DECEMBER 2015

VOL. 12 ISSUE XI 

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2 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2015 

11/18/15 12:07 PM

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CONTENTS DECEMBER 2015 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS VOLUME 12 ISSUE XI 

on the cover 

20 OUR ANNUAL GIFT GUIDE 

BY CRYSTAL KASSAB JABIRO 

Buy Chaldean! 

22 THE SWEETEST GIFTS 

BY JOVAN KASSAB 

24 TECH GEEKS, REJOICE! 

BY ERIC YOUNAN 

departments 

6 FROM THE EDITOR 

BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO 

A Time to Share 

8 IN MY VIEW 

BY MICHAEL SARAFA 

ISIS November Surprises 

Make No Sense — Or Do They? 

10 GUEST COLUMN 

BY BISHOP FRANCIS KALABAT 

Praise and Worship Are Both Legitimate 

12 NOTEWORTHY 

14 CHAI TIME 

16 RELIGION 

BY IKLAS J. BASHI 

Humility as the Source of Power: 

The Life of Naima Poota Bahoura 

17 OBITUARIES 

42 CLASSIFIED ADS 

44 KIDS CORNER 

Merry Christmas! 

46 EVENTS 

CALC’s Shopping Extravaganza 

20 

features 

13 DOUBLE STANDARD? 

BY SUSANNAH GEORGE/ASSOCIATED PRESS 

As world mourns Paris, Middle Easterners feel ignored 

26 OBSTACLES TO OPPORTUNITY 


The Chaldean News hosts its first Entrepreneur Forum 

30 SPREADING THE WORD 

BY JOYCE WISWELL 

OU CASA mobilizes to create awareness 

32 STERLING MOMENT 


New foundation building opens to raves 

34 WATER WARRIOR 


Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha stands up for Flint 

36 DEVELOPING DISCIPLES OF CHRIST 


New program teaches the virtues 

38 MARY: THE PERSONIFICATION 

OF MERCY 


Marian Conference draws hundreds 

40 CHALDEAN ON THE STREET 

BY HALIM SHEENA 

What’s your favorite Christmas memory? 

DECEMBER 2015 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 

Iklas Bashi 

Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

Bishop Francis Kalabat 

Jovan Kassab 

Weam Namou 

Halim Sheena 

Eric Younan 

PROOFREADER 

Lisa Kalou 

ART & PRODUCTION 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS 

Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

Joseph Sesi with Sesi Design Group 

PHOTOGRAPHER 

David Reed 

OPERATIONS 

Interlink Media 

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS 

Martin Manna 

CIRCULATION 

Barbara Somero 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Joyce Wiswell 

SALES 


SALES REPRESENTATIVES 


Sana Navarrette 

Barbara Somero 

MANAGERS 


Martin Manna 

Michael Sarafa 

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $25 PER YEAR 

THE CHALDEAN NEWS 

30850 TELEGRAPH ROAD, SUITE 220 

BINGHAM FARMS, MI 48025 

WWW.CHALDEANNEWS.COM 

PHONE: (248) 996-8360 

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

monthly; Issue Date: December 2015 Subscriptions: 

12 months, $25. Publication Address: 30850 Telegraph 

Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, Michigan 48025; 

Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is 

Pending at Farmington Hills Post Office Postmaster: 

Send address changes to “The Chaldean News 30850 

Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025” 

Clarification 

Our November One on One contained 

an incorrect quote from 

Senator Gary Peters. Here is 

the correct text in answer to the 

question, “What is the long-term 

solution for helping minority populations 

in the Middle East?” 

“… ultimately you have to 

have a reconciliation, a political 

coming together, and having 

people live in a country that accepts 

a diversity of people and 

religions, to allow Christians and 

Muslims, both Shia and Sunni, to 

live together. In Iraq we met with 

some of the NGOs and some of 

the local Iraqis who are part of 

the reconciliation process in figuring 

how do you bring Shia and 

Sunni together to live in peace.” 

A time to share 

Every year I struggle 

with what to buy my 

husband for Christmas. 

Unlike my daughter, who 

starts her Christmas list right 

after her birthday, Ron never 

asks for anything. He is the 

easiest-going person I know 

but the hardest to shop for — 

I am not sure why. 

I usually end up at the 

Shirt Box on Northwestern 

just because they have hip 

and cool clothes in his size. 

He always loves them. However, I 

still want to find that fun and cool 

gift just for him. 

