Chaldean Voices
We chose our cover carefully to convey the great sorrow and anguish felt after a recent tragic fire in the Nineveh Plain province of Iraq. It was the happiest of occasions, a wedding between two lovers, a marriage of families, which turned into one of the most heartbreaking events a family can endure.
The unprecipitated yet coldly calculated terrorist attack by Hamas on innocent Israeli citizens, that also included Americans and other nationalities, has upended the fragile peace in the Middle East. Semi-neutral arbiters in the long simmering Palestinian - Israeli conflict have chosen sides—the United States lining up squarely and fully behind Israel—while countries like Egypt and Jordan, with their own peace treaties with Israel, are being forced to stand with the “Arab Street.”
The topic of dating is highly debated and ever changing; this comes as no surprise because it is a universal experience. Most of us have dated, will date, or are currently dating. However, this idea of dating is rather new to the Chaldean community, when compared to the “courting” our parents experienced.
Autumn is a time of contemplation; it is when we take stock of where we are and perhaps re-evaluate and adjust our trajectory for the future. For many, it seems like an end – the end of summer, the end of the season, the end of the year drawing to a close. Early next month, on the 5th of November to be exact, our clocks will turn back for perhaps the last time, if opponents of Daylight Savings Time (DST) have their wish.
With the school year about to begin, the Chaldean News decided to explore the issue of whether our Chaldean kids are making the best of the opportunities offered to them in school. To assist us in this endeavor, we sought the opinion of two prominent educators.
This month’s Chaldean News has so many inspiring and uplifting stories, beginning with our cover story. Thomas Denha was a man who dreamed big; he had dreams not only for himself and his family, but for the entire Chaldean community.
If you follow the news, you may have heard about drug-resistant infections caused by an organism called ‘Candida auris.’ This kind of news can create concern; the goal of this article is to help readers understand the infection—who is at risk, how it spreads, associated symptoms, and treatment.
Startling news out of Iraq caught many off-guard mid-July; the Chaldean patriarch has removed himself from the capital of Baghdad and is now in a monastery in northern Iraq. Tensions had been brewing between Cardinal Louis Sako and the military leader who goes by Rayan al-Kildani for months, but the latest move by none other than the president of Iraq, Abdul Latif Rashid, threatens to strip the patriarch of any power over the Church’s holdings in the country. It is such a big story that all major international news outlets have covered it in depth, and so have we.
This month as we celebrate our country’s independence, it is a good time for Americans to reflect on where we came from as well as where we are going. Many efforts are underway to preserve Chaldean culture, and most visibly, the language. Some call it “Chaldean Aramaic,” and others call it “Sureth,” but what is indisputable is that the language of our forefathers connects us to the past.
It was day two in Iraq. We were still jet lagged. Several in our delegation were born in Iraq but had never been back. We stepped off the van and into a tiny village that appeared to be unchanged from a couple hundred years ago. While modernity and progress had passed it by, war and destruction did not. Maybe 250 families live here, we were told. It was the Christian village located in the Nineveh Plain just a short mile from Telkaif. For this group, it was our first opportunity to see what had become of our ancestral homeland. Emotions were raw.
Many Chaldeans immigrate to the United States and aspire to obtain a green card for themselves and their families; however, sometimes they forget or neglect to apply for U.S. citizenship once they qualify. This could be a huge mistake.
Traditionally, it has been rather difficult for the U.S. government to take away a green card, but more recent Acts of Congress have made it easier for them to do so.
This edition of the Chaldean News has been a special pleasure to put together. The Chaldean community here in Michigan is such a vibrant and generous group and reliving some of the history of Chaldean Town’s “glory days” has been a particular treat. Everyone has memories, it seems, that they’d like to share.
Although the history of the community here has its heartache, sometimes a painful past can lead to immeasurable joy. I have personally had that experience recently, and I can tell you that it is worth it. Tears of pain can be transformed into those of gratitude and when the wounds heal, the heart rejoices!
April is Stress Awareness Month, an ideal time to check in on how we are doing and to set some healthful goals as we ‘spring forward.’ Stress is a term that people often use to describe a feeling of pressure, strain, or tension. People often say that they are “under stress” or feel “stressed out” when they are dealing with challenging situations or events. Everyone encounters stressful situations.
Ahhh, spring in Michigan. We love our state and all its personalities, especially in May. Spring flowers and Mother’s Day make the month a celebration, and we are here for it. In this month’s Family Time, Valene Ayar shares some benefits that come along with gardening with kids. It teaches them respect for nature and introduces them to the satisfaction that comes with having a purpose. Plus, it may help them enjoy vegetables at the dinner table. It could happen.
When I accepted my job as palliative care nurse practitioner eight years ago, a Chaldean colleague told me I was crazy for taking the position and that I will not be able to get any Chaldeans into hospice. Although this was never my objective, I am glad to say he was wrong.
March is International Women’s Month, which means not only here in the U.S., but in the United Kingdom and Australia, people are celebrating us! We also happen to feature a few articles about the fairer sex in our current issue. Our March cover is the remarkable Genevieve Kashat, who competed in the Kids Baking Championship on Food Network.
Colorectal screening saves lives. Part of raising awareness is helping people understand the value and importance of getting regular cancer screenings for early detection. As a primary care doctor, a large part of my role is preventive medicine. The goal of preventive medicine is to ultimately prevent disease, disability, and death. Colorectal cancer screening is one way of implementing this.
