JUNE 2012

VOL. 9 ISSUE V 

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CONTENTS JUNE 2012 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 9 ISSUE V 

on the cover 

26 it’s chaldean Festival time 

By Joyce Wiswell 

Southfield will be hoppin’ June 8-10 

26 

departments 

6 From the Editor 

By Vanessa Denha Garmo 

Fathers mean love 

8 YoUR Letters 

10 Guest Columns 

By John Loussia 

Uneven playing field hurts Detroit’s independent grocers 

By N. Peter Antone 

Separation of church and state protects Catholics 

By Candace Khamarko 

Losing Dad cuts deep 

By Michael Sarafa 

Observations on dignity, decency and forgiveness 

14 Noteworthy 

15 Bulletin Board 

16 Chai Time 

18 Halhole 

20 Religion 

21 Obituaries 

22 The Doctor Is In 

By Neil Jaddou, M.D. 

High blood pressure: The silent killer 

23 10 Questions for … 

Ivan George 

42 Economics and Enterprise 

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

Through the Years with Sahara: 

Restaurants are jewels of the community 

44 Classified Listings 

46 Events 

St. George Shrine at Camp Chaldean 

Mother-Daughter Fashion 

Diane D’Agostini: Mercy’s Alumna of the Year 

features 

24 Chaldean On the Street 

By Anthony Samona 

What’s a memory from your First Communion? 

28 15 Things to Make You Happy 

By Daniela Saviuc 

Let go of pain and embrace change 

30 Pieces of Home 


Massive collection recalls Ghazwan Samona’s roots 

32 ‘In the End, They Conquer’ 

By Weam Namou 

Fr. Sameem’s new book explores creativity 

34 Eat, Drink, and 

Maybe Be Married 


Dating for the over 35 set 

36 The Street Where They Live 


Chaldeans abound on Fox Hill Drive 

38 Summer Semester 


Keep your kids’ brain active 

39 10 Things to Do this Summer – 

Besides the Water Park 


40 By the Book 

By Ken Marten 

LCC investigator breaks new ground 

JUNE 2012 CHALDEAN NEWS 5

from the EDITOR 

Published By 

The Chaldean News, LLC 

Editorial 

Editor in Chief 

Vanessa Denha-Garmo 

managing Editor 

Joyce Wiswell 

Contributing Writers 

N. Peter Antone 

Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

Candace Khamarko 

John Loussia 

Ken Marten 

Weam Namou 

Anthony Samona 

Michael Sarafa 

PROOFREADER 

Ken Marten 

art & production 

creative director 

Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

graphic designers 

Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

Joseph Sesi 

Photographers 

David Reed 

James Wallace 

operations 

Interlink Media 

director of operations 

Martin Manna 

circulation 


CLASSIFIEDS 

Joyce Wiswell 

sales 


sales representativeS 



Lamya Kory 

managers 


Martin Manna 

Michael Sarafa 

subscriptions: $25 per year 

The Chaldean News 

29850 Northwestern Highway, Suite 250 

Southfield, MI 48034 

www.chaldeannews.com 

Phone: (248) 996-8360 

Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); Published 

monthly; Issue Date: June 2012 Subscriptions: 

12 months, $25. Publication Address: 29850 Northwestern 

Hwy., Suite 250, Southfield, MI 48034; Application 

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Farmington Hills Post Office Postmaster: Send address 

changes to “The Chaldean News 29850 Northwestern 

Highway, Suite 250, Southfield, MI 48034” 

Fathers mean love 

Every once in a while 

I think about the advice 

my father gave 

me growing up. Conversations 

he initiated with me 

have surfaced throughout 

the past 10 years since his 

death in conversations I 

share today with others 

about life. 

As we celebrate Father’s 

Day this month, I am 

grateful for the wisdom he 

shared about finding a husband. 

He said to me, “look at how 

he treats his mother because it will 

be a sign for how he will treat you.” 

One of the characteristics I noticed 

first about the Garmos is how much 

they love each other and how before 

saying goodbye, they always say 

“love you.” 

On Mother’s Day, the priest at 

St. Ignatius Loyola church on Long 

Island, New York, where we were 

at the time celebrating George Sekavec’s 

communion (my husband’s 

nephew), the priest talked about the 

importance of loving others as we 

would love ourselves because God is 

love. 

Throughout my life, love is how 

I always felt in my father’s presence. 

Love is what I feel every time I think 

of him. I can tell you that the love 

I shared with my father, the love I 

still share with my family and most 

importantly with my daughter and 

with my husband who treats me better 

than I could ever imagine, is what 

is allows me to persevere through trials 

and tribulations. It is the love I 

share with others that protects me 

Vanessa 

denha-garmo 

editor in chief 

co-publisher 

from those around me who 

are godless. 

God is love and finding 

him in the godless takes a 

lot of love. 

In Matthew 19:26 we 

are reminded that “... with 

God all things are possible” 

even defending against the 

mean-spirited, ego-driven 

and bullish people who are 

always on the attack. 

The advice my father 

shared with me about finding 

a husband is the same advice I 

will pass onto my daughter. He also 

taught me the importance of praying 

for your enemies and forgiving those 

who hurt you. 

Mike Sarafa got me thinking 

about that advice during a recent 

Chaldean News editorial meeting 

when he reiterated the eulogy Tanner 

Cipriano gave at his father’s funeral. 

He spoke of how his own father 

would today forgive Tucker, who 

allegedly killed him with a baseball 

bat. I sat at the conference table as 

Mike talked about forgiveness thinking 

that I never imagined my father 

referring to forgiving others in such 

a case. 

When my father talked about 

forgiving others I thought about my 

feelings being hurt — someone lying 

about me or intentionally trying 

to sabotage me or take credit for my 

work. Never did murder cross my 

mind. Mike talks about forgiveness 

and Father’s Day in his column this 

month. 

As I sit here still in New York 

writing this column I am certain that 

my father too would forgive someone 

like Tucker. Forgiveness is bestowing 

love on another and love is God. 

In that funeral mass and during 

his eulogy Tanner showed everyone 

how to bring God into a situation 

where he appeared void —- a murder 

scene. Instead of focusing on the 

horrific way in which his father died, 

Tanner talked about forgiveness. In 

order to forgive, we must love. 

God is love and in love we find 

God. 

Loving your enemy or even praying 

for them has been the most difficult 

thing for me to do in life. I have 

to stop focusing on the pain and set 

my sites on what our Lord has taught 

us. I pray instead for peace in my 

day — words from our Lord’s Prayer. 

Peace means one day being freed 

from the shackles of the godless who 

are constantly weighing you down. 

What the enemy does is get you 

sidetracked and off your game. He 

tries to get you focused on anything 

but God. 

We can’t rid the world of people 

who are out to harm others anymore 

than Tanner Cipriano can turn back 

time and be able to celebrate Father’s 

Day with his father alive. 

What we can do is pray. We can 

love. We can seek out God because 

with God, all things are possible. 

Happy Father’s Day! 

Alaha Imid Koullen 

(God Be With Us All) 


vdenha@chaldeannews.com 

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BC061134 Chaldean News F2.indd 1 

JUNE 2012 CHALDEAN 5/18/12 NEWS 2:18 PM7

your LETTERS 

Glory Upon Glory 

I am so honored to read the Chaldean 

News. It is indeed inspiring and 

a wonderful story of the Chaldean 

community in the metropolitan area. 

I recall, with vividness, the 

early ‘70s in which the Chaldean 

community were few in number 

with one church and two priests. 

You have blossomed in every aspect 

of life from the humble beginnings 

of a grocery store which produced 

doctors, lawyers, engineers, businessmen 

and Miss Michigan. And 

from that little grocery store industries 

were produced such as construction 

and many entrepreneur 

personalities. 

What keeps a community alive is: 

1. Institutions that can serve 

and be served become like an orchard 

that not only feeds, but produces 

riches. Institutions give a 

foundation to the community to 

guarantee future generations to 

know who they are. 

2. Practicing Christian hospitality 

to welcome those who arrive into 

this new shore and always mindful of 

the poor and refugees. 

3. To keep the story of the Chaldeans 

alive not only with your food 

and customs, but in the hearts of all 

the children, knowing you have given 

birth to all civilization. 

As the Prophet Kahlil Gibran 

said once to the Syrian immigrants, 

“I have come and come with the will 

not to receive, but to place on the lap 

of America a new dream, a new song 

and a new adventure.” 

Don’t give up on each other and 

be patient with each other. 

May you reach glory upon glory 

and success upon success as you grow 

with faith, hope and love. 

Fr. George Shalhoub 

St. Mary Orthodox Church 

Livonia 

Love One Another 

I am an 18-year-old Chaldean 

young man who is no different than 

any of you. I would like to share 

some thoughts to all of you as my 

brothers and sisters. 

The most amazing man Jesus 

Christ died for all of our sins but 

we’re all hurting him with even 

more sins. Lately I have been noticing 

that our younger generation 

have been arguing with their closest 

friends and family and fading 

away from them over meaningless 

things. The arguments are so sad 

because these people mean so much 

to us. The people who we love and 

share lots of memories with should 

be the last ones we want in our 

lives. We really need to stop holding 

grudges because they won’t get 

us far in life. This is doing nothing 

but causing chaos. 

Life is way too short, Jesus 

says: “For I will forgive their wickedness 

and will remember their 

sins no more.” (Heb 8:12) “If God 

is willing to do that, how than are 

we ought to behave amongst each 

other?” (Isaiah 43:25) 

Another negative thing that is 

very bad is when we put our problems 

on social media. We make our problems 

bigger on the Internet than they 

were. It’s never good to put your information 

on Facebook and Twitter 

because you usually write something 

bad that starts to rumors and everybody 

finds out what happens. This is 

all crazy and not the way we should 

be acting or treating each other. 

It’s a blessing to be able to wake 

up every morning. I thank Jesus every 

day for that and so should you. 

Let’s just all love one another as 

brothers and sisters and always forget 

and forgive. 

– Lukas Koja 

Let Us Hear From You 

We welcome letters to the editor. 

They must be signed and include 

your city name and phone number 

for verification purposes. Please 

keep them to 500 words or less and 

avoid personal attacks. We reserve 

the right to edit for length and clarity. 

E-mail your letter to info@chaldeannews.com, 

or send to Chaldean 

News, 29850 Northwestern Highway, 

Suite 250, Southfield, MI 48034. 

Not just any doctor can wear this. 

Call 866-501-DOCS (3627) 

to make an appointment 

Being a doctor for St. John Providence Health System is more than 

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It represents their commitment to healing the mind, body and spirit. And 

it also embodies the faith we place in them to never stop fighting for 

their patients. Although our doctors may slip off their coat at the end of 

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St. John Providence Health System. 

For more information about St. John Providence Health System or one of 

our physicians, visit stjohnprovidence.org or for a physician referral call 

866-501-DOCS. 

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GUEST columns 

Uneven playing field hurts Detroit’s independent grocers 

Austin, Texas-based 

Whole Foods broke 

ground on a store 

site north of Mack Avenue 

between Woodward and 

John R in Detroit on May 

14. Half of the project’s estimated 

$10 million price 

tag will be underwritten by 

state and local incentives. 

Similarly, a new Meijer, to 

be developed on the site 

of the old Redford High 

School, will receive a $3.3 

million brownfield tax credit from 

the Michigan Economic Growth 

Authority in order to move forward. 

Will the stores be successful? The 

precedents are not good, with a troubling 

pattern that has played itself 

out over and over again in Detroit: A 

name-brand, big-box chain is attracted 

to the city with significant tax incentives. 

The store fails. The store is ultimately 

purchased and run successfully 

John Loussia 

SPECIAL TO THE 

CHALDEAN NEWS 

by an independent grocer, 

sans credits, abatements or 

incentives of any kind. 

In fact, in the past five 

years, two former Farmer 

Jacks and one Kroger store 

closed — all of which were 

purchased by independent 

grocers in Detroit and now 

sport such names as Farmer 

John’s, Food Express and 

Mike’s Fresh Market. 

Over the past 10 years, 

independent grocers have 

invested $26 million of their own 

money for new store construction in 

Detroit with 10 new projects. Another 

$15 million in private investment 

has gone toward remodeling 

an additional 13 facilities. These are 

not party or convenience stores but 

brand-new, full-service grocery stores 

of 10,000 square feet or more, offering 

fresh meat, dairy and produce departments 

at affordable prices. 

Detroit’s independent grocers 

welcome competition and a free 

marketplace. In order for everyone to 

compete fairly, however, there needs 

to be a level playing field. That does 

not exist. 

Our grocers have remained loyal 

to the city, with the majority of our 

stores boasting 30-year histories of 

serving the communities in which 

they reside. We want to continue 

that commitment to Detroit. Unfortunately, 

this loyalty is not reciprocated 

by state and local entities. 

Instead, financial incentives consistently 

go toward a steady stream 

of “here today, gone tomorrow” national 

chains, from Farmer Jack and 

Walgreens to Kroger and Zaccaro’s. 

The names may sound attractive and 

exciting, but the model simply does 

not work and wastes millions of dollars 

of taxpayer money. 

We’ve all heard the myths that 

provide fodder for this travesty that 

is perpetuated, that Detroit is a “food 

desert.” Yet, how can that be when 

there are 83 full-service grocery 

stores, many supplied by Spartan 

Foods and Eastern Market, located 

throughout the city? (See map at 

MyDetroitGrocers.com/Locations.) 

It is a convenient untruth. 

The playing field needs to be leveled. 

A true standard of competition 

needs to be implemented and followed. 

No corporate entity should be 

allowed to “hit and run.” Especially 

when it comes at the expense of 

those who, in the end, remain here 

to save the day. 

John Loussia is the chairman of the 

Detroit Independent Grocers, an 

association of more than 50 supermarkets 

dedicated to serving Detroiters. DIG is 

an affiliate of the Chaldean American 

Chamber of Commerce. This column 

first appeared in the May 14 issue of the 

Detroit News. 


The separation of church 

and state protects Catholics 

N. Peter 

Antone 


CHALDEAN NEWS 

The separation of 

Church and State 

came to the forefront 

recently when former 

Senator, Rick Santorum, a 

Catholic Republican candidate 

for president, revealed 

that he wanted to “throw 

up” when reading a speech 

by former President John 

Kennedy, also a Catholic, 

supporting the separation 

of Church and State. 

Some might incorrectly assume that 

the separation of Church and State 

is advocated by non-Christians or by 

atheists. But that provision was introduced 

by America’s founding fathers, 

all of whom were Protestant Christians. 

Their experience in Europe taught 

them that religion flourishes when it is 

outside the influence of government. 

Our founding fathers introduced 

the First Amendment to the constitution, 

known as the Establishment 

Clause, which 

says that “Congress shall 

make no law respecting an 

establishment of religion, or 

prohibiting the free exercise 

thereof .....” Another provision 

states that “no religious 

test shall ever be required as 

a qualification to any Office 

… under the United States.” 

At the time of its independence, 

the United 

States was predominantly a Protestant 

nation and without such 

protection the status of Catholics 

would have been in jeopardy. Before 

independence, many states (called 

colonies then) recognized certain 

religious beliefs and prohibited others. 

For example, the Dutch colony 

formed the Dutch Reformed Church 

and prohibited the exercise of other 

kinds of worship. Some communities 

went as far as prohibiting the celebration 

of Christmas and imposed 

financial penalties on those who did. 

Discrimination continued even 

around independence time. Many 

today might be shocked to know 

that the constitution of New York 

banned Catholics from public office, 

while that of Massachusetts 

allowed Catholics to hold public 

office only after renouncing papal 

authority. Many prominent Protestants 

objected to the immigration 

of Catholics, and had they been 

allowed to influence government, 

many of today’s American Catholics 

would not be living here. 

Even today, some southern Evangelicals 

and born-again Christians 

consider Catholics to be non-Christians. 

If those religious organizations 

were allowed to control states where 

they are the majority, they might 

have imposed their religious beliefs, 

prayers and ideas on their Catholic 

minorities, or could have imposed 

religious qualifications to attain certain 

state government jobs. 

Without separation, a state could 

fund a religion and thus have influence 

on it. If priests or ministers get financial 

support from the government and are 

dependent on it, they lose the freedom 

they currently have, since the state 

could then interfere in their affairs. 

