A Look Back, the View Forward
This month as we celebrate our country’s independence, it is a good time for Americans to reflect on where we came from as well as where we are going. Many efforts are underway to preserve Chaldean culture, and most visibly, the language. Some call it “Chaldean Aramaic,” and others call it “Sureth,” but what is indisputable is that the language of our forefathers connects us to the past.
In the article “Chaldean Language Classes,” Michael Antoon shares his personal experience in preserving the words and dialect spoken by his ancestors. Learning the language involves more than just a textbook; in fact, Antoon emphasizes that the classes he instructs, offered by St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church in West Bloomfield, teach oral tradition rather than written.
The Aramaic Project is another effort to preserve history in the form of language. Weam Namou shares her knowledge of the purpose (to preserve the pronunciation, vocabulary, and syntax of Aramaic in the Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala) and project (it has 7 parts).
This month’s issue includes a few profiles. Crystal Kassab Jabiro writes about her friend GG, who has reinvented herself (and inspired an article) at midlife. Contributing writer Paul Natinsky offers a glimpse into the motivations of Sgt. Lamar Kashat of the Sterling Heights Police Department, and Cal Abbo writes about his grandfather, Jerry Yono, and his incredible journey from Iraq to Southfield Funeral Home.
Cal also penned a couple of stories about the advocacy work the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce is engaging in, including an amendment to the Michigan liquor code that should help retailers and a resolution introduced at the federal level calling for international support of minorities and indigenous communities in Iraq.
Mike Sarafa imparts his experience as part of the Iraq delegation in the fall of 2022 and the initiatives that were born out of that visit, Dr. Miri gives us his interpretation of the “Chaldean divide,” and new writer Christina Salem shares her personal revelations about her cousin, the late Clarence Dass.
Family Time author Valene Ayar shares some tips for saving your sanity while driving with kids (HINT: keep them busy!) and some fun activities to take part in. In our new Life Skills section, Crystal Kassab Jabiro gives tips for buying a car to new Americans.
The Economics and Enterprise article by Paul Natinsky this month is about banking, rising interest rates, and understanding inflation. It is not an easy subject to discuss, but our interviewees do it with aplomb.
In From the Archives, Remembering Chaldean Town features photos submitted by readers like you. We are looking for more of these submissions for this and other projects.
Last (but not least), thanks to a generous grant from Michigan Humanities, we are embarking on a year-long quest to tell the Chaldean community’s Michigan stories and highlight their contributions to the state, using print, podcasts, and in-person events. Stay tuned to hear more about this exciting project.
Sarah Kittle, Editor in Chief