DECEMBER 2023

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY VOL. 20 ISSUE XI DECEMBER 2023 

The 

Gift of 

Family 

ADOPTION CAN 

BE A MIRACLE 

FOR MANY 

Featuring: 

Christmas in Iraq 

Who are the Chaldeans? 

Beth Al-Nahrain Conference

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نعيدك الى ماكنت عليه 

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877-KAJY-CARES / kajylaw.com 

DECEMBER 2023 CHALDEAN NEWS 3

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4 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2023

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY | DECEMBER 2023 | VOL. 20 ISSUE XI 

ON THE COVER 

16 The Gift of Family 

Exploring options for adoption 

By Sarah Kittle 

FEATURES 

18 Christmas in Iraq 

A nostalgic look back 

By Dr. Adhid Miri 

22 Needle and Thread 

Thamir Qoda preserves tradition 

one stitch at a time 

By Hanan Qia 

24 Beth Al-Nahrain 

Writers Conference 

By Dr. Adhid Miri 

28 Chaldean Kitchen 

Fadi Babbie’s Mezza Supreme 

By Z.Z. Dawod 

DEPARTMENTS 

6 From the Editor 

The Gift of Shared Experience 

By Sarah Kittle 

32 Sports 

Shaya Brothers 

By Steve Stein 

16 

42 From Mesopotamia to Michigan 

How Chaldean pioneers helped 

shape the state 

By Cal Abbo 

44 Who are the Chaldeans? 

History of the Church of the East 

By Cal Abbo 

8 Foundation Update 

Healing, Macomb and Oakland 

Community Colleges 

10 Noteworthy 

Reni Stephan, artist 

12 Chaldean Digest 

Iraqi president visits Pope, Sako calls for 

secular system in Iraq 

14 In Memoriam 

34 Family Time 

Yuletide good times 

By Valene Ayar 

36 Writers Contest Winners 

Miranda Kattula, Hayley Gappy, 

and Yara Bashoory 

46 Chaldean Scene 

Art Show, Veterans Day, 

Shining Light Award 

34 

30 Economics & Enterprise 

Post COVID Redux 

By Paul Natinsky 


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 

Z.Z. Dawod 

Sarah Kittle 

Dr. Adhid Miri 

Paul Natinsky 

Hanan Qia 

Steve Stein 

ART & PRODUCTION 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

PHOTOGRAPHER 

Alex Lumelsky 

SALES 

Interlink Media 

Sana Navarrette 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Sana Navarrette 

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: December 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” 

The Gift of Shared Experience 

Dear Readers, 

As we approach the season of goodwill 

and reflection, we are honored to present 

this special issue that delves into poignant 

themes of family, tradition, faith, and global perspectives. 

Our diverse collection of articles aims 

to illuminate the multifaceted nature of human 

experience, touching on aspects that resonate 

deeply within us all. 

Christmas in Iraq offers a tender glimpse into 

the rich cultural tapestry of the Iraq during the 

holiday season. Through Dr. Miri’s vivid storytelling, 

we witness the resilient spirit of 

communities celebrating amidst adversity, 

illuminating the universal themes of 

hope and unity transcending geographical 

boundaries. 

In Gift of Family, we explore the profound 

journey of adoption—a testament to 

the immeasurable love and resilience that 

binds families together. This heartfelt narrative 

shines a light on the transformative 

power of choice and the enduring bonds 

forged through the choice of unconditional love. 

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the festive season, issues 

of mental health take center stage, addressing the 

vital importance of nurturing our mental well-being. This 

season is an especially difficult one for those who are 

hurting, and Dr. Dalia Mammo, as reported in Serving Crises 

in the Community, is preparing to provide resources for 

young people in the community who are struggling with 

mental health. 

Cal Abbo’s Who Are the Chaldeans? delves into the 

significance of communal worship and spirituality in 

navigating life’s challenges. It celebrates the sanctuaries 

of faith where individuals find solace, community, and 

a sense of belonging, underscoring the enduring role of 

faith in shaping lives. 

Preserving tradition is a timeless endeavor that binds 

generations together. Thamir Qoda’s profile, written by 

SARAH KITTLE 

EDITOR 

IN CHIEF 

Hannan Qia in Iraq, celebrates the richness of 

cultural heritage and the importance of safeguarding 

age-old customs in an ever-evolving world. 

Through Needle and Thread invites reflection on 

the significance of passing down traditions and 

traditional garb to honor our collective history. 

We also celebrate heritage through food, in 

Chaldean Kitchen’s special holiday recipe; through 

art as shown by the Bet Nahrain art show and writer’s 

conference in the CCF Update and the Events 

section; and even in sports, as the Shaya brothers 

unite to defeat all comers. 

As we navigate the complexities of our 

modern world, may these narratives 

inspire us to embrace empathy, 

understanding, and the enduring 

power of human connection. 

Each article in this issue is a testament to the diversity 

of human experiences and the universal themes that connect 

us all—love, resilience, faith, and tradition. As we 

navigate the complexities of our modern world, may these 

narratives inspire us to embrace empathy, understanding, 

and the enduring power of human connection. 

May this issue serve as a beacon of inspiration, fostering 

a spirit of unity, compassion, and appreciation for the rich 

tapestry of humanity. As we embark on this festive season, 

let us cherish our families, celebrate our traditions, and embrace 

the gift of shared experiences that unite us all. 

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 DECEMBER 2023 CHALDEAN NEWS 7

FOUNDATION UPDATE 

H.E.A.L. participant using the interactive driving simulator during the driver’s training course. 

Driving the Way 

Understanding the Brain 

A workshop regarding brain 

health was presented by Macomb 

Community College 

Nursing students on November 

15. The event proved to 

be an invaluable resource for 

those in attendance to learn 

more about brain health, how 

to keep your mind healthy, 

proper nutrition and exercise 

to reduce stress. 

Preserving History through Art 

Attendees on Day 1 of the Beth Nahrain Art Show. 

The CCF’s H.E.A.L. (Hard of Hearing, E.S.L., 

American Sign Language, Life Skills) Project 

is using a state-of-the-art driving simulator to 

help deaf students to learn how to drive. The 

H.E.A.L. Project helps better equip those with 

hearing impairments to live independent lives. 

Assisted by an American Sign Language interpreter 

for the deaf, the group will learn how to 

become licensed drivers. 

The program runs for 8 weeks; H.E.A.L. 

Project participants go through a modified drivers 

education course with in-course instruction 

and simulated driving practices to experience 

what driving is like before entering a vehicle. 

Macomb Community College nursing students and faculty. 

Nearly 700 attendees had the opportunity to 

experience the land between two rivers through 

paintings, woodwork and sculptures at the 2nd 

Annual Beth Nahrain Art Show held at the Chaldean 

Community Foundation November 3-5. 

Featured artists included Reni Stephan, Sabah 

Wazi, Azhr Matti, Wilson Sarkis, Mark Georgies, 

Cassidy Azzow, Fr. Patrick Setto, Emad 

Tammo, Habib Hannona and Savannah Meyer. 

Proceeds from the event benefited the victims of 

the Bakhdida wedding fire through a fundraising 

effort supported by Nineveh Rising. 

CARF Accreditation 

The Chaldean Community Foundation was recently 

issued a three-year CARF accreditation 

for the following programs and services: 

• Short-Term Immigration Support Services 

• Outpatient Treatment: Mental Health (Adults) 

• Outpatient Treatment: Mental Health (Children and Adolescents) 

The accreditation extends through October 31, 2026. 

CARF accreditation distinguishes a provider’s service delivery 

and signals to the public that the provider is committed to 

continuous performance improvement, responsive to feedback, 

and accountable to the community and its other stakeholders. It 

is evidence that CCF strives to improve efficiency, fiscal health, 

and service delivery creating a foundation for continuous quality 

improvement and consumer satisfaction. 

Shining Light Award from 

Macomb County Habitat 

for Humanity 

The Chaldean Community Foundation 

was selected to receive 

the Macomb County Habitat for 

Humanity Shining Light Award 

at their annual gala on Friday, 

November 10 as a result of excellent 

advocacy for a family of six 

from the Republic of the Congo. 

Patrick N’Golo was granted 

asylum in December of 2018, 

arriving in the U.S. from the 

Left to Right: Susan Smith, 

Sharon Hannawa, Patrick 

N’Golo and Nicha Nzuiki. 

Democratic Republic of the Congo. Taking all the proper steps to 

bring his family to the U.S. with help from Macomb County Habitat 

for Humanity, Patrick had temporary housing but little else. 

CCF was able to assist Patrick with his green card and social 

security cards for his family and helped with approval for Medicaid, 

food assistance and back rent. Five agencies, including PNC, 

the Department of Health & Human Services-Warren office, and 

the U.S. Department of Justice collaborated with the CCF to resolve 

issues for the N’Golo family. 

“Tonight will be the first time we can relax a little and maybe 

sleep,” shared Patrick after his first CCF visit. 

Planning for College Costs 

Prospective college students 

and their families 

attended the Oakland University 

Admissions and 

Financial Aid Night on 

November 15. Guests were 

able to meet with Oakland 

University staff and ask 

Oakland University and CCF staff. 

questions about the Free 

Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the associated 

costs of higher education, and the overall admissions process. 

The event proved to be an invaluable resource for students as 

well as parents to better plan for the future. 

For more information regarding any of these announcements, 

please contact the Chaldean Community Foundation at 

586-722-7253. 


AWARD-WINNING ATTORNEY 

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The city of Sterling Heights’ new Featured Artist 

is an Iraqi American who aspires to carry on 

a millennia-long legacy of Middle Eastern art. 

Reni Stephan, 42, was born in Baghdad and 

moved to the U.S. when he was 11. He said his 

family has plenty of musical talent, and while he 

shares a love of music, his artistry is more visual 

in nature. 

Stephan is a sculptor and painter who owns the 

Studio Lamassu Art Studio on 15 Mile near Ryan 

Road in Sterling Heights. As the latest “Featured 

Sterling Heights resident Reni Stephan is the city of Sterling Heights’ latest Featured Artist. 

Artist,” his work will be on display at the Sterling 

Heights Community Center, 40250 Dodge Park 

Road, during November and December. 

Stephan explained to the Sterling Heights Sentry 

that Ishtar Restaurant offered him a big opportunity 

to showcase his work when, around eight 

years ago, it commissioned him to make a rendition 

of the famous Ishtar Gate, as well as other Mesopotamian 

art. Multiple pieces of Stephan’s work are 

also on display at the Chaldean Community Foundation’s 

headquarters at 15 Mile near Ryan Road. 

While the Mesopotamian art style isn’t prevalent 

in his Featured Artist display at the Community Center, 

he said he might show more of that art style if he 

ever becomes a Featured Artist again. 

Learn more about Studio Lamassu and Stephan by 

visiting www.lamassuart.com. 

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Perich Job No: 22813 Bleed: NA


CHALDEAN DIGEST 

Iraq’s president 

meets Pope 

Francis 

Iraqi president Abdul Latif Rashid met with the head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis on November 

18, 2023. Photo: Iraqi President’s office. 

Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid met with the head 

of the Catholic Church Pope Francis in the Vatican after 

a controversial dispute earlier this year with the 

head of the Chaldean Church. 

According to a statement released by the president’s 

office, Rashid and Pope Francis discussed the 

situation of Christians in Iraq with the president saying 

they are a “key component in the building of the 

country, its progress and prosperity.” 

The Vatican described their discussion as “cordial” 

and covering “topics of common interest.” 

“The need was reiterated for the Catholic 

Church in Iraq to be able to continue to carry out 

its valued mission and for all Iraqi Christians to be 

a vibrant and active part of society and the territory, 

particularly in the Nineveh Plain,” read the 

statement from the Vatican. 

Four months ago, Rashid revoked a 2013 presidential 

decree that formally recognized Chaldean Patriarch 

Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako and granted him 

powers over Christian endowment affairs. Rashid 

cited constitutional grounds as a basis for the revocation 

of the decree that was issued by late Iraqi President 

Jalal Talabani. 

Iraq’s Christian community has been devastated 

in the past two decades. Following the US-led invasion 

in 2003, sectarian warfare prompted followers of Iraq’s 

multiple Christian denominations to flee, and attacks by 

ISIS in 2014 hit minority communities especially hard. 

– Rudaw 

Patriarch Sako calls for establishing secular system in Iraq 

Cardinal Sako recently called for a secular system in Iraq that 

separates religion from the state, citing it as the optimal choice for 

governance in Iraq. Speaking at the Peace and Security Forum in 

the Dohuk province, Sako urged for a constitutional amendment 

in the country, emphasizing the importance of “establishing a civil 

democratic state that adopts citizenship, embraces diversity, and 

respects rights, civilizations, religions, and sects.” 

He added, “The secular system is the best option for us, not the 

sectarian system,” further stating, “We need to separate religion 

from the state in Iraq. The state has no religion; it is a moral entity, 

and religion is for us as individuals.” 

Sako stressed the necessity of “promoting a culture of citizenship 

and human rights,” lamenting, “Unfortunately, we have not seen all 

of this, and I believe that such a project can easily be achieved in the 

Kurdistan Region, which has taken practical steps in this direction. 

We hope the region maintains this model of peaceful coexistence.” 

Sako called for Iraqi families to educate their children on respecting 

minorities, embracing diverse opinions, accepting others, and 

fostering brotherhood. He highlighted the necessity to reform educational 

programs, especially social and religious curricula, moving 

away from extremist ideologies and marginalizing other religions, 

and proposed amending the Iraqi constitution to separate religion 

from politics, adopting a system that respects all religions, and establishing 

a framework that does not interfere in religious affairs. 

He concluded by stating that “the federal government must not 

allow militias to control the destinies of Christians in the country,” 

emphasizing that, “there is still solidarity with the tragedy of Hamdaniya, 

indicating that the spirit of coexistence still prevails in the 

feelings of Iraqis.” 

–Shafaq 

Cardinal Louis Raphael I Sako, the Patriarch of Babylon for the Chaldean Catholic Church in 

Iraq and worldwide, advocated for a secular system that separates religion from the state. 


CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 

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Registration now open! 

Please call for an appointment. 

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CITIZENSHIP 

PREPARATION 

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WANT TO LEARN MORE? Please contact Rachel Hall 

at rachel.hall@chaldeanfoundation.org or call (586) 722-7253 

3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48310 


IN MEMORIAM 

Hanan Yalda 

Dawood Hankla 

Nov 30, 1975 – 

Oct 16, 2023 

Sargon Emmanull 

Yokhana 

Jun 29, 1957 – 


Shoshan Nissan 

Oraha 

Jul 1, 1932 – 


Rev. Emmanuel Rayes 

July 27, 1930 – 

October 17, 2023 

Raheem 

Polus–Hirmiz Dakha 

May 3, 1943 – 


Isho Yacoub 

Salman 

Jul 1, 1939 – 


Nadwa Jamal 

Qustantin 

Jul 1, 1951 – 


Acoubi Wadea 

Yakoob Kaja 

Sep 7, 1932 – 


Widad (Hanna) 

Abdulahad Attisha 

Oct 22, 1946 – 


Romana Yousif Akko 

Foumia (Romana Polus) 

Jul 1, 1941 – 


Victoria Hermiz 

Apr 1, 1931 – 


Salwa Freij 

Feb 21, 1935 – 


Steven Yousif Hanna 

May 19, 1982 – 


Bahjat (Ben) 

Jamel Yacob 

Mar 8, 1956 – 


Laya Yousif 

Jul 1, 1943 – 


Nabil Dawoud 

Salman Istephan 

Jun 22, 1947 – 


Vera Faraj Hakim 

Nannoshi 

May 1, 1963 – 


Adiba Elias Daman 

Jul 1, 1940 – 


Salim Zia 

Marogi Akkm 

Jul 1, 1939 – 


Anton Saleem 

Ghniem 

Apr 24, 1929 – 

Nov 1, 2023 

Isteevan Haitham 

Butrus 

Jul 21, 1997 – 


Sana Yousif 

Kando Nessan 

Dec 22, 1958 – 


Mary Yousif Meza 

Alraihani 

Jul 21, 1931 – 


Sabah Hermiz Yousif 

Bahri 

May 2, 1940 – 


Ihab Nafea Mansor 

Al–Nawfali 

Jan 15, 1974 – 


Aliza Maroki 

Kenaya Kirma 

Jul 1, 1920 – 


Yousif Maya 

Jul 1, 1937 – 


Basim Elias Yousuf 

Jun 6, 1954 – 


Mary Assi 

Shammami Yaldo 


Ayad Hanna Michael 

Mar 9, 1961 – 


Loai KasYouhanan 

Sep 15, 1964 – 


Jamila (Goryoka) Paul 

Mar 10, 1932 – 



3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48310

COVER STORY 

protect them are more suspicious than others. They 

may have coping mechanisms that don’t serve them 

well, anger issues, or problems with authority. These 

are the kids that need love and stability the most, and 

unfortunately, they are also the ones most likely to 

have given up on having a family of their own. 