The Establishment Clause has 

not been without controversy on 

such issues as assistance to Catholic 

schools, nativity scenes and school 

prayer. In our system, federal courts 

are entrusted to resolve constitutional 

conflicts and in doing so find it 

difficult to please all parties. In their 

attempt to arrive at a balanced approach, 

courts have sided with either 

side depending on the issue. 

The U.S. Supreme Court sided 

with the Church and allowed public 

school buses to transport Catholic 

schools students, ruling that busing 

is a secular activity done to primarily 

benefit the children. Some fault 

the courts for limiting prayer in public 

schools, but how would a Catholic 

kid feel if required to rehearse a 

prayer in a school community of 

anti-Catholics? 

What is undeniable is that the 

people of the United States enjoy 

more religious freedom than any 

other. A major reason for that is the 

Establishment Clause, which left religion 

free from the influence of politics 

and government. 

N. Peter Antone is an immigration 

attorney in Farmington Hills and an 

adjunct professor of Immigration and 

Nationality Law at Michigan State 

University School of law. 


GUEST column 

Losing Dad cuts deep 

A 

dad is respected because he 

gives his children leadership. 

A dad is appreciated because 

he gives his children care. A dad is 

valued because he gives his children 

time. A dad is loved because he gives 

his children the one thing they treasure 

most … himself. 

On Father’s Day I remember the 

wonderful man my dad was. On November 

26, 2010 my family tragically 

lost the backbone to our family. My 

baba, Karim, was robbed and murdered 

in our family-owned store. 

My dad was an incredible family 

man. As he would say, he lived 

a very rich life because of his family. 

Everything my dad did in life was for 

his wife, children and grandchildren. 

My dad only wanted happiness for 

his family but the truth is, my family’s 

happiness was wrapped around 

my dad. The loss of my father has 

been the most devastating experience 

my family has ever undergone. 

Your life completely changes forever, 

Candace and Karim Khamarko 

nothing seems important, your happiness 

is gone and most importantly 

your family chain is broken and can 

never be replaced. 

Adjusting to life without my dad 

has been the hardest experience for 

my family. Not a day goes by where 

we’re not thinking and praying for 

him. For the rest of our lives we will 

always have an empty void, one that 

only my dad can fill. We will always 

wish we can go back to the way life 

was when my dad was alive, back to 

when our lives made sense and we 

were happy. It’s sad that my father’s 

life was cut short and for us to lose 

him far earlier than we should have. 

We miss Karim more and more with 

each day but in our hearts we know 

how lucky and blessed we were to 

have had him in our lives. Now all 

we have are wonderful memories that 

we will treasure forever. 

My family and I dread Father’s 

Day since my dad is no longer around 

to celebrate with us. This June 17 

will be the second one without my 

dad physically here. Although I 

think of my dad every day it’s especially 

harder on this particular day. 

I look around and see fathers with 

their daughters and it makes me envious 

because I miss being able to 

spend quality time with my dad. I 

wish I was able to hug, kiss and wish 

my dad a Happy Father’s Day. Instead 

my family and I will be taking 

flowers to my dad at the cemetery. 

I never imagined my dad not being 

around until I lost mine. Within 

a blink of an eye my dad was taken 

from my family. Your dad won’t be 

around forever, and that is why you 

need to make time for him while he 

is here. A dad is an important part 

of life. Be glad you have one. Don’t 

take him for granted. 

I remember once asking my dad 

“mewet bewatha” (what are you doing?) 

while he was working. He answered 

me, “One day I won’t be here 

and you will realize all the work I 

do.” Sadly my dad was right. My dad 

enjoyed being able to provide for my 

family and never expected a thank 

you but I wish I said it more often. 

Tell and show your father how much 

you appreciate the hard work he does 

providing for your family and making 

sure you are well taken care of. Show 

him on Father’s Day, but also show 

him somehow every day. Take the 

time to tell him how much you love 

him now while you still can, because 

you never know what the future 

holds and may not get the chance to 

say it tomorrow. 

I wish all fathers, including those 

in the heavens above, a Happy Father’s 

Day. 

In loving memory of my dad Karim 

Khamarko, Happy Father’s Day from 

your wife, children and grandchildren. 

We love and miss you. 

Candace Khamarko is an account 

executive at the Chaldean News. The 

murder of Karim Khamarko at the Dollar 

Club Plus in Ferndale remains unsolved. 


GUEST column 

Observations on dignity, decency and forgiveness 

Lessons from two men and their families 

April 16 will not be 

a day easily forgotten 

by the relatives 

and friends of the Cipriano 

family of Farmington Hills. 

Bob was beaten death, his 

wife injured to the point of 

requiring multiple surgeries 

and months of rehabilitation, 

and one of their twin 

sons suffered severe head 

injuries and remains in 

critical condition. Much 

of this mêlée was witnessed by their 

9-year-old daughter. The alleged 

perpetrators: their oldest son, who 

they had adopted as a young baby, 

and his friend. 

Two weeks later, Fred Dally was 

gunned down on the sidewalk of his 

store on Dexter Avenue on Detroit’s 

northwest side at 9 a.m. He had given 

the best years of his life to that neighborhood. 

It ended in a split second. 

These events are unrelated and 

the families did not know each other. 

But in these tragic deaths, in the 

subsequent shock and grief of loved 

ones and friends, and through family 

members’ words and actions, there 

are heroic lessons for the rest of us. 

Fred Dally started the day like 

most others — a visit to Panera 

Bread for his coffee and then on to 

open his store in a northwest Detroit 

neighborhood where both he and his 

business had become fixtures of the 

community. Maybe he knew the 

men who came to rob him; maybe 

they knew him and his routine. 

Maybe he pulled his gun; maybe he 

never saw what was coming. 

It doesn’t matter now. Fred was 

doing what he did his entire life — 

MICHAEL G. 

SARAFA 


CHALDEAN NEWS 

working for his family, especially 

his boys, so that 

they would have better 

and more opportunities 

than he did. I served 

under Fred when he was 

chairman of the Associated 

Food and Petroleum 

Dealers. I remember how 

his face would sometimes 

glaze over with boredom 

as I discussed the mundane 

issues of the association. 

His favorite topic, the times I 

saw him most animated, were when 

he discussed his sons. That is why 

he continued to work his store, the 

Medicine Chest, in an increasingly 

tough and blighted neighborhood. It 

is what he did, for his family. 

Fred was a dignified man. His self 

respect and respect for others were 

important qualities for him. That 

is the legacy that was on display 

through the words and actions of his 

wife and boys. There was no hysteria 

that usually attends these types of 

tragedies — only dignified grieving. 

At the funeral luncheon, the sons 

talked about how much they never 

knew about their dad until he died 

because of all the stories people were 

telling them. They expressed the desire 

for people not to confront them 

with sympathy but simply with more 

stories about their dad. 

But if one could pick just a single 

word to describe Fred, I would say it 

is decency. Everything about him 

exuded decency; his warm smile, 

his gentle touch, his calm manner. 

He never had a foul word or an ill 

thought. The family will miss their 

husband, father and brother. But the 

rest of us will miss simply a good and 

decent man. That’s who went to rest 

on that Dexter Avenue sidewalk that 

morning, leaving a world that lacks 

so much decency with even less. 

Bob Cipriano, say those who 

knew him best, was also a decent 

man. A loving father and husband, 

he spent much of his time in and 

around schools either in his job as a 

Dearborn Public School administrator 

or as a volunteer coach. Here too, 

Fred was a dignified 

man. His self respect 

and respect for others 

were important 

qualities for him. 

in a tragedy with an almost unspeakable 

sequence of events, the family’s 

poise, perseverance and magnanimity 

seem almost surreal. The family, 

and those around them, attribute 

much of this to the power of prayer 

and the grace of God. But it was also 

driven, just as with the Dally family, 

by the legacy of their father and how 

he raised his children. 

On the day of Bob’s funeral mass, 

the third son, Tanner, delivered a 

powerful and movingly poignant 

message on forgiveness — one that 

those in attendance will never forget. 

He asked his extended family, 

the congregation and the community 

to forgive his older brother Tucker 

and his friend Mitchell for what 

they allegedly did to his parents and 

brother. There were audible stunned 

gasps from those who were there, followed 

by a standing ovation — this, 

at a funeral mass. 

Bob’s legacy will also live on 

through his children. What more 

could a father do for his son than 

leave him with a legacy of love and 

forgiveness — arguably two of the 

most important emotions in humankind. 

Excerpts of Tanner’s eulogy to 

his father and his grace-filled call for 

forgiveness are below. They are compelling. 

I hope you read them and 

that they stay with all us. And that 

we honor these fallen men — Fred 

Dally and Bob Cipriano — and their 

families as models of decency, dignity 

and humanity. 

“…my dad has taught me a lot 

and in the last week, he’s taught me 

even more. This week has been a 

lesson in love, and I finally do understand. 

Tucker was our family, 

and while he was never exactly like 

us, in mind or in actions, we must 

still love him like any other brother. 

And Mitchell … he is also in need 

of our forgiveness … So I stand 

here, in my most vulnerable hour, 

and beg, in the absence of my father, 

that all of you may find it in 

your loving hearts to forgive Mitchell 

and to forgive Tucker as my father 

had time after time after time. 

Because it is only after true forgiveness 

that true healing will begin. 

My father was a loving man, and 

with his guidance, I pray that we 

may all follow in his footsteps.” 

Michael Sarafa is a co-publisher of the 

Chaldean News and president of the 

Bank of Michigan. 

Leaders in Fire, Wind, and Water Restoration 

Have an Insurance Claim? Call 24 Hr. Emergency 

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noteworthy 

Subdued Gathering 

Visitors look at the paintings during the Babylon Festival of Culture in Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, on May 7. Iraqi officials are trying to bring back 

normalcy by reviving the spring cultural festival that drew hundreds of thousands of people in its heyday. Poetry has returned to the violence-plagued area known as 

the Triangle of Death, but dancing and singing were left out of the celebration of culture in post-Saddam Iraq. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) 

No Arrests in 

Dally Killing 

Detroit Police have 

made no arrests at 

press time in the May 

1 killing of a Chaldean 

store owner, Faraj 

“Fred” Dally, who 

was shot and killed at 

9 a.m. as he opened 

the Medicine Chest Liquor 

Store on the 9000 block of Dexter on 

the city’s west side. Dally, 63, was remembered 

fondly as a man who always helped 

everyone in the neighborhood and was 

good about extending credit to customers 

in need. According to witnesses, the 

victim pulled up in blue jeep and gunned 

down Dally before he reached the front 

door of the store, a mere 15 feet away. 

Hundreds of mourners gathered at 

Mother of God Church in Southfield on 

Saturday, May 5, to honor his life at a funeral 

mass. 

Reward monies total $50,000 for the 

arrest and conviction of the killer. The Associated 

Food and Petroleum Dealers, 

of which Dally was a former chairman, 

is taking the lead in reward money with 

the chamber’s Waad Murad Advocacy 

Fund donating $10,000. Those with any 

information are urged to call the Detroit 

Police Homicide Unit at (313) 596-2260. 

Attention Sterling 

Heights Homeowners 

The City of Sterling Heights is working 

with representatives from BetterBuildings 

for Michigan program to get the word out 

about a program offering city residents 

up to $5,000 in incentives to make energy-saving 

home improvements. Learn 

more by calling (586) 884-9323. 

People 

Andrew A. Ayar 

Sana Navarrette 

Eric Younan 

Andrew A. Ayar, Esq., 

has been named a 

shareholder at his law 

firm, Strobl & Sharp, 

P.C. Strobl & Sharp is 

a full-service business 

law firm with 31 attorneys 

based in Bloomfield 

Hills. 

The Chaldean 

American Chamber of 

Commerce has two 

new hires. Sana Navarrette 

is the new 

membership manager. 

Eric Younan, a former 

board member, 

is director of strategic 

initiatives for the 

Chaldean Community 

Foundation. 

Strive for Unity, Pope Tells Catholics 

Pope Benedict XVI urged American Catholics to strive for greater unity, especially 

among ethnic groups and between bishops and religious orders, in order 

to carry out the church’s mission in an increasingly hostile society. 

The Pope made his remarks May 18 in a speech to U.S. bishops from 

the Chaldean, Ruthenian, Maronite, Ukrainian, Armenian, Melkite, Syriac and 

Romanian Catholic churches, who were making their periodic “ad limina” 

visits to the Vatican. Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim was among the attendees. 

They were the last of 15 groups of U.S. bishops to make to make “ad limina” 

visits since November 2011, reporting on the status of their dioceses to 

Pope Benedict XVI and holding discussions with Vatican officials. 

In his speech, Pope Benedict called for greater “Catholic unity” to counter 

the “forces of disaggregation within the church which increasingly represent 

a grave obstacle to her mission in the United States.” 

The Pope echoed his earlier warnings to other U.S. bishops about the 

dangers of secularization and state curbs on religious freedom. 

“With the progressive weakening of traditional Christian values, and the 

threat of a season in which our fidelity to the Gospel may cost us dearly, the 

truth of Christ needs not only to be understood, articulated and defended, but 

to be proposed joyfully and confidently as the key to authentic human fulfillment 

and to the welfare of society as a whole,” he said. 

Pope Benedict noted efforts by various lay movements in the U.S. to 

encourage Catholics “to move forward together, speaking with one voice in 

addressing the urgent problems of the present moment.” 

Pope Benedict noted the large proportion of immigrants among American 

Catholics and celebrated them as a resource for evangelization, saying 

that the “immense promise and the vibrant energies of a new generation of 

Catholics are waiting to be tapped for the renewal of the church’s life and the 

rebuilding of the fabric of American society.” 

But he cautioned that the ethnic diversity that immigration brings also 

poses the “demanding pastoral task of fostering a communion of cultures” 

within the church. That task requires a respect for linguistic differences and 

the provision of social services, the Pope said, but also preaching and teaching 

“aimed at inspiring in all the faithful a deeper sense of their communion” 

in the faith and their responsibility for the church’s mission. 

– PilotCatholicNews.com 


Community Bulletin Board 

Capitol Idea 

Walking in Christ’s Footsteps 

The Michigan House and Senate each 

declared May 17 as Chaldean-American 

Day for the third year in a row. Members 

of the Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce traveled to Lansing 

to celebrate the honor and supply a 

Middle Eastern lunch to lawmakers and 

their staff. “Chaldeans, since migrating 

to America during the 1920s, have 

continued to use their strong work ethic 

to contribute to the growth of Michigan 

through the establishment of more than 

15,000 Chaldean-owned businesses 

across the state,” said the Senate 

resolution in part. “The Chaldean 

population has consistently proven 

their entrepreneurial spirit with nearly 

60 percent of the community owning at 

least one business and 80 percent of all 

food stores in the Detroit area alone.” 

Twenty-three Chaldeans from all over 

Metro Detroit visited ancient Christian 

sites on a two-week tour in April. The 

spiritual journey, which was organized by 

Rita Tours, included stops in Israel and 

Turkey. The group is pictured here at the 

Resurrection Church in Jerusalem. 

To Sir With Love 

Dr. Sabah Abro was honored on April 26 as the Faculty of 

the Year 2012 at Lawrence Tech University. He joined LTU 

as an adjunct faculty in 1997, then as a full-time faculty 

member in 2000. He serves two departments, Math & 

Computer Science and the Engineering Technology. The 

well-liked Abro holds a bachelor degree from Baghdad 

University, a graduate diploma from the United Nations 

institute in the Middle East, a master’s degree from Britain 

and a Ph.D. from Belgium. He speaks four languages. He’s 

pictured here with Dr. Lewis Walker, LTU president. 

Have an item for the Bulletin Board? Send it to 

Chaldean News, 29850 Northwestern 

Highway, Southfield, MI 48034, or e-mail 

info@chaldeannews.com. 


CHAI time 

chaldeans conNecting 

community events in and around metro detroit JUNE 2012 

[Friday, June 1] 

Families: Pajama Party and Movie 

Night runs from 6-10 p.m. at Shenandoah 

Country Club. The night includes 

dinner, face-painting, concession stand 

and two Alvin and the Chipmunk movies. 

$22 adults, $15 kids 3-12. Reservations 

required. (248) 454-1927. 

[Friday, June 1 – Sunday, June 3] 

Cars: The Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle 

Grand Prix features all kinds of racecars 

zooming around the island. DetroitGP.com 

or (866) 464-7749. 