I really enjoy finding gifts specific 

to the person I am shopping for – not 

what I would like but something personal 

and meaningful. 

It is one of the reasons I truly enjoy 

our annual gift guide in the Chaldean 

News. However, it is not an 

easy task to find that new and exciting 

item. We were fortunate to have 

the Chaldean American Ladies of 

Charity host their annual Shopping 

Extravaganza last month, which enabled 

us to find a few of the items for 

our gift guide. 

We are sharing with our readers 

gift ideas we found. 

This is my favorite time of the 

year. I love November and December 

— Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

I love the feeling of love in the air. 

I look forward to the camaraderie at 

the parties and the kibitzing at the 

dinner table. 

Christmas always starts early in 

my house, the day after Halloween 

on All Saints Day. It is the official 

start of the Christmas season in our 

house with the tree going up and the 

return of the Elf on the Shelf. 

This year, my daughter asked us 

not to put up the tree early because 

she wasn’t quite ready to start behaving 

on a daily basis — the Elf on the 

Shelf or, in her case, the Elves would 

be watching. That is right — we 

have Katie the Elf and Buddy the Elf, 

a girl and a boy. She asked Santa for 

two because she thought her original 

elf Buddy was bored at our house all 

day when we were not home. 

As much as I love this season — 

creating our family Christmas card, 

sending out gifts to Denha Media clients, 

shopping for family and decorating 

my house — this year is just 

VANESSA 

DENHA-GARMO 

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

CO-PUBLISHER 

not the same. 

Although this issue does 

not focus on the ISIS crisis, 

I would be remiss if I 

didn’t mention how much 

the persecution of Christians 

has changed the season 

this year. As much as 

this is a joyful time, there is 

also pain and sadness with 

it. I can only hope we all 

continue to pray for peace 

and resolve. We are dealing 

with a demonic movement. 

What needs to be done politically is 

an entirely different topic but I do 

know what we can do is pray. 

There has been no other time in 

our lifetime where prayer has been 

needed more. 

Although there are certain things 

Below: Vanessa Denha Garmo addresses 

the Chaldean News’ Entrepreneur Forum. 

Katie and Buddy the elves keep an eye 

on things. 

out of our control, there is much in 

our control and that sentiment was 

reiterated at the Chaldean News’ 

first-ever Entrepreneur Forum in reference 

to business. 

Thanks to our panelists Saber 

Ammori, John Kello, Mike Sarafa 

and Ron Boji for their time and insight. 

Also to RJ King from Dbusiness 

for moderating the event. 

I have been fortunate to interview 

so many people in the community 

with fascinating stories and 

expertise in their respective areas. 

These entrepreneurs know what it is 

like to fail and what it is like to succeed. 

Sometimes we live in a community 

where people hold things 

close to the vest. That was not the 

case at this event. The panelists were 

candid and helpful. 

I thank them for their time and 

to care enough to share with others 

what they have learned about business. 

During this holiday season perhaps 

each of us can find time not 

only to be thankful, but to share with 

others our time, our knowledge and 

our faith. 

Alaha Imid Koullen 

(God Be With Us All) 


vdenha@chaldeannews.com 

Follow her on Twitter @vanessadenha 

Follow Chaldean News on Twitter @ 

chaldeannews 

6 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2015

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DECEMBER 2015 CHALDEAN NEWS 7 

9/17/15 1:48 PM

in my VIEW 

ISIS November surprises make no sense — or do they? 

A 

fascinating article 

by Frida Ghitis, 

columnist for 

the Miami Herald and 

World Politics Review, attempts 

to construct a logical 

framework around the 

seemingly self-destructive 

actions of ISIS. The events 

last month with the downing 

of the Russian passenger 

plane, the bombing 

in Beirut, and the coordinated 

attacks on Paris are mind boggling, 

not only because of their boldness 

but because on the surface they 

make no strategic sense. 

ISIS does control some territory in 

Iraq and Syria and they managed to 

kill more than 500 people in the November 

attacks. But these attacks had 

absolutely no geo-political or strategic 

advantage for ISIS. In fact, sane minds 

would argue the opposite. The bombing 

of the Russian jet drew Russia and 

the United States closer together in 

the fight against terrorism. The Paris 

attacks brought immediate and lethal 

retaliation from the French, who have 

promised a sustained effort to destroy 

ISIS. And ISIS continues to rattle the 

cages of their Shiite enemies in Lebanon, 

Syria, Iraq and Iran. None of this 

seems designed to make life easier or 

better for ISIS. 