The Gift 

of Family 

Fostering, Adoption and 

the Chaldean Community 

According to the OOL, in recent years, the number of 

Chaldean children experiencing the need for out-ofhome 

placement into foster care has increased. We 

know from research that keeping children in homes 

with similar cultural and religious identity reduces 

the trauma they will experience. The main goal is to 

return children back to their homes when it is safe. 

The OOL needs your help to provide a safe, nurturing 

home for these children until they can be returned 

to their families. They are also suffering from 

the trauma of being removed from their families. 

Children and youth enter foster care because 

they have been abused, neglected, or abandoned 

by their parents or guardians. All these children 

have experienced loss and some form of trauma. 

In other ways, foster children are no different from 

children who aren’t in foster care: they are learning 

and growing, like to play and hang out with friends 

their age, and need the love and stability a permanent 

home provides. 

Hoping to highlight the need, the OOL is actively 

working to recruit families willing to accept the calling 

to become foster parents to children in need. In 

some cases, these children may not be able to return 

to their parents and becoming a foster parent will 

give you the opportunity to provide a “forever home” 

through adoption. 

BY SARAH KITTLE 

To quote St. Pope John Paul II in 2000, “To adopt 

a child is a great work of love. When it is done, 

much is given, but much is also received. It is a 

true exchange of gifts…” 

When, during a crisis pregnancy, a decision is 

made to have the baby, a gift of life is given. When 

the birth mother decides to place the baby for adoption, 

that’s a gift of family. 

There are approximately 11,000 children in foster 

care in the state of Michigan, according to the Chaldean 

Catholic Diocese’s Office of Life (OOL). Of those, 

approximately 3,000 Michigan foster children are 

available for adoption at any given time. 

Children enter foster care when the state determines 

that they are in danger in their family home; 

at that point, the state agency intercedes on behalf of 

the child and removes them from the home. The goal 

of foster care is to eventually unite children with their 

birth families. Adoption is different. 

There are two paths to adoption. One is when the 

court makes a decision that reunification with the 

birth family is no longer possible. The other is when 

the birth parents choose to relinquish their rights and 

give another family a chance; a chance to provide all 

the love and stability and material goods that a baby 

needs to have a good start in life. 

Maybe the birth mother is alone in this decision; 

maybe she has no family support, no known resources 

and sees no way to move forward. Maybe she’s in 

denial, or maybe in complete acceptance. She (or her 

family) may be worried about her reputation. But as 

Destiny Delly of the Chaldean Diocese’s Office of Life 

says, “Babies are born every day to single parents.” 

If you are dealing with an unwanted or crisis 

pregnancy, Delly wants you to know you have options. 

“First of all, pray on it,” she says, “Then call 

the Office of Life.” 

Adopting a child of any age is not for the faint of 

heart. Biological parents will tell you that creating 

and birthing a child does not protect you from being 

hurt by them. And children that have suffered abuse 

or neglect at the hands of those who are supposed to 

Types of Adoption 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services 

(MDHHS) searches for adoptive families that will 

best meet the needs of the child. Whenever possible, 

adoptive placements are made with relatives and foster 

parents. Every effort is made to keep siblings together. 

In addition to private adoption, when all points 

are discussed and agreed upon through a lawyer, 

there are three other types of adoption: open, which 

means the birth parents are known by the child and 

expected to be involved in their life; semi-open, 

where adoptive parents send photos and updates to 

the birth parents; and closed, where the adoptee is 

able to get information about the birth parents from 

the agency at age 18 if they so choose. 

If you make the choice to give the gift of family 

and adopt a child, your agency will ask you about the 

types of children for whom you are willing to care. 

The agency’s final recommendation will be based 

on your preferences and the agency’s assessment 

of your skills and abilities. Ongoing training opportunities 

are offered to foster parents to increase the 

knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of the 

children placed in their home. 


Making the Choice 

Anonymity can be tricky in a small, close-knit community. 

For those who fear reprisal or are trying to 

avoid the stigma of being labeled promiscuous, the 

OOL offers options. Delly, as an employee of the Diocese, 

regularly counsels women who are in crisis. She 

provides resources to free therapy, adoption agencies, 

and even helps find housing. The focus at OOL 

is first and foremost the birth mother. 

“You’re not alone,” Delly emphasizes. She recently 

counseled an unwed mother who felt unready 

for parenthood and was wavering on the decision to 

terminate her pregnancy. Once shown her options 

and resources, the birth mother chose adoption. She 

chose to give the gift of life and the gift of family. That 

is a “win” for the OOL, which also organizes pro-life 

marches and prayers; not only for the mother choosing 

life, but with the grace of God, healing the hearts 

of all those involved. 

One other birth mother was told her baby would 

not live very long after birth and was considering 

abortion for that reason. After counseling and many 

weeks of soul-searching, she decided to have the 

baby naturally and was able to spend a few precious 

hours with them before they died. This made it easier 

for the birth mom to grieve and mourn the loss of her 

child, rather than feeling responsible for the death of 

her baby. 

Through the Office of Life, priests are also available 

to counsel expectant parents in crisis and provide 

mentorship through the process of keeping their 

baby or placing it for adoption. No one is forced to 

decide either way, and the birth mother and her state 

of mind is always made a priority. 

One family made the choice to adopt after finding 

out that there was a Chaldean child in the system. “It 

was in 2019 when we first heard that there were Chaldean 

children in the foster care system, which really 

stirred our hearts,” recalls Heather Kas-Shamoun. 

“Our hearts went out for all children in the foster care 

system, but we felt that a Chaldean child would do 

better in a Chaldean home where they can stay connected 

to their faith and culture. We wanted to be 

there for our community if there was really a need.” 

Although they had biological children of their 

own, upon hearing of this child, Heather and Robert, 

her husband of 22 years, felt called to offer a home. 

“The foster care licensing allows you to set criteria 

of what you’re open to for fostering including 

age, ethnicity, etc.,” explains Kas-Shamoun. “We had 

listed that we were open to only Chaldean children to 

service the need in our community. The system didn’t 

easily identify the children as Chaldean or not at the 

time, but the Office of Life has made efforts to bring 

more awareness to MDHHS and they are working 

on updating the system to have a category for Chaldean.” 

For a culture where family is the number one priority, 

it is an undeniably difficult choice to take that 

child from the home and place them elsewhere. This 

child was placed with a loving family that does not 

differentiate between “biological” and “adopted.” 

They will know the culture they come from and hopefully 

will feel the pride that comes with it. 

“We immediately connected with this sweet 

girl,” says Kas-Shamoun. “She fit in with us and our 

family right away.” The Kas-Shamouns set her on a 

path with good schools and taught her to embrace 

the beauty of her Catholic faith and Chaldean community. 

She began to thrive in all aspects of her life 

because of the sense of belonging, love, and security 

she felt with them. 

“The adoption process took close to 9 months,” 

says Kas-Shamoun, “but we didn’t need the legal paperwork 

because we knew it was written by God that 

she was to be our daughter.” 

According to the United States Conference of 

Catholic Bishops, “the miracle of adoption is about 

the pain, resolution, and growth that comes when a 

young girl and her family face the issues of an untimely 

pregnancy, and when adoptive families accept 

their infertility and face their fears about adoption. 

“Today, adoption is a legal transfer of parental 

rights and duties. It is governed by state laws that 

protect the child, first and foremost, and then the 

biological mother and adoptive parents. There is a 

clearly defined process that involves social workers, 

lawyers, and judges. The history of adoption, however, 

begins much earlier. Ancient civilizations practiced 

it and codified adoption in their laws. One of the 

first written accounts dates back 4,000 years to the 

Code of Hammurabi.” 

Finding a Forever Family 

Children and teens enter foster care through no fault 

of their own because they have been abused, neglected, 

or abandoned and are unable to continue living 

safely with their families. 

But we as a community can help. Consider fostering 

children who have been removed from their families. 

The system is full of sad stories about siblings 

who have been separated or children that have been 

abused, even within the system. Delly wants you to 

know that not all the horror stories are true, however; 

there are many instances of families who opened 

their hearts and homes to a foster or adoptive child, 

and it worked out wonderfully. 

“It’s a beautiful thing,” says Delly,” not something 

to be scared of.” 

“Opening up our family this way has provided 

us fruits beyond measure,” says Kas-Shamoun. “We 

have grown in ways we didn’t know possible.” 

You don’t need a lot of money or a fancy home – 

you don’t even necessarily have to be married to foster 

or adopt and provide a forever home. 

As we prepare our hearts this Christmas to welcome 

the birth of Jesus, through whom we became 

welcomed into God’s family, we must also be willing 

to give, from our hearts, the gift of family. 

Find out more about fostering and adoption by 

visiting the website chaldeanchurch.org/life. 

Sarah Kittle, center, with granddaughters, 

Samantha (left) and Sarah. 

Finding Family 

As a 15-year-old Catholic girl who found herself “in 

the family way” in 1982, I didn’t have a whole lot of 

options. My parents enrolled me in counseling at 

Catholic Social Services in preparation to place my 

baby for adoption. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, 

but I was still in school and lacking resources to be 

independent, so I went along. 

Just recounting this story makes me extremely 

emotional; for decades, I didn’t allow myself to 

hope that someday I might meet her, my only 

daughter. You see, I went on to marry my childhood 

sweetheart and have more children with him before 

we divorced nearly a decade later. I had four sons 

before I was done and thought to myself that God 

wouldn’t give me another daughter because I gave 

mine away. I had resigned myself to not knowing 

her and was telling myself that she didn’t need to 

know me because she was happy with her life. 

Then one day earlier this year, I got a phone call 

from my older brother who lives in Illinois. “Sarah,” 

he said, “I found your daughter!” He had connected 

with her on 23 and Me, to whom both had sent DNA 

samples. He messaged her, she messaged back, and 

with my permission, he gave her my phone number. 

She was to message me after work. After 4 long decades 

of being apart, those last few hours of waiting 

for her text stretched out forever. Finally, she 

messaged me. It was a long text that included the 

sentence, “Thank you for doing what was best for 

both of us all those years ago.” She understood and 

wasn’t upset with me! Immediately we got on the 

phone and talked for more than 5 hours. 

She did have a good life, I found out, with loving 

parents to whom she was their pride and joy. 

Her adoptive mother passed away a while ago, but 

her dad is still alive and living next door to her. She 

has two children, both daughters, the oldest named 

“Sarah,” even though she didn’t know that was 

my name. Since then, we have spent many hours 

together. She and her kids have met her biological 

father, her brothers and sister (from dad), the girls’ 

cousins, some of my siblings, and so many more 

people that are now a part of their lives. She was 

the gift 41 years ago, and my huge and loving family 

is the gift that she and her girls are now receiving. 

I see God’s hand in all of this and am grateful 

for the opportunity to know her and my granddaughters, 

who all live nearby. As this chapter of 

my life unfolds, I begin to see all the choices and 

events that had to happen for us to meet. It is one 

hundred percent a “God job.” 

– Sarah Kittle 


FEATURE 

Iraqi Christians attend a 

Christmas Eve Mass at the 

at the Sacred Heart Church of 

the Syriac Catholics in Basra, 

Iraq, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. 

Christmas in Iraq 

Recalling holiday traditions from the homeland 

AP PHOTO/NABIL AL-JURANI 

would be given a gift, usually a box of 

chocolate or liquor. 

Iraqis schedule the festivities of 

Christmas Day according to interests 

and priorities of visits, which usually 

begin with the family and the grandfather’s 

house, followed by family gatherings 

that help strengthen social relations 

and exchanging conversations 

about memories of the beautiful past. 

In addition to preparing food for the 

guests, they meet for the meal at one 

dining table. These scenes do not occur 

very often the rest of the year, but they 

provide an important opportunity for 

Iraqi families to bond together. It also 

constitutes an occasion for resolving 

disputes and problems, as well as for 

visiting relatives whose work conditions 

do not allow frequent visits. 

BY ADHID MIRI, PHD 

Christmas celebrations vary from 

nation to nation owing to their 

distinct customs, culture, and 

religious practices. Christmas in Iraq, 

surrounded by those with different beliefs, 

is unique. 

Many Christians in the West celebrate 

Christmas with door-to-door 

caroling, special church services, and 

family gatherings to share the joy of 

the birth of baby Jesus. But that is not 

the case in many restrictive and dangerous 

countries around the world, 

including Iraq. 

In Iraq, Christmas is a unique occasion 

for Christians; the celebrations, 

customs, and traditions are very religious 

in nature. Persecuted for their 

faith, the people in Iraq associate the 

festival of Christmas with two things 

— the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrations 

of the mid-winter holidays. 

With great devotion, the Christians 

celebrate the festival of Christmas by 

carrying out religious services and 

reciting prayers. The celebrations are 

historically serene and peaceful. 

Unfortunately, Christmas has not 

been the same in Iraq for some time 

now. In today’s Iraq, traditions of 

Christmas are disappearing quickly, 

and many are found only in the memories 

of our oldest community members. 

Since militants of the Islamic 

State stormed the Nineveh Plain towns 

near Mosul and began killing and driving 

out Christians, people fled to safety 

in Baghdad. 

Celebrating Christmas in the “Cradle 

of Civilization” was once truly a 

distinctive experience, one this author 

would like to share with you. 

Christmas Eve 

The Christmas practices in Iraq are 

quite different when compared to 

other countries. A popular custom 

includes the lighting of the bonfire in 

the courtyards of houses on Christmas 

Eve. On that special night, Iraqi Christian 

families would gather and, following 

tradition, one of the children 

in the family would read the Nativity 

story from the Arabic Bible while other 

family members held lighted candles. 

Once the story is over, a bonfire 

made of dried thorns would be lit in 

one corner of the house. According to 

the Iraqi people, they can predict the 

future of their household in the coming 

year by just watching the way the 

fire burns in the bonfire. For them, if 

the dried thorns burn to ashes, the 

family will be blessed with good fortune. 

A psalm was sung while the fire 

continued to burn. As the fire burnt 

out and the thorns reduced to ashes, 

the members of the family leapt over 

the ashes three times and completed 

the ceremony by making wishes towards 

the end. 

On Christmas Eve, families and relatives 

came together and made elaborate 

preparations of cookies, cakes, and 

special dishes for their children. Families 

decorated real Christmas trees and 

put-up decorations like garlands and 

lights around the house. The young 

and old would dress up nicely for 

Christmas. Everyone would be joyous, 

and kids would always look forward 

to getting gifts. Outings to amusement 

parks, the movies, cousins, and relatives’ 

houses were truly special. 

Christmas Day 

On Christmas Day, religious services 

were held at all the churches around 

various cities. Christian families from all 

localities attended these services. In the 

villages and towns, a bonfire was lit inside 

the main church, followed by a procession. 

Church officials would march 

along with the bishop, who would be 

carrying a figure of the infant Jesus 

Christ, which was placed on a red cushion. 

After the procession, the bishop 

touched the hand of one person and the 

touch was passed on to all those present 

in the ceremony. This custom is known 

as the “Touch of Peace.” Thus, when 

Christmas service for the day ended, all 

the people in the church were blessed. 

Families would eat breakfast together 

before going to church and 

then spent the day visiting relatives, 

wishing them a Merry Christmas. It 

was usual that some family members 

stayed in their own homes to receive 

guests, well-wishers, and relatives 

during the day. Each household visited 

Gifts 

Iraqi parents did not buy traditional 

Christmas gifts presents for their children, 

as that custom was not common. 

Instead, the children received 

a new outfit. Some more well-off parents 

would give their children money, 

which was spent on chocolate, ice 

cream and other sweets. 

Greetings were exchanged 

amongst the families. Visitors were 

typically offered special food and an 

aromatized fortified wine drink (Vermouth) 

served with winter citrus jam 

(Tringe /Ugly Fruit). 