[Saturday, June 2] 

Film: “I Am Not a Hipster,” an independent 

film produced by Ron Najor, will 

be screened at 9:30 p.m. at the Michigan 

Theater. The film received good 

reviews at the Sundance Film Festival. 

603 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor. MichTheater.org. 


Golf: Shenandoah Country Club presents 

Nine and Dine. Tee off is 4 p.m. 

followed by dinner in the Mixed Grille. 

$50. (248) 682-4300. 


Rally: Stand Up for Religious Freedom 

Rally opposes the Obama administration’s 

Health and Human Services 

mandate that all employers must offer 

birth control in their insurance policies. 

Archbishop Vigneron will speak. Mc- 

Namara Federal Building, 477 Michigan 

Avenue, Detroit, 12 noon. Rallies 

will take place in some 100 cities 

across the U.S. StandUpForReligious- 

Freedom.com. 


Festival: Chaldean Festival has rides, 

food, music and fun and benefits the 

Chaldean Community Foundation. 

Hours are 5-10 p.m. on June 8 and 

noon-10 p.m. on June 9-10. Southfield 

Civic Center. ChaldeanChamber.com. 


Music: The 30th Annual WYCD 

Downtown Hoedown has more than 40 

country music artists on three stages on 

the grounds surrounding Comerica Park 

in Detroit. CBSLocal.com/category/ 

hoedown. 


Gala: Los Angeles chapter of the Assyrian 

Aid Society of America holds its 

annual gala at the Warner Center Marriott, 

Woodland Hills, California. Music 

is by Yourik Yaghobian. Tickets are 

$100. (818) 624-1025. 

[Thursday, June 21] 

Golf: Ninth Annual Golf Outing at 

Shenandoah Country Club includes 

lunch, dinner, auctions, contests and 

more. Proceeds benefit the Chaldean 

Community Foundation. Chaldean- 

Chamber.com. 


Festival: River Days features diverse 

and family-friendly programming including 

tall ships, sand sculptures, 

eco-friendly kids’ activities, concerts 

and more all celebrating Detroit’s maritime, 

ecological and culinary culture. 

DetroitRiverFront.org, 

[Monday, June 25] 

Fireworks: The 54th Annual Target Fireworks 

begin at 10:06 p.m. at Hart Plaza. 

Rain day is June 26. TheParade.org. 


Golf: Play for PAC is the theme of the 

first-ever golf outing to benefit Play 

Place for Autistic Children, a proposed 

family fun place for families with children 

touched by autism and physical and 

developmental challenges. Sycamore 

Hills Golf Club in Macomb. $125. Play- 

PlaceForAutism.org or (248) 436-8007. 

[Saturday, July 21] 

Reunion: West Bloomfield High School 

20th Year Reunion beings at 7 p.m. at 

Bar Louie in Novi. www.wbhs1992lakers.myevent.com 

Tune In Daily to: 

C H R I S T - C E N T E R E D 

C O M M U N I C A T I O N 

with 


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HALHOLE! 

[Births] 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

Maximus Anthony 

Abdou 

Fred & Mishel Abdou are the 

proud parents of Maximus Anthony 

Abdou! Big brother Freddie 

loves him, and they are always 

making each other smile. Maximus 

was born June 11, 2011. 

He was 3 lbs., 12 oz. and 17 

inches long. Maximus is the fifth 

grandchild of Jamal & Lillian Shallal 

and the third for Julie Abdou & 

the late Frederick George Abdou. 

Maximus is an absolute blessing 

to us and such a happy baby. He 

is always smiling and loves to 

play. We are so blessed for both 

of our boys. 

Maximus Anthony 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE 

Who is Dr. Vasileff? 

• A favorite among the Chaldean Community 

• Rhinoplasty Specialist (nose surgery) 

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• Exceptional educational and training background: 

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COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATIONS 

drvasileff.com 

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Visit chaldeannews.com 

Jonah Brian 

We’ve been blessed and are filled 

with joy, from heaven has come 

our second little boy. Jonah Brian 

Toma was born on October 5, 

2011 at 12:40 p.m. He weighed 

7 lbs., 6 oz. and measured 19 

inches. Proud parents are Brian 

& Kristine Toma and big brother 

is Christian. Grandparents are 

Ramzi & Nadria Toma and Talal 

& Manahil Yatuoma. Godparents 

are Stavros Toma and Stephanie 

Yatuoma. 

Aubrey Rose 

Anthony and Kendall are proud to 

announce the birth of their baby 

sister, Aubrey Rose. She was 

born on December 23, 2011, at 

7:56 a.m., weighing 6 lbs., 13 

oz. and measuring 20 inches 

long. Proud parents are John & 

Eva Jabero. Aubrey is sixth grandchild 

for Mary & the late Nouri 

Jabero, and the seventh for Albert 

& Ikhlas Kejbou. 

Jonah Brian 

Aubrey Rose 

James Scott 

Our first son was so much fun, 

God couldn’t wait to bless us with 

another one! Jude is proud to announce 

that he is a big brother to 

James Scott Hakim, born on November 

21, 2011. James weighed 

7 lbs., 4 oz. and measured 19.75 

inches. James is the third grandchild 

for Hamid & Mesouda Orow 

and the late Naziha Orow, and 

the 16th grandchild for Zouhair & 

Amira Hakim. Blessed and proud 

parents are Scott & Jamie Hakim. 

Godparents are Colin Yaldo and 

Janel Orow. 

James Scott 


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eligion 

places of prayer 

chaldean churches in and around metro detroit 

THE DIOCESE OF ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE 

IN THE UNITED STATES 

St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Diocese 

25603 Berg Road, Southfield, MI 48033; (248) 351-0440 

Mar (Bishop) Ibrahim N. Ibrahim 

www.chaldeandiocese.org 

HOLY MARTYRS CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

43700 Merrill, Sterling Heights, MI 48312; (586) 803-3114 

Rector: Fr. Manuel Boji 

Parochial Vicar: Fr. Ayad Khanjaro 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 9 a.m. in Chaldean; Saturday, 5 

p.m. in English; Sunday: 9 a.m. in Chaldean and Arabic, 10:30 

a.m. in English, morning prayer at noon, high mass at 12:30 

p.m. in Chaldean. 

MAR ADDAI CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

24010 Coolidge Highway, Oak Park, MI 48237; (248) 547- 

4648 

Pastor: Fr. Stephen Kallabat 

Parochial Vicars: Fr. Fadi Habib Khalaf, Fr. Suleiman Denha 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 12 noon; Sunday, 10 a.m. in Chaldean 

and Arabic, 12:30 p.m. in Chaldean 

MOTHER OF GOD CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

25585 Berg Road, Southfield, MI 48034; (248) 356-0565 

Rector: Fr. Wisam Matti 

Parochial Vicar: Fr. Anthony Kathawa 

Bible Study: 7-9 p.m. for High School Ages in English; 7-9 p.m. 

College/Young Adult in English 

Mass Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8 a.m. mass in 

English; Tuesday, 9 p.m. mass in English; Wednesday, noonmidnight, 

adoration; Saturday, 5:15 p.m. in English; Sunday: 

8:30 a.m. in Arabic, 10 a.m. in English, noon in Chaldean, 7 

p.m. in English 

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP MISSION 

Located inside St. Sylvester Church 

11200 12 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48093; (586) 804-2114 

Pastor: Fr. Fadi Philip 

Mass Schedule: Daily, 6:30 p.m.; confession, 5 p.m.; rosary 6 

p.m.; Sunday 12:30 p.m. in Arabic and Chaldean. Bible Study: 

Thursday 8 p.m. Adoration: Thursday, 5 p.m. Catechism: Saturday 

10 a.m.-1 p.m. 

SACRED HEART CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

310 W. Seven Mile Road, Detroit, MI 48203; (313) 368-6214 

Pastor: Fr. Sameem Belius 

Mass Schedule: Friday, 6 p.m. in Chaldean; Sunday 11 a.m. 

in Chaldean 

Recently deceased Community members 

Mary Mansoor 

Dabool 

July 1, 1920 - 

May 12, 2012 

Atheer 

George Sesi 

Feb. 15, 1953 - 


Lumiaa Kas 

Shamoun 

Feb. 7, 1960 - 


Sabhan Alias 

Poota 

Nov. 21, 1974 - 


Daoud Jarjis 

Dayimiya 

July 1, 1924 - 


ST. GEORGE CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

45700 Dequindre Road, Shelby Township, MI 48317; 

(586) 254-7221 

Pastor: Msgr. Emanuel Hana Isho Shaleta 

Assistant Pastors: Fr. Pierre Konja, Fr. Basel Yaldo 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 10 a.m. in Chaldean; Wednesdays, 

7 p.m.; adoration and confession from 8-10 p.m.; 

Saturday, 6:30 p.m. in English (during the school year); 6:30 

p.m. (in Chaldean during the summer); Sunday: 8:30 a.m. in 

Chaldean, 10 a.m. in Arabic, 11:30 a.m. in English, 1:15 p.m. 

in Chaldean; 7:30 p.m. in English. Tuesdays: Circle of Friends 

(teenage girls) 6:30 p.m.; Wednesdays, Adult English Bible 

Study at 8 p.m.; Thursdays, Teen Bible Study at 6:30 p.m.; 

Fridays, Arabic Bible Study at 8 p.m. 

ST. JOSEPH CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

2442 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI 48083; (248) 528-3676 

Pastor: Msgr. Zouhair Toma (Kejbou) 

Parochial Vicar: Fr. Rudy Zoma 


p.m. in English and Chaldean; Sunday, 8 a.m. in Chaldean, 9:30 

a.m. in Arabic, 11 a.m. in English, 12:30 p.m. in Chaldean, 2:15 

in Chaldean and Arabic. Baptisms: 3 p.m. on Sundays. 

ST. MARY HOLY APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC ASSYRIAN 

CHURCH OF THE EAST 

4320 E. 14 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48092; (586) 825-0290 

Rector: Fr. Benjamin Benjamin 

Mass Schedule: Sunday, 9 a.m. in Assyrian; 12 noon in Assyrian 

and English 

ST. THOMAS CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

6900 Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322; (248) 788- 

2460 

Pastor: Fr. Frank Kalabat 

Fr. Emanuel Rayes (retired) 

Parochial Vicar: Fr. Jirgus Abrahim 


p.m. in English; 

Sunday 9 a.m. in English, 10:30 a.m. in English, 12:30 p.m. in 

Chaldean, 2 p.m. in Arabic. First Thursday and Friday of each 

month, Holy Hour 10 a.m., Mass 11 a.m. in Chaldean. Saturday 

3 p.m., Night Vespers (Ramsha) in Chaldean. Every Wednesday 

from midnight to Thursday midnight, adoration in the Baptismal 

Room. Grotto is open 24/7 for prayer and reflection. 

ST. TOMA SYRIAC CATHOLIC CHURCH 

25600 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48335; (248) 478-0835 

Pastor: Fr. Toma Behnama 

Fr. Safaa Habash 

Mass Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 6 p.m.; Sunday 

12 p.m. All masses are in Syriac, Arabic and English. 

Jamila Jajjo 

Nadhir Samona 

Sept. 10, 1924 - 

Apr. 30, 2012 

Amy Esshaki 

Dec. 9, 1922 - 


Mikha Gorgees 

Hannish 

Jan. 6, 1929 - 


The Sacred Heart 

Novena Prayer 

June marks the month of the Nine Day Novena 

to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Below is 

the prayer. You can find the entire Novena 

at Prayerbook.com/Devotions/Sacred%20 

Heart/shojnove.htm 

O Divine Jesus who has said, “Ask and you 

shall receive; seek and you shall find, knock and 

it shall be opened to you,” behold me prostrate 

at your feet. Animated with a lively faith and confidence 

in the promises dictated by your Sacred 

Heart and pronounced by your adorable lips. I 

come to ask your aid. (mention your request) 

From whom shall I ask, O sweet Jesus, if not 

from you whose heart is an inexhaustible source 

of all graces and merits? Where shall I seek if not 

from the treasure which contains all the riches 

of your clemency and bounty? Where shall 

I knock if it be not at the door of your Sacred 

Heart through which God himself comes to us 

and through which we go to God? 

To you then, O Heart of Jesus, I have recourse. 

In you I find consolation when afflicted, 

protection when persecuted, strength when 

overwhelmed with trials and light in doubt and 

darkness. I firmly believe you can bestow on 

me the grace I implore even though it should 

require a miracle. You have only to will it and 

my prayer will be granted. I know I am most 

unworthy of your favors, O Jesus, but this is 

not a reason for me to be discouraged. You are 

the God of mercies and you will not refuse a 

contrite and humble heart. Cast upon me a look 

of pity, I conjure you, and your compassionate 

Heart will find in my miseries and weakness a 

pressing motive for granting my petition. 

But, O Sacred Heart, whatever may be 

your decision with regard to my request I will 

never cease to adore, love, praise and serve 

you. Deign, O Jesus, to accept my act of perfect 

submission to the decrees of your adorable 

Heart which I sincerely desire may be 

fulfilled in and by me and all your creatures 

forever and ever. Amen. 

Act of Consecration to the 

Sacred Heart of Jesus 

Most sweet Jesus, redeemer of the human 

race look down upon us humbly prostrate 

before your altar. We are yours and yours we 

wish to be but to be more surely united with 

you behold each one of us freely consecrates 

himself today to your most Sacred Heart. Many 

indeed have never known you, many too, despising 

your precepts have rejected you. Have 

mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and 

draw them to your Sacred Heart. 

Be you king, O Lord, not only of the faithful 

who have never forsaken you but also of 

the prodigal children who have abandoned 

you. Grant that they may quickly return to their 

Father’s house lest they die of wretchedness 

and hunger. 

Be you King of those who are deceived by 

erroneous opinions or whom discord keeps 

aloof and call them back to the harbor of truth 

and the unity of faith so that soon there may be 

but one flock and one shepherd. 

Grant O Lord, to your Church assurance of 

freedom and immunity from harm. Give peace 

and order to all nations and make the earth resound 

from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to 

the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it 

be glory and honor forever. Amen. 

Completion of the Novena requires recitation 

of: Litany of the Sacred Heart; Act of Reparation; 

Petition to the Sacred Heart; Prayer 

for the Souls in Purgatory. 


OBITUARIES 

Faraj Dally 

“A righteous man who walks in 

his integrity - How blessed are his 

sons after him.” Proverbs 20:7 

Ask anyone to describe Faraj 

“Fred” Dally in one word, and the 

majority of the answers you will 

receive are “Integrity.” 

Faraj Dally passed away on May 1, 2012. 

He was one of 10 children born in Telkaif to 

Daoud and Hassina Dally. He started his education 

inside of the Jesuit Seminary in Baghdad, where 

he later earned a bachelor’s degree from Baghdad 

University. In 1977 he married his college sweetheart 

Balsam, and moved to the United States in 

pursuit of higher education and a better future. He 

earned a master’s degree in Business Administration 

from the University of Detroit Mercy. 

Faraj decided to forego any corporate opportunities 

for the promise of a successful business in 

the city of Detroit. He bought the Medicine Chest 

Liquor Store in 1985. From that point on Faraj became 

a big advocate of community outreach in the 

city and believed in helping those in need. Over the 

years, he also worked with several high-ranking 

state and city officials, including Michigan governors 

and many city mayors, and served as a spokesman 

for all of Detroit’s small business owners. Faraj also 

spent more than 20 years as an influential member 

of the Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers and 

served as chairman from 2006-2007. He always believed 

that Detroit could return to the thriving city it 

was when he first went into business there. 

Faraj was a man who set out to give his family 

all the best that this country could offer. He often 

worked 80-hour weeks and skipped vacations with 

his friends. This gave Faraj the opportunity to save 

enough to provide two additional businesses for his 

three sons. He will long be remembered for his 

strong work ethic, compassion and faith in God. 

Faraj was the husband to Balsam Dally and is 

survived by his three sons, Ziad, David and Jason; 

and his two grandchildren, Skylar and Reece. He is 

also survived by his brothers Salam and Adil; and 

sisters Mary, Kamila, Nazhat and Nidhal. He is predeceased 

by his brother Hani and sisters Hyat and 

Muntaha. 

The entire Dally family would like to extend 

thanks and gratitude to the whole community for all 

of the love and support they have shown throughout 

their trying and difficult ordeal. 

Nezhat Kallabat 

Nezhat “Nancy” Kallabat, daughter 

to the late Asso & Hasina Kallabat, 

was born on July 14, 1934 and 

passed away on April 30, 2012. 

