A Slice of Detroit: Local Group Takes Over Buddy’s Pizza

A local investment group led by Saber Ammori, Kevin Denha, and Andrew Dickow has acquired Buddy’s Pizza from private equity firm CapitalSpring, though the purchase price was not disclosed. The new owners—who say the brand holds personal significance—plan to strengthen customer experience, improve product quality, and expand Buddy’s presence nationally, particularly in the frozen pizza market. The deal, financed by First Merchants Bank with legal support from Varnum and Taft, comes after years of limited expansion outside metro Detroit and several recent store closures in west Michigan. Founded in 1946 and credited with creating Detroit-style pizza, Buddy’s remains a longstanding staple with multiple locations across Michigan.

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Chaldean Artist Lands Major Deal with Big Sean, Detroit Pistons

Detroit’s creative pulse is getting a bold new signature — and it’s coming from a Chaldean American artist making her mark on one of the city’s biggest stages. Juliana Rabban, known professionally as Just By Juliana, has landed a major collaboration with Big Sean and the Detroit Pistons, placing her work at the center of a high-profile celebration of Detroit culture.

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Turkey Arrests Suspect in High-Profile Murder Case

Authorities in southeastern Turkey have apprehended the main suspect in a six-year-old case involving the murder of Şmuni Diril and the disappearance of her husband, Hurmuz Diril, a Chaldean couple who had returned to their ancestral village of Mehri in Şırnak Province in 2020. The couple vanished from their home in January 2020, prompting extensive searches by local authorities and community members. Weeks later, Şmuni’s body was discovered near the Hezil River, but Hurmuz has never been found, leaving his fate uncertain.

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Iraq at Risk: Patriarch Calls for Dialogue Amid Iran Tensions

Louis Raphaël I Sako warned that escalating violence between Iran and its adversaries risks dragging Iraq into a wider regional conflict, stressing that war will only deepen instability in the Middle East. Speaking to Vatican News amid recent Iranian strikes across Iraq following Israeli-American attacks on Iran, the patriarch said he is “deeply concerned” about where the conflict could lead, especially for a country that has already endured decades of violence and upheaval.

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Regional Escalation Threatens Stability in Iraq and the Gulf

Iran has launched missile and drone strikes against U.S. military assets across the Gulf following a major joint attack on Iran by the United States and Israel. According to Iranian officials and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, American and Israeli targets throughout the region are now considered legitimate targets, and operations will continue until what Tehran calls “aggression” ends.

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Bishop’s Dinner 2026

The 2026 Bishop’s Dinner for the Chaldean Diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle took place Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at Larsa Palace in Warren, Michigan. Hosted by Bishop Francis Kalabat, the annual benefit supports the bishop’s office and provides vital funding for the diocese’s seminarians, priests and parishes.

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A Living Legacy

In a quiet corner of the Chaldean Community Foundation in West Bloomfield (CCF West), something extraordinary is unfolding. The Mar Ibrahim Library is not simply housing books. It is awakening memory. It is stirring questions. It is forming students. And for the first time, it is opening the history of the Church of the East to the wider community in a structured, academic course once reserved primarily for seminarians.

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The Story We Carry Forward

This month’s issue explores a question that sits at the heart of every community story we tell: How do we carry the Chaldean story forward? Sometimes that question appears in big conversations, like immigration, where policies and legal definitions can shape real lives in lasting ways. When we talk about whether a misdemeanor should be grounds for removal, we are not just debating law. We are talking about families, second chances, and what fairness looks like in practice.

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Commercial Space at Tigris Tower

First-floor medical and retail space is currently available at Tigris Tower. Spaces range from 1,500 to 9,000 square feet, with ground floor access and parking attached. Long-term lease opportunities are available. For more information about the spaces available, contact KJ Commercial Real Estate at (248) 851-8900.

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American University in Baghdad Visits CCF West

On February 12, Chaldean Community Foundation West was visited by Saadi Saihood and a delegation from the American University of Iraq-Baghdad to explore the Foundation’s newest location in West Bloomfield. Mr. Saihood is the founder of the Raban Al-Safina Group, one of Iraq’s largest private industrial and engineering conglomerates, and the founder of the American University in Baghdad, the country’s largest private university.

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CCF Nominated by Hour Detroit

Crain’s Business Detroit’s Best of Detroit contest celebrates the people, businesses, and organizations making a meaningful impact across the region. The Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) has been nominated again this year, a testament to its continued commitment to serving individuals and families throughout metro Detroit.

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Notable Women in Law

Javon David, a shareholder at Butzel, was recognized among Crain’s Detroit Business’ Notable Women in Law for her work across commercial litigation, media and entertainment law, and products liability, where she advises businesses on complex matters ranging from contract disputes and shareholder oppression to trade secrets, real estate and automotive supplier issues.

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Jajo Psychiatry: Continuing a Legacy Care

After the sudden loss of her father, Dr. Raad Jajo, a psychiatrist known for his compassionate approach, Shahad Jajo Jonna, PA-C, founded Jajo Psychiatry in 2021. The practice reflects her father’s emphasis on empathy, trust, and individualized care, serving patients across Michigan with a focus on mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

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Chaldean Hockey League Charity Night

The Chaldean Hockey League hosted its annual Charity Night on Feb. 15 at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Ice Arena, uniting players, families, and supporters for an evening that blended spirited competition with community generosity. The event successfully raised $25,000 for the Chaldean Community Foundation, bolstering the foundation’s broad mission to support advocacy, acculturation, community development, and cultural preservation within the Chaldean and greater Michigan community.

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الراعٍي الجديد لأبرشية ديترويت

مع اقتراب الذكرى السنوية الأولى لتوليه منصب رئيس أساقفة ديترويت، يتكلم رئيس الأساقفة إدوارد وايزنبرغر في هذه المقابلة عن عامٍ اتسم بمبادرات التعاون وبوادر الأمل الملموسة. فلقد قَدِم نيافته من مدينة (توسان- ولاية اريزونا) ليقود إحدى أعرق وأكثر الأبرشيات تعقيدًا في البلاد، وليجد نفسه في مدينةٍ شعارها نفسه يَعد بالقيامة. وفي عامه الأول، لم يلمس فقط صمود ديترويت، بل لاحظ أيضًا أمرًا فاجاءه كثيراً: كنائس نابضة

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