OCTOBER 2024

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY VOL. 21 ISSUE X OCTOBER 2024 

Chaldean 

Contender 

AUSTIN BASHI 

IS THE NEXT 

BEST THING 

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MARTIAL 

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Featuring: 

Shamama 

Oram 

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2 CHALDEAN NEWS OCTOBER 2024

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY VOL. 21 ISSUE X OCTOBER 2024 

Chaldean 

Contender 

AUSTIN BASHI 

IS THE NEXT 

BEST THING 

IN MIXED 

MARTIAL 

ARTS 

Featuring: 

Shamama 

Oram 

Turns 100 

Frankenmuth 

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Sister 

Cities

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METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY | OCTOBER 2024 | VOL. 21 ISSUE X 

ON THE COVER 

14 Austin Bashi: The Next Thing 

Meet MMA’s new superstar 

By Sarah Kittle 

FEATURES 

16 Celebrating a Century 

Shamama Oram’s 100th birthday 


20 Pilgrimage 

Visiting holy sites 

By Aiden Kanno 

22 Gas Station Wars 

Sheetz Shakeup 


24 Sister Cities 

Ankawa and Sterling Heights 

By Dr. Adhid Miri 

14 

26 Time and Culture 

20 years of covers 


DEPARTMENTS 

6 From the Editor 

Season of Change 


8 Foundation Update 

Circus, Back to School, New Americans 

10 Noteworthy 

Halloween Wars, Mare Mediterranean 

36 Culture & History 

Shako Mako 

By Dr. Adhid Miri 

40 Health & Wellness 

Long COVID 

By Dr. Samir Jamil 

42 In Memoriam 

30 Baghdad to Big Law 

A Personal Journey 

By Fady Yatooma 

32 In the Land of Ninkasi 

Book Review 

By Weam Namou 

44 

12 Chaldean Digest 

Alina Habba, Married Priest, 

Feast of the Cross 

28 Family Time 

Halloween Then & Now 

By Jenna Abroo 

34 Economics & Enterprise 

Frankenmuth Brewery 

By Paul Natinsky 

COVER PHOTOGRAPH OF AUSTIN BASHI BY BRANDON ABRO 

42 Obituary 

Badia Mizanah Abroo 

44 Events 

6th Annual CCF Gala, 

Educator Event 

46 From the Archive 

Harvest photos 

from the homeland 

X 


FROM THE EDITOR 

PUBLISHED BY 

Chaldean News, LLC 

Chaldean Community Foundation 

Martin Manna 

EDITORIAL 

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

Sarah Kittle 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Jenna Abroo 

Dr. Samir Jamil 

Aiden Kanno 

Sarah Kittle 

Dr. Adhid Miri 

Weam Namou 

Paul Natinsky 

Fady Yatooma 

ART & PRODUCTION 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

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PHOTOGRAPHERS 

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CONTACT INFORMATION 

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Subscription and all other inquiries: 

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Chaldean News 

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Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

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Phone: (248) 851-8600 

Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); 

Published monthly; Issue Date: October 2024 

Subscriptions: 12 months, $35. 

Publication Address: 

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Farmington Hills, MI 48334; 

Permit to mail at periodicals postage rates 

is on file at Farmington Hills Post Office 

Postmaster: Send address changes to 

“The Chaldean News 30095 Northwestern 

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

A Season of Change 

It is always sad to say “goodbye” to summer; 

however, the U.S. presidential election is 

keeping things heated. While we didn’t address 

the race between Vice President Kamala 

Harris and former President Donald Trump in 

this issue, we plan to bring you a special digital 

election insert, so stay tuned! 

What we do cover is Austin Bashi’s rise to 

Mixed Martial Arts fame and Shamama Oram’s 

100th birthday. These stories may seem unrelated, 

but both celebrate a community member who 

is fulfilling their dream. While Austin’s journey is 

just beginning, Shamama looks back on a century of life 

and love (and a family that counts over 100 members) with 

pride and gratitude. 

Then because it is October, we will give you a couple 

stories about beer. Weam Namou’s review of In the Land of 

Ninkasi by Tate Paulette celebrates the “Goddess of Beer” 

and describes how important the beer-making process was 

to an ancient civilization. In his profile of the Sarafa brothers’ 

investment in the iconic Frankenmuth Brewery, Paul 

Natinsky explains how good business sense will sometimes 

lead one down a path not previously considered. 

We have a couple of new contributors this month in Aiden 

Kanno and Fady Yatooma, who each share a personal 

story. Aiden recounts his pilgrimage through Italy and the 

experience of visiting various holy sites. Fady tells us about 

his childhood in Iraq and his journey to law school. He has 

learned things along the way that he’s willing to share with 

aspiring lawyers. 

As we have done this whole 20th anniversary year, we look 

back at the cover stories through the past two decades and 

wonder at how far we’ve come. Chaldean Digest highlights 

news from other publications, national and international. 

This month, we feature stories about Alina Habba, Donald 

Trump’s lawyer, and her push to acquire the Chaldean vote 

as well as a story about a newly ordained French priest in the 

Chaldean Catholic Church who is a husband and father. We 

also include a story about the Feast of the Cross in Ankawa. 

SARAH KITTLE 

EDITOR 

IN CHIEF 

Ankawa appeared in another story this month, 

as Sterling Heights, Michigan officially became her 

sister city. Dr. Miri explains what that means in his 

article “Sister Cities,” and the Foundation Update 

includes a photo of the signing by Ankawa Mayor 

Ramy Noori Awdish and Sterling Heights Mayor 

Michael Taylor. 

Our Noteworthy section highlights the talents 

of Jonathan Elias, the “Pastry Guru,” who once 

again appears on The Food Network, competing 

for Team Shriek Squad in the special Halloween 

Wars. We can’t wait to see what sugar-spun magic 

he creates this time! 

Another Noteworthy mention is Paulina Faranso, who 

with her cousin, Joe Kakos, purchased Mare Mediterranean 

and has big plans for rebranding. We await the transformation 

with much anticipation! 

Dr, Miri again graces us with a history and culture lesson 

in “Shako Mako,” a story about how some words, usually 

from the Akkadian or Babylonian era, are used only 

in Iraq. Our newest regular contributor, Dr. Samir Jamil, 

shares information on “long COVID,” an after-effect of the 

virus that is still making the rounds. 

We also feature an article on Sheetz, convenience store/ 

gas station conglomerate, and their aspirations to spread into 

southeast Michigan. Our gas station owners and residents 

have something (actually, a lot of things) to say about that. 

One of our newest contributors, Jenna Abroo, writes 

about Halloween and how traditions have changed over 

the years; and we share some fantastic photos of harvest 

time in Iraq in our From the Archive section. 

We hope you enjoy this edition with a nice cup of warm 

chai. Cheers! 

Sarah Kittle 

Editor in Chief 

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PUBLISHER'S CIRCLE 

As the publication of record for 

Michigan’s Chaldean community, 

the mission of the Chaldean News 

is to preserve and archive Chaldean 

heritage and history, and to tell the 

ongoing story of Chaldean contributions to 

the communities in which we live and work – in 

Michigan and around the world. 

In the last 5 years the Chaldean News has 

substantially increased its readership and social 

media following, introduced new digital and website 

content and expanded storytelling and video offerings 

with the help of small grant funding. 

The Publisher’s Circle is a unique opportunity for community 

members to support the Chaldean News and its continuing 

mission to be a voice for the community, wherever they 

may be. With the warmhearted help of individual and 

organizational supporters we can ensure that this important 

resource remains to educate and connect the community 

while evolving to meet the needs of future generations. 

The Chaldean News has recently launched a CN app 

and will continue to expand into new media such 

as radio and TV, all with the goal of preserving our 

culture and telling the story of our people. You can 

take part in helping to preserve your Chaldean 

heritage by joining the Publisher’s Circle today. 

Jibran “Jim” Manna 

Martin and Tamara Manna 

We are grateful for the overwhelmingly 

generous support of our community. 

To learn more, visit chaldeannews.com 

or contact us at 248-851-8600 

Let’s grow the circle. 


FOUNDATION UPDATE 

The Circus 

is Back 

Breaking Barriers, the program that 

serves individuals with developmental 

and/or intellectual disabilities, 

hosted the Breaking Barriers Circus 

in September. Acts included a tightrope 

walker, strongman competition, 

jugglers, dancers, singers, ribbon 

twirlers and more. The audience was 

treated to popcorn and cotton candy 

and the parents of the participants 

had their own private circus show. 

Breaking Barriers Circus ribbon 

dancers performing. 

Little Scholars 

Open House 

Little Scholars student poses with 

Clifford the Big Red Dog. 

Celebrating New Americans 

With school season rapidly approaching, CCF’s 

Little Scholars students had the opportunity to tour 

the facilities prior to the start of classes. They were 

able to familiarize themselves with the facilities and 

meet their teachers and classmates as well. Outside 

vendors were on hand to supply information and resources. 

These vendors included Delta Dental, PBS 

Kids, Macomb Community College’s Dental Science 

Program, the Sterling Heights Police and Fire Department, 

Aqua Tots, Detroit Wildlife Refuge, and more. 

The CCF hosted their New American Celebration on September 17. This annual event celebrates 

individuals that CCF has assisted through the U. S. immigration department or have taken the 10- 

week citizenship preparation course and have gone on to obtain U.S. Citizenship. The event was 

hosted on Citizenship Day. 

Those in attendance had an opportunity to experience a booth and tabulator, as well as how to 

fill out a sample ballot. For most, this is their first experience with the voting process. 

New Americans and their families, along with the CCF’s Citizenship Class, pose for a group 

photo with Mayor Michael Taylor of Sterling Heights. 

Ankawa Mayor Ramy Noori Awdish and Sterling Heights 

Mayor Michael Taylor signing the Sister City agreement. 

Sterling Heights and 

Ankawa Officially 

Become Sister Cities 

The CCF has facilitated a sister city relationship between Sterling 

Heights, Michigan and Ankawa, a city in the Kurdistan Region of 

Iraq. Sister City agreements are meant to be long-term partnerships 

that foster an environment in which economic and community 

development can be implemented and strengthened. This 

historic partnership aims to foster cultural exchange, economic 

collaboration, and mutual understanding between the two cities. 

An official event coordinating the signing of the agreement 

was conducted by Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor and 

Ankawa’s Mayor Ramy Noori Awdish on September 13. These 

two cities share much in common, including both having a large 

population of Chaldean residents. The resolution comes after 

months of discussions between community leaders in Sterling 

Heights and representatives from Ankawa. The next steps will involve 

the formation of a project team that will lay out a roadmap 

for the sharing of knowledge in culture, business and education 

as well as working toward building out a curriculum assessment 

and teacher exchange program along with remote learning opportunities 

at the college level to ensure students and teachers 

can give and receive unique experiences and perspectives. 


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NOTEWORTHY 

The contestants on the newest Halloween Wars. 

Jonathan Elias is Back on the Food Network 

Jonathan Elias, “The Pastry Guru,” returns 

to the Food Network for a new 

season of “Halloween Wars.” The new 

season premiered on September 22 at 

9:00 p.m. on the Food Network with 

host Jonathan Bennett, who takes scary 

to a whole new level as he celebrates 

the most iconic and classic Halloween 

characters of all time – the monsters! 

Alongside judges Shinmin Li and 

Aarti Sequeria, Jonathan challenges 

eight teams of the best cake, sugar and 

pumpkin artists in the world to create 

mind-blowing monster-themed displays 

complete with mouthwatering treats. 

And for the first time ever, each team 

this season is captained by a former Halloween 

Wars champion. In the end, only 

Chaldean Cousins Make Waves at Màre 

Mediterranean in Birmingham 

Recently purchased by Chaldean 

cousins Paulina Faranso and 

Yousif “Joe” Kakos, Màre Mediterranean 

in Birmingham’s lunch 

menu offers an array of enticing, 

appealingly priced offerings, 

including burgers, sandwiches, 

salads and pizzas, as well as favorites 

like fettuccine alfredo, grilled 

salmon and steak frites. 

Hours recently expanded to 11 

a.m. – 10 p.m. daily, and they are 

open until 11 on Friday and Saturday. 

The Mediterranean-inspired 

restaurant and bar, located at 115 

Willits Street, is offering an updated, 

more attractively priced 

menu, with many popular items 

remaining, including branzino, 

NEAR PERFECT PHOTOS 

one team walks away with the championship 

and its $25,000 grand prize. 

Each team was charged with capturing 

the essence of iconic and classic 

Halloween monsters with mouthwatering 

treats made to impress. In 

the end, one team is left standing to 

walk away with the “Halloween Wars” 

championship. Elias, whose team 

lobster, orate, and other fresh fish 

delivered daily – even on Sundays. 