She is survived by her six brothers, 

Manuel (Namit) Kallabat, Hikmat 

Kallabat, George (Maysoon) 

Kallabat, Isam (Dura) Kallabat, 

Nabil Kallabat and Imad (Suhair) Kallabat, as well as 

her five sisters, Mary (the late Hermiz ) Kinaya, Souad 

(the late George) Al-Sheikh, Julia (Nassir) Yaldoo, 

Samira (Mansour) Thweni and Bahira (John) Esshaki. 

Nezhat Kallabat wasn’t just our aunt. She was 

our second mother, sister and best friend. She was 

the one who would listen no matter how tired she 

was. Aunt Nancy had endless love in her heart. Her 

face would light up whenever anyone walked in the 

room. In the summertime, she loved going outside in 

the garden. She would sit a chair in the middle and 

eat fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and plenty 

more. She was a child of God and led a simple life. 

It was through her faith that she was able to reach 

eternal happiness here on Earth. 

Aunt Nancy, our house is empty. There are not 

many words for us right now and there are not many 

ways for us to tell you or show you how much we love 

you. Now, it will be hard not seeing you every day and 

not joking and laughing with you. It will be hard to 

have dinner without you but you live on in every single 

one of our hearts. You are a part of all of our lives and 

we will make sure that our future children know exactly 

how amazing, loving and caring their Aunt Nancy was. 

Rest in peace. We will always love you, David, 

Michael, Daniel and Ann Esshaki. 

Jamil David Hakim 

Jamil David Hakim was born on 

July 20, 1925 in Baghdad and 

passed away on May 9, 2012 in 

Royal Oak, Michigan. 

Jamil spent his childhood in 

Baghdad. On warm summer evenings 

he and his family retired to 

the flat, open roof of their home to 

enjoy cool breezes and to sleep under the stars. His 

childhood days were spent with his friends splashing 

in the Tigris and sunning on local sandbars. 

When World War II ended, the opportunity to emigrate 

to America became a possibility. Jamil applied 

for documentation to make the trip and, after a lengthy 

wait, found his chance had come with barely time to 

go home to pack and say goodbye. 

He soon found himself aboard the S.S. Marine 

Carp, weathering a difficult crossing of the Atlantic 

with just a small suitcase and $50 in his pocket. 

After his arrival in New York, Jamil took the train to 

Detroit and settled down at his brother’s home in 

Grosse Pointe. 

Jamil’s aspirations of becoming a doctor were 

thwarted when he found that only ex-GI’s were being 

accepted into medical school. That’s when he decided 

to become a pharmacist. He entered pharmacy school 

in 1947 at the Detroit Institute of Technology (later to become 

part of Wayne State University) and studied while 

holding down a full-time job at his brother’s business. 

Jamil graduated with his pharmacy degree and was 

soon married to J. Julia Hakim. He went to work for a 

local pharmacist because he couldn’t become licensed 

until he became an American citizen. Five years later, 

Jamil obtained his U.S. citizenship and became the first 

Chaldean registered pharmacist in the Detroit area. 

Jamil’s father-in-law ran a successful supermarket 

and approached Jamil with the idea of expanding the 

business to include a pharmacy. However, the idea 

wasn’t yet a possibility because of a state law forbidding 

the practice. Jamil researched the issue and 

travelled to Lansing, where he successfully navigated 

the process to have the law changed. In 1957, the 

Detroit New Center-area business was rechristened 

the Hakim Food & Drug Center. 

Several years later, Jamil opened a second pharmacy, 

Hakim Drugs, in the Seven Mile area of Detroit. 

Always concerned for his customers, Jamil quietly did 

what he could to make sure people got the medicine 

they needed, even when they couldn’t afford it. 

Over the years, Jamil served his church and community 

in many capacities. In keeping with his serviceoriented 

mindset, in the mid-1970s he bought Central 

Alarm Signal, Inc. in Detroit, which continues to secure 

homes and businesses throughout the community 

to the present day. His last generous gift was the 

new altar at Mother of God Church. 

Jamil is survived by his wife Julia; children, Bob 

(Lynne), Keith, Benita, Carolyn, Nicole (Chris), and 

Derrick (Debbie); 11 grandchildren; and his sister, 

Amelia Wilhelm. 

Jamil was known to all as a man of uncompromising 

integrity, warmth and compassion; the man with 

the movie star smile and the ability to make every person 

he met feel special. 


DOCTOR is in 

High blood pressure: The silent killer 

When I opened 

the new office in 

Sterling Heights, 

I was astonished to see so 

many Chaldeans having 

three common problems: 

high blood pressure, diabetes 

and high cholesterol. Hypertension 

is a serious disease. 

Your heart beats about 

100,000 times each day, 

pumping 2,000 gallons of 

blood through your blood 

vessels. When you have 

high blood pressure, or hypertension, 

the force of blood against your artery 

walls is too strong. Hypertension is 

very common; more than 65 million 

Americans, nearly 1 in 4 adults, have 

high blood pressure. Prevalence increases 

with age so that by age 60, 

hypertension is present in approximately 

60 percent of people. 

Despite being a very common 

problem, and because you may not 

feel any symptoms, more than 20 million 

Americans don’t know that they 

have it – which is why this disease is 

referred to as the “silent killer.” But 

in this situation silence isn’t golden. 

Unmanaged high blood pressure 

may put you at risk for serious medical 

conditions such as stroke, heart 

attack, heart failure, kidney and eye 

damage. A few people, especially 

when the blood pressure reaches 

high levels, may develop: headache, 

blurred vision, dizziness, flushing, 

nosebleed, chest pain, palpitation, 

shortness of breath and nausea. 

What Is ‘Normal?’ 

It should be less than 140/90 (ideally 

Neil Jaddou, M.D. 


CHALDEAN NEWS 

less than 120/80). For diabetics 

and people with heart and 

kidney disease it should be 

less than 130/85. A number 

of factors such as pain, illness, 

anger, stress or anxiety can 

cause a temporary increase 

in blood pressure. For this 

reason, hypertension is not 

diagnosed on one high blood 

pressure reading. If a blood 

pressure reading is 140/90 or 

higher for the first time, the 

physician will have you return 

for another blood pressure check. For 

the doctor to confirm that you have hypertension, 

your blood pressure, either 

the top or the bottom number, needs 

to reach or exceed 140/90 on three or 

more separate occasions. 

What Causes High Blood Pressure? 

In most cases, the doctor may not be 

able to pinpoint the exact cause of 

your high blood pressure. However, 

several factors are known to increase 

blood pressure such as: obesity, heavy 

use of alcohol, family history of high 

blood pressure, high salt intake, sedentary 

lifestyle, stress, low potassium 

and calcium intake (found in fruits, 

vegetables and milk) and aging. In a 

small number of patients, hypertension 

is caused by secondary factors 

such as: sleep apnea, kidney disease, 

narrowing of the aorta or the kidney 

artery, thyroid and parathyroid 

disease, tumor of the adrenal gland, 

pregnancy, medications such as birth 

control pills, diet pills, cold or allergy 

pills that contain decongestant, 

steroids and ibuprofen. In secondary 

hypertension, when the root cause 

is treated, blood pressure may return 

to normal. Some people have “white 

coat hypertension,” which means 

high blood pressure readings only 

when they are at the doctor’s office 

due to being nervous. In these individuals, 

it is recommended that they 

check their blood pressure at home or 

a drug store to make sure it is normal. 

Why Care? 

Hypertension accelerates atherosclerosis, 

which means it can harden the 

arteries and hence make them narrower. 

Cholesterol is more likely to 

build up on the walls of damaged arteries, 

making them even narrower. 

This can result in peripheral arterial 

disease, which in turn decreases 

blood flow to the legs causing pain. 

Also, a blood clot can get trapped 

in narrowed arteries, blocking the 

flow of blood to the heart and brain 

causing heart attack and stroke. If 

the blood vessel in the brain bursts 

because of very high blood pressure, 

you can get a hemorrhagic stroke 

(bleeding stroke). 

Hypertension makes the heart work 

harder to pump blood through the body 

and makes the heart muscle thicker. 

When the heart becomes too enlarged, 

it may “fail” and as a result, it can not 

pump efficiently, leading to a condition 

called congestive heart failure. 

This causes fluid back-up in the lung 

and legs. If blood pressure is not well 

controlled, with time the kidneys will 

filter less fluid and waste builds up in the 

blood. The kidneys may fail altogether 

requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. 

Hypertension can also cause leakage of 

eye vessels causing blurred vision. 

How to Treat It? 

Treatment to lower blood pressure 

usually includes changes in diet, getting 

regular exercise, and taking antihypertensive 

medications. Patients 

with borderline or mild hypertension 

may benefit from lifestyle changes 

such as losing weight, getting regular 

exercise, quitting smoking, reducing 

alcohol consumption and managing 

stress. It is recommended that patients 

follow the DASH (Dietary Approaches 

to Stop Hypertension) diet, 

an eating plan rich in fruits, vegetables 

and low-fat products. The diet also 

includes whole-grain products, fish, 

poultry, and nuts. Red meat, sweets 

and sugar-containing beverages are 

kept to a minimum. The National 

Institute of Health asserts that behavioral 

and relaxation therapies must be 

integrated into conventional medical 

treatment of high blood pressure. 

There are more than 10 classes 

of antihypertensive drugs; each lowers 

blood pressure in a different way. 

Some people may require two or more 

medications. Some medication causes 

side effects such as impotence in men, 

leg swelling and cough. Because antihypertensive 

medicines control blood 

pressure but do not cure it, patients 

must continue taking the medications 

indefinitely. Medication can not just 

be taken as needed such as when you 

have a headache. Home monitoring 

of blood pressure can help people with 

hypertension keep track of it. 

High blood pressure is a serious 

disease, do not ignore it. If you do, it 

will kill you — silently. 

Neil Jaddou, M.D., is a clinical 

professor of Family Medicine at Wayne 

State and Oakland Beaumont Medical 

Schools. Call his Troy office at (248) 

816-1010, Sterling Heights at (586) 

722-7240, or visit DrJaddou.com. 

MOVING? 

You have 

a cousin in 

the moving 

business! 

Experience why we were voted 

1 ST PLACE HONOR 

FOR THE 

FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR 

in the Daily Tribune’s 

“Best of the Best” 

Credit Union. 

Clawson Community Credit Union 

625 N. Main Street • Clawson • (248) 435-0950 

www.clawsoncreditunion.com 


10 Questions for … 

Ivan George 

Ivan George is the man behind the camera 

at Futurewave Images, which produces 

photography and videos. He also works as 

a camera operator for all sorts of productions, 

from commercials to movies to concerts. The 

35-year-old lives in Farmington Hills and is 

the father of two boys. 

Describe yourself in three – and only three – words 

Ambitious, unique, idealist. 

If you were stuck on a desert island, what three 

books would you want with you? 

98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass 

Alive by Cody Lundin; Run! 26.2 Stories of 

Blisters and Bliss by Dean Karnazes; Playboy 

June 1994 Edition. 

The top three songs on my iPod are … 

AC/DC’s Back in Black; Michael Jackson’s Off 

the Wall; Gorillaz’ Feel Good. 

My favorite thing about being Chaldean is … 

Our food. 

My least favorite thing is … 

Demon Drop. 

My motto is … 

Study as if you were going to live forever; live 

as if you were going to die tomorrow. 

The one thing about me that surprises people is … 

I’m Alqoshy. 

If I could have any talent, it would be … 

Rocking a guitar. 

If I could travel back in time for a vacation, I’d 

go to … 

Italy, long story... 

A perfect day consists of … 

Being outdoors. 

Bank in Michigan at a 

Bank for Michigan 

7 years of helping businesses 

build our local economy 

Our focus remains on our 

core values of Loyalty, 

Integrity and Service 

We’re here to help! 

Our Success Depends upon the 

Success of our Community! 

• Commerã al business and real estate loans 

• An SBA Preferred Lender 

• Competitive Home Mortgage Loans 

• Speã alizing in MSB Retail Banking 

• Consultative Finanã al Services for Businesses 

Michael G. Sarafa 

President & CEO 

S U C C E S S 

S E R V I C E 

C O M M U N I T Y 

INTEGRITY 

LOYALTY 

30095 Northwestern Highway • Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

Phone: (248) 865-1300 • Fax: (248) 865-0355 

www.bankofmi.com 

Offer of credit is subject to credit approval 


chaldean on the STREET 

What’s a memory from your First Communion? 

By Anthony Samona 

As Communion season winds down, Chaldeans share their most memorable 

moments from their first Holy Communion experience. 

Everyone always remembers 

those classmates they sat next 

to for months during Communion 

class. I also remember the 

countless attempts of my class 

learning the Chaldean prayers, 

and how hard it would be for us 

to memorize and practice them 

over and over again, but we never 

gave up. Kind of like how Jesus 

never gave up for us. Remembering 

my first Communion always 

brings back happy thoughts 

because it reminds me of how 

we were taught of God’s love as 

children and how we were going 

to receive him for the first time. It 

is truly a blessing knowing Jesus 

and the Holy Spirit are instilled in 

you every time you attend mass. 

Janice Zakar, 17 

Sterling Heights 

I will never forget the memory of 

my Communion class entering 

St. Joseph Church singing the 

lovely opening prayer in Chaldean 

as we walked down the 

aisle, which I still catch myself 

singing to this day. That day 

seems as if it were yesterday. 

Entering the church and seeing 

everyone’s faces blow up with 

smiles and having camera flashes 

everywhere was an experience 

that I will never forget. 

Sandra Mikhail, 18 

Shelby Township 

I received my first Communion 

when I lived in Sweden. Besides 

my memory of the excitement in 

being able to wear a pretty Cinderella 

white dress, I will never 

forget how I anxiously waited every 

week to attend the catechism 

classes to learn more about God 

with my older brother and sister, 

who I took Communion with. I 

remember the happiness in all of 

us receiving the Eucharist for the 

first time and the significance of 

being able to share in the life of 

God, the life of the Trinity. 

Sara Gibrael, 23 

Royal Oak 

A memory I will always have on 

my Communion day is that I was 

part of the group that recited 

a Chaldean prayer. Having a 

specific part on that beautiful 

day made that day even more 

memorable. 

Jena Yaldo, 19 

Troy 

I will never forget the time when 

my aunt came to pick up my 

cousins and me. She had already 

picked up my other cousins from 

their dentist appointment, so the 

small car was filled with literally 

10 people. All my other classmates 

started to laugh when they 

saw us try to fit inside of the car. 

It was such a funny memory I 

have when I think about my Communion. 

It’s only with Chaldeans, 

where we try to fit as many 

people as we can in a car. 

Romario Georges, 16 


Receiving the Eucharist for the 

first time has to be the most 

memorable part. The actual 

Communion ceremony was just 

like the practice day, however 

there was one crucial difference 

and that was being prepared to 

receive the body of Christ. 

Paula Yuhana, 22 


It was such a beautiful sight to 

see how happy my family was as 

they witnessed me receiving the 

body of Christ for the very first 

time. When I was that young, I 

did not quite understand how 

happy it would make my family 

feel, but now as I am older I see 

how important and how beautiful 

that day was for not only myself, 

but for my parents as well. All my 

relatives’ faces were glowing, 

especially at my party. It is so 

amazing what impact receiving 

the body of our Lord for the very 

first time can have on one person. 

Sandra Hanna, 15 

Warren 

The first thing that I think of is 

how my Maser (nun) slapped me 

across the face — reason being, 

I did the sign of the cross wrong. 

It wasn’t a baby slap either! It 

was a hard and hurtful yet memorable 

slap. Right then and there, 

I knew, Communion class was 

not a joke. 

Dominick Yousif, 16 


The Reporter 

Shares His 

Own Memory 

The first memory that comes 

to mind is Shatha Namou, a 

Communion teacher legend! 

My Communion class was 

lucky enough to be the last 

class that Shatha had the 

honor of teaching. It was 

also somewhat of a sad year 

because our beloved priest, 

Father Hanna Sheikho, 

passed away just a few 

months before our Communion 

day. Having such 

a profound lady handle and 

teach around 100 children all 

by herself was unbelievable! 

Today, many of the Chaldean 

churches have many different 

leaders, nuns and volunteers 

to help out with the 

Communion classes. When 

I see how difficult it is to set 

order for so many children, I 

always wonder how Shatha 

did it all by herself. Shatha 

was a woman who taught, 

led and set great examples 

from the word of God. 

