Keeping up with the Mesopotamians, 

some Chaldean Americans 

dived into the micro-brew industry 

in the United States. The first Chaldean 

known to do so was the author 

of this article, Dr. Adhid Miri, who 

opened Copper Canyon Micro-Brewery 

in Southfield, Michigan in 1998. The 

Sarafa brothers, Anmar and Haithem, 

entered the industry and purchased 

Frankenmuth Brewery in Michigan in 

2009. They are still going strong today. 

Beer and friendship go back thousands 

of years. William Bostwick, the 

beer critic for the Wall Street Journal 

(plum job!) once said, “Humankind 

was built on beer. From the world’s 

first writing to its first laws, in rituals 

social, religious, and political, civilization 

is soaked in beer.” 

Some other favorite beer quotes include, 

“Friends bring happiness into 

your life; best friends bring beer,” and, 

“Life and beer are very similar, chill for 

best results.” 

Cheers! 

Sources: Wikipedia, Al-Gardinia. 

com, Andrea Fallibene, Brew Master, 

Yaqthan Chadirji, Naiem Abid Mhalhal 


CHALDEAN KITCHEN 

PHOTOS BY ALEX LUMELSKY 

“Mommy’s Salad” 

When is a salad not just a salad? 

BY Z.Z. DAWOD 

“ 

Mommy’s Salad,” as it was named by her 

children, is not just a salad—it’s a meal. 

On most dinner menus, salads tend 

to play a supporting role, served in small portions at 

the start of a meal. However, West Bloomfield resident 

Aida Yousif has taken the concept of a salad to a 

new level by elevating it to a full meal. Among family 

and friends, “Mommy’s Salad” is a favorite and has 

been at the top of the request list for many years. 

Background 

While she was raising her children, Aida’s goal was 

to always incorporate salads into their diet, to get her 

family accustomed to eating fresh fruits and vegetables 

on a regular basis. On the day I visited her home, 

Aida made her priorities categorically clear, exclaiming, 

“Using fresh ingredients makes it healthy, and 

completing it with a protein makes it fulfilling.” 

As far back as she can remember, Aida has not 

used pre-mixed dressings to complete her salads. She 

never cared for what she calls that “fake taste” growing 

up. Instead, she appreciated the timeless simplicity 

of lemon, oil, and salt. A sprinkle of sumac was 

added to give the dish a traditional homemade flavor. 

Over the years, as her children were growing, 

Aida would experiment with a variety of vegetables 

and fruits, in search of the perfect combination. She 

also discovered that the order in which ingredients 

are added is a factor and, according to her, makes all 

the difference. 

History and Origin 

Why do we call it salad? The origin of the word is 

“sal,” which is Latin for “salt.” Provencal usage was 

salada and the old French term became salade. By 

the late Middle English period, the modern-day spelling 

salad was adopted. 

According to food historians, salads date back 

to ancient Greek and Roman societies. In classical 

times, a simple selection of raw vegetables came to 

be dressed with oil, vinegar and, most importantly, 

salt — the key ingredient which gave this dish its universal 

name. As more ingredients were added, salad 

recipes evolved based on availability of ingredients 

and varying local climates. 

Mommy’s Salad Preparation 

To prepare “Mommy’s Salad,” Aida always starts with 

a bed of washed and chopped romaine lettuce. Romaine 

is one of the most common varieties of lettuce 

used in Iraq and throughout the Middle East, where it 

also happens to be the base ingredient in the Fattoush 

— one of the most commonly-known Middle Eastern 

salads. However, that’s pretty much where the similarities 

end because, over the years, Aida has developed 

her own unique blend of ingredients for her recipe. 

English cucumbers are added next. Aida always 

uses this variety because, she says, “They often have 

little or no seeds, with a sweeter flavor. [They are] 

also less watery.” 

After the cucumbers come the vine tomatoes. 

“These are definitely the best variety to use because 

they have a longer harvest, which gives them that extra 

time on the vine, making them extra sweet and 

juicy,” she declares. 

The next three vegetables are red cabbage, celery, 

and radish. “These have been a favorite addition 

thanks to their extra crunchy texture, so the salad is 

not soggy,” she continues. Each ingredient is added 


on top of the last and Aida does not begin 

mixing until the very end. 

