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METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY VOL. 21 ISSUE II <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Decision,<br />
Diligence<br />
& Destiny<br />
DAVID GARMO’S<br />
PURSUIT OF<br />
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Featuring:<br />
Her Story: Chaldean Women<br />
CABA Comeback<br />
Poet Al Mutanabbi
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<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 3
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4 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
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<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 5
6 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY | <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | VOL. 21 ISSUE II<br />
ON THE COVER<br />
20 Decision, Diligence & Destiny<br />
David Garmo’s pursuit of excellence<br />
By Cal Abbo<br />
FEATURES<br />
26 Her Story<br />
Chaldean women making history<br />
By Sarah Kittle<br />
28 Healing Through the Arts<br />
By Omar Binno<br />
30 CABA Comeback<br />
Chaldean American Bar<br />
Association returns<br />
By Cal Abbo<br />
32 Time Marches On<br />
March covers through the years<br />
By Sarah Kittle<br />
20<br />
36 Culture & History<br />
Al Mutanabbi, the would be prophet<br />
By Dr. Adhid Miri<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
8 From the Editor<br />
In Pursuit of Excellence<br />
By Sarah Kittle<br />
16 Iraq Today<br />
What to know about the strikes<br />
in Iraq and Syria<br />
42 From Mesopotamia<br />
to the Motor City<br />
Part III: New ventures in a new land<br />
By Cal Abbo<br />
10 Your Letters<br />
11 Guest Column<br />
Dr. Samir Jamil<br />
Living with Contentment<br />
10 Foundation Update<br />
Diversity Summit, Advocacy efforts,<br />
Donation to Giving Hearts<br />
14 Noteworthy<br />
OU/CCF partnership, Mother of God 75<br />
years, Sweet Dreams Habibi book<br />
18 Religion<br />
By Michael Antoon<br />
34 Economics & Enterprise<br />
Beverly Hills Grill<br />
By Sari Cicurel<br />
44 In Memoriam<br />
46 From the Archive<br />
Prioritizing education<br />
36<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 7
FROM THE EDITOR<br />
PUBLISHED BY<br />
Chaldean News, LLC<br />
Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />
Sarah Kittle<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />
Cal Abbo<br />
Michael Antoon<br />
Omar Binno<br />
Sari Cicurel<br />
Dr. Samir Jamil<br />
Sarah Kittle<br />
Dr. Adhid Miri<br />
ART & PRODUCTION<br />
CREATIVE DIRECTOR<br />
Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative<br />
GRAPHIC DESIGNER<br />
Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative<br />
PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
Alex Lumelsky<br />
SALES<br />
Interlink Media<br />
Sana Navarrette<br />
CLASSIFIEDS<br />
Sana Navarrette<br />
Subscriptions: $35 per year<br />
CONTACT INFORMATION<br />
Story ideas: edit@chaldeannews.com<br />
Advertisements: ads@chaldeannews.com<br />
Subscription and all other inquiries:<br />
info@chaldeannews.com<br />
Chaldean News<br />
30095 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 101<br />
Farmington Hills, MI 48334<br />
www.chaldeannews.com<br />
Phone: (248) 851-8600<br />
Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6);<br />
Published monthly; Issue Date: March <strong>2024</strong><br />
Subscriptions: 12 months, $35.<br />
Publication Address:<br />
30095 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 101,<br />
Farmington Hills, MI 48334;<br />
Permit to mail at periodicals postage rates<br />
is on file at Farmington Hills Post Office<br />
Postmaster: Send address changes to<br />
“The Chaldean News 30095 Northwestern<br />
Hwy., Suite 101, Farmington Hills, MI 48334”<br />
In Pursuit of Excellence<br />
This March issue is all about the pursuit of<br />
excellence in sports, education, professional<br />
work – virtually all walks of life. Chaldean<br />
culture calls for distinction, for brilliance<br />
and superiority. It is what we have come to expect<br />
from the community.<br />
Our cover exemplifies that pursuit. The story<br />
is centered around David Garmo’s belief that he is<br />
the best Jiu Jitsu fighter in the realm. It does not<br />
matter if it is still a dream; one day soon, it will be<br />
a fact. Garmo knows it in his heart.<br />
It was difficult to decide on a cover this month,<br />
as we have a wonderful story about extremely<br />
successful Chaldean career women<br />
to publish as well. These women are “killing<br />
it;” forging high-profile careers and achieving<br />
a work-life balance that many would<br />
envy. Indeed, recent archaeological findings<br />
in Kanesh, an Assyrian city in Iraq, shows<br />
that women throughout history served crucial<br />
roles in trading networks, managed finances and workers,<br />
and pushed against societal expectations to better their<br />
lives. “It’s their own thoughts and writing. It’s not our interpretation<br />
of them,” said Yale University Assyriologist Agnete<br />
Wisti Lassen of the tablets found. “There’s a deep value to<br />
that, to having their own voices heard.”<br />
The final installment of “From Mesopotamia to the Motor<br />
City,” traces the ancient routes of trade and culture that<br />
once connected the cradle of civilization to the busy streets<br />
of Detroit. In the heart of this convergence lies a vibrant community<br />
of Chaldeans, whose rich heritage and entrepreneurial<br />
spirit have left a mark on both the ancient world and the<br />
modern landscape of commerce. Cal Abbo looks at two community<br />
members who definitively made their mark: Michael<br />
George of Melody Farms and Saad Abbo of US Ice.<br />
In addition, we cover the March cover stories for the last<br />
two decades. It is a trip down memory lane as well as an<br />
important timeline that spotlights community concerns. So<br />
much has happened in the last twenty years!<br />
In our Economic and Enterprise section, we feature<br />
SARAH KITTLE<br />
EDITOR<br />
IN CHIEF<br />
Beverly Hills Grill and its owner Raphael Michael.<br />
Beverly Hills Grill has been a landmark in the area<br />
for many years, and its new owner is making sure<br />
that things don’t change too much and the ‘regulars’<br />
are kept happy.<br />
Dr. Miri introduces us to the famous poet Al<br />
Mutanabbi, a dreamer and wordsmith who took<br />
the Arabic language to new dimensions in the<br />
odes he wrote to honor contemporary rulers. His<br />
work is widely recognized as proverbial, and many<br />
have heard his words even if they aren’t familiar<br />
with the source.<br />
Chaldean culture calls for distinction, for<br />
brilliance and superiority. It is what we<br />
have come to expect from the community.<br />
Dr. Samir Jamil wrote in again, sending a column on finding<br />
contentment. His tips on managing emotions and using<br />
all available resources to see and enjoy the beauty that surrounds<br />
us are a timeless reminder that we alone control our<br />
emotions and reactions.<br />
Omar Binno returns to the CN to author a piece about<br />
music therapy and his new nonprofit that aims to use music<br />
to help the disabled and those suffering from trauma.<br />
The Chaldean Cultural Center comes through again, providing<br />
archival photos of educators and their students in<br />
both Baghdad and Detroit, and Religion writer Michael Antoon<br />
shares his thoughts on Lent and Easter.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
Sarah Kittle<br />
Editor in Chief<br />
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8 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
PUBLISHER'S CIRCLE<br />
As the publication of record for<br />
Michigan’s Chaldean community,<br />
the mission of the Chaldean News<br />
is to preserve and archive Chaldean<br />
heritage and history, and to tell the<br />
ongoing story of Chaldean contributions to<br />
the communities in which we live and work – in<br />
Michigan and around the world.<br />
In the last 5 years the Chaldean News has<br />
substantially increased its readership and social<br />
media following, introduced new digital and website<br />
content and expanded storytelling and video offerings<br />
with the help of small grant funding.<br />
The Publisher’s Circle is a unique opportunity for community<br />
members to support the Chaldean News and its continuing<br />
mission to be a voice for the community, wherever they<br />
may be. With the warmhearted help of individual and<br />
organizational supporters we can ensure that this important<br />
resource remains to educate and connect the community<br />
while evolving to meet the needs of future generations.<br />
The Chaldean News has recently launched a CN app<br />
and will continue to expand into new media such<br />
as radio and TV, all with the goal of preserving our<br />
culture and telling the story of our people. You can<br />
take part in helping to preserve your Chaldean<br />
heritage by joining the Publisher’s Circle today.<br />
Jibran “Jim” Manna<br />
Martin and Tamara Manna<br />
We are grateful for the overwhelmingly<br />
generous support of our community.<br />
To learn more, visit chaldeannews.com<br />
or contact us at 248-851-8600<br />
Let’s grow the circle.<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 9
YOUR LETTERS<br />
Dear Editor:<br />
Based on my personal experience, I<br />
highly recommend that new parents<br />
who are fluent in Chaldean and/or Arabic<br />
use these languages when speaking<br />
to their young infants, babies, and kids.<br />
My wife and I have two kids. When<br />
they were young, we questioned<br />
whether to speak with them in Arabic<br />
(my wife does not speak Chaldean). I<br />
preferred we speak in formal Arabic, so<br />
later in life they would be able to communicate<br />
with anyone in the Arabic<br />
world. My wife preferred the Iraqi dialect,<br />
which we often use. As it turned<br />
out, we did little of each and now regret<br />
it. I wish we had spoken more of either.<br />
We had some concerns that if we<br />
spoke only in Arabic with them, they<br />
would be a bit behind when they went<br />
to school. However, I now believe that<br />
concern was unfounded. Kids befriend<br />
other kids in preschool and learn English<br />
that way, as well as from TV entertainment<br />
in English. Kids adapt much<br />
more quickly than adults, and would<br />
have had no difficulty learning English<br />
quickly, even if it was not spoken<br />
much in the house.<br />
I also recommend starting the<br />
habit of speaking Arabic or Chaldean<br />
in the home with the first child. As you<br />
have more kids, they might communicate<br />
with each other in English unless<br />
the older one is used to speaking in the<br />
language you spoke with him or her.<br />
Of course, it is never too late to start<br />
even if the kids are older, as long as<br />
they are still home with you.<br />
As kids grow to become teens, they<br />
often show some rebellion against parents’<br />
habits and that is normal. But,<br />
as they approach their twenties and<br />
older, they often revert to the original<br />
culture, and they might wonder why<br />
they were not taught their parents’ language<br />
when they were young.<br />
As kids are finishing high school<br />
and preparing to go to college, they may<br />
discover that many competitive universities<br />
are impressed with kids who speak<br />
multiple languages, and this might help<br />
them in their college applications.<br />
Arabic is spoken by at least half a<br />
billion people in the world, and the Arabic<br />
business and political world will<br />
continue to dominate the news in the<br />
future. Knowledge of Arabic will prove<br />
to be an asset for your kids in business,<br />
social, cultural, and political affairs.<br />
As to the Chaldean language, it is<br />
our heritage and is in danger of diminishing<br />
with time, unless we make the<br />
effort to convey it to our kids if we can.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
N. Peter Antone<br />
March 19-24 • Fisher Theatre<br />
broadwayindetroit.com<br />
Groups (10+) broadwayindetroitgroups@theambassadors.com<br />
(subject: The Cher Show)<br />
APRIL 23-28 • FISHER THEATRE<br />
BROADWAYINDETROIT.COM<br />
10 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
GUEST COLUMN<br />
Living with Contentment<br />
BY SAMIR JAMIL, MD<br />
Being content (or not)<br />
is all about emotions.<br />
Emotionally sensitive<br />
people react to events quickly<br />
and with intense feeling. They<br />
have difficulty in getting their<br />
emotional reactions to go<br />
away. Finding ways to manage<br />
emotions effectively can<br />
minimize the non-physical<br />
pain they experience. This article<br />
offers a few suggestions<br />
and strategies to minimize<br />
worries and live contently.<br />
These strategies below are not in the order<br />
of their significance.<br />
Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness<br />
helps reduce anxiety and stress<br />
for everyone. Consider a way to practice<br />
mindfulness every day that is<br />
easy to remember (mindfully brush<br />
your teeth or mindfully drink your<br />
coffee). The point is action with intention.<br />
Consider using a bracelet or a<br />
sticky note to remind yourself.<br />
Relax, be in control. Find a way<br />
to laugh today (dance, watch a comedy,<br />
run in the park, buy a balloon,<br />
dabble with paint). Stay focused on<br />
what is in your control. Attempting<br />
to control other people or events creates<br />
anxiety, anger, and feelings of<br />
helplessness. It is enough work to<br />
control our own actions; you cannot<br />
control others’.<br />
Practice gratitude. Each evening,<br />
go through your day and list three<br />
things you are grateful for. Be specific,<br />
then focus on those three experiences<br />
or interactions or things and<br />
appreciate the positive.<br />
Nurture relationships. Some<br />
friends will make you angry or upset,<br />
but having friendships is one of<br />
the keys to contentment. When you<br />
spend time with friends, focus on<br />
what you like, and what energizes<br />
you. Review the positive experiences<br />
in your mind. Pick your friends carefully.<br />
Give up your attachment to outcomes.<br />
Being too attached to certain<br />
outcomes, living in a certain way, or<br />
fixating on a certain solution limits<br />
you and leads to suffering. Try to be<br />
SAMIR<br />
JAMIL, MD<br />
SPECIAL<br />
TO THE<br />
CHALDEAN<br />
NEWS<br />
open to what comes.<br />
Learn something new.<br />
You don’t have to choose<br />
something difficult. Learn<br />
a little about another culture,<br />
read a magazine about<br />
a hobby you know nothing<br />
about, cook a new dish, or<br />
play a new game.<br />
Let go of urgency. Sometimes<br />
we feel urgent about<br />
everyday tasks. Be mindful,<br />
let go of urgency when it<br />
is not a 911 situation. Slow<br />
down, breathe, and take small steps.<br />
Accept imperfections. Life is<br />
messy and imperfect. Striving for perfection<br />
that does not exist crushes joy<br />
and contentment.<br />
Stop comparing. Comparing is<br />
a way of evaluating and judging<br />
ourselves and others. At times and<br />
Finding ways to<br />
manage emotions<br />
effectively can<br />
minimize the<br />
non-physical pain<br />
emotionally sensitive<br />
people experience.<br />
wrongly, we compare ourselves to<br />
someone else who we see as superior<br />
to us (a way of competing).<br />
Get out-of-the-box. Having a big<br />
family get together, watching movies<br />
with friends, or focusing on a spiritual<br />
journey are examples of activities<br />
that may be helpful.<br />
Notice what works and what you<br />
are doing right. It is easy to overlook<br />
what goes right. When you are feeling<br />
upset, it is difficult to problem solve<br />
or think of what actions might help.<br />
Keeping a list of what works for you<br />
could be a key good for coping successfully.<br />
Practice self-compassion. Calling<br />
yourself names is punishment, and<br />
we all know that punishment does not<br />
work. Accept yourself in kindness.<br />
Identify your values. Living in<br />
ways that are inconsistent with your<br />
values causes stress and unhappiness.<br />
So, make choices whenever you<br />
can that reflect your values.<br />
Think of loved ones. Think of the<br />
people who love you no matter what.<br />
Think of the people who love you as<br />
part of your team and remember that<br />
they are there to support you.<br />
Under-react. Sometimes we just do<br />
not need to react. This does not mean<br />
under-feeling, minimizing, denying, or<br />
suppressing, but just letting events be.<br />
Relax your body. Practice brief deep<br />
breathing and slow exhaling. A relaxed<br />
body sends a safety message to the<br />
mind; a tense body says there is danger.<br />
Remember your positive qualities.<br />
If you are not sure, ask those who are<br />
close to you.<br />
Ask yourself what you can give to<br />
others. Helping others can be simply<br />
smiling at someone, giving a cup of<br />
coffee, giving clothes to a shelter, or<br />
giving time to a child. We are all part<br />
of the same community, and we all<br />
need help.<br />
Commitment. Take one small step<br />
and commit to success in what is important<br />
to you. Having a small success<br />
builds hope and belief in yourself.<br />
Having purpose and meaning<br />
adds to your sense of well-being.<br />
Learn to solve problems. Everyone<br />
meets problems at certain times<br />
in our lives. But being able to manage<br />
your life can bring self-contentment<br />
and satisfaction.<br />
Practice willingness. Say yes to<br />
LIFE. Yes, to being part of this universe.<br />
No matter how disconnected<br />
you may feel, you are part of the<br />
whole. You belong. Accept the changes<br />
that come with life.<br />
See the beauty of the world. Notice<br />
the sunsets, the mountains in the<br />
fog, children playing, etc. Beauty is<br />
all around us and everywhere, but we<br />
often do not see it.<br />
Man asked GOD, give me everything<br />
to enjoy life. GOD replied, I have<br />
given LIFE to enjoy everything.<br />
MORE THAN<br />
1,251 yEARs<br />
Of cOMbiNEd<br />
lEgAl<br />
ExpERiENcE<br />
RON AcHO<br />
49 yEARs!<br />
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succEssful<br />
liTigATiON<br />
fiRM<br />
A TTORNEYS & C O UNSELORS AT LAW<br />
(734) 261-2400<br />
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<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 11
FOUNDATION UPDATE<br />
Left: Planning<br />
committee from<br />
the <strong>2024</strong> Macomb<br />
Student Diversity<br />
Summit.<br />
Generous Donation for<br />
Breast Cancer Awareness<br />
On February 1, Jason Tueni from Oak Holdings Investments, LLC<br />
made a generous donation of $40,000 to support the CCF’s Giving<br />
Hearts affiliate fund.<br />
Giving Hearts is a philanthropic Chaldean women’s collaboration<br />
in memory of the late Vivian Esshaki Shouneyia; the fund<br />
helps alleviate financial duress related to medical care expenses<br />
for breast cancer patients.<br />