A vibrant, new energy can 

already be felt at Màre, with exciting 

changes just around the 

corner. Faranso and Kakos also 

have plans underway to revamp 

the 6,900 sq. ft. space with a fresh 

concept under a new name, to be 

announced later this fall. In the 

meantime, Màre remains open 

with a renewed focus on fresh, 

high-quality ingredients and 

scratch-made dishes. 

name is Shriek Squad, is also featured 

on “Road to Halloween Wars,” which 

aired at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 

22. This show explored how the Halloween 

Wars contestants were cast. 

Subsequent episodes in which 

the remaining contestants face off are 

scheduled for September 29, October 6, 

October 13, October 20, and October 27. 

Cousins and partners Paulina Faranso and Joe Kakos. 

PHOTO BY KIM RAFF PHOTO BY WOOBENZ DERIVEAU/BENZOBEE 


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CHALDEAN DIGEST 

Father Amar Agag at his ordination to the Chaldean Catholic Church in France. 

United in faith: Iraqis celebrate the Feast of Cross 

In Ankawa, a suburb of the capital city 

of Iraqi Kurdistan located in the north 

of the country, hundreds of Christians 

participated in the Feast of the Cross. 

The joyous event was marked by high 

hopes given that the Christians of various 

traditions that came together for the 

celebration - Catholic, Orthodox and Assyrian 

- united for the first time together 

in celebrating the memory of the finding 

of the Holy Cross on which Jesus Christ 

died for the redemption of all. 

The focus of the celebrations underscores 

the faith that unites Christians. 

They prayed each day in a different 

church and participated in the 

various cultural meetings organized in 

the streets of the suburb. All the events 

were part of the preparations for the liturgical 

Feast of the Exaltation of the 

Holy Cross, which took place on September 

14 for Churches following the 

Gregorian calendar, or September 27 

for those following the Julian calendar. 

At the opening of the festivities 

on Monday, September 9, a large 

cross was carried in procession to 

the Assyrian Church of the East of 

St. John the Baptist. The solemnity of 

the celebration was reflected in the 

hymns sung by the clergy and faithful 

holding large lit candles, a sign 

not only of praise and adoration but 

also of sharing and peace. 

“Churches used to celebrate this 

commemoration separately every year. 

But this year is wonderfully different,” 

said Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda 

of the Chaldean Catholic Diocese of 

Erbil, who organized the event with 

the blessing of Mar Awa III, Patriarch 

of the Assyrian Church of the East, and 

the Bishops of the Syro-Catholic and 

Syro-Orthodox Churches. 

– Vatican News 

Trump Adviser Alina Habba Tells Michigan Chaldeans 

They Have the Power to Flip Swing State 

Alina Habba, Donald Trump’s senior 

advisor, was in Michigan recently to 

spread the word that Michigan’s large 

Chaldean community has the voting 

power to flip the battleground state 

in the former president’s favor on November 

5. 

Winning Michigan is crucial for Mr. 

Trump or his opponent Vice President 

Kamala Harris as they seek the White 

House, and the Chaldean American 

vote could help determine the outcome. 

While Chaldeans skew conservative, 

many in the community felt 

duped by Trump after voting for him 

in 2016, when he went on to order the 

deportations of more than 1,400 Iraqi 

nationals -- many who had been in the 

U.S. since childhood. 

Habba, a Chaldean-American 

whose parents were born and raised 

in Baghdad, joined Trump’s legal team 

in September 2021, after having previously 

worked at a small law firm in 

New Jersey. 

“In Michigan, in particular with 

the Chaldean community, my community, 

we can flip this state, and we 

have to do it or we will lose our country,” 

Habba said at the Shenandoah 

Country Club in West Bloomfield during 

a reception that was chaired by 

members of the Chaldean community 

on Friday, September 13. 

“We have control for once in our 

lives, unlike where we left, we have 

a lot of control right now in America, 

and don’t undervalue your vote,” said 

Habba. “It is so critical ... Our voices 

matter as Chaldeans.” 

– thenationalnews.com 

FACEBOOK 

Married Man 

and Father 

of Three is 

Ordained a 

Chaldean 

Catholic Priest 

Father Amar Agag, a 38-year-old husband 

and father of three, was ordained 

as a priest in the Chaldean Catholic 

Church in France this past September. 

While this tradition is common in the 

Church’s countries of origin in the Middle 

East, the ordination of married men 

among Eastern Catholic communities 

in the diaspora was 

authorized by Rome 

only in 2014. 

“Before we begin 

Amar’s ordination, 

I must ask for 

his wife’s consent,” 

declared Cardinal 

Louis Raphael Sako, 

Patriarch of the 

Chaldean Church. 

In this rite, the 

wife’s consent highlights 

her role in her 

husband’s commitment. 

Archbishop 

Bashar Matti 

Warda of the 

Chaldean 

Catholic Diocese 

of Erbil. 

“In a way, the ordination involves 

her too. The calling is for her and the entire 

family,” Father Amar explained. His 

wife was deeply involved in the discernment 

process. After he felt called to the 

priesthood, the couple attended spiritual 

retreats in various church settings 

for a year. “My wife and I answered, ‘yes’ 

together,” he said. 

Looking ahead, Father Amar 

knows he will face the challenge of 

balancing parish and family life. After 

working during the week as a driver, 

he will dedicate Friday evenings, some 

Saturdays, and Sundays to his parish 

duties with his family by his side. 

“We’ll be together, but I’ve explained 

to them that when I’m with the parishioners, 

I’m Father Amar. That means 

I’m the father of everyone,” he said, 

ensuring no special treatment for his 

family compared to his parishioners. 

“At the same time, it’s important for 

my family to be with me at church.” 

As a married priest, Father Amar 

believes he brings a unique perspective 

to the church. “I can speak from 

experience during marriage preparation. 

I understand the challenges couples 

face, and I know the issues that 

come with raising children.” 

– Aina.org 

CHALDEAN ARCHDIOCESE OF ERBIL. 



COVER STORY 

Chaldean Contender 

Austin Bashi is the next best thing in mixed martial arts 

BY SARAH KITTLE 

The Ultimate Fighting Championship 

(UFC) has a new superstar 

in Austin Bashi. Bashi, a 23-yearold 

Chaldean from West Bloomfield 

Township, won his first national fight 

in the Dana White Contender Series 

this past September, earning himself a 

UFC contract. 

Bashi’s journey in mixed martial 

arts (MMA) has been closely followed 

by many in the Chaldean community. 

He began training at Warrior Way Martial 

Arts at the age of eight, encouraged 

by his cousin Chris Abro. Turning 

professional at 19, Bashi started his 

career with the Xtreme Fighting Championships 

(XFC) before making a name 

for himself in the Lights Out Fighting 

Championship, where he became a 

two-time Bantamweight Champion. 

With an impressive professional 

MMA record of 13 wins, 0 losses, and 0 

draws, Bashi currently boasts a streak 

of 15 consecutive victories. His foundation 

in wrestling, which he pursued 

throughout high school, combined 

with exceptional cardio fitness, makes 

him a formidable opponent who can 

wear down challengers. Observers 

note that his striking skills continue to 

improve with each fight. 

Regionally, Bashi ranks as the 

eighth-best MMA fighter in North 

America. According to official statistics, 

of his 13 wins, three were by 

knockout (23%), five by submission 

(38%), and five by decision (38%). 

In an April 2023 article titled “Mega 

Prospect Austin Bashi Finally Ready for 

UFC Call Up,” UFC News writer Alexander 

Behunin labeled Bashi as “the best 

prospect in the United States.” Although 

he qualified for the UFC in 2022, Bashi 

opted to gain more experience before 

making the jump to the big leagues. 

The UFC had its eyes on Bashi for 

several years, but it was a strategic decision 

by him and his team to wait for 

the right moment. Following his victory 

over former UFC fighter Askar Askar 

at Lights Out Championship 13, Bashi 

Bashi gives “all glory to God” after his win in the Dana White Contender Series. 

felt ready to make his UFC debut. 

“After all of those tough fights I’ve 

had, I’m ready for the show,” Bashi 

said at the time. “Ideally, it is straight 

to UFC, but if I can’t get that, I’ll settle 

for Contender Series.” He “settled” for 

Dana White’s Contender Series and 

won by submission with a rear naked 

choke move against opponent Dorian 

Ramos in the second round. 

“For me, it’s about getting there, 

staying there, and being the best,” 

Bashi remarked when discussing his 

journey to the UFC. 

Did Bashi have any special preparation 

for that bout? No, it was the 

same groundwork and training leading 

up to this fight as it had been for 

the 12 previous. Not to say that it 

wasn’t a big fight, perhaps the most 

important of his career. 

“I’ve been dreaming of this my 

whole life,” said Bashi. “Being able to 

fight in front of Dana White with millions 

watching around the world, it 

felt really nice.” 

Millions watched Bashi fight, and 

then give all glory to God when he 

won. That is how he plans to use his 

fame and publicity—to promote his 

personal lord and savior, Jesus Christ. 

His coaches would describe him as 

hardworking and humble, he says. 

Although Bashi spends 8-10 hours 

a day training at the gym, he says he 

prays daily; one might even say he is 

a prayer warrior. Faith and discipline 

are his basic tenets, and his focus is 

always on “the next thing.” 

As the youngest of 4 children, Austin 

is making his older siblings Mary, 

Alan, and Avan proud along with his 

parents, Johnny and Ilham. When 

asked about his plans for the future, 

he replies that he doesn’t think that far 

ahead, and he thinks that gives him an 

advantage over other fighters who may 

get distracted by what’s coming up. 

“All I really do is train, eat, and sleep,” 

he says. “I’ll be doing it until I reach 

what I want in life, and that’s UFC 

gold.” In his limited free time, he likes 

to hang out with family and friends. 

Having trained for nearly 15 years with 

the same team and coach, he values 

the consistency and support that has 

helped keep him grounded. “I’ll be 

with this team for life, until the day I 

die,” he affirmed in a recent interview 

on Civic Center TV. 

Bashi is eagerly anticipating his 

UFC debut, which he hopes will take 

place in December or January. He aims 

to fight three to four times a year, with 

“one more for the year being ideal.” As 

he prepares for this next chapter in his 

career, the Chaldean community and 

MMA fans alike are excited to see what 

the future holds for this rising star. 


“All I really do is train, 

eat, and sleep. I’ll be 

doing it until I reach 

what I want in life, and 

that’s UFC gold.” 

– Austin Bashi 

PHOTO BY BRANDON ABRO 


FEATURE 

something unbelievable to me,” 

Shamama remembered. “Dial telephone 

services and touchtone phones, 

color TV, FM radio, digital pictures…” 

A child bride, she was one of the 

lucky ones who genuinely loved her 

husband and misses him still. He 

passed away at the age of 100 in November 

of 2012. “I enjoyed spending 

time with my husband,” she reminisced. 

“Drinking chai daily and chatting 

about the good old days in the village. 

He was an amazing storyteller.” 

Shamama was just ten years old 

when she caught the eye of future husband 

Zia Mansour Oram but may have 

already looked the part of a woman; 

she had been helping her mother take 

care of her siblings, cooking, cleaning, 

and gathering water for the household 

in the village of Telkeif for years. She 

kneaded dough and traveled by donkey 

to the well several times a day. It 

was a peaceful and simple existence. 

“I was extremely happy,” Shamama 

said. “It was a hard life, but we 

were content.” 

Nevertheless, ten was too young 

to be betrothed, and Zia had to wait 

two more years for his bride, one who 

would eventually become the mother 

of his 12 children. “He called them 

our 12 disciples,” Shamama said with 

smile. He was her third suitor, but one 

that was destined to be her husband 

and partner. 

100 Years Young 

Shamama Oram celebrates a century 


When I first sat down with 

Shamama Oram, she invited 

me into her home, 

served me chai and kleicha, and 

made me feel welcome without 

speaking a word. A series of nods 

and hand gestures conveyed volumes 

about the character of this woman 

who had witnessed a century. She 

speaks little English, and I speak no 

Arabic, let alone Sureth/Aramaic, 

but we still had a bond. 

She has seen many changes in her 

incredible life. “The pandemic and its 

isolation effect were frightening and 

sad,” she said through an interpreter, 

“9-11, the Gulf Wars, recession raising 

such a large family…going to too many 

funerals of Chaldean party store owners. 

“The first man on the moon was 

Life in Iraq 

“We lived and ate from the land and 

survived with very little materially,” 

said Shamama. “When I was young, 

the farming village was my life…I have 

beautiful memories of my beloved 

parents going to church every day, 

siblings, my marriage at 12 years old. I 

remember it very well.” 

Shamama and Zia were married 

in Sacred Heart Church by Father 

Stephan Kallabat, the uncle of Father 

Stephan Kallabat, who serves today at 

Mar Addai in Oak Park. “Our wedding 

celebration lasted seven days,” Shamama 

remembered. “That was in my 

memory like it happened yesterday. 

The most beautiful days of my life.” 

