Faith Gumma was killed on August 12 in Sterling Heights when the car she was in with her family was struck by a teen driver fleeing police. Her son, Elijah, survived largely unscathed but her husband Norman has been in intensive care ever since.
Read MoreThe CCF experienced a record-breaking year, awarding 33 scholarship recipients with a total of $103,500 in scholarships at our Scholarship Award Reception on August 24.
The CCF has a large donor based of donor families and businesses including: w3r Consulting, Yvonne Nona Memorial Scholarship Fund, Drs. Nathima and Peter Atchoo Family Foundation Scholarship Fund, the Abdul Karim and Jameela Sesi Memorial Scholarship Fund, Derek Dickow and the Children’s Health Fund at the Children’s Foundation, DA Advisory Group, and Alline Salon Group.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreChaldeans have lived and learned in Michigan for over 100 years. During that time, they have brought with them and transmitted their culture and traditions, including how knowledge is passed down and inherited. The defining characteristics of Chaldeans as it relates to education are family and community.
Read MoreEvery year, it seems as if Halloween is arriving earlier and earlier in the year….and I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t hate it. Halloween is such a fun way to bond with your children and get creative while you do it. While you can go the traditional “trick-or-treating” route, (an oldie but a goodie), why not put a fun spin on it and start branching out to create new ghoulie traditions you and your kids will love and remember for years to come?
Read MoreBushra Hormis is an Iraqi expatriate who came to America and faced many difficulties, including learning a new language, translating and filling out paperwork, and finding employment. Bushra thanked God when she heard about the Chaldean Community Foundation, which aids immigrants in general, and Iraqis in particular. Said Bushra, “I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to Him for this great idea of providing useful and beautiful assistance.”
Read More“Mommy’s Salad,” as it was named by her children, is not just a salad—it’s a meal. On most dinner menus, salads tend to play a supporting role, served in small portions at the start of a meal. However, West Bloomfield resident Aida Yousif has taken the concept of a salad to a new level by elevating it to a full meal. Among family and friends, “Mommy’s Salad” is a favorite and has been at the top of the request list for many years.
Read MoreDiya Butros Sliwa, a Chaldean political activist, lives in Erbil, Iraq, but he gives talks around the world on human rights. He visited North America recently where he gave talks and interviews in Michigan, in Canada, and he also plans to travel to Washington, DC. His goal is to bring awareness to the status of the rights of religious and national minorities in Iraq and Kurdistan.
Read MoreIn 2020, Nathan Pawl’s son, an honor-roll student, felt attacked because he wouldn’t wear a mask in school. This was in Walled Lake School District, and when Pawl, the father, tried to resolve the situation, he felt frustrated that he wasn’t being heard. Pawl then decided to act. He teamed up with Monica Yatooma, a former Oakland County Commissioner candidate, and Matthew Nelson, a Walled Lake parent, and they founded the Great Schools Initiative (GSI), a non-profit organization based in Michigan and dedicated to advocating for premium public education.
Read MoreIn today’s rapidly evolving world, establishing and nurturing a brand that captures the hearts and minds of consumers is an art form. One individual who has masterfully embraced this challenge is Lydia Michael, an author and brand strategist whose groundbreaking book, “Brand Love – Building Strong Consumer-Brand Connections,” released on July 25, 2023, by Kogan Page, a leading independent publisher of business books, has taken the marketing world by storm.
Read MoreMichigan is such a beautiful state. We are surrounded on three sides by water – fresh, glorious water – and have the advantage of experiencing all four seasons of the year, sometimes in the same week! (You may have seen memes on social media that say, “Everyone: “You can’t have all four seasons in one week.” Michigan: “Hold my Faygo.”)
Read MoreFor nearly half a century, Chaldeans have been visiting the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. It is the site of an annual pilgrimage of Roman Catholics, primarily Iraqi Christians, to mark the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, celebrated August 14, on the Eve of the Assumption.
Read MoreWhen Christina Roki’s family car broke down, they couldn’t afford a mechanic to look it over. Her family lived paycheck to paycheck, and with three children, there was little money to spare. Most would turn to a family member for help or take out a short-term loan. But Christina had a rare and enterprising thought: What if she tried to fix it herself. The rest, as they say, is history.
Read MoreAlthough there are a variety of ways to prepare Pikota, the age-old Chaldean dish, Samira Cholagh’s presentation is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. With only a handful of ingredients, the recipe itself is surprisingly simple but the final touch of display Samira gives her Pikota is over-the-top extraordinary: It’s a work of art.
Read MoreBahi was born to farmers Zingel and Gorgia Jarbo on December 10, 1947, in the village of Telkeppe, Iraq. As a young boy, he shepherded animals and cared for his hunting dog. His mother died when he was 11. His older sisters helped raise him, as did his mom’s brother, the late Ramzi Yono, who taught him how to cut hair. When he was 18, Bahi was drafted into the Iraqi Army where in between training and combat he would trim soldiers’ hair for extra money. He served six years in very difficult conditions because of ongoing conflict in the region. After he was discharged, Bahi went to Kuwait and worked for a sheik as his personal barber. Several years later he traveled to Lebanon with a friend to await their American visas.
Read MoreRepresentatives from Oakland University visited the CCF recently to learn more about the projects and work done at the center. Open for discussion were ideas to strengthen the current strategic partnership between Oakland University and the Chaldean Community Foundation and future scholarship opportunities.
Read MorePreserving our beautiful language is the responsibility of every person who has been blessed to be born into our Chaldean culture. The language is being spoken less and less in homes and is becoming exclusive to the older generation. What a shame it would be for our thriving community in Michigan to allow our language to die!
Read MoreThis month, we feature more photos of the old neighborhood. We love to see old photos; they evoke memories of a simpler time. These were submitted by CN reader Alexa Saffar.
Read MoreIt’s so easy to begin this by listing off all the accomplishments that Clarence contributed to the community around the world. Many knew him for his friendly smile, witty one-liners, or the fact that he battled stage four colon cancer behind closed doors and still managed to provide pro-bono services for the Iraqi community while they fought deportations, alongside his own determination and valor to live life to the fullest.
Read MoreAlbert Einstein has been credited with saying the only constant in life is change. Accordingly, the Chaldean community is in a constant state of change, evolving on all levels– social, educational, professional, economic, and geographic. This story pertains to the latter two levels.
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