Macomb Student Diversity Summit<br />
The CCF participated in the annual Macomb Student Diversity Summit, an event which provides an<br />
opportunity for more than 400 middle and high school students across Macomb County to have a<br />
dialogue about race relations and other relevant cultural matters.<br />
Hosted on Thursday, February 15 from 8:00am until 1:30pm at the Macomb Intermediate School District,<br />
this year’s theme was “Voices Amplified: The Power of Your Voice.” The overarching goals of the<br />
summit include helping student leaders understand the value and impact of diversity and developing<br />
action plans to create positive environments and promote social justice in their schools and communities.<br />
Advocacy in Action<br />
The Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce and<br />
Chaldean Community Foundation have engaged<br />
the Waad Murad Advocacy Fund in support of Thair<br />
Dado, who was shot and killed in the parking lot of<br />
his part-time job on Saturday, February 3, leaving<br />
behind a grieving widow and teenage son.<br />
The Fund, working with the Detroit Police Department<br />
and Crimestoppers, will award $10,000 to<br />
the supplier of information that leads to the arrest<br />
and conviction of the culprits of the murder.<br />
The Chaldean Chamber’s Sharkey Haddad<br />
and Manar Deno, nephew of Thair Dado.<br />
The Waad Murad Advocacy Fund was established in 2011 to aid the police in solving murders in<br />
the Chaldean business community. Since immigrating to the U.S., more than 100 Chaldean small<br />
business owners have been killed in their place of business in Detroit. The Fund aims to bring justice<br />
to the perpetrators and hopefully, some small semblance of relief to the victim’s families.<br />
Iraqi Consulate Visits<br />
Metro Detroit<br />
On January 25, CCF President Martin Manna met<br />
with the new Iraqi Consulate General Muhamad<br />
Hassan S. Muhamad at the Consulate General of the<br />
Republic of Iraq office in Southfield.<br />
We welcome the new Iraqi Consulate and look<br />
forward to future discussions and a continued partnership<br />
to serve our community in Michigan.<br />
CCF President Martin Manna and Iraqi Consulate<br />
General Muhamad Hussan S. Muhamad.<br />
The Oak Holdings Investments team pictured with CCF staff<br />
to present the check.<br />
ARCH Recognition<br />
The Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
recently received recognition<br />
from the ARCH National Respite Network<br />
as an Innovative and Exemplary<br />
Program for the C.H.A.I. Project<br />
through 2027.<br />
C.H.A.I. (Caregivers Helping Aid<br />
Initiative) aims to educate and inform<br />
caregivers about the importance of lifestyle, nutrition, exercise,<br />
and health care when aging.<br />
The program was one of only four respite services recognized<br />
as Innovative and Exemplary by the ARCH National Respite Network<br />
and Resource Center in <strong>2024</strong>.<br />
Upcoming Events<br />
Penske Job Fair<br />
Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
February 28 from 2:00pm-4:00pm<br />
Spring Community Job Fair<br />
Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
May 1 from 2:00pm-3:00pm<br />
Learn with a Leader<br />
Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
May 22 from 4:00pm-6:00pm<br />
12 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
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<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 13
NOTEWORTHY<br />
The Pursuit of Higher Education: Oakland<br />
University and Chaldean Community<br />
Foundation unite for a brighter future<br />
In an exciting collaboration aimed at fostering the<br />
next generation of educators, Oakland University<br />
and the Chaldean Community Foundation have<br />
joined forces to inspire and support students in pursuing<br />
careers in education. This innovative partnership<br />
not only underscores the shared commitment<br />
of both institutions to academic excellence, but also<br />
seeks to address the growing need for passionate and<br />
diverse individuals to lead the way in shaping the future<br />
of education.<br />
As we navigate an ever-evolving educational<br />
landscape, the demand for dedicated and culturally<br />
aware educators has never been more pronounced.<br />
Mother of God 75th Anniversary<br />
Recognizing this imperative, Oakland University and<br />
the Chaldean Community Foundation have set out<br />
on a mission to empower students, particularly those<br />
from the Chaldean community, to explore and embark<br />
on fulfilling careers in education.<br />
This collaborative initiative starts with an advisory<br />
council made up of Oakland University staff and<br />
alumni along with Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
staff. The purpose of the council is to develop outreach<br />
for assisting perspective student with filling<br />
out forms for admission and financial aid and developing<br />
pathways for students to become educators,<br />
among other goals.<br />
Mother of God Chaldean Church is<br />
75! This milestone commemorates<br />
a beacon of faith and community<br />
in its 75th year of existence,<br />
embodying a rich tapestry of<br />
tradition, culture, and spirituality.<br />
Nestled within the heart of its<br />
community, this sacred place of<br />
worship has been a steadfast pillar<br />
for generations of Chaldean Catholics,<br />
serving as a sanctuary where<br />
families gather to celebrate their<br />
faith and heritage.<br />
Mother of God Church was established<br />
in Southfield in 1948. The current edifice was<br />
designed in a Byzantine Revival style and completed in<br />
1980. Two years later, the church became a Chaldean<br />
cathedral when the Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle<br />
was established.<br />
Throughout its storied history, Mother of God has<br />
been a source of spiritual nourishment, offering a myriad<br />
of religious services, sacraments,<br />
and cultural events. From traditional<br />
liturgies to festive celebrations marking<br />
Chaldean holidays and milestones,<br />
the church fosters a sense<br />
of belonging and continuity for its<br />
members, bridging the gap between<br />
generations and preserving cherished<br />
customs for years to come.<br />
Beyond its role as a place of<br />
worship, the church serves as a<br />
catalyst for social outreach and<br />
community engagement. Through<br />
charitable initiatives, educational<br />
programs, and interfaith collaborations, it extends its<br />
embrace beyond its walls, embodying the teachings of<br />
compassion and solidarity espoused by its namesake,<br />
the Mother of God. As the church commemorates its<br />
75th anniversary, it stands as a testament to the enduring<br />
spirit of faith, hope, and love that continues to inspire<br />
and unite the Chaldean faithful.<br />
Sweet Dreams<br />
Habibi<br />
Jacquelyn Faranso Santo, the daughter of<br />
Catholic-Iraqi immigrants and a first generation<br />
American, recently wrote a children’s book<br />
titled, “Sweet Dreams Habibi.” The book centers<br />
around themes of family, cultural identity and<br />
the universal desire to belong.<br />
Inspired by the stories<br />
that her mom used<br />
to share about her childhood<br />
in Iraq and her<br />
journey to America, the<br />
book recounts a heartwarming<br />
story that resonates<br />
deeply with immigrant<br />
families, offering<br />
a relatable and enriching<br />
experience for both<br />
children and parents. The tale unfolds through a<br />
mom’s story to her daughter at bedtime, painting<br />
a picture of her simple life back home filled with<br />
rich culture and traditions.<br />
Jacquelyn grew up in the Detroit metropolitan<br />
area and witnessed her parents’ journey to<br />
build a life in the United States. Today, Jacquelyn<br />
is a DePaul University graduate, a dedicated<br />
wife, and mother of two. She also manages a<br />
travel concierge business while passionately<br />
pursuing her creative endeavors. The story she<br />
shares reflects the cultural mosaic that shaped<br />
her upbringing.<br />
“This book is not only a tribute to my family,<br />
but also a tribute to the bravery, love and<br />
dreams that immigrant families bring with them<br />
on their incredible journeys,” shares Jacqueline.<br />
“My hope is that this narrative contributes to the<br />
empowerment of immigrant families.”<br />
“Sweet Dreams Habibi” by Jacquelyn<br />
Faranso Santo is available for purchase at<br />
barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com.<br />
14 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 15
IRAQ TODAY<br />
Iraq Territory Targeted<br />
What to know about the US strikes in Iraq and Syria<br />
and its attacks with the UK in Yemen<br />
Beirut (AP) Feb. 3 — British forces on<br />
Saturday joined their American allies<br />
in new attacks against militia in Yemen.<br />
The U.S. military earlier launched<br />
strikes on dozens of sites manned by<br />
Iran-backed fighters in western Iraq<br />
and eastern Syria in retaliation for a<br />
drone strike in Jordan in late January<br />
that killed three U.S. service members<br />
and wounded dozens.<br />
Tensions have been rising in the<br />
region since the Israel-Hamas war<br />
started on Oct. 7. A week later, Iranbacked<br />
fighters, who are loosely allied<br />
with Hamas, began carrying out drone<br />
and rocket attacks on bases housing<br />
U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. A deadly<br />
strike on the desert outpost known as<br />
Tower 22 in Jordan near the Syrian border<br />
further increased tensions.<br />
What Happened in Yemen?<br />
The United States and Britain said they<br />
launched a barrage of strikes against<br />
Houthi targets in Yemen from fighter<br />
jets and warships in the Red Sea.<br />
The strikes hit 36 Houthi targets<br />
in 13 locations, according to the U.S.<br />
and U.K. militaries. It is the third time<br />
in two weeks that the U.S. and Britain<br />
have conducted a large joint operation<br />
to strike Houthi weapon launchers, radar<br />
sites and drones.<br />
The strikes came in response to<br />
almost daily missile or drone attacks<br />
against commercial and military ships<br />
in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.<br />
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin<br />
said Australia, Bahrain, Canada,<br />
Denmark, the Netherlands, and New<br />
Zealand supported the latest wave of<br />
strikes intended to “defend lives and<br />
the free flow of commerce in one of the<br />
world’s most critical waterways.”<br />
What Jets Were Used in the<br />
Yemen Strikes?<br />
The Houthi targets were struck by U.S.<br />
F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight<br />
D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, by British<br />
Typhoon FGR4 fighter aircraft and by<br />
the Navy destroyers USS Gravely and the<br />
AKASHAT<br />
AL QAIM<br />
Akashat and Al Qaim were among the Iraqi settlements that were targeted.<br />
USS Carney firing Tomahawk missiles<br />
from the Red Sea, according to U.S. officials<br />
and the U.K. Defense Ministry.<br />
Who Was Targeted in Syria<br />
and Iraq, And Why?<br />
The strikes on Friday came in retaliation<br />
for the drone strike that killed<br />
three U.S. troops in Jordan on Jan. 28.<br />
U.S. forces struck 85 targets in<br />
seven locations in a strategic region<br />
where thousands of Iran-backed fighters<br />
are deployed to help expand Iran’s<br />
influence from Tehran to the Mediterranean<br />
coast.<br />
U.S. bases in Syria’s eastern province<br />
of Deir el-Zour and the northeastern<br />
province of Hassakeh have come<br />
under attack for years. The Euphrates<br />
River cuts through Syria into Iraq,<br />
with U.S. troops and American-backed<br />
Kurdish-led fighters on the east bank<br />
and Iran-backed fighters and Syrian<br />
government forces to the west.<br />
Bases for U.S. troops in Iraq have<br />
come under attack too.<br />
Iran-backed militias control the<br />
Iraqi side of the border and move freely<br />
in and out of Syria, where they man<br />
posts with their allies from Lebanon’s<br />
powerful Hezbollah and other Shiite<br />
armed groups.<br />
What Was Hit in Iraq and Syria?<br />
How Many People Were Killed?<br />
The U.S. military said the barrage of<br />
strikes hit command and control headquarters;<br />
intelligence centers; rockets<br />
and missiles, drone and ammunition<br />
storage sites; and other facilities connected<br />
to the militias and the Iranian<br />
Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force,<br />
which handles Tehran’s relationship<br />
with, and arming of, regional militias.<br />
Syrian opposition activists said<br />
the strikes hit the Imam Ali base near<br />
the border Syrian town of Boukamal,<br />
the Ein Ali base in Quriya, just south<br />
of the strategic town of Mayadeen,<br />
and a radar center on a mountain<br />
near the provincial capital that is also<br />
called Deir el-Zour.<br />
Rami Abdurrahman, who heads<br />
the Britain-based Syrian Observatory<br />
for Human Rights, said 29 rank-andfile<br />
fighters were killed in those strikes.<br />
The attacks also hit a border crossing<br />
known as Humaydiya, where militia<br />
cross back and forth between Iraq<br />
and Syria, according to Omar Abu Layla,<br />
a Europe-based activist who heads<br />
the Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet. He said<br />
the strikes also hit an area inside the<br />
town of Mayadeen known as “the security<br />
quarter.”<br />
Iraqi government spokesperson<br />
Bassim al-Awadi said the border<br />
strikes killed 16 people and caused<br />
“significant damage” to homes and<br />
private properties.<br />
The Popular Mobilization Force, a<br />
coalition of Iran-backed militia that<br />
is nominally under the control of the<br />
Iraqi military, said the strikes in western<br />
Iraq hit a logistical support post,<br />
a tanks battalion, an artillery post and<br />
a hospital. The PMF said 16 people<br />
were killed and 36 wounded, and that<br />
authorities were searching for other<br />
missing people.<br />
Will Iran-Backed Fighters Retaliate?<br />
Iran and groups it backs in the region<br />
aim to put pressure on Washington<br />
to force Israel to end its crushing offensive<br />
in Gaza, but do not appear to<br />
want all-out war. The defeat of Hamas<br />
would be a major setback for Tehran,<br />
which considers itself and its allies<br />
the main defenders of the Palestinian<br />
cause.<br />
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq,<br />
an umbrella group for Iran-backed<br />
groups, said it carried out two explosive<br />
drone attacks Saturday on bases<br />
housing U.S. troops in the northern<br />
Iraqi city of Irbil and a post in northeast<br />
Syria near the Iraqi border.<br />
The only Iran-backed faction that<br />
has been escalating are the Houthi<br />
rebels in Yemen, and they have made<br />
clear that they have no intention of<br />
scaling back their campaign.<br />
By Bassem Mroue, Lolita C. Baldor and<br />
Tara Copp / Associated Press. Baldor<br />
and Copp reported from Washington.<br />
16 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
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<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 17
RELIGION<br />
Reflecting on the Resurrection<br />
BY MICHAEL ANTOON<br />
As the arrival of spring brings about a period<br />
of rebirth and renewal, Christians all around<br />
the world draw their hearts and minds closer<br />
to the most sacred, holy, and significant events in the<br />
faith – Easter. Far beyond symbolism of colored eggs<br />
and spring flowers, Easter encapsulates the celebration<br />
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ rising from<br />
the dead, giving us the promise of eternal life.<br />
At its core, Easter commemorates the resurrection<br />
of Jesus Christ, the pivotal moment that defines the<br />
very essence of our Christian belief. This celebration<br />
is the feast of feasts! It transcends all cultural and political<br />
boundaries and unites believers in the shared<br />
acknowledgment of the ultimate triumph of light over<br />
darkness, redemption over sin, and life over death.<br />
The resurrection narrative, as it is documented in<br />
the Holy Gospels, tells the story of Jesus Christ triumphantly<br />
resurrecting from the tomb after three days.<br />
It is truly a tale of divine love and mercy, our loving<br />
God making the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption<br />
of humanity. Easter, therefore, becomes more than a<br />
historical and monumental event; it transforms into<br />
a living truth that shapes the spiritual identity of<br />
Christians around the world.<br />
For Catholics, Easter is not a one-day feast, rather<br />
it is an entire season of reflection, contemplation,<br />
and renewal. The profound impact of the resurrection<br />
extends beyond the walls of churches and becomes<br />
a daily guiding force in the lives of believers.<br />
St. Augustine of Hippo captures this declaring, “We<br />
are the Easter people, and ‘Halleluiah’ is our song.”<br />
The celebration is the very cornerstone of our faith,<br />
which is lived out daily as faithful believers.<br />
One of the central themes that is embodied<br />
in the resurrection is the symbolism of hope. In a<br />
world that is often marked by uncertainty and challenges,<br />
the resurrection of Jesus Christ serves as a<br />
beacon, reminding believers that there is hope even<br />
in the darkest times. The empty tomb represents not<br />
only the victory proclaimed over death, but also a<br />
promise of a new beginning – having died to sin and<br />
living to God.<br />
In Romans 6, it says:<br />
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism<br />
into death, so that as Christ was raised from the<br />
dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk<br />
in newness of life. For if we have been united with<br />
him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united<br />
with him in a resurrection like his… For we know<br />
that Christ being raised from the dead will never die<br />
again; death no longer has dominion over him. The<br />
death he died, he died to sin, once for all, but the<br />
life he lives, he lives to God” (Romans 6: 4-5, 9-10).<br />
This reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans<br />
is popularly read at funeral Masses throughout<br />
our Eparchy. The deceased, through their faith and<br />
baptism, share in the promise of a renewed and eternal<br />
existence. Being “united with him in a death like<br />
his” draws us a parallel between our human mortality<br />
and Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross<br />
for our sins. This message becomes a source of hope,<br />
signifying that the deceased, having passed through<br />
the veil of death, now lives a life in communion with<br />
God, freed from the bonds of sin and death.<br />
As Easter approaches, the Holy Church calls upon<br />
its faithful to fast, pray, and give alms diligently in<br />
the Lenten season. Our Holy Father, His Beatitude<br />
Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako, in his ‘Pastoral<br />