Anthony Samona, 20 

West Bloomfield 


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chaldean 

it’s 

1 

2 

7 

8 

Photos by David ReeD 

The Southfield Civic Center 

lawn will be hoppin’ June 8-10 

for the Chaldean Festival. 

This is the seventh year for the 

event, which is presented by the 

Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce, Chaldean 

Community Foundation and 

the City of Southfield. 

Let There Be 

Music! 

Among the live entertainment is 

music by Sawsan Najar, Ramy 

Aleissa, Rafid Sawa, the Bells 

Iraqi Band, Salam Kaka, Munther 

Fahmi, Ameed Asmaro, Khairy 

Boudagh and more! 

1. Shop along Merchant’s Row 

2. Dress to the nines 

3. Enjoy great Chaldean music 

4. Try a thrill ride – if you dare 

5. Hold on tight 

6. Sawsan Najar returns this 

year! 

7. Ride the fire truck 

8. Join hands and dance the 

day – or night –away 

9. Get a bird’s-eye view 

10. Slide into a good time 

11-13. Bring the whole family! 

14. See and be seen 

15. Bump that car 

16. Take a spin on the 

merry-go-round 

17. Go fishing for prizes 

18. Celebrate our heritage 

19. Join the crowd – as many 

as 30,000 people came to 

last year’s festival! 

9 

10

festival time! 

3 

4 

5 

6 

11 

13 

try the 

raffle! 

Try your luck in the 50/50 raffle. 

Tickets are $10 each or three for 

$20. Gino Boji, right, last year’s 

winner, took home 

nearly $4,000. 

See You 

There! 

Friday, June 8 

5 – 10 p.m. 

Saturday, June 9 

Noon – 10 p.m. 

Sunday, June 10 

Noon – 10 p.m. 

12 

14 

15 

Where Does 

the Money Go? 

One hundred percent of the proceeds 

raised at the festival benefit the Chaldean 

Community Foundation. The charitable 

arm of the Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce, this non-profit 501 (c)(3) 

helps our community’s needy through 

education, charitable giving and advocacy. 

Some of its initiatives include: 

16 

17 

19 

• Project Bismutha, which provides 

free or reduced cost healthcare to 

refugees who lack health insurance 

• RAST (Refugee Acculturation 

Sustainability and Training) which 

helps refugees get on their feet 

• Mental Health Initiative, which 

supplies mental health services to 

refugees 

• Chaldean Loan Fund, a brand-new 

program that helps refugees buy a car. 

18 

Last year’s festival netted $30,000 for 

the organization. 


15 things to make you happy 

Let go of pain and embrace change 

By Daniela Saviuc 

Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give 

up on them, will make your life a lot easier 

and much, much happier. We hold onto so 

many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress 

and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, 

instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and 

happy, we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting 

today we will give up on all those things that 

no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. 

Ready? Here we go: 

1. Give up your need to always be right. There 

are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being 

wrong – wanting to always be right even at the risk 

of ending great relationships or causing a great deal 

of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not 

worth it. Whenever you feel the “urgent” need to 

jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, 

ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or 

would I rather be kind?” (Wayne Dyer) What difference 

will that make? Is your ego really that big? 

2. Give up your need for control. Be willing to 

give up your need to always control everything 

that happens to you and around you – situations, 

events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, 

coworkers or just strangers you meet on the street 

– just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone 

to be just as they are and you will see how 

much better that will make you feel. “By letting it 

go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let 

it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond 

winning.” (Lao Tzu) 

3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to 

blame others for what you have or don’t have, for 

what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers 

away and start taking responsibility for your life. 

4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. 

How many people are hurting themselves because of 

their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating 

mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind 

is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. 

You are better than that. “The mind is a superb 

instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, 

it becomes very destructive.” (Eckhart Tolle) 

5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you 

can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. 

From now on, you are no longer going to allow 

your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the 

wrong place. Spread your wings and fly! “A belief is 

not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the 

mind.” (Elly Roselle) 

6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant 

need to complain about those many, many, maaany 

things – people, situations, events that make you 

unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you 

unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable 

unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that 

triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose 

to look at it. Never underestimate the power of 

positive thinking. 

7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your 

need to criticize things, events or people that are 

different than you. We are all different, yet we are 

all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want 

to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. 

We all want something, and something is 

wished by us all. 

8. Give up your need to impress others. Stop trying 

so hard to be something that you’re not just to make 

others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment 

you stop trying so hard to be something that 

you’re not, the moment you take off all your masks, 

the moment you accept and embrace the real you, 

you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly. 

9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is 

good. Change will help you move from A to B. 

Change will help you make improvements in your 

life and also the lives of those around you. Follow 

your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it. “Follow 

your bliss and the universe will open doors for you 

where there were only walls.” (Joseph Campbell) 

10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, 

people or events that you don’t understand as being 

weird or different and try opening your mind, 

little by little. Minds only work when open. “The 

highest form of ignorance is when you reject something 

you don’t know anything about.” (Wayne Dyer) 

11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, 

it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your 

mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall 

into place. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” 

(Franklin D. Roosevelt) 

12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and 

tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A 

lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many 

excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on 

improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying 

to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses 

that 99.9 percent of the time are not even real. 

13. Give up the past. I know, I know. It’s hard. 

Especially when the past looks so much better than 

the present and the future looks so frightening, but 

you have to take into consideration the fact that 

the present moment is all you have and all you 

will ever have. The past you are now longing for 

– the past that you are now dreaming about – was 

ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding 

yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy 

life. After all life is a journey, not a destination. 

Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, 

but always be present in the now. 

14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that 

for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell 

you that it was for me too (it still is), but it’s not 

something impossible. You get better and better 

at this with time and practice. The moment you 

detach yourself from all things (and that doesn’t 

mean you give up your love for them – because 

love and attachment have nothing to do with one 

another, attachment comes from a place of fear, 

while love… well, real love is pure, kind and selfless, 

where there is love there can’t be fear, and because 

of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) 

you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind and 

so serene. You will get to a place where you will be 

able to understand all things without even trying; a 

state beyond words. 

15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. 

Way too many people are living a life 

that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according 

to what others think is best for them, they 

live their lives according to what their parents 

think is best for them, to what their friends, their 

enemies and their teachers, their government and 

the media think is best for them. They ignore their 

inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy 

with pleasing everybody, with living up to other 

people’s expectations, that they lose control over 

their lives. They forget what makes them happy, 

what they want, what they need … and eventually 

they forget about themselves. You have one life – 

this one right now – you must live it, own it, and 

especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract 

you from your path. 

Daniela Saviuc is the product development manager at 

Mindvalley and the founder of the Purpose Fairy Blog. 


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2 

1 

pieces of home 

Massive collection recalls 

Ghazwan Samona’s roots 


4 

5 

One would think Ghazwan 

Samona would love to show 

off his massive collection 

of all things Iraqi. But in fact, not 

many are lucky enough to explore his 

house’s spacious lower level, which is 

more like a museum than a basement. 

“This is just for me and my family,” 

he said of the remarkable space 

in Sterling Heights. “It’s like going 

back home to Baghdad.” The youngest 

of 17 children, Samona, 36, has 

fond memories of his native Iraq. 

There are literally thousands 

of objects in the sprawling space, 

including a giant incense burner, 

elaboratively decorated swords, all 

sorts of candleholders, historic figurines, 

lifelike statuettes and colorful 

commemorative plates – all crafted 

of brass, sterling silver, copper or 

glass. There are hand-inlaid coffee 

decanters, intricate mosaics, handsewn 

baskets, decorative vases, shiny 

teapots, miniature camels and chairs, 

and finely crafted tapestries and 

paintings. 

Most of Samona’s collection 

comes from Iraq but he also has pieces 

from Syria, the Sudan and other 

nations. There’s even a cool village 

in a bottle from the Philippines. 

Large or tiny, they all find a place 

on dozens of tables, shelves and 

bookcases. Since virtually every surface 

is covered with objects, Samona 

must do a lot of rearranging when he 

adds a new piece. 

A handsome wooden bookcase 

holds Samona’s favorite treasures – 

hundreds of antique books in Aramaic 

and Arabic, including one dating 

back to 1753, and some that were 

used by priests. “They are the oldest 

books on religion you can find,” he 

said proudly. Of more recent vintage 

— at only 100 years old — is a 

wooden crank-up phonograph that 

Samona uses to play Arabic music on 

vintage albums. 

The couches and wall borders are 

covered in red and black striped fabric 

that Samona brought over from 

Iraq. Rugs of all shapes and sizes 

cover the floor. There’s seating for at 

7 


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G 

KTOW 

KTOWNUSA 

3 

TOWN 

G K USA 

TOWN 

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USA 

G eKTOWN 

6 

1. The room is a 

feast for the eyes. 

2. These ancient 

books are Samona’s 

most prized 

possessions. 

3. Dozens of 

tiny knickknacks 

crowd this table. 

4. This inlaid plate 

is one of Samona’s 

favorite pieces. 

5. Rasheed Street 

in Baghdad comes 

alive in this painting. 

6. Two-year-old 

Joseph models a 

shefka. 

7. White palace: 

The original 

White Palace in 

Baghdad. The West 

Bloomfield location 

was designed to 

mimic its interior. 

least a few dozen people, but Samona 

said he rarely has company. 

The thought of keeping these 

countless items dust-free and shiny 

would overwhelm most, but not Sonia, 

Samona’s wife of 12 years. “It 

takes me just about six hours a day, 

once a week,” she said. “The kids 

help clean too,” she said of the couple’s 

four children ages 2-11. 

Sonia admits that clutter is not 

really her style. “In truth I don’t like 

a lot of stuff,” she said, “but since my 

husband likes it, I like it too.” 

In Baghdad, Samona and 

his brothers owned three restaurants: 

the White Palace, House of Sun on 

the Water, and From the Past. But 

three attempted kidnappings and 

many threats from Islamic fundamentalists 

forced them to flee Iraq 

in December 2009. Samona brought 

some of his collection along, sent for 

the rest, and adds items constantly. 

“He’ll call and say, ‘come to the 

car’ and I know it means he bought 

more stuff,” Sonia said with a laugh. 

“When DHL comes with a package 

I tell them, ‘you’ve got the wrong 

house.’” 

Two months, ago, Samona 

opened the handsome White Palace 

restaurant on Haggerty Road in West 

Bloomfield. The restaurant serves 

Mediterranean cuisine family-style 

so dishes can be shared. Patrons can 

pick out their own live fish to be 

steamed with cedar, oak and other 

woods. Business, he said, is “very 

good. Thank God.” 


‘in the end, they conquer’ 

Fr. Sameem’s new book explores creativity 

By Weam Namou 

How people can be creative 

in their life and in the world 

is the subject of a new book 

from Fr. Sameem Balius. 

The popular priest talked about 

Arabic-language Man and His Inner 

Creativity at the April 10 Bible Study 

class at Bellagio Banquet Hall in 

Warren. 

“I use Jesus as a model,” said Fr. 

Sameem. “Creative persons always 

experience suffering because people 

do not understand them. But because 

they have a mission and the truth, in 

the end they conquer.” 

He uses several others as examples, 

including Giordano Bruno, 

an Italian philosopher and scientist 

whose cosmological theories proposed 

that the sun was essentially a 

star and that the universe contained 

an infinite number of inhabited 

worlds. He was burnt at the stake in 

1600 after the Roman Inquisition 

found him guilty of heresy. 

“A creative person always wants 

to change society,” said Fr. Sameem. 

“He is the hero who has the truth 

and finds that people who think 

backwards try to fail his mission. He 

Fr. Sameem “Creative persons always experience suffering.” 

has false friends but true enemies. 

Yet the more he gets hit, 

the greater he becomes.” 

One reason society fears creative 

people is because society 

loves stability and stagnation. 

They don’t want progress as it 

causes frustrations. So for one 

to take the journey of creativity, 

one must first be ready to fight and 

also have the necessary characteristics 

of consciousness, compassion, a kind 

of individualism and a new message. 

“This person must have a weapon 

of awareness and through education 

and creation, he will attain selfconfidence 

and trust in God,” Fr. 

Sameem said. “Not that he doesn’t 

already have that, but he must not 

be afraid to confront people with it.” 

While we don’t really have heroes 

in our community, Fr. Sameem said, 

we have the energy to be just that as 

each person is his own hero inside. 

However, there are heroes who are 

sleeping and heroes who are awake. 

What Fr. Sameem tries to do through 

his books, sermons and classes is provide 

steps to help awaken the sleeping 

heroes. 

“Globalization has killed a lot of 

people’s creativity,” he said. “The 

computer became our minds, and so 

we now have a complex of inferiority 

with science and information. Faith 

couldn’t compete and as a result our 

belief weakened in God and then in 

ourselves. We have less feeling towards 

each other, we lost our memories 

and we attained false rest.” 

Fr. Sameem does not view the Internet 

and technology as bad, but believes 

that people have abused these. 

In Man and His Inner Creativity, 

Fr. Sameem talks about action vs. activity. 

Action is always creative and 

initiative whereas activity is reactive 

and negative. For instance marriage, 

which is based on a free and holy decision, 

begins to change to negativity 

when it turns into a routine. 

“I do mass because I’m a priest,” 

he said. “This is an activity, not creativity. 

It’s just a duty. Creative action 

is unique and essential action. 

It’s being Jesus Christ. 

“A lot of people would rather die 

as they are because they are afraid of 

the confrontations that come from 

being different,” Fr. Sameem said. 

So although routine has killed them, 

they continue to remain in the dark 

figuring they’re too old and set in 

their ways to change. 

“Intuition has died in our community,” 

he said. “We, the East, are 

not initiative like the West, and so 

we wait for someone to come help 

us. A creative person has initiative, 

doesn’t wait for help. Like Jesus. 

When he went to help the sick 

man, he said to him ‘Rise,’ knowing 

that the man is capable of doing so, 

although the man himself does not 

know it.” 

So how can one begin to be creative? 

“Through sacred emptiness,” 

Fr. Sameem said. “I empty my head 

from distortive thoughts to be full 

with the Holy Spirit, [think] good 

thoughts about myself and others, 

and also to deny my ego because my 

ego is another god that demands me 

every day to worship him.” 

Going from the ego to creativity 

changes one’s priorities, he said. 

“With creativity, it’s not about 

me, but about others. I’m not trying 

to show off.” 

Fr. Sameem acknowledges that 

he is advocating a hard spiritual journey 

that requires a lot of patience 

and dedication. But he promises it’s 

worth it. 

“You will become nurtured inside 

and stop fearing death. You 

will become immortal as you share 

eternity with God, not caring about 


“New Evangelization 

of Catholic Education” 

New Life at 

Sacred Heart 

On Holy Saturday and 

Easter Sunday, Detroit’s 

Sacred Heart on Seven 

Mile was embraced by some 600 

worshipers, the largest number the 

Chaldean Catholic church has 

seen in decades. 

Due to the deterioration of its 

surrounding neighborhoods and 

people moving out of the city, the 

church was neglected for some 

time with only 30 to 40 people 

attending Sunday mass. But since 

Fr. Sameem came to the church 

in December 2010, things have 

changed — as tends to happen 

wherever he goes. 

“Thirty volunteers came in 

and changed the church from 

head to toe, sometimes working as 

late as 3:00 in the morning,” said 

Mike Sako, president of the Parish 

Council. “We did the carpentry, 

lighting, painting, and bought 

three lots, which are now in development, 

in order to provide safe 

parking for the community.” 

Fr. Sameem has since attracted 

a number of youths who were following 

the wrong path into his 

church and utilized their skills, 

a process that transformed them 

spiritually and led them to abandon 

their old ways. And at Sacred 

Heart, one never knows who 

the materialistic world.” 

And, he said, one will also undergo 

three movements: moving from 

loneliness to solitude; from hostility 

to hospitality; from illusion (fear of 

death) to prayer. 

“Life is not just a series of fulfilling 

your desires,” he said. “It’s about 

feeling what you’re being in the present 

moment. The way in which you 

live is better than thinking of the 

future.” 

And while being creative might 

might stop by, whether it’s a person 

from the neighborhood wanting to 

chat with the priest or a homeless 

man needing refuge. 