In Baghdad, Muslims were often 

known to share the rituals of the occasion 

with Christians, exchanging 

congratulations, gifts, and visits. Social 

media has made meeting from a 

distance possible through the virtual 

world, but nothing can replace the 

feelings of in-person visits and the real-world 

exchange of congratulations, 

gifts, and greetings between people. 

Recalling the holidays of my youth, it 

was all first-class food and new clothes. 

The church was warm, beautiful, and 

full of happiness. On a holiday like 

Christmas, we would always share food 

with our neighbors, and they would do 

the same for us during other holidays. 

I love the memory of my parents 

taking me and my siblings to see relatives 

during Christmas. We didn’t have 

a car, but as kids, we would get excited 

to take the bus or a taxi and would 

enjoy the long drive from downtown 

Baghdad to the suburbs. We would 

make time to go to different relatives’ 


From left: Pacha (stuffed tripe); Fruitcake; and trays of kleicha. 

houses, taking a couple of days around 

Christmas to make those trips. As kids, 

we loved it and were often rewarded 

with a monetary gift, 250 Fils (about 

$1) — enough to buy a chocolate bar! 

Baba Noel 

There is neither snow in Iraq during 

Christmas nor chimneys to climb down, 

so Baba Noel (Santa Claus) was rumored 

to come in with his 4-wheel modified 

sleigh pulled by his trusted reindeer. 

Baba Noel brought gifts and presents 

for the kids in Iraq just as he does for kids 

in the west. Dressed in red and white, he 

carried a brown sack filled with gifts and 

placed them under the Christmas tree 

while everyone was asleep at night. 

As kids, we were led to believe 

that Santa’s favorite cookie was kleicha, 

and we would leave him those 

on a plate with a glass of milk on the 

kitchen table. Santa ate them all, and 

the note he left behind stated that he 

preferred the ones stuffed with dates! 

Kleicha & Cake 

In fact, Christmas was not complete 

unless kleicha were made. This traditional 

Iraqi delight is the queen of the 

season, a staple in many households, 

served during special occasions such as 

Christmas, Easter, weddings, and Eid. 

It is loved by all Iraqi groups, including 

Muslims, Christians, Chaldeans, Assyrians, 

and Kurds. Baked pieces are usually 

filled with Iraqi dates (the Khastawi 

type), plain or walnuts, and served to 

guests accompanied by tea. 

Kleicha can be traced back to ancient 

Mesopotamia, where the cookie 

was called qullupu, a name that suggests 

it was shaped round like the 

moon. The qullupu cookies were 

prepared by filling portions of dough 

made with fine wheat flour and sesame 

oil with raisins or dates and baking 

them in a mud-made oven called 

a tannoor. Pottery molds were discovered 

in the palace at Mari (in presentday 

Syria near the Iraqi border) dating 

to around 1780 BCE. Tannoors are believed 

to have been used for forming 

breads into various decorative shapes, 

the initial versions of kleicha. 

Iraqi kleicha is unlike any other 

baked cookie you’ll find in the world. 

The date cookies are a bit like Fig Newtons 

but with a wonderfully aromatic 

cardamom undertone; they’re much 

prettier, too! They are typically made 

with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, 

and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, 

and nutmeg. The dough is rolled 

out, filled with fillings such as crushed 

walnuts and sugar or with coconut, and 

garnished with sesame seeds. They are 

typically filled and folded over in halfmoon, 

round, or rectangular shapes before 

being baked to perfection. 

Baking kleicha had a process of 

its own. Since the stoves in most Iraqi 

homes had only gas burners and no 

ovens, the women would place the 

kleicha in large trays and walk them 

over to the local bakery (sometimes 

with the help of strong brothers and fathers) 

to be baked. The women would 

sometimes balance the trays of kleicha 

on their heads as they made the trip. 

At the bakery they would either 

wait or come back to pick them up 

in 30 minutes. After the kleicha were 

baked, they would be brought back 

home to cool off. The aroma of the 

warm kleicha filling the house was 

heavenly and irresistible. 

In previous years, every home prepared 

kleicha, but for years families 

have been buying them ready-made 

from sweets and pastry shops. 

Another traditional iconic delight 

in most Christian homes in Iraq and 

the US is the fruitcake. It makes an appearance 

at Christmas and all special 

occasions like engagement parties, 

weddings, anniversaries, communion 

celebrations and so on. 

It is a good, rich, dark, and sometimes 

boozy Christmas fruitcake studded 

with a wide variety of tart and 

sweet dried fruit like golden raisins, 

dark raisins, figs, prunes, cherries, 

orange peel, apricots, and peaches. It 

is enriched with almonds and walnuts 

and soaked in brandy/sherry/ 

vermouth/gin for a wonderful spicy 

holiday flavor. It is a must-have and 

holds a very prominent spot on a typical 

Christmas platter. 

Pacha 

If kleicha is the queen of Christmas delights, 

then pacha (stuffed tripe) is the 

king of the Christmas table. For Chaldeans, 

Christmas dinner isn’t complete 

without pacha. This delicious lamb 

dish is at the heart of a Chaldean Christmas 

dinner and a star at every table. 

Iraqis have a deep appreciation for 

their own cuisine. Pacha is more than 

just a food, it is a symbol of Iraqi culture 

and identity. It represents the resilience 

and creativity of the Iraqi people 

who have endured many hardships 

and challenges. It also reflects the diversity 

and richness of Iraqi cuisine, 

which has been influenced by various 

civilizations and regions. Pacha is a 

dish that brings people together and 

celebrates life. 

Comparing the Babylonian recipes to 

what we know of medieval cuisine and 

present-day culinary practices suggests 

that the stews represent an early stage of 

a long tradition that is still dominant in 

Iraqi cuisine. Boiling the meat into stew 

with spices and other ingredients was 

the basic culinary technique. Iraqi pacha 

is prepared in similar ways to those 

described in Babylonian tablets. 

Pacha is believed to have been invented 

by poor people who could not 

afford to waste any part of the animal. 

They used every bit of the sheep, including 

the organs, bones, and skin, 

cooking them for hours until they became 

tender and flavorful. The stomach 

lining and intestine would be 

filled with rice and diced lamb and 

stitched with sewing thread; sheep 

brain is also included. Pacha is usually 

cooked in broth, boiled slowly, and 

eaten with bread. Serving it has come 

to be a symbol of hospitality and generosity 

in Iraqi culture. 

The dish is incredibly hearty, perfect 

for cold winter months. It totally 

makes sense as a Christmas dish. Pacha 

is not easy to make at home, but 

you can find it in many restaurants 

and street stalls in Iraq. In Iraqi restaurants 

in the US, when customers 

order a pot of pacha they can supply 

their own pot or use the restaurant pot 

— provided they agree to bring it back! 

This special delicacy could terrify 

someone from any other part of the 

world. It may sound strange or even 

gross to some of you, but trust me, it is 

delicious and nutritious! 

Other Christmas and 

New Year Classics 

Kubba yachnni is an Iraqi-Mosuli dish 

substantial enough to be a meal on 

its own. It is a combination of lamb 

dumplings cooked in lamb stock with 

chickpeas and onions; lamb shanks 

and stuffed intestine are later added to 

the broth. Some call it a soup, others 

call it white tashreeb or stew. 

Iraqi recipes are always done 

from memory. Iraqis don’t cook with 

measurements; they cook with their 

senses. The correct tastes and textures 

were passed on through generations 

because they grew up watching their 

mother cook and eating her food. 

There is no way to describe the secrets 

of the mother’s recipes, and Iraqi 

food is just that; it is the food of your 

mother’s taste, and her taste is deeply 

rooted in Mesopotamian history. 

Still in the kubba family, this time 

we have kubba qiesi. This is another 

Iraqi-Mosuli recipe, usually served at 

New Year celebrations to begin the new 

season with a sweet start. It is a sweet 

stew that is full of dark and light dried 

raisins, apricots, plums, and almonds. 

This home delicacy is not served in 

any restaurant I know of; to have the 

real thing, you must go to the source 

and ask them to make it for you. It’s a 

certain truth that Iraqis will argue all 

night about the ‘correct’ way to make 

kubba qiesi, and the best answer always 

is, “How my mother makes it,” 

regardless of the chef. Believe me—the 

CHRISTMAS continued on page 20 


Christmas decor at Mar Adi Church in Karemlesh. 

CHRISTMAS continued from page 19 

dish is lovely, and the taste is kingly. 

Although turkeys aren’t native to 

Iraq, turkey (or in some cases, chicken) 

is served on New Year’s Eve. Contrary to 

how it is done is the States, Iraqi families 

usually buy the live bird around 

October to feed and fatten it before it 

becomes the centerpiece of the traditional 

New Year’s dinner. I n my memories, 

while in custody, the bird was kept 

on the roof of the house or in a cage for 

safe keeping and to keep it away from 

dogs or cats. To prevent it from flying 

away, it was tied with a strong rope to a 

pole or attached to a wall. 

Just before the poor Alou-Alou/ 

Phsephes (as it was commonly called) 

was martyred, Cognac or Scotch was 

forced down the throat of the bird with 

the belief that it would improve taste 

and reduce the pain of the ultimate 

guillotine and beheading. 

Christmas Past and Present 

Baghdad Christmases were once magical 

affairs, shared by Christians and 

Muslims alike. The streets were lit up, 

the municipality sponsored fireworks, 

and the last week of the year, from 

Christmas right through New Year’s, 

was one long party. 

Christmas is no longer a big celebration 

in Iraq, now dominated by a Shia- 

Muslim government. Every year without 

fail, some Muslim clerics criticize 

parishioners for celebrating Christmas. 

Today in Iraq, homes decorated 

for Christmas are a rarity, and holiday 

excursions, fireworks, or feasts during 

Christmastime are hard to find. You can’t 

see the friends you used to know; they 

are either dead or have left the country. 

Nowadays, it is hard to find a natural 

Christmas tree in the Middle East. 

The Christmas wish lists of young boys 

reflect the country’s tragic trajectory. 

In the past, boys asked for train sets or 

a soccer ball or a toy car. Today, they 

ask for toy guns or a tank. 

It’s not utterly hopeless, however; 

in 2018, the Iraqi government classified 

December 25, Christmas Day, as a 

national holiday. Only four other nations 

out of 20 in Iraq’s vicinity — Sudan, 

Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon — officially 

recognize Christmas. 

And Christmas traditions practiced 

in Baghdad and other towns less than 

a century ago are like many of the traditions 

Chaldeans celebrate in the 

United States. Kleicha and pacha are 

more than just food. They are symbols 

of Iraqi Chaldean culture and identity. 

They represent the resilience and creativity 

of the Iraqi people who have endured 

many hardships and challenges. 

They also reflect the diversity and richness 

of Chaldean cuisine, which has 

been influenced by various civilizations 

and regions. Kleicha and pacha bring 

people together and celebrate life. 

In the West, we continue to do the 

same things our ancestors did. We put 

a Christmas tree up, make kleicha, 

Christmas fruitcake, and pacha; we visit 

grandparents and cousins, but it felt 

more magical when we were kids. It’s 

now a blend of both ways, East and West. 

In the United States, we adapted 

to the Christmas gift exchange, which 

we didn’t really do in Iraq. We decorate 

the exterior of our homes and surrounding 

trees with Christmas lights. 

Things change as we get older, however, 

one thing remains intact. Christmas 

is centered on the appreciation of 

one’s family, the blessings of the gifts 

of life along with never forgetting the 

reason for the holiday celebration: the 

birth of Christ. 

Sources: The NY Times, Reuters, 

DW Deutsche Welle, Jonathan Pinto, 

Taghreed Thomas, Hanna Yousif, and 

Wikipedia. 



FEATURE 

Left: Thamir Qoda with his wares. 

Above: Thamir and his wife outside 

their shop in Alqosh. 

Needle and Thread 

Thamir Yousif Qoda preserves 

tradition one stitch at a time 

BY HANAN QIA 

In the heart of the Nineveh Plain, 

nestled in the ancient town of 

Alqosh, a masterful craftsman 

weaves stories and tradition with every 

stitch. Meet Thamir Yousif Qoda, a man 

who has dedicated his life to the art of 

crafting traditional garments that hold 

the essence of Chaldean, Assyrian, 

Kurdish, Arab, and Yazidi cultures. His 

passion for preserving the rich history 

and culture of this region has made him 

a beloved figure in the community. 

Born in 1968, Thamir Yousif Qoda 

has deep roots in Alqosh, a town renowned 

for its cultural significance 

and historical heritage. With six children 

to his name, he is not just a devoted 

family man but also a tireless advocate 

for the traditions of his homeland. 

Thamir’s journey as a tailor began 

in his childhood when he worked 

alongside his father in the bustling old 

bazaar of Alqosh. His fascination with 

the town’s history and culture, and his 

love for preserving them, kindled a passion 

for sewing traditional garments. 

What started as a hobby turned into a 

lifelong commitment to craftsmanship. 

Garments for All Occasions 

Thamir Qoda is a versatile tailor, 

skilled in crafting a wide array of traditional 

garments. He seamlessly sews 

the intricate garments of Chaldean 

towns like Alqosh, Batnaya, Telskuf, 

Baqofa, and Telkeif, catering to men, 

women, and children. Beyond Chaldean 

attire, he creates authentic Assyrian, 

Kurdish, Arab, and Yazidi garments. 

The scope of his work extends 

even to doll clothes, highlighting his 

remarkable attention to detail. 

These traditional garments are 

not mere fabric and thread; they carry 

with them the heritage and stories of 

generations. Thamir’s garments are 

worn on various occasions, from weddings 

to the vibrant town carnivals, 

Palm Sundays, folklore plays, dancing 

troupes, school celebrations, artistic 

festivals, and delegations’ welcoming 

ceremonies. These garments serve as a 

bridge connecting the past to the present, 

and Thamir is the dedicated architect 

of this bridge. 

Connecting Communities 

Thamir’s clientele extends far beyond 

the borders of Iraq. He proudly serves 

customers from around the world, with 

reasonable prices that make these garments 

accessible to Chaldeans and other 

community members abroad. Many 

purchase his creations as thoughtful 

gifts for their loved ones, carrying a 

piece of their heritage with them, no 

matter where they are in the world. 

Thamir’s reputation as a traditional 

garments tailor spreads through 

word of mouth and social media. He 

is a cherished figure in his community 

and has become the go-to craftsman 

for anyone seeking authentic, 

handcrafted traditional attire in the 

Nineveh Plain. 

Global Connection 

The materials for Thamir’s creations 

are sourced from various countries, 

highlighting the interconnectedness 

of cultures. His belts, earrings, and 

female head turbans rely on materials 

imported from Syria, Turkey, and 

China, while his man’s Shmagh (head 

cover) hails from India. This intricate 

web of materials represents the collaborative 

nature of culture and craftsmanship, 

where borders blur and traditions 

blend. 

Thamir Yousif Qoda embraces 

modern technology and can work with 

customers remotely. By receiving a 

full-length photo and some essential 

measurements, he ensures that the 

garments fit perfectly. The flexibility of 

traditional garments allows for a relatively 

forgiving fitting process, making 

remote tailoring an accessible option 

for those who wish to wear these pieces 

of history. 

Committed to sharing the rich cultural 

heritage of the Nineveh Plain 

with the world, Thamer ships his work 

not only within Iraq but to destinations 

around the globe, including the 

United States, Europe, Canada, and 

Australia. His aspirations reach beyond 

his homeland, as he dreams of 

expanding his exports and promoting 

his products, especially in the USA. 

Currently, he collaborates with several 

shops in Sterling Heights, such as 

“Habeeb, your brother.” 

Preserving Tradition in the 

Face of Challenges 

While Thamir’s dedication to preserving 

tradition is unwavering, he faces 

several challenges. The migration of 

his people has resulted in fewer cultural 

events, diminishing the demand 

for traditional garments. Additionally, 

the high cost of materials and the 

time-consuming, handcrafted nature 

of his work present hurdles. However, 

Thamir’s unwavering commitment 

and the support of his community 

keep the flames of tradition burning. 

In the ancient town of Alqosh, 

Thamir’s nimble fingers and artistic vision 

continue to weave the intricate tapestry 

of history and culture. With each 

garment he crafts, he reminds us of the 

enduring power of tradition and the invaluable 

connections between generations 

and communities. As we celebrate 

the artistry of Thamir, we are also reminded 

of the importance of preserving 

our cultural heritage, ensuring that it 

endures for generations to come. 