Letter on the Occasion of Lent <strong>2024</strong>’ says:<br />
“Lent comes this year in this fragile environment<br />
preceding Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection,<br />
giving our lives a new horizon, to distinguish<br />
right from wrong, true from false, [and] good<br />
from evil. It helps us also in choosing what God<br />
wants from us, by getting along with each other to<br />
change ourselves for the better and move forward<br />
in the spirit of humility, reconciliation, and wisdom.”<br />
(Chaldean Patriarchate)<br />
As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our<br />
Lord, we can join our faith community in fasting,<br />
prayer, and almsgiving. The same way Jesus fasted in<br />
the desert, we too have an invitation to fast and reject<br />
the evil one and all his works. It is through fasting<br />
that we can form a greater connection with our loving<br />
God, being made new in his mercy. Fasting is a<br />
great way to purify the body and soul, and to detach<br />
from worldly distractions. Through detachment we<br />
are able enhance our awareness of God, our almighty<br />
Father. In His Beatitude’s letter “Fasting reinforces<br />
hope in our hearts” he says:<br />
“الصوم، يخلق أجواء مالمئة للدخول اىل بيتنا الداخيل، والنظر اىل األبعد<br />
وترميمه بالتوبة والرجوع إىل الله. حضوره يف حياتنا اليومية يفتح لنا باب<br />
الرجاء واالهتداء اإلنجييل، لتصحيح السلوك، والتخيل عن العادات السيئة،<br />
وتغيري العقلية، والتفكري، والقرارات، عىل ضوء ما يطرحه علينا اإلميان من<br />
أسئلة حول قضايا مهمة ومصريية نواجهها عىل الصعيد الشخيص والعائيل<br />
والكنيس واالجتامعي، حتى نتمكن من العيش بتناغم وسالم.<br />
األمل – الرجاء، هو الحفاظ عىل شعلة األمل وعدم السامح بإخامدها<br />
يف قلب املؤمن أبداً. ويتعنّيّ عىل الكنيسة، يف عامل مثقل باألحداث كعاملنا<br />
الحايل، أن تسهر أكرث عىل الخدمة االنسانية والروحية، وتعمّق الثقة<br />
املطلقة بالعناية االلهية يف قلوب املؤمننّي املتعبنّي، وترفع معنوياتهم. وان<br />
تساعدهم عىل اإلصغاء اىل صوت الله واكتشاف القيمة اإليجابية يف األمل<br />
والضيق، ويدركوا أن الخري يف النهاية ينترص عىل الرش، واملحبة عىل الحقد،<br />
والحق عىل الكذب، والعدالة عىل الظلم، والسالم عىل الحرب، والنور عىل<br />
الظالم، الن املسيحية ليست ديانة األمل والهزمية، بل ديانة الحياة والتجدد<br />
والقيامة. اإلحباط واليأس موت بطيء )البطريركية الكلدانية(<br />
“Fasting creates a conducive atmosphere for<br />
entering our inner selves, looking beyond and<br />
repairing it with repentance and turning back<br />
to God. Its presence in our daily lives opens the<br />
door to hope and Gospel guidance, for correcting<br />
behavior, abandoning bad habits, and changing<br />
mindset, thoughts, and decisions, in light of the<br />
questions posed by faith about significant and<br />
existential issues we face personally, as families,<br />
in the Church, and in society. This enables us to<br />
live in harmony and peace.<br />
Hope is about preserving the flame of hope<br />
and never allowing it to be extinguished in the<br />
heart of the believer. In a world burdened with<br />
events like our current world, the Church must<br />
be more vigilant in human and spiritual service,<br />
deepening absolute trust in divine care in<br />
the hearts of the weary believers and boosting<br />
their morale. It should help them listen to God’s<br />
voice and discover the positive value in pain and<br />
distress. They must realize that in the end, good<br />
triumphs over evil, love over hatred, truth over<br />
falsehood, justice over injustice, peace over war,<br />
and light over darkness, for Christianity is not a<br />
religion of pain and defeat, but a religion of life,<br />
renewal, and resurrection. Despair and hopelessness<br />
are a slow death.” (Chaldean Patriarchate<br />
translation from Arabic)<br />
So, as we approach the joyous feast of the Resurrection<br />
of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us embrace the significance<br />
of the resurrection in our own lives. As we<br />
fast, pray, and give alms during this Lenten season,<br />
let us heed the call of renewal in God. In the spirit of<br />
Easter, let us carry this message of hope, renewal, and<br />
resurrection into our homes, communities, and the<br />
world. May the grace of the risen Christ inspire us to<br />
live harmoniously, radiating the light of our faith and<br />
love to overcome the shadows of despair and death. As<br />
we emerge from the Lenten season and celebrate the<br />
joy of the resurrection, let the hymn of ‘Halleluiah’ resound<br />
in our hearts, for we truly are the Easter people,<br />
celebrating the victory of life everlasting. Amen.<br />
Christ has Risen! / Qimleh Maran! / Qam al-Messih!<br />
18 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 19
COVER STORY<br />
Decision,<br />
Diligence<br />
& Destiny<br />
David Garmo’s<br />
pursuit of<br />
excellence<br />
BY CAL ABBO<br />
When David Garmo makes a<br />
decision, he doesn’t look<br />
back. This resolute attitude<br />
led him to the pinnacle of athletics in<br />
the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where<br />
he represents Chaldeans as one of the<br />
toughest fighters in the world. It also<br />
brought him to the 2023 world finals<br />
match against repeated world champion<br />
Ronaldo Junior.<br />
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a selfdefense<br />
martial art focused on taking<br />
your opponent to the ground and establishing<br />
a joint lock or chokehold<br />
to force a submission or win points.<br />
Its strategy centers on the idea that a<br />
smaller and less-powerful fighter can<br />
establish a leverage advantage and a<br />
superior position through technique<br />
rather than strength. Garmo participates<br />
in a version of BJJ called No-Gi,<br />
where participants wear skin-tight<br />
wrestling suits instead of a traditional<br />
robe (called a Gi) that your opponent is<br />
allowed to grab.<br />
In tournaments, a classic BJJ match<br />
has a 10-minute timer. Just under half<br />
of BJJ matches end early in a submission<br />
while the rest are decided by a<br />
point system, and, in the case of a tie,<br />
a referee’s decision.<br />
The Decision<br />
At the ripe age of 18, Garmo made the<br />
most important decision of his life.<br />
Even today, this pivotal moment ripples<br />
across time, affecting thousands<br />
of martial artists that he competes<br />
against and teaches. At the time, Garmo<br />
was a normal teenager, getting into<br />
trouble and “doing dumb stuff” with<br />
his friends, as he said. While he had a<br />
few years of martial arts training from<br />
his childhood, he hadn’t participated<br />
in anything serious since early middle<br />
school, choosing to focus on football<br />
while he was in high school.<br />
After graduating, Garmo signed up<br />
for a free trial at a BJJ gym out of general<br />
interest and a longing to return<br />
to his childhood sport. He received a<br />
phone call that confirmed his spot in<br />
the course and left for the gym to attend<br />
his first class a few hours later.<br />
“At the time, I was a smoker. After the<br />
class finished, I got in my car to leave. I<br />
had 11 cigarettes left in this pack,” he<br />
said, reminiscing about the day that<br />
changed his life forever. “I remember it<br />
very specifically. I took the cigarettes,<br />
crushed them in my hand, and threw<br />
them out … I never stopped BJJ since.”<br />
Garmo prides himself on his remarkable<br />
ability to make spontaneous<br />
and tough decisions. In fact, throughout<br />
his entire life, he’s never regretted<br />
any decision he’s ever made. “Once<br />
you do it, regret doesn’t help you at<br />
all,” he said. “I learn a lot from my<br />
decisions, but I don’t regret things. I<br />
think that allows me to continue being<br />
decisive … I can name quite a few times<br />
I made big decisions in only a few moments<br />
that served me extremely well.”<br />
Pursuit of Excellence<br />
From that moment on, Garmo removed<br />
himself from his friends and all other<br />
distractions. Like something out of a<br />
Rocky film, for five years, his schedule<br />
consisted of training, eating, sleeping,<br />
and competing. “I needed to be away<br />
from my old life and focus on my journey<br />
as a martial artist,” he said.<br />
After this extended period of isolation,<br />
Garmo eased back into a normal<br />
life, but he would never be the same.<br />
He had cultivated and incorporated<br />
into his identity a distinguished and<br />
elusive motivation that would carry<br />
him through both challenging trials<br />
and tough setbacks: a relentless and<br />
uncompromising focus on the pursuit<br />
of excellence.<br />
Garmo first heard this phrase, the<br />
pursuit of excellence, when he attended<br />
Brother Rice High School. “It<br />
20 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
was something we heard all the time,<br />
in both school and sports, and it really<br />
stuck with me,” he said. “I decided that<br />
this pursuit has to be something that I<br />
enjoy, something I couldn’t be without.<br />
BJJ became that thing for me.”<br />
When Garmo graduated from high<br />
school, he attended Oakland Community<br />
College for only one semester. His<br />
parents, he said, were always supportive<br />
of his career and his choices, but he<br />
couldn’t bring himself to tell his mother<br />
that he had dropped out. He kept<br />
up the lie for two years and spent all<br />
his time training; he wasn’t enrolled in<br />
college at all.<br />
From where he stood, Garmo could<br />
see his path from the outset like a divine<br />
plan revealed only to him. It’s difficult,<br />
however, to explain the vision to<br />
others who aren’t living it. A few years<br />
later, only after the plan could be demonstrated<br />
and his loved ones persuaded<br />
of its validity, did he admit his dropout<br />
status to his parents. Finally, Garmo<br />
saw himself as a success even in the<br />
eyes of his most important loved ones.<br />
“We have to pursue something to<br />
a degree that we would sacrifice our<br />
whole lives for it,” Garmo said. “It<br />
could be anything for anybody. But for<br />
me, BJJ was that thing. So, I decided to<br />
pursue this one thing with every fiber<br />
of my being.”<br />
Now, 16 years later, neither his<br />
love for the sport nor the intensity<br />
with which he pursues it has waned.<br />
If anything, it’s become even stronger.<br />
“Obviously, I’ve gotten so much better<br />
at it in the last 16 years, and I believe I<br />
can still do this deep into my 60s, and<br />
even as a professional competitor deep<br />
into my 40s,” Garmo said, remembering<br />
that he turns 34 this year. “If you<br />
can do anything for that long, you’ll<br />
become pretty good at it.”<br />
In some sports, there are basic physical<br />
requirements that act as limitations.<br />
Had he dedicated himself to basketball,<br />
for example, Garmo, who stands at 5’7”,<br />
would fare poorly against the immense<br />
wingspan and towering stature of 6’9”<br />
Lebron James. In a grappling match,<br />
however, the BJJ master would surely<br />
dominate the NBA superstar, even<br />
though he’s 70 pounds lighter.<br />
Despite common perception, outright<br />
strength rarely decides the winner<br />
in combat sports. Weight classes<br />
ensure that fighters of relatively equal<br />
size face one another, and even then,<br />
the rules and style of BJJ in particular<br />
will always favor mastery of technique<br />
over raw power.<br />
“I believe it’s all about your work<br />
ethic and technical prowess,” Garmo<br />
said. “You don’t have to be the fastest<br />
or strongest. You have to be the smartest<br />
in your training, and you have to be<br />
driven. Absolutely driven.”<br />
Just as important as an athlete’s<br />
physical ability is their mindset and outlook.<br />
Garmo has mastered his mind in<br />
a way that few people in the world can<br />
attest. He took a lot of his initial inspiration<br />
from martial arts movies that he<br />
enjoyed in his childhood and Japanese<br />
samurai culture that he experienced<br />
while living periodically in Japan.<br />
“You might think that martial artists<br />
are these big, brawny people who are<br />
aggressive toward others,” Garmo said.<br />
“It’s really quite the opposite. People<br />
who do martial arts were likely the ones<br />
targeted by that kind of abuse. They go<br />
into a school and transform themselves<br />
into what you eventually see as an inshape,<br />
confident, capable person.”<br />
Just because these people are<br />
strong, according to Garmo, doesn’t<br />
mean that they’ll use their newfound<br />
power against you. “If anything, they’re<br />
less likely to do so compared to someone<br />
who is untrained, undisciplined,<br />
and not confident in themselves,” he<br />
said. “They’re getting their energy out<br />
every day in the gym and have no interest<br />
in using it out in the streets.”<br />
Over those fateful five years, Garmo<br />
brought his full energy to training<br />
every single day and built up his capacity<br />
for willpower and grit. These aspects<br />
also need to be learned, trained,<br />
and maintained. In his own words,<br />
he developed a sense of self-respect,<br />
a shield that protected him from the<br />
unwanted influence of others, even<br />
if they are friends, and even if their<br />
intentions are good. “I had this overwhelming<br />
need to be the best at what<br />
I did. All those other things wouldn’t<br />
serve me, so I only did that which<br />
brought me closer to the goal.”<br />
The Best in the World<br />
In a competitive one-on-one combat<br />
sport like BJJ, fighters come up<br />
against one another directly. There’s<br />
little room for debate on who is considered<br />
the world’s best competitor<br />
at any given moment. It’s all resolved<br />
on the mat, witnessed by thousands<br />
of people, and recorded in the annals<br />
of history and video archives. It begs<br />
the question: How, then, could Garmo<br />
consider himself the best in the world<br />
before he became a world champion?<br />
“I had convinced myself very early<br />
on,” he said, “that I was one of the<br />
best in the world. I kept telling myself,<br />
hook, line, and sinker, that I was one<br />
of the best. I will continue to believe it<br />
and work toward it until it’s true.”<br />
Because of its extreme technicality,<br />
BJJ has several different competitive<br />
belt levels that allow martial artists of<br />
the same skill and experience to compete<br />
against one another. Walking into<br />
a gym will earn you a white belt. From<br />
there, it takes many years to advance<br />
through blue, purple, and brown. Finally,<br />
once a fighter has achieved true<br />
mastery, they are rewarded with the exalted<br />
and revered status of black belt.<br />
These competitors are the fiercest and<br />
most powerful in the world. There’s no<br />
measure of further advancement besides<br />
earning your place in direct competition.<br />
Garmo earned his black belt in<br />
late 2017, nine long years after his quest<br />
for world domination began.<br />
In 2010, Garmo went to his first<br />
World Championship as a blue belt.<br />
He won his first match and lost his<br />
second, falling many rounds short of a<br />
medal, let alone championship status.<br />
Even then, “It didn’t deter me at all,”<br />
he said. “I continued to train and compete.<br />
I told myself again that I’m the<br />
best, but I just didn’t have a good day.”<br />
Not even the confidence of a topflight<br />
fighter is impenetrable. Garmo is<br />
human and experiences his fair share<br />
of doubt. Some days, he feels the impostor<br />
syndrome creeping in. Knowing<br />
his confidence, it may seem counterintuitive,<br />
but Garmo’s reasoning is<br />
sharp. “In a sense, it feels like what<br />
I’m doing is not really that impressive,”<br />
he said, attributing his success<br />
to hard work rather than natural talent.<br />
“Which is obviously not the case.”<br />
It’s a strange feeling you can have<br />
as a top athlete, especially in a sport as<br />
divergent and technically oriented as<br />
fighting. On the one hand, Garmo has<br />
spent half his life preparing his mind<br />
and body for an extremely specific<br />
purpose, at which he has seen virtually<br />
unbounded success, which is obvious<br />
given his match history. On the<br />
other, and only because of that experience<br />
and his own belated beginnings,<br />
Garmo is convinced that talent does<br />
not come close to settling the issue. “If<br />
I could do it,” he said, “then anyone<br />
can.” And he truly believes it.<br />
In other fighting competitions, like<br />
boxing or UFC, top contenders often go<br />
undefeated for a long stretch at the beginning<br />
of their career, and once they<br />
experience a few important losses,<br />
they lose their spot forever. Muhammad<br />
Ali, for example, acquired only 5<br />
losses in his professional career, and<br />
did not lose a single fight until 1971<br />
against Joe Frazier, seven years after<br />
he first won the world title. Rocky<br />
Marciano and Floyd Mayweather Jr.<br />
remained undefeated for their entire<br />
career. This is nearly impossible in BJJ.<br />
Fighters at the highest level of BJJ<br />
experience extreme variance because<br />
of fighting style and the sheer number<br />
of matches they have. The top grapplers<br />
will lose an important match,<br />
learn from their mistakes, and come<br />
back to win many in a row. “You always<br />
go up in weight and experience, and<br />
you take tough matches on purpose,”<br />
Garmo said, “because it’s good for your<br />
progression and for the sport. I’ve lost<br />
plenty, but I’ve got a lot more impressive<br />
wins than heartbreaking losses.”<br />
One of those losses in particular<br />
changed the trajectory of Garmo’s career.<br />
“I had a match where I replaced one of<br />
my teammates,” he said. “I had to compete<br />
up a weight class, against an upand-comer<br />
who was very good. I wasn’t<br />
very confident going into the match because<br />
of the weight difference, and he’s<br />
bigger, very skilled, and very strong.”<br />
Garmo and his opponent had an<br />
extremely tough fight. He lost in a<br />
quick and unsatisfying way when the<br />
two competitors were transitioning between<br />
positions. “It was so disappointing,”<br />
he said, “because I felt like I was<br />
doing well enough to where I could<br />
have won that match if I had more confidence<br />
before it started.”<br />
After the contest, Garmo took<br />
the result to the drawing board and<br />
learned from his mistake. Most of the<br />
time, he said, losses propel him to do<br />
better in the future. He began to take<br />
his training much more seriously. He<br />
found a high-level trainer and started<br />
working out with weights four days a<br />
week, something he’d never done before.<br />
In addition, he focused on prehabilitation,<br />
which Garmo described<br />
as a form of training that emphasizes<br />
injury prevention and recovery.<br />
“I can stay in the gym longer, and<br />
I’m not getting injured as often,” he<br />
said. “I’m much stronger and I can<br />
grab and squeeze my opponents until<br />