Her choice of onion is the green 

onion, which is the final vegetable to 

be added. After experimenting extensively, 

Aida has formed strong preferences 

for particular varieties. “I like 

the green onions; while they are milder 

than sweet onion, they have lots of 

flavor,” she says. 

With all vegetables and the tomatoes 

added, the fresh herbs are next on 

the chopping block. First, Aida adds 

the curly parsley. “I prefer the curly variety 

because, to my taste buds, it has 

more of a ‘green flavor.’ Also, it has a 

bit of a crunch, compared to the Italian 

flat-leaf parsley, which tends to, sometimes, 

have a bitter taste.” The next 

herb is fresh mint. “The mint gives the 

salad that extra burst of flavor,” Aida 

adds, excitedly. 

Chickpeas are added next, for that 

all-important protein, to complement 

the mix and to create a nice balance 

with the vegetables, fruit, and herbs. 

After a long day, “I don’t want to eat 

something heavy,” Aida says. If there 

is not much time to cook, she tops the 

salad with chickpeas for protein, to 

make a complete meal. Chickpeas are 

perfect as a meat alternative. 

It’s worth noting that chickpeas are 

also known as garbanzo beans. While 

the two names sound completely unrelated, 

they are in fact the same bean. 

“Chickpea” is the common English term, 

while “Garbanzo” is a Spanish word. 

Whatever you prefer to call them, these 

beans have been part of the Middle Eastern 

diet for almost 10,000 years, sharing 

different names across many cultures. 

With fresh ingredients like these 

it’s hard to go wrong, but dressing this 

mixture is what makes Aida’s salad so 

special. Her perfected blend begins by 

sprinkling the sumac and dry mint. 

That’s right—she adds dry mint in addition 

to the fresh mint because it helps to 

expand the flavor. While the fresh mint 

provides the initial blast of fragrance, 

dry mint helps the taste to linger until 

the end of each delicious bite. 

Aida tops that with a mixture of 

equal-part lemon and lime juice. Next, 

she adds the Greek olive oil, from a treasured 

bottle, gifted by her son after his 

honeymoon trip to Greece. And for the 

grand finale, the Himalayan sea salt. 

“This salt creates a perfect balance and 

highlights all the flavors,” she says. 

RECIPE 

Mommy’s 

Salad 

Recipe shared by Aida Yousif 

Ingredients: 

Romaine lettuce 

English cucumbers 

Vine ripe tomatoes 

Radish 

Red cabbage 

Celery 

Green onions 

Curly parsley 

Fresh mint 

Chickpeas 

Sumac + dry mint 

Lemon/lime juice mixture 

Greek olive oil 

Himalayan sea salt 

Mixing Instructions: 

Add the vegetables, fruit and herbs in the 

order listed above. Salt must be added last 

to capture the flavor of all the ingredients. 

When the salt is added, “you will taste the 

magic,” infused with sumac, dry mint, 

olive oil and lemon-lime mixture, bringing 

out a more intense flavorful taste of all the 

vegetables and chickpeas. 


STRONG 

OWNS HER 

future 

NEW AMERICANS 

Coming to America 

Bushra Hormis finds the 

help she needs 

EXCERPTS FROM A TRANSLATED TESTIMONIAL 

Come see the Marian difference. 

Marian offers a transformative four-year experience 

and is home to strong women of mind and heart. 

Scholarships and tuition assistance up to 65% 

are available to qualifying students. 

Fall Info Night 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 

7 PM 

Open House 

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5 

1 - 4 PM 

248-502-3033 | admission@marian-hs.org | www.marian-hs.org 

Bushra Hormis is an Iraqi expatriate 

who came to America and 

faced many difficulties, including 

learning a new language, translating 

and filling out paperwork, and finding 

employment. Bushra thanked God 

when she heard about the Chaldean 

Community Foundation, which aids 

immigrants in general, and Iraqis in 

particular. Said Bushra, “I would like to 

extend my sincere thanks and gratitude 

to Him for this great idea of providing 

useful and beautiful assistance.” 

Bushra reported that when she 

came to the Foundation, she didn’t feel 

they had any problems or complicated 

treatment, because “they receive you 

with the best reception.” According 

to Bushra, all the CCF employees are 

likable and patient and provide advice 

with great openness. “No matter how 

much I talk about their good qualities,” 

she said, “I feel like I fall short.” 