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FEATURE 

Dr. Sabah Yacoub, Saad Murad, 

Dr. Adhid Miri, Weam Namou, 

and Roy Gessford. 

Beth al-Nahrain 

2nd Annual Writers of Mesopotamia Conference 

BY ADHID YOUSIF MIRI, PHD 

The Chaldean Community Foundation, 

in partnership with the 

Chaldean Heritage Center in 

West Bloomfield (Shenandoah Country 

Club), took the initiative to host the 

second annual Mesopotamian Writers 

Conference (Beth al-Nahrain) on Saturday, 

November 11 in the Wireless Vision 

Gymnasium located in the Chaldean 

Community Foundation building 

in Sterling Heights. 

This gathering was attended by several 

participating writers and guests 

interested in literature, poetry, culture, 

and heritage. The symposium covered 

different topics, and participating writers 

made brief presentations. Roy Gessford, 

who has been studying the Aramaic 

language for years, talked about 

developing new writers in the Aramaic-speaking 

community. Saad Murad 

spoke about writing about the Yazidi 

genocide and survival. Weam Namou, 

executive director of the Chaldean 

Cultural Center, addressed the legendary 

women of Mesopotamia. Dr. Sabah 

Yaqoub spoke about certain aspects of 

Arabic poetry, and Dr. Adhid Youssef 

Miri shared the experience of writing, 

the importance of education, and the 

Chaldean identity. 

Roy Gessford 

Roy Gessford is the author of Preserving 

Chaldean Aramaic, an English 

teacher, publisher, Aramaic educator, 

public speaker, and founder of Let 

the Light Shine Through Publishing, 

which he founded for the purpose of 

sharing knowledge with others and 

encouraging aspiring authors to submit 

and print completed language 

manuscripts. 

In his presentation, Roy discussed 

This gathering was 

attended by several 

participating writers 

and guests interested 

in literature, poetry, 

culture, and heritage. 

in detail the practical steps and studies 

that he took to educate himself and 

enhance his strong desire to preserve 

the precious Aramaic language, which 

he considers the mother of all languages. 

He believes the history of humanity 

has been intertwined with this 

language since ancient times. 

Gessford highlighted his passion 

and love for languages and explained 

the reasons that started his personal 

journey to learn the Aramaic language 

(which according to Roy is an 

endangered language worth saving) 

through an experimental project to 

teach the Aramaic language in cooperation 

with Chaldean Father Michael 

Bazzi in San Diego, California. 

In 2013, he began publishing Bazzi’s 

books that deal with heritage 

and linguistic topics such as modern 

and classical Aramaic, Chaldean, the 

village of Tel Kaif, and the speakers 

of variations of Aramaic languages 

such as Chaldean, Syriac, Assyrian, 

Hebrew, Arabic, Nabataean, and other 

Semitic languages. 

Gessford concluded by summarizing 

his findings and made recommendations 

for future researchers and 

academics to encourage students and 

those interested in learning the Aramaic 

language to contact him directly. 

Saad Murad 

A journalist and human rights activist, 

Saad Murad has the passion and 

ambition to highlight the plight of 

the Yazidis in Iraq and hopes to bring 

change and develop awareness about 

the genocide of the 21st century. He 

currently serves as a board member of 

Yazda (the International Yazidi Organization) 

and the Yazidi Cultural Center 

in Lincoln, Nebraska. Previously, he 

held pivotal roles as Director of Media 

and Communications at Yazda and as 

Media and Administrative Director for 

Yazidi activist and 2018 Nobel Peace 

Prize laureate, Nadia Murad. 

Saad provided a detailed perspective 

not only about his work, his 

personal journey—a testament to his 

resilience, having survived the 2014 

genocide in Sinjar during ISIS attacks 

on Yazidis. He presented a comprehensive 

and clear historical picture of 

the extent of the Yazidi tragedy that 

resulted from ISIS campaigns and the 

ongoing decrees in Sinjar and Tal Afar, 

as well as tragedies that resulted from 

the massive killings in Yazidi villages 

and people as well as victims of captivity 

and what they were subjected to at 

the hands of ISIS members after they 

took control of the area in August 2014. 

Murad was an eyewitness and victim 

of that tragedy and listed evidence 

and pictures which included a set of 

compelling documents of the genocide, 

the mass graves of women, children, 

and the elderly. 

He stated that although government 

forces expelled the organization 

from the judiciary in November 2015, 

the conditions still lack security and 

stability because of rivalry between 

the armed groups in the Nineveh Plain 

region. This reflects negatively on the 

services and the faltering reconstruction 

campaigns, which leads to the 

reluctance of the displaced citizens to 

return to their homes. 

“The federal government in Baghdad 

is ineffective,” said Murad. “We have repeatedly 

asked our government to support 

survivors and their families without 

success. The displacement camps are 

hours away from Sinjar, and these camps 

represent an extension of the genocide 

that is tearing apart the entire fabric of 

Yazidi society. An entire generation of 

Yazidis remains without access to appropriate 

education, job opportunities, or 

basic rights such as personal privacy and 

freedom of belief. They need government 

aid and compensation.” 

There are about 3,000 Yazidis 

based in the state of Nebraska and a 

small group living in the city of Lansing, 

Michigan. 