Shamama went from the home of 

her parents to the home of her parentsin-law. 

“The tradition was that the new 

bride works/does chores and sleeps at 

the in-laws’ house but must return to 

the parents’ house to eat,” explained 

Shamama. The bride would also continue 

to bathe 2-3 times a week at her 

childhood home. 

“My mother-in-law would also 

send me to an area called ‘Teliamtha,’” 

remembered Shamama, “like a spring 

river, on a donkey to wash clothes by 

hand.” She didn’t know what that entailed 

but improvised and apparently 

did a good enough job to suffice. 


She loved her life in Iraq. “The 

weather was beautiful in summer; our 

entire family would sleep on the upper 

roof of the house under the stars 

and wake up to the bright sunshine,” 

Shamama recalled. “You could see the 

entire village from our upper roof.” 

And as a married woman, she enjoyed 

her life in the village. Her life 

was God, and God was good to her. 

“My world consisted of God, my children 

and my grandchildren, my parents 

in the Dickow Mehlee (editor’s 

note: quarter or neighborhood), who 

were just like family and a life where 

we lived day-to-day thanking God for 

everything,” Shamama said. “I had a 

full life as a wife and mother and all I 

really knew was living in the village.” 

Some of Shamama’s favorite childhood 

memories include family trips to 

visit the monasteries in northern Iraq 

– Mar Oraha, Mar Matti, Mar Elia, Mar 

Gorgis, Mar Benham and Mar Rabban 

Hermiz in Alqosh, too. “These were 

cherished memories of my days growing 

up,” shared Shamama. 

“In Telkeif, our life was peaceful,” 

she remembered wistfully. “I 

would not fear for my children when 

they went outside and played, went 

to school or church alone or to boudratha 

(the fields) to play. Fear was 

not part of our daily existence. There 

is fear in the USA.” 

There was a time in the village 

where fear ran rampant; that was 

when the village school was flooded 

by torrential rains and walnut-sized 

hail. “I remember this day so vividly,” 

Shamama recalled. She had just 

had her fifth child, but her mind was 

on the two daughters who attended 

the school located in a low spot of 

the terrain. 

When the school started to flood, 

every father ran to learn the fate of 

his children or save them if he could. 

“When my husband arrived, he saw 

his older daughter Amira, 10, hanging 

on an iron window rail,” recalled 

Shamama. “He quickly recognized his 

other daughter, Suham, 8, by the blue 

head scarf I had placed on her head 

that morning.” 

Not knowing how to swim, nevertheless, 

Zia saved several children that 

morning, including his two daughters. 

Fifty people died in that flood, including 

one infant. The tragedy left the village 

in mourning for years. 

The Edge of Perfection 

“On the edge of perfection.” That’s 

where Christina Oram, Shamama’s 

daughter, says her mother has lived 

for nearly 100 years. Shamama Oram 

will turn 100 on October 5 and will celebrate 

with her 12 children; the eldest 

is 85 and the youngest is 57. 

She is extremely proud of all her 

offspring, and it would take pages 

to tell of their accomplishments. Her 

youngest child was the only one born 

in this country, at Providence Hospital 

in Southfield. The first 11 were delivered 

by the same midwife that delivered 

all the babies in Telkeif. 

When asked the secret to a long 

life, Shamama answered, “Walk the 

narrow path. I hope and pray that 

my children will raise their children 

and all future generations with the 

same faith, values and morals they 

had when I raised them. To take their 

children to church at an early age. To 

discipline them with love, patience 

and respect for others. To be a good 

example to their children by living, not 

just talking.” 

Life in America was very different 

for the Orams. “At home, I raised my 

young children in the USA the same 

way as the village,” Shamama said. “I 

had to be a strict mother because of all 

the social influences.” 

She didn’t come to the United 

States until she was in her forties, 

and it wasn’t because of religious 

persecution or the dangers that 

would drive later immigration, it was 

strictly for the opportunities that the 

new land had to offer and to avoid 

sending her 6 sons to fight in the 

Iraqi army. That plus her daughter 

lived in the United States, and Shamama 

missed her terribly. 

“America represents the big world,” 

Shamama explained, “and the village 

represents the small world.” She feels 

blessed to have raised her children in 

the United States, looking back at the 

turmoil and instability of Iraq over the 

past few decades. “Iraq has been unstable 

with wars and internal conflict 

since 1980. It really saddens me.” 

She didn’t necessarily want to 

leave her home country. Shamama 

loved Iraq and Telkeif, with its town 

square and the parade of rooftops, her 

Shamama’s shrine to Jesus and Mother Mary takes pride of place in her living 

room. 

cousins and extended family all sharing 

meals and celebrating their faith 

together. 

“I loved to say my daily litany of 

prayers on the upper roof while the 

children were at school,” she recalled. 

“It made me feel close to God.” 

And Zia was somewhat of a celebrity 

in the small town. He was the first 

to own an automobile, a truck he used 

to transport goods for fellow villagers. 

He worked every day but Sunday, 

reserving that day for the Lord. Unless 

it was an emergency, and a widow or 

orphan needed help; Zia was there for 

that and would forgo his fee as well. 

PHOTOS BY ALEX LUMELSKY 

A New Life in America 

“I am grateful that America welcomed 

us with open arms,” Shamama 

declared. 

Zia came first, with two of his sons, 

to work hard and save money for the 

family to emigrate from Iraq. It was 

two full years before he sent for Shamama 

and the rest of the children. I can’t 

imagine what that must have been 

like, traveling to a new country, full of 

foreigners who spoke a different language, 

to raise a family in unfamiliar 

surroundings, where houses had four 

walls, and nobody slept on the roof. 

When asked what was so different 

for her coming to the United States, 

she said with a laugh, “First, there 

was no snow In Telkeif. Lots of snow 

in Michigan.” 

And the language barrier was challenging, 

she admitted. 

In 1966, there weren’t too many 

Chaldean families in Michigan, but the 

existing community was remarkably 

close, she remembered. All that Shamama 

requested was that her new home 

be furnished “from needles to thread,” 

meaning having everything she would 

need to run a household. 

Shamama is pragmatic: “Every 

25 years, the world changes, people 

change, the weather changes. I used 

to make bread in Telkeif by hand and 

when I came to the USA, I bought 

bread at a bakery.” 

Zia was working 10-12 hours a day, 

making the money that would support 

his family and put a roof over their 

heads, eventually allowing the family 

to purchase a store, like most other 

Chaldeans in metro Detroit. Operating 

a party store in Detroit at the time was 

a dangerous occupation, and Shamama 

worried for her husband and sons. 

In 1970, her son-in-law Salim 

Dickow was shot and killed by an exemployee 

at his party store in Highland 

Park. It was a tragedy for the family. 

“In 1975, my own son Amir, who 

worked in our family party store, was 

shot by a customer who followed him 

home,” recalled Shamama. “Thankfully, 

he survived.” 

Salim’s daughter is the Honorable 

Judge Diane Dickow D’Agostini. Speaking 

of her grandmother, D’Agostini 

said, “Our family has looked to her as 

SHAMAMA ORAM 

continued on page 18 


SHAMAMA ORAM continued from page 17 

a matriarch who dispenses wisdom to all five generations. 

I sincerely respect how she has encouraged her 

grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-greatgrandchildren 

of 110 and counting, to pursue higher 

education even though she did not experience the 

same opportunities.” 

Her family is growing exponentially. “My granddaughter 

Maryann is having a baby this November 

2024, which will make it 111 grandchildren and 

I do not know who is pregnant next…” Shamama 

laughed. “This is what life is all about. God said, ‘Be 

fruitful and multiply.’” 

“As a mother to 12 children, she has demonstrated 

incredible strength and perseverance for her family,” 

said D’Agostini. “But most importantly, she has lived 

her life to be a faithful servant of Jesus.” 

A faithful servant of Jesus and her earthly family, 

Shamama took her values with her wherever 

she went. “While families in America are important, 

there is more emphasis on self,” Shamama 

explained. “In Chaldean culture, it is the opposite. 

One is expected to give up things for the family, family 

comes first always. 

“My beloved husband and I always taught our 

children that their word was their bond, God gives 

you your worth and work never killed anyone.” 

The most rewarding part of growing older, says 

Shamama, is growing up with her children and their 

offspring. “My children and many generations of 

grandchildren are the greatest joy of my 100 years on 

earth.” 

For now, she enjoys watching Wheel of Fortune 

on her TV. Modern technology allows Shamama to 

watch daily Mass from the comfort of her living room. 

“That is a true blessing,” she shared. She still doesn’t 

know how to use an iPhone. 

“Life is short and not easy, but it is created beautifully,” 

Shamama shared, “and we must always 

remember that every decision we make has consequences, 

good or bad.” 

Clockwise from top left: Six of Zia and Shamama’s 12 children. Back row: Hannah, Amir, and John. Front 

row: Ann, Randy (on chair) and Gary. Shamama and family were living the “American Dream” and posed 

for a photo with Detroit Mayor Coleman Young. Shamama and Zia with daughter Hannah and son-in-law 

Salim Dickow (at left) in 1967 in Southfield. Wedding photo of Shamama and Zia from 1937 in Telkeif. 

Shamama celebrates her birthday with her many grandchildren. Zia and Shamama attend the First 

Communion of grandson Mansour Oram. Shamama in 1967 standing in her home in Detroit house 

carrying her twelfth child, the only one born in America - Nancy Mary. 



FEATURE 

The group poses in the Chapel of St. Benedict in Rome. 

Pilgrimage to Retreat 

Discovering Jesus in the Eucharist Around the World 

BY AIDEN KANNO 

Most people would look at a 

trip to Europe or any foreign 

country as a vacation, but 

when you enter into that trip to seek 

something deeper, that trip can become 

transformative. This past July, 

I had the privilege of embarking on a 

journey through Italy along with Father 

Matthew Zetouna and 37 other 

pilgrims. We were blessed to visit 14 

cities within just 14 days. These cities 

are home to some of the greatest saints 

and hold some of the richest history of 

our Mother Church. 

An amazing blessing we had was 

Father Matthew Zetouna celebrating 

our Chaldean Mass every day in the 

churches we visited. What an honor 

it was to have such an amazing spiritual 

Father with us, along with Sister 

Immaculata Kassab, who graciously 

served as our spiritual mother. 

This was my second pilgrimage. 

Last year, I was able to accompany 

Father Matthew on his pilgrimage to 

Spain and France. I expected the traditional 

struggles of a pilgrimage, lots 

of walking, encountering the native 

people, and enjoying beautiful sites. 

However, what I encountered was far 

more profound. I knew from the beginning 

that the Lord was going to show 

me something. 

Italy holds some of the most beautiful 

churches in the world; they are 

filled with precious gold and fine 

marble. The buildings are so well articulated, 

and the monuments are a 

true inspiration from the Divine. The 

beauty of Italy’s churches lies in their 

stunning architecture, rich history, 

and the serene—and most importantly, 

the sacred—atmosphere that invites 

reflection and reverence. 

Upon entering these churches, I realized 

most of the people visiting do not 

understand what a church is, or what 

sacrifice takes place on the altar. This 

is a perspective often stemming from 

a lack of understanding about their 

profound spiritual significance and history. 

The Lord showed me something 

about our gift as Chaldeans. 

As Chaldeans, we are gifted to have 

such a strong faith, we are a people of 

prayer and love of God. Where the Eucharist 

is, there we will be. We do not 

need a magnificent church filled with 

gold and marble; all we need is Jesus 

in the Eucharist. Yes, it is beautiful to 

glorify God through all this artwork 

and all the beautiful architecture, but 

it means absolutely nothing if Jesus is 

not the center of it all. 

A pilgrimage requires the denial of 

one’s own will and allows the Lord’s 

will to prevail, granting Him permission 

to take charge and work within 

you. My pilgrimage transformed into 

a spiritual retreat, a deep journey that 

led me to a renewed and intimate encounter 

with Jesus. 

Visiting cities like Assisi and San 

Giovanni Rotundo ignited an even 

deeper flame in my heart because 

these cities are filled with Catholics 

seeking the same thing all of us pilgrims 

were, a deeper connection with 

the Lord. This shared love for the Lord 

strengthened our group’s bond, leading 

to a more faith-centered trip. 

There is a difference between a 

pilgrimage and a retreat, but one 

thing they both have in common is 

the encounter we have with the Lord. 

A retreat typically involves separating 

yourself from the world and entering 

a time of prayer and reflection. With a 

pilgrimage, the Lord invites us to engage 

with the world in a deep spiritual 

way; walking the streets where saints 

once lived, praying in ancient churches, 

and celebrating Mass in the very 

churches where so many souls have 

encountered the love of Jesus—all this 

adds such richness to the spirituality 

of a pilgrimage. 

One of the most profound aspects 

of this pilgrimage was the way it connected 

us to the universal Church. As 

Chaldeans, we are part of such a rich 

tradition, but in Italy, we encountered 

the universality of the Catholic faith. 