“He’s a people’s priest,” said 

Ikhlas Sulaka, the parish’s public 

relations representative. “Since he 

came, he lifted the veil that covered 

the truth in our society.” 

Through the generosity of 

Assad Kalasho, the church is holding 

free classes for kids at Invest 

School in Sterling Heights. Approximately 

350 students participate 

in various classes including 

Catechism, Communion, Chaldean, 

history, theology and citizenship. 

“Fr. Sameem does not charge 

any fees for his services for marriage, 

baptism or other ceremonies, 

and leaves it completely up 

to people to decide whether or not 

they want to donate money to the 

church,” said Sulaka. 

The church holds a gathering 

in its hall on the first Saturday of 

each month. While families eat 

and drink and enjoy themselves 

inside, Fr. Sameem doesn’t stop 

working, even standing with the 

youths in the parking lot to help 

ensure the cars’ safety. 

“He’s a very humble priest,” 

said Sulaka. “But he needs help 

and a bigger church, which others 

may not give him because they’re 

afraid he’ll take away their business.” 

seem hard to get to, sometimes being 

in nature is all it takes. 

“Creativity is nature,” Fr. Sameem 

said. “A flower is my best saint, 

because it’s beautiful and it gives its 

good smell to everyone, whether the 

person is good or bad.” 

Man and His Inner Creativity is 

available at Tuesday’s Bible Study classes 

at Bellagio Banquet Hall in Warren, 

Sacred Heart Church in Detroit and 

Invest School in Sterling Heights. 

St. Catherine of Siena Academy is Michigan’s newest 

all-girls Catholic High School in over 50 years. Located in 

Wixom, the school’s mission is rooted in the Theology and 

Philosophy of Blessed John Paul II and his understanding 

of the Feminine Genius. 

• Vibrant Sacramental Life 

• College-Preparatory Curriculum 

• New Athletic and Extracurricular Opportunities 

• Brand New Campus 

Home of the Feminine Genius 

28200 Napier Road • Wixom, MI 48393 • (248) 946-4848 

www.saintcatherineacademy.org 

Congratulations 

Vincent Jeffrey 

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey J. Haisha wish to 

congratulate their son Vincent Jeffrey on his 

recent graduation from Wayne State Law 

School. While completing his undergrad at the 

University of Michigan, Vincent was awarded an 

internship for the Honorable Timothy M. Kenny, 

the Presiding Judge of the 28 judge Criminal 

Division of the the Wayne County Circuit Court, 

and is currently employed with Flood, Lanctot, Connor and Stablein 

PLLC in Royal Oak, a Law Firm that continues to be honored on 

the list of Super Lawyers, a rating service of outstanding lawyers 

from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a highdegree 

of peer recognition and professional achievement. 

Class of 2012 


eat, drink, and maybe 

be married 

Dating for the over 35 set 


As online dating sites rapidly grow, a couple 

of women have sought alternatives to 

helping people meet that special someone. 

One uses the Internet to offer monthly no-pressure 

group gatherings for singles — and if sparks fly between 

people, they can go from there. The other 

carefully examines prospective matches and sets 

up coffee dates between two people ready for marriage. 

Both present to their members commitmentfree 

opportunities to meet fellow Chaldeans they 

might otherwise never know. 

Social Site 

Beth Saffar of Troy recently started a sub-group from 

the social network Meetup.com called “Metro Detroit 

Chaldean Singles 35-50.” It is not a dating site 

per se, but a social group for the more mature age set. 

Saffar insists that options to meet and interact with 

people in that bracket are limited in the Chaldean 

community. After all, organizations like CASA and 

COACH are abundant with members in their 20s. 

“When you’re older you don’t necessarily want 

to hang out with the 20-somethings,” said Saffar, 

who falls in that 35-50 age group. “People who are 

over 35 are at different places in their lives, their 

careers, and their overall ways of thinking.” 

Meetup.com was originally launched in 2002 to 

unite the community in New York City after the 

9/11 tragedy that shook the nation. Now, the site 

creates more than a quarter of a million “meet-ups” 

in 45,000 cities based on interests that range from 

frisbee lovers to co-ed soccer to Asperger’s support. 

Metro Detroit Chaldean Singles 35-50 is intended 

to be a local club, not a dating or flirting site. 

The group is free and totally transparent. Saffar, 

an accountant, pays a nominal fee out of her 

own pocket to maintain the online group. To join, 

one needs to import a picture and answer five questions. 

The only way to see other members is by 

becoming a member, and only then will you get 

information about the meet-up. 

Saffar schedules different events in the Metro 

Detroit area like dinner and drinks in Royal Oak 

or a simple card game at a coffee shop. It is not 

blind dating but meant to be a pleasant interaction 

among Chaldeans in that age group. She maintains 

that the members will get to know each other and 

be friends. There is no stress to date and no obligation 

to attend every meet-up. 

Theresa Dabish Sitto is a modern-day matchmaker. 

Since the group was organized in mid-April, 

several highly educated and respectable people 

have joined, Saffar said, and the numbers of males 

and females is evenly balanced. While formal education 

is not a requirement, being Chaldean and 

35-50 years old is. Saffar regrets that she has had to 

deny many requests from non-Chaldeans. 

“This group seeks serious-minded, mature and 

fun people who want to have a good time,” said 

Saffar. “If it leads to you getting a date, you can 

take it from there. But there is no pressure.” 

Matchmaker, Matchmaker 

While Saffar’s approach is casual and fun, Theresa 

Dabish Sitto’s style is reserved and methodical. 

She taught elementary school for 30 years, retiring 

from Walled Lake in 2008, and started MATCHaldean.com 

a year later because she felt the need 

to continue working for the Chaldean community. 

“I’m a pretty good judge of character,” she said. 

“I have very high standards for my clients. This is 

very serious to me.” 

MATCHaldean.com is strictly for people who 

want to get married. Interested applicants go to the 

website to fill out a free and confidential questionnaire. 

Sitto then calls the applicant to schedule a 

one-on-one interview with her at one of her three 

offices in order to guage his or her personality. She 

will even check the client’s driver’s license to verify 

that people are in fact who they say they are. 

People who reside in other states and countries do 

phone or Skype interviews. 

After the initial consultation, Sitto chooses 

among the 15 four-inch binders of her clients (separated 

by age and gender) and does page-by-page 

compatibility studies. She then numbers potential 

matches and makes her rounds of phone calls. She 

will let her client know only the match’s first name, 

age, weight, height and occupation. She does not 

divulge the last name, home city or workplace in 

order to protect confidentiality. She gives both 

clients time to think about it. If one says no, she 

moves on to the next potential match. 

If both clients agree to meet, they must each 

pay the initial $100 one-time registration fee and 

$35 per first date. Nearly all the first dates are at a 

coffee shop. Sitto insists that the men pay for the 

date and gives basic cautionary advice to the women. 

She tells both to keep the conversation light 

and fun. They are not to share last names, places of 

employment or telephone numbers. 

The next day, Sitto checks in with her clients to 

see how the date went and makes notes in her files 

to see if there are any patterns in their behaviors. 

If both clients agree to meet for again, she divulges 

contact info to each (at no extra charge) and it 

is up to them to continue a relationship. Even if 

one declines a second meeting, she will continue 

to find matches for both. And she will also be the 

one to break the news to the other. But she wants 

her clients to be realistic. 

“Some people have the impression they’re going 

to find someone like they do on The Bachelor,” 

said Sitto, who has been married to Farouk Sitto 

for 29 years. “If you’re going to come with a laundry 

list of this and that, you’ll most likely stay single.” 

She also wants her clients to know that she will 

not make a match if she does not believe in it. If 

six months go by without her calling, “if I’m not 

feeling it,” she said. “I’m not going to match you 

and waste your time and money.” 

By July, there will have been five MATCHaldean 

weddings, and a few engagements have recently 

been announced. There is already one baby. 

Sitto has several hundred clients ranging from 

18-80 years old, including widows and divorcees. 

The majority are in their 30s and have completed 

their education, established their careers, and are 

ready for families. Lately, she is seeing more people 

in their 40s sign up. 

“Every morning, I pray for my clients,” she said. 

“I pray that they are in good Christian relationships.” 

She also prays because 25 years ago, she was diagnosed 

with Lupus and was given 10 years to live. 

But she’s still here making matches. 

“God’s kept me here for a reason,” Sitto said. 

“And I have to pay it forward.” 

To join Metro Detroit Chaldean Singles, visit www. 

meetup.com and search “Metro-Detroit Chaldean 

Singles 35-50.” MATCHaldean can be reached at 

(248) 758.2303 or matchmaker@matchaldean.com. 


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the street 

where they live 

Chaldeans abound on Fox Hill Drive 


With its proliferation of well-kept 

houses, Virgin Mary statues and 

elaborately decorated garages, it’s 

easy to see that lots of Chaldeans live on Fox 

Hill Drive in Shelby Township. 

Among the many who call the street 

home are Maesia and Emad Sallumy. The 

couple discovered their house when visiting 

Emad’s nephew, Ray Garmo, whose backyard 

backs up to it. After moving in, they removed 

part of the fence separating the yards 

so their children Mario and Marinda can run 

back and forth. 

In the warm weather, the family spends 

much time on the deck, which is enclosed in 

a large screened tent that theoretically keeps 

the mosquitoes out. They get in anyway, admitted 

Maesia, who delights in serving Turkish 

coffee for visitors that she brews outdoors 

on a mini gas stove. In typical Chaldean 

style, there are also a hookah and a plate of 

sweets and seeds on the table. 

“I feel safe here. Everybody is watching 

everybody,” she said. “There was a wedding 

around the corner on Saturday and everyone 

was in the street with the music.” 

Maesia uses the traditional signal to let 

family and friends know if she’s up for company 

– opening the garage door all the way. 

(When it’s closed or half-closed, that means 

do not disturb.) The garage is an extension 

of the house, with comfy seating and paintings 

on the wall, and the family prefers to use 

it as an entrance rather than the front door. 

Garage sales are popular in the area, 

and Maesia, who is an Arabic translator, 

just made $480 in two days from a recent 

sale. “We were cleaning the basement and I 

thought, let’s make a buck before we throw 

this stuff out. You don’t even need a sign – 

everyone is driving by,” she said. 

A movement in an adjacent house caught 

Maesia’s eye. “There’s a Chaldean housewife 

– sweeping and mopping,” she said with authority. 

A lot of sweeping and mopping also goes 

on at the Abouna household, located across 

Ryan on the other side of Fox Hill. Maha 

Abouna keeps her garage, which the family 

uses as a sunroom, spic and span. With an 

ornate sofa, faux trees, little tables, candles, 

an incense burner and of course a hookah, 

the room is the family’s favorite place to sit 

in the nice weather. The walls are lined with 

Awny’s collection of beer signs. The couple 

likes to relax in the garage and watch their 

children, Anthony, Amber and Andrew, 

shoot hoops in the driveway. 

Just a few yards away sits Flynn Middle 

School (home of the Falcons), which is part 

of the Warren Consolidated Schools. The 

school has 650 students and close to 70 percent 

are Chaldean. 

It’s just a short walk for Andrew Abouna, 

age 12, who said he likes math and social 

studies the best. 

Andrew also likes his street. “All the 

neighbors are friendly, and no one does stupid 

things,” he said. “At night we just chill in the 

garage, and people are always walking by.” 

Eighth-grader Jessica Elia, 13, likes Fox 

Hill too. “Next door is my cousin’s cousin’s 

cousin,” said Jessica, who likes language arts. 

“And there are lots of other relatives close by.” 

Flynn is well known to Chaldeans who 

attend St. Joseph, as some 700 children take 

catechism and communion classes there on 

Saturdays. School officials meet on occasion 

with Msgr. Zuhair Toma (Kejbou) to help 

build bridges with parents, said Assistant 

Principal Kristin Guinn. 

“We work in partnership with the 

church,” she said. “It is such an important 

part of people’s lives.” 

Flynn has about 35 newly arrived refugee 

students who start out in self-contained 

classrooms. The goal is to get them up to 

speed and in regular classes as soon as possible. 

Many students, including Andrew and 

Jessica, speak Chaldean and sometimes will 

translate for teachers and administrators, but 

the use of Chaldean is otherwise prohibited 

at school in favor of everyone learning correct 

English – and students not saying things 

their teachers can’t understand. 

Educating the newcomers can be a challenge, 

Guinn admits. “We have to embrace 

the entire family. It takes time for them to 

trust us,” she said. 

But trust they do, and Guinn has become 

an honorary Chaldean. 

“The more I work with this community 

the more they wrap their arms around me,” 

she said. “You become a part of the family, and 

that’s why I love this community so much.” 

Clockwise 

from top left: 

A recent 

wedding 

brought out all 

the neighbors. 

Maesia Sallumy 

spends lots 

of time on her 

backyard deck. 

The Abouna 

garage is 

a family 

gathering 

spot in warm 

weather. 

Flynn Assistant 

Principal Kristin 

Guinn shares 

a moment 

with Andrew 

Abouna and 

Jessica Elia. 


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MERCHANT BOOTHS / 50/50 RAFFLE / AND MORE!!! 

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE CHALDEAN CHAMBER 

OFFICES AT 248-996-8340 OR VISIT WWW.CHALDEANCHAMBER.COM 

Providence Hospital named a Top 50 Cardiovascular 

Hospital, 10 years in a row! 

Call 866-501-DOCS (3627) 

for a Providence physician 

Providence Hospital has once again been named as a “Top 50 Hospital 

for Heart Care” through the prestigious Thomson Reuters group. We have 

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teaching hospital with a cardiovascular residency in the United States, and 

more times than any other hospital in Michigan. High quality, safe care is 

our passion. That is why patients turn to our hospitals to heal them. 

Learn more about the Thomson Reuters award attained by Providence Hospital 

and St. John Macomb Oakland Hospital at stjohnprovidence.org. 

Dr. Wassim Nona 

Providence Hospital 

A PASSION for HEALING 

HOSPITALS IN SOUTHFIELD AND NOVI

Cynthia Sagmani works 

with Aydan Mukhtar, a 

fourth-grader at Our 

Lady of Sorrows. 

summer semester 

Keep your kids’ brain active 


As kids get ready to ride the waves at the 

wave pool, slip into the slip and slide, 

enjoy lazy days at the beach or roll down 

the hill on a skateboard, parents might want to be 

cognizant of studies that show children lose about 

30 percent of what they learned throughout the 

school year during the summer break – the equivalence 

of three months of learning. 

As the old adage goes, if you don’t use it, you 

lose it. This summer one local teacher is encouraging 

parents to keep their children’s minds active 

during the summer. 

“There are many options throughout the summer 

months to ensure your kids continue to learn,” 

said Cynthia Sagmani, a certified teacher who offers 

summer tutoring at One-on-One Tutoring 

Center in West Bloomfield. “We help children 

learn important study and organization skills to become 

lifelong learners.” 

Sagmani, who has her master’s degree in elementary 

education, has been tutoring for more 

than five years. Although the word tutoring typically 

has a negative connotation associated with 

it, especially when paired with the word summer, 

Sagmani focuses on keeping children up to speed 

and ahead of the class. 

“Summer is a crucial time for students to fill 

any gaps experienced throughout the school year,” 

she said. “The curriculum standards continue to 

change and parents and students need to change 

with them.” 

Heather Kas-Shamoun, whose children Alex, 

8, Lauren, 6, and Luke, 4, attend Sheiko Elementary 

in West Bloomfield, is heeding Sagmani’s advice. 

“I have ordered a home-based program provided 

by West Bloomfield School District Community 

Education called GRASP (Greater Retention & 

Achievement through Summer Practice) for both 

math and reading,” said Kas-Shamoun. “In the 

summer, it’s real easy for them to slow down or 

even lose their reading skills. The summer program 

and tutoring will allow them to retain the information 

they learned throughout the year, focus on 

the areas that they struggled with and even prepare 

them for the next grade. Although they will have 

plenty of time for fun, it will be beneficial for them 

to maintain some type of academic routine.” 

The GRASP program consists of nine weekly 

modules to help students maintain or improve their 

math and reading skills over the summer. Students 

work at their own pace. Upon completion, the 

modules are scored, results recorded, and feedback 

from a certified teacher is given to the student. 

Math and spelling are two particular subjects 

that require repetition and practice. “Workbooks 

are a great resource to help students continue to 

review their math skills,” said Sagmani. “The library 

is also a wonderful place to frequent throughout 

the summer months. They have several literacy 

programs to benefit all ages. Learning does 

not have to be in a formal environment. There are 

several ‘teachable moments’ throughout the day. 