Why then? Ghitis argues several 

interesting if counterintuitive points. 

First, ISIS is seeking a cataclysmic 

clash of the cultures between the secular 

world and the righteous Islamic 

State. France is the epicenter of secular 

Europe; Russia an atheist country 

with their own imperial designs. Let 

Russia align with western nations, 

MICHAEL G. 

SARAFA 

SPECIAL TO THE 

CHALDEAN NEWS 

the argument goes; trigger 

the NATO Alliance 

so that the war with ISIS 

takes on epic proportions. 

Secondly, ISIS wants to 

challenge what it views as 

false religions, beginning 

with Shiite Muslims represented 

by the ruling parties 

in Syria, Iraq and Iran. 

Thus, with Russia being 

forced to turn their attention 

to fighting terrorism, 

the ability to prop up the regime in 

Syria is lessened. By hitting a Hezbollah 

stronghold in Beirut, they are 

striking out at Iran. Their ability to 

It’s hard to understand not only the evil of ISIS, but its tactics. 

control large parts of Iraq make the 

Shiite-dominated government in 

Baghdad look impotent. 

Enter Pope Francis, who called 

the battle with radical Islam the 

Third World War. It is no secret that 

the endgame for ISIS includes in part 

the defeat of Rome, not in the territorial 

sense, but rather by extending 

the reach of the Caliphate’s political 

and religious philosophy. 

Third, ISIS efforts are spurning 

the immigration crisis. The lands 

they want to control are bleeding 

Muslims. What better way to stop 

Muslim immigration to the West 

than to use easy international flow to 

plan a terror attack? 

“Who,” Ghitis asks, “takes a passport 

to a terrorist attack?” The Syrian 

passport found at the site of one of the 

Paris incidences was left there deliberately, 

she says, to embarrass the border 

patrol of these countries and also to 

bring to a screeching halt the refugee 

flow into Europe and the United 

States. On that front, ISIS November 

surprises were successful. 

Not only did the people in 

France, the U.S. and other western 

nations quickly turn against Muslim 

refugees, but these events are sure to 

stoke anger and fear at the Muslim 

citizens of these countries. As Ghitis 

says, “ISIS wants a war between 

Islam and the rest of the world, with 

Muslims on its side, as a way of creating 

and expanding its so-called caliphate.” 

Here again: success. 

ISIS has raised the stakes. The 

next months will likely not be good 

for them. France and possibly even 

the United States will be under immense 

pressure to put boots on the 

ground to expedite the defeat of the 

group. ISIS leaders will have to go underground, 

lest they will almost certainly 

be killed. Civilian populations 

in ISIS strongholds will no longer be 

a hindrance to aerial attacks. It will 

be ugly for them. Almost certainly, 

ISIS will suffer severe setbacks. These 

results would prevent most rationale 

groups from taking such actions in the 

first place. So why then? 

ISIS’ thinking is pathological, 

their orientation anti-modern, their 

methods barbaric and their tactics 

inhumane. Ghitis argues that, in 

fact, ISIS is intentionally destructive 

and self-destructive and that their 

ultimate goal is “apocalyptic” — that 

they are seeking an “end of the days 

battle” with the West. 

They may get such a battle but it 

will almost certainly be an end of their 

day’s battle. Much suffering on both 

sides will occur. By our way of measuring, 

they will lose. But in their minds, 

in losing, they win. How is that? 

In order to defeat ISIS, the United 

States and our allies have to throw 

out the rulebook. By suspending civil 

liberties, thwarting our own constitution, 

retaliating without discretion, 

we become a little less civilized, 

a little less democratic and a little 

less free. Yes, maybe then, then end 

of days gets a little closer. 

Michael Sarafa is president of the Bank 

of Michigan and a co-publisher of the 

Chaldean News. 

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GUEST column 

Praise and worship are both legitimate 

It seems of late there has 

been a debate about 

what is worship and 

what is praise — whether 

certain types of “loud” worship 

are truly acceptable or 

are they simply emotional 

tirades towards God? Some 

of the reasons that bring 

about this debate is Christian 

music that is being 

sold like secular music and 

yet being used in private 

prayers, healing services, 

prayer gatherings that are called 

praise and worship and, at times, 

even found in Mass. 