Weam Namou 

Weam is the Executive Director of the 

Chaldean Cultural Center, an author 

of 16 books, and an award-winning 

film director of two feature films. The 

first is a documentary called The Great 

American Family, and the second is a 

feature film called Pomegranate. She 

is also the winner of the Eric Hoover 

Award and an ambassador for the Authors 

Guild of American Books, which 

is the largest and oldest book organi- 

CONFERENCE continued on page 26 


املؤمتر السنوي الثاين لكتّاب بالد الرافدين - بيت النهرين 

بقلم د عضيد يوسف مريي 

بادرت مؤسسة الجالية الكلدانية وباملشاركة مع املركز الرتايث الكلداين 

يف مدينة ويست بلومفيلد ‏)نادي شانندوا(‏ باستضافة املؤمتر السنوي 

الثاين لكتّاب بالد الرافدين ‏)بيت النهرين(‏ يوم السبت 11 نوفمرب 

2023 يف قاعة األلعاب الرياضية ‏)وايرلس فيشن(‏ الواقعة يف بناية 

مؤسسة الجالية الكلدانية – ستريلنك هايتس.‏ 

حرض هذا التجمع عدد من الكتاب املشاركني والضيوف املهتمني 

باملعرفة واألدب والشعر والرتاث،‏ وتناولت مواضيع الندوة 

اختصاصات مختلفة شارك يف تقدميها مجموعة من الكتاب وهم:‏ 

روي كًيسفورد:‏ تطوير الكُتاب الجدد وسط مجتمع الناطقني 

باآلرامية ومن املهتمني األخرين 

سعد مراد:‏ الكتابة عن اإلبادة الجامعية لألزديني والبقاء 

وئام نعمو:‏ املرأة األسطورية يف بالد ما بني النهرين 

د.‏ صباح يعقوب:‏ جوانب معينة من الشعر العريب 

د.‏ عضيد يوسف مريي:‏ تجربة الكتابة وأهمية التعليم وتثبيت الهوية 

الكلدانية املستقبلية 

روي كًيسفورد هو مؤلف كتاب الحفاظ عىل اللغة الكلدانية 

اآلرامية،‏ وهو مدرس للغة اإلنكليزية ونارش،‏ ومعلم آرامي،‏ ومتحدث 

عام،‏ ومؤسس دار النرش ‏)دعوا الضوء ينفذ(‏ التي أسسها لغرض 

مشاركة املعرفة مع األخرين وتشجيع املؤلفني الطموحني عىل تقديم 

وطبع املخطوطات اللغوية املكتملة.‏ 

وتناول يف محارضته القيمة وبالتفصيل الخطوات والدراسات العملية 

التي قام بها لتعليم نفسه ورغبته القوية يف الحفاظ عىل اللغة اآلرامية 

الثمينة التي يعتربها أم اللغات وإن تأريخ اإلنسانية يسري بجوار هذه 

اللغة منذ القِدم،‏ كام وبنيّ‏ شغفه ومحبته للغات التي بدأت برحلته 

الشخصية لتعلم اللغة اآلرامية،‏ وبني األسباب التي تجعل اللغة اآلرامية 

املهددة باالنقراض تستحق اإلنقاذ من خالل مرشوع تجريبي لتدريس 

اللغة اآلرامية وبالتعاون مع األب الكلداين مايكل بزي يف سان دييغو 

– كالفورنيا.‏ إذ يف عام 2013، بدأ بنرش كتب أالب بزي وغريها التي 

تعني باملواضيع الرتاثية واللغوية مثل اآلرامية الحديثة والكالسيكية،‏ 

والكلدان،‏ وعن قرية تلكيف والناطقني مبشتقات اللغات اآلرامية 

األصول مثل الكلدانية والرسيانية واألشورية والعربية والعربية والنبطية 

وغريها من اللغات السامية.‏ 

كام وضح كًيسفورد أن التدريس ميكن أن يكون وسيلة فعالة للحفاظ 

عىل اللغة وكشف عن بيانات وقياسات مختلطة تدعم بحوثه 

وتؤسس ألهمية تدريس اللغة اآلرامية،‏ إذ قام بتدريس ونرش اللغة 

اآلرامية يف العديد من املواقع واملراكز مبا يف ذلك الكنائس،‏ واملركز 

الثقايف الكلداين يف مدينة ويست بلومفيلد-‏ ميشيغان،‏ وجامعة 

دوشيشا يف كيوتو-‏ اليابان.‏ 

وختم بتلخيص النتائج التي توصل إليها وتوصياته للباحثني 

واألكادمييني يف املستقبل وشجيع الطالب والراغبني املهتمني بتعلم 

اللغة اآلرامية باالتصال به مبارشة.‏ 

سعد مراد هو صحفي وناشط يف مجال حقوق اإلنسان،‏ ولديه 

شغف كبري وطموح يف إحداث التغيري والتطوير املعريف املتعلق 

مبحنة إبادة األزديني يف العراق ويشغل حاليًا منصب عضو مجلس 

إدارة يف يزدا ‏)املنظمة اليزيدية العاملية(‏ واملركز الثقايف اليزيدي يف 

لينكولن،‏ نرباسكا.‏ وشغل يف السابق،‏ أدوارًا محورية كمدير اإلعالم 

واالتصال يف يزدا وكمدير إعالمي وإداري للناشطة اليزيدية والحائزة 

عىل جائزة نوبل للسالم عام 2018، نادية مراد.‏ 

قدّم سعد منظورًا مفصالً‏ لعمله،‏ ورحلته الشخصية التي هي شهادة 

عىل صموده،‏ حيث نجا من اإلبادة الجامعية عام 2014 يف سنجار 

أثناء هجامت داعش عىل اإليزيديني.‏ واستعرض صورة تاريخية شاملة 

وواضحة عن حجم مأساة األزديني التي نجمت جراء حمالت االبادة 

والفرمانات املستمرة عىل مناطقهم يف سنجار وتلعفر وحمالت االبادة 

واملأساة التي نجمت عن عمليات القتل والسبي التي تعرّضت لها قرى 

ومدن اليزيدين عىل يد عنارص ‏»داعش«‏ بعد سيطرتهم عىل القضاء يف 

أغسطس ‏)أب(‏ 2014 وأعطى فكرة حقيقية كشاهد عيان وضحية عن 

تلك املأساة باإلضافة اىل مالحق وصور تتضمن مجموعة من الوثائق 

الدامغة لإلبادة واملقابر الجامعية للنساء،‏ واألطفال،‏ والشيوخ.‏ 

وبني انه بالرغم قيام القوات الحكومية بطرد التنظيم من القضاء يف 

نوفمرب ‏)ترشين الثاين(‏ 2015، فإن أوضاع القضاء ما زالت تفتقر إىل 

األمن واالستقرار نتيجة تناحر الجامعات املسلحة هناك،‏ وكل ذلك 

ينعكس سلباً‏ عىل طبيعة الخدمات وتعرث حمالت اإلعامر؛ ما يؤدي 

إىل عزوف الكثري من املواطنني عن العودة إىل ديارهم.‏ 

وذكر أن الحكومة االتحادية يف بغداد غري فعّالة ‏“لقد طلبنا من 

حكومتنا مراراً‏ وتكراراً‏ دعم الناجني وعوائلهم،‏ وإن العيش يف مخيامت 

النزوح عىل بعد ساعات من سنجار ليس حالًّ‏ وأن هذه املخيامت هي 

عبارة عن إبادة أخرى متزق نسيج املجتمع بأكمله،‏ كام وأن جيل كامل 

من اليزيدين بقوا دون الحصول عىل التعليم املناسب أو فرص عمل أو 

الحصول عىل حقوقهم األساسية مثل الخصوصية وحرية املعتقد وإن 

هؤالء يف حاجة إىل املساعدات والتعويضات الحكومية”.‏ 

هناك حوايل 3000 إيزيدي يتمركزون يف والية نرباسكا ومجموعة 

قليلة تسكن يف مدينة آلنسنغ يف ميشيغان.‏ 

وئام نعمو هي املديرة التنفيذية للمركز الثقايف الكلداين،‏ ومؤلفة 

ل 16 كتابًا ومخرجة أفالم حائزة عىل العديد من الجوائز لفيلمني 

روائيني،‏ أحدهام فيلم وثائقي بعنوان العائلة األمريكية العظيمة،‏ 

والثاين فيلم روايئ طويل يسمى الرمان،‏ وكذلك حائزة عىل جائزة 

إيريك هوفر،‏ وهي أيضً‏ ا سفرية نقابة املؤلفني األمريكية،‏ التي تُعد 

أكرب وأقدم منظمة للكتاب يف الواليات املتحدة.‏ تم نرش مقاالت 

وأشعار السيدة نعمو يف مجالت وطنية ودولية،‏ وكمتحدثة رئيسية 

ألقت قراءات ومحارضات وورش عمل يف املكتبات،‏ واملدارس،‏ 

والجامعات،‏ واملنظامت.‏ 

استعرضت نعمو يف محارضتها تأريخ وإنجازات وابتكارات مجموعة 

من نساء بالد الرافدين ودورهن يف مجاالت معرفية متعددة كام يف 

الكتابة والفلسفة واألدب والشعر والفنون والعطورات والجعة وغريها 

من اإلبداعات التي غريت مجرى الحياة واملجتمع يف بالد الرافدين.‏ 

ويف الجانب املجتمعي كان الطريق مفتوح أمام النساء السومريات يف 

تعلم العزف عىل اآلالت املوسيقية يف املعابد او دخول األديرة وإيقاف 

أنفسهن للعبادة فقط وما يليق بها من حيث األهمية املكانية.‏ 

ومبا ان املجتمع السومري هو الذي اخرتع الكتابة عىل اللوح الطيني 

الذي وبأنه طيف الرافدين الخالد فكان العراق بلد أول معلم وأول 

من اهتم بالنشء الجديد انطالقاً‏ من مقولة ‏)العلم يف الصغر كالنقش 

يف الحجر(‏ وكان تعليم الكتابة يف املجتمع السومري يعني التوجه 

نحو التثقيف واالستفادة من الفرص املتاحة األمر الذي أكسب املرأة 

مكانة مرموقة يف املجتمع السومري الذي حظي باهتامم الرجل 

وأدى فيام بعد اىل ازدهار الحضارة السومرية من خالل الحفاظ عىل 

تقاليد مجتمعية موروثة عززت فيها املرأة مكانتها يف املجتمع.‏ 

ومن النساء السومريات املتميزات جاءت بذِكر ‏)ننهرساكً‏ ) إلهة 

الخصوبة و)إنهدوانا(‏ الكاهنة العالية وابنة امللك رسكًون العظيم التي 

كانت من أوائل الكتاب يف أور واألوىل التي وقّعت وثبتت إسمها عىل 

األلواح الطينية،‏ وامللكة ‏)كوبابا(‏ مسؤولة الحانات والجعة،‏ و)كًوال(‏ 

الطبيبة الخبرية وإلهة الكالب،‏ ومن سيدات القرن الثامن عرش الشاعرة 

الكلدانية والقصصية الرحالة ‏)ماريا ترييزا أسمر(‏ من قرية تلكيف.‏ 

وبينت نعمو بأن ثقافة املجتمع أي مجتمع يتميز مبا تقف عليه 

املرأة من ارض صلبة او رخوة،‏ أي ان للثقافة دورا مبارشا يف عملية 

تثقيف املرأة واملجتمع.‏ 

د.‏ صباح يعقوب هو خريج كلية الطب ببغداد وحصل عىل شهادة 

الدراسات العليا من اململكة املتحدة وله اهتاممات أدبية وشعرية 

وشغل العديد من املناصب التحريرية يف املجالت الطبية،‏ وقام عىل مر 

السنني بتأليف أربع مجموعات شعرية،‏ وكتب مقاالت عن مختلف 

جوانب الحياة وهو مازال مستمراً‏ يف الكتابة عىل مواقع التواصل 

االجتامعي أو يف الصحف واملجالت الصادرة يف أمريكا الشاملية.‏ وهو 

من بدأ بفكرة تأسيس ‏“املنتدى الثقايف الكلداين”‏ يف مدينة وندسور - 

كندا،‏ عام 2014 ويُرشف عىل استمرار نشاطه املنتظم حتى اليوم.‏ 

تناول د.‏ صباح يف محارضته جوانب من تأريخ الشعر العريب والتطور 

اللغوي منذ عهد الجاهلية مروراٍ‏ بالعرص األموي والعبايس والحديث 

وتطرق اىل أنواع القصائد عرب هذه املراحل والتعريف بأنواعه 

كالعمودي والحديث والحر مع قراءة لنامذج من أبيات عظامء الشعراء 

كإمرؤ القيس واملتنبي وإيليا ايب مايض،‏ والسياب،‏ والرصايف والجواهري،‏ 

ومحمد صالح بحر العلوم ومظفر النواب وغريهم من الشعراء ومن بني 

الشعراء املشاهري املسيحيني املعارصين لويس شيخو اليسوعي.‏ 

كام وشارك الدكتور صباح إنتاجاته الشعرية وكتبه املنشورة باللغة 

العربية واملرتجمة للغة اإلنكًليزية منها ‏)الرباعيات الشعرية 

وومضات األم الحارض وجدائل مزركشة ومعرش الكلدان متى نصحوا(‏ 

وقال إن ‏“الشعر هو فكرة وإلهام وإيقاع موسيقي جميل”.‏ 

د.‏ عضيد مريي هو كاتب مساهم ومحرر يف مجلة أخبار الكلدان 

التي تصدر عن مؤسسة الجالية الكلدانية يف والية ميشيغان ويركز يف 

كتاباته عىل أهمية حفظ الرتاث والتعليم والثقافة والهوية الكلدانية 

املهجرية وتاريخ بالد ما بني النهرين/العراق.‏ الدكتور مريي هو أستاذ 

جامعي سابق ولد يف بغداد،‏ العراق عام 1948، ومنذ وصوله إىل 

الواليات املتحدة عام 1981، أصبح عضوًا نشطًا يف الجالية العراقية 

األمريكية وشغل منصب رئيس الجمعية الكلدانية العراقية األمريكية 

يف ميشيغان ‏)نادي شانندوا(‏ من عام 2003 إىل عام 2005، ويشغل 

حاليًا منصب مدير املشاريع يف مؤسسة الجالية الكلدانية التي هي 

الذراع غري الربحي لغرفة التجارة الكلدانية األمريكية يف ميشيغان.‏ 

تكلم د مريي عن مايض وحارض ومستقبل الجالية وأهمية البناء 

واستمرار النجاحات وتنمية العالمة والهوية املجتمعية يف املهجر والتي 

تأيت مبشاركة الجميع،‏ ودور املؤسسات والجالية العراقية املهجريه يف 

صنع وإعالء هوية مجتمعنا بواحدة مفيدة وقوية ومبنية عىل دعائم 

العلم واملعرفة والركائز الخاصة بثقافتنا وهويتنا التاريخية كام كنا يف 

الوطن األم.‏ وركز عىل أن هذه العالمة والهوية املجتمعية املوحدة 

واملتجذرة يف التعليم والباسقة يف املجتمع هي ليست مملوكة الحد ما 

يف الجالية،‏ بل هي أمانة ومسؤولية الجميع،‏ ورشح أهمية أن يكون 

للجالية إسرتاتيجية لالستفادة من نقاط القوة يف مجتمعنا،‏ ورفع مكانتنا 

بني املؤثرين،‏ واالستفادة من الداعمني وزيادة االعرتاف املجتمعي 

املحيل والفدرايل.‏ كام وأكد عىل رضورة دعم وتوحيد املجتمع خلف 

هوية موحدة نستطيع من خاللها بيان إنجازاتنا الالمعة امام أعني 

املواطنني يف مجتمع الوالية والدولة ونعلنها من خالل نشاطات أبناءنا 

وبناتنا الذين هم سفراء مجتمعنا وجاليتنا وهم األوصياء األمناء عىل 

هويتنا وعالمتنا املجتمعية املستقبلية.‏ 

متكن الضيوف خالل الندوة من إجراء مقابالت شخصية مع املحارضين 

ورشاء بعض الكتب واإلصدارات،‏ وكذلك طرح األراء وتقديم األسئلة 

واستعراض منتوجاتهم الكتابية من بينهم املحامي مرشد ‏)مارشال(‏ 

كَرمو ‏–الذي تحدث بشأن كتبه وكتاباته،‏ ونبيل رومايا حول كتابه 

‏“مسرية عراقية يف املهجر األمرييك”‏ والشامس سامل جدو يف مداخالته 

التوضيحية وحرض املؤمتر مجموعة كبرية من املهتمني باملعرفة والثقافة 

والكُتاب،‏ بينهم السيد نامق ناظم رئيس اتحاد الكتاب واالدباء الكلدان 

والسيدة د.‏ مها الريس وجنان يوسف من قناة القيامة يف سان ديكًو.‏ 

يرسنا ان نؤرش الشكر الجزيل والتقدير لكافة الحضور الكرام والكتاب 

املشاركني واملتطوعني من مؤسسة الجالية الكلدانية وسيدات املركز 

الرتايث الكلداين الذين ساهموا يف إنجاح هذا املؤمتر الثقايف.‏ 


CONFERENCE continued from page 24 

zation in the United States. Namou’s 

articles and poetry have been published 

in national and international 

journals, and as a keynote speaker, 

she has given readings, lectures, and 

workshops in libraries, schools, and 

universities. 

In her lecture, Namou reviewed 

stand,” meaning that culture has a 

direct role in the process of educating 

women and society. 

Dr. Sabah Yacoub 

A graduate of the College of Medicine 

in Baghdad with a postgraduate degree 

from the United Kingdom, Dr. 

Sabah Yacoub has a keen interest in 

after Islam) such as the contemporary 

Chaldean Jesuit monk, pioneering 

writer, historian, and theologian Louis 

Sheikho (1859 – 1927 AD). 

Dr. Sabah displayed his published 

work in Arabic and English, including 

Poetry Quatrains, Flashes of the 

Present Pain, Bobble Braids, and Chaldeans 

When Do We Rouse. 

tutions and duty of leaders, which requires 

the participation of everyone in 

the Iraqi diaspora community. 

I emphasized that this unified societal 

brand and identity, which is 

rooted in education and prevalent in 

society, is not owned by anyone in the 

community, but rather is the trust and 

responsibility of everyone. The im- 

Saad Murad, Weam Namou, Roy Gessford, Dr. Sabah Yacoub, and Dr. Adhid Miri. 

the history, achievements, and innovations 

of a group of Mesopotamian 

women. She explored their role in 

multiple fields of knowledge such as 

writing, philosophy, literature, poetry, 

arts, perfumes, and beer-making, 

along with other innovations that 

changed the course of life and society 

in Mesopotamia. 

On the societal side, Namou indicated 

that opportunities were available 

for Sumerian women to learn and 

play musical instruments in temples, 

enter monasteries, and to dedicate 

themselves to worship. 

The Sumerians invented writing 

on the clay tablet. Mesopotamia in 

Iraq brought us the first letter, the first 

teacher, and the first to take special 

care with youth education, believing 

that “learning in childhood is like 

engraving in stone”. Teaching writing 

in Sumerian society meant moving 

towards education and taking 

advantage of opportunities. This also 

gave women a prominent position in 

Sumerian society, which gained the 

attention of men and later led to the 

prosperity of the Sumerian civilization 

by preserving inherited societal 

traditions in which women played an 

important role and strengthened their 

status in society. 

Namou explained that “the culture 

of any society is characterized by the 

solid or soft ground on which women 

poetry and literature. Over the years, 

he held editorial positions in medical 

journals, authored four poetry collections, 

and wrote articles on various 

aspects of life. He continues to write 

in social media, newspapers, and 

magazines. In 2014, he established the 

Chaldean Cultural Forum in Windsor, 

Canada. 

Dr. Sabah’s presentation covered 

the history of Arabic poetry and linguistic 

development from the era of 

pre-Islamic times through the Umayyad, 

Abbasid, and modern eras. He 

spoke about the types of poems produced 

during these stages, such as 

classic, modern, and freestyle verse. 

Dr. Sabah believes “poetry is an 

idea, an inspiration, and a beautiful 

musical rhythm.” He read examples of 

verses from great poets such as Imru’ 

al-Qais, al-Mutanabbi, Elijah Abu Madhi, 

Badir Shakir al-Sayyab, Ma’arouf 

al-Rusafi, al-Jawahiri, Mohammad 

Saleh Bahr Al-Olum, and Mudhaffar 

al-Nawab. He also covered Christian 

poets throughout the ages (before and 

CHALDEAN 

STORY 

Dr. Adhid Miri 

As a contributing writer to the Chaldean 

News, my writings focus on the 

importance of preserving heritage, 

education, culture, Chaldean identity, 

community, and the history of Mesopotamia 

and Iraq. 

A former university professor, I 

was born in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1948. 

Since arriving in the United States in 

1981, I have been an active member 

of the Iraqi American community and 

served as President of the Chaldean- 

Iraqi American Society of Michigan 

(Southfield Manor-Shanandoah Club) 

from 2003 to 2005. Currently, I am a 

Project Director at the Chaldean Community 

Foundation, which is the nonprofit 

arm of the Chaldean American 

Chamber of Commerce in Michigan. 

In my presentation, I had the opportunity 

to speak about: the past, 

present, and future of the community; 

the importance of continuity and 

building on current successes; developing 

a brand and community identity 

in the diaspora; and the role of insti- 

This report is made possible with generous support from 

Michigan Stories, a Michigan Humanities Grants initiative. 

portance of elevating the identity of 

our society into one that is strong and 

built on the pillars of science, knowledge, 

and the granite foundations of 

our culture and historical identity, just 

as we were in the homeland, cannot be 

understated. 

The community must develop a 

strategy and integrate its efforts to 

benefit from the strengths of our numbers, 

raise our profile position among 

influential people, benefit from corporate 

support and philanthropists, and 

increase local and federal community 

recognition. 

During the symposium, guests 

were able to conduct personal interviews 

with the lecturers, purchase 

some books and publications, ask 

questions, and review their books. 

Other highlights included lawyer Murshid 

(Marshall) Karmo, who spoke 

about his published books and writings; 

Nabil Rumaya, who spoke about 

his book An Iraqi Journey in the American 

Diaspora; and Deacon Salem Jiddo, 

who added his own commentary. 

The conference was attended by 

a large group of people interested in 

knowledge and culture, as well as fellow 

writers and media personnel, including 

Mr. Namiq Nadhum, President 

of the Chaldean Writers and Writers 

Union, Mrs. Dr. Maha Al-Rayes/Yacoub, 

and Janan Youssef from the Resurrection 

Channel in San Diego. 


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CHALDEAN KITCHEN 

Creating the Mezza Supreme 

New beginnings for the New Year 

BY Z.Z. DAWOD 

Ever since he can remember, Fadi 

Babbie has had warm memories 

of his family’s New Year’s Eve 

traditions, celebrated in his birthplace 

of Baghdad, Iraq. Not surprisingly, 

many of his memories are related to 

the food that was served. 

His mother would set the table 

with sweet-flavored dishes — symbolic 

for wishing a “Sweet New Year.” The 

spread would typically include staples 

such as sweet kibbi hamuth, along 

with apricots, dates with nuts, Jordan 

Almonds or mesquool (sugar-coated 

almond candies), and other sweets. 

A few savory dishes were always 

on hand as well, ensuring that no one 

would go to bed hungry. Among these, 

Fadi is particularly fond of a roast salad, 

invented by his mother as a creative way 

to make good use of all the available ingredients 

in the home. Over the years, 

this dish was enjoyed by all and became 

a family favorite, assuming a central role 

in their New Year’s Eve spread. 

In Search of a Career 

Like so many Chaldeans, Fadi’s family 

had to immigrate to the United States, 

uprooted by the instability that took root 

in Iraq during the past two decades. As 

is the case with many immigrant families, 

Fadi’s parents encouraged their 

children to look for careers that would 

provide stability and financial security. 

While he was growing up, Fadi 

recalls a strong curiosity for figuring 

out how things worked. As a result, 

in the search for a steady career, he 

was encouraged to pursue engineering, 

which was practical and secure. 

Mechanical engineering seemed like a 

sensible choice since it suited his nature 

for exploring how things worked. 

After graduation, Fadi pursued work 

in this field and worked as a mechanical 

engineer for Wayne County. 

After a few years of working as a 

mechanical engineer, Fadi did not find 

the field to be fulfilling. Deciding to 

make his first career switch, Fadi joined 

his brother, Ed, in the IT profession. 

The brothers worked closely together 

Fadi Babbie recreates his mom’s traditional New Year’s Eve dish. 

for many years but, still, Fadi found 

himself in a technical field — spending 

much of his time interacting with computer 

systems rather than people. 

Following His Calling 

During his tenure in the IT industry, an 

opportunity to work in a steak house 

presented itself. Although this may have 

seemed like an ‘out of left field’ choice for 

a tech professional, Fadi finally felt the 

spark that had previously eluded him, as 

he helped out Thursdays through Saturdays, 

cooking at the restaurant and preparing 

dishes for people to enjoy. 

After spending years studying 

diagrams and wiring networks, Fadi 

finally found his calling — a chef’s 

calling — that allowed him to bring 

joy and satisfaction to people directly, 

on a level he could never experience 

in the world of IT. 

As Fadi discovered his new-found 

passion, he gradually transitioned to 

cooking full-time, setting on a path 

to becoming a chef. Soon thereafter, 

Fadi launched CRSP Catering Co. and 

quickly began to establish a reputation 

as an in-demand private chef. 

Catering for private dinners, parties, 

and pop-up events, Fadi enjoys his 

work immensely. As an added bonus, 

the engineering skills honed during his 

years in engineering and technology 

continue to play an integral part in Fadi’s 

success as a chef. To maintain consistency, 

he relies on his technical skills 

by tracking the many factors which can 

affect taste, such as monitoring precise 

cooking temperatures closely. 

PHOTOS BY ALEX LUMELSKY 

However, technical details are 

only part of the process. “You eat with 

your eyes,” Fadi says — so presentation 

is just as critical as the taste. “If 

it doesn’t look good, you won’t want to 

try it, even if it’s delicious. So, I try to 

give a good presentation and a good 

visual. I do things in a particular order 

to achieve that,” Fadi explains. 

Not unlike a wedding photographer, 

a chef hired to create a private 

dinner in someone’s home — for a 

special celebration such as anniversary 

or birthday — has just one shot 

to get all the components ‘just so.’ 

In such situations, there is very little 

room for error. 

A Blooming Flower for the New Year 

On the day I visited Fadi’s kitchen, he 

made the Roast Salad which, upon 

tasting, we immediately dubbed the 

Mezza Supreme. Following his mom’s 

example from back home, planning 

for this dish must begin a couple of 

weeks leading up to New Year’s Eve. 

Starting with the pickling of cucumbers 

to make tourshi, then cooking the 

meat a day or two in advance, the ingredients 

are prepared prior to mixing it all 

together on the big day. Although these 

are the key ingredients that Fadi has adopted 

for his version of the recipe, with 

all the components made from scratch, 

he made sure to point out that there is 

room for flexibility in this recipe. 

Fadi recalls that his mom would 

make use of any and all ingredients, 

whether leftovers or fresh, to make 

this special New Year’s Eve spread. 

With nothing wasted and all available 

ingredients put to good use, Fadi’s 

mom modeled gratitude for all the 

blessings their family enjoyed, bringing 

in a sweet New Year (with bellies 

full), together with family and friends. 

