CHALDEAN KITCHEN

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Lamya Kory is a free spirit. She is curious, inquisitive, and open to adventure — breathing in each moment with a lust for life that fills the room. To enter Lamya’s home, is to be transported to a place of vibrant positivity and possibility. With no shortage of projects to pursue, she brings a unique energy to each of her many endeavors.

SPORTS

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Family Ties, Twinning Records

Anthony Najjar and Chase Roumayah are two of just five wrestlers in Bloomfield Hills High School history to win at least 100 matches in their careers. The outgoing, tight-knit 17-year-old cousins each reached that milestone this past winter during their senior seasons—an impressive feat made even more remarkable by their identical career records: 109 wins and 46 losses.

Latest Issue: MAY 2025

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Making Burek with Lamya Kory

Lamya Kory’s unique take on Burek, the original “eat-on-the-run” dish

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Portrait of a Community

Explore photos from our cultural celebration (below) and get a sneak peak of the stories the Chaldean Community Foundation and Chaldean News have collected for the Library of Congress collection (above).

CHL’s Charity Game

The 11th Annual CHL Charity Game event on February 22nd took place at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Ice Arena, featuring Game One of the semi-final playoff games. The CHL raises funds for local organizations in an effort to help make a positive community impact.

Features

2025 Content

Preserving Chaldean Heritage

Author Jacob Bacall has spent nearly five decades in the United States, bearing witness to the evolution of the Chaldean Catholic Church in North America. His latest book, Chaldean Catholic Church, co-authored with Bishop Bawai Soro and published by Arcadia Publishing, is a compelling visual history of the Church’s development in America—with a particular focus on Michigan, the heart of the Chaldean diaspora.

Tariff Turbulence

As the stock market continues its boisterous ride and federal tariff policy shifts by the week, businesses across Michigan—from multinational automakers to family-owned storefronts—are scrambling to adjust. A recent wave of heavy tariffs, particularly on imports from Canada, Mexico and China, has been announced, only to be partially walked back following sharp drops in stock indexes.

Fast Food, Ancient Style

More Than a YouTuber

At first glance, Justin Odisho might look like just another YouTube creator—but a closer look reveals a self-made digital educator, entrepreneur, and pioneer in the creative tech space. With more than 1.08 million YouTube subscribers and over 100 million total views, Odisho has spent over a decade turning passion into profession—teaching people how to master photo and video editing software.

Chaldean Youth

Throughout the Chaldean Diocese, our youth are constantly being called to live out their faith and embrace it. As someone who grew up attending Chaldean youth groups and is now blessed to lead one, Journey to Sainthood, I have become a witness of the child-like boldness and confidence that our youth bring on their walk with Christ. Our youth approach their faith with a genuine hunger for growth in their spiritual lives. They are a reminder of the hope that continues to flourish within our Church and community.

Beyond Easter

Like clockwork, every Easter season like the one we just celebrated, Christian communities around the world are reminded of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus Christ made to absolve humanity of its sins. This remembrance lives on through traditions that stretch across centuries: fasting through Lent, folding palm crosses on Palm Sunday, observing the somber rituals of Good Friday, and rejoicing in Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Mother’s Day Without the Cliché

Ask most mothers what they really want for Mother’s Day, and chances are you’ll hear answers like, “quality family time,” “a night out,” or even just “some peace and quiet.” After years—decades, even—of preparing daily meals for my children, my answer to the “favorite meal” question has become wonderfully simple: “Whatever someone else has cooked.” There’s something deeply refreshing about being cared for when you’re usually the one doing the caring.

Christology

A Biblical understanding of Jesus Christ is crucial to our salvation. Many world religions claim to believe in Jesus Christ; the problem is that they do not believe in the Jesus Christ presented in the Bible. That is why Christology is so important: it helps us to understand the significance of the deity of Christ and demonstrates why Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Arabic Translations

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نظرة‭ ‬على‭ ‬اللوحات‭ ‬الفنية‭ ‬والرسوم‭ ‬في‭ ‬بناية‭ ‬مؤسسة‭ ‬الجالية‭ ‬الكلدانية