Celebrating Mass in these sacred places 

reminded me that no matter where 


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From left: Pilgrims pray on the Holy Stairs on Sancta Sanctorum in Rome. The group at the Abbey of St. Peter in Assissi. 

we are in the world, no matter which 

tradition or heritage we come from, we 

are all connected through one thing, 

the Holy Eucharist. 

This pilgrimage challenged us to 

surrender more fully to the will of 

God. Each day we faced the physical 

demands of travel, the uncertainty of 

what or who we would encounter, and 

the spiritual call to accept God’s will. 

During these times of uncertainty, I 

was reminded that this is like our spiritual 

life, it requires perseverance and 

to trust in the unexpected ways that 

God works. 

Reflecting on this journey, I discerned 

that the true essence of a pilgrimage 

is not about the sights we 

see, but the transformation that takes 

place in our hearts. This pilgrimage 

reinforced the idea that if we are in the 

mountains on a silent retreat, or walking 

the streets of Rome, the purpose 

stays the same: to grow deeper with the 

Lord and invite him into our hearts. 

Jesus is the same in America as He 

is in Europe. He allows us to encounter 

Him in the Eucharist, but this time 

on the other side of the world. He has 

something in store for each pilgrim, 

but it is up to them if they are willing 

to accept it. 


FEATURE 

The Gas Station Wars 

Sheetz seeks to move into the metro Detroit gas station market 


Community protests the proposed opening of a Sheetz store in Farmington Hills. 

In a move poised to reshape metro 

Detroit’s gas station landscape, 

Sheetz, a major player in the gas 

station and convenience store sector, 

has announced plans to expand into 

southeast Michigan, raising concerns 

among local business owners and 

community members about potential 

impacts on prices, service quality, 

safety, and economic diversity. 

“Our offerings are unique and set 

us apart from other gas stations in the 

market,” a Sheetz representative stated 

in a recent Crain’s Detroit Business 

article. However, many of the features 

Sheetz touts—family ownership, exceptional 

customer service, and highquality 

food options—are already present 

among metro Detroit gas stations, 

many of which partner with local businesses 

to offer fresh food. 

Safety is a significant concern. As 

24-hour operations, gas stations can 

attract late-night mischief. In High 

Point, South Carolina, Sheetz closed a 

location due to safety issues, officially 

citing “underperformance” alongside 

safety concerns for customers and employees. 

In a January letter to the Committee 

on Small Business, Gary Zimmerman, 

Sheetz’s general counsel, 

acknowledged the unique challenges 

posed by round-the-clock operations, 

noting that there are times when their 

stores are the only businesses open in 

a community. He highlighted a troubling 

trend of increasing shoplifting, 

armed robberies, and violent crime at 

their locations. 

A recent Reddit thread has seen 

users express growing unease about 

shopping at Sheetz, particularly at 

night, with complaints about employee 

treatment surfacing as well. 

The first Sheetz location in Michigan 

is in Romulus, situated far enough 

from Detroit’s suburbs that it did not 

spur organized protests. In contrast, 

opposition is mounting in Farmington 

Hills, where Sheetz seeks approval to 

build a store at the former Ginopolis 

restaurant site at 12 Mile and Middlebelt. 

Protesters came out to rally ahead 

of a City Planning Commission meeting 

on September 19. 

CBS Detroit covered the protest, 

where demonstrators carried signs 

reading “Sheetz = More Pollution, Less 

Solution!” and “Don’t Sheetz on Our 

Community.” Ironically, the reporter 

filmed in front of an existing gas station 

across the street. 

According to an Associated Press 

article, community members argue 

that adding a 24-hour gas station near 

residential areas could attract undesirable 

elements and escalate crime. 

Nationwide, Sheetz has faced scrutiny 

for violent incidents at its locations, 

including shootings and robberies, 

typically occurring after 10 p.m. 

The Farmington Hills Planning 

Commission has postponed its decision 

on Sheetz’s proposal to gather 

more information, with plans to reconvene 

in November. 

Residents are largely opposed to 

Sheetz’s late-night business model, 

citing concerns about increased traffic 

and safety. Sharkey Haddad of the 

Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce 

expressed worries that Sheetz’s 

expansion could threaten independent 

gas station operators, which 

would harm both local residents and 

the environment. 

“If gas stations go under, the land 

becomes a vacant brownfield,” Haddad 

stated, noting that it could take 

years to rehabilitate such properties 

for alternative uses. 

The perception of Sheetz entering 

the market is that it fosters competition 

and drives down prices, according to local 

gas station owner Mike Awada in a 

previous interview. However, he argues 

that independent operators often need 

to sell gas at higher prices, while Sheetz 

relies on in-house food sales. 

Additionally, Sheetz has faced legal 

issues, including citations from 

the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency for underground fuel storage 

violations, resulting in over $1 million 

in fines, as well as a lawsuit from the 

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission for discriminatory hiring 

practices. 

These factors challenge Sheetz’s 

image as a “family business” that 

cares about its customers, a narrative 

they have tried to promote through local 

media. 

“The fabric of our community is at 

stake,” said one Farmington Hills resident. 

“We already have 11 gas stations 

within a mile, all operating during 

regular hours. We don’t need another 

that stays open all night.” 

This conflict may just be beginning. 

An April 2024 Detroit Free Press 

article noted a billboard on I-96 in 

western Michigan that declared “444 

Miles,” indicating the distance to a 

Buc-ee’s gas station, highlighting the 

growing competition in the gas station 

market. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF CACC 


فرصة لحديثي 

التخرج من المدرسة 

الثانوية لتلقي منحة 

تصل إلى 27,500 

دوالر للدراسة 

الجامعية 

قد يتأهل طفلك للحصول على مبلغ يصل إلى 27,500 دوالر من خالل منحة 

التميز لوالية ميشيغان Scholarship( .)Michigan Achievement 

‏)هذا المبلغ يُقدَم مجانًا وال يَُرَ‏ د(‏ 

قد يتأهل 7 من كل 10 طالب،‏ بصَرف 

النظَر عن معدلهم التَراكمي )GPA( أو نوع 

المدَرسة التي يخططون لاللتحاق بها.‏ 

هناك احتمال 

ألن تكون مؤهًالً‏ 

بصرف النظر 

عن مُعدلك 

التراكمي ! 

لن يكون دخل أسَرتك عائقًا يمنع طفلك من 

تقديم الطلب.‏ المنحة متوفَرة ألسَر تحصل 

على دخل أعلى مما قد تعتقد.‏ 

كل ما عليك هو استكمال االستماَرة المجانية للحصول على المعونة 

الفيدَرالية للطالب )FAFSA( لتقديم الطلب!‏ 

Keeping teeth healthy early on is important 

to good oral health down the road. Dental 

sealants are a great way to help protect teeth 

from decay. This clear coating is effective 

in young children when their permanent 

molars appear. 

A TTORNEYS & C O UNSELORS AT LAW 

Delta Dental of Michigan 


FEATURE 

The concept of a “global village” 

has increasingly become 

a reality, reflected in various 

international collaborations. In this 

context, Sterling Heights, Michigan, 

and Ankawa-Erbil, Iraq, are planning 

a long-lasting and mutually beneficial 

sister city relationship. This partnership 

aims to offer citizens of both cities 

enriching international and multicultural 

experiences while broadening 

their horizons. 

What is a Sister City? 

Sister cities, also known as twin cities, 

twin towns, or partner cities, are 

urban centers that establish a partnership 

over time. While there are no 

formal criteria for these relationships, 

twin cities are generally comparable in 

status, size, and population diversity. 

The primary goal is to promote cultural 

exchange and human contact. 

Sister cities are cities or towns in different 

countries that collaborate to enhance 

cultural links and human interactions. 

In Europe, these partnerships are 

termed twin towns, while other regions 

use terms like friendship towns or partner 

towns. In North America, the term 

“sister cities” is commonly used. The relationship 

is formalized when the highest 

elected or appointed officials from 

both communities sign an agreement. 

Each sister city organization operates 

independently, pursuing activities 

that are significant to their 

community, including municipal, 

business, trade, educational, and cultural 

exchanges. The concept extends 

to various forms of collaboration, from 

symbolic gestures to meaningful economic 

and cultural partnerships. 

Sister Cities 

Sterling Heights and Ankawa 

agreement is official 

History 

The tradition of town twinning dates 

back to the 9th century when Paderborn, 

Germany, formalized a friendship 

with Le Mans, France. In 1931, Toledo, 

Ohio, became one of the first U.S. cities 

to establish such a relationship, pairing 

with its namesake in Spain. If you 

travel to that historic Spanish city today, 

you’ll find a street called Calle Toledo 

de Ohio just a stone’s throw from 

its iconic 16th-century palace, the Alcazar. 

Over time, many cities have formed 

similar partnerships for reasons ranging 

from shared interests to publicity. 

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower 

launched the Sister City International 

initiative during a White House 

summit on citizen diplomacy. That 

year, Paris and Rome signed their twinning 

pact. Twin cities often have long, 

fruitful ties, though some may also establish 

“friendship city” links as a secondary 

form of partnership. 

Background 

The Chaldean Community Foundation 

(CCF) has facilitated a sister city 

relationship between Sterling Heights 

and Ankawa, Erbil, Iraq. Sterling 

Heights hosts the largest Iraqi-Chaldean 

community outside Iraq, while 

Ankawa-Erbil is known for its significant 

Chaldean population. 

Sterling Heights and Ankawa share 

common characteristics, including 

substantial Chaldean populations. 

A ceremonial signing with Ankawa’s 

Mayor Ramy Noori Awdish and Sterling 

Heights Mayor Michael Taylor 

took place on Friday, September 13 

at the Chaldean Community Foundation. 

This partnership is expected to 

enhance mutual understanding and 

benefit both communities socially and 

economically. 

Ankawa-Erbil 

Ankawa is a suburb of Erbil in the Kurdistan 

Region of Iraq, located 8 kilometers 

northwest of downtown Erbil. The area 

is predominantly Chaldean, with 90% 

BY ADHID MIRI, PH.D. 

of its residents identifying as Christians. 

After the fall of Mosul, many Christians 

who had been displaced came to Ankawa 

where the Chaldean Catholic Church 

and other international organizations 

provided them with support. 

Ankawa has experienced rapid development 

in recent years, including 

advancements in education and technology. 

In 2021, Ankawa gained administrative 

autonomy, allowing it to elect 

its mayor and manage local security. 

Tourism in Ankawa has increased, 

with many visitors coming from Baghdad 

and other cities. The suburb has 

also seen significant construction and 

development, including international 

schools and restaurants. The American 

consulate is nearby, and Ankawa has 

provided support to displaced Christians 

following the fall of Mosul. 

Historic Initiative 

The CCF, Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce (CACC), and Sterling 

Heights Mayor Michael Taylor have 

been working on establishing a sister 

city agreement with Ankawa. This 

partnership aims to enhance cultural 

and economic ties between the two 

communities. 

Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor 

emphasized the significance of this 

agreement, noting that it represents 

more than just a symbolic gesture. The 

city council unanimously adopted a 

resolution to establish the sister city initiative, 

following months of discussions 

with Ankawa representatives. Since 

a delegation from Ankawa came for a 

visit and to sign the partnership agreement, 

there is potential for reciprocal 

visits to foster deeper connections. “In 

turn, I hope at some point we can send a 

delegation from Sterling Heights to Ankawa 

to learn more about their city, its 

residents, and its business community, 

firsthand,” stated Mayor Taylor. 

Potential Areas of Collaboration 

Economic Relationship: The agreement 

aims to create meaningful economic 

ties between the cities, potentially 

impacting both communities. 


and CACC: The partnership seeks to 

demonstrate the positive impact of the 

Chaldean community and support Iraqi 

diaspora efforts. 

Training Exchanges and Networking 

Programs: Initiatives will focus on 

workforce training and entrepreneurial 

support, leveraging the Chaldean- 

American business community. 

Public Relations and Tourism: Efforts 

will address tourism challenges in 

Ankawa and promote the region’s cultural 

and historical significance. 

Agriculture and Water: Collaboration 

may involve agricultural leaders 

and water management experts to support 

sustainable solutions. 

Education: Partnerships with local 

universities and the Catholic University 

of Erbil (CUE) aim to create transformative 

educational opportunities. 

Health Sector: Potential exchanges 

with health professionals and facilities 

will enhance healthcare services. 

Volunteer Programs: The sister city 

concept will support people-to-people 

exchanges and local volunteer efforts 

to foster mutual understanding. 

Impact 

The sister city partnership between 

Sterling Heights and Ankawa presents 

an opportunity to support a significant 

region and strengthen ties within 

these communities. The initiative aims 

to serve as a model for exchanging 

knowledge and best practices in citizen 

diplomacy. 