If you’re looking for novel way to kick 

off 2024, you could do much worse. 

Watch the full instruction video at 

chaldeannews.com and explore 

Fadi Babbie’s culinary creations at 

instagram.com/crsp_co/ 


RECIPE 

The Mezza Supreme: 

Roast with Romaine 

Recipe shared by Fadi Babbie 

Stuffed Cucumber Tourshi 

Ingredients 

2 lbs. of cucumber (Persian) tarooza 

2 cups of water 

1 cup and 4 tablespoons of white or apple cider vinegar 

3 tablespoons of salt 

6 cloves of minced garlic 

2 bunches of curly parsley, finely chopped 

4 tablespoons of curry 

Instructions 

Wash cucumbers and pick parsley leaves. Slit the cucumbers lengthwise (a butterfly cut) 

without separating (like a hot dog bun). Mix garlic, curry, parsley and 4 tablespoons of 

white vinegar to create a paste. Stuff cucumbers with the paste without separating the 

cucumber halves. Place stuffed cucumbers into glass jar. Dissolve salt in vinegar and water 

and pour it into jar. Close the jar and let sit on your counter for at least one week. Mix 

by shaking the jar once per day. After opening, store in a refrigerator for up to 6 months. 

The Roast 

Ingredients 

4 lbs. chuck roast 

1/2 cup of avocado oil 

8 to 10 cloves 

4 bay leaves 

4 oz. white or apple cider vinegar 

5 to 6 cardamom 

5 to 6 whole all spice 

2 sticks of cinnamon 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions 

Cut meat into large chunks. Use avocado 

oil to sear the meat on all sides. 

Deglaze the pot with about 6 to 8 cups of boiling water. Cook for about 30 minutes and 

place the meat in a separate container. Strain the water to remove any impurities. Add 

water back to the pot, along with your meat. Add spices, herbs, and seasonings. 

Cook on medium low heat, covered. Cooking time will vary depending on tenderness 

of the meat but, on average, cooking time is about 2.5 hours. When finished cooking, 

turn off the heat and let the meat cool. Refrigerate overnight; this will allow the 

meat to soak up the juices. Prepare the meat about one to two days ahead of serving 

the dish. The meat can also be cooked in a crockpot. 

Roast Salad 

Ingredients 

2 to 3 heads of Romaine lettuce 

2 cups of diced pickled cucumbers (tourshi) 

1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise 

1 lemon, juiced 

Instructions 

Wash and dry the lettuce. Separate the larger leaves from the hearts and keep to the side. 

Cut the hearts of the lettuce but leave the larger leaves intact. Dice the pickled cucumbers 

(tourshi) into small pieces. Cut the roast into small bite-sized pieces. Mix all ingredients 

— diced lettuce hearts, meat, cucumbers, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Place the large 

leaves of lettuce in a circular pattern on a serving tray. Add the salad mixture onto the 

lettuce leaves. Serve cold and enjoy. 

From above: 1. Pickled cucumber (tourshi) ingredients. 2. Tourshi can be placed 

in a jar or a plastic container. 3. Searing the meat locks in its juices. 4. The 

meat is prepared in advance and refrigerated. 5. Meat and tourshi, before the 

lettuce chunks and dressing have been added. 6. Romaine leaves create a 

flower shape for a ‘blooming’ presentation. 7. The completed mezza dish. 


ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE 

Post-COVID Redux 

Businesses ‘muscle through’ lasting pandemic changes 

BY PAUL NATINSKY 

Metro Detroit employers felt 

the ground shift beneath 

them during the height of the 

COVID pandemic in 2021-2022. Precautionary 

measures intended to limit the 

spread of COVID-19 had the devastating 

unintended effect of slowing to a 

trickle the revenue streams of “in-person” 

businesses such as restaurants, 

concert venues and banquet halls. 

Simultaneously, office-based enterprises 

saw the birth of a new culture 

and attitude toward work. Characterized 

by the necessity to work at 

home—away from other people and 

the danger of infection—employees 

became accustomed to taking their 

meetings over video conferencing connections 

such as Zoom. 

As we head toward the end of 2023, 

a largely vaccinated population has returned 

to work, to restaurants, to concerts 

and ball games. But in a very different 

way than many expected. Work 

and recreational culture have changed 

in ways that seem enduring if not irreversible. 

We spoke to a wide sample of Detroit-area 

businesspeople in the summers 

of 2020 and 2021—during the 

height of the pandemic. This month, 

we checked back with some of these 

sources to find out how their businesses 

are faring post-pandemic and to assess 

the changes COVID left behind. 

“The hangover is still there,” says 

Jason Najor, who owns several Detroitarea 

businesses including several Beyond 

Juice restaurants, a cell-phone 

repair and reconditioning business 

and a banquet hall. He says it is difficult 

to lure employees back to work in 

the post-COVID environment. 

Najor attributes much of the reluctant 

return to work to the largesse provided 

by emergency COVID funding, 

which included generous and lengthy 

unemployment benefits. He says there is 

still a small amount of government money 

to be had, and that is fueling some of 

the worker shortage. But employment 

under pandemic conditions unearthed 

new ways of looking at work…and life. 

Mike Sarafa Jason Najor Ziyad Hermiz 

The new normal is getting a better 

work-life balance, said Najor. There is 

no returning to what was normal before 

the pandemic. The flexibility of 

working from the house a couple of 

days a week is “way too hard to take 

back.” 

“I think employees’ attitudes have 

shifted sharply with respect to worklife 

balance and home-work balance in 

terms of where they are physically,” said 

Mike Sarafa, who owns an equity stake 

in 345 Supercuts value hair salons. 

Sarafa operates a small office to 

manage his business interests, and 

that workplace is seeing the same 

cultural changes experienced in traditional 

offices elsewhere. Workers in office 

settings have become accustomed 

to working from home in casual attire, 

with no commute and the flexibility 

of picking their kids up from school. 

The slowing of the pandemic has not 

quelled the desire for this new, balanced 

way of working. 

Ziyad Hermiz is a litigator at Varnum 

LLP. He says minor legal proceedings are 

made easier by retaining video conferencing 

adopted during the pandemic, 

and many are still conducted remotely. 

But, he says, many hearings and trials 

are moving away from the virtual courtroom 

back into the actual one. 

Hermiz says it makes sense to 

avoid taking the time to drive to minor 

proceedings, which can waste half a 

day. But he prefers conducting depositions 

and trials live. As a litigator, he is 

accustomed to live exchanges. 

Outside of office settings, employers 

face different challenges. Supercuts 

employs a large on-premise workforce, 

stylists have to be at the stores 

to do their job. But the shift to a more 

balanced work-life culture has not left 

them behind. 

Supercuts stores do a huge portion 

of their weekly business on weekends, 

and another chunk during evening 

hours. Sarafa says that while the very 

tight restrictions in force during the 

height of COVID are largely gone, his 

stores have difficulty getting enough 

employees to staff Sundays or work 

past 5 p.m. during the week. 

In addition to being short employees—Sarafa 

says he could fill 200 stylist 

positions immediately and Najor 

says his Beyond Juice businesses are 

often run by skeleton crews—they 

cost more. Inflation has settled down, 

bringing some relief, but wages that 

bulged during the pandemic have remained 

at escalated levels. 

In this environment, businesses 

find it hard to expand. In addition to 

a shortage of workers, high labor costs 

and the lingering effects of an inflation 

surge, demand for some services has 

not rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. 

Office-adjacent businesses such as 

lunch spots, convenience stores and 

gas stations are not used as frequently 

as they were when the bulk of the 

workforce went to the office. 

The pandemic ushered in another 

enduring change. Interpersonal communication 

has deteriorated. 

“Communication skills are almost 

gone. Politeness is almost gone. People 

have no patience,” said Najor. He 

said it took 100 years of development 

since the industrial revolution to build 

this economy. “It’s amazing how far 

that’s regressed in one or two years of 

shutdown.” 

“We’re real old school family businesses. 

We come from the grocery 

industry, where customer service is 

number one. We come from the hospitality 

industry, where customer service 

is number one,” said Najor. 

But, he said, growth in the current 

environment will cause the customerfocus 

his family brings to its businesses 

to fade. He says “you can’t be in two 

places at the same time,” and without 

a family member always on hand to direct 

training, the strong customer service 

ethos will become diluted. 

The pandemic’s worst effects on 

business may be receding, but a host 

of unexpected consequences will challenge 

the Detroit area’s businesses for 

some time. 

As Sarafa says: “It’s a battle, but 

we just try to muscle through it day in 

and day out.” 


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SPORTS 

Connor Shaya (left) and Pierce Shaya 

show off the Bloomfield Hills High 

School boys tennis team’s Division 1 

state championship plaque and signs 

announcing their own accomplishments 

at the state tournament. 

Losing Isn’t in Their DNA: 

Pierce and Connor Shaya 

BY STEVE STEIN 

They never lose. Never. 

The Shaya brothers — Pierce 

and Connor — each won a flight 

championship at the Division 1 boys 

tennis state tournament this fall in 

Midland to maintain their perfect record 

at the sport’s biggest stage. 

They also helped lead No. 1-ranked 

Bloomfield Hills High School to its second 

straight team state title after being 

the runner-up in 2021. 

Pierce, a junior, has been in the Division 

1 state tournament three times 

and won his flight each time. Connor, a 

sophomore, has played in two Division 

1 state tournaments and been a flight 

champion twice. 

This season, Pierce won the No. 2 

singles state title. He played in four 

matches at the state tournament and 

won in straight sets in all of them. 

Connor played No. 3 singles. He 

also swept four state tournament opponents 

in straight sets. 

The resumes of these four-star, nationally 

ranked college recruits don’t 

end there. 

The brothers have not lost a singles 

match in high school competition. 

Pierce’s current record is 47-0. He’s 

72-1 overall in his high school career, 

with his only loss coming in 2022, 

when he was 25-1 in doubles. 

He was part of the state champion 

No. 1 doubles team in 2022. He won the 

No. 3 singles state title in 2021. 

Connor, a sophomore, is 53-0 in 

high school singles matches. He won 

the state title at No. 4 singles last year. 

How have the boys racked up such 

gaudy statistics? 

A good source is their uncle Chris 

Shaya, director of tennis at Bloomfield 

Tennis & Fitness and a former twoyear 

captain of the University of Michigan 

tennis team. 

Chris Shaya has worked with the 

brothers as a private tennis instructor 

for several years. 

“We’ve worked on being aggressive 

without being reckless,” he said. “And 

they use that training. They stick to the 

system.” 

Sticking with the system is important, 

Chris Shaya said, because of the 

nature of tennis and how it is scored. A 

match can go south very quickly. 

“With each game, the scoring restarts,” 

Chris Shaya said. “And you’re 

not protected by a clock if you’re leading 

a match. You have to earn each 

match victory.” 

Chris Shaya said he attended the 

PHOTO BY GRACE SHAYA 

state tournament in Midland to support 

the Shaya brothers. And watch 

them win state titles. 

“There was no doubt in my mind, 

no question, that the guys would win 

state championships in their flights,” 

he said. “Their opponents needed 

them to not be the best versions of 

themselves. That didn’t happen.” 

Pierce Shaya, 16, credits intense 

training for his unblemished high 

school singles record. 

“I also play tournaments outside 

of high school against the nation’s 

top players, so I know how to get into 

that mode when I’m playing the high 

school season,” he said. 

His brother also credits his training 

for his perfect high school singles 

record. 

“I work and train very hard every 

day,” Connor said. “I work with my 

brother, my dad and my uncle.” 

Unlike the high-level tournaments 

the brothers compete in outside of 

school, high school tennis is both a 

team and individual sport. Pierce and 

Connor each enjoy the team aspect of 

it. 

“Tennis tends to be a very lonely 

sport most of the time,” Pierce said. 

“So, to be training and competing as a 

team adds some excitement to it.” 

Connor said, “I love to compete 

and cheer for my team. Everybody on 

our team is very close. It’s fun to compete 

with my friends.” 

However, the brothers prefer playing 

singles over doubles. 

“I trust my singles game more than 

anyone else,” Pierce said. “I don’t like 

having to depend on someone else to 

get the job done.” 

Connor said he feels he’s better at 

singles than doubles. 

“I have a lot of experience playing 

singles, so I know what to do in pressure 

situations,” he said. 

The boys do have interests outside 

of tennis. 

“I like to read, play golf, fish, and 

watch football,” Pierce said. 

Connor, 15, said he likes to hang 

out with his friends and watch other 

sports. 

The Shaya brothers’ parents are 

Donovan and Amy Shaya. They have 

an older sister Grace Shaya, 19. 


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FAMILY TIME 

Yuletide Good Times 

BY VALENE AYAR 

Michigan winters can be brutal. 

Between the cold weather, 

dark and early nights, and 

ice storms, it can be easy to fall into a 

seasonal depression and adopt a very 

mundane routine. But just because it 

can be that way does not mean it has 

to be that way. There are so many avenues 

to enjoy winter in Michigan with 

your family, and you can finally have 

answers to the dreaded question from 

the kids who are home from school 

this Christmas break when they ask, 

“What are we doing today?” 

Cadillac Lodge 

First and foremost, I must mention 

my absolute favorite. Located in the 

heart of downtown Detroit and full of 

fun activities and events for people of 

all ages, you would be hard-pressed to 

find a more comprehensive venue to 

enjoy this holiday season than Cadillac 

Lodge. 

Best described as a “pop-up” 

venue, the Lodge is encompassed inside 

a large, heated tent with food, 

drinks, and family-friendly interactive 

activities that will help bring you 

and your loved ones closer together. 

At the Lodge, you can enjoy some festive 

holiday drinks and a bowl of Detroit 

style chili (among other delicious 

menu items) next to a roaring fire; you 

can even listen to live music if you’re 

there on a Friday or Saturday night 

from 6:00-9:00 p.m. 

Or you can attend one of the free 

craft workshops on Thursdays (4:00 

p.m. - 7:00 p.m.) and Sundays (1:00 

p.m. – 4:00 p.m.). There, you and your 

family can make some holiday fun and 

spend quality time together enjoying 

activities you normally wouldn’t get 

an opportunity to do. 

Also plan to visit the Arctic Zone – 

an iconic gingerbread house-inspired 

concession stand right next to The 

Rink at Campus Martius. Grab a bite 

and go for a family skate! Not much 

of a skater? No problem! There is also 

Monroe Street Midway – across from 

Campus Martius Park – where you can 

slide down the Arctic Slide, enjoy their 

Cadillac Lodge in downtown Detroit. 

outdoor arcade, ride the winter bumper 

cars, or play a round of Puck Putt. 

Why not take in the new interactive art 

there as well? 

These are just a few of the many, 

many ways to enjoy this beautiful and 

interactive Detroit staple that will never 

leave you wondering “What should 

we do this winter break?” 

Visit cadillaclodge.com for more 

information. 

Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo 

Until very recently, I always thought of 

the Detroit Zoo as being something to 

enjoy in the summertime. Boy, was I 

wrong! Their annual Wild Lights event 

includes nearly 500 festive displays 

with millions of beautiful LED lights. 

The lighted sculptures feature a variety 

of buildings, trees, flowers, and 

even a walk-through light tunnel! It is 

a beautiful experience for the whole 

family and is the perfect way to take in 

the Christmas season. Food and lights 

and animals – oh, my! 

Local Weekend Trip 

A great way to create memories that 

will last a lifetime is to enjoy activities 

as a family. Why not take a drive 

up to Boyne Mountain (or anywhere of 

your choosing) and embrace the winter 

season skiing and/or snowboarding? 

Don’t know how? Learn together 

as a family. This will create an even 

richer bonding experience as you all 

try something new together. 

If you aren’t interested in such an 

“active” an outdoor activity, you can 

drive up to Frankenmuth – known far 

and wide for its Christmas experience 

– and enjoy everything the majestic little 

German town has to offer. Your kids 

can also enjoy an indoor water park at 

the local inn. This was a personal favorite 

for me, and a yearly tradition I 

have always cherished! 

Canterbury Village 

Last, but certainly not least, is Canterbury 

Village. I first visited this amazing 

place last January for a Harry Potter 

event and let me tell you – I fell headover-heels 

in love with it! There are 

events and activities there year-round 

to satisfy kids (and adults) of all ages. 

