With a beach area, water activities and planned programs, Chaldean kids and others will soon be able to enjoy a camping trip right in Southeast Michigan.  Camp Chaldean is being revamped and rebranded.  Tying into the Feast Day and the new name for the site, Our Lady of the Fields Camp and Retreat Center is set to open around May 15, the Chaldean Feast Day for our Lady

While she is a real estate powerhouse today, Renee Lossia Acho has not always been involved in this industry. In fact, Acho’s first career was in education. The lifelong Michigan resident graduated from Mercy High School and earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. It was from there that Acho started her career in the Farmington School District, all the while working on her Master’s degree in education.

When hundred of Iraqi nationals throughout metro Detroit were rounded up in raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in June of last year, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) did not hesitate to step in. Immediately following the raids, the ACLU filed a class action lawsuit, arguing that not only those being targeted by ICE should have the right to petition for asylum.

Congressman Sander Levin and his family have had a long-standing relationship with many members of the Chaldean community that spans decades. “In the late 1960s, my late-wife Vickie and I with our kids went on vacation with a Chaldean family and had an unbelievable time,” he recalled. “That same family insisted we have dinner with them. I have never had such warm reception which is more important than the food but the food was amazing; I wasn’t able to eat for a couple days. We became very close to the community. I have photos with various clergy that date back 50 years.”

As churches work to find new and exciting ways to attract young people, The Eastern Catholic Re-Evangelization Center (ECRC) might have what looks like a winning a combination: music and meditation, led by a contemporary band on a Friday night…and only for an hour.

A newly formed branch of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, the Chaldean Women’s Committee recently had its first networking event. The Women’s Forum, moderated by Vanessa Denha Garmo, was a panel of four highly-successful Chaldean women discussing some of the most pressing issues for women pursuing careers. 

Following nearly seven months of chaos and uncertainty, Iraqi nationals detained by ICE throughout the nation breathed a sigh of relief as Judge Mark Goldsmith issued an order on Tuesday, January 2, that stated those detained for six months or more, had the right to a bond hearing.

Taking the position of associate engineer at Lockheed, now known as Lockheed Martin, who had signed a contract with NASA to work on the space shuttle program, in April of 1981, Saad Jamoua was one of a small handful of foreigners and the only Iraqi working there.

Matthew Marroki made a mark in his community during his 17 years. Matthew is gone now, the victim of a tragic house fire in Sterling Heights last April 28. But Matthew’s memory will live on thanks to Matthew’s Masterpieces, a fundraising event in Matthew’s honor that channels his passions into support for a cause he loved.

Help Iraq’s Student 2 Student Coalition (S2S) is an organization that advocates for displaced Christians and other minority groups in Iraq. The group of compassionate students have to be creative in order to figure out ways to connect with their peers thousands of miles away. 

It’s long been considered a rite of passage for high school seniors. Spring break vacation is a time to escape to a warm destination, let loose, have fun and forget about the pressures of school and college applications for a little while.

On Easter 2016, Venis Asmar Hamama lost her father.  The following Friday, still dealing with the fallout of a dead parent, she was dealt another blow. Asmar Hamama was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.

Nobody is surprised that Nathan Shammo got the opportunity of his lifetime last summer when he was selected among hundreds of kids at a camp in Brighton to attend an FC Barcelona soccer clinic for nine days last month in Spain.

A 2015 Chaldean Chamber of Commerce humanitarian award recipient, Rafed Yaldo has spent years helping Christians and other minorities, especially those who suffered as a result of ISIS. Since his first trip to Iraq in November of 2014, when he witnessed firsthand the conditions of the displaced, he has worked diligently with the St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Diocese to provide them with various types of assistance. Along the way he learned from his fellow volunteers in Iraq about a group he wasn’t previously acquainted with – the Yazidis.

It’s been about 10 years since the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce first conducted a study of Chaldeans in Metropolitan Detroit. They have since wanted to examine changes in the Chaldean community so, along with the Chaldean Community Foundation, the chamber worked with the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Kurt R. Metzger and Associates to conduct a new survey. 

They are documented as the first Chaldean wedding on American soil. George and Susie Essa exchanged vows inside a Lebanese church on November 22, 1922 in Detroit.  “They had a very small wedding,” said Samira Essa speaking about her in-laws. “There were not many Chaldeans at all living here,” chimed in Peter Essa, the only son of George and Susie. 

They have been capturing images of couples for years, some for decades.  We asked local photographers to share with us some of their favorite photos and explain why each was sentimental. 

Chaldeans are known for their extravagant and large gatherings, especially when it comes to those associated with weddings. Not long ago, they celebrated the tenetha, word, where the fiancé’s and fiancée’s family came together to give their promise that they’re committing to each other. That celebration was followed by an elaborate engagement party, a henna party, the wedding rehearsal, and the blessing of the couples’ bedroom. Next came the wedding and the after-wedding party.