they become fearful. That has taken<br />
my BJJ to the best it’s ever been in my<br />
15 years of training, and it manifested<br />
in my performance at the 2023 World<br />
Championship.”<br />
The Chaldean Influence<br />
In his early days, Garmo was an aggressive<br />
child. Fittingly, he would always<br />
try to fight or wrestle with cousins,<br />
friends, or anyone who would take<br />
him on. One of his uncles introduced<br />
him to martial arts movies, and they<br />
would go together to see stars like<br />
Garmo continued on page 22<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 21
COVER STORY<br />
GARMO continued from page 21<br />
David Garmo on top of Renaldo Junior in the World Finals.<br />
Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, and Jet Li.<br />
When he was only 5 years old,<br />
Garmo’s parents tried to start him in<br />
swimming classes. He quickly realized<br />
that he hated it, so they moved him to<br />
a martial arts studio. There, he learned<br />
American Karate and some rudimentary<br />
BJJ. All of this immersed him in<br />
martial arts culture, and he eventually<br />
fell in love with it.<br />
Garmo grew up in West Bloomfield,<br />
specifically a neighborhood called<br />
Timbers Edge. Plenty of Chaldean kids<br />
right around his age grew up in the<br />
same place. A lot of the community<br />
from his area, Garmo said, wanted to<br />
be the tough guy and be able to take a<br />
fight if they needed to. This foundation<br />
helped him understand from the outset<br />
that fighting as a sport was a worthy<br />
and interesting pursuit, separate<br />
from fighting to hurt or bully someone.<br />
“It was about honor and separating<br />
yourself from someone,” he said.<br />
Garmo identified a specific trait<br />
Chaldeans possess that he thinks affords<br />
them success in virtually any<br />
aspect. In his mind, Chaldeans have<br />
an extreme focus on being the best at<br />
whatever they do, whether it’s business,<br />
school, family life, or athletics.<br />
This attitude only needed to awaken<br />
in Garmo after he finished high school.<br />
Garmo’s immediate family holds a<br />
special place for him. He’s the oldest<br />
of three siblings, about two and four<br />
years apart from his brother and sister,<br />
respectively. His brother Devone felt<br />
the brunt of Garmo’s wrath when they<br />
were kids. “I was absolutely a bully and<br />
not in a fun way for him,” he said, remembering<br />
all the times he beat up on<br />
Devone. “I had too much energy that I<br />
wasn’t getting out in martial arts.”<br />
Devone also took an abnormal<br />
path, entering the Marines and spending<br />
time overseas in places like Afghanistan.<br />
Eventually, he returned<br />
home and has a great relationship<br />
with his brother David. As one might<br />
expect, Devone has his own BJJ career<br />
as a blue belt, training at David’s gym.<br />
His little sister, David Garmo said,<br />
was a bit too young for them to influence<br />
one another as kids, but they’re<br />
very close now. She’s successful and<br />
married and has a beautiful son. “Each<br />
of them has their own things they are<br />
very good at, and I have tried to emulate<br />
those aspects in my own pursuits<br />
and business.”<br />
Perhaps the biggest Chaldean influence<br />
that Garmo applied was the entrepreneurial<br />
journey of starting his own<br />
gym. The idea came while he was living<br />
part-time in Japan around 2017. He<br />
would live and train there, come home<br />
and work to earn some money, and go<br />
back to Japan to continue his training.<br />
He realized that he always wanted to<br />
live there permanently, but it was too<br />
difficult as a foreigner to start his own<br />
gym and earn a reasonable income.<br />
The realization and subsequent decision<br />
came all at once. He was popular<br />
in his hometown, and that’s where<br />
his success was most known and widespread.<br />
Why not start a gym there? At<br />
the time, metro Detroit was far from a<br />
hub for BJJ or martial arts in general,<br />
but that was no matter for Garmo. He<br />
would make it so.<br />
“In April 2018, I started writing a<br />
business plan,” he said. “I used a friend<br />
to bounce ideas off of, and he gave suggestions<br />
to help me. Eventually, when<br />
it came to a head, he decided to invest,<br />
and we started working on it together.”<br />
Garmo returned from Japan later<br />
that year, began looking for a space<br />
for his gym, and prepared to open. In<br />
March 2019, he opened Assembly Jiu<br />
Jitsu in Bloomfield Hills and started<br />
teaching his first class.<br />
“The first year was really tough,”<br />
Garmo said. “It went really slow, and<br />
it wasn’t as successful as I envisioned<br />
it to be. But we kept grinding and doing<br />
the thing and never took our foot<br />
off the gas.”<br />
David met his wife, Lana Antwan<br />
(now Garmo), in 2021, and they married<br />
the following year. She is an architect,<br />
designer, and artist, and her entry into<br />
and influence on his life changed his<br />
perspective and focus dramatically. As<br />
a result of these changes and the gift of<br />
perseverance, Garmo found a way to<br />
succeed in his business venture.<br />
Now, Assembly has over 300 members,<br />
and is the most competitive team<br />
in the Midwest, according to Garmo.<br />
“We crush it wherever we go. Financially,<br />
it’s been successful,” he said,<br />
“and we’re looking to expand on that.<br />
But we focus on putting the best Jiu<br />
Jitsu product out there. We teach our<br />
students with the utmost care. We<br />
make them the best they can possibly<br />
be, and the rest works itself out.”<br />
Garmo is proud of his accomplishments<br />
with Assembly over the last five<br />
years. Many gyms have been around<br />
for much longer and have seen only<br />
a fraction of Assembly’s success. This<br />
fact is a testament to his extraordinary<br />
Chaldean focus and a tribute to his<br />
cultural upbringing.<br />
Over the last few years, Garmo has<br />
started to get some Chaldean students<br />
at his gym, but he’d like even more. “We<br />
have so many different ethnicities and<br />
backgrounds that makes for a really nice<br />
melting pot. I always love to add more of<br />
the people I grew up with into the mix<br />
because, in my opinion, the Chaldean<br />
community has that single-minded focus<br />
like nobody else … If I can harness<br />
that in this sport, Chaldeans can be some<br />
of the most successful fighters ever.”<br />
The 2023 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World<br />
Championship<br />
Outside the Las Vegas Convention Center,<br />
it was a cool December day. The<br />
temperature hovered around a mostly<br />
sunny 60 degrees, a mild-mannered<br />
forecast compared to the deluge of aggression<br />
about to take place indoors.<br />
Inside the Las Vegas Convention<br />
Center, the atmosphere was electric,<br />
the crowds buzzing with excitement<br />
and anticipation. In just three days’<br />
time, only one fighter from each weight<br />
class will remain undefeated and be<br />
crowned champion of the world.<br />
Hundreds of competitors also<br />
mulled around the competition area.<br />
Their aura gave off a somewhat different<br />
vibration as they prepared their<br />
minds and bodies for all-out, one-onone,<br />
single elimination combat. This<br />
event comes around once a year and<br />
serves as the ultimate showdown, an<br />
opportunity for world champions to<br />
once again prove their dominance and<br />
for rising stars to unseat their foes.<br />
At any other tournament, Garmo’s<br />
razor-sharp focus, zealous training,<br />
and unwavering commitment to winning<br />
would carry him through. But<br />
this time was different. Garmo was set<br />
to confront the most dangerous people<br />
in the world, most of whom were as determined<br />
as he was.<br />
His first competition was a division<br />
called the open class, which has no<br />
weight limit. In this, Garmo expected<br />
to do well, but he could be competing<br />
against people much larger and stronger<br />
than him.<br />
He won his first open class fight,<br />
but lost his second, and was eliminated<br />
from that portion of the tournament.<br />
While he would like to win every<br />
fight, he had yet to start the competition<br />
that consumed his attention: The<br />
medium heavyweight division.<br />
“I had to compete again in three<br />
hours for my weight class,” Garmo<br />
commented about his mental state after<br />
the loss. “I had my teammates and<br />
students with me, so we went to lunch<br />
to get my spirits back up.”<br />
When Garmo and his team returned<br />
to the convention center, he<br />
weighed more than a pound over the<br />
limit for his division. This meant that<br />
over the next hour, he would need to<br />
GARMO continued on page 24<br />
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<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 23
COVER STORY<br />
GARMO continued from page 22<br />
lose almost two pounds. “I didn’t want<br />
to cut weight and then compete,” he<br />
said. “I would be tired for the match.”<br />
Garmo’s wrestling coach Kyle Horr<br />
and his trainer Ty Jensen helped him<br />
get moving. They started jogging and<br />
sweating, which is exactly the protocol<br />
if you’re overweight before a fight. At<br />
the same time, Jensen worked Garmo’s<br />
calf, which had taken damage during<br />
an earlier match.<br />
“I was not in the headspace to continue<br />
on that day,” he said. “Thank<br />
God they were there. Basically, they<br />
babied me for 40 minutes.”<br />
Garmo stepped on the scale and<br />
his weight reflected what he needed<br />
to compete, which maxes out at 188<br />
pounds in his class. Garmo’s first opponent<br />
was injured, so he won that round<br />
automatically and moved on. His next<br />
fight was against a “tough Israeli competitor”<br />
whom Garmo had seen fight<br />
but had yet to grapple with before.<br />
“I go into it feeling a looseness in<br />
my body,” he said, “and end up winning<br />
the match on points. But I dominated<br />
the entire time and it felt great.<br />
I wasn’t tired at all,” despite the morning<br />
loss and afternoon of cutting.<br />
In Garmo’s next fight, he was pitted<br />
against the current Pan-American champion<br />
Francisco Lo, a tough and dangerous<br />
fighter who’s full of power and destructive<br />
capability when it comes to<br />
submissions. “This is my biggest test,”<br />
Garmo remembered thinking.<br />
As the match began, the two fighters<br />
circled one another. For the first<br />
few minutes, the bout was relatively<br />
slow and uneventful. Garmo went for<br />
a move that Lo countered easily. In his<br />
counter, however, Garmo noticed the<br />
fighter left one leg open. “I captured<br />
his leg,” he said, “and rotated his heel<br />
240 degrees. He’s very tough and he<br />
thought he could get out, but instead,<br />
I tore every ligament in his knee.” It<br />
was an explosive victory that put Garmo<br />
through to the medal rounds that<br />
would be held the next day.<br />
For the first time in his career, Garmo<br />
could become a black belt world<br />
medalist. He had been here before as a<br />
purple belt, which meant almost nothing<br />
compared to where he was now.<br />
In the semi-finals, Garmo was<br />
matched against a man named Rafael<br />
Paganini. The Brazilian grappler has<br />
many awards to his name, including<br />
three world championship medals<br />
before he earned his black belt and a<br />
first-place finish as a black belt in the<br />
2019 South American Championship.<br />
“I felt the same way I did prior to<br />
the match against Lo,” Garmo said.<br />
“It was almost an elation, a tingling<br />
across the body. It puts me in this<br />
thing we call a flow state, and it gives<br />
me the absolute best performance I<br />
could possibly produce, and I believe<br />
my best performance can beat<br />
anyone in the world. When I have<br />
this feeling, I always win. It’s preordained,<br />
in a way.”<br />
As the fight commenced, Garmo vs.<br />
Paganini seemed a fair match. Before<br />
one minute elapsed, Paganini scored<br />
two points on Garmo, but he would<br />
not be deterred. After another minute,<br />
Garmo tied the score. The intense<br />
wrestling match ensued; each competitor<br />
eager to advance to their first<br />
world finals as a black belt.<br />
As the clock ticked downward, Garmo<br />
added two more points to his score,<br />
which put him up 4-2. The points, however,<br />
were not necessary. Just as they<br />
crossed the halfway point, Garmo captured<br />
Paganini’s leg, and much in the<br />
same fashion as his previous contest,<br />
rotated his heel until he forced a submission<br />
from the fearsome Brazilian,<br />
bringing the match to a dramatic end.<br />
“I finally believed that I belonged<br />
in that moment, in the finals of the<br />
world championship,” Garmo said<br />
about how he felt following the victory.<br />
“It wasn’t a close match. I dominated<br />
this guy and the guy before. I had this<br />
string of incredible wins leading up to<br />
this moment, and I knew this is where<br />
I was supposed to be.”<br />
Garmo’s next opponent, with<br />
whom it seemed he was destined to<br />
meet in the finals, was the famed<br />
Ronaldo Junior. At just 28 years old,<br />
Ronaldo had racked up extraordinary<br />
accomplishments in his BJJ career and<br />
Garmo placed second in the 2023 World IBJJF Jiu Jitsu No-Gi Championship<br />
by a razor-thin referee’s decision.<br />
is known for participating in both Gi<br />
and No-Gi BJJ. Notably, he has 13 firstplace<br />
tournament finishes as a purple<br />
or brown belt, including three World<br />
Championships and three Pan-American<br />
Championships.<br />
Most impressively, he was promoted<br />
to a black belt in 2019 and had<br />
accumulated six first-place finishes<br />
since then, including two Pan-American<br />
Championships, a tournament<br />
widely regarded as the second most<br />
important after Worlds. At the Gi Pan-<br />
American Championship, Ronaldo<br />
had won a top-3 finish in every black<br />
belt competition he’s participated in.<br />
Coming into this tournament, both<br />
Ronaldo and Garmo had never won a<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY DAVID GARMO<br />
World Championship as a black belt.<br />
According to Garmo, Ronaldo is<br />
an athletic fighter who likes to jump<br />
around and move fast. That style,<br />
when compared to his, gives Garmo a<br />
slight advantage. As the match drew<br />
closer, Garmo felt the same tingling<br />
sensation throughout his body; that<br />
which has, up until this moment, signaled<br />
a pre-destined victory.<br />
For six minutes, Garmo and Ronaldo<br />
had an extremely uneventful<br />
match, with neither fighter willing<br />
to budge an inch, and neither fighter<br />
forcing the other to ground. With three<br />
minutes remaining, Ronaldo voluntarily<br />
went to the ground in a defensive<br />
position called guard. After some brief<br />
grappling and not much progress, the<br />
finalists stood back up and resumed<br />
their begrudging match from earlier.<br />
With two minutes remaining, the<br />
commentators seemed to acknowledge<br />
the inevitable. The scoreless<br />
contest looked like it would need a referee’s<br />
decision. Until now, it was hard<br />
to decide a winner, according to the<br />
commentators, with Garmo possibly<br />
carrying a slight advantage because of<br />
his aggressiveness.<br />
With 11 seconds remaining, Ronaldo<br />
pushed Garmo out of bounds and<br />
into a scorekeeper’s table, breaking a<br />
TV screen in the process. Uninjured,<br />
Garmo stared down Ronaldo as they<br />
walked back to the center of the arena<br />
and finished off the last few remaining<br />
seconds of their impassioned duel.<br />
“Per the decision, I lost,” Garmo<br />
recalled harshly, a hint of disappointment<br />
in his voice. “It was as razor thin<br />
as it could be. You could’ve flipped a<br />
coin to decide the winner. I was heartbroken,<br />
and at the same time, extremely<br />
happy with what I had accomplished.<br />
I felt everything in the span of<br />
a few minutes.”<br />
Just a few months later, Garmo is<br />
not reliving the past. Same as ever, he<br />
will take what he can from his mistakes<br />
and improve. In the final match,<br />
however, those lessons are extremely<br />
hard to find. Garmo is confident that<br />
he will soon overcome all obstacles and<br />
achieve his goal of becoming the world<br />
champion. Until then, he will follow<br />
the same advice he offers to others.<br />
“The only time you’ll fail is if you<br />
stop,” he said. “You can fail every day<br />
for years and years and years. But if you<br />
don’t stop, you haven’t failed yet.”<br />
24 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
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<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 25
Her Story<br />
Chaldean women making history<br />
BY SARAH KITTLE<br />
In the tapestry of history, the contributions of<br />
remarkable women often remain woven in the<br />
shadows, their stories hidden beneath layers of<br />
time, patterns, and societal norms. Yet, within the<br />
rich and vibrant cultural heritage of the Chaldean<br />
community, a garment of strength, resilience, and<br />
empowerment emerges; one adorned with the narratives<br />
of extraordinary women who have defied expectations<br />
and altered the weave.<br />
Standing on her shoulders<br />
“I’m waiting for the day when we don’t use the word<br />
‘first’ when talking about Chaldean women,” said Honorable<br />
Hala Jarbou, the first Chaldean judge to sit on the<br />
federal bench. “I want to hear, ‘Here’s another Chaldean<br />
judge, or here’s another Chaldean fill-in-the-blank’.”<br />
Jarbou recalled being one of only three Chaldean<br />
students in her class in law school and is gratified<br />
now to hear friends and family talk about their kids<br />
(or their cousins) who are attending or have attended<br />
law school and medical school. “It’s amazing how far<br />
we’ve come,” she said.<br />
Jarbou followed Jane Shallal to the US Attorney’s<br />
Office and Diane D’Agostini to the bench. “We stand<br />
on their shoulders,” Jarbou remarked, including her<br />
mother and female relatives and all the Chaldean<br />
women who came before. “They know the word ‘sacrifice’<br />
very well.”<br />
“Most of our mothers did not have a fraction of<br />
the opportunities that we have had, yet their wisdom,<br />
faith and strength permeate in their daughters,” said<br />
Honorable Judge Diane (Dickow) D’Agostini, the first<br />
elected Chaldean judge in the US. “When I graduated<br />
high school, people actually questioned my mom<br />
about why she would allow us to go to college, as it<br />
was rare in the ‘80s for Chaldean girls.”<br />
I imagine her mother’s response, at least internally,<br />
went something like, “Try to stop her!”<br />
“Those moments stay with me,” added D’Agostini.<br />
“Being an immigrant made me more driven,” said<br />
Jaclyn (Lossia) McQuaid, a by-any-definition highly<br />