This December, here are just a few 

of the activities and events taking place: 

Shopopoly, Breakfast with Santa and 

The Grinch, Grinch Weekends, Dinosaur 

Wonderland, Wonderland Walkthrough, 

Elf Weekend, and Cookie Crawl. You can 

stop at any one of those words and be 

happy. While you are down there, don’t 

forget to take a family photo in front of 

the majestic 45 Foot Dancing Tree! Better 

yet, take some videos too with the kids 

dancing with the tree! 

Conclusion 

I am constantly hearing people say 

“there is nothing to do in Michigan!” 

– especially in the wintertime. Quite 

frankly, nothing can be further from 

the truth. There is PLENTY to do here. 

Unfortunately, though, most just are 

not aware of all of the beautiful ways 

to spend time with loved ones locally. 

And the Christmas Season is the PER- 

FECT time to create memories with the 

family. When the kids grow up and 

start their lives, you will wish you had 

enjoyed more time together when they 

were younger. Now is the best time to 

make those memories! Merry Christmas 

to all of our readers! Tell us some 

of your favorite ways you like to celebrate 

this season! 


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WINNING ESSAY 

CATEGORY: AGE 14-18 

The Death and Revival of Sureth 

BY YARA BASHOORY 

My great-grandfather read, wrote, spoke, and understood. 

My grandmother speaks and understands. 

My mother understands. 

I can neither speak nor understand. 

Those who forget their past have no 

future, we are rightfully told. Surely 

then, those who forget their mother 

tongue are befallen by an even more tragic 

fate. Language is the shared collective basis 

for the long-standing culture and traditions 

of a people, that which weaves it together. 

As a stateless and fragmented nation, our 

language is especially integral to our identity, 

as one of the last remaining links we 

share. Or rather, that which we are supposed 

to share. Sureth is presently on the path of 

endangerment, which if left unchecked, will 

lead to its eventual extinction. The exponential 

growth of the diaspora and the ever-present 

threat of cultural assimilation, both forced and otherwise, 

have slowly but surely eroded its usage. Although 

this is not an entirely modern phenomenon, 

as Arabization campaigns and urbanization sped up 

the process, it has accelerated to potentially irreversible 

levels. 

It begins slowly, with children stumbling over broken 

sentences at home, if they are fortunate enough 

to learn the language at all. As these children age and 

go through life’s milestones, their own children are 

no longer primarily taught Sureth at home, and their 

only exposure comes from older generations and religious 

use. Only grandparents still retain quotidian 

use of the language, and as these adults reach their 

elderly years, all that remains is minimal communication 

ability. 

As the slow passage of time marches on, those 

who were once children with a command of the language 

(albeit limited) pass away, and the language 

has been lost forever to that family tree. This process 

is a familiar story for many members of the 

Chaldean/Assyrian/Syriac people, whether our 

mother tongue was replaced with Arabic or English, 

in the diaspora or our homeland, externally or internally. 

Neglecting to pass down Sureth to one’s 

children leads to more than just an end to it in their 

own family, but the beginning of the breakdown of 

our broader community bonds. 

Matters are further complicated by a few key issues: 

a literacy crisis, a lack of media, and a variance 

of dialects. Written transmission of Sureth is exceedingly 

rare outside of religious contexts. The vast majority 

of the community who do, at a minimum, speak 

YARA 

BASHOORY 

AGE 18 

Sureth are not able to read or write it, barring clergy. 

Simply knowing how to speak and understand a 

language is not enough to preserve it for generations. 

Beyond the basic ‘alap-bet,’ functional illiteracy in 

Sureth is the norm. Part of the reason for this is a lack 

of media, whether it be novels, TV shows, 

social content, and so on. Consequently, 

immersion in the language becomes extremely 

difficult. The media we consume 

daily is in a second language and we grow 

accustomed to absorbing information 

through that lens. There is no entertainment 

or literature (and if so, far and few 

between and highly inaccessible) that one 

can use to retain and improve their fluency. 

In addition, the variety of dialects spoken 

(whether under the broad groupings 

of Eastern vs. Western Aramaic or specific 

villages) makes it difficult to agree on a 

so-called standardized version of the language. Our 

broad array of dialects showcases our diversity as a 

nation, but can also lead to our demise. Certain particularly 

rare ones are already entirely extinct, exacerbated 

by the impact of Seyfo. The Chaldean/Assyrian/Syriac 

community is undergoing a steady decline 

in linguistic fluency in its mother tongue, but through 

the perseverance that has carried us throughout the 

millennia, it can be reversed. 

As a stateless people, and therefore one without 

a conventional country and leaders, our churches assume 

this duty. While the Church is first and foremost 

an institution established by God for the salvation of 

souls, the church (small-c) also plays an integral role 

in our community. 

Our faith has sustained us through hundreds of 

years of unfathomable persecution since our initial 

conversion in the 1st century. From baptisms to funerals, 

liturgies to chants, monasteries to cathedrals, 

it is our lifeblood. We, as a people, would not exist 

without the Church, and neither would our language. 

The Church’s role in the preservation of our religious 

texts and the prevalence of our liturgical language 

cannot be overstated. 

Flowing from this, our local churches, as community 

hubs, also have a role in preserving Sureth as a 

day-to-day language. Our parishes are effectively our 

cultural centers, and the implementation of language 

classes of varying levels and for all ages is a necessity. 

Starting young is optimal, but everyone from 

elementary school to the nursing home should have 

the opportunity to gain fluency and literacy in their 

mother tongue. Running such programs in local parishes 

ensures accessibility to those who wish to learn 

Sureth. It is not a language one can start learning on 

an app or pick up a guidebook on from the library. 

Therefore, the creation of widespread, high-quality, 

and accessible resources for learning would be a 

tremendous help. Textbooks, apps, podcasts, and the 

like would make the daunting task of learning an endangered 

language more approachable, thereby encouraging 

it. In truth, top-down change only means 

so much if it is not taken to heart by those whom it is 

supposed to affect. Even the best resources amount 

to nothing if they are not used. 

All members of the community should be encouraged 

to create in our language. Create music, create 

poetry, create videos, create anything. In this way, 

content in Sureth grows and becomes more relevant 

and commonplace. 

On a micro-level, adults and the elderly should 

attempt to only communicate in Sureth with children. 

Families should endeavor to keep their second 

language outside of the home. The family is the most 

basic unit of civilization, and if our society wishes 

to survive, then dedication on the individual level is 

what it will take. One Sureth-speaking person who 

successfully passes it on to their children can create 

a ripple effect that leads to the proliferation of our 

mother tongue for generations to come. 

The Chaldean/Assyrian/Syriac people, both 

those who can speak Sureth and those who do not, 

can sadly become ignorant of just how precious the 

language is. Blessed with the grace of an early national 

conversion, we have been practicing Christianity 

for nearly two thousand years in the language 

used by Our Lord on Earth. 

The Words of Consecration in the liturgy are not 

only echoes of the Last Supper, but presumably the 

exact words spoken by Our Lord Jesus Christ. A lingua 

franca for centuries is a predecessor to the rich 

melodies that our priests chant at Mass and the 

hushed tones with which our mothers soothe their 

babies. The prayers uttered around the dinner table 

and the jokes whispered between siblings have origins 

in the language of kings and warriors. Once written 

on stone tablets in the Near East, now its use has 

almost entirely ceased. 

I pray for a revival; to hear small children speak to 

each other in the language of their ancestors on the 

playground. Dreaming bigger, a vast array of novels 

fragile from use, masterfully bound. Shooting for the 

moon and the stars, the dialogue of a film the same 

speech as grandmothers on the phone. For a renaissance 

of language and rebirth of culture, entirely 

homegrown. That Sureth, a hallmark of our rich heritage, 

millennia of faith, and hard-fought struggles, 

will not find itself beneath a tombstone. 

I hope to one day speak and understand. 

I hope my children will read, write, speak, and 

understand. 

I hope future generations will faithfully preserve 

our mother tongue in the hopes of one day seeing our 

homeland. 


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info@chaldeanfoundationg.org 

EST 

The National Civics Bee is presented by the Chaldean Community 

Foundation and the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce with 

support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. 


WINNING ESSAY 

CATEGORY: AGE 19-24 (CO-WINNER) 

Finding Beauty in a Broken World 

BY MIRANDA KATTULA 

Life is full of many big and small moments. 

In this lifetime, we may experience 

many victories that leave 

us feeling accomplished, as well as plenty 

of defeats that can leave us feeling lost. As 

humans, we can feel alone during these 

moments in our lives, but we need to know 

and understand that these things never go 

unnoticed. 

The graces that God has bestowed upon 

us have guided me into the choices and decisions 

that I make today. In a world filled 

with hatred, destruction, and evil, many 

souls remain lost, never finding true fulfillment, 

and living solely for the material world. However, 

within the struggle and hopelessness, God’s 

love and mercy shine. 

God’s unconditional love defeats evil and brings 

peace, hope, redemption, and sanctification. God 

knows our deepest struggles, which is why He has 

equipped us with the necessary tools to fight in the 

spiritual warfare of our lives. 

I am incredibly blessed to have been born and 

raised in the Chaldean Church. The Church has 

been the foundation that has upheld my life. Once 

I learned the roots of the Catholic faith, it became 

clear to me that the Catholic Church is the One True 

Church. The knowledge I have learned regarding 

church history and theology has revealed the healing 

and love that I have received from Christ. Which, 

therefore, has made it impossible for my heart to 

ever want to leave the Catholic faith. 

The same God that healed the paralyzed man, 

that raised Lazarus from the dead, and that was 

resurrected from the grave, lives in me today. My 

most joyous moments have been spent leading 

youth groups, teaching catechism, singing in the 

MIRANDA 

KATTULA 

AGE 22 

choir, and serving wherever the Lord has 

called me to. My most difficult moments 

have been spent in adoration, in the 

Mass, and on my knees in prayer. 

In this inconsistent world, God has 

been the only constant. The Lord’s will 

never felt forced upon me; they were divine 

callings that kindled a deep desire in my 

heart to serve God in any capacity that He 

provided. The personal relationship I have 

with Jesus has changed every aspect of my 

life, and every day, God has graciously provided 

me with confirmations of His love, so 

that I can live my life as a testimony to Him. 

While I did grow up in the Church, many times in 

my life I did not always place my identity in Jesus. As 

I grew older and began to understand our faith more 

deeply and intensely, it only made sense to turn 

to Jesus in everything that I do. Once I placed my 

identity in Christ, I recognized that all these earthly 

things come and go. Things such as the perfect job, 

the perfect grades, the perfect house, the perfect 

friends, are all temporary and will never satisfy the 

deepest desire of my heart. Everything in this world 

will pass away, but God will not pass away (Matthew 

24:35). The Chaldean Catholic Church has taught me 

to place everything about myself and everything in 

my life at the foot of the cross. 

The Church as an institution is vastly different 

from what my parents, and especially grandparents, 

describe. They describe church as somewhere you 

go on Sundays for Mass, Saturdays for Catechism/ 

Communion, and when you need the priest’s assistance 

for his sacramental duties. 

Today, our churches are busy and thriving. At 

each church on any given day, there are adult bible 

studies (in both English and Arabic), youth groups 

for both middle and high school students, men’s 

and women’s groups and conferences, summer and 

winter camps, catechism and communion, special 

events held by different groups, charity organizations, 

prayer groups, and retreats. 

My parents and grandparents have also described 

that there was not always an emphasis on 

the importance of partaking in the sacraments, especially 

confession. Today, confession is widely encouraged 

and talked about with all age groups. 

While our Chaldean Church has been doing an 

amazing job at making improvements within the 

institution, we still have a lot of work to do. For 

one, I believe that Chaldean programs need to address 

the mental health stigma effectively. While I 

see major strides to make that happen, I have noticed 

that many Chaldeans still do not understand 

mental health. Conversations about mental health 

should be more prominent within homilies and different 

groups. Placing a greater emphasis on the 

topic of mental health and providing resources for 

the individuals struggling, can also help reduce 

the amount of drug abuse, self-harm, suicide, and 

eating disorders within our community. 

I think important things that need to be addressed 

when it comes to mental health are how 

children can speak to their parents about it, early 

signs to watch out for in oneself, red flags to look 

for in family and friends, medication, therapy, and 

hospitalization. 

What I see as the role of the church in 2050 is 

to be unapologetically Catholic and help evangelize 

to more people. Now that many families have been 

here for generations and have established roots, we 

can begin to reach out to more people who are not 

Catholic within our communities. 

I believe that if the Church properly prepares its 

parishioners, we can help all people of all different 

religions and nationalities. I pray that people will 

see Jesus shine through our people, even with the 

simplest interaction. What the world needs more of 

is radical Catholics who will speak the truth with 

love and conviction, and not back down from the 

good fight. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS 

“The older generation 

must encourage the 

younger generation to do 

what they love…we will see 

an abundance of Chaldean 

artists, journalists and musicians, 

because passion 

is what will help keep our 

values of hard work alive.” 

– Christine Sharrak 

“The true heart and backbone 

of our community 

is our women…Although 

I will never know the 

struggle they knew, I feel 

so privileged to have been 

raised in the presence of 

their determination.” 

– Jenna Elise-Hussam Abroo 

“My people have been 

starving for representation. 

When I stare into 

the pages of a book or the 

bright TV screen, I don’t 

see my reflection staring 

back at me…Where are our 

stories?” 

– Sophia Snell 

“We are lucky to have such 

a defined culture…It feels 

like yesterday when my 

grandma babysat me, and 

we would go on walks to a 

nearby park to pick grape 

leaves for Sunday dinner.” 

– Grant Foumia 


CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION 

NOW ENROLLING FOR WINTER CLASSES 

JANUARY 9, 2024 – MARCH 21, 2024 

Tuesdays and Thursdays 

MORNING SESSIONS 

9:30 am – 11:30 

am 

OR 

EVENING SESSIONS 

5:00 pm – 7:00 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 

DECEMBER 2023 NEWS 39

WINNING ESSAY 

CATEGORY: AGE 19-24 (CO-WINNER) 

The Future of the Chaldean Community 

BY HAYLEY GAPPY 

The future of the Chaldean community 

is something that I tend to contemplate 

quite often. I wonder how our 

cultural norms and language will evolve. I 

fear that while our faith persists, our culture 

and language are fading. 

When Chaldeans first immigrated to 

America, they arrived full of hope for a better 

life for themselves and their families. 

The journey to the United States is a story of 

strength, community, and cultural preservation. 

Michigan specifically has become a center 

for Chaldean immigrants, providing them 

with a sense of community and opportunity. 

Detroit had a flourishing automotive industry, 

which offered employment opportunities for immigrants. 

These individuals also found ways to support 

their families by opening their own businesses. The 

most common of these ventures were grocery stores 

and gas stations. Through these entrepreneurial endeavors 

and the establishment of our churches, immigrants 

have made a home for their families while 

creating an exciting, tight-knit community. 

Michigan has one of the largest and most well-established 

Iraqi-Christian communities in the United States, 

with over 187,000 Chaldeans as of September 2023. 

Over the years, as Chaldeans settled from Iraq, 

they faced the inevitable, acclimating to American 

customs while losing sight of their own. This acclimation 

has led to following generations of Chaldean 

Americans growing up without strong connections to 

their roots. Being American-born has led me, along 

with other individuals in my age group, to be naive 

to the customs that our families grew up with. We 

live completely different lives than we would have in 

Iraq. Being accustomed to these American customs 

has muted the richness of our own culture. 

The Chaldean journey to America was driven by 

40 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2023 

HAYLEY 

GAPPY 

AGE 22 

hope and a dream for a better life, but little 

did they know that coming here would result 

in the culture slowly fading. 

Young individuals often lose their language 

connections as English becomes 

their primary means of communication. A 

majority of Chaldeans chose to learn and 

speak English at home after relocating to 

America, as it helped them communicate 

with others and adapt to their new lives. 

Teachers have also been known to advise 

parents that exposing their children solely 

to Arabic or Chaldean, commonly known 

as Aramaic or Sureth, could potentially 

hinder their academic prospects. 

My mom and her siblings experienced this firsthand 

when they began elementary school. My aunt was held 

back in kindergarten because she had only been exposed 

to Sureth at home and knew little to no English. 

This led my grandparents to be informed by school staff 

that if they didn’t speak to her in English, it could hinder 

her progress. To this day, my grandfather refrains 

from speaking Sureth to my mom and her siblings. 