REFERENCES: WIKIPEDIA, THE MACOMB DAILY, CITY 

OF STERLING HEIGHTS WEBSITE. 



A Reflection of Time and Culture 

20 years of October cover stories 


Appropriately, the first October 

CN cover in 2004 featured 

the U.S. presidential election 

and the choice between Al Gore and 

George Bush. The title was “The Next 

Four Years.” Now here we are on the 

cusp of a new presidential election, 

one which both sides argue is the battle 

for democracy—although who will 

be responsible for the end of our “free 

and fair elections” differs depending 

on which side of the line you are on. 

In 2005, the focus shifted to Iraq 

and the pivotal roles played by four 

men in that political arena: former 

Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, 

USAID’s Andrew Natsios, US Rep. Joe 

Knollenberg, and Iraq’s transitional 

government Minister of Planning, 

Barham Saleh. This cover not only 

highlighted the complexities of international 

politics but also underscored 

the interconnectedness of American 

and Iraqi destinies during a tumultuous 

time. 

The cover story in 2006 was “A Festive 

Time,” capturing the vibrant Chaldean 

Festival in Southfield. This annual 

event drew thousands of revelers, 

celebrating Chaldean culture through 

food, music, and dance. It served as 

a reminder of the rich traditions that 

thrive even amid challenges, showcasing 

the resilience and joy of the Chaldean 

community in America. 

In 2007, CN ventured “Into the 

Woods” to cover the story of the Chaldean 

Catholic Church’s acquisition of 

Camp Brighton, now affectionately 

known as Our Lady of the Fields or 

“Camp Chaldean.” This cover reflected 

not just a physical transformation of 

space but the spiritual and communal 

rebirth that comes with such a significant 

undertaking. 

The political landscape returned 

in 2008 with the cover titled “Left or 

Right?” focusing on the intense battle 

between Obama and McCain during 

the U.S. presidential elections. This 

edition captured the division and fervor 

of the electorate, highlighting how 

these pivotal moments shape both national 

and community identities. 

In 2009, “Kicking Cancer” showcased 

the inspiring journey of Nuri 

Salmu, emphasizing the importance 

of early detection for prostate cancer. 

This shift toward health awareness 

marked a significant evolution in the 

topics covered, highlighting personal 

stories and the power of community in 

addressing critical issues. 

2010’s cover, “Michigan Chooses,” 

guided readers through the gubernatorial 

race between Rick Snyder and Virg 

Bernero, helping them navigate the 

complex political landscape and make 

informed choices during a crucial election 

year. 

“Pilgrim’s Pride” in 2011 chronicled 

life-changing journeys, blending 

personal narratives with the broader 

themes of migration and identity. This 

edition resonated deeply with readers 

who shared similar experiences of 

seeking better lives for themselves and 

their families. 

The 2012 cover revisited the presidential 

race, with “The 2012 Choice: 

Obama vs. Romney.” It reflected ongoing 

debates about identity and policy 

within the Chaldean community, mirroring 

national conversations about 

governance and representation. 

In 2013, we turned our attention to 

local politics with “A Crucial Election: 

Benny Napoleon vs. Mike Duggan” in 

the Detroit mayoral race. This cover 

illustrated the stakes of leadership 

within a city undergoing significant 

transformation and the implications 

for its residents. 

2014 took a more personal turn 

with “Spicy Sensation,” focusing on 

Samira Cholagh’s successful YouTube 

channel. This feature celebrated the 

intersection of tradition and modernity, 

as Cholagh shared Chaldean 

recipes and culture with a global audience, 

reinforcing the power of digital 

platforms in cultural preservation. 

2015 sparked discussions with “Debating 

the Mosque,” where passions 

flared over a proposed mosque in Sterling 

Heights. This edition captured the 

nuanced dialogues about faith, community, 

and the challenges of coexisting 

in a diverse society. 

In 2016, “Saving the Language of 

Jesus” explored efforts to preserve 

Aramaic, emphasizing cultural heritage 

and the importance of language 

in maintaining identity. 

2017’s cover, “The Ink Print on De- 


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troit,” highlighted Steven Mansour’s 

work with Ink Detroit, showcasing 

how art can foster community connections 

and preserve stories that might 

otherwise be lost. 

“A Tahini Tradition” in 2018 centered 

on the Ayar family, celebrating 

their culinary contributions and the 

way food acts as a bridge between generations, 

connecting the past with the 

present. 

In 2019, “Fighting to Heal” featured 

Wael “Bull” Aboud’s inspiring battle 

with Parkinson’s disease, emphasizing 

resilience and the importance of 

support networks in facing health 

challenges. 

2020 made history with “Making 

History: Hala Jarbou,” who became 

the first Chaldean judge on the federal 

bench. This cover highlighted progress 

and representation in the judiciary, 

marking a significant milestone for the 

community. 

In 2021, “We Are What We Wear” 

showcased traditional Iraqi village 

costumes, emphasizing cultural pride 

and the importance of heritage in a 

rapidly changing world. 

The 2022 cover, “The Cross in the 

Woods,” captured the spirit of an annual 

pilgrimage, highlighting the enduring 

significance of faith and tradition 

in the lives of Chaldeans. 

Finally, in 2023, “Verdict in Iraq” 

examined the implications of an alcohol 

ban in Iraq, illustrating how such 

policies impact minority communities. 

This cover reminded readers of the 

ongoing struggles faced by Chaldeans 

and other minorities in their homeland. 

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As we look back at these October 

covers, they not only chronicle the 

changing tides of politics, culture, and 

community but also reflect the enduring 

spirit of the Chaldean people. Each 

edition serves as a snapshot of a moment 

in time, weaving together stories 

of resilience, identity, and the quest 

for understanding in an ever-evolving 

world. 


FAMILY TIME 

Halloween in 2024 

How are celebrations different in our community now? 

BY JENNA ABROO 

Halloween is a tradition that 

has been celebrated by children 

across the United States 

for many years. The origins of the holiday 

can be traced back to the ancient 

Celtic celebration of Samhain, where 

people would light bonfires and dress 

themselves in costumes to ward off 

spirits. Eventually, the holiday became 

fused with early Christian traditions 

when Pope Gregory III declared November 

1 as All Saints Day, to honor all 

Saints that have passed on to heaven. 

In modern times, we now celebrate 

with seasonal activities like bobbing 

for apples, carving jack-o-lanterns, 

and children dressing up in costumes 

and trick or treating in their neighborhood 

for something sweet. 

As someone who grew up in the 

2000s, Halloween was the most exciting 

day of the year. We would attend school 

dressed in our most exciting costumes, 

spend all day in class celebrating with 

a party and passing out candy to our 

classmates, and conclude the school 

day with a parade around the neighborhood. 

When we went home, we went 

back out to scour our neighborhood for 

more candy until well past dark. 

I recall Halloween as one of the 

most fun and sentimental parts of my 

childhood. In recent years, Halloween 

celebrations here in the United States 

are vastly different from how they were 

celebrated just 10 or 20 years ago. Many 

parents nowadays have additional concerns 

when it comes to how the holiday 

is celebrated by their children. With the 

rise of fears like young children being 

outside after dark, contaminated candy, 

and overall safety/wellbeing, many 

families have found other alternatives 

in their communities. 

One of the most common alternatives 

has become “trunk-or-treat,” the 

new staple when it comes to celebrating 

Halloween. Originally started as a practice 

at local churches in the late 1990s, 

the idea grew from there. Now we see 

trunk-or-treats at religious organizations, 

schools, youth centers, and even 

2022 Trunk or Treat event hosted by the Chaldean Community Foundation. 

local places of business. Many parents 

feel more comfortable with the controlled 

environment; their kids are in a 

smaller contained area, and they typically 

conclude before it gets dark out. 

I work for a public school district 

here in metro Detroit, and quite a few 

of our elementary schools do annual 

trunk-or-treats. Last year I volunteered 

for a handful of events, and the majority 

of parents enthusiastically expressed 

that they were relieved that 

their children could experience Halloween 

fun without having to worry 

about them being out on Halloween 

night. Many parents mentioned that 

their children enjoyed going to multiple 

trunk-or-treats leading up to Halloween, 

and they did not feel the need 

to go out as much or for as long when 

Halloween rolled around. 

They were also able to spend more 

time with their peers, and parents had 

the opportunity to socialize with other 

parents in the community, creating 

more developed relationships with 

students’ families and their peers. 

Many times, the holiday falls on a 

school night, and parents do not feel 

comfortable with their children being 

out so late when they have school the 

next morning, especially with the risk 

of reckless drivers out on the roads 

and in suburban neighborhoods. An 

enclosed environment is a win-win 

for the children and their parents all 

around the different communities. 

Attending an event at a school or 

religious organization is a more secure 

option for many families, and parents 

can also more closely monitor to make 

sure that the treats their children are receiving 

aren’t contaminated. My neighborhood 

consists of a decent number 

of Chaldean families; some with young 

children and others with adult children 

who are similar in age to myself. I asked 

how many of them celebrated the holiday 

with their children, in past times 

compared to now in the present. 

Parents with older children have 

expressed that this is simply a different 

time we are living in, and there is 

no such thing as being “too careful” 

when it comes to your children’s safety. 

Although their rules for their kids regarding 

Halloween were not as strict 

back then, things would be different 

now. The younger parents had mentioned 

that they took a more cautious 

approach to celebrating the holiday, 

and that alone gave them more peace of 

mind and actual quality time with their 

children during these celebrations. 

The mother of an old childhood 

friend of mine that still resides in our 

neighborhood said that the transition 

of traditions does not surprise her with 

the new generation of families. “Kids 

who are used to trick-or-treating in 

PHOTO COURTESY OF CCF STAFF 

their neighborhoods are adults now, 

and many young children simply do 

not know the difference,” she said. 

“This is their new normal. I have not 

put any candy out for trick-or-treaters 

in years.” This trend of more reserved 

celebrations has really taken hold. 

Looking back at the recent years 

in my own neighborhood, the decline 

of trick-or-treaters out on Halloween 

reflects the testimony of these parents 

and families. Over the last 10 years or 

so, the number of trick-or-treaters has 

dwindled to almost none. It only makes 

sense after speaking with parents and 

hearing their perspective on celebrating 

in a safer and more family friendly 

way. Local community events can easily 

cater to parents’ growing concerns 

over their children’s safety, especially 

in Chaldean community where we are 

all remarkably close knit and often involved 

in many local church events. 

While some hold nostalgia for 

traditional trick-or-treating, the assurance 

of our children’s wellbeing 

is worth turning to new traditions. 

Many local elementary schools have 

also shifted their focus to only having 

smaller parties during the school day 

and maybe a parade after school, to 

focus more on family-oriented events. 

This ensures students’ wellbeing 

while they are at school and in their 

home neighborhoods. The childhood 

art of walking all around town searching 

for the house that gave out the 

most popular treats, or the king-sized 

candy bars, is simply a thing of the 

past. Considering the dangers of child 

abduction, parents have the right to 

be concerned. Keeping their celebrations 

community-based drastically 

reduces the chances of an encounter 

with something or someone that puts 

a child’s wellbeing at risk. 

The main consensus is that we 

are now adapting to the times that we 

live in. While trick-or- treating houseto-house 

may not be the main part of 

celebrating this fun and festive holiday, 

it does not mean that there aren’t 

alternatives. For families who have 

children interested in celebrating in a 

safer environment, look to your local 

schools, youth organizations, churches 

and local or family-owned businesses 

for seasonal events. No matter how 

you choose to celebrate, Halloween 

and autumnal fun can be had by all 

families in our communities! 


HIRING 

WE ARE 

Do you possess a passion for bettering the lives of others? 

Join our ever expanding team! 

Case Worker 

Early Childhood Development Instructor 

Early Childhood Development Aide 

Immigration Coordinator 

Security Guard 

Advocacy 

Acculturation 

Community Development 

Cultural Preservation 

For More Information 

HR@chaldeanfoundation.org 

586-722-7253 

www.chaldeanfoundation.org/careers 


PERSONAL HISTORY 

From Baghdad to Big Law 

An Immigrant’s Journey 

BY FADY YATOOMA 

I 

was born in December 2000, in Al 

Ghazaliya, a small neighborhood 

in Baghdad, only 15 miles away 

from the infamous Abu Ghraib prison 

complex where the U.S. Army and the 

CIA committed torture and other human 

rights abuses against prisoners. 

One of my earliest memories from 

those days is the execution of Saddam 

Hussein. Being only five, I did not 

comprehend the event’s 

gravity nor implications 

for the country, but I remember 

turning to my 

dad and asking, “Why 

is this happening to our 

country?” That moment 

marked the first of many 

times I would ask this 

question. 

Following Saddam’s 

execution, Baghdad degenerated 

into absolute 

hell on earth, becoming 

the most dangerous city 

in the world and spurring 

a mass exodus among 

Chaldeans, including my 

extended family and sister. 