عند‭ ‬زيارة‭ ‬مؤسسة‭ ‬الجالية‭ ‬الكلدانية‭ ‬تتصدر‭ ‬جدران‭ ‬البناية‭ ‬وترحب‭ ‬بكم‭ ‬لوحات‭ ‬فنية‭ ‬ورسوم‭ ‬بابلية‭ ‬وأخرى‭ ‬اكدية‭ ‬وسومرية‭ ‬مثل‭ ‬أسد‭ ‬بابل‭ ‬وشجرة‭ ‬الحياة‭ ‬وبوابة‭ ‬عشتار‭ ‬وأوائل‭ ‬المفكرين‭ ‬والمؤثرين‭ ‬والأقدمين‭ ‬لتُذكر‭ ‬الزوار‭ ‬بجذورنا‭ ‬التأريخية‭ ‬وتعكس‭ ‬مدى‭ ‬وعمق‭ ‬عمرنا‭ ‬الحضاري‭ ‬واعتزازنا‭ ‬بأصولنا‭ ‬التراثية‭ ‬رغم‭ ‬بعدنا‭ ‬الجغرافي‭ ‬عن‭ ‬جذورنا‭ ‬في‭ ‬بلاد‭ ‬الرافدين،‭ ‬ومن‭ ‬ضمن‭ ‬هذه‭ ‬المعالم‭ ‬الفنية‭ ‬يقف‭ ‬شامخاً‭ ‬التنين‭ ‬البابلي‭ ‬سيروش‭ (‬موسوشو‭ ‬او‭ ‬موشوخوشو‭) ‬الذي‭ ‬هو‭ ‬بطل‭ ‬مقالتنا‭ ‬هذه‭ ‬لمكانته‭ ‬في‭ ‬اساطير‭ ‬بلاد‭ ‬الرافدين‭ ‬والفولكلور‭ ‬المحلي‭ ‬والكلمات‭ ‬المحكية‭ ‬الخاصة‭ ‬بالعراقيين‭ ‬فقط‭ ‬كمثل‭ (‬مو،‭ ‬وخوش،‭ ‬وموخوش‭).‬

على‭ ‬بعد‭ ‬آلاف‭ ‬الأميال،‭ ‬ومع‭ ‬ذلك‭ ‬فهم‭ ‬مرتبطون‭ ‬ارتباطًا‭ ‬وثيقًا‭ ‬بوطنهم

آلاف‭ ‬الأميال‭ ‬من‭ ‬البعد‭ ‬واختلاف‭ ‬الثقافات‭ ‬لم‭ ‬تكن‭ ‬عائقًا‭ ‬أمام‭ ‬أبناء‭ ‬الوطن‭ ‬الأصليين‭ ‬الأصلاء‭ ‬ليعبّروا‭ ‬عن‭ ‬حبهم‭ ‬واعتزازهم‭ ‬بوطنهم‭ ‬الأم،‭ ‬العراق‭. ‬نعم،‭ ‬هذا‭ ‬ما‭ ‬قام‭ ‬به‭ ‬وفدٌ‭ ‬يمثل‭ ‬غرفة‭ ‬التجارة‭ ‬الكلدانية‭ ‬الأمريكية،‭ ‬ومؤسسة‭ ‬الجالية‭ ‬الكلدانية،‭ ‬وغرفة‭ ‬التجارة‭ ‬الآشورية،‭ ‬برئاسة‭ ‬مارتن‭ ‬منّا،‭ ‬حين‭ ‬قرروا‭ ‬التوجه‭ ‬إلى‭ ‬أرض‭ ‬الوطن‭ ‬تلبيةً‭ ‬للدعوة‭ ‬الموجهة‭ ‬إليهم‭ ‬من‭ ‬قِبَل‭ ‬رئيس‭ ‬مجلس‭ ‬الوزراء‭ ‬العراقي،‭ ‬السيد‭ ‬محمد‭ ‬شياع‭ ‬السوداني‭.‬

المسيح‭ ‬قام‭: ‬اعتناق‭ ‬نصر‭ ‬القيامة‭ ‬في‭ ‬حياتنا

“أيها‭ ‬الموت،‭ ‬أين‭ ‬شوكتك؟‭ ‬يا‭ ‬جحيم،‭ ‬أين‭ ‬نصرك؟‭ ‬المسيح‭ ‬قام،‭ ‬وأنتَ‭ ‬قد‭ ‬هُزمتَ‭! ‬المسيح‭ ‬قام،‭ ‬والشياطين‭ ‬سَقطت‭ ‬وهُزمت‭. ‬المسيح‭ ‬قام،‭ ‬والملائكة‭ ‬تفرح‭. ‬المسيح‭ ‬قام،‭ ‬والحياة‭ ‬تسود‭. ‬المسيح‭ ‬قام،‭ ‬ولا‭ ‬يبقى‭ ‬ميت‭ ‬واحد‭ ‬في‭ ‬القبر،‭ ‬لأن‭ ‬المسيح،‭ ‬بقيامته‭ ‬من‭ ‬بين‭ ‬الأموات،‭ ‬أصبح‭ ‬باكورة‭ ‬الراقدين”‭.‬

لِكَيْلا‭ ‬نَنسَى‭ ‬الإبادة‭ ‬ولكي‭ ‬نُذّكر‭ ‬الأجيال‭ ‬بجرائم‭ ‬داعش

تواصل‭ ‬مؤسسة‭ ‬الجالية‭ ‬الكلدانية‭ ‬نشر‭ ‬رسالتها‭ ‬المجتمعية‭ ‬وتنفيذ‭ ‬خطط‭ ‬مشاريعها‭ ‬التوسعية‭ ‬وخدماتها‭ ‬وتثبيت‭ ‬اركان‭ ‬وجودها‭ ‬وتؤسس‭ ‬حضورًا‭ ‬مهماً‭ ‬مع‭ ‬غرفة‭ ‬التجارة‭ ‬الكلدانية‭ ‬الأمريكية‭ ‬من‭ ‬خلال‭ ‬توسعها‭ ‬وعبورها‭ ‬الجانب‭ ‬الغربي‭ ‬لشارع‭ ‬وودوارد‭ ‬وتأسيس‭ ‬وجود‭ ‬لها‭ ‬في‭ ‬مقاطعة‭ ‬أوكلاند‭. ‬

Voices

FROM THE EDITOR

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Turning the Page

As we turn the page into a new season, this issue celebrates the vibrant intersections of faith, culture, creativity, and community that continue to shape the Chaldean-American experience. We begin with a journey through time and tradition in Jacob Bacall’s compelling new book, which chronicles the history of the Chaldean Catholic Church in the U.S. His work not only documents a sacred legacy but also honors the resilience and faith of a community rooted deeply in spiritual identity.