Parents need to recognize these and take advantage 

of them.” 

Suggesting Reading for Elementary Kids 

Aylesworth: Naughty 

Little Monkeys 

Twenty-six monkeys get into mischief 

when their parents go out for the 

evening in this rhyming alphabet 

book. 

Bang: When Sophie Gets Angry — 

Really, Really Angry ... 

Sophie expresses her anger when she 

must surrender a toy to her sister. 

Crews: The Neighborhood 

Mother Goose 

This collection of nursery rhymes 

features the familiar and unfamiliar, 

all set in the city. 

Ehlert: Pie in the Sky 

As a father and his child view the 

cherry tree in their backyard, they refer 

to it as a pie tree. Includes a recipe. 

Kimmel: The Gingerbread Man 

This familiar fairy tale features a 

gingerbread man who runs away 

from the woman who bakes him and 

meets other animals along the way, 

including a clever fox. 

Penn: The Kissing Hand 

Chester Raccoon is afraid to attend 

kindergarten until his mother shows 

him a special way to take her love 

along. 

Pfister: Rainbow Fish 

The most beautiful fish in the ocean 

with the shimmering silver scales 

discovers the beauty of sharing. 

Pinkney: The Lion & the Mouse 

In this wordless retelling of an Aesop 

fable, an adventuresome mouse 

proves that even small creatures 

are capable of great deeds when he 

rescues the King of the Jungle. 

Prelutsky: Read-Aloud Rhymes 

for the Very Young 

This collection of 200 short poems 

is designed for young children and 

includes illustrations that correlate 

with the poems. 

Rosen: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt 

Brave bear hunters go through grass, 

a river, mud and other obstacles 

before the inevitable encounter with 

the bear forces a headlong retreat. 

Rosenthal: Duck! Rabbit! 

Two unseen characters argue about 

whether the creature they are looking 

at is a rabbit or a duck. 

Shannon: David Goes to School 

David’s school behavior needs to be 

improved. 

Sierra: Counting Crocodiles 

A monkey outsmarts 10 crocodiles 

that stand between her and a banana 

tree by using her ability to count. 

Sierra: Wild About Books 

A librarian accidentally drives 

her bookmobile to the zoo and 

subsequently reads a Dr. Seuss book 

to the animals. 

Slate: Miss Bindergarten Gets 

Ready for Kindergarten 

Introduces the letters of the alphabet 

as Miss Bindergarten and her 

students get ready for kindergarten. 

Taback: Joseph Had a Little 

Overcoat 


10 Things to Do this Summer – 

Besides the Water Park 

Sagmani recommends using money to 

help children learn to count. Allow your 

children to go into the store with you. Have 

them count out the money and also tell you 

how much change back they should receive. 

Practice math facts throughout the day. You 

can count by 2, 5, and 10 instead of just by 

one when accomplishing daily tasks. 

If you see an analog clock in a public 

place, have the children tell you what time 

it is. Older children can even help you calculate 

the tip at restaurants or tax to items. 

There are many ways to keep the children 

engaged while learning. 

“Parents also need to focus on literacy,” 

Sagmani advised. “Parents should read with 

their children every day to enhance comprehension 

and fluency. The local libraries offer 

many different programs geared towards 

elementary-aged kids. They also offer literacy 

programs for all ages.” 

Any time spent throughout the day reading 

is beneficial. It does not have to be a 

dreaded task. It can be split up into increments 

or just peppered in throughout the 

day. Obviously, each grade level and student 

is different. But there are many options. The 

iPad, iPhone or iPad Touch offer many educational 

applications that can help children 

develop their math skills. 

Most schools offer websites that allow current 

students to log on and play educational 

games. Parents can easily search the web 

for worksheets that are easily accessible and 

helpful. You can even have your children read 

aloud the menu at restaurants, newspaper articles 

or even the Chaldean News! Summer 

is a wonderful time of year to secure all skills 

to ensure all students begin the school year at 

their best. 

Joseph starts out with an overcoat 

and ends with a button. 

Thompson: Little Quack 

Mama Duck encourages her four 

ducklings to leave the nest. The 

youngest and smallest, Little Quack, 

proves to be the most reluctant. 

Wood: Alphabet Adventure 

The letters of the alphabet join the 

search to help “i” find her dot in 

order to continue their journey in this 

colorful alphabet book. 

Wood: The Napping House 

While a number of creatures sleep, a 

flea causes a commotion. 

– Courtesy About.com. 

By JOYCE WISWELL 

Who doesn’t love the water park 

on a hot summer day? Chaldeans 

certainly do – you’ll find scores of 

community members in and around the pool 

at Red Oaks. But there’s much more to do 

with kids in our area. Here are some ideas. 

Act It Out 

Several day camps give kids the chance to 

learn all about singing, choreography, acting 

and the theater. Check out Glee Camp — 

modeled on the popular TV show — in Farmington 

Hills (248-553-2955) or the Marquis 

Theatre Day Camp in Northville (NorthvilleMarquisTheatre.com). 

Each camp ends 

with a live performance. 

You Gotta Have Art 

The Detroit Institute of Arts offers kids an innovative 

studio art program that introduces a 

variety of media and creative processes. Typical 

projects include clay masks, multimedia puppets, 

painted portraits, imaginative drawings, 

and wood sculpture. Kids also get to explore 

the DIA’s stunning galleries. (313) 833-4005. 

Blast from the Past 

The Detroit Historical Museum is one of 

America’s oldest and largest museums dedicated 

to metropolitan history. Located on 

Woodward Avenue in the heart of Detroit’s 

Cultural Center, you can check more than 

300 years of metro Detroit history, including 

two favorites with kids – the 19th century 

Streets of Old Detroit, and an authentic auto 

assembly line. (313) 833-1805. 

Ahoy Matey 

Located on Belle Isle, the Dossin Great Lakes 

Museum is a compact treasure that celebrates 

Detroit’s maritime history. A highlight is the 

actual pilot house from the S.S. William Clay 

Ford, where kids can “captain” one of the 

city’s most noted freighters. (313) 833-5538. 

Afterwards, take a walk across the street to 

the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, 

a breathtaking historic spot filled with 

live trees, plants and flowers. Before driving 

home, stop in at the kid-friendly exhibits at 

the Belle Isle Nature Center. 

Where the Wild Things Are 

The Detroit Zoo (which is actually located 

in Royal Oak) sprawls over 125 acres and is 

home to more than 3,300 animals. Not-to-bemissed 

attractions include the 18-foot python 

at the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles, giant 

polar bears in the Arctic Ring of Life, the 

Butterfly Garden and the Penguinarium – the 

perfect spot to cool off since the temperature 

is kept below 50 degrees. (248) 398-0900. 

Think Ford First 

The Henry Ford is a wonderful cluster of five 

major attractions in Dearborn: the Henry Ford 

Museum, the Henry Ford Village, the IMAX 

Theatre, the Ford Rouge Factory Tour and the 

Benson Ford Research Center. There’s all kinds 

of stuff to keep the little ones interested. Admission 

varies depending on what attractions 

you want to see – it would be tough to cram 

everything intro just one visit. (800) 835-5237. 

Check Out Joe’s Place 

Joe Dumar’s Fieldhouse packs a lot of sporting 

opportunities under one (giant) roof – 

roller hockey, basketball and volleyball. But 

perhaps coolest of all to kids is the Bayou 

Adventure. This sprawling indoor space has 

a miniature golf course, two bowling lanes, a 

laser tag arena, a climbing wall, an arcade and 

more. Located at Mound and Auburn roads 

in Shelby Township. (586) 731-3080. 

Go Cruisin’ 

Take a cruise on the festive Detroit Princess, 

which holds 1,500 passengers as it chugs up 

and down the Detroit River for great views 

of the city and Windsor. They offer all kinds 

of themes, food and live music. Most cruises 

last two hours. Park nearby at the Cobo Hall 

Garage. (877) 338-2628. 

It’s the Greatest 

Just about every pubic library offers summer 

reading programs to keep children and teens 

up on their skills over the long break. They 

make it fun by offering contests, prizes, special 

events and a real sense of achievement 

for reaching reading goals. This year’s theme 

statewide is “Dream Big.” 

West Bloomfield Public Library: 

(248) 682-2120 

Sterling Heights Public Library: 

(586) 446-BOOK 

Troy Public Library: 

(248) 524-3538 

Warren Public Library Civic Center branch: 

(586) 751-0770 

Get Back to Nature 

Many local communities have nature centers 

geared toward kids. The Lloyd A. Stage 

in Troy includes a few miles of trails, giant 

fossil-imbedded boulders perfect for climbing, 

and an interesting nature center (it’s not always 

open, so call first). It’s located at 6685 

Coolidge Highway (between Square Lake 

Road and South Boulevard); (248) 688-9703. 

The Friendship Woods at the Madison 

Heights Nature Center is a great place for an 

easy summer stroll through the cool forest. The 

center itself is cute and cozy and filled with critters 

like turtles and snakes, but due to budget 

cuts it’s only open on occasion. Call (248) 585- 

0100. It’s located on 13 Mile between John R 

and Dequindre — right across the street from 

— you guessed it — Red Oaks Waterpark.

Ed Toma shakes hands with Ray Foumia, owner of Town and Country Liquor in Southfield. Employee Norman Gumma is in background. 

by the book 

LCC investigator breaks new ground 

By Ken Marten 

It’s a tough job, but somebody’s 

got to do it. That old adage is 

particularly accurate for Eddie 

Toma, a senior investigator with 

the Michigan Liquor Control Commission 

(MLCC). 

Toma knows that he’s the first 

Chaldean, and more than likely the 

first individual of Middle Eastern 

descent, to work as an investigator 

for the commission. He also knows 

that more than half of all liquor 

license holders in southeast Michigan 

are of Middle Eastern descent. 

“It can be difficult,” Toma said. 

“People think that because they 

know someone with the Liquor 

Control Commission, they can get 

something approved. They don’t 

understand that there’s a chain of 

command, and I have to follow 

that. Then they look at me as the 

bad guy. 

“If they get caught selling to a 

minor, they’ll look at me and say, 

‘Why are you hurting my business?’” 

he added. “Well, it’s not my 

fault. In the end, I’m not the one 

who made the sale.” 

Toma, 33, has worked for the 

commission for three and a half 

years. He grew up in Southfield 

and graduated from Oakland University 

with a bachelor’s degree in 

integrated studies and a minor in 

Spanish. 

There are two main aspects to 

his job. One is the issuing, selling 

or transfer of liquor licenses. The 

other is enforcement, which can 

include investigating complaints 

by visiting establishments “in the 

field” and conducting undercover 

operations. 

Toma’s office is in Southfield and 

his main territory is Oakland County. 

“I’ve always loved enforcementtype 

jobs,” Toma said. “This was 

a job that was local and fit everything 

I wanted — thrill and adventure. 

The fun part about my job is 

that every day is a completely different 

day. No two files will ever be 

the same.” 

An investigation usually starts 

when a tip, which can be anonymous, 

is phoned into the commission’s 

hotline. 

“Usually we’ll get complaints 

from the local police department, 

a neighbor of the business, an employee, 

an upset patron,” Toma 

said. “The frustrating thing is the 

pettiness of some complaints, like 

complaints filed by ex-wives or 

someone who was kicked out of an 

establishment because of intoxication 

or fighting.” 

The state Attorney General’s 

photo by DAVID REED 

Office reviews the information. If 

a violation appears to have been 

committed, the office issues a formal 

complaint and the case is assigned 

to an investigator. 

“You name it, people have 

done it,” Toma said. “People are 

real clever. You see a lot of lower-end 

alcohol being poured into 

high-end bottles; that happens a 

lot. They’re putting Five O’Clock 

vodka in Grey Goose bottles. You 

charge two or three dollars for a 

Five O’Clock drink, nine dollars 

for Grey Goose.” 

Investigations of that nature require 

samples of suspect bottles to 

be tested against the real thing at a 

state-run laboratory. 

Another significant problem the 

commission investigates is smuggling. 

Because alcohol is taxed 

less in some other states, some 

Michigan liquor license holders are 

tempted by higher profits and opt 

to break the law by buying it across 

state lines. 

“The state loses more than $10 

million a year from smuggling liquor,” 

Toma said. 

Establishments, usually bars and 

restaurants, that sell alcohol for 

on-site consumption hold Class C 

licenses. Businesses that sell only 

beer and wine for off-premises 

consumption hold Specially Designated 

Merchant (SDM) licenses. 

Businesses that sell “the hard stuff” 

– the typical liquor store – hold 

Specially Designated Distributors 

(SDD) licenses. Toma said that 

the majority stores with an SDD 

license also have an SDM license. 

And regardless of who holds which 

license, the commission checks 

them out. 

“If it’s licensed, we enforce it,” 

Toma said. “If it’s a boat, a plane, a 

bar, a hotel, a liquor store, a supermarket, 

a restaurant, a gas station, 

we investigate it and enforce it. 

I’ve had to remove myself from files 

because I know someone involved, 

and to avoid any complications.” 

While some Chaldean liquor licensees 

view Toma as an adversary, 

others see him as a trailblazer. 

“I’m proud to be Chaldean, and 

it feels good to be one of the first 

people to break into a field,” Toma 

said. “It feels good to be able to 

address the community’s concerns 

with the Michigan Liquor Control 

Commission. I’m all about helping 

people get a license and educating 

them to be good licensees.” 



ECONOMICS & enterprise 

The Oak Park location 

Atep Lawandy bakes samoun 

through the years with sahara 

Restaurants are jewels of the community 


In his early teens, Saad Attisha 

worked at his uncle’s hotel and 

restaurant in Baghdad, answering 

phones, prepping food and doing 

other odd jobs. When he immigrated 

to the United States in 1977, 

there were no laws that forced the 

16-year-old to go to school, so the 

next day he went to work for 

another uncle in his Detroit 

beer and wine store – which he 

did not enjoy. 

Thirty-five years later, Attisha 

is the successful entrepreneur 

behind Sahara Restaurant 

and Grill, maintaining 

three popular restaurants and 

turning his food into a brand 

that can be purchased locally. 

Nineteen years old and 

yearning to build his American 

Dream, Attisha purchased 

Eastern Restaurant in Ferndale 

in 1980 and used the recipes of 

his mother, Masouda, though 

he kept the restaurant’s original 

name. While the spot was successful, 

he sold it four years later to open 

a bigger restaurant at 9 Mile and 

Coolidge in Oak Park. He renamed 

it Sahara Restaurant. 

At the time, there were not many 

Middle Eastern eateries in Metro 

Detroit. The aromatics and distinctive 

flavors not only attracted local 

Chaldeans, but all their neighbors 

and friends from surrounding areas. 

Attisha still sees those same loyal patrons 

today. The Oak Park location 

Saad and Zeana Attisha 

not only served lunch and dinner, 

but eventually also held banquets 

and catered local functions. 

“Non-Chaldean and Arab people 

love our food,” said Attisha. “It’s 

something different for them and 

they always come back.” 

Attisha believes in using highquality 

products for traditional foods 

to enhance the flavor. For example, 

Sahara makes beef tikka using filet 

mignon, receiving fresh shipments of 

meat and produce daily. 

In 1988, Attisha and his uncle 

and cousin invested in a nightclub of 

the same name at 8 Mile and Telegraph. 

Well-known Arabic singers 

would perform amidst a throng of 

middle-aged people seeking cultural 

entertainment. Attisha thought it 

was very time-consuming for a business 

that was only open two nights a 

week, so he and his partners eventually 

sold it two years later. It is now 

known as the Prestige Club. 

In 1994, Sahara had a full-kitchen 

catering truck that traveled to 

local businesses and office building 

parking lots during the lunch time 

rush. The custom-made “Sahara on 

Wheels” was well-received 

but after about a year and a 

half, Attisha shut it down 

because the workers he had 

trusted were stealing from 

him. Ironically, catering 

trucks have recently become 

a big fad. 

photos by DAVID REED 

Expanding the Brand 

Because of the lack of Chaldean 

restaurants in West 

Bloomfield, Attisha opened a 

second Sahara at Maple and 

Orchard Lake in the Orchard 

Mall in 1994. The diverse 

community supported the establishment 

and it became a local 

hotspot for private parties and business 

meetings. While the restaurant 

was successful, the rent alone was 

$15,000 a month, and after some 

time, Attisha began to feel like there 

was no future in it. He sold it two 

years after the opening — a decision 

he regrets today. (The structure 

is currently an Annie-Sez clothing 

store.) 