Al Ghazaliya became 

an epicenter of the insurgency against 

the U.S. military and a battlefield for 

the sectarian war between Sunnis and 

Shiites that slowly engulfed Iraq. 

The escalating violence forced my 

mother to wear a hijab when taking me 

to school, but soon even that wasn’t 

enough—our neighbor had to join us, 

often covering our eyes to shield us 

from the sight of corpses abandoned 

next to garbage on the roadside. I later 

discovered that anyone attempting to 

bury the dead would be targeted and 

deemed a sympathizer by the perpetrating 

militia. As Sunni militias forced 

nearly every Chaldean and Shiite from 

their homes, my family preemptively 

relocated before a death threat could 

be issued against us. 

In 2008, my family relocated to 

Palestine Street, a Shia-majority 

neighborhood where my late grandfather 

lived and owned a house. Despite 

Baghdad’s instability and dangers, 

my dad continued operating his autoparts 

shop in a Sunni neighborhood. 

His goal was to stay in Iraq absent a 

direct threat to our lives. 

In 2010, the Islamic State of Iraq 

(ISI) began targeting Chaldeans, 

bombing churches (including Sayedat 

al-Najat), and massacring dozens of 

worshippers. Two weeks later, my family 

fled to Lebanon and sought asylum 

via the United Nations (UN). 

Refugees in Lebanon 

In my second month of fifth grade, we 

arrived in Lebanon. Having already 

transferred schools twice in Baghdad 

for safety, Central College of Jounieh 

(CCJ) became my third elementary 

school that year. Unlike my transfers 

in Baghdad, this move was accompanied 

by serious cultural, academic, 

and social challenges that changed my 

priorities and worldview. 

First, the Lebanese education system 

offers most subjects in either English 

or French, and Arabic is reserved 

for only a few courses. Choosing to 

learn STEM courses in English still required 

learning French as a third language. 

At the time, I only knew Modern 

Standard Arabic (MSA) and the 

Iraqi dialect. As a fifth-grade refugee, I 

was expected to learn English, French, 

and the Lebanese dialect overnight to 

have a chance at passing my classes. 

The first few weeks at school were 

humiliating and debilitating. I was the 

worst student in my class for the first 

time, my classmates mocked the way 

I spoke, and my only friend was another 

Iraqi student. Every day, I told 

my parents I wanted to give up. I could 

not understand any class materials or 

adapt to Lebanese culture. But I was so 

fortunate that my parents believed in 

me more than I did in myself. They invested 

their scarce resources in private 

tutoring and soccer training to keep 

me motivated. 

By sixth grade, I joined the school’s 

soccer team, made new friends, and 

significantly improved my GPA. I had 

renewed confidence, and by the end 

of my time in Lebanon, I was among 

the top five students in my class, had 

many friends, and had won over 10 

soccer tournaments. After 32 months 

there, we were granted asylum and 

prepared to start over in Michigan. 

Academic Journey in the US 

In the summer of 2013, my family was 

reunited in Michigan. At first, I struggled 

to adapt to the culture, but soon 

after, I performed well academically 

and quickly developed strong connections 

within the Chaldean community. 

Throughout these experiences, the 

question I asked my dad when I was 

five still lingered in my mind, and witnessing 

the political and economic systems 

of Iraq, Lebanon, and the United 

States drove my search for answers. 

Learning about the structure and 

founding ideals of the American political 

system in high school convinced 

me that America’s political and legal 

systems are the key to the country’s 

success. This epiphany inspired me to 

closely follow domestic and international 

news, hoping to vindicate my 

hypothesis. I became passionate about 

U.S. politics and media and wanted to 

From left: Fady Yatooma; Fady’s father’s auto parts shop. If you look closely at the walls, you’ll notice dozens of bullet holes. These 

are mostly from bullets fired by the US Army at nearby targets between 2003 and 2010. 

follow in the footsteps of successful 

figures in this realm by attending a 

top-tier law school. 

Upon graduating high school, I attended 

Oakland University (OU) and 

earned a B.S. in public policy and administration, 

maintaining a 3.99 GPA. 

To have a real chance at Harvard, Yale, 

or Stanford, the top three law schools 

in the country, I knew I had to excel on 

the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), 

despite my history of poor standardized 

test performance. I believed the 

LSAT was the primary barrier keeping 

me from a successful legal/political 

career, so I dedicated myself fully to 

scoring well enough to get into one of 

the top law schools. 

Although I received encouragement 

and support, many advised me to “keep 

my goals realistic” because top schools 

rarely accept those with my back- 


Re-Elect 

A compassionate and responsible steward 

of Oakland County resources 

Sayidat al-Najat Church 

ground. I always responded, “There 

may not be anyone there with my background, 

but it’s because they have not 

tried hard enough.” After three months 

of LSAT preparation, I scored 166 out of 

180 (91st percentile) on my first LSAT 

attempt. It was my best standardized 

score but still below the medians of 

Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. 

Confident in my ability to improve, 

I decided to master every concept before 

retaking the exam. To integrate 

LSAT concepts into my daily life, I 

founded LSAT Mastery, LLC, offering 

affordable tutoring services and 

courses. I taught the LSAT and worked 

on my weaknesses for over a year before 

retaking the exam in October 2021, 

scoring a 179 out of 180 (99th percentile). 

This result transformed my life, 

my family’s life, and inspired many 

young Chaldeans to maximize their 

academic potential. 

A year later, I was admitted to Yale 

Law School, the top law school for the 

past three decades. The moment I had 

dreamt of and lost much sleep over 

finally became a reality. I certainly 

could not have done it without everyone’s 

support. I quickly accepted the 

offer and began planning my legal career, 

navigating the process with little 

guidance. Today, I have completed my 

first year at Yale Law and am currently 

interning at Latham & Watkins as a 

summer associate. 

Every single day, with no exceptions, 

I walk into a building at Yale or 

Latham and wonder: “How did I end 

up here from Baghdad?” 

Lasatlgmastery.com offers free 

resources including LSAT lectures 

on YouTube, a digital library, LSAT 

courses, and consultation on applying 

for the LSAT. There is also a Facebook 

group with over 4,000 members. 

RE-ELECT ROBERT WITTENBERG FOR 

OAKLAND COUNTY TREASURER 2024 

VOTE ON OR BY NOV 5 TH 

RobertWittenberg.com 


REVIEW 

In the Land of Ninkasi 

A History of Beer in Ancient Mesopotamia 

BY WEAM NAMOU 

“ 

The people of ancient Mesopotamia 

knew how to appreciate 

a good beer,” writes 

Tate Paulette in his book, In the Land 

of Ninkasi: A History of Beer in Ancient 

Mesopotamia (Oxford University Press). 

Paulette, an archaeologist and Associate 

Professor at North Carolina 

State University, has conducted extensive 

fieldwork across several countries, 

including Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, 

Cyprus, Scotland, and the United 

States. But what exactly led him to 

write a book on the history of beer in 

ancient Mesopotamia? 

“I came to the topic by way of a 

collaborative effort to recreate ancient 

Mesopotamian beer using authentic 

ingredients, equipment, and brewing 

processes,” he said. At the time, he 

was working on a dissertation about 

grain storage and, more broadly, about 

the politics of food in Early Bronze Age 

(3000–2000 BC) Mesopotamia. 

Along with a fellow grad student, 

Mike Fisher, they had just made some 

tentative steps toward exploring the 

topic of beer on their own when they 

heard about this experimental brewing 

project bringing together brewers 

from Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland 

and a group of scholars from 

the Institute for the Study of Ancient 

Cultures (then known as the Oriental 

Institute) at the University of Chicago. 

“We signed on enthusiastically 

and ended up serving as the primary 

go-betweens, linking up the two teams 

throughout a multiyear process of experimentation,” 

he said. 

The resulting book highlights beer’s 

centrality in Mesopotamian culture, illustrating 

its role in social gatherings, 

religious rituals, and even the Epic of 

Gilgamesh. For instance, in the story, 

Paulette notes, “Before he can travel to 

Uruk and confront Gilgamesh, the wild 

man Enkidu has to be extracted from 

the animal realm and transformed into 

a civilized human being.” As part of 

this transformation, Enkidu must learn 

to eat bread and drink beer, underscoring 

the beverage’s importance. 

Beer was consumed by people 

of all social classes—from kings and 

queens to commoners—at banquets, 

taverns, and homes. It was a crucial 

part of feasts, gift-giving ceremonies, 

and even distributed to workers and 

prisoners. Paulette states, “Beer occupied 

a key position within Mesopotamian 

culture,” further illustrating its 

widespread significance. 

“Beer was served at the elite banquets 

that appear regularly in the 

artistic record, especially during the 

Early Dynastic period,” said Paulette. 

In these artistic scenes, beer was 

consumed through straws, typically 

from a shared vessel. Most straws were 

likely made of reed, which does not 

survive well in archaeology, but some 

metal straws have been found. Small 

metal filters, used to strain solid matter 

from the beer, were attached to the 

ends of reed straws. 

One of the most substantial pieces 

of evidence for beer production is the 

Hymn to Ninkasi which describes 

the brewing process and celebrates 

Ninkasi, the goddess of beer. While 

this hymn provides valuable insights, 

Paulette says, “We should be cautious 

in placing too much weight on this 

one text,” emphasizing that a broader 

range of written records, including tax 

documents and brewing contracts, 

also contribute to our understanding. 

Identifying physical evidence of 

brewing has proven challenging, but 

excavations have uncovered probable 

breweries and taverns. Organic residue 

analysis suggests that many households 

brewed their own beer. Brewing 

equipment, especially vessels with 

holes in their bases, indicates brewing 

activities and further supports the cultural 

importance of beer. 

Clockwise from top left: Tasting event at Martha’s Bar in Philadelphia (Photo by Stephen Lyford); middle and bottom 

right: Tasting event at Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland (Photos by Tate Paulette); Adding date paste (Photo by 

Tate Paulette); bottom left and middle Replica brewing equipment (Photo by Tate Paulette); Adding bappir to initiate 

fermentation (Photo by Brian Zimerle). 


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Recently published, the book tells the story of 

the world’s first great beer culture. 

The significance of Ninkasi in Mesopotamian 

religion is also explored. Although 

evidence of her worship is limited, 

she frequently appears in literature 

as the quintessential brewer. Paulette 

explains, “Beyond the Hymn to Ninkasi, 

we only have limited evidence for 

the worship of Ninkasi,” highlighting 

her role in the cultural narrative. 

Paulette details the brewing process, 

noting that ancient brewers primarily 

used malted barley along with 

other grains, but did not use hops. 

The exact ingredients and brewing 

techniques remain subjects of debate 

among scholars. He adds, “We can certainly 

see both similarities and differences” 

when comparing ancient methods 

to modern practices. 

Beer played an essential role in social 

interactions, from elite banquets to 

everyday gatherings. One notable feast, 

called “the pouring of beer,” reflects its 

importance in rituals and communal 

events. The palace and temple institutions 

maintained their breweries, while 

taverns served as commercial establishments 

selling beer. 

Both men and women participated 

in brewing, but the profession was 

predominantly male. Paulette notes, 

“the profession seems to have been 

primarily occupied by men,” although 

women were more often involved in 

homebrewing and tavern-keeping. He 

suggests parallels with later brewing 

histories, such as in England, 

where the industry 

transitioned from femaledominated 

household 

brewing to a male-dominated 

commercial industry. 

As for the beer culture’s 

evolution, Paulette points 

out that significant changes 

occurred during the first millennium 

BCE when the terms 

for “beer” began to encompass 

date wine as well. 

The book does not address 

what happened to the 

beer culture in the region 

over time, particularly with 

the rise of different political 

or cultural influences. The 

Persian conquest during 

the Achaemenid Empire (c. 

550–330 BCE) introduced 

competition from wine, 

which became favored in 

Persian society. Nevertheless, 

beer remained popular 

among the lower classes. 

The Hellenistic Period (c. 331–141 

BCE) saw Greek cultural influences 

alter brewing methods, further diminishing 

beer’s status as it became associated 

with lower classes compared 

to the elite preference for wine. This 

trend continued into the Roman Period, 

where wine solidified its dominance. 

The Islamic conquest in the 7th 

century CE brought about a significant 

decline in beer production and consumption 

due to prohibitions against 

alcohol. However, during this time, 

Christians were allowed to sell beer, 

becoming the primary vendors in a 

predominantly abstinent society. While 

beer traditions persisted in some areas, 

they often remained covert due to prevailing 

cultural restrictions. 

In the Land of Ninkasi not only 

highlights the significance of beer in 

everyday life but also details the enduring 

legacy of Ninkasi, the goddess who 

“satisfies the heart.” With its exploration 

of brewing methods and cultural 

practices, the book invites readers to 

appreciate the complexities of ancient 

Mesopotamian society and its relationship 

with this beloved beverage. 