As the season of Sawma Raba (Great Lent) begins in the Church, we must not forget the point of Lent – to prepare our hearts and minds for the glory that is the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Resurrection of Christ is the central aspect of our faith; it is the reason why we offer our hearts to Christ as we celebrate Mass each week. As you prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday – the greatest event in all of human history, and dare I say, the entire universe – you must ready your heart to understand this key event of our faith by traveling and fasting with Jesus in the desert.
Integrity. It’s an old-fashioned concept; you sort of know it when you see it, or sometimes feel it. I’ve seen integrity. I’ve seen it in action, at Joe Yatoma’s Dash Diamonds in West Bloomfield. Diamond buyers in the know are drawn to Dash for its selection, its quality, its value, and its guarantee that each diamond selling for more than $1,000 is certified by the Gemological Institute of America—the jewelry industry’s authority on geological research and authenticity.
I write this in the midst of a winter storm, with snow drifts blowing in the wind and many school districts closed for the day. But the temperature outside has no effect on the warming of my heart when reading the articles in this edition. Writing the cover story was a real treat as the couples, especially the Denhas, remind me of my own loving parents who, although no longer with us, left a legacy of love and faith and family. My parents struggled to send 9 children to Catholic school, survived the death of their son by suicide and a couple of teen pregnancies to boot.
GUEST COLUMNS
The problems of racial and religious animus are unfortunately ongoing challenges for Michiganders with ancestry from the Middle East or who adhere to the Islamic faith. These challenges exist despite the density of Arab and Chaldean Americans and American Muslims who reside in Southeastern Michigan.
When Thomas Jefferson wrote the famous words “all men are created equal,” his original intent was likely to limit that category to only white men, not minorities or women. Yet, when we celebrate this phrase today and teach it to our kids in school, we do so under the assumption that it represents people of all races, colors, and genders.
Jamal Kalabat had been attending engineering school for three years in Baghdad when the opportunity came for him to move to the United States. Arriving in America in 1976, he knew his engineering education must continue and he enrolled at Lawrence Technological University (then Institute). He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering in 1978, with highest distinction in Business Administration studies.
All it took was thirty seconds. It was thirty seconds that my heart stopped beating because I realized our reality. What I thought was going to be a simple ‘let’s go help a kayaker get back on her kayak’ turned into something I still think about to this day; it invades my dreams.
My journey into Israel began with a stir. As I landed into the country and began to go through customs, I encountered my first challenge: Iraqi stamps on my American passport.
It has been almost two decades since the American invasion of Iraq, an action that was widely heralded in the Western mainstream media, and one which had popular support in the U.S. public arena.
I had my share of meetings with those who held negative attitudes towards immigrants. Still, the good people I have met far outnumber the bad.
The recent murders of Behnam Rasho and Saad Hanna Halabo in Highland Park and Detroit tragically mark the reemergence of a long pattern of violence against Chaldean businessowners.
The Chaldean community has different meanings to different people. But no matter how someone defines the greater collection of our ancient people, we are not all the same.
It’s an unfortunate fact of modern life that we need to protect ourselves and our most vulnerable loved ones from con games aimed at stealing our money and valuable personal information. These kinds of schemes are a danger throughout the year, but tax season seems to be an especially busy season for fraudsters.
One in five young people suffer from a mental health condition, but the good news is early intervention has a fundamental impact on prevention and treatment. Trusted adults can inspire hope by providing support and encouragement to address observed mental health challenges. Adult support is especially important to our youth’s mental health during this pandemic period, when prolonged periods of isolation may add to distress. As they say, “It takes a village,” and we need to check in with our youth and be attentive and available.
In the Gospel of Matthew, the Church calls “the great commission,” given to the Apostles and to every baptized Catholic to go out and preach the message of the Gospel and bring all souls to Christ.
When I think about what it means to be an American and the promise this country has offered to generations of immigrants, including my own parents, I don’t have to look any farther than my name. My last name, Jaddou, reflects my dad’s Chaldean heritage. My middle name, Mendoza, honors my mom’s roots in Mexico.
In 1917, in a little village in Portugal, three small children were playing games in a field, building castles out of rock while tending the family sheep. Suddenly they saw a flash of light. Believing it to be lightning, they gathered the sheep and ran home. While rushing home, they saw a Lady standing over a small tree, dressed in white and more brilliant than the sun.
On October 26, 1978, my uncle, Christopher Patros, was brought into this world. Little did anyone know at that time how gifted he truly was. It didn’t take too long to find out; to the surprise of our family, Chris was baking and cooking at an early age. By ten years of age, he could easily coordinate a dinner table for 20!
Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed and exacerbated the inequities in our education system, especially in areas where resources are limited. During the initial shutdown last spring, some school districts, like West Bloomfield Schools, were able to immediately give out Chromebooks and hotspots and food to those in need, whereas certain schools in Michigan’s upper peninsula had to rely on weekly packets because of lagging internet connections.
You are returning to work and you have questions. We have answers.
For more than a year now, the news has covered the unprecedented coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gravely impacted people everywhere. The world changed overnight, leaving many individuals to live in fear for their health and that of their loved ones.
Scripture and the traditions of the earliest Catholics make it clear that God wants us to receive His mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. But, in recent years there has been a steady decline in the number of Catholics that go to Confession.
The parish of the Mart Mariam Chaldean Catholic Church in Northbrook, Illinois is home to many believers of Christ in the Chicagoland area. Mart Mariam Church is part of the Chaldean Diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle, based in Michigan. The church relocated to the city of Northbrook in 2011, allowing its parishioners access to a larger church that would better equip a growing community.