successful automobile engineer who heads up GM<br />
in Europe. “When you have no established network,<br />
you have to make things happen yourself.”<br />
Her primary goal, she revealed in an interview a<br />
few years ago, is to show all young people, regardless<br />
of gender, ethnicity, social class, or physical ability, that<br />
they can take their passion and make a career out of<br />
it. As a young girl, McQuaid dreamt of designing roller<br />
coasters; she ended up being involved in automobile<br />
design at a pivotal time in the history of the industry.<br />
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a pediatrician, professor<br />
and public health advocate who gained widespread recognition<br />
for her role in exposing the Flint water crisis.<br />
In “An Open Letter to Fellow Chaldeans,” composed<br />
in fall of 2020, Dr. Attisha wrote, “With all the<br />
hateful stereotypes percolating about immigrants today<br />
and a corrosion of the American Dream, it is important<br />
for us to tell our story of American success. We<br />
are immigrants engaged, active, prominent and effective<br />
in our communities, and have been for decades.<br />
“Understanding my role in Flint and how I see<br />
the world is also about understanding who I am and<br />
where I came from. My immigrant story – complete<br />
with the Arabic I spoke at home, our food, culture<br />
and social justice heritage – is unapologetically and<br />
proudly part of who I am. In a sense, it’s my superpower<br />
that has given me a heightened antenna for<br />
injustice and the courage to fight for justice.”<br />
A sensitivity to injustice comes with the territory<br />
for a people who have been driven from their homeland<br />
through persecution and terror. Dr. Attisha<br />
summed up her philosophy simply with, “My parents<br />
raised me never to look away.”<br />
That speaks to the core of what it means to be accountable,<br />
something that Renee Tomina, Senior VP<br />
with the Project Management Office at DTE, says is crucial<br />
for a good leader, along with the ability to inspire<br />
and to be totally authentic with your subordinates.<br />
“Authenticity – it’s the key to building strong,<br />
trusting relationships,” said Tomina. “This involves<br />
being vulnerable and letting your team see and know<br />
the ‘real you’...and having the courage to make the<br />
tough decisions.”<br />
“An effective leader cares more about being respected<br />
for their decisions rather than being popular<br />
for their decisions,” said D’Agostini.<br />
Jarbou, who calls D’Agostini “a trailblazer,” said,<br />
“I don’t like the word ‘leader’ or being designated as a<br />
leader because the way I look at it, I just do things the<br />
way they should be done.” If she must be classified as<br />
a leader, Jarbou strives to be a servant leader, one who<br />
would get down in the trenches to help her staff. It is<br />
about trust—trusting your people to do the right thing<br />
and then having their backs when they need support.<br />
Soft strength<br />
“Women are strong. Our mothers and grandmothers<br />
and great-grandmothers grew up in villages without<br />
running water and look how much they accomplished!”<br />
said Jarbou. “You have to put it in perspective. We have<br />
the luxury of living in the United States where there are<br />
so many opportunities and so many privileges. And the<br />
Chaldean culture installs a really strong work ethic.”<br />
“I think there is something inherent in the Chaldean<br />
culture, especially for women, that drives us<br />
to be strong, disciplined and have a passion for not<br />
26 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
CHALDEAN NEWS<br />
APP IS HERE<br />
wanting to disappoint others,” said<br />
Tomina. “I’d also add hardworking…<br />
from a young age, we are giving a lot<br />
of responsibility and expected to work<br />
hard to care for others, which also<br />
translates naturally to working hard in<br />
your professional life.”<br />
“As a child, I watched my mom handle<br />
my dad’s tragic death, make business<br />
decisions, navigate a life-altering<br />
future and raise three kids under the age<br />
of nine, all while being an immigrant,”<br />
shared D’Agostini. “My worst day will<br />
never compare to what she experienced<br />
at age 27, so her example and strength<br />
give me the strength to do my job.”<br />
McQuaid said in an earlier interview<br />
that her father taught her to take<br />
the occasion to “beat hard,” in other<br />
words, overcome adversity. If you look<br />
at each challenge as an opportunity,<br />
it helps you come out on top. Her siblings<br />
are equally driven, with her twin<br />
Jamie high in the ranks at GM, Jennifer<br />
(McManus) a principal at her own law<br />
firm, and Jessica making a career in<br />
the nursing profession.<br />
“We didn’t invent leadership,”<br />
explained Jarbou. “We’ve all learned<br />
from each other.”<br />
“As a leader,” said D’Agostini, “I<br />
am still learning.”<br />
Earning her place<br />
In past decades, “Nobody would hire<br />
a woman,” said Jarbou. Even if they<br />
stuck it out and graduated law school<br />
or medical school, those that were hiring<br />
almost always preferred a male<br />
candidate. It was a far more difficult<br />
situation than what women must put<br />
up with now, although sometimes it<br />
still takes extra effort.<br />
Like the attorney who wouldn’t<br />
stand when Judge Jarbou entered the<br />
courtroom. It took a week of court and<br />
a nudge from the court officer, but she<br />
finally earned his respect and he stood.<br />
It’s just that a male judge wouldn’t have<br />
to earn the respect. He’d already have<br />
it, by nature of his position and his sex.<br />
“I learned early on, during college,<br />
how to get comfortable being the only<br />
woman at the table or working on a<br />
project,” shared Tomina. “That dynamic<br />
followed me into my career. It<br />
helped me prepare to be confident and<br />
know I deserved a seat at the table.”<br />
“Being a woman leader is all about<br />
balance to ensure you don’t get labeled,”<br />
explained Tomina. “Holding<br />
people accountable can easily get you<br />
labeled as aggressive or abrasive. At<br />
the same time, you do not want to be<br />
run over, which is where that balance<br />
comes in. This is also where authenticity<br />
plays a role – if you are being true to<br />
yourself and have built strong, caring<br />
relationships, you can achieve both.”<br />
The ability to keep learning and<br />
adapting may be the strongest trait that<br />
makes these career women so effective;<br />
some other attributes that make<br />
good leaders include compassion, said<br />
D’Agostini, and “a really strong moral<br />
compass,” said Jarbou. “We’re always<br />
going to try and do the right thing, and<br />
we’re going to work really hard to do it.”<br />
Honigman Law Firm, one of the<br />
top law firms in Michigan, has 8 young<br />
female Chaldean attorneys on staff.<br />
They have formed a dinner group<br />
where they meet every few months<br />
and discuss Chaldean issues as well<br />
as law life. The group includes Diane<br />
D’Agostini’s daughter.<br />
“Things have changed dramatically<br />
in the last 40 years,” said D’Agostini.<br />
“Chaldean women are empowered and<br />
are visible in nearly every profession.<br />
I’m just waiting for the first Chaldean<br />
astronaut.”<br />
Share your feedback at chaldeannews.com/app<br />
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Winner will be notified by email on March 31.<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 27
FEATURE<br />
Healing Through the Arts<br />
BY OMAR BINNO<br />
I<br />
was recently out to lunch with some family and friends and<br />
the topic came up of how taboo and even frowned upon<br />
mental therapy is within the Chaldean community.<br />
Like other social issues such as disabilities or physical<br />
ailments, therapy has had its own negative stigma<br />
for years uncounted. In the past, if you even remotely<br />
considered counseling, you were deemed<br />
weak, crazy, or both. Pride was, and in many<br />
cases, still is the main culprit behind people<br />
avoiding therapy, or even talking about it as<br />
an option for resolving deep seated issues.<br />
Therapy has been an integral part of my<br />
life over the years, whether in the form of<br />
traditional counseling or spiritual direction.<br />
My positive experiences with therapy<br />
as well as recent spiritual struggles were<br />
what led to my founding the non-profit organization<br />
Healing Arts of the Little Flower<br />
(HALF) in December 2022. This new resource<br />
will provide music, art, nature, and<br />
equestrian therapy for veterans and those<br />
with special needs.<br />
Being blind and surrounded by a plethora<br />
of family and friends with varying disabilities, I<br />
witnessed, first-hand, the negative and destructive<br />
stigmas that can encompass the life of these individuals.<br />
My own battle with depression over blindness<br />
started around age sixteen. High school became a<br />
place of unrealistic sandcastles, with hopes of miraculously<br />
regaining my eyesight, having my own<br />
car and being able to do all the things that “normal”<br />
people did.<br />
In 1992, about two years into my college career,<br />
I realized that I needed to talk to someone on a consistent<br />
basis; someone who could guide me through<br />
the turmoil that ensued once I became disillusioned<br />
after high school. That year, I met a priest who also<br />
had a background in counseling. I began therapy<br />
and counsel for spiritual direction with him, and<br />
since then I’ve done therapy of all types, both traditional<br />
and spiritual.<br />
The idea for HALF had been brewing in my mind<br />
for about five years, but the thought of starting such<br />
an arduous task was so daunting that, for a while, I<br />
just left the project in the realm of dreams. The only<br />
person at that time who knew how important the<br />
idea was to me was one of my close friends, Mark<br />
Kassa, who was also my main source of encouragement<br />
when I finally decided to initiate the process.<br />
I personally believe that HALF was inspired by St.<br />
Therese of the Little Flower in response to my struggles<br />
with doubt, but that’s a whole other story.<br />
As a lifelong musician and writer, I can certainly<br />
testify to the therapeutic effects of music or other<br />
forms of art. I’ve loved music since I was four years<br />
old and have always been enchanted with stories<br />
of magic and fantasy. The arts were an important<br />
part of my life from my early childhood and were<br />
instrumental in helping me maintain peace of mind<br />
through some dark times over the years.<br />
There is mounting evidence that the arts are<br />
highly therapeutic for releasing negative emotions<br />
and stress. There is also strong scientific data<br />
emerging to support the use and importance of nature<br />
and animal therapy for those who suffer from<br />
trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).<br />
Sessions are as varied as walks outside on a nature<br />
trail with a therapist, or just sitting quietly in a naturalistic<br />
setting and absorbing the scenery.<br />
When Healing Arts of the Little Flower (HALF)<br />
was established as a non-profit, I was humbled and<br />
honored at the huge interest people had in bringing<br />
to fruition a project like this, especially with the rise<br />
of autism within the community and abroad. Several<br />
people from various walks of life were interested<br />
in participating as board members to get the project<br />
launched, including doctors, psychologists, and<br />
veterans, as well as Bishop Francis Kalabat, who<br />
has been a close friend and my greatest mentor over the past<br />
twenty-three years. Ronnie Babbie, a media marketing producer<br />
and family friend for years, was so excited about<br />
the project that he quickly offered his resources and<br />
assistance for its development and is now the Chief<br />
Operating Officer for the organization.<br />
Another part of HALF’s mission is to provide<br />
support groups led by qualified therapists for<br />
parents of children with special needs. Parents<br />
are often left feeling helpless, confused,<br />
and a lot of times overwhelmed to the point<br />
where they may feel stuck trying to find resources<br />
for assisting their children.<br />
They also often face stereotypes and<br />
stigmas, which can lead them to feel isolated<br />
just for having a child with special<br />
needs. I remember my psychology teacher<br />
in high school once telling the class, “The<br />
two hardest things for a mother to bear are<br />
the loss of a child and having a disabled<br />
child.” Truer words couldn’t have been spoken.<br />
Having two blind children, my mom endured<br />
the struggles associated with it; I’ve seen<br />
cousins and friends go through similar issues.<br />
It is my hope that HALF becomes a place of<br />
peace and healing for not only our clients, but for<br />
their families as well. I have an unshakeable conviction<br />
that both nature and the arts are more beneficial<br />
than drugs in helping human beings deal with<br />
suffering or trauma. It is the advancement of technology<br />
that has caused us to drift away from our<br />
naturalistic roots. Whether a walk on the grass or<br />
sitting in front of a fire outside enjoying a snowfall,<br />
interactions with nature are the real wonder drug.<br />
HALF is in the process of securing a base location<br />
from which to provide various forms of therapy. It<br />
is also the mission of the organization to eventually<br />
provide work for those with special needs—whether<br />
as music instructors collaborating with the therapist<br />
or managing various administrative tasks such as<br />
community outreach or social media marketing.<br />
Healing Arts of the Little Flower is not an ethnic<br />
or religion-based organization and is open to all<br />
those who truly need its services; however, the story<br />
of its inception is, for me, a spiritual one. God gave<br />
us Jesus, and Jesus gave us each other.<br />
If you want to make a difference in the lives of<br />
those with special gifts, whose real needs are often<br />
overlooked, support HALF’s first fundraiser on<br />
Friday, May 10, from 6PM-9PM at Wabeek Country<br />
Club. To learn more about Healing Arts of the<br />
Little Flower and the upcoming fundraiser, visit<br />
healingartslf.org.<br />
28 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
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<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 29
FEATURE<br />
CABA Comeback<br />
Chaldean American Bar Association returns after hiatus<br />
BY CAL ABBO<br />
The Chaldean American Bar Association<br />
(CABA) has risen from<br />
the ashes. A young and energetic<br />
board led by president Rita Soka<br />
has big plans for the future of the Chaldean<br />
legal community.<br />
CABA hosted its first event in January<br />
at the new restaurant and bar West<br />
End to kickoff its relaunch. It was<br />
well attended, drawing nearly 70 attorneys,<br />
judges, students, and other<br />
professionals. Even Peter Abbo, one<br />
of the founders and the first president<br />
of CABA back in the day, attended the<br />
event.<br />
This is a stark change from CABA’s<br />
past. When the pandemic happened<br />
in 2020, the group essentially became<br />
inactive, like so many other organizations.<br />
Various people reached out to<br />
the previous president, Koro Khammo,<br />
asking how to get involved or help<br />
restart the organization. Those individuals<br />
are now the board members<br />
charged with leading the<br />
new group.<br />
Right now, the leadership<br />
consists of seven attorneys<br />
and two student<br />
liaisons. President Rita<br />
Soka, Vice President Joseph<br />
Arabbo, Secretary<br />
Deion Kathawa, Treasurer<br />
Alexander Karana, and Directors<br />
Lauren Azzo, Lauren<br />
Kallabat, and Brandon<br />
Kastaw comprise the<br />
core and will each serve a<br />
CABA president,<br />
Rita Soka<br />
CABA leadership celebrating the organization’s comeback.<br />
two-year term for the new organization.<br />
University of Detroit Mercy Law student<br />
Tina Toma and Wayne State University<br />
Law student Cameron Jajonie represent<br />
the next generation of Chaldean attorneys<br />
and help involve students in the<br />
operations. Each will serve a one year<br />
term, and the organization is looking<br />
for more student liaisons.<br />
Soka is proud of the burgeoning<br />
organization’s recent restart. In her<br />
mind, it’s important to engage the<br />
youth as well as the “seasoned veterans”<br />
of the Chaldean legal community.<br />
The interaction between them<br />
can lead to important exchanges of<br />
knowledge that can help Chaldeans<br />
in unseen ways.<br />
The board needed to be strategic<br />
about recruiting<br />
from each of these age<br />
groups. Thanks to Azzo<br />
and Toma, who oversee<br />
the organization’s marketing<br />
and social media,<br />
they were able to reach a<br />
large audience via that<br />
avenue.<br />
In addition, Soka<br />
said she sent 371 emails<br />
to past CABA members<br />
or attorneys she thought<br />
would be interested in<br />
joining the organization’s kickoff. The<br />
combination of these efforts led to the<br />
well-attended kickoff event.<br />
In addition, dozens of law students<br />
attended the kickoff party because of<br />
Toma and Jajonie’s help. This is something<br />
Soka plans for the organization<br />
to focus on, as she’s already had her<br />
share of interactions with the community’s<br />
youth.<br />
Soka, who is also a professor at<br />
UDM, travels around metro Detroit<br />
speaking to high schoolers, especially<br />
Chaldeans. The Chaldean American<br />
Student Association (CASA) helps to<br />
organize this event, where Soka encourages<br />
the students to go into a<br />
profession, especially the field of law.<br />
“I’m very involved in our youth, to<br />
make them aware of the professional<br />
world,” she said. “A lot of them don’t<br />
have people to look up to.”<br />
One of CABA’s first activities will be<br />
putting on “The Chaldean Red Mass,”<br />
which they have labeled Raze Smoqa.<br />
This refers to an age-old Catholic tradition<br />
of Red Mass in which the Church<br />
gathers annually with judges, lawyers,<br />
professors, students, and anyone related<br />
to the legal community to pray<br />
and ask for guidance from the Holy<br />
Spirit over the following year. UDM has<br />
a long-standing tradition of putting on<br />
the Red Mass, and Toma started to put<br />
the idea together with her school before<br />
bringing it to CABA.<br />
“Raze Smoqa will posthumously<br />
honor Clarence Dass, a Chaldean<br />
attorney who left an indelible mark<br />
on the legal profession,” reads the<br />
event flyer. “We will also announce<br />
the Clarence Dass Memorial Award,<br />
annually recognizing a Chaldean attorney<br />
who exemplifies Clarence’s<br />
dedication and commitment to the<br />
