Chaldean Voices

We chose our cover carefully to convey the great sorrow and anguish felt after a recent tragic fire in the Nineveh Plain province of Iraq. It was the happiest of occasions, a wedding between two lovers, a marriage of families, which turned into one of the most heartbreaking events a family can endure.

The unprecipitated yet coldly calculated terrorist attack by Hamas on innocent Israeli citizens, that also included Americans and other nationalities, has upended the fragile peace in the Middle East. Semi-neutral arbiters in the long simmering Palestinian - Israeli conflict have chosen sides—the United States lining up squarely and fully behind Israel—while countries like Egypt and Jordan, with their own peace treaties with Israel, are being forced to stand with the “Arab Street.”

The topic of dating is highly debated and ever changing; this comes as no surprise because it is a universal experience. Most of us have dated, will date, or are currently dating. However, this idea of dating is rather new to the Chaldean community, when compared to the “courting” our parents experienced.

Autumn is a time of contemplation; it is when we take stock of where we are and perhaps re-evaluate and adjust our trajectory for the future. For many, it seems like an end – the end of summer, the end of the season, the end of the year drawing to a close. Early next month, on the 5th of November to be exact, our clocks will turn back for perhaps the last time, if opponents of Daylight Savings Time (DST) have their wish.

With the school year about to begin, the Chaldean News decided to explore the issue of whether our Chaldean kids are making the best of the opportunities offered to them in school. To assist us in this endeavor, we sought the opinion of two prominent educators.

This month’s Chaldean News has so many inspiring and uplifting stories, beginning with our cover story. Thomas Denha was a man who dreamed big; he had dreams not only for himself and his family, but for the entire Chaldean community.

If you follow the news, you may have heard about drug-resistant infections caused by an organism called ‘Candida auris.’ This kind of news can create concern; the goal of this article is to help readers understand the infection—who is at risk, how it spreads, associated symptoms, and treatment.

Startling news out of Iraq caught many off-guard mid-July; the Chaldean patriarch has removed himself from the capital of Baghdad and is now in a monastery in northern Iraq. Tensions had been brewing between Cardinal Louis Sako and the military leader who goes by Rayan al-Kildani for months, but the latest move by none other than the president of Iraq, Abdul Latif Rashid, threatens to strip the patriarch of any power over the Church’s holdings in the country. It is such a big story that all major international news outlets have covered it in depth, and so have we.

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.

It was day two in Iraq. We were still jet lagged. Several in our delegation were born in Iraq but had never been back. We stepped off the van and into a tiny village that appeared to be unchanged from a couple hundred years ago. While modernity and progress had passed it by, war and destruction did not. Maybe 250 families live here, we were told. It was the Christian village located in the Nineveh Plain just a short mile from Telkaif. For this group, it was our first opportunity to see what had become of our ancestral homeland. Emotions were raw.

Many Chaldeans immigrate to the United States and aspire to obtain a green card for themselves and their families; however, sometimes they forget or neglect to apply for U.S. citizenship once they qualify. This could be a huge mistake.

Traditionally, it has been rather difficult for the U.S. government to take away a green card, but more recent Acts of Congress have made it easier for them to do so.

This edition of the Chaldean News has been a special pleasure to put together. The Chaldean community here in Michigan is such a vibrant and generous group and reliving some of the history of Chaldean Town’s “glory days” has been a particular treat. Everyone has memories, it seems, that they’d like to share.

Although the history of the community here has its heartache, sometimes a painful past can lead to immeasurable joy. I have personally had that experience recently, and I can tell you that it is worth it. Tears of pain can be transformed into those of gratitude and when the wounds heal, the heart rejoices!

April is Stress Awareness Month, an ideal time to check in on how we are doing and to set some healthful goals as we ‘spring forward.’ Stress is a term that people often use to describe a feeling of pressure, strain, or tension. People often say that they are “under stress” or feel “stressed out” when they are dealing with challenging situations or events. Everyone encounters stressful situations.

Ahhh, spring in Michigan. We love our state and all its personalities, especially in May. Spring flowers and Mother’s Day make the month a celebration, and we are here for it. In this month’s Family Time, Valene Ayar shares some benefits that come along with gardening with kids. It teaches them respect for nature and introduces them to the satisfaction that comes with having a purpose. Plus, it may help them enjoy vegetables at the dinner table. It could happen.

When I accepted my job as palliative care nurse practitioner eight years ago, a Chaldean colleague told me I was crazy for taking the position and that I will not be able to get any Chaldeans into hospice. Although this was never my objective, I am glad to say he was wrong. 

March is International Women’s Month, which means not only here in the U.S., but in the United Kingdom and Australia, people are celebrating us! We also happen to feature a few articles about the fairer sex in our current issue. Our March cover is the remarkable Genevieve Kashat, who competed in the Kids Baking Championship on Food Network.

Colorectal screening saves lives. Part of raising awareness is helping people understand the value and importance of getting regular cancer screenings for early detection. As a primary care doctor, a large part of my role is preventive medicine. The goal of preventive medicine is to ultimately prevent disease, disability, and death. Colorectal cancer screening is one way of implementing this.

Integrity. It’s an old-fashioned concept; you sort of know it when you see it, or sometimes feel it. I’ve seen integrity. I’ve seen it in action, at Joe Yatoma’s Dash Diamonds in West Bloomfield. Diamond buyers in the know are drawn to Dash for its selection, its quality, its value, and its guarantee that each diamond selling for more than $1,000 is certified by the Gemological Institute of America—the jewelry industry’s authority on geological research and authenticity.