This new way of singing in a religious 

setting is very different from the 

“normal” or traditional means of worship. 

Usually, everything new polarizes 

opinions where some will hail it 

as God-sent and others will consider 

it aggressive and an attack on traditional 

worship, and therefore bad. 

I am reminded of a movie that 

came out in ‘70s called Brother Son, 

Sister Moon. It was Franco Zeffirelli’s 

movie on Francis of Assisi where he 

brings out the saint as a sort of a hippie 

of his generation — mind you the 

movie was done in 1972. In the middle 

of the movie, Zeffirelli purposely 

shows at the same time an active, 

young and lively Francis singing and 

praising God with his friends while 

the old bishop and nuns were in an 

old, austere and rigid form of worship 

in silence before the Eucharist. So we 

ask: Which is correct? 

Before answering the question, 

there is another angle to consider. 

There is a prevalent understanding 

that true means of worship, or even 

my way of worshipping, is silent, 

calm or at least not overly emotional. 

A way that is similar to meditation. 

So if loud and emotional is some 

people’s way of praying, it is not 

mine. But again, that presumes that 

it might be legitimate before even 

answering the question. Therefore 

the question must be asked: Is praise 

and worship meditative and calm or 

loud and lively? Which of the two is 

a legitimate way to pray? 

To be able to truly answer the 

question, let us first turn to the wisdom 

of the scriptures and seek truth, 

no matter how uncomfortable it 

could be, and also seek the tradition 

and wisdom of the Church. The 

BISHOP 

FRANCIS 

KALABAT 

SPECIAL TO THE 

CHALDEAN NEWS 

Holy Spirit has argued and 

revealed through both 

means, Scripture and Tradition, 

that it’s BOTH! 

It is a false understanding 

that it is an either/or 

form of worship. In the 

meditative form of worship, 

we look towards Mary 

and see how she “kept 

all these in heart” (Luke 

2:19). A beautiful and 

wonderful way of allowing 

the Word of God to germinate 

and take root and then bear 

fruit in the silence of the heart or the 

calm of the service. Another great 

source in the scriptures that brings 

this out are the Psalms. Mary, being 

the perfect child of Judaism, prayed 

every day the Psalms as was the tradition. 

These Psalms were also prayed 

daily by Jesus (seen in the numerous 

times that He prays the Psalms especially 

on the Cross), the apostles, 

the disciples, the early Church, the 

Church throughout history and even 

today. What we see, from a meditative 

point, Psalms that bring out this 

beautiful calmness such as “be still 

and know that I am God” (Psalm 

46:10). Therefore, there is a great 

need to imitate the Church and allow 

the Lord to speak to us in calmness 

and in silence. 

On the other side of the spectrum, 

there is also the Biblical evidence 

that reveals a loud and emotional 

form of worship and we begin 

also with the Psalms, the daily prayer 

of all the faithful in the Old Testament 

and the New Testament and 

today. Psalm 98 brings out this form 

of worship when King David calls 

the people to “shout with joy to the 

Lord all the earth; break into song; 

sing praise” (Psalm 98:4). Another 

example is Psalm 100: “Shout joyfully 

to the Lord, all you lands; serve 

the Lord with gladness; come before 

Him with joyful song” (Psalm 100:1- 

2). There are many more, but notice 

ECRC’s Ignite the Spirit services may be loud, but they’re also perfectly acceptable. 

the words shout, praise, before the 

Lord. This is a loud and emotional 

praise and worship from the Old 

Testament prayed before God in His 

Holy Temple. 

Another great example of this 

loud and emotional praise and worship 

can be seen in the last Psalm 

150. It is widely understood as the final 

fulfillment and destination of all 

God’s creation bringing the faithful 

to spend eternity in worship of God. 

The Psalmist calls out to praise God 

in the sanctuary (altar) with loud 

instruments in a loud and aggressive 

form of worship. The Psalmist calls for 

the worship of God with horns, lyres, 

dance, tambourines, strings, pipes, 

voice and finally crashing cymbals! 

Again, this Psalm is seen as a prelude 

of the perfect worship of God that 

will occur in heaven for all eternity. 

