SYDNEY (AP) — Australian police say a knife attack in Sydney that wounded a bishop and a priest during a church service as horrified worshippers watched online and in person, and sparked a riot was an act of terrorism.

Each month, we remember our community members who have passed away.

John Mikha Mackay was born in Iraq on July 10, 1948, and passed to the fullness of everlasting life in America on March 15, 2024. Arriving in America from Iraq with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Baghdad in 1971, John attended the University of Detroit and earned a master’s degree in business in 1972. He was an executive at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for over 20 years.

On March 8, the Chaldean Community Foundation celebrated 13 years of community impact in Sterling Heights. Since opening doors in 2011, the Chaldean Community Foundation has been a center of hope and support for refugees, immigrants, and the wider community.

In honor of April as Poetry Month, the Chaldean Cultural Center will host an event at the West Bloomfield Public Library on April 13 from 1-3pm. The event, held in the meeting room of the library at 4600 Walnut Lake Road, features four Iraqi-born women including Weam Namou, director of the Chaldean Cultural Center, and Dunya Mikhail, poet, author, and professor at Oakland University. The women are in a short 10-minute documentary which was funded by the Knight Foundation.

Juliana Rabban, a local Chaldean artist, was commissioned by City Walls Detroit to create a 5’ 8” tall football cleat sculpture to be displayed for the NFL Draft and auctioned off in May. Juliana calls her cleat “Unite & Ignite,” which she said embodies the shared human struggle as it relates to cancer. As someone who has watched close family struggle with cancer, she chose the charity Kids Without Cancer to receive her donation. Her cleat will be displayed at City Airport in Detroit in April.

The Chaldean Community Foundation recently hosted the Consul General of the Republic of Iraq, Mr. Muhammad Hassan Saeed Muhammad, for a special visit. Martin Manna, President of the Foundation, warmly welcomed the Consul and his delegation, expressing joy at their visit.

Rocky “Rockman” Salem Somo has been boxing for seven years. His professional career started in 2023 with a May 26 win by unanimous decision over Carlos Escobedo in the fourth round. He fought for the first time in his home area of San Diego on March 2 of this year at the Four Points Sheraton and won by knockout in the second round.

CCF’s C.H.A.I. (Caregiver Helping Aid Initiative) has been recognized by ARCH (Access to Respite Care and Help) as an Innovative and Exemplary Respite Service. A three-year designation, CCF’s C.H.A.I. is one of only four respite services from across the country recognized with the highest level of distinction. CCF is pleased to have met the stringent set of criteria that addresses the needs of family caregivers of adults and older adult family members.

The Chaldean Community Foundation hosted Penske Logistics for a Job Fair on February 28. Job seekers discussed potential warehouse employment opportunities with Penske staff.

The Chaldean Community Foundation celebrated Nonprofit Day with the Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) on February 22. The MNA invited the CCF to the annual 2024 Nonprofit Day at the Capitol to speak about engaging voters for an inclusive democracy.

On March 8, the CCF celebrated the women who make what we do possible. In honor of International Women’s Day, we highlight the remarkable women who inspire us with their dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment.

My relationship of friendship, admiration, and deep mutual understanding with the Chaldean-Iraqi American community goes back to 1984, when I first arrived in the state of Michigan as an immigrant, or more accurately, an exile. I began my professional life with a weekly newspaper that I called Today.

When spring cleaning this year, take a little time to do some internal decluttering. Our minds, like our homes, become cluttered without regular scrutiny. Spring, with its fresh air and rising temperatures, is a great time to do some self-evaluation.

“Geography informs your fate,” says Dr. Adhid Miri. What he means by that is our environment has an immense influence on our chosen trade or livelihood. The Silk Road—interwoven passages, caravan routes, and byways that stretched from China to the eastern Mediterranean—connected with other important trade routes in ancient Mesopotamia, giving rise to a culture adept at trade.

There are many examples of the Chaldean factor in business, but none as clear as the recent shakeup in the retail ice market. In late 2022, Saad Abbo sold his successful ice company, U.S. Ice, to a large corporate firm called Home City Ice. Since then, retailers have reported a dramatic increase in prices and a substantial reduction in the quality and frequency of service.

“I actually hate mortgages,” says Danny Marogy. “I think it’s the most boring transaction in the history of mankind.” Yet Marogy, Senior Director of Sales at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), is known as one of the highest performing account executives across the country for the past 15 years. What motivates him?

The Arabic language is considered one of the most elegant, pure forms of language in modern literature. With its rhythm and precision, it is the cornerstone of poetry and expression. What many people don’t know is that, although it is the language of prayer, recitation and poetry throughout the Islamic world, the Arabic language predates Islam.

Back in 1937, a group of Chaldean Iraqi Christians traveled from Telkaif to Mosul, then to Adana to board a cargo ship bound for America. However, the United States was not their final destination. Upon reaching Ellis Island, New York City’s famous point of entry, they would board another ship, this one bound for Veracruz, which was then the main port of entry into Mexico.

April is National Cannabis Awareness Month, so we wanted to take the opportunity to give you an update on the industry and on the status of the opposition to legalized marijuana. The legal industry is still young; we know that many Chaldeans have gotten in on the ground floor, capitalizing on their shrewd business skills. But others are not happy with the new legal status.

In a story shared by NPR and featured on All Things Considered, Dr. Mona Hanna Attisha is again in the news. Penned by reporter Jennifer Ludden, the article details a new program co-founded and promoted by Hanna- Attisha called Rx Kids. Rx Kids is a cash transfer program that began in the city of Flint, Michigan in January 2024.

Throughout history, April has been a time of rebirth. It is the season you see new green shoots poking out of the ground. As the chill of winter gradually fades away, nature awakens with a vibrant burst of life, heralding the arrival of spring. With each passing day, the world undergoes a miraculous transformation as dormant buds unfurl into delicate blossoms and barren landscapes are blanketed in a tapestry of lush greenery.