legal profession.” The event will be<br />
held the evening of April 10 at Saints<br />
Peter and Paul Jesuit Church, with a<br />
reception to follow at UDM Law.<br />
Dass was an award-winning attorney<br />
who was diagnosed with stage<br />
four colon cancer in 2017. His death<br />
in 2022 as a result of the cancer was a<br />
gut-punch for the community. His family<br />
still speaks about his compassion,<br />
empathy, calming demeanor, and unceasing<br />
attitude of service.<br />
This is a good start, then, for CABA,<br />
which looks to represent these and<br />
other Chaldean values in their work.<br />
The organization is open-minded and<br />
always looking for fresh ideas on how<br />
to connect the Chaldean community in<br />
more intimate ways.<br />
One of their ideas is to bring back<br />
the annual CABA Gala, at which the<br />
group will celebrate all of their members<br />
who passed the bar this year.<br />
This is another good way, according<br />
to Soka, to engage the youth and provide<br />
continuity for the organization,<br />
which is desperately needed following<br />
its near-demise in 2020. Though<br />
it may seem strong at the moment, it<br />
could only be a representation of the<br />
excitement at its relaunch. Sustaining<br />
a group like this takes effort, planning,<br />
and active engagement.<br />
CABA’s short-term goals are relatively<br />
simple, like activating their network<br />
of Chaldean legal professionals<br />
and engaging other Bar associations.<br />
Their long-term goals, on the other<br />
hand, are ambitious and could take<br />
years to bear fruit.<br />
Brandon Kastaw plans to handle<br />
public affairs and politics. While the organization<br />
has just restarted and hasn’t<br />
accomplished much yet, they plan to<br />
connect with politicians, not only for<br />
the purpose of assisting our community<br />
here, but in order to gather resources<br />
and aid the homeland in some way.<br />
The future is bright for CABA and<br />
everyone involved. Those interested<br />
in the organization are encouraged to<br />
follow their social media accounts for<br />
updates on events and visit their website,<br />
chaldeanlawyers.org.<br />
30 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48310<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 31
Time Marches On<br />
20 years of March covers<br />
BY SARAH KITTLE<br />
Fittingly, the first March cover in 2004 (and only<br />
the second CN issue ever) was about the community<br />
having a voice. Featuring a young Shoki<br />
Konja from Chaldean Voice Radio, the article told the<br />
story of the radio show that began as “Voice of the<br />
Chaldean Youth” and was broadcast from a closet<br />
below the stairs of Mother of God Church. Chaldean<br />
Voice Radio, going on 45 years old, is still going strong.<br />
The Chaldean Community Foundation is building a<br />
studio in its new center in West Bloomfield for the program.<br />
Mother of God Church is celebrating 75 years.<br />
Also still going strong is Carey Denha and his cover<br />
band “Mega 80s.” Featured on the front of the March<br />
issue in 2005, Denha now owns Ferndale’s popular<br />
concert venue Magic Bag, which he purchased in 2014.<br />
Magic Bag closed for a while during the COVID-19 pandemic,<br />
when Denha became an activist and fought for<br />
pandemic assistance for music venues, and reopened<br />
again in summer of 2021. He’s a bit of a local legend.<br />
The cover story in March 2006 was about the mass<br />
migration of talent leaving the state of Michigan, including<br />
many from the community. As the opportunity<br />
to get in on a franchise spread across the country,<br />
so did Chaldean businesspeople. While economic<br />
prospects in Michigan were falling due to the decline<br />
of the Big Three automakers, opportunities in places<br />
like Texas and Las Vegas arose for franchises like<br />
Wireless Toyz and Wireless Giant.<br />
As Chaldeans were blazing a trail across the<br />
states, they desired representation in the areas where<br />
they worked, lived and raised their families. The<br />
March 2007 cover featured Richard Sulaka and the<br />
accompanying story was about his run for mayor of<br />
Warren. Although he was ultimately unsuccessful in<br />
that effort, he had a career of civil service and his son<br />
Richard Saluka II pursued a career in law, serving in<br />
government positions including a stint as General<br />
Counsel and Human Resources Director for the City<br />
of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. Since<br />
that time, several Chaldeans have held elected office.<br />
The next five years devoted the March issue to<br />
weddings, offering guidance on everything from<br />
premarital classes to wedding day decorum. Showing<br />
the latest trends and sharing tips from wedding<br />
experts such as Lawrence and Andy (you know who<br />
they are), these “Wedding Guides” also offered ways<br />
to save money on expenses and ideas for unique and<br />
budget-friendly honeymoons.<br />
Then in 2013, we experienced “A Season of<br />
Change.” There was a commotion in the Catholic<br />
Church when Pope Benedict XVI announced he was<br />
stepping down from the role. Cardinal Raphael Sako<br />
had just been named Patriarch of the Babylon of the<br />
Chaldeans and Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim had submitted<br />
his resignation to the pope. It was indeed a season<br />
of change.<br />
Change seemed to breathe some new life into the<br />
community, and the 2014 cover (“A Spiritual Renewal”)<br />
and 2015 cover (“Resurgence of Faith”), reflected<br />
that feeling. 2016 showcased Steve Francis and Joey<br />
Marougi, childhood friends who grew up wanting to<br />
be cops; one would go on to serve in high office at<br />
the Department of Homeland Security and one would<br />
climb the ranks within the FBI.<br />
2017 was a difficult year for many Chaldeans but<br />
in March, things were looking good for asylum seekers.<br />
Then-president Donald Trump had just signed an<br />
executive order that gave preference to Christian immigrants<br />
from Iraq and Syria. The arrests and deportation<br />
would occur later that year. In 2018, we were still trying<br />
to stop the deportation of Iraqi nationals but were gaining<br />
ground in court, as told by Ashourina Slewa, whose<br />
father spent way too long in an Ohio jail.<br />
In 2019, editor Vanessa Denha-Garmo asked the<br />
men of the community a question: “Are you your brother’s<br />
keeper?” The answer was a resounding “yes.” From<br />
Genesis 4:9 to The Breakfast Club, faith groups consisting<br />
solely of men of were discovered meeting and bolstering<br />
each other on their Christian walk.<br />
The 2020 cover showed a silhouette of President<br />
Trump giving the “thumbs up.” The story is about<br />
how, on the plane trip to visit automakers in Warren,<br />
Congressman John Moolenaar bent the president’s<br />
ear and filled him in on the plight of Chaldeans<br />
caught between ICE and ISIS; thereafter, Trump publicly<br />
promised relief.<br />
2021 saw the ascension of Chaldeans in all walks<br />
of leadership, from elected officials to appointed officers.<br />
This was the year that the community celebrated<br />
Yasmine Poles filling the vacancy on the state bench<br />
that Hala Jarbou had freed up when she rose to federal<br />
court and Nadine Kalasho’s appointment to serve on<br />
the Commission for Middle Eastern American Affairs.<br />
In 2022, the Chaldean News heralded the 100th anniversary<br />
of the order of Daughters of Mary Immaculate,<br />
a women’s group that was founded to help the<br />
poor, orphaned and uneducated in Iraq. Conceived by<br />
a priest in Baghdad, Fr. Anton Zebouni, as a way to<br />
keep the youth in Iraq, ironically the order has spread<br />
to many corners of the earth including Michigan.<br />
Last year, the bright and lively March cover showcased<br />
Genevieve Kashat, an adolescent entrepreneur<br />
competitor on Kids Baking Championship who stole<br />
our hearts with her macaroons. Because time marches<br />
on, in the not-too-distant future, we expect to see<br />
Genevieve grace our pages once again. We hope to<br />
see you there, too.<br />
32 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
ARE<br />
YOU<br />
HIRING?<br />
Wednesday, May 1, <strong>2024</strong><br />
3:00PM – 5:00PM<br />
JOIN US<br />
SPRING<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
JO F R<br />
B AI<br />
The Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) invites you to participate in our 1st Spring Edition of the Annual<br />
Community Job Fair on Wednesday, May 1, <strong>2024</strong>! Our job fair will enable you, the employer, to meet and conduct<br />
on-the-spot interviews with New Americans and the greater community. It is an excellent opportunity to promote<br />
open positions and network with other businesses and organizations. We look forward to seeing you!<br />
Please register by scaning the<br />
QR code below.<br />
Employers will receive:<br />
• Table and two chairs for setup.<br />
• Light refreshments and snacks.<br />
* Space is limited. Registration is available<br />
on a first come, first served basis.<br />
$150 Registration fee<br />
For more info contact Elias at Elias.Kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org or call 586-722-7253.<br />
Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
Wireless Vision Gymnasium<br />
3601 15 Mile Rd.<br />
Sterling Heights, MI, 48310<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 33
ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE<br />
Beverly Hills Grill<br />
Where everybody knows your name<br />
BY SARI CICUREL<br />
Raphael Michael of Beverly Hills Grill. Photo courtesy SMC.<br />
Often when a restaurant changes<br />
ownership, there’s a complete<br />
remodel, the menu is<br />
scrapped, and several employees are<br />
let go. But when Raphael Michael took<br />
ownership of the Beverly Hills Grill, he<br />
made a promise to founder Bill Roberts<br />
that he wasn’t going to do that.<br />
“When I met with Bill, he told me<br />
he didn’t want someone to take over<br />
the Grill and abandon everything he<br />
had built over the last 34 years,” said<br />
Michael. “Bill had a very deep loyalty<br />
to his staff, and he wanted to make<br />
sure his predecessor would take care<br />
of them. I told him, ‘If you choose me,<br />
I will continue your legacy.’”<br />
And that’s exactly what Michael<br />
has done – maintaining what guests<br />
have come to expect from the restaurant<br />
while keeping all of Roberts’ employees<br />
on the team.<br />
“The staff here is amazing. Once I<br />
took over, everyone who was here before<br />
– they all stayed on. When they<br />
realized that my best interest was their<br />
best interest, they accepted me as part<br />
of the family,” said Michael.<br />
Working in the restaurant industry<br />
since he was a student at Eastern<br />
Michigan University, Michael started<br />
out as an assistant manager at Happy’s<br />
Pizza in Ann Arbor when he was<br />
19. At age 24, he bought the pizzeria’s<br />
Kalamazoo location, where he stayed<br />
for the next 12 years. In October 2022,<br />
he moved to metro Detroit and took<br />
over Beverly Hills Grill.<br />
Since then, his only changes have<br />
been to bring back brunch, which<br />
halted during COVID-19, and hire more<br />
employees to keep up with the demand.<br />
Only two months after taking<br />
ownership, he launched a breakfast/<br />
brunch/lunch menu, which is now offered<br />
every Tuesday through Sunday<br />
from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.<br />
“We’re working to get the word out<br />
because many guests who used to come<br />
all the time for brunch haven’t realized<br />
it’s back now. When people see we’re<br />
open, they’re so happy that we serve<br />
breakfast again,” Michael said.<br />
Some of the most popular brunch<br />
items are the crab omelet, shrimp and<br />
grits, Oreo pancakes, banana fosters<br />
French toast, and corned beef hash.<br />
For dinner, which starts at 3 p.m. every<br />
day but Sunday, meatloaf has been a<br />
guest favorite since the restaurant first<br />
opened in 1988. Other staples include<br />
creole gulf shrimp linguine, chipotle<br />
honey glazed salmon, and veal marsala.<br />
“Everything on your plate is made<br />
fresh. It doesn’t come in a bag. That’s<br />
how Bill Roberts did it for years and<br />
years, and we’re continuing that level<br />
of expectation,” Michael said.<br />
Known as “The Cheers of Birmingham,”<br />
Beverly Hills Grill is a place<br />
where everybody knows your name –<br />
as well as your food and drink order.<br />
“We have a lot of regulars here, and<br />
I’ve gotten to know all of them. When<br />
I first started, I noticed that guests<br />
would talk to each other from different<br />
tables. I’ve been to a lot of restaurants,<br />
and I’ve never seen that happen<br />
before. But you see that here. This is<br />
really the neighborhood place to go,”<br />
Michael said.<br />
You know – in case you want to go<br />
where everybody knows your name.<br />
Beverly Hills Grill is located at<br />
31471 Southfield Road. The restaurant<br />
now takes online reservations at<br />
https://beverlyhillsgrill.com or s<br />
ocial media @beverlyhillsgrill.<br />
34 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
Connect Learn Lead<br />
are you an aspiring leader that wants to excel in your career?<br />
by connecting them with proven leaders in our communities.<br />
The purpose of the Learn with a Leader program is to strengthen and grow leadership ski ls for emerging talent<br />
Learn with a Leader is a 6-month program<br />
designed to impact the lives of aspiring leaders<br />
through bi-weekly development sessions and<br />
creating networking opportunities within the<br />
community. Hear from top leaders in the Chaldean<br />
community about their own leadership journey<br />
and visit successful businesses! Spots are limited!<br />
Cohort 2<br />
Scan QR code to register<br />
Topics Include<br />
• People Intelligence<br />
• Character as a Leader<br />
• Creating Vision & Purpose<br />
• Critical & Strategic Thinking<br />
Program start date - May 22, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Tuition for Learn with a Leader (if selected) is $250<br />
and covers all program related costs.<br />
Deadline to apply is March 29, <strong>2024</strong><br />
For more information, visit: www.learnwithaleader.com<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 35
CULTURE & HISTORY<br />
Al Mutanabbi<br />
The would-be prophet<br />
BY ADHID MIRI, PHD<br />
“الخيل والليل والبيداء تعرفني...والسيف والرمح<br />
والقرطاس والقلمُ”<br />
“The steeds, the nights, and the desert know me, so<br />
does the sword, the spear, the literature, and the pen.”<br />
– Al Mutanabbi<br />
Poetry is a form of art much like painting, calligraphy,<br />
composing, or playing a musical instrument.<br />
Discovering poetry is an adventure to a<br />
world of wonder led by intuition and imagination,<br />
arriving at a love of words. For those who choose to<br />
explore this medium, it is a beautiful personal journey<br />
of the mind and soul.<br />
Many modern writers in the Arab world began<br />
their literary careers by practicing poetry. Arab poets<br />
compose in various forms, capturing the essence of<br />
their generation. It’s difficult to determine the “most<br />
beautiful” Arabic poem, as beauty is subjective; however,<br />
many renowned poems are widely celebrated for<br />
their decorative language and ability to stir the soul.<br />
Some of the most famous Arabic poets include Imru’<br />
al-Qais (501-565), Al-Khansa (575-645), Abu Nuwas<br />
(756-814), Abu al-Alaa al-Maarri (973-1057), Abu Firas<br />
al-Hamdani (932–968), and Al Mutanabbi (915-965).<br />
Al Mutanabbi is recognized as one of the most<br />
prominent poets of the Arabic language. His body<br />
of work, more than 326 poems, is so influential that<br />
much of it has been translated into over 20 languages<br />
worldwide.<br />
Born Ahmed bin al-Hussein al-Kindi in Kufa, Iraq<br />
in the early 10th century, Al Mutanabbi came from<br />
humble beginnings. His father was a water carrier<br />
from the Kindah tribe. Little Ahmed was writing poems<br />
at the age of nine, and when Shi’ite Qarmatians<br />
attacked Kufa in 924 AD, he chose to join them. He<br />
lived among the Bedouins, a nomadic Arab tribe,<br />
researching their doctrines and texts. He told them<br />
he was a prophet, earning the nickname by which<br />
he would go down in history—Al Mutanabbi, which<br />
translates as “he who would be a prophet” or “the<br />
would-be prophet.”<br />
In 932, while still in his teens, Al Mutanabbi used<br />
his status to lead a revolt in Syria. After being imprisoned<br />
for 2 years, he decided to cast his lot as a traveling<br />
poet. He was quick-witted, and on one occasion<br />
when someone wanting to embarrass him said, “I<br />
saw you from afar, so I thought you were a woman,”<br />
Al Mutanabbi cheekily replied, “I saw you from afar,<br />
and thought you were a man!”<br />
Many of his poems are not only still widely read in<br />
today’s Arab world but are considered to be proverbial.<br />
You may be familiar with some of quotes, such<br />
as “If you see the lion show his teeth, do not think the<br />
lion is smiling at you,” or “If you venture for a noble<br />
aim, do not settle for less than the stars.”<br />
Some poems are less instructive and more descriptive,<br />
like “Small deeds are great in small men’s<br />
eyes; great deeds, in great men’s eyes, are small.”<br />
And some are observational: “Firm resolutions happen<br />
in proportion to the resolute, and noble deeds<br />
come in proportion to the noble.”<br />
Al Mutanabbi lived during the Abbasid Caliphate<br />
period, when a wandering poet with political aspirations<br />
could make a name for himself. His writing<br />
revolved around descriptions of life, the kings he<br />
met, and his own philosophy. He never rested in one<br />
place, traveling to Baghdad, Damascus, Tiberias, Antioch,<br />
Aleppo, and Cairo among others, earning income<br />
from emirs for his poetic praise for them.<br />
Al Mutanabbi enjoyed the best and most rewarding<br />
days of his life in Aleppo, in the court of Sayf al-<br />
Dawla al-Hamdani, a Hamdanid poet-prince of northern<br />
Syria – composing panegyrics, or odes to his liege.<br />
These are considered the masterpieces which have<br />
earned him recognition all over the Arab world. His<br />
poems and sayings have become proverbs, part of the<br />
daily vocabulary of Arabic conversation today.<br />
It was during his time in Aleppo that Al Mutanabbi<br />
wrote one of his most famous poems, “Ode to Sayf al-<br />
Dawla.” Al Mutanabbi stayed in the prince’s court for 9<br />
years, from 948 to 957, earning not only fame and fortune<br />
but also the animosity of rival court poets, including<br />
the prince’s own cousin. In addition, the prince became<br />
weary of Al Mutanabbi’s political goal to become<br />
a regional Wali, or governor. The prince saw this as a<br />
threat and betrayal, and the poet left Syria for Egypt.<br />
In Egypt, Al Mutanabbi joined the court of Abu al-<br />
Misk Kafur. Kafur, however, mistrusted Al Mutanabbi’s<br />