In heaven, it is loud and silent, as can 

be seen in the book of Revelation 

(compare Rev. 4 with 8). In the book 

of Isaiah, we notice more loud praise 

and worship of God in heaven, as can 

be seen in the following vision: 

Seraphim were stationed above; 

each of them had six wings: with 

two they covered their faces, with 

two they covered their feet, and 

with two they hovered. One cried 

out to the other: “Holy, holy, 

holy is the LORD of hosts! All 

the earth is filled with his glory!” 

At the sound of that cry, the 

frame of the door shook and the 

house was filled with smoke. 

Notice the shouts, the shaking 

and the “cry” of the angels. Since 

our worship here on earth is an image 

of the worship of God by the 

angels, what occurs there must and 

does occur here. This is what Moses 

in Exodus was commanded to build 

and therefore to worship in like manner 

(see Ex. 25:9). 


Other places in the Scriptures reveal 

this form of worship as well. In 

Exodus 15:20 Meriam, the sister of 

Moses, begins to worship God with 

all the Jewish women in thanksgiving 

for crossing the Red Sea. She 

does so with her tambourine and 

dancing. This verse is used every 

other Wednesday in the Chaldean 

Church as an antiphon in honoring 

Mary. This was loud and emotional! 

This form of “loud’ and emotional 

worship is actually not something 

new in the Church. In 1975, the Venerable 

Pope Paul VI, soon to be saint, 

addressed an audience of Catholic 

Charismatics in Rome the day after 

Pentecost. He first quoted the reading 

or meditation of the day in the Latin 

Rite taken from St. Ambrose from 

the fourth century. The Pope called 

the “motto for [this] movement” as 

sober intoxication of the Spirit. It is 

sober because we know the Jesus that 

we believe in (1 Peter 3:15) and it is 

intoxication because of its emotions 

and genuine love of God. 

This “sober intoxication” is a very 

unique statement. This is the relationship 

that we are called to have 

with the Lord and this is the means of 

worship that we are called to have. It 

must be sober in that it must be clear, 

precise, accurate, based on truth. It 

must also be intoxicating, based on 

an actual touch, feel, seeing, believing 

(1 Jn. 1). What the Pope is quoting, 

and what he is relating to specifically 

to the Charismatics, is that 

there MUST be an emotional and 

relational aspect to our relationship 

with God. This does not go against 

the truth of the “soberness” of the 

message, but it really brings out the 

notion “You must love the Lord your 

God with all your heart, with all your 

soul, with all your might and with all 

your strength” (Luke 10:27). 

An issue arises when many people 

attest that this form of worship is being 

disrespectful in Church. Maybe 

this shouldn’t be done in Church 

especially before the Tabernacle of 

God? The response comes from the 

Bible in 2 Samuel 6 when King David 

worships God when he entered 

Jerusalem dancing and singing before 

the presence of God found in the 

Ark of the Covenant. This Ark of 

the Covenant is the Old Testament 

version of today’s Tabernacle. It was 

placed in the Holy of holies in the 

temple where only the High Priest 

(Old Testament’s version of Pope) 

once a year can give worship. So holy 

is this Tabernacle that God’s throne 

was above the two golden Cherubs 

that are placed above the tabernacle. 

It was through the tabernacle that 

God spoke to Moses and there David 

sings and dances before the Lord. 

Let us not be too quick to judge, 

because in the history and tradition 

of the Church, being loud and being 

active is legitimate. Other worthy 

mentions are the Ethiopian rite of 

the Church where in some celebrations 

of the Mass, they begin with a 

procession of drums. It is loud, emotional 

and legitimate. Another worthy 

mention is the feast of Our Lady 

of Guadalupe. During this feast, in 

Catholic Churches in South America 

as well as in North America, the 

Mass begins with a group of Indians 

dancing their way to the altar while 

playing the drums in a loud manner. 

It is truly a sight to see. This was celebrated 

in the presence of Pope Saint 

John Paul II as well as other Popes. 

And Jesus was praised in an awesome 

way that day. 

Other issues that are brought up 

about this overly emotional (concertlike) 

mass, or praise and worship, is that 

it’s too much emotion and not enough 

teaching, or substance. I believe there 

might be times where it’s overly done 

and overly emotional, leaving out the 

substance and only concentrating on 

the emotional. When that happens 

then it is a mistake. Though I must 

agree that in theory praise and worship 

can get out of hand, I find it to be rare 

and inconsistent. 

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate 

that loud and silent forms of 

worship are both legitimate and not 

either/or. I would like to end with the 

great words of St. Paul in his letter 

to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the 

Lord always and I say again to you 

rejoice … the Lord is near” (Phil. 