Bushra is so completely grateful, 

and wishes the entire community to 

be grateful, too. Whenever she enters 

the Foundation building, she feels as if 

she has entered her home, in terms of 

reception and cleanliness. “We thank 

them very much,” she expressed, “and 

ask the Lord to give them strength and 

fulfill their wishes just as they fulfilled 

ours for us.” Bushra faces difficulty 

with the language, and says it is hard 

for her and those like her to learn the 

language easily. 

“If it were not for the Foundation’s 

help,” Bushra went on, “we would be 

even more lost than we are now.” She 

feels every immigrant who needs help 

should come to the Foundation. “They 

will welcome you from the bottom of 

their hearts,” she explained. “And when 

you come to this place, you will not feel 

that you are dealing with an employee, 

but rather with your sister, daughter, 

and brother. It is a great project.” 

The Chaldean Community Foundation 

provided Bushra with support 

and assistance and communicated 

with other parties on her behalf. She 

said the Foundation saved her from 

embarrassment and humiliation. 

“When you need someone to help you 

once or twice, the third time he will 

feel uncomfortable offering you help,” 

she explained. “But thanks to God, 

this Foundation was opened for us to 

visit whenever we needed them at any 

time and for any reason.” 

Bushra is currently enrolled as a student 

in the ESL classes at the CCF. 



BREAKING BARRIERS 

3601 15 MILE RD., STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 

Breaking Barriers provides services and advocacy to those with developmental and/or intellectual 

disabilities, older adults, and respite to caregivers. 

B.E.A.M. (BRAILLE, ESL, ACCULTURATION, MOBILITY) PROJECT – 

helps better equip those with visual impairments to live independent lives. 

H.E.A.L. (HARD OF HEARING, ESL, AMERICAN SIGN 

LANGUAGE, LIFE SKILLS) PROJECT – helps better equip those with 

hearing impairments to live independent lives. 

C.H.A.I. (CAREGIVER HELPING AID INITIATIVE) PROJECT– 

supports the family caregiver in care provision and stress reduction. 

BB ACADEMY – Adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities gather to 

participate in group activities, meet new friends, learn new skills and have fun while their 

unpaid family caregivers enjoy some well-deserved respite time. 

RECREATIONAL FAMILY RESPITE – Year-round themed gatherings 

for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their families. 

Families enjoy a safe and familiar place to meet, break bread and to socialize. 

SUPERCUTS BARBER SHOP – Licensed cosmetologists provide complimentary 

salon services for individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities by appointment. 

M.O.B. – Matter of Balance is an evidence based cognitive restructuring group class 

for older adults with mobility challenges to reduce the risk of Falling. 

BINGOCIZE- Older adults meet and enjoy group Bingo and light exercise to 

socialize and improve their overall health. 


FAMILY TIME 

“Non-Traditional” Family-Fun 

Halloween Activities 

BY VALENE AYAR 

Every year, it seems as if Halloween 

is arriving earlier and earlier 

in the year….and I don’t know 

about you guys, but I don’t hate it. 

Halloween is such a fun way to 

bond with your children and get creative 

while you do it. While you can 

go the traditional “trick-or-treating” 

route, (an oldie but a goodie), why not 

put a fun spin on it and start branching 

out to create new ghoulie traditions 

you and your kids will love and 

remember for years to come? 

Here are a few ideas, many of 

which already exist locally. All you 

have to do is show up —preferably, in 

costume! 

Metro-Detroit Local Activities 

Classic Halloween fun for little ones is 

available at the Zoo Boo in Royal Oak 

weekends from October 7 until October 

22. Explore the Detroit Zoo and 

experience festive pumpkin displays 

and strolling entertainment from jugglers 

and magicians. Capture memories 

with themed photo opportunities 

all while visiting each of the trick-ortreating 

spots scattered throughout 

the Zoo. 

The entire Zoo will be open, allowing 

you to visit your favorite animals 

and watch them enjoy a treat of their 

own. Special Halloween-themed enrichment 

activities will be taking place 

each day at various animal habitats. 

For fairy tales and folklore, look 

no further than Troy. On Friday, October 

20, in Troy’s Historic Village, their 

annual trick-or-treating event brings 

the theme to life. Grab your glass slippers 

and hop in the pumpkin-carriage 

for enchanting decorations, fantastic 

games and crafts, and bewitchingly 

good trick-or-treating. As always, Village 

trick-or-treating is friendly, not 

scary, and will have teal pumpkin options 

available. Register in advance for 

reduced admission. 