Determined to reach out to the 

Chaldean community in Sterling 

Heights, Attisha launched Sahara 

East at 15 Mile and Ryan in 2004. 

The Oak Park restaurant’s solid reputation 

carried over into the new eastside 

location. Attisha kept the same 

menu and recipes for consistency. 

Sahara East also books private functions. 

Two years later, Attisha went 

back to Orchard Lake to open a Sahara 

carry-out. Located close to 13 

Mile, the small Farmington Hills 

restaurant can hold about 75 people. 

The food and décor make it a prime 

location for hosting small local 

events. 

The influx of Chaldeans emigrating 

from Iraq to the eastside factored 

in Attisha’s decision to open the Sahara 

International Market and Bakery 

in Warren, a mile away from Sahara 

East, with two partners in 2007. 

They were captivated by the bustling 

location and large Chaldean population. 

“It was just a thought and we ran 

with it,” Attisha said. 

The 7,500-square-foot store includes 

a frozen food factory where 

Masouda’s recipes are transformed 

into take-home foods like kubba, 

potato chop and bureg. Shoppers 

can purchase produce, seasonings 

and other dry goods like lentils and 

rice. The new generation of American-born 

Chaldeans as well as an 

increase of working mothers has contributed 

to the success of his frozen 

foods, Attisha said. 

The partners were inspired to 


Masouda Attisha cooks up a storm 

open another location at 16 Mile 

and Dequindre in Sterling Heights 

this past January. This store, which is 

nearly double the size of the Warren 

shop, includes a Sahara Meat Market. 

If offers fresh meat and seafood 

complete with a service counter that 

will marinate food in Sahara’s own 

special seasonings and marinades. 

The famous Sahara ranch is made 

at the factory too. About 100 gallons 

of ranch are made weekly and distributed 

to the restaurants. It is also 

bottled for sale at the market. Attisha 

is currently working on bottling 

and packaging for larger distribution. 

When asked to divulge the secret 

recipe, Attisha exclaimed, “No way! 

Definitely not! Never!” 

Up in Flames 

Tragedy struck the Attisha family 

on June 2, 2010, when the Oak Park 

location burned in a fire that started 

next door at Kashat Imports. The 

demise of the original location of 

the area’s longest-running Chaldean 

restaurant affected the whole community, 

who watched it flame up on 

television and saw the news in the 

papers and on the Internet. 

“I wasn’t there, but I got a call 

and rushed right over. The firefighters 

could not keep up,” said Attisha. 

“I felt so bad, I was so sad.” 

Devastated, he immediately 

thought about building it back up. 

He loved the area and wanted to stay 

loyal to the same faithful people who 

had supported him through three decades. 

So Attisha took over a closeddown 

Blockbuster at 10 Mile and 

Coolidge, about a mile form the original 

location, and created a bigger 

dining room, although the kitchen 

is smaller. It holds up to 350 people 

comfortably. 

A day before the one-year anniversary 

of the fire, Sahara reemerged 

in Oak Park. “It’s like I was never 

closed,” said Attisha. “Business has 

been steady since the first day we reopened.” 

The next venture he has in store 

is a 10,000-square-foot Sahara Restaurant, 

Bar and Banquet Center 

projected to open next spring. It is 

located in the same Sterling Heights 

plaza as the other Sahara shops. 

Family Affair 

Attisha could not have done it 

alone. “My mom has been with me 

the whole way,” he said. “She’s in the 

kitchen and I’m in the dining room.” 

Masouda was an integral part 

of the process and her recipes have 

scarcely been changed. At 69, she 

can still be found working in the 

kitchens, making her Saturday and 

Sunday Special Pacha (Beef Tripe), 

supervising line cooks, and making 

food in the factory. 

Despite working 90 hours a week 

since he was 19, Attisha managed 

to meet an insurance saleswoman, 

Zeana McKay. She had a B.S. in 

Business Finance from Wayne State 

University and would help him with 

paperwork for his restaurants. They 

eventually married and she quit her 

job to do accounting, finance and 

management work for Sahara. The 

couple now has four kids: Andrew, 

Simon, Jack (who is vital to the business) 

and Angel. 

Attisha’s success does not come 

without sacrifice. It pains him that his 

time is limited with his children, and 

it is rare to take a vacation with his 

wife and family. He appreciates being 

his own boss and truly loves his job, although 

he would give a word of warning 

for aspiring restaurateurs: “Don’t do 

it. You will have no life.” 

Learn more about Sahara restaurants 

at www.NewSahara.com. 

Keep Smiling! 

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Visit today and experience the difference at Southfield Family Dental Center! 

Southfield Family Dental Center 

248-569-6304 

southfieldsmile.com 

18800 W. 10 Mile Rd. Suite 1 • Southfield 

chaldean news 

subscriptions make a great gift! 

Homes, Land and Commercial Properties 

Buying and SeLLing 

i will make sure you get the best deal. 

Raad Delly 

Real Estate 

Consultant 

MARKET MAX REALTY 

4086 Rochester Road, Suite 201, Troy, MI 48085 

Cell: (248) 824-0577 fax: (248) 680-1508 

eMaIl: raaddelly@comcast.net

classified listings 

HELP WANTED 

SERVICES OFFERED 

The Chaldean Community 

Foundation Is Hiring 

LOOKING FOR A PART-TIME 

MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE 

for a doctor’s office in Bloomfield Hills. 

Preferably someone with marketing 

experience. Must be reliable and 

personable. Please fax resume to 

(248) 333-4905. 

STORES FOR SALE 

NORTH OAKLAND COUNTY 

Liquor Store 

$22K per wk plus rent of $1,100 per 

month from cellular store next door. Both 

business & building for $950K. 

ANN ARBOR Gas Station 

New construction w/liquor, 

beer, wine and lottery license. 

Both business & building for 

$1.2 million. Call Frank (Agent), 

248-229-9400 

PARTY STORE FOR SALE IN MONROE 

15 min. south of Metro Airport. Building 

& Business. Liquor, Beer, Wine, Lottery. 

Newly remodeled, year over year revenue 

growth. Owner retiring. Call Julie, 

(734) 777-2573. 

CONVENIENCE STORE 

Liquor/Beer/Wine. Great neighborhood 

on lakefront. Includes 2 rental units on 

second floor. For sale by owner. Serious 

inquiries only. Call Tom, (248) 755-3344. 

BECKY’S HOT DIGITY DOG SERVICE 

Dog walking, cat caring and in-home 

pet-setting, any needs your pet may have. 

Licensed and bonded. (248) 202-5194. 

COLOR COORDINATED & 1 OF A KIND 

Dancing Stks, Hip Scarves, Arm Bands 

4 1st Communion & all special occas. 

Decorated Sash 4 bridal dance 

Ring boy Pillow & flower girl Bskt 

Made w/detail & precision, Stunning 

results. Call Ban at 248-819-6366. 

PROGATE COMPUTER & PRINTING 

29572 Orchard Lake, Farmington 

(248)736-8312 

(248)702-6120 

www.progateservices.com 

PC Repair/Wedding Invitations 

FOR SALE 

WEDDING GOWN FOR SALE 

Amelia Casablanca, never been worn. 

Size 6-8. Willing to sell 50% off retail 

price. Please email 

AmeliaGownforsale@yahoo.com. 

Classifieds Work! Call 

(248) 996-8360. 

JOB TITLE: Tri-Lingual Receptionist 

JOB DESCRIPTION: The Chaldean Community Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) 

organization dedicated to advancing the needs of the Chaldean American community 

and the communities in which they live and work through education, charitable giving 

and advocacy. Among its missions is to provide refugees with necessary medical, 

psychological and social services to assist with American acculturation. 

The Foundation is seeking a tri-lingual receptionist to join its Sterling Heights location. 

The ideal candidate is fluent in English, Arabic and Chaldean/Aramaic with an 

understanding of the Chaldean community and the plight of Iraqi Christians. 

GENERAL PURPOSE: Attend to visitors and deal with inquiries on the phone and face 

to face. Supply information regarding the organization to the general public and clients. 

MAIN JOB TASKS 

AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• greet visitors 

• answer telephone, screen and direct calls 

• take and relay messages 

• provide information to callers 

• direct persons to correct destination 

• deal with questions from the 

public and clients 

• ensure knowledge of staff movements 

in and out of organization 

• general administrative and 

clerical support 

• prepare letters and documents 

• receive and sort mail and deliveries 

• schedule appointments 

• organize meetings 

• tidy and maintain the reception area 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 

• high school diploma generally required 

• knowledge of administrative and 

clerical procedures 

• knowledge of computers and 

relevant software applications 

• knowledge of customer service 

principles and practices 

KEY COMPETENCIES 

• verbal and written communication skills 

• professional personal presentation 

• customer service orientation 

• information management 

• organizing and planning 

• attention to detail 

• initiative and reliability 

• stress tolerance 

Candidates should e-mail a current resume to 

sharon.hannawa@chaldeanfoundation.org and 

include “tri-lingual receptionist” in the subject line. 

Offices in: 

California • Michigan • Missouri 


PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS 

Lara S. Pierce, 

Immigration Attorney 

For all your immigration needs 

The Immigration Law Firm of 

Antone, Casagrande & Adwers 

31555 West 14 Mile Road, Suite 100 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

Tel. (248) 406-4100 

Email law@antone.com 

www.antone.com 

PHOENIX REFRIGERATION, INC. 

Commercial Refrigeration•Heating & Cooling 

Mechanical Contractor 

STEVE ROUMAYAH 

29333 LORIE LANE 

WIXOM, MI 48393 

steve@phoenixrefrig.com 

PHONE: 248.344.2980 

FAX: 248.344.2966 

TOLL FREE: 877.856.5800 

Detroit • Grand Rapids • Lansing • Flint 

www.phoenix-refrigeration.com 

Unity & Zeffa Celebrations by Design 

Handmade, One-of-a-Kind, Dancing Sticks, Hip 

& hand Scarves. Armbands for First Communion, 

Wedding, and Christening. Decorated Sash for the 

Bridal Dance. Everything is One of a Kind. Chose 

your colors to match your party. 

Ban Atchoo 

Designer/Creator/Owner 

248-819-6366 

banatchoo@aol.com 

276 Homes SOLD in 2011! 

#1 Real Estate Team In Michigan 

Accredited Buyer Representative 

Certified Luxury Home Marketing 

Specialist 

Certified Residential Specialist 

Internet Professional 

Graduate REALTORS Institute 

Quality Service Certified 

Seniors Real Estate Specialist 

Brian S. Yaldoo 

Classic - Associate Broker 

29630 Orchard Lake Road 

Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334 

Office: 1-248-737-6800 

Fax: 1-248-539-0904 

Pager/VM: 1-248-806-9100 

E-Mail: brianyaldoo@remax.net 

Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com 

brianyaldoo.realtor.com 

BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com 

Individually Owned and Operated 

all TYPeS OF HealTH aND liFe iNSURaNCe 

Steve George 800.696.8918 

e-mail: stephengeorge100@att.net 

WeB: www.aipagency.com 

Are You Lost in the 

Health Insurance 

Maze? 

ACCREDITED SPECIALIST 

METRO COLLISION CENTERS 

We Pay Your Insurance Deductible 

Details At Shop 

MENTION 

CHALDEAN NEWS 

GET 10 % OFF 

John Yaldoo 

18601 Van Dyke 

Detroit, MI 48234 

Tel: 313-366-0555 

Fax: 313-366-0596 


events 

Sister Elizabeth of the 

Sacred Heart order 

Junior Jwad 

Waiting for mass 

Fr. Manuel Boji, Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim and Deacon Mat 

The Blessing of the Four Corners 

The church 

Deacon Denha 

st. george shrine 

at camp chaldean 

Photos by James Wallace 

The Rasho Family 

Several buses transported hundreds of churchgoers to the new St. 

George Shrine at Camp Chaldean for its inaugural mass on April 

24. Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim and Fr. Manuel Boji served mass 

on a warm sunny evening as people worshiped sitting in pews, leaning 

against the walls inside the church and standing outside. The new 

structure overflowed with people of all ages. Afterwards, families stayed 

to picnic at the park while volunteers from Holy Martyrs set up shop 

outside the shrine to sell religious items and raise money for the church. 

Norman Kamma 


Jawdat Mukhtar 

Jeff and Samantha Jonna 

Mother Superior 

Filip Kirma 

Michigan Dining At Its Best 

• USDA Prime Steaks 

thew Zetouna 

Hanna Shina 

Sabah and Raja Kassat 

Al Kassab, brother 

of the late Shamaya 

Kassab 

• Private Room 

for Showers, 

Graduations and all 

your special events 

• Alfresco Dining in 

the Herb Garden 

John Acho 

Deacon Nibras with Tharah Raban, Diana Raban and Aaghata Hana 

Deacon Konja and family 

248-254-3840 

www.morelsbymattprentice.com 


events 

LaVonne and Fara Kasmikha 

Lauren and Suhair Kallabat 

Candis and Olivia Dikhow 

Renee Matti 

Shatha Hanna and Wasan Yaldo 

Michelle Gappy and Mandy Khemmoro 

The gals from Yazee’s Boutique 

Lavanda Karana and Veda Bashi 

16 

Sana Kineya, Suhair Kallabat, Father 

Wisam, Iman Numan and Habiba Sinawi 

Durra Shounia and Iman Numan 

mother-daughter 

fashion 

Photos by david reed 

It was the seventh year for the popular Mother and Daughter 

Fashion Show at Shenandoah Country Club. The May 9 event 

was sponsored by the Mother of God Social Ladies Club. 

May Senawi, Liqaa Dawood and Nina Kasmikha 

As seen on the runway 



events 

Diane D’Agostini with her daughter, Gabriella 

Checking out the raffle 

Jennifer Werner, Lillian Shallal 

and Isabelle Werner 

The Mercy High School Choir 

Mercy alumns share a laugh 

Claire Konja 

Julie Garmo 

Jenny Dickow and Michelle Abdou 

Amy Zaituna 

diane d’agostini: 

mercy’s alumna of the year 

Photos by James Wallace 

Current Mercy students 

Mercy Alum and friends of Judge Diane 

Dickow D’Agostini attended 

the annual Mercy High School Tea 

for Tuition on April 29 to honor her as the 

Alumna of the Year. Nearly 30 Chaldean 

women were among the attendees. Thirtyone 

table hostesses decorated in a Victorian 

theme and the women sipped gourmet tea 

and nibbled tearoom treats. D’Agostini graduated 

from Mercy in 1980. Her sister Jennifer 

graduated in 1978, and her daughter Gabriella 

is a current junior at Mercy. D’Agostini 

is a former assistant prosecutor and has served 

for 11 years on the 48th District Court of 

Oakland County. In 2006, she was appointed 

Chief Judge by the Michigan Supreme Court. 

She is up for re-election this year. 

Jane Shallal and Diane D’Agostini 


Winning ten world titles in eight different weight classes was not enough. 

Now I want to take the fight outside the ring. 

To fight the fights that really matter. That’s my Wild Rabbit. 

—MANNY PACQUIAO 

neverstopneversettle.com 

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. Imported Cognac Hennessy®, 40% Alc./Vol. (80˚). ©2012 Imported by Moët Hennessy USA, Inc., New York, NY. HENNESSY is a registered trademark.

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WITH A GIFT FROM TAPPER’S 

AND THEY’LL REMEMBER YOU FOREVER 

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Sterling silver and cubic zirconia 

necklace, $79 Men’s John Hardy bracelet, $425 

Michele 

Jelly Bean 

watch, $345 

Diamond cross on pearl 

bracelet in sterling silver, $139 

G-Shock 

watch, $260 

West Bloomfield 248.932.7700 | Somerset Collection 248.649.2000 

Twelve Oaks Mall 248.465.1800 | www.tappers.com 

Valid on purchases of $100 or more. Coupon must be presented to receive discount. 

Certain designer lines, including but not limited to, Hearts On Fire and David 

Yurman, are excluded. One certificate per household, per purchase, per day. May not be 

combined with any other offer, discount, gift card, or promotion, and may not be used 

on layaways, sales or repairs. Coupon has no cash value.

JUNE 2012

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