4:4-5). This is the Lord’s bidding, to 

rejoice in Him. In the necessary silence 

before the altar and before the 

Tabernacle, and in loud praise before 

His presence. In all cases, the Lord is 

near. 

ECRC’s next praise and worship event, 

called Ignite the Spirit, will be held in 

January. Check ecrc.us or ECRC’s 

Facebook page for an update. 


noteworthy 

Community Mourns Richard Sulaka 

Richard Sulaka graced the Chaldean News March 2007 

cover. 

Flags on city property in Warren were flown at 

half-staff in honor of Richard Sulaka, who died 

suddenly on November 19 at age 60. 

Sulaka, a well-known member of the Chaldean 

community, served Warren for 16 years as its elected 

clerk and a member of the City Council. He was 

known as a hands-on leader and all-around nice guy. 

Sulaka, a 1973 graduate of Fitzgerald High 

School, served on the Warren City Council from 

1991 to 1999. Immediately after that, he was 

elected Warren’s city clerk, a position he held 

until he unsuccessfully ran against Mayor Jim 

Fouts in 2007. 

“Richard was a terrific individual. Outstanding,” 

said Warren City Clerk Paul Wojno, who 

succeeded Sulaka in 2007. “He was dedicated to 

his job when he was on council and as clerk. He’s 

always been involved in the community, either politically 

or socially through the Chaldean community. 

One thing about Richard, he was completely 

dedicated to his family. His wife and his children 

were always a top priority. He always spoke about 

them, and he was a great dad.” 

“He was intelligent, a consensus builder. I respected 

him and we had a cordial, cooperative relationship, 

for the most part,” Fouts said. 

Following the 2007 mayoral election, Wojno 

said Sulaka was very cordial and gracious, something 

Fouts said he’d also remember about him. 

“Richard was just a stand-up guy, a gentleman’s 

gentleman in caring a lot for people and the community. 

He’s going to be missed by a lot, a lot of 

people,” Wojno said. 

Sulaka grew up in Warren, where he graduated 

from Fitzgerald High School and became a real estate 

broker. He married Giovana in 1984 and the 

couple raised three children — Richard II, Angelina 

and Michael. After a mass at Mother of God 

Chaldean Catholic Church, he was buried at Holy 

Sepulchre Cemetery on November 23. 

“He was a pioneer for Chaldeans in America,” 

said Martin Manna, president of the Chaldean 

American Chamber of Commerce. “He was a 

voice for those who didn’t understand the political 

process. More importantly, he was a servant to the 

general community and a servant to our community, 

always giving back, always teaching.” 

– C&G Newspapers and the Macomb Daily 

Refugee Families 

Drown in Aegean Sea 

A memorial Mass and luncheon were 

held on November 22 in honor of two 

Chaldean families who drowned in the 

Aegean Sea near Turkey and Greece. 

The Marooki and Hanna families 

were trying to reach Europe in the 

middle of the night where they could 

start over in a new country as refugees, 

probably Germany, said Bashar 

Bakoz. The families had been driven 

out of their homes in Qaraqosh, Iraq, 

by ISIS. While a report said their 

These children are among the seven 

drowned Chaldeans. 

rubber dingy was deliberately sunk by 

the person transporting them, that 

story could not be confirmed. 

The victims were two sisters, their 

husbands and their children: Steve 

Marzeena Marooki, 31, Slfanah Sami 

Marooki, 26, Mark Steven Marooki, 7, 

Samah Sami Marooki, 32, Haneen Salim 

Hanna, 13, and Marvin Salim Hanna, 

7. All bodies were recovered except 

for 3-year-old Enji Steven Marooki. 

Iraq Amends 

Muslim Law 

The Iraqi government has amended 

legislation that would have forced 

children of converts to Islam to be 

regarded as Muslims, Asia News service 

reports. 

On November 18, the Iraqi parliament 

chose to amend Act 26 of 

the Constitution, with 140 votes of 

206. 

For the Iraqi Christian community 

this is an act of justice and equality, 

and a key step in the direction 

“of freedom and democracy in Iraq,” 

Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis 

Raphael I Sako told Asia News. 

“This decision shows support and is 

an important message for the minorities 

[Christians] in Iraq. It is also a 

clear demonstration of democracy.” 