“In my book,” says Paulette, “I borrow 

a line from this text, as translated by 

Miguel Civil, and propose that we bring 

this line back to life as a toast: ‘May 

Ninkasi live together with you!’” 

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ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE 

A Toast to Growth 

Making An Iconic Investment Work: Frankenmuth Brewery 

BY PAUL NATINSKY 

Sarafa brothers Anmar (left) and Haithem toast their brewery venture. 

Two teetotaling, longtime investment 

bankers transformed and 

revitalized an age-old brewery 

in an iconic Michigan town. 

Anmar and Haithem Sarafa, of 

Steward Capital Management, found 

themselves in a position to buy Frankenmuth 

Brewery in the midst of the 

2008 financial crisis. When things 

went south for a client trying to buy 

the 19th century brewery, an opportunity 

presented itself. 

“I’m going to call this the accidental 

brewery purchase,” said Haithem. 

“Clients of ours asked us to negotiate 

the brewery purchase. Which we 

did. And after we acquired it for them, 

they came in to us and said we’re getting 

a divorce and are no longer interested 

in getting the brewery. 

“So after we purchased this for 

them we had to decide what to do with 

it. The first thing we did was try to sell 

it as it was. That didn’t work so Anmar 

said what do we have to do to maximize 

the investment, and I said, what 

the heck, we have to open it. So that’s 

what we did.” 

They thought about flipping the 

real estate, “but at that point in time 

nobody had any cash, nobody was going 

to get financing. It was a difficult 

market with real estate,” said Anmar. 

The pair decided to take a chance because 

the price was significantly less 

than what was paid to build it after a 

tornado wiped out the original building 

a few years earlier. 

Anmar insists the property is strictly 

an investment and not a passion 

project. Neither he nor Haithem drink 

alcohol or have any connection to the 

town. 

Haithem has hospitality experience 

as the former president of Domino’s 

Farms and handles operations for 

the brewery, including hiring personnel 

and managing the facility. Anmar 

oversees the financials and manages 

the property as a portfolio component. 

Although they are not beer drinkers, 

Anmar and Haithem are committed 

to making any project with which 

they are involved first rate. The Dunkel, 

Hefeweizen and other varieties of 

beer, wine and spirits the brewery produces 

are first rate, says Anmar. 

While great care is taken with the 

brewery’s libations, it’s the location 

and banquet facility that make the 

investment work. Anmar says Frankenmuth 

can’t compete on volume or 

for shelf space with ever enlarging and 

consolidating craft brewers and competing 

products such as hard seltzer. 

“If you walk in any grocery store…it’s 

an assault to the senses.” 

The last two or three years Anmar 

PHOTOS COURTESY DABISH FAMILY 

and Haithem have focused a lot of 

their resources in the on-premise business 

in Frankenmuth. 

“Why are we going to chase people 

around the state when they’re coming 

to us in Frankenmuth? We just have to 

push them up the hill and show them 

the brewery is there,” said Haithem. 

“So, we’ve invested in the banquet 

facility, we’ve renovated it. We’ve invested 

in social media. We hired a 

digital content manager to handle our 

social media marketing. We are renovating 

the kitchen. 

We enclosed our patio to make it 

all-year-round.” 

Haithem said he was used to going 

to places like Roma in Southfield 

and later Shenandoah when he was 

growing up and felt they could turn 

the brewery into that kind of place in 

Frankenmuth. “We could give people 

something a little fancier than a chicken 

dinner.” 

They invested heavily in the lower 

level to host weddings and other banquet 

events and answer a shortage in 

banquet facilities in the town. 

“We can host events for up to 275 

people, not big enough for a Chaldean 

wedding but certainly for Frankenmuth,” 

said Anmar. 

“Hospitality is born in both Anmar 

and I. We worked in the store business 

for a while and just like anyone else 

who’s Chaldean we want to take care 

of our customers, whoever they are 

and that’s what we try to do with the 

brewery,” added Haithem. 

So all the pieces are in place, but 

success remains an uphill climb. “It’s 

been a rollercoaster, a challenging 

business for many reasons,” said Anmar. 

“One of the primary challenges 

we have is trying to operate in essence 

a wholesale manufacturing business 

with a restaurant with a banquet facility. 

It stresses the building out a bit.” 

Still, the investors plan to stay the 

course. 

“Over the last seven, eight years it 

wasn’t investing in the brewery with 

the intention of selling it, it was investing 

in the brewery with the intention 

of improving our product, improving 

the guest experience for the customers,” 

says Anmar. 

“I’m not looking to exit the brewery 

today,” he says. He wants to hear, 

“’Hey, Anmar, I ate at your brewery 

and it was great, the food was delicious.’ 

That’s why we do it.” 

Anmar says he has done some research 

that reveals the existence of 

beer drinkers 6,000 years ago in the 

town of Tepe Gawra in northern Iraq. 

Maybe there is a little passion in 

this investment. 


AYDA SAGMAN 

Administrative Support 

MARYANA SHABO 

Behavioral Health Therapist 

SOUZAN VANLERBERG 


MARIAM ABDALLA 


JACKIE RAXTER 

Behavioral Health Program Manager 

Therapy can be a big step toward being the 

healthiest version of yourself and living the best 

life possible — our licensed, professional therapists 

are here for you to access. Through therapy, you 

can change self-destructive behaviors and habits, 

resolve painful feelings, improve your relationships, 

and share your feelings and experiences. Individuals 

often seek therapy for help with issues that may be 

hard to face alone. 

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY: The CCF and Project Light is 

committed to your privacy and confidentiality and are sensitive to 

the stigma and stress that come with seeking mental health support. 

Therefore, all counseling records are kept strictly confidential. 

Information is not shared without client’s written consent. Exceptions 

to confidentiality are rare and include persons who threaten safety of 

themselves others or in circumstances of a court order. 

In therapy your therapist will help you to establish 

person centered goals and determine the steps you 

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healthy change to improve quality of life — no 

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We invite you seek out the Light of Project Light! 

Serving individuals ages 13 years and up. Please call 

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3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48310 


CULTURE & HISTORY 

Shako Mako 

The unique flavor of Iraqi colloquial dialect 

BY ADHID MIRI, PHD 

Part I 

The Iraqi dialect, rich and diverse, 

embodies a linguistic 

heritage that stretches back to 

the early days of Mesopotamian civilization. 

This dialect, with its unique 

vocabulary and expressions, reflects 

centuries of cultural and linguistic 

evolution. Despite the influence of 

classical Arabic in official and media 

contexts, the Iraqi dialect remains a 

vibrant testament to the country’s historical 

and social complexity. 

The roots of many Iraqi colloquial 

terms can be traced back to ancient 

civilizations, including Sumerian, Akkadian, 

Babylonian, Aramaic, and 

Assyrian cultures. These civilizations 

have left a lasting imprint on the Iraqi 

language, contributing to a linguistic 

tapestry that is both historical and 

contemporary. However, the origins of 

many colloquial words are often overlooked 

by researchers, primarily due 

to the challenge of studying the dialect 

in depth and understanding the interplay 

of various ancient languages. 

Languages evolve in response to 

cultural, social, economic, and political 

changes. The Iraqi dialect exemplifies 

this evolution, having absorbed elements 

from Turkish, Persian, English, 

and other languages. This integration 

reflects Iraq’s historical position as a 

crossroads of civilizations. 

used to express sorrow or distress. It 

originates from the Aramaic phrase Ah 

Eli (“Oh God”). The Aramaic influence 

reflects the deep historical roots of 

the Iraqi dialect, linking it to religious 

and cultural expressions from ancient 

times. AH (Sanskrit) is used to express 

understanding, pleasure, pain, surprise, 

or the fact that you have noticed 

something: “Ah, I see.” Eli is an Old 

Testament Aramaic word, a biblical 

male name that means high, elevated. 

“Ah Eli” were the last few words 

An intriguing 

example of this 

linguistic heritage 

is the term 

“Shako Mako.” 

This Akkadian 

expression 

is used 

colloquially 

to inquire about 

recent news 

or developments 

in someone’s life. 

said by the Lord Christ when He was 

hung on the cross. He looked up in 

the ninth hour and said, “Abba Eli Eli 

Lamma Shbachtani – which means 

“My Father and My God, why have you 

forsaken me?” Psalm 22:1. 

Regional Dialects and 

Their Distinctions 

The diversity of Iraq’s geography and 

population contributes to a rich variety 

of dialects. From the north to the 

south, the dialects differ significantly, 

reflecting regional influences and historical 

factors. 

The Baghdadi dialect, spoken in 

central Iraq, is known for its clarity and 

simplicity. It features unique elements 

such as the Turkish suffix -chi (originally 

Greek), used to denote professions or 

roles (e.g., Kababchi for a kebab vendor). 

This reflects the historical interactions 

between Baghdad and various 

cultures over the centuries. 

In northern Iraq, the Mosul dialect 

(or Maslawi) is distinguished by its 

pronunciation of the letter Qaf, which 

is often pronounced as G (e.g., Qullo 

instead of Gulla). This dialect has historical 

connections to the Jewish community 

in Iraq, illustrating its diverse 

linguistic influences. 

The Ambari dialect, found in 

western Iraq, combines elements of 

the Baghdadi and Bedouin dialects. 

This mixture results in a dialect rich 

in ancient Bedouin vocabulary and is 

known for its clear and light pronunciation, 

making it relatively easy for 

learners to grasp. 

SHAKO MAKO continued on page 38 

Linguistic Relics 

An intriguing example of this linguistic 

heritage is the term “Shako Mako.” 

This Akkadian expression is used colloquially 

to inquire about recent news 

or developments in someone’s life. 

Shako Mako combines the Akkadian 

words aku (meaning “what”) and maku 

(meaning “not”) with a later Arabic addition, 

SH. This amalgamation of languages 

showcases how the Iraqi dialect 

has preserved ancient terms while 

adapting them to contemporary usage. 

Another classic term is “Awaily” 

(or “Awai lakh/Ahwailakh”), a term 

These books written in Arabic highlight the colloquial use of the term “ Shako Mako.” 


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

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SHAKO MAKO continued from page 36 

In Basra, the Basrawi dialect is 

closest to the Gulf dialect, incorporating 

elements from urban, Bedouin, 

Persian, Turkish, and Indian languages. 

This dialect reflects the historical 

and cultural exchanges that have 

shaped Basra’s linguistic landscape. 

The Iraqi dialect has absorbed numerous 

words from ancient civilizations, 

including Sumerian, Akkadian, 

Babylonian, Aramaic, and Assyrian. 

These influences are evident in many 

everyday terms and expressions. 

Ancient Influences 

Words from Sumerian and Akkadian 

languages form a significant part of 

the Iraqi dialect. For instance: 

Aku Maku (Shaku Maku): An Akkadian 

term meaning “What is the latest 

news or developments?” reflects a historical 

greeting used in ancient Iraq. 

Asu: In Akkadian, this term means 

“doctor” or “knowledgeable person.” 

Agrabba: The word for “scorpion” 

in Akkadian, which is still used in 

modern Iraqi Arabic. 

Bushi (or Pushi): Refers to the veil/ 

niqab. It’s an Akkadian word that 

means “cover.” 

Bouri (or Buri): A water tap or its 

pipe. It is an old Akkadian word referring 

to the hollow reed of sedge. 

Kebab: “Kababo” in Akkadian, 

this word meaning grilled meat has 

now become part of the American language. 

Aramaic has also contributed to 

the Iraqi dialect, with words such as: 

Azza: Meaning “severe strife” or 

“great calamity,” this term reflects the 

historical depth of the language. 

Dibsho or Dashbo: Meaning “molasses” 

(or date syrup); also in Babylonian. 

Gishra: Meaning “a bridge;” 

Gashro in Akkadian. 

Masgouf: An Aramaic term for a 

skewer, used in the famous Iraqi dish 

Masgouf. 

Tanura: Meaning “hearth” in Sumerian, 

“fire, light” in Aramaic and a 

place for baking in Akkadian. 

Humor and the Culture 

The humor in the Iraqi dialect often 

highlights cultural quirks and linguistic 

peculiarities. For example, a funny 

story from the mid-1960s involves 

Chaldeans working at a Coca-Cola factory 

in Detroit. One individual looked 

Iraqi, even had an Iraqi name, but 

pretended not to be Iraqi and declined 

to socialize with fellow Iraqi workers. 

He was eventually caught out when he 

screamed “Akh, Akh, Akh!” (meaning 

“Ouch”) after injuring his hand. As the 

term is uniquely Iraqi, this revealed 

his identity. 

Understanding Iraqi culture involves 

more than just language. The 

daily life of Iraqis in the diaspora often 

reflects a strong connection to their 

heritage. For example, an Iraqi’s typical 

day in Michigan might include a 

morning routine of listening to Iraqi 

radio and enjoying a traditional breakfast, 

such as Samoon (a type of bread) 

and Gaymer (a local cheese). 