As a result of this, my parents never spoke Chaldean 

or Arabic in our home because we were raised 

speaking English. It saddens me that I can’t speak or 

understand our native languages. As I’ve grown up, 

my desire to learn the language has increased because 

I want to be able to authentically communicate 

with family members and connect with my heritage. 

If I were to predict what our culture would look 

like in 2050, just 27 years away, the Chaldean American 

community faces a crossroads. If we think back 

to 27 years ago, the Chaldeans were more traditional 

than we are today. If patterns continue, I feel as 

though the culture and language will slowly fade until 

all that is known is something of the past. 

Today’s choices will dictate whether the vibrant 

HONORABLE MENTIONS 

“As much as I love my 

life, I want to live in the 

stories that my grandparents 

tell me.” 

– Annemary Boless 

“I never realized how 

many sacrifices my parents 

had to make for me.” 

– Tania Tobia 

“When you see the 

world in black and 

white, you are willingly 

neglecting its color.” 

– Meriam Youkhana 

“Because our community 

is such a small one, it is 

important that when we 

achieve something, it is 

celebrated.” 

– Giselle Sesi 

“God has gone from being 

a central motivating 

factor in our lives to an 

afterthought…We have 

given up our crucifixes in 

exchange for chains with 

crosses on them.” 

– David Meza 

Chaldean culture endures or diminishes. Preserving 

language, traditions, and identity becomes a collective 

responsibility, especially for those who grew up 

in the United States, to pass on this legacy to the next 

generations. 

Technology offers a potential solution to preserving 

our Chaldean culture. In an increasingly digital world, 

we can use the different facets of the internet for documenting 

and sharing our Chaldean language, traditions, 

and stories with future generations. It is a way to 

ensure that our unique and beautiful culture survives. 

We can preserve and share our customs and language 

via digital platforms to ensure that these valuable 

parts of our identity remain intact for future 

generations. The use of social media, websites, and 

digital archives can aid in safeguarding and sharing 

documents, images, and stories from our history that 

can be readily available for future generations to use 

to learn about our past. 

In addition to connecting us Chaldeans worldwide, 

this digital heritage serves as an anchor for 

coming generations to bring to light our cultural history. 

It will allow them to appreciate the beauty of our 

unique customs. Technology bridges the gaps in our 

culture as the world is constantly evolving. 

When I began working at the Chaldean Community 

Foundation, I thought I had a complete understanding 

of everything about our culture. This assumption 

couldn’t have been farther from the truth. I 

was surprisingly ignorant about our cultural history. 

It’s a reminder that we can’t know everything, and 

that’s what makes life beautiful. Every day, I continue 

to learn and grow. 

As a Chaldean American, my mission is to impart 

our culture and language to my children and future 

generations to secure the enduring relevance of the 

Chaldean identity. I want them to grasp the distinctiveness 

of our traditions, such as our food, language, 

strong family bonds, and the significance of our faith 

in our lives. Preserving our language and principles 

is vital to prevent this cultural loss. 

It is a challenge the community must face headon, 

with unity and determination, to ensure the 

Chaldean culture remains vibrant for generations to 

come. 

“Many families’ American 

Dream was to heal and allow 

their children to grow 

in the land of the free and 

the brave without the fear.” 

– Yousif Salim


CAREER 

SERVICES 

WALK-IN DAYS: 

MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY 

8:30AM - 4:00PM 

WHAT WE DO 

The Career Services Department at the Chaldean Community Foundation offers one-on-one assistance to help 

clients identify goals and develop careers. 

• CAREER FAIRS 

• COVER LETTER WRITING 

• EMPLOYER REFERRALS 

• FAFSA COMPLETION 

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FEATURE 

From Mesopotamia 

to the Motor City 

Early Chaldean settlers successfully navigated the change 

from agrarian villages to an industrial city lifestyle 

BY CAL ABBO 

Few members of the Chaldean 

community in Detroit still survive 

and remember what the village 

was like in the early 1900s, when 

our pioneers made the brave and challenging 

journey to America. What 

drove them to accomplish such a feat? 

To understand the enormity of 

such a journey, it’s necessary to recall 

the reality of village life and its simplicity. 

The vast majority of Chaldeans 

in the Middle East lived in small villages 

or towns with populations of a 

few thousand people. A small number 

of venturing families in the Nineveh 

Plain region moved to large, urban 

areas like Mosul, Basra, and Baghdad 

for economic opportunity, education, 

or a professional career. 

Chaldeans in the village tended to 

be farmers out of necessity and tradition. 

They grew crops like wheat, 

lentils, chickpeas, melons, fruits, 

and barley. Modern misconceptions 

characterize Iraq as a barren and dry 

desert, but the area where Chaldeans 

lived was green and fertile. 

As villagers who farmed for a living, 

there was not much wealth or opportunity 

to create it in the Chaldean community. 

In addition, villages were mostly 

unprotected, and had gone through 

hundreds of years of invasions, persecution, 

and repression. Despite these 

obstacles, the village provided the one 

thing that money couldn’t buy: closeness 

of family and community. 

In the late 1800s, word of economic 

opportunities in America began to 

reach the ears of young and enterprising 

Chaldean villagers. These pioneering 

men grew tired of the constant persecution 

they and their families had to 

deal with as well as a lack of opportunity 

to exceed. While Iraqi cities offered 

CHALDEAN 

STORY 

higher education and professional careers, 

it was nothing compared to the 

stories coming from recent immigrants 

to the United States. Chaldeans heard 

tales of great wealth and a different life 

from Lebanese and Syrian immigrants 

who made the journey before them. 

During the period between the turn 

of the century and 1920, drastic changes 

took the world by storm. Industrialization 

finally reached its tipping 

point and began to create vast wealth 

for the masses. In addition, war and 

genocide plagued the Middle East – 

namely the Seyfo, in which hundreds 

of thousands of Assyrian, Syriac, and 

Chaldean people were slaughtered, 

impacting the hearts and minds of many 



Chaldean people in the Nineveh Plains. 

In the Seyfo, Telkaif often served 

as a safe haven for Christians who fled 

Kurdish and Ottoman violence. Villagers 

who were already there heard 

stories of ungodly torture and killings. 

Importantly, this was not the first time, 

nor the last, that a genocide like this 

would plague Middle Eastern Christians, 

and Chaldeans had the foresight 

to predict such occurrences. This further 

motivated them to move to new 

lands and start new lives. First, they 

had to overcome the pressures of family 

and community, which certainly 

weighed on their hearts when they 

first made the journey. 

In addition, the industrial age had 

finally reached America, and even the 

most menial labor was offered fairly 

high wages. Famously, Henry Ford 

advertised a $5-per-day wage to build 

cars in Detroit, which intrigued many 

Chaldeans. A few made their final 

preparations, said their goodbyes, and 

went on their way. 

The first Chaldean who immigrated 


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to America from Iraq was likely Zia Attala. 

After arriving at Ellis Island, Attala 

went to Philadelphia to work in 

a hotel with dreams of opening one 

himself. Eventually, he saved enough 

money, and went back to his home 

country to start his own hotel. 

In the early 1900s, travel was much 

more difficult than it is today. The 

earliest Chaldeans would have to trek 

through the Middle East, through Marseille, 

France, and take a ship through 

the Strait of Gibraltar. Eventually, 

some made it to Ellis Island and traveled 

to Detroit for opportunity. Others 

would continue the journey by boat to 

Mexico to meet up with Lebanese and 

Syrian immigrants. 

Because of the language barrier, 

when Chaldeans originally moved to 

the United States, it was difficult to 

secure the jobs they wanted as store 

clerks, traders, or a worker on Ford’s 

factory line. As a result, most of the 

early Chaldeans were subjected to 

substandard and menial labor as 

well as living conditions that were 

both worse than what they experienced 

in their homeland. If anything, 

however, Chaldeans are adaptive 

and resilient people who stuck 

out the hardship to witness the light 

at the end of the tunnel. 

Over time, Chaldeans began to 

learn the language and see the potential 

of life in America. They also 

frequently sent money and written 

messages back to their families in Iraq 

telling of the life they encountered after 

crossing half the world. 

The first Chaldean from Telkaif 

entered Detroit through Windsor, Canada. 

Yousif Shamam would quickly 

learn English and begin his career as a 

salesman. When he had saved enough 

money, Shamam called for his brothers 

to join him and he helped establish 

a business and work for each of them. 

This foundational act of selflessness 

and support would serve as the driving 

force of the community’s constant 

renewal-by-immigration. By 1913, 

several Chaldeans made their way to 

Detroit and established a small community 

there. 

In 1915, according to research by 

Paul Manni, The Sunday Chronicle 

published an article about John Joseph 

with the headline “Chaldean in Ford 

Employ: Man Who Was Born in Region 

of ‘Garden of Eden’ Now a Mechanic.” 

The article went on to tell the story 

of Joseph, who lived back in the old 

country in a “one-room hut. The walls 

were made of clay, mixed with straw, 

and the roof consisted of a network of 

branches and marsh-cane, together 

with clay. The single room, although 

small, was still large enough to house 

himself, wife and two children, on one 

side, while the other served as a stall 

for the family goat.” 

Stories like this are much more 

common than they were reported. 

Soon, Chaldeans would adjust to the 

new life and begin to prosper. They 

would leave their menial labor jobs 

and venture into the store business, 

for which they would become known 

across the Detroit area. 


FEATURE 

Who Are the Chaldeans? 

From ancient lands to modern times, a small 

community continues to leave its mark 

BY CAL ABBO 

From left: Mar Addai of Edessa; Through store ownership, Chaldeans established a significant presence in the city of Detroit. 

Detroit is home to a unique Middle 

Eastern community who 

call themselves Chaldeans. 

This article attempts to illuminate the 

Chaldean heritage and religion, tracing 

its journey from the grand civilizations 

of ancient Mesopotamia to the culturally 

rich villages of Northern Iraq. We 

will explore the profound legacy of the 

Chaldeans and examine the integral 

role of the Church of the East in sculpting 

their identity across millennia. 

Historical Roots of the Chaldeans 

The Chaldean story begins in the fertile 

crescent of ancient Mesopotamia, 

where they established themselves 

as a notable civilization. Renowned 

for their advancements in astronomy, 

mathematics, and governance, the 

Chaldeans played a crucial role in 

the development of early human culture 

and technology. Centered around 

the city of Babylon, the society was 

marked by significant contributions to 

the arts, science, and literature, laying 

foundations that would influence generations 

to come. 

Many Chaldeans today, especially 

those in Detroit, claim an ethnic heritage 

from the Chaldean tribes and civilizations 

best known for their accomplishments 

in Ancient Babylon. As a 

minority in the Middle East as well as 

the United States, their identity today 

is centered on this fact. 

After Babylon was conquered by 

the Persian Empire, hundreds of thousands 

or even millions of Chaldeans 

migrated to different areas of the Middle 

East. Many resettled in the Northern 

parts of Mesopotamia as a result 

and established the villages and towns 

that modern Chaldeans come from. 

The Church of the East 

The Church of the East’s origins are 

intertwined with the early spread of 

Christianity. Established in the 1st century 

AD, the Church played a pivotal 

role in disseminating Christian teachings 

across Asia, reaching as far as India 

and China. Its inception marked a 

significant chapter in the religious and 

cultural history of the region, fostering 

a distinctive Christian theology that 

was both adaptive and expansive. 

After the death of Jesus Christ, his 

apostles began to travel the world to 

spread the good news and Christianize 

the world. Famously, the Apostle 

St. Thomas began his travels to the 

far east. Some of the first people he 

encountered were the Chaldeans and 

the surrounding communities. These 

places were already heavily influenced 

by Jewish culture and doctrine and accepting 

that the Messiah had arrived 

was a simple task. 

Mar Addai and Mar Mari were crucial 

in Christianizing the Chaldeans. 

As St. Thomas continued on his journey 

to India, these two men stayed 

in the Middle East to Christianize the 

people there and establish churches. 

Today, our liturgy still reflects the lessons 

given from these two men. 

Over the years, the Church of the 

East became a cornerstone of Chaldean 

cultural identity. As Christianity 


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spread and became a powerful movement, 

empires responded by persecuting 

its followers and leaders. This led 

to the tradition of martyrdom in our 

Church, which has influenced Chaldean 

culture and its extreme level of 

devotion and piety. 

The original Church of the East 

was a unique blend of Christian doctrine 

and Jewish ritualistic practices. 

The Church’s liturgy, conducted in the 

Aramaic language, served as a living 

link to the Chaldeans’ ancient past 

that we still enjoy today. Over centuries, 

it shaped the spiritual, cultural, 

and social life of the Chaldean people, 

influencing their values, customs, and 

community structure. 

In the face of modernity and the 

challenges of genocide and diaspora, 

the Chaldean community has shown 

remarkable resilience in preserving 

their unique identity. Language, traditions, 

and strong family bonds are 

central to maintaining their cultural 

CHALDEAN 

STORY 

heritage. The community has navigated 

the complexities of integrating into 

new societies while holding steadfast 

to their roots, showcasing a remarkable 

ability to adapt and thrive in diverse 

environments. 

The Chaldean diaspora in Detroit 

is yet another testament to the 



community’s enduring spirit and 

adaptability. Having established a 

significant presence in the city, the 

Chaldeans have contributed to its 

culture, economy, and religiosity. In 

Detroit, they have balanced the preservation 

of their ancient heritage with 

the integration into American society, 

facing unique challenges and achieving 

notable successes. The Chaldean 

Church, adapting to its new environment 

in Detroit, has played an essential 

role in education, community 

building, and maintaining a sense of 

cultural and spiritual continuity that 

traces all the way back to the mission 

of St. Thomas the Apostle. 


CHALDEAN SCENE 

Beth Nahrain 

Art Show 

From November 3 through November 

5, pieces from select artists 

were displayed at the Chaldean 

Community Foundation 

for the 2nd Annual Beth Nahrain 

Art Show. Featured artists 

included Reni Stephan, Sabah 

Wazi, Azhr Matti, Wilson Sarkis, 

Mark Georgies, Cassidy Azzow, 

Fr. Patrick Setto, Emad Tammo, 

Habib Hannona and Savannah 

Meyer. Proceeds from the event 

benefited the victims of the 

Bakhdida wedding fire through 

a fundraising effort supported 

by Nineveh Rising. 

Clockwise from above: Chris Salem, Fr. Patrick Setto and Ranna Salem, organizer of 

the event; A family looks at the display; Attendees of the Art Show pause for a photo. 

Veterans Day Rededication 

On November 11, 2023, a small crowd gathered to witness the rededication of an almost forgotten 

relic at the corner of Walnut Lake and Inkster Roads. The Peace Memorial was originally 

raised by the now defunct Walnut Lake Women’s Club to honor area military members who 

fought in the Civil War and both World Wars. 

The memorial sits at the future site of the Chaldean Community Foundation’s west side 

campus, which will also house the offices of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce and 

the Chaldean News. The memorial was discovered during the demolition process for the new 

center, and CCF president Martin Manna vowed to not only restore the memorial but to rededicate 

it. The ceremony was initiated by Burt Green and Steven Kay and was organized with help 

from CCF’s Tom Hajji and Sharkey Haddad. 

Left to right: Susan Smith, Sharon Hannawa, Patrick N’Golo 

and his wife Nicha Nzuiki; CCF staff with Macomb County 

Executive Mark Hackel; Left to right: Macomb County Habitat 

for Humanity Board Chair Mashell Carissimi, Susan Smith, 

Sharon Hannawa, President and CEO of Macomb County 

Habitat for Humanity Helen Hicks. 

Shining Light Awards 

From left: Burt Green and Steven Kay; West Bloomfield Historical Society’s Gina Gergory. 

The Macomb County Habitat for Humanity shone a spotlight 

on the Chaldean Community Foundation at their annual gala 

on Friday, November 10. CCF was chosen as a recipient of their 

Shining Light Award because of their above-and-beyond advocacy 

for a family of six from the Republic of the Congo. 

Patrick N’Golo was granted asylum in December of 2018, 

when he ran for his life from his homeland and was forced to 

leave his wife and four sons behind. Freedom House helped 

him with lodging, but he needed his family. A chance encounter 

between Habitat for Humanity – Macomb and Susan Smith 

of the CCF set Patrick on a path to home ownership and reunification 

with his family. Susan and Sharon Hannawa were 

recognized at the gala. 


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DECEMBER 2023

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