Under Iraqi law, children have 

automatically been considered Muslim 

if one of their parents converts 

to Islam. Christians in parliament 

previously proposed an amendment 

that would allow children to remain 

Christian and to choose their own 

faith at 18, but it was defeated. 

The Chaldean prelate had rallied 

strong public opposition to the 

measure and had threatened to bring 

the matter before the international 

courts. The Patriarch released a statement 

thanking “all parliamentarians 

and those who have supported the 

amendment of this unjust article.” 

Jennifer Oram being sworn in by Judge Diane D’Agostini. 

Chaldeans 

Win Local 

Elections 

Two Chaldean women 

won victories in 

Edna Abriham the November elections. 

Jennifer Oram, who works at her 

family’s outdoor advertising company, 

has earned a seat on the Orchard 

Lake City Council. 

“Having a passion for the city and 

its residents makes me excited to get 

to work on issues that will improve 

the quality of life for the entire community,” 

she said. 

In Troy, Edna Abriham was successful 

in her run for City Council. 

She is an engineer at General Motors. 

Yono Makes 

the List 

Candace Yono was 

named a top corporate 

law attorney by 

DBusiness. She works 

at Cohen, Lerner & 

Rabinovitz, P.C. 

Candace Yono 


Flowers and candle tributes are placed at the Restaurant Le Carillon in Paris. 

Double standard? As world mourns 

Paris, Middle Easterners feel ignored 

BY SUSANNAH GEORGE/ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Within hours of last month’s 

Paris attacks, as outrage 

and sympathy flooded 

his social media feeds and filled the 

airwaves, Baghdad resident Ali al- 

Makhzomy updated his Facebook 

cover photo to read “solidarity’ — 

and his friends were shocked. 

“Everyone was like why are you 

posting about Paris and not about 

the attacks in Baghdad every day,’’ 

the recent law school graduate said. 

“A lot of my friends said, ‘OK, so you 

care more about them than you care 

about us?’” 

He had unintentionally tapped 

into frustration in Iraq, Lebanon 

and Syria with what many see as a 

double-standard: The world unites 

in outrage and sympathy when the 

Islamic State group kills Westerners, 

but pays little attention to the neardaily 

atrocities it carries out in the 

Middle East. 

The day before the Paris attacks, 

twin suicide bombers struck a southern 

Beirut suburb, killing at least 43 

people, and the week before, a suicide 

bomber struck a funeral in Iraq, 

killing at least 21. Both attacks were 

claimed by ISIS and reported by major 

media outlets, but generated little 

Snyder on refugee 

fears: ‘Good, 

old-fashioned 

common sense’ 

More than two dozen governors 

have followed Michigan’s Rick 

Snyder call to urge a pause in 

admitting Syrian refugees into 

the United States. 

Snyder, who triggered a national 

debate about refugee 

resettlement, told NPR on November 

19 that he only wants 

answers. The Republican has 

described himself as “the most 

pro-immigration governor in the 

country,” but said the caution he 

wants the U.S. to show doesn’t 

conflict with compassion for the 

refugees. 

In the NPR interview, Snyder 

suggested he didn’t mean 

to create a partisan issue. He 

insisted he’s still willing to accept 

more Syrians in Michigan 

and said he merely wants a little 

reassurance that the federal 

screening process for refugees is 

sound. He said a call from the 

president assuring him of the 

process would be “helpful.” 

“In a general sense I’ve been 

very much in favor of being proactive 

with Middle Eastern refugees, 

along with refugees across 

the world,” he told NPR. “If we 

get to the point where we can 

say that [an extensive] review has 

taken place and people are confident 

that we have a system to let 

in people who have had their lives 

shattered, and at the same time 

can keep out the bad guys, hopefully 

we can start the process again 

of accepting refugees. … I really 

want [the federal government] to 

come back and say, we have now 

made a review … and believe 

their current system is acceptable 

or not, or that they’re making 

some modifications. I don’t think 

that’s unreasonable. I view that 

as good old-fashioned common 

sense, being careful, and at the 

same time trying to be proactive.” 

interest outside the region, where 

the turmoil of recent years has made 

such events seem like a sadly regular 

occurrence. 

Baghdad has seen near-daily attacks 

in recent years. Bombings 

killed an average of more than 90 

civilians a month last year, according 

to Iraq Body Count. 