Their afternoon may involve shopping 

and socializing, doctor’s appointments, 

or visiting local Iraqi markets, 

pharmacies, and social clubs, 

where interactions with fellow Iraqis 

are common. The evening’s activities 

might include socializing at Iraqi 

clubs, playing traditional games, and 

enjoying homemade Iraqi dishes. 

At the end of an eventful night, 

one may stop and fill the gas tank at 

an Iraqi-owned gas station, by lottery 

tickets from an Iraqi liquor store, and 

then return home to say to a spouse, 

“By God, it is a tough life living in the 

USA. I am exhausted from alienation, 

boredom, and fatigue. Gone are the 

wonderful days in Iraq where ‘I used 

to live like a KING!’” 

One might say Iraq has more kings 

than any other country… 

To learn more about Iraqi culture, 

visit an Iraqi restaurant or market. 

Food is such a large part of the culture, 

along with faith and family. 

The Iraqi dialect is a living testament 

to Iraq’s rich cultural and historical heritage. 

From ancient Sumerian roots to 

contemporary influences, the dialect reflects 

a unique blend of linguistic traditions 

and modern adaptations. The next 

part of this exploration will delve deeper 

into additional Iraqi colloquial terms 

and their meanings, further illustrating 

the richness and diversity of this fascinating 

language. 

SOURCES: IRAQ NEWS NETWORK, WIKIPEDIA, DR. 

FALEH HASSAN AL-ASSADI, HISTORIAN TAHA BAQIR, 

IBRAHIM AL-SAMARRAI, HANNA AL-ABOUDI, MOAYYED 

ABDUL SATTAR, MAJID AL-KHAYAT, SHAKIR AL- 

TIMMIMI, DR. ALI ABDUL AL-WAFI, AL-MADA NEWS. 


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September 9, 2024 – January 24, 2025 

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Tuesday and Thursday: 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 

$40 REGISTRATION FEE 

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In-person classes that allow students to learn the information to pass their 

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HEALTH & WELLNESS 

Long COVID Explained 

BY DR. SAMIR JAMIL 

After a COVID-19 illness, 

no matter 

how serious, some 

patients are having lingering 

symptoms for weeks to 

months, and even years. This 

led some people to call this 

malady “long COVID.” 

Medically, it has many 

names: post-COVID-19 syndrome, 

chronic COVID syndrome, 

post- COVID-19 condition, 

and long-haul COVID, 

to mention a few. 

Anyone who gets the COVID-19 

infection can experience long COVID, 

including children. Some groups of 

people, however, for whatever reason, 

are more prone to get long COVID following 

COVID-19 infection. These include 

female patients, patients older 

than 65, patients with a pre-existing 

DR. SAMIR 

JAMIL 

SPECIAL TO 

THE CHALDEAN 

NEWS 

condition such as asthma or 

diabetes, and patients who 

are not vaccinated or have a 

more severe COVID infection. 

Researchers do not exactly 

know how COVID-19 infection 

results in long COVID, 

but they have some ideas. 

Symptoms of long COVID 

may include extreme tiredness, 

especially after activity, 

problems with memory (brain 

fog), a feeling of being lightheaded 

or dizzy, and problems 

with taste or smell. 

Other symptoms could include 

sleep problems, shortness of breath, 

chronic cough, headaches, fast or irregular 

heartbeat, and digestion problems 

such as loose stools, constipation, 

or bloating. 

The symptoms may get worse over 

time, stay the same, or improve. Most 

people with symptoms at 4 weeks of 

COVID infection recover by 12 weeks. 

Recovery is slower for those still ill at 

12 weeks. 

Some patients may have other illnesses 

that are are worsened by long 

COVID, such as migraines, lung disease, 

and many autoimmune diseases. 

Also, long COVID symptoms can show 

up weeks or months after a person 

seems to have recovered from COVID-19 

infection. It is worthwhile mentioning 

that long COVID is not contagious. 

There is no laboratory test that can 

determine if a patient’s symptoms are 

due to long COVID. A positive COVID-19 

test is not required for a long COVID diagnosis. 

The diagnosis is mostly based 

on persistence of symptoms following 

infection with COVID-19, a thorough 

physical examination with further investigations 

when needed, and exclusion of 

other possible causes of their symptoms. 

Because patients with long COVID 

can have multiple symptoms, there is 

no single treatment for the condition. 

Patients should work with their health 

care providers for the optimal management 

of their symptoms. 


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CHALDEAN 

AMERICAN 

CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY 

FOUNDATION 

CHALDEAN 

AMERICAN 

CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 

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FOUNDATION 

SANA NAVARRETTE 

DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 



CELL (248) 925-7773 

TEL (248) 851-1200 

FAX (248) 851-1348 

snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com 

www.chaldeanchamber.com 


MARIAM ABDALLA 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STACY THERAPIST BAHRI 

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES MANAGER 

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TEL: 

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

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mariam.abdalla@chaldeanfoundation.org 

stacy.bahri@chaldeanfoundation.org 



SANA NAVARRETTE 

DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 

MARYANA SHABO 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST 30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101 


CELL (248) 925-7773 

TEL (248) 851-1200 

FAX (248) 851-1348 

3601 15 Mile Road 

Sterling Heights, MI 48310 snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com 

TEL: (586) 722-7253 www.chaldeanchamber.com 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 www.chaldeanfoundation.org 

maryana.shabo@chaldeanfoundation.org 


ELIAS KATTOULA 

CAREER SERVICES MANAGER 



TEL: (586) 722-7253 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 

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SOUZAN VANLERBERG 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST 



TEL: (586) 722-7253 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 

souzan.vanlerberg@chaldeanfoundation.org 


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IN MEMORIAM 

OBITUARY 


Thamir Salim 

Shafou 

May 29, 1964 – 

Aug 26, 2024 

Sami Shlimoon 

Talo 

Jan 7, 1962 – 


Dalida Wahid 

Mansor Al 

Zeebaree 

Apr 29, 1990 – 


George Tawfik 

Demian 

Sep 1, 1935 – 


Sabah Yousif 

Hana Kanno 

Dec 5, 1943 – 


Inaam Addoby 

Misho 

May 11, 1968 – 


Nameer Saeed- 

Hanna Keasou 

Oct 27, 1945 – 


Talia Oraha 

Jul 1, 1924 – 


Gilyana Shou 

Jul 1, 1943 – 


Woodman Salmo 

Sharma 

Jan 3, 1937 – 



was born on August 16, 

1934, and earned her 

great reward in Heaven 

on June 26, 2024. Badia 

was the loving wife 

of the late Jalal Yousif 

Abroo and cherished 

daughter to the late 

Hannah Mizanah and 

late Amelda Shamaan. 

She was also the devoted mother of Yasar 

Abroo, Yassir (Daliyeh) Abroo, Hussam 

(Amelia) Abroo, and Bassam (Georgia) 

Abroo and grandmother to Rami (Kim), 

Reem (Nick), Samantha (Anthony), Jenna, 

Stephen, Nicholas, Isabella, Joseph and 

Emily. She was also an adored great-grandmother 

to four. 

Antoan Ruzkalla 

Yousif 

Apr 11, 1938 – 


Riad Cattoche 

Jun 17, 1950 – 


Faik (Frank) 

Issa Garmo 

Sep 14, 1951 – 


Hanni Koza Odish 

Nov 1, 1937 – 

Sep 1, 2024 

Rame Sulaiman 

Yousef 

Dec 26, 1969 – 


Hanna Zaya 

Zetuna 

Jul 1, 1930 – 


Catherine 

George Salmo 

Oct 30, 1961 – 


Adel Yono 

Jul 1, 1940 – 


Laith Hanna 

Apr 2, 1968 – 


Amanda Zaya 

May 14, 1979 – 


Mary Yasso Bashi 

Ju 10, 1938 – 


Jalal (Farouk) 

Gharib Samona 

Oct 11, 1946 – 


Sahira Aziz Yaldo 

Jan 1, 1950 – 


Mark Mikho 

Apr 26, 1984 – 


Ameera Yousuf 

Mansoor 

Jul 1, 1938 – 


Mouwfak Yousif 

Shakory 

Aug 21, 1950 – 


Nowail Shaya 

Kasha 

Feb 1, 1941 – 


Nazhat Brikho 

Goggo 

Jan 13, 1931 – 


Neamat Noel 

Naum 

Apr 1, 1962 – 


Aziz Nona Abouna 

Jul 1, 1942 – 


Ruza Hana 

Jul 1, 1940 – 


Suaad Ibraheem 

Hanna Al-Hakeem 

Jul 1, 1937 – 


Naji Mansour 

Konja 

Jan 9, 1939 – 


Alfarid Toma- 

Odeesho Bazi 

Dec 7, 1966 – 



PK3 

• For children ages 3 and 4 

• Helps young children to develop academically, socially, 

and emotionally 

• Teaches them new skills that will help later on, when they learn 

to read, write, and do math 

• Teaches phonemic awareness, communication and social skills 

• Encourages curiosity, creativity, and independence 

• Center-based activities that allow children to play, while still 

connecting them to the area of learning 

2 OR 3 DAYS A WEEK BASED ON CHILD’S AGE 

Morning Session 8:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 

or Afternoon Session 12:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

Little 

Scholars 

PRESCHOOL AND PRE-KINDERGARTEN 

September 9, 2024 – June 13, 2025 

PK4 

• Helps young children transition into Kindergarten 

• Enhances the academic, social, and emotional skills learned 

in preschool 

• Learn concepts in reading, writing, math 

and science 

• Teaches specific phonics instruction and reading ageappropriate 

books 

• Encourages curiosity, creativity, and independence 

• Center-based activities, small group, and 

one-on-one instruction 

MONDAY – FRIDAY 

Morning Session 8:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. 

or Afternoon Session 12:45 – 4:15 p.m. 

$100 

REGISTRATION 

FEE 

WANT TO LEARN MORE? 

Please contact Rachel Hall 

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

3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48310 | www.chaldeanfoundation.org 


EVENTS 

Gala Fever 

PHOTOS BY WILSON SARKIS PHOTO 

On Thursday, September 12, the Chaldean Community 

Foundation hosted the 6th Annual Gala at 

Palazzo Grande in Shelby Township. The honoree 

this year was Bishop Emeritus Ibrahim Ibrahim, who 

was awarded a Lifetime Humanitarian Award for his 

lifelong commitment of service to the Church and the 

community. This prestigious recognition highlighted 

not only his significant contributions to the Chaldean 

community but also his unwavering dedication 

to humanitarian efforts both locally and globally. 

Clockwise from top: Bishop Francis 

Kalabat (l), Saber Ammori, Bishop 

Ibrahim, Sylvester Sandiha and 

Martin Manna present a check for 

the Bishop’s Library. From left: Carol 

Loussia, Lara Loussia, a friend, and 

Nora Barbat. Nearly 900 people 

attended the Gala on September 12. 

There was a delegation from Hungary 

in attendance. Eli Thomas (l) and Galia 

Thomas (r) flank a friend and two 

Sisters. Left to right: Fr. Bryan Kassa, 

Fr. John Jaddou, and Fr. Manuel Boji. 

Celebrating 

Educators 

PHOTOS BY ALEX LUMELSKY 

The CCF partnered with the City of 

Detroit and the Historical Designation 

Advisory Board (HDAB) to host 

a luncheon in honor of Chaldean 

teachers who taught or are currently 

teaching at Detroit Public Schools. 

Attendees were encouraged to bring 

photos, flyers, newspaper clippings 

ot anything else related to their 

teaching years. 

Educators shared experiences with event coordinators and fellow 

attendees at the Chaldean Town Educators Memory Luncheon. 


PK3 

PK4 


FROM THE ARCHIVE 

Harvest 

Time 

Harvest time in Iraq used to 

mean you hitched up the donkey 

and guided the plow behind by 

hand, but the scenes depicted in 

these archival photos donated by 

Fr. Bazzi to the Chaldean Cultural 

Center are not likely to be seen 

again. Overall, farming in Iraq 

is declining. Agriculture, which 

used to account for one-fourth 

to one-third of Iraq’s Gross 

Domestic Product (GDP), only 

accounts for about 10 percent 

currently. The chief crops are 

barley, wheat, rice, vegetables, 

corn (maize), millet, sugarcane, 

sugar beets, oil seeds, fruit, fodder, 

tobacco, and cotton. Date 

production (Iraq was once the 

world’s largest date producer) 

was severely damaged during 

the Iran-Iraq War. 

The Chaldean Cultural Center and Museum owns a collection of captivating images from our vibrant community that 

we are delighted to share with the Chaldean News. If you have photographs that you would like us to incorporate into 

our archive, kindly reach out to us at info@chaldeanculturalcenter.org or call 248-681-5050. 


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OCTOBER 2024

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