The Mighty Date Palm

For more than 6,000 years of recorded history, dates have nourished civilizations and occupied a place of honor throughout the Middle East. The date palm has sustained generations with its sweet fruit and remarkable ability to thrive in some of the world’s harshest climates.

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Finding His Voice

Ron Acho’s life was a testament to what can happen when perseverance is met with opportunity and when success is understood as something to be shared, not simply as something to be achieved. I had the distinct honor of interviewing Ron and his lovely wife Rita last year as he was being honored by the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce as Businessperson of the Year.

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Still Striding for Seminarians

Thirteen years ago, John and Ann Mansour faced an unfathomable reality when two of their three young children, Alexander (11) and Gabrielle (6), perished in a boating accident. Their despair turned into a deep devotion towards the Chaldean seminarians after a seminary student came into the hospital to pray for 11-year-old Adriana, who was fighting for her life.

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Lights, Camera, Action

Ronia Shamona, host, anchor, and producer on Detroit’s channel FOX2, tried to be a lawyer once but her mother reminded Ronia of when she would walk around the house as a child with a hairbrush “microphone,” reporting on the news. Yes, she was meant to be on TV.

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The Weight We Carry

Somewhere in nearly every family, there’s a name people stop saying out loud. In mine, it’s my brother Dave’s. Not because we don’t love him. Because loving him, and losing him the way we did, has always come tangled up with a silence nobody quite knows how to break. As a suicide loss survivor, I know that particular kind of grief—the grief of losing a sibling to suicide, and of learning, slowly, that most people around you would rather you didn’t bring it up.

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The Telkaif Heritage House

The Telkaif (Telkeppe) Heritage House opened in the old city of Telkaif in 2025, marking the first heritage museum of its kind in the town. It stands as an initiative to preserve the city’s history and its cultural and social legacy—particularly in the wake of the hardships endured by its residents and the displacement the city witnessed in 2014.

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Old School Photos

For your viewing pleasure, this month we have featured some “Old School” photos—some taken in Iraq and some here in Detroit. These are not only old school photos, but they are also the type of photos that one had to wait days or even weeks to view, not knowing if the subject was in focus or even in the frame! Thanks to Mary Romaya, Executive Director of the Chaldean Cultural Center, for these shots.

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7 Mile Memories

The start of a new school year is a nostalgic reminder of our days as youngsters. Those who lived in the Penrose neighborhood of Detroit, now known as Chaldean Town, and more affectionately known as “7 Mile” among Chaldeans, spent their days in the neighborhood schools, learning English, playing outside, and porch-hopping around the block.

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Serve Us, Not Replace Us

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is one of today’s hottest topics of conversation in tech. “Narrow AI” includes single tasks such as voice assistants and spam filters, and “Generative AI,” which is what most people think of as AI, creates new texts and images based on prompts.

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Investing in Tomorrow

One of CCF’s many strengths is its outreach into the community, providing opportunities that help better the lives of those it serves. One way CCF fulfills this mission is through college scholarships funded by community donors. On August 14, CCF hosted a community event celebrating this year’s winners alongside their families and donors.

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Dominic Anton’s Salim Now Available

Chaldean-American writer Dominic Anton’s new book, Salim, officially debuted September 4, bringing together journal entries and poetry drawn from his experiences between Baghdad and Los Angeles. Through personal reflections on family, displacement, creativity and cultural identity, Anton examines what it means to build a life in a new place while carrying the memories and traditions of home.

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The Comfort of Community

Although this issue tackles some heavy subjects, sharing our stories and our feelings can help us carry the emotional load. The old sayings—“A problem shared is a problem halved,” “When we share our burdens, they become lighter,” and even “Many hands make light work”—have endured for a reason: They ring true.

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ألبلدات المسيحية في سهل نينوى

تمتلك اسماء المدن والقرى المسيحية في العراق جذوراً تاريخية عريقة تعود للغات الآرامية، السريانية، والآشورية. وتُركز هذه الأسماء بمعانيها على السمات الجغرافية، أو الزراعية، أو الدينية، وتشكل موروثاً مهماً في مناطق سهل نينوى وإقليم كردستان وتشكل صورة من الموزايك التاريخي الفريد للمنطقة.

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