The civil war in neighboring 

Syria has killed 250,000 people since 

2011. There, government warplanes 

regularly carry out raids using socalled 

barrel bombs that demolish 

entire apartment blocks and insurgent 

groups shell government-held 

neighborhoods. 

Lebanon, however, had been relatively 

calm for the past year, leading 

many to feel that November’s 

tragedy was unfairly neglected. Many 

were angered by Facebook’s deployment 

of a new feature in the wake of 

the Paris attacks that allowed users 

to check in and say they were safe. 

The feature was not available for the 

Beirut attacks. 

“We don’t get a safe button on 

Facebook,’’ Lebanese blogger Joey 

Ayoub wrote. “We don’t get latenight 

statements from the most powerful 

men and women alive and millions 

of online users.” 

Facebook released a statement 

saying it had previously only used the 

Safety Check feature after natural disasters 

and said it would be used for 

“other serious and tragic incidents in 

the future.” 

But it added that “during an ongoing 

crisis, like war or epidemic, 

Safety Check in its current form is 

not that useful for people: because 

there isn’t a clear start or end point 

and, unfortunately, it’s impossible to 

know when someone is truly ‘safe.’” 

Al-Makhzomy said the feature 

wouldn’t be quite as useful in Iraq. 

“In Baghdad it’s not just like one 

attack,’’ he said. “You would need 

to have a date on the Safety Check, 

like I’m safe from this one or that one 

... There are too many for just ‘I’m 

Safe.’” 

In the U.S., social media shaming 

also played out on Facebook, Twitter 

and other channels in the aftermath 

of Paris over the use of a tool that 

shades profile photos to resemble the 

French flag. Other social media users 

object to a sea of vacation selfies 

at the Eiffel Tower being posted as a 

show of solidarity and an expression 

of “slacktivism,” rather than true social 

justice commitment. 

“What happened in Paris is awful 

and my thoughts are with the 

families affected as well as our global 

leaders as they figure out what to do,” 

said 33-year-old Jim Brown, a former 

U.S. Marine who lives in Indiana. 

“That said, changing my avatar to 

the colors of the French flag is just an 

easy way for me feel like I did something 

while sitting on my butt in my 

suburban American home.”

CHAI time 

CHALDEANS CONNECTING 

COMMUNITY EVENTS IN AND AROUND METRO DETROIT DECEMBER 2015 

Oh Christmas Tree … 

Nothing gets you in the holiday mood 

like a festive tree lighting. Some cities 

already held their festivities in November, 

but here’s what’s coming up this month. 

Clarkston 

Saturday, December 12, 

Downtown at Depot Park 

Clawson 

Monday, December 7, 

Blair Memorial Library 

(416 N. Main Street) 

Farmington 


Governor Warner Mansion 

(33805 Grand River) 

The Birmingham Winter Markt 

Farmington Hills 

Tuesday, December 1, 

Fire Department 

(31455 W. 11 Mile Road) 

[Thursday, December 3] 

Party: Chaldean American Chamber 

of Commerce holds its annual 

Members Christmas Party at 

the Regency Manor in Southfield. 

ChaldeanChamber.com. 

[Friday, December 4] 

Christmas: The Birmingham Winter 

Markt is a taste of Germany with food 

and drinks, gift items, crafts, ice carving 

demonstrations, Santa House, 

live music and more. Runs through 

Sunday, December 6 at Shain Park. 

EnjoyBirmingham.com. 


Parade: Light Up the Grand Holiday 

Parade marches across Grand River 

Avenue, through downtown from Warner 

Street to Liberty Street. The fun begins 

at 7 p.m. 

[Saturday, December 5] 

Santa: The Solanus Casey Center in 

Detroit hosts a Continental Breakfast 

with St. Nicholas from 9 a.m.-noon. 

Tickets must be purchased in advance 

at SolanusCenter.org/StNick, or by 

calling (313) 579-2100 ext. 191. 


Christmas: Noel Night includes holiday 

shopping, family craft activities, 

caroling, and musical and dance performances 

in Detroit’s Cultural Center 

along Woodward Avenue. The event 

runs from 5-10 p.m. View a schedule at 

NoelNight.org. 

[Sunday, December 6] 

Parade: The 64th Rochester Hometown 

Christmas Parade travels down 

Main Street starting at 2 p.m. 


Concert: The Madrigal Chorale performs 

holiday music at 3 p.m. at Manresa 

Jesuit Retreat House. Tickets 

are $18 in