In Sterling Heights, enjoy “Sterling 

Frights” Halloween on Saturday, October 

21 in Dodge Park. The 9th annual 

celebration runs from 10am until 1pm 

A scary movie night can keep little ghosts and goblins happy. 

and includes live music, hayrides, a 

straw maze, cider and donuts, candy 

for the kiddos, photo opportunities, 

inflatable activities, rides and more! 

For a Spooktacular magic show, 

visit Shelby Township Public Library 

on Saturday, October 28. 

Magical Halloween adventures 

await in this exciting, not-scary show 

performed by magician, comedian, 

and juggler Joel Tacey. 

There are a couple of local Boo 

Bashes on the same weekend so make 

it a “Boo Bash” weekend! The first, in 

Southfield Pavilion on Saturday, October 

28, will have ghoulish games, 

creepy crafts, live entertainment, and 

trick or treating. The event is for children 

ages 2-12, but everyone must purchase 

a ticket to enter. 

The second Boo Bash takes place 

Sunday, October 29 in Heritage Park. 

Dress up in your favorite costume 

and enjoy a hayride, making s’mores 

and crafts, a creepy crawly creature 

display, and a trick-or-treat trail. The 

event runs from 11am until 3pm. When 

registering, make sure you select your 

hayride time; they run every 15 minutes. 

Registration is required for both 

adults and children, and a paid adult 

must accompany children on hayrides. 

The Trick or Treat Trail in West 

Bloomfield happens Sunday, October 

29 in Marshbank Park. 

Get more treats than tricks this fall 

by walking along the safe and friendly 

½ mile-paved trail with your neighbors, 

friends, and family. Put on your 

costume and head out to collect goodies 

from costumed characters and local 

businesses and organizations. 

Halloween Fun at Home 

The above activities are wonderful alternatives 

(or additions) to more traditional 

Halloween activities, but if you 

would like to implement your own, or 

better yet, mix it up and do multiple 

activities, here are a few you can do on 

your own. 

Create a “House of Horrors.” One 

of the best parts of Halloween is not 

the candy and treats, but the creative 

spirit of the holiday. And one of the 

best ways to showcase your creativity 

is by turning your home into a haunted 

house that everyone in the neighborhood 

can visit and enjoy! Even if 

you do not consider yourself creative, 

with the help of YouTube, TikTok, and 

Google, you can find an endless slew 

of ideas to adapt or to build off and 

make your own. 

Boo your family, friends, and 

neighbors. This is a great alternative 

to trick-or-treating. It also allows you 

the opportunity to show your children 

that giving is more important than 

receiving. Put together some treats 

and goodies (stickers and small toys 

are always a fun option), drop them 

off on porches, ring the doorbell, and 

run! Think of it as trick-or-treating in 

reverse. You can put them in little bags 

and attach a fun note letting people 

know who is responsible for the yummy 

surprise. Your kids will also get an 

adrenaline rush from the sleuthing of 

it all. And we can all use a nice, fun, 

and harmless “sense of danger” occasionally. 

Happy Booing! 

Host a scary movie marathon. 

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, I 

couldn’t get enough of movies like Hocus 

Pocus and Beetlejuice. As I entered 

my teen years, my tastes changed and 

I enjoyed the likes of The Sixth Sense, 

Scream, and I Know What You Did 

Last Summer. Now as a full-grown 

woman in her late 30s, it is back to Hocus 

Pocus, The Harry Potter series, and 

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find 

Them series. What does that mean? It 

means this can be a tradition for both 

kids and adults that will never get 

old. You can even do it outside with a 

large projector screen (check Amazon) 

while you sit by a campfire and make 

s’mores! 

While Halloween was traditionally 

enjoyed mostly by children hopped 

up on sugar in the past, it does not 

have to be that way anymore. There 

are so many new and exciting ways to 

celebrate that everyone in the family 

can (and will) absolutely love! Check 

out some of these activities yourself. 

When you do, be sure to take pics, post 

them on social media, and be sure to 

tag @TheChaldeanNews so we can 

celebrate with you! Happy Halloween, 

ghouls and goblins! 

Editor’s Note: Information and 

some excerpts were pulled from 

littleguidedetroit.com. 


CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION 

NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL CLASSES 

OCTOBER 3 – DECEMBER 14 

Tuesdays and Thursdays 

MORNING SESSIONS 

9:30 am – 12:00 pm 

OR 

EVENING SESSIONS 

5:00 pm – 7:30 pm 

REGISTRATION WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2023 

To register please call CCF at 586-722-7253 

$40 registration fee 

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 3601 15 MILE ROAD, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 586-722-7253 CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG 

OCTOBER 2023 NEWS 47

EVENT 

2 

4 5 

1 

3 

1. CCF’s Honoree Karam 

Banham with his wife 

Reem and family. 

2. Karam and Reem 

with Saber Ammori. 

3. Capturing footage 

of the event was 

Wilson Sarkis’ team. 

4. Left to right: Dr. 

Nahid Elyas, Salam 

Aboona, Fr. Ameer 

Brikha, and Tom Niami. 

5. Saber Ammori with 

family and Wireless 

Vison staff. 

6. It was a packed 

house at the Gala. 

5th Annual CCF Gala 

PHOTOS BY WILSON SARKIS 

The Chaldean Community Foundation hosted 

its 5th Annual Awards Gala on Friday, September 

22. More than 700 people attended, 

including dignitaries from across the state of 

Michigan and special guests from Iraq. During the 

program, the CCF honored Karam Bahnam with 

the Servant Leadership Award. Karam, one of the 

founding members of the Eastern Catholic Re-Evangelization 

Center (ECRC) and REVIV3, is a successful 

entrepreneur who has dedicated much of his 

time to helping others deepen their faith. 

The CCF raised nearly $550,000 from the event. 

The funds raised will go towards many new and 

upcoming projects that include affordable housing 

efforts, the development of the Oakland County 

Campus and ongoing workforce training programs. 

5 


PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS 

Angela Kakos 

Producing Branch Manager - VP of Mortgage Lending 

o: (248) 622-0704 

rate.com/angelakakos 

angela.kakos@rate.com 

2456 Metropolitan Parkway, Sterling Heights, MI 48310 

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nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Equal Housing Lender. Conditions may apply • Angela Kakos 

NMLS ID: 166374 

Phone: (248) 851-2227 

(248) 851-BCBS 

Fax: (248) 851-2215 

rockyhpip1@aol.com 

ROCKY H. HUSAYNU 

Professional Insurance Planners 

Individual & Group Health Plans 

Medicare Supplement Plans 

31000 Northwestern Hwy. • Suite 110 

Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 

Over 40 years of experience. 

Experience • Knowledge • Personal Service 

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TOP 1% OF REALTORS 

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ALL STAR - 

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is independently 

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Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, 

Associated Broker 

Each office is independently 

West Bloomfield, the Lakes 

Office (248)737-6800 Brian • S. Mobile Yaldoo 

Owned and Operated 

(248)752-4010 

Toll Associated Brian Free (866) S. 762-3960 Yaldoo and surrounding areas. 

Broker 

Email: brianyaldoo@remax.com Associated Websites: Broker www.brianyaldoo.com 

Office (248) www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com 

Office 737-6800 (248)737-6800 • Mobile (248)752-4010 (248) 752-4010 

Email: Toll brianyaldoo@remax.net 

Free (866) 762-3960 

Email: brianyaldoo@remax.com www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com 

Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com 

www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com 

Advertise 

JACQUELINE RAXTER, LMSW, LPC 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 

PROGRAM MANAGER 

in our business directory section! 

for As little As $ 85 

to place your ad, contact us today! 3601 15 Mile Road 

Sterling Heights, MI 48310 

TEL: (586) 722-7253 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 

phone: 248-851-8600 fax: 248-851-1348 

jacqueline.raxter@chaldeanfoundation.org 

30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101 

www.chaldeanfoundation.org 


Jaguar Land Rover Troy 

Sammi A. Naoum 

1815 Maplelawn Drive 

Troy, MI 48084 

TEL 248-537-7467 

MOBILE 248-219-5525 

snaoum@suburbancollection.com 

CHALDEAN 

AMERICAN 

CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY 

FOUNDATION 

SANA NAVARRETTE 

MEMBERSHIP MANAGER 

CHALDEAN 

AMERICAN 

CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY 

FOUNDATION 

SANA NAVARRETTE 

DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 

30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101 


CELL (248) 925-7773 

TEL (248) 851-1200 

FAX (248) 851-1348 

snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com 

www.chaldeanchamber.com 


ELIAS KATTOULA 

CAREER SERVICES MANAGER 

3601 15 Mile Road 

Sterling Heights, MI 48310 

TEL: (586) 722-7253 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 

elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org 


MARIAM ABDALLA 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STACY THERAPIST BAHRI 