political ambitions, believing them to be a threat<br />
to his position. Al Mutanabbi realized that his hopes<br />
of becoming governor were not going anywhere and<br />
he left Egypt in 960. After he left, he heavily criticized<br />
Abu al-Misk Kafur with satirical odes.<br />
For over a thousand years, the poetry of Al Mutanabbi<br />
has been used in Arabic literature as a reference<br />
and proof of his wisdom, intelligence, pride,<br />
and insight. His poetry has strong words, and his<br />
verses have a certain sophistication.<br />
Through his artistry, he mastered Arabic verse<br />
like no other and treated poetry as a craft to be studied<br />
and taught. Many of his verses are used today as<br />
proverbs to reflect on life experiences of friendship,<br />
love, departure, war, and death.<br />
Al Mutanabbi himself died in 965, a victim of a<br />
vengeance. He was traveling from Ahvaz in modernday<br />
Iran to Basra when he was set upon by Dabbah<br />
al-Assadi. Al-Assadi was following the poet in a blind<br />
rage, insulted by an unflattering poem that Al Mutanabbi<br />
had written about him.<br />
At first, Al Mutanabbi was going to flee with his<br />
son, Muhassad; however, one of his servants reminded<br />
him of his courageous poems and at that moment,<br />
Al Mutanabbi decided to fight with conviction for his<br />
beliefs. He fought valiantly but died with his son by<br />
his side. His influence at the time was such that news<br />
of his death reverberated like thunder around the<br />
Muslim world.<br />
In honor of him, in 1932, the people of Baghdad<br />
named a cultural market Mutanabbi Street. The narrow<br />
one-kilometer-long auto-free street is full of booksellers<br />
and bookstores. At the entrance to the street<br />
stands an arch adorned with the poet’s quotes. Over<br />
time, Mutanabbi Street evolved into a symbol of intellectual<br />
freedom, attracting writers, artists, and diverse<br />
dissenting voices from across the country.<br />
On that street also stands a statue of the great<br />
poet created by the renowned Iraqi sculptor, Mohammad<br />
Ghani Hikmat. Created in the 1960s, it will stand<br />
strong just as Mutanabbi’s poems stay timeless.<br />
We live between two historic eras — the time of<br />
steeds, nights, and desert and the time of WhatsApp,<br />
Facebook, and Google. As a lover of language and<br />
disciple of the greatest Arab poet who ever lived, I<br />
wish that time could go back centuries, that I could<br />
travel backward in time and spend a day around this<br />
remarkable man, sit in his audience, hear the tone of<br />
his voice, or walk as a shadow in his giant steps.<br />
36 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
We’re thrilled to announce an exclusive offer for our<br />
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the Audi Rochester Hills Friends & Family Pricing Event, where<br />
you can save up to $4,750 on all new in-stock vehicles. Until<br />
February 29th, <strong>2024</strong>, save on all new in-stock vehicles.<br />
Thank you for being a valued Audi Rochester Hills customer.<br />
We’re excited to help you find your next vehicle at an exceptional price.<br />
*Terms and conditions apply. Offer valid on new in-stock vehicles only. Excludes RS models.<br />
The offer ends on February 29th, <strong>2024</strong>. See the dealer for complete details.<br />
Audi Rochester Hills<br />
45441 Dequindre Rd, Rochester Hills, Ml 48307 | 888-718-3391<br />
www.audirochesterhills.com<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 37
CULTURE & HISTORY<br />
املُتنبي شاعر الشُ عراء والعُىل والعَلياء<br />
أنَا الذي نَظَرَ األعْمَى إىل أدَيب - وَأسْ مَعَتْ كَلِاميت مَنْ بهِ صَ مَمُ<br />
بقلم د عضيد مريي<br />
ألعراق بلد الشعراء واالدباء الكبار ومنهم ملك الضاد والشاعر العبايس<br />
العراقي الكويف أبو الطّيب املتنبي مالئ الدنيا وشاغل الناس، ومن سادة<br />
لغة الضاد. فاملتنبي هو شاعر العىل والعلياء، ورجل الحكمة ألعظيم<br />
واألدب النفيس والوصف ألبليغ وتكاد تكون ابياته معجم لكل األمثلة<br />
والحكم العربية ومل يرتك يش للفالسفة وال لشعراء العرب واألزمنة يشء<br />
يبتزون به عليه، يف شعره كلامت قوية ويف رصاحته قوة الشخصية ناهيك<br />
عن رقي أبيات شعره، عاش رحاال ويا أسفا قتلته حروف شعره وكربياءه<br />
وشجاعته.<br />
مل يحظَ شاعرٌ من شعراء العربيّة مبثل ما حظي به أبو الطيّب املتنبّي<br />
من مكانةٍ عالية، فقد كان أعجوبةً أعجزت الشعراء من بعده؛ حيثُ بقي<br />
شعره إىل اآلن يُقرأ كمصدر وحي للكثري من األدباء والشُّ عراء، كام تُرى فيه<br />
مظاهر القوّة والشاعرية القامئتنّي عىل التجربة الصادقة والحس الرهيف،<br />
وقد أبدع املتنبّي يف صياغة أبياته صياغةً تأرسُ األلباب وتشغل القلوب،<br />
فقد كان شاعراً ينتمي لطبقة شعراءِ املعاين، حيثُ كان موفِّقاً بنّي الشعر<br />
والحكمة، وقد أخرجَ الشّ عر عن قيوده وحدوده وابتكرَ الطريقة اإلبداعيّة<br />
فيه. وما زالت كلامت أبياته وبينّات حكمه فتية ليومنا هذا، فهو الذي نُظر<br />
البصري إىل أدبه، وأسَ معت كلامته من به صمم، وهو الذي نام ملئ جفونه<br />
والكل يف شوارد قصائده يختصموا.<br />
من هو املتنبي<br />
أبو الطيب املتنبي واسمه أحمد بن الحسنّي الجعفي الكندي ولد يف الكوفة<br />
يف أوائل القرن العارش يف العراق عام 915م وجاء من بدايات متواضعة<br />
للغاية، إذ كان أبيه ساعي ماء من قبيلة كندة، وتعود قبيلة كندة إىل القرن<br />
الثاين قبل امليالد، مل يكن يستقر يف مكان واحد قط، فكان يسافر إىل بغداد<br />
ودمشق وطربيا وأنطاكية وحلب والقاهرة وغريها، ويكسب دخالً من<br />
األمراء بسبب مدحه الشعري لهم.<br />
يُعد املتنبي أعظم شعراء العرب وأعرب الشعراء العظامء وفارس<br />
الشعر العريب والبالغة لكل زمان، واملتنبي شاعر يطري ويحلق يف أجواء ال<br />
يصلها إال أملبدعنّي بأجنحة شعرية تعبريية ولكلامته سحر رسمدي وأثر<br />
أبدي وكان مصورا بارعا لألحداث يرى ما ال يراه غريه وعندما تقرأ دواوينه<br />
تجده مبدعاً خالّقا ال يساميه من الشعراء الحكامء أحد، فهو قيثارة الشعر<br />
ومحري الدهر وشاعر القصيدة العصامء ومثله ال ميكن ان يتكرر مرة اخرى<br />
ابدا وال زال الجدال مستمر حول اشعاره وقصائده ليومنا هذا.<br />
عُرف املتنبي بشخصيته القوية وما كان يكتنفها من غموض، وشعر<br />
املتنبي حريّ الناس، واستعىص عليهم فهم مقاصده، إذ قام برشحه أفذاذ<br />
اللغة وعلامؤها، ومنهم عامل النحو الكبري ابن جنّي، والشاعر أبو عالء<br />
املعرّي، واللغويّ املعروف ابن سيّدة.<br />
وهو من الشعراء الذين اكتسبوا أهميةً تجاوزت زمانهم ومكانهم،<br />
فلم يكن املتنبي مجردَ شاعرٍ ميلك من الفصاحة والبالغة ما ال ميلكه غريه<br />
من الشعراء، بل كانَ ذا شخصيةٍ مميزة، يعتز بنفسه ويفخر بها يف قصائده<br />
ومجالسه وأفضل من استخدموا اللغة العربية وأكرثهم متكناً م بقواعدها<br />
وأعلمهم مبفرداتها، ومل يشغل الناس شاعر بالقدر الذي شغلهم ابو الطيب<br />
املتنبي حتى ان ابن رشيق القريواين اورد يف كتابه الشهري “ العمدة “<br />
مقولته الشهرية: “ جاء املتنبي فمأل الدنيا وشغل الناس”.<br />
املتنبي شاعر الشعراء األول<br />
ترك املتنبي وراءَه ثالمثائة وستة وعرشون قصيدةً، وتعترب هذه القصائد<br />
سجالّ ً تاريخياً ألحداث عرصه يف القرن الرابع الهجريّ ، تعترب مبثابة سريةً<br />
ذاتيةً للشاعر، حيث يستطيع القارئ من خاللها معرفة كيف جرت الحكمة<br />
عىل لسانه وكيف تطورت، ال سيّام يف قصائده األخرية قبل موته.<br />
عاش أفضل أيام حياته وأكرثها عطاء يف بالط سيف الدولة الحمداين<br />
يف حلب وكان من أعظم شعراء زمانه، وكان له مكانة سامية مل تتح مثلها<br />
لغريه من شعراء العربية وبقي شعره إىل اليوم مصدر إلهام ووحي للشعراء<br />
واألدباء وأحد مفاخر األدب العريب. قلدّه كثريون، ولكن مل يفلح من<br />
الشعراء أن ينافسه أحد.<br />
لقب املتنبي<br />
لُقِّب املتنبّي بهذا الّلقب ملا وردَ عنه من ورعٍ يف خُلقه، فقد كان آخذاً<br />
نفسه بالجدّ ومُنرصفاً للعلم مبتعداً عن الفواحش، وقد حظيَ مبنزلةٍ<br />
عظيمة عند عُلامء األدب واللغة والنحو؛ أمثال الربعي وابن جني وأيب<br />
عىل الفاريس، وقد كان مُكرثاً من ذِكر األنبياء يف شعره، مُشبِّها نفسه بهم،<br />
ومُقارناً أخالقَ من ميدحهم بأخالقهم، ومن ذلك قوله عن نفسه:<br />
مَا مُقامي بأرْضِ نَخْلَةَ إالّ كمُقامِ املَسيحِ بَنّيَ اليَهُود أنَا يف أُمّةٍ تَدارَكَهَا<br />
اللّه غَريبٌ كصَ الِحٍ يف مثَ ودِ<br />
وأما لقبه املتنبي فقيل ألنه ادعى النبوة قبل أن يتوب، ولكنه أنكر<br />
ذلك وقال للعامل النحوي عثامن بن جني بأن لقب املتنبي معناه املرتفع،<br />
واشتقها من كلمة النبوة والتي تعني املرتفع من األرض. ويروى عن املتنبي<br />
أنه قال: “ ابن جنّي، أعلم بشعري منّي “. ووردَ عن أيب عالءٍ املعرّي قوله يف<br />
كتابه معجز أحمد أنّ املُتنبّي لُقّب بهذا اللقب نسبة إىل النَبْوَة، ومعناها<br />
املكانُ املرتفع؛ إشارةً لرفعة شِ عره وعُلوّه ال إشارةً الدّعائه النبوّة.<br />
بدايات حياة املتنبي<br />
كانت حياة املتنبي زاخرة باملحطات واملراحل التي صاغت تجربته األدبية،<br />
والتحق املتنبي بكُتَّابٍ كان فيه أبناء أرشاف العلوينّي لتلقّي علوم اللغة<br />
العربية من شعر، ونحو، وبالغة، وكان إضافةً إىل ذلك يقيض معظم أوقاته<br />
مالزماً للورّاقنّي ليك يقرأ يف كتبهم فاكتسب معظم علمه من ذلك.<br />
اشتهر النبي أبو الطيب أحمد بن حسنّي املتنبي الكندي مبوهبته<br />
الشعرية يف سن مبكرة وكتب القصائد منذ أن كان يف التاسعة من عمره.<br />
وعُرف عن املتنبي حبه الشديد للعلم واألدب، كام أنّه متتع منذ صغره<br />
بالذكاءِ وقوة الحفظٍ ، وقد أخرب أحد الرواة قصةً طريفةً عن قوة حفظه يف<br />
صباه، وهي أنّ أحد الوراقنّي أخرب أنّ أحدهم جاء ليبيع كتاباً يحوي نحو<br />
ثالثنّي صفحة. وكان املتنبي عنده حينها، فأخذ الكتاب من الرجل وصار<br />
يقلّب صفحاته ويطيل النظر فيها، فقال له الرجل: يا هذا لقد عطلتني<br />
عن بيعه، فإن كنت تبغي حفظه يف هذه الفرتة القصرية فهذا بعيدٌ عليك،<br />
فقال املتنبي: فإن كنت حفظته فام يل عليك؟ قال الرجل: أعطيه لك، فقال<br />
الوراق: فأمسكت الكتاب أراجع صفحاته واملتنبي الصغري يتلو ما به حتى<br />
انتهى إىل آخره، ثم استلبه فجعله يف كُمِّه ومىض لشأنه وكأن شياً مل يكن.<br />
يف عام 924 م، عندما طرد القرامطة جامعة الشيعة من الكوفة<br />
عام 924م، التحقت عائلة املتنبي بهم وعاشوا بنّي البدو، وتعلم املتنبي<br />
مذاهبهم ونصوصهم واتقن اللغة العربية وإلعجابهم به وبذكائه وبالغته<br />
أخرب البدو املتنبي بأنه نبي. ويقال من هنا حصل عىل لقب املتنبي.<br />
لكن املتنبي مل يستغل مكانته بينهم لتحقيق مكاسب شخصية، ولكنه<br />
استخدم مكانته لقيادة ثورة يف سوريا عام 932. وبعد أن سُ جن ملدة<br />
عامنّي، قرر أن يصبح شاعرًا متنقالً .<br />
كان املتنبي ذكيًا للغاية، وبسبب شهرته وسمو مكانته كان يتعرض<br />
احياناً لحسد ونكد ومكائد الحساد، وكان الشاعر الوحيد الذي ال يلقي<br />
شعره واقفاً بنّي يدي سيف الدولة، مام أثار غرية بقية شعراء البالط نحوه<br />
فكادوا له املكائد. ويف مناسبة نادرة أراد شخص إحراج الشاعر، فشمت،<br />
وقال له: “لقد رأيتك من بعيد فظننتك امرأة”، فأجاب املتنبي برسعة<br />
بديهته: “لقد رأيتك من بعيد” من بعيد فظننتك رجالً.<br />
حقائق شخصية عن املتنبي<br />
قيل أنّ املتنبي تزوج بامرأة شامية ورُزق منها بولدٍ اسمه محسد تويف<br />
معه يوم قتله. كام هنالك قصة حبّ مزعومة ألبتت عليه بالط سيف<br />
الدولة، وهي أنه كان يحب أخته خولة التي رثاها فيام بعد واصفاً مبسمها<br />
بالجميل.<br />
يقال إنه مل ينافسه أحد من الشعراء يف توليد املعاين والخيال والعمق<br />
يف قول وتضمنّي الحِ كمة يف شعره، ويف روائعه الشعرية حكم تقلب الزمان<br />
باإلنسان واملرض واملوت وما ينطوي عليه زوال املُلك وتناول موضوعات<br />
مثل الشجاعة وفلسفة الحياة ووصف املعارك وتأثر أسلوبه بالنّمط<br />
الكالسييك والبالغة املتألقة، وتقديس أشعاره لدى القرّاء العرب يُشبه<br />
تقديس الغرب ألعامل شكسبري وتناولت حياته وأعامله دراسات متنوعة<br />
لكنّ قليل من االهتامم أُويلِ َ لجانبه اإلنساين.<br />
عاش املتنبي يف زمان كان الشاعر ميتهن الشعر كام ميُ تهن الفن يومنا<br />
هذا خصوصا وأن الشعر كان ديوان العرب، وأصبحت قصائده وابيات<br />
شعره أمثال وحكم وجزءا من مفردات اللغة العربية وقاموس العلم<br />
واالدب مازلنا نرددها ونستشهد بها حتى دون الحاجة إىل ذكر اسم<br />
صاحبها وكل هذه األشعار سارت مرسى األمثال عىل ألسنة الناس، وهي إذ<br />
تتكرر فإن املتنبي شاعر ال يتكرر، وهل كمثل أقوال املتنبي حِ كم؟<br />
من أقوال املتنبي<br />
أغايةُ الدينِ أن تَحفوا شواربكم يا أمةً ضحكت من جهلِها األممُ<br />
ال يَسلَمُ الرشفُ الرفيعُ من األذى - حتى يُراقَ عىل جوانبِهِ الدَّمُ<br />
ذو العقلِ يشقى يف النعيمِ بعقلهِ - وأخو الجهالةِ يف الشقاوةِ يَنْعَمُ<br />
ومِن العداوةِ ما ينالُكَ نفعُهُ - ومِن الصداقةِ ما يَرُضُ ُّ ويُؤْلِمُ<br />
إذا أنت أكرمتَ الكريمَ ملكْتَهُ - وإن أنت أكرمتَ اللئيمَ مترَّدا<br />
فال مجدَ يف الدنيا ملن قلَّ مالُهُ - وال مالَ يف الدنيا ملن قلَّ مجدُهُ<br />
ومِن نكدِ الدنيا عىل الْحُرِّ أن يرى - عدوًّا لهُ ما مِن صداقتهِ بدُّ<br />
أعزُّ مكانٍ يف الدُّىن رسْجُ سابِحٍ - وخريُ جليسٍ يف الزمانِ كتابُ<br />
وإذا مل يكن من املوت بد - فمن العجز أن متوت جبانا<br />
إذا غامَرْتَ يف رَشَ َفٍ مَرُومِ - فَال تَقنَعْ مبا دونَ النّجومِ<br />
فطَعْمُ املَوْتِ يف أمْرٍ حَقِريٍ - كطَعْمِ املَوْتِ يف أمْرٍ عَظيمِ<br />
ما كلُّ ما يتمناه املرءُ يدركُهُ – تجري الرياحُ مبا ال تشتهي السفنُ<br />
ومن أبيات الفخر<br />
كان املتنبي صاحب كربياء وشجاعة وطموح ومحب للمغامرات، وكان يف<br />
شعره يعتز بعروبته، ويفتخر بنفسه، وأفضل شعره يف الحكمة وفلسفة<br />
الحياة ووصف املعارك، إذ جاء بصياغة قوية محكمة. وكان شاعرا مبدعا<br />
عمالقا غزير اإلنتاج. يعد بحق مفخرة لألدب العريب، فهو القائل:<br />
AL MUTANABBI<br />
continued on page 42<br />
38 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
YOUR<br />
Therapy can be a big step toward being the<br />
healthiest version of yourself and living the best<br />
life possible — our licensed, professional therapists<br />
are here for you to access. Through therapy, you<br />
can change self-destructive behaviors and habits,<br />
resolve painful feelings, improve your relationships,<br />
and share your feelings and experiences. Individuals<br />
often seek therapy for help with issues that may be<br />
hard to face alone.<br />
CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY: The CCF and Project Light is<br />
committed to your privacy and confidentiality and are sensitive to<br />
the stigma and stress that come with seeking mental health support.<br />
Therefore, all counseling records are kept strictly confidential.<br />
Information is not shared without client’s written consent. Exceptions<br />
to confidentiality are rare and include persons who threaten safety of<br />
themselves others or in circumstances of a court order.<br />
In therapy your therapist will help you to establish<br />
person centered goals and determine the steps you<br />
will take to reach those goals. Your relationship<br />
with your therapist is confidential and our common<br />
therapeutic goal for those we engage is to inspire<br />
healthy change to improve quality of life — no<br />
matter the challenge.<br />
We invite you seek out the Light of Project Light!<br />
Serving individuals ages 13 years and up. Please call<br />
to request a Project Light Intake at (586) 722-7253.<br />
Looking for a great opportunity to make a difference?<br />
NOW HIRING Behavioral Health Professional Therapists.<br />
— Apply at www.chaldeanfoundation.org<br />
Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48310<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 39
CULTURE & HISTORY<br />
الخَيْلُ وَاللّيْلُ وَالبَيْداءُ تَعرِفُني - وَالسّ يفُ وَالرّمحُ والقرْطاسُ وَالقَلَمُ<br />
ما أبعدَ العَيبَ والنّقصانَ منْ رَشَ َفِي - أنَا الرّثّ َيّا وَذانِ الشّ يبُ وَالهَرَمُ<br />
ال بقومي رَشفتُ ، بل رَشفوا يب - وبنفيس فخرتُ ال بجدودي<br />
وما الدهرُ إال من رواةِ قصائدي - إذا قلت شِ عرًا أصبح الدهرُ مُنشدا<br />
أنا تِربُ الندى وربُّ القوايف - وسِ اممُ العِدَ ى وغيظُ الحسودِ<br />
وإذا أتتك مذمتي من ناقصٍ - فهي الشهادةُ يل بأين كاملُ<br />
وفؤادي من امللوكِ وإن كان - لساين يُرى من الشعراءِ<br />
ويف إعتزاز املتنبي بالعروبة<br />
من أبيات االعتزاز بالعروبة والوطن وفيها معاين تنطبق عىل العراق<br />
املُحتل يف عرصنا هذا قوله:<br />
وَ إِمَّنَّ ا الناسُ بِاملُلوكِ - وَما تُفلِحُ عُربٌ مُلوكُها عَجَمُ<br />
ال أَدَبٌ عِندَهُم وَال حَسَ بٌ - وَال عُهودٌ لَهُم وَال ذِمَمُ<br />
بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ وطئتها أُمَمٌ - ترعى لِعَبدٍ كَأَنَّها غَنَمُ<br />
من طيبات أبا الطيّب املتنبي<br />
أبلِغ عَزيزًا يف ثنايا القلبِ مَنزله - أىن وإن كُنتُ ال ألقاهُ ألقاهُ<br />
وإن طريف موصولٌ برؤيتهِ - وإن تباعد عَن سُ كناي سُ كناهُ<br />
يا ليته يعلمُ أين لستُ أذكرهُ - وكيف أذكرهُ إذ لستُ أنساهُ<br />
يا مَن توَّهم أين لستُ أذكرهُ - واللهُ يعلم أين لستُ أنساهُ<br />
إن غابَ عني فالروحُ مَسكنهُ - مَن يسكنُ الروح كيف القلبُ ينساهُ<br />
وبعض من أجمل أبيات العشق<br />
أرَقٌ عَىل أرَقٍ وَمِثْيل يَأرَقُ - وَجَوًى يَزيدُ وَعَربْ َةٌ تَرتَ َقْرَقُ<br />
جُهْدُ الصّ بابَةِ أنْ تكونَ كام أُرَى - عَنّيٌ مُسَ هَّدَةٌ وقَلْبٌ يَخْفِقُ<br />
مَا الحَ بَرْقٌ أوْ تَرَنّمَ طائِرٌ - إالّ انْثَنَيْتُ وَيل فُؤادٌ شَ يّقُ<br />
جَرّبْتُ مِنْ نَارِ الهَوَى ما تَنطَفي - نَارُ الغَضَ ا وَتَكِلُّ عَامّ يُحْرِقُ<br />
وَعَذَلْتُ أهْلَ العِشْ قِ حتى ذُقْتُهُ - فعجبتُ كيفَ ميَ وتُ مَن ال يَعشَ قُ<br />
وما كنت ممن يدخل العشق قلبه - ولكن من يبرص جفونك يعشق<br />
املتنبي ميدح سيف الدولة الحمداين<br />
يف سن الثالثة والثالثنّي، عاش املتنبي أجمل أيامه يف حلب حيث كان<br />
حاكمها سيف الدولة الحمداين يهتم بالشعر واألدب ويحمي الثغور<br />
من الروم. ويف هذه الفرتة كتب املتنبي إحدى أشهر قصائده واشتهر<br />
عنه تقلبه يف عالقته مع الحكام، فكان ميدح حاكم حلب سيف الدولة<br />
الحمداين ثم يهجوه، وكان ميدح حاكم مرص أبو املسك كافور ثم يهجوه.<br />
وخالل تلك الفرتة مدح سيف الدولة يف قصيدة طويلة عصامء مطلعها:<br />
عَىل قَدرِ أَهلِ العَزمِ تَأيت العَزائِمُ - وَتَأيت عَىل قَدرِ الكِرامِ املَكارِمُ<br />
وَتَعظُمُ يف عَنيِ الصَ غريِ صِ غارُها - وَتَصغُرُ يف عَنيِ العَظيمِ العَظائِمُ<br />
يُكَلِّفُ سَ يفُ الدَولَةِ الجَيشَ هَمَّهُ - وَقَد عَجَزَت عَنهُ الجُيوشُ الخَضارِمُ<br />
املتنبي يعاتب سيف الدولة الحمداين<br />
ويف قصيدة يختلط فيه مدح وذم وعتاب، مدح سيف الدولة بأنه أعدل<br />
الناس، ولكن الذم والعتاب هو أن هذا العدل ال يشمل الشاعر، فيقول<br />
لسيف الدولة: “أنت أعدل الناس إال إذا عاملتني، فقد حدث خصام<br />
بيننا، وأنا ال أستطيع أن أحاكمك لغريك ألنك ملك، حينها تكون أنت<br />
الخصم وأنت الحكم بيننا، فأين العدل إذًا؟<br />
يا أعدَ لَ النّاسِ إالّ يف مُعامَلَتي - فيكَ الخِصامُ وَأنتَ الخصْ مُ وَالحكَمُ<br />
أُعِيذُها نَظَراتٍ مِنْكَ صادِقَةً - أن تحسَ بَ الشّ حمَ فيمن شحمهُ وَرَمُ<br />
وَمَا انْتِفَاعُ أخي الدّنْيَا بِنَاظِ رِهِ - إذا اسْ تَوَتْ عِنْدَهُ األنْوارُ وَالظُّلَمُ<br />
سَ يعْلَمُ الجَمعُ ممّنْ ضَ مّ مَجلِسُ نا - بأنّني خَريُ مَنْ تَسْ عَى بهِ قَدَمُ<br />
أنَا الذي نَظَرَ األعْمَى إىل أدَيب - وَأسْ مَعَتْ كَلِاميت مَنْ بهِ صَ مَمُ<br />
أنَامُ مِلْ ءَ جُفُوين عَنْ شَوَارِدِهَا - وَيَسْ هَرُ الخَلْقُ جَرّاهَا وَيخْتَصِ مُ<br />
وَجاهِلٍ مَدّهُ يف جَهْلِهِ ضَ حِيك - حَتى أتَتْه يَدٌ فَرّاسَ ةٌ وَفَمُ<br />
إذا رَأيْتَ نُيُوبَ اللّيْثِ بارِزَةً - فَال تَظُنّنّ أنّ اللّيْثَ يَبْتَسِ مُ<br />
وَمُهْجَةٍ مُهْجَتي من هَمّ صَ احِبها - أدرَكْتُهَا بجَوَادٍ ظَهْرُه حَرَمُ<br />
رِجالهُ يف الرّكضِ رِجلٌ وَاليدانِ يَدٌ - وَفِعْلُهُ مَا تُريدُ الكَفُّ وَالقَدَ مُ<br />
وَمُرْهَفٍ رسْتُ بنيَ الجَحْفَلَنيِ بهِ - حتى رضَبْتُ وَمَوْجُ املَوْتِ يَلْتَطِ مُ<br />
املتنبي يهجو سيف الدولة الحمداين<br />
تحولت عالقة املتنبي مع سيف الدولة إىل عداء فقيل إن السبب هو<br />
تعرض املتنبي لإلهانة يف أحد مجالس سيف الدولة، وقيل ألن سيف الدولة<br />
رفض أن يتزوج املتنبي من أخته، فهجاه املتنبي بعد رحيله إىل مرص قائال:<br />
فِراقٌ وَمَن فارَقته غَريُ مُذَمَّمِ - وَأَمٌّ وَمَن مَيَ َّمتُ خَريُ مُيَمَّمِ<br />
إِذا ساءَ فِعلُ املَرءِ ساءَت ظُنونُهُ - وَصَ دَّقَ ما يَعتادُهُ مِن تَوَهُّمِ<br />
وَعادى مُحِبّيهِ بِقَولِ عُداتِهِ - وَأَصبَحَ يف لَيلٍ مِنَ الشَ كِّ مُظلِمِ<br />
أُصادِقُ نَفسَ املَرءِ مِن قَبلِ جِسمِهِ - وَأَعرِفُها يف فِعلِهِ وَالتَكَلُّمِ<br />
وَأَحلُمُ عَن خِيّلّ وَأَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ مَتى أَجزِهِ - حِلامً عَىل الجَهلِ يَندَمِ<br />
وَ إِن بَذَل اإلِنسانُ يل جودَ عابِسٍ - جَزَيتُ بِجودِ التارِكِ املُتَبَسِّ مِ<br />
وَما كُلُّ هاوٍ لِلجَميلِ بِفاعِلٍ - وَال كُلُّ فَعّالٍ لَهُ مبِ ُتَمِّمِ<br />
رحلة املتنبي إىل مرص ولقائه<br />
بكافور اإلخشيدي<br />
غادر أبو الطيب حلب وهو كاره لذلك، إذ كانت هناك فرتة يف حياته مليئة<br />
باملؤامرات والغرية التي بلغت ذروتها وأجربت املتنبي عىل ترك سوريا يف عام<br />
957 فاتّجه يف البداية إىل دمشق، ثم شاءت األقدار أن يذهب إىل مرص حيث<br />
استدعاه شخص أثيويب يُدعى أبو املسك كافور وُلِد عبدًا. كافور اإلخشيدي<br />
كان يحكم مرص، وحنّي وصل املتنبي إىل مرص كان مجروح الفؤاد، مكسور<br />