GUEST COLUMN

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Immigration Reform

Many online commentators label undocumented immigrants as “criminals.” To them, the label alone seems enough to pass judgment and shut down empathy. Phrases like “What part of illegal do you not understand?” are used to justify a hardline stance. Perhaps it’s a way to ease their conscience—convincing themselves that the “other side” is too morally flawed to deserve humane treatment.

GUEST COLUMN

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The Pope of Firsts – A Hero to Many

Jorge Mario Bergolio was the first Pope from South America; the first to choose the name Francis; the first Jesuit Pope; the first Pope to visit Iraq; the first in modern times to shun the Papal Palace and the other trappings of the Papacy; and many other norm shattering items.

Departments

ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE

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Community Spark

The fine jewelry industry has long been dominated by men—from those who mine and cut the stones to those who own the factories and showrooms. Even on the retail side, men have historically steered the buying decisions. Delaina Yatoma is working to rewrite that story, one customer at a time.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Ancient Roots, Modern Masterpieces

In the heart of Sterling Heights, tucked inside a vibrant art studio, Reni Stephan continues to sculpt, paint and inspire. The Chaldean/Assyrian American artist has spent decades blending his cultural heritage with creative expression—growing from a passionate teenager working out of his family’s garage into an internationally recognized figure in the art world.

religion

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Christology

CULTURE & HISTORY

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Spotlight on Art

Mesopotamia—largely situated in present-day Iraq—is considered the cradle of civilization. It is home to many historical “firsts” and the birthplace of philosophy, religion, and mythology. Among its most iconic symbols is the striding dragon featured on the Ishtar Gate.

SPORTS

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Family Ties, Twinning Records

Health & Wellness

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Oil You Need to Know

If you grew up in America in the 1980s, you learned about the “Food Pyramid” in health class. But if you grew up in Iraq, you ate Masgouf cooked in beef tallow. Now, with the current HHS secretary in Washington, dietary guidelines are changing, and what was once old is becoming new again.

Noteworthy

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Women in Blue

The Detroit Public Safety Foundation (DPSF) will host its 12th annual Women in Blue celebration on Thursday, May 22, at MGM Grand Detroit, spotlighting the outstanding contributions of female first responders in the Detroit Police and Fire Departments.

The Richness of Chaldean-American Art in Southfield

Opening night of the Chaldean-American Art Exhibit is happening on Thursday, May 22, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Southfield City Hall Main Lobby (26000 Evergreen Rd.). This special showcase, presented by the Southfield Public Arts Commission, features works from 10 exceptional artists celebrating the depth, diversity, and heritage of the Chaldean-American community.

“English” at the Tipping Point Theatre

English is a comic and heartfelt play about language and identity, set in an Iranian classroom where adult English learners prepare for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam. The story is brought to life by Sarab Kamoo, who plays Marjan, the English teacher. As Marjan guides her students through their linguistic challenges, the play explores their dreams, frustrations, and secrets, highlighting the tension between learning “English only” and expressing their true selves.

St. Catherine Siena CASA at Cultural Center

On March 13, students from St. Catherine of Siena Academy’s Chaldean American Student Association (CASA) had the unique opportunity to tour the Chaldean Cultural Center Museum, where they were immersed in their own rich history and heritage.

Foundation Update

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A Global Dialogue

The Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce and Chaldean Community Foundation welcomed the Governor of Nineveh, AbdulQader Al-Dakhil to Michigan. The Governor greeted a group of over 100 people at Shenandoah and answered questions from the audience before retiring to a private dinner with CACC and CCF leadership. He later toured the new CCF West building in West Bloomfield.

Advocacy in Action

The Chaldean Community Foundation attended the annual Advocacy Day at the State Capitol in Lansing on April 8. Other organizations, including ACCESS and the Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs Michigan, also attended the Advocacy Day to provide awareness and support for two bills: HB5936 and SB958-61.

Summer Safety

As summer approaches, the CCF’s Project Light staff teamed up with Macomb Community College nursing students to offer a workshop full of tips on staying safe when temperatures begin to rise. Heat safety, skin care tips, practicing summer storm safety, how to store food in warmer weather, the importance of hydration, caring for children as temperatures rise, bug bites and pest safety information were shared with attendees.

Tigris Tower Limited Time Offer

The newly constructed Tigris Tower apartments are expected to open this spring. These brand-new one and two-bedroom apartments located at 43700 Van Dyke Ave in Sterling Heights offer modern living at an affordable cost.