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES MANAGER 

3601 3601 15 15 Mile Mile Road Road 

Sterling Sterling Heights, Heights, MI MI 48310 48310 

TEL: 

TEL: (586) (586) 722-7253 722-7253 

FAX: 

FAX: (586) (586) 722-7257 722-7257 

mariam.abdalla@chaldeanfoundation.org 

stacy.bahri@chaldeanfoundation.org 



BRAND LOVE continued from page 35 

impact on their consumer behavior, attitudes, 

and lifestyle. 

Impact and Reception 

“Brand Love” has garnered widespread 

acclaim from industry experts, 

marketers, and thought leaders globally. 

It features over one hundred 

brands, case studies and interviews 

from multicultural brands and has 

become a cornerstone resource for 

those seeking to fathom the intricacies 

of brand loyalty and consumer 

devotion. Michael’s insights have been 

instrumental in guiding businesses to 

30850 TELEGRAPH ROAD, SUITE 200 

BINGHAM FARMS, MI 48025 

TEL: (248) 996-8340 CELL: (248) 925-7773 

FAX: (248) 996-8342 

snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com 

www.chaldeanchamber.com 

reevaluate their www.chaldeanfoundation.org 

brand and marketing 

Twitter: @ChaldeanChamber 

strategies, enabling them to connect 

Instagram: @ChaldeanAmericanChamber 

with consumers on a deeper and more 

meaningful level. 

“Customers, especially the younger 

demographic like Gen Z, care about 

what brands think and say, as much as 

they care about the product or service 

they buy,” explains Michael. “They don’t 

want to just support a company anymore; 

they want a company that reflects 

who they are and what they believe. 

With that said, whenever we go 

through moments of social change, 

brands should understand that they 

can be replaced at any given moment if 

their approach isn’t mindful and genuine,” 

she further asserts. “During sensitive 

times, it’s important to continue 

to build trust and an ongoing, healthy 

relationship with customers.” 

In this current world of uber scrutiny, 

one must be careful about what 

they say online. “All in all, companies 

shouldn’t be too quick to voice 

their opinion on social issues just to 

check the box,” warns Michael. “They 

should know what to say and when to 

say it, displaying a good sense of their 

emotional intelligence in a crowded 

marketplace.” Good advice for a medium 

that is known for its quick response 

time, one that requires “a balance 

of logic and emotion.” 

As we navigate the ever-evolving 

landscape of consumer behavior, Michael’s 

visionary work remains a beacon, 

illuminating the path toward creating 

brands that resonate deeply and 

stand the test of time. In an era where 

consumers are inundated with choices, 

“Brand Love” is a reminder that, 

above all, it is the human and emotional 

bond between a brand and its 

customers that truly sets it apart. 

“Brand Love” is available for purchase 

on Amazon and anywhere books 

are available. Connect with Lydia 

Michael at BlendedCollective.com and 

LydiaMichael.com. 


CHALDEAN SCENE 

Sibling Shots 

Pictured immediately 

on the right is a photo 

submitted by Amanda 

Kajy of her children on 

the first day of school; 

next to that is Zayna, 

Zara and little Alexander, 

submitted by Wassem 

and Christina Ayar. 

All Dressed Up 

From left: Photo 

(submitted by) Jasmine 

Bakkal; Jennifer Konja 

submitted a photo of 

her son Cameron; and 

Krystal Dickow sent 

in photos of Matthew, 

Lauren, and Ava Hermiz. 

Back to School Celebrations! 

Smile for 

the Camera 

Linda Abbo sent in 

smiling photos of 

Amelia, Isaac, and 

Noah. The littlest one 

looks the happiest! 

Say “Cheese!” 

Little Ella’s photo 

was submitted by 

Sulviah Alsaigh; 

Annabelle and 

Angelo were sent 

in by Rita Bameko.

OCTOBER 2023

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