الخاطر، فأقام إىل جوار كافور خمس سنواتٍ مدحه خاللها بعدة قصائد ليس<br />
حباً وإعجاباً، إمنا أمالً يف تحقيق ما كان يصبو إليه من رفعة وعُلّو شأن، وكان<br />
كافور يعرف ذلك جيداً ويعرف أنّ املتنبي مل يَكنْ يُضمر له املحبة والود،<br />
فخىل به ومل يحقق له شيئاً من أمانيه، بل ضيّق عليه وعاداهُ، وزاده فوق<br />
همّه هامّ ً، فكَره الشاعر اإلقامة يف مرص، وبعد أنّ مدح كافور عاد وهجاه،<br />
وقد سميت قصائده يف مدح كافور وهجائه يف تلك الفرتة بالكافوريّات.<br />
املتنبي ميدح كافور<br />
وبعد أن أىت املتنبي إىل مرص واستقبله حاكمها كافور اإلخشيدي مدح<br />
املتنبي كافور قائال:<br />
وما طرَيب ملَّا رأيتُكَ بِدعةً - لقد كُنتُ أرجو أنْ أراكَ فأطربُ<br />
وتعذلُني فيكَ القوايف وهِمَّتي - كأين مبدحٍ قبل مدحِ كَ مُذنِبُ<br />
ولكنَّهُ طالَ الطَّريقُ ومل أزَل - أُفَتَّشُ عن هذا الكالمِ ويُنهَبُ<br />
يُدَبِّرُ املمُلْكَ من مرصٍ إىل عدَنٍ - إىل العراقِ فأرضِ الرُّومِ فالنُّوبِ<br />
املتنبي يهجو كافور<br />
وعندما مل يلقَ املتنبي من كافور اإلخشيدي ما كان يطمح له من مناصب<br />
وعطايا، نظّم به قصيدة هِجاءٍ ارتكزَ فيها عىل أصول اإلخشيدي الحبشية، حيثُ<br />
كان حبشيًا من الرقّ والعبيد قبل وصوله للحكم، يتّصف ببرشة سمراء وشفاه<br />
وقدمنّي متشقّقتنّي. وأساء إىل كافور بتصويره بشكلٍ ساخر، لذا هرب املتنبي<br />
من مرص حوايل 960م. قام بعدها بعدة رحالتٍ أخرى، مبا يف ذلك بغداد ويعترب<br />
هجاء املتنبي لكافور من أشهر ما قيل يف الهجاء حيث عايره بأنه خيص وعبد<br />
وبلون برشته األسود، وقيل بعد هذه القصيدة لو قام كافور بإعطاء املتنبي حُكم<br />
مرص بأرسها وليس فقط منصب لكان أفضل لكافور بدال من هذه القصيدة التي<br />
أساءت له وخلدت هذه اإلساءة، ومن أبيات املتنبي يف هجاء كافور اإلخشيدي:<br />
ال تَشرَتَ ِ العَبدَ إِالّ وَالعَصا مَعَهُ - إِنَّ العَبيدَ ألَ َنجاسٌ مَناكيدُ<br />
ما كُنتُ أَحسَ بُني أبقى إِىل زَمَنٍ - يُيسءُ يب فيهِ كَلبٌ وَهوَ مَحمودُ<br />
وَأَنَّ ذا األَسوَدَ املَثقوبَ مِشفَرُهُ - تُطيعُهُ ذي العَضاريطُ الرَعاديدُ<br />
جَوعانُ يَأكُلُ مِن زادي وَمُيُ سِ كُني - لِيكَ يُقالَ عَظيمُ القَدرِ مَقصودُ<br />
مَن عَلَّمَ األَسوَدَ املَخيِصِ َّ مَكرُمَةً - أَقَومُهُ البيضُ أَم آبائُهُ الصيدُ<br />
أَم أُذنُهُ يف يَدِ النَخّاسِ دامِيَةً - أَم قَدرُهُ وَهوَ بِالفَلسَ نيِ مَردودُ<br />
أَوىل اللِئامِ كُوَيفريٌ مبِ َعذِرَةٍ - يف كُلِّ لُؤمٍ وَبَعضُ العُذرِ تَفنيدُ<br />
وَذاكَ أَنَّ الفُحولَ البيضَ عاجِزَةٌ - عَنِ الجَميلِ فَكَيفَ الخِصيَةُ السودُ<br />
رحلة املتنبي للقاء عضد الدولة وابن العميد<br />
وقد كان ملحنة املتنبي ومعاناته أثناء وجوده يف مرص أكرب األثر يف شعره،<br />
حيث كان مختلفاً عن كل شعره السابق، إذ اتّسم شعره يف تلك السنوات<br />
مبهارات عديدةٍ، وقد وضع فيه خالصة تجارب حياته كلّها.<br />
توجّه املتنبي إىل العراق بعد خيبة أمله عند كافور حيث كان يتنقل<br />
بنّي الكوفة وبغداد، ثم توجه إىل أرجان قاصداً أيب الفضل ابن العميد<br />
وزير عضد الدولة، فمكث عنده فرتةً من الزمن مدحه فيها مبجموعةٍ من<br />
القصائد سميت بالعميديات، وأثناء وجوده يف أرجان أرسل عضد الدولة<br />
بن بوّيه يدعوه للقدوم إليه، فلّبى املتنبي الدعوة، ووجد عند السلّطان<br />
الحفاوة والتكريم، فعادت للشاعر حريّته التي افتقدها يف مرص، وملكته<br />
الشعرية وآماله وطموحاته، ومكث يف ضيافة عضد الدولة ثالثة أشهرٍ<br />
مدحه خاللها يف ست قصائد غاية يف الروعةِ سميت بالعضديات،<br />
لكن املتنبي رغب بالرحيل والعودة إىل العراق لسببٍ غري معروف،<br />
وعىل إثر ذلك ودّع ابن بوية بالقصيدة التي استهلها قائال: فِدًى لكَ مَن<br />
يُقَرصّ ُ عَن مَداكا فَال مَلِكٌ إذَنْ إالّ فَدَاكَا.<br />
ولكنه مل يتمكن من تأمنّي الحامية لنفسه، حيث كانت بغداد يف خطر<br />
بسبب حمالت القرامطة املتعددة عليها، ما اضطُر املتنبي أن يستقر يف مدينة<br />
شرياز بإيران تحت حامية أمري الدولة من أرسة بئيد حتى عام 965 عندما عاد<br />
إىل العراق وقتل بالقرب من النعامنية يف محافظة واسط/الكوت.<br />
مقتله<br />
عرف عن املتنبي إتقان املدح وهجاء نفس الشخص، وكان شعرهُ السبب<br />
الرئييسّ بوفاته وقيل قتلته قصيدتان له فيهام هجاءٌ وفخر. كان املتنبي<br />
قد هجا قاطع طرق يدعى ضبة بن يزيد األسدي العيني بقصيدة شديدة<br />
الهجاء شنيعة األلفاظ وتحتوي عىل الكثري من الطعن يف الرشف والقصيدة<br />
معروفة ومشهورة ومطلعها:<br />
مَا أنصَ فَ القَومُ ضبّة وَأمهُ الطرْطبّة - وإمنّ ا قلتُ ما قُلتُ رَحمَة ال<br />
مَحَبة<br />
وعندما علم فاتك بن أيب الجهل األسدي )خال ضبة( بالقصيدة غضب<br />
عند سامعها أراد االنتقام ألخته وابنها ضبة فاعرتض سبيل أيب الطيب وهو<br />
يف طريقه إىل بغداد فالكوفة وواجهه بنحو 30 من رجاله وقيل أكرث، فقاتله<br />
املتنبي حتى قتل هو وابنه محسد وعدد ممن كانوا معه.<br />
وقد قيل إن أبا الطيب ملا رأى كرثة رجال فاتك وأحس بالغلبة لهم<br />
أراد الفرار فقال له غُالم له: ال يتحدث الناس عنك بالفرار وتهرب وأنت<br />
القائل: فالخيلُ والليلُ والبيداءُ تعرفني - والسيفُ والرمحُ والقرطاسُ<br />
والقلمُ<br />
فرد عليه املتنبي بقوله: قتلتني قتلك الله، وعاد املتنبي اىل سلوك<br />
درب املوت راجعاً وكان مقتله بسبب هذا البيت يف تاريخ 25 رمضان<br />
354 هجري املوافق 965/09/24م، وقُتل معه ابنه محسد وغالمه مُفلح<br />
بالنعامنية بالقرب من دير العاقول جنوب غرب بغداد.<br />
قرب املتنبي )أبو سورة(<br />
يوجد قرب املتنبي شامل مفرق النعامنية ب3 كم يف محافظة واسط، بُنيَ<br />
ألول مرة من الطنّي يف الثالثينيات من القرن املايض عىل يد حمودي<br />
الشكور )من وجهاء املنطقة(، ثم يف نهاية االربعينيات جاءت لجان دولية<br />
معنية بتحليل بقايا الجثامن للتأكد من انه يعود للشاعر ابو الطيّب<br />
املتنبي؛ وتم التأكد من ذلك.<br />
كان قربَ املتنبي سابقاً محاطاً بالكثري من قبور االطفال، ظناً من الناس<br />
انهُ إمامٌ ما وتربكاً بهِ قاموا يدفنون اطفالهم بقربه، ثم متّت إزاحة املقربة<br />
يف مطلع التسعينات وشُ يّدَ البناء الحايل يف الوقت نفسه، وهناك تشابها<br />
معامرياً بينه وبنّي األبنية االثرية االخرى التي بُنيَتْ يف عهد النظام السابق.<br />
اهل واسط القدامى ينادون املتنبي ب )ابو سَ ورة( ألن مياه فيضان<br />
دجلة التي اغرقت اغلب مناطق واسط يف خمسينيات القرن املايض صارت<br />
تطوف حول القرب ومل تصل اليه، ويعتربون ذلك من كرامات املتنبي ولهذا<br />
أصبحوا يدفنون اطفالهم بالقرب منه بعد الفيضان.<br />
جاء أبا ألطيب املتنبي ورحل ولن يعود مثيله وكم أمتنى أن يرجع ألزمن<br />
قرونا وأقيض يوما يف مجلس ديوانه ألستمع ألشعاره أو أسري ظال ظليال جنب<br />
ركبانيات خطواته فهو عندي واحد من أصدقاء الفِكر العرشة ومن املستحيل<br />
أن تحوي مقالة كهذه كل قصائده وأمثاله وتطوي حكمه وطيبّاته.<br />
هذه بإيجاز كانت قصة الشاعر العظيم أيب الطيب املتنبي كام جاءت<br />
يف كتب مقاالت الكتاب واألدب واالشعار واىل موعد مع شاعر اخر وقصائد<br />
أخرى.<br />
املصادر: املؤرخ تامر الزغاري، تاريخ بغداد- الخطيب البغدادي، املتنبي-<br />
محمود شاكر رشح ديوان املتنبي- عيل بن أحمد الواحدي، أبو الطيب املتنبي يف<br />
مرص والعراق- مصطفى الشكعة، نقوس املهدي/ املغرب، الكاتب عيل جاسم.<br />
40 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION<br />
NOW ENROLLING FOR WINTER CLASSES<br />
JANUARY 9, <strong>2024</strong> – <strong>MARCH</strong> 21, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Tuesdays and Thursdays<br />
MORNING SESSIONS<br />
9:30 am – 11:30<br />
am<br />
OR<br />
EVENING SESSIONS<br />
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm<br />
REGISTRATION WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2023<br />
To register please call CCF at 586-722-7253<br />
$40 registration fee<br />
CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 3601 15 MILE ROAD, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 586-722-7253 CHALDEANFOUNDATION.ORG<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> NEWS 41
FEATURE<br />
Mesopotamia to the Motor City<br />
New ventures in a new land<br />
BY CAL ABBO<br />
Part 3<br />
The Chaldeans’ journey to Detroit<br />
is a story constantly being rewritten<br />
as the community grows and<br />
evolves. It would be relatively simple<br />
to characterize Chaldeans in the early<br />
1900s; their differences from other immigrants<br />
left them with few options besides<br />
the assembly line, menial labor,<br />
or starting their own farmers market<br />
stalls and eventually small storefronts.<br />
As Chaldeans found the growing<br />
need for integration into their new<br />
community as well as a certain independence<br />
from it, they realized that<br />
the neighborhood store business was<br />
perfect for them. Intimately familiar<br />
with farming and agriculture, they<br />
found synergy in buying and selling<br />
produce. In addition, their biggest<br />
advantage was the community trust<br />
established and maintained by faith<br />
and family, which they used to learn<br />
from and support one another in<br />
times of need.<br />
As time went on and new generations<br />
were born, however, they became<br />
acculturated and Americanized.<br />
Young, enterprising Chaldeans created<br />
business ideas that have survived decades,<br />
and their dedication to service<br />
and their community has rendered tremendous<br />
success.<br />
In addition, Chaldean immigrant<br />
families tend to act like others from<br />
different communities, emphasizing<br />
a complete education and pushing<br />
their children to become professionals<br />
in some high-earning field. Therefore,<br />
Chaldeans in Michigan have<br />
become doctors, lawyers, judges, engineers,<br />
architects, salesmen, managers,<br />
restaurant operators, athletes,<br />
and excel many more professions, as<br />
the Chaldean News highlights on a<br />
daily basis.<br />
This kind of integration is important<br />
for any immigrant group to<br />
become a productive and respected<br />
part of society. By expanding their<br />
scope, Chaldeans can interact with all<br />
kinds of people while maintaining the<br />
Mike George<br />
close-knit ties to their community that<br />
brought them this far.<br />
In some cases, the most successful<br />
businesses resulted only from the hard<br />
work and dedication to service that<br />
Chaldeans are known for.<br />
Mike George’s Melody Farms<br />
Mike George is one of the legendary<br />
Chaldean pioneers, and for good reason.<br />
He built a long record of service<br />
and support for his community while<br />
also demonstrating incredible business<br />
acumen.<br />
Scott George, one of Mike’s sons, described<br />
how his father got started in his<br />
famed career. “My grandfather owned<br />
a meat market in Detroit,” he said. “My<br />
father started delivering milk out of the<br />
market. They bought a van for $100 and<br />
just went door-to-door.”<br />
Scott’s uncle and his father, Mike,<br />
started Tom George Dairy and Sons. As<br />
years passed, the business grew, and<br />
Mike bought his own dairy company.<br />
Eventually, even while Mike was still<br />
running it, Melody Farms became the<br />
Saad Abbo<br />
largest independent dairy in the Midwest<br />
with 450 employees.<br />
In a 2003 interview with the Chaldean<br />
News, Mike George commented<br />
on how his business got its name. “We<br />
were distributing milk through Wilson<br />
Dairy at the time,” recalled George. “It<br />
was homogenized milk. There was no 2<br />
percent or low-fat at the time. We added<br />
vitamin D to the milk and as a result we<br />
had the highest butterfat milk of all the<br />
competitors. The more fat, the smoother<br />
the product.” In 1962, the name<br />
changed to Mello-D to compliment<br />
the smooth texture and the vitamin D,<br />
eventually becoming Melody Farms.<br />
Saad Abbo’s U.S. Ice<br />
Saad Abbo’s family came to America in<br />
1972, when he was 10 years old. For the<br />
next ten years of his life, his family operated<br />
that store. One fateful summer<br />
day in 1984, which Abbo remembers<br />
as the hottest day in summer, the ice<br />
delivery service they used failed to deliver<br />
on a Thursday night, not showing<br />
up until Monday night.<br />
“My father was so pissed,” Abbo<br />
said. “When a customer walks in, they<br />
come and buy groceries and pop and<br />
other stuff. If you don’t have all the<br />
items, they go to another store. We had<br />
a few customers just leave the buggy<br />
and walk away.”<br />
In his anger, Abbo’s father suggested<br />
the family start their own ice company.<br />
The rest is history.<br />
42 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
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“My father was aggressive,” Abbo added. “We<br />
opened up the ice company and put a plant together.<br />
It was producing 10,000 pounds of ice every day. At the<br />
time, we thought that was a lot.”<br />
Abbo and his brother bought a few trucks. After the<br />
first year, they had about 50 customers. Not bad for a<br />
startup, but it wasn’t something to start a career over.<br />
The following year, that number tripled to 150. After<br />
that, they really believed they could succeed in this<br />
business. So they sold the store.<br />
“The whole idea behind it is service,” Abbo said.<br />
“We built this thing around the idea that you don’t delay<br />
a customer. They call, and we were there every time.”<br />
In the beginning, it was the Chaldeans who helped<br />
Abbo and his family succeed. His high level of service<br />
and ability to keep prices down was appealing to the<br />
large community of store owners. Eventually word<br />
spread about U.S. Ice, and they deservedly got many<br />
more clients. A little over a year ago, Abbo decided to<br />
retire, and sold his company to Home City Ice.<br />
“We kept the price down in Michigan compared to<br />
every other state in the country,” Abbo said. “Since we<br />
sold the business one year ago, the prices have almost<br />
doubled from what they used to be, which is actually a<br />
normal price compared to the rest of the country. And<br />
the service is not there.”<br />
Abbo won the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce<br />
Businessperson of the Year Award in 2014 and was<br />
last year inducted into the Great Lakes Ice Association<br />
Hall of Fame.<br />
He attributes his success to God. “In the Chaldean<br />
community, there’s family and God,” he said. “The way<br />
we believe in God, no other community is like that.<br />
Church is the center of everything.”<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 43
IN MEMORIAM<br />
OBITUARY<br />
Saad Dawood Saiyad<br />
Oct 11, 1954 —<br />
Jan 17, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Ilisha Astafin<br />
Apr 11, 1958 —<br />
Jan 22, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Roza Habbo<br />
Jarjees Soter<br />
Jul 1, 1932 —<br />
Jan 23, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Masaoud Jamil<br />
Attisha<br />
Jan 5, 1945 —<br />
Jan 25, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Yosif Sarmad Khasir<br />
May 28, 2005 —<br />
Jan 26, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Thair Samir Dado<br />
Bashar Yaldo<br />
Jun 26, 1968 —<br />
Jan 26, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Manal Bahjat Guriya<br />
Jun 23, 1958 —<br />
Feb 1, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Rev. Jacob<br />
Moses Kakish<br />
Dec 24, 1942 —<br />
Jan 27, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Silvia Yusuf Ideh<br />
Mar 18, 1950 —<br />
Feb 2, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Batoul Putres<br />
Jajawe Yaldo<br />
Jul 15, 1954 —<br />
Jan 28, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Nooria Salmu<br />
Mansour<br />
May 5, 1935 —<br />
Feb 2, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Suad A. Hermiz<br />
Jan 30, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Sarah Petrus<br />
Jul 1, 1930 —<br />
Feb 2, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Khairiya Toma Kassab<br />
Jul 1, 1941 —<br />
Jan 30, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Adil Jubraeel<br />
Jul1, 1937 —<br />
Feb 3, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Thair Samir Dado was born on June 23,<br />
1980, and died on February 4, <strong>2024</strong>. Thair,<br />
43, was killed at work, gunned down in<br />
the parking lot of All Stars Beverage Liquor<br />
Store in the city of Detroit while attempting<br />
to stop the theft of his vehicle.<br />
Thair leaves behind a wife, Zina Francis,<br />
and 16-year-old son, Steven. The Chaldean<br />
American Chamber of Commerce<br />
and Chaldean Community Foundation<br />
have engaged the Waad Murad Advocacy<br />
Fund in support of Thair. The Fund, working<br />
with the Detroit Police Department<br />
and Crimestoppers, will award $10,000<br />
to the supplier of information that leads<br />
to the arrest and conviction of the culprits<br />
of the murder, bringing justice to the perpetrators<br />
and hopefully, some small semblance<br />
of relief to the victim’s families.<br />
Arkan Hirmiz Kenaya<br />
Aug 8, 1948 —<br />
Feb 4, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Louis Patto Meram<br />
Aug 7, 1941 —<br />
Feb 5, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Samira Shaeena<br />
Antwan<br />
Jan 6, 1944 —<br />
Feb 6, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Steven Sabri<br />
Shamoun<br />
Dec 23, 1984 —<br />
Feb 7, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Sliwa Jarjis Kasgorgis<br />
Aug 1, 1931 —<br />
Feb 9, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Lameea Odish Karcho<br />
Aug 20, 1956 —<br />
Feb 10, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Nazar Awadis Krikor<br />
Jul 1, 1938 —<br />
Feb 10, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Samira Mera<br />
Jul 1, 1937 —<br />
Feb 11, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Najah Khamo Jarjosa<br />
Apr 12, 1943 —<br />
Feb 13, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Goze Matti Khamis<br />
Jul 1, 1932 —<br />
Feb 13, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Tarek Nouri Kizy<br />
Jul 1, 1952 —<br />
Feb 14, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Amira Shakir Abro<br />
Oct 25, 1936 –<br />
Feb 16, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Amir Salman Alyas<br />
Apr 1, 1956 –<br />
Feb 17, <strong>2024</strong><br />
Najat Halata<br />
Sep 24, 1938 –<br />
Feb 18, <strong>2024</strong><br />
44 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
WE ARE<br />
HIRING<br />
Do you possess a passion for bettering the lives of others?<br />
Join our ever expanding team!<br />
Behavioral Health Therapist<br />
Case Worker • Citizenship Instructor<br />
Advocacy<br />
Acculturation<br />
For More Information<br />
HR@chaldeanfoundation.org<br />
586-722-7253<br />
www.chaldeanfoundation.org/careers<br />
Community Development<br />
Cultural Preservation<br />
<strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 45
FROM THE ARCHIVE<br />
Prioritizing<br />
Education<br />
As with most immigrant families, education is a<br />
priority in Chaldean households. These archival<br />
photos from the Chaldean Cultural Center<br />
show classes in Baghdad as well as Detroit,<br />
with Chaldean teachers in all classrooms. The<br />
Chaldean mission in Michigan remains to educate<br />
fellow citizens about who Chaldeans are.<br />
Clockwise from top left:<br />
Amira Mary taught English at Alsyryan<br />
Catholic School in Baghdad in 1964.<br />
Farouk Samona taught mathematics in<br />
Detroit Public Schools in the 1990s.<br />
Farouk Samona also taught at Redford High<br />
School and Oakland Community College.<br />
Malik Mary was an English language<br />
and literature teacher at Al-Mustansiriya<br />
University in Baghdad.<br />
Mary Romaya at Warren Woods Tower<br />
High School in 2009.<br />
The Chaldean Cultural Center and Museum<br />
owns a collection of captivating images from<br />
our vibrant community that we are delighted<br />
to share with the Chaldean News. If you<br />
have photographs that you would like us to<br />
incorporate into our archive, kindly reach<br />
out to us at info@chaldeanculturalcenter.org<br />
or call 248-681-5050.<br />
46 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>MARCH</strong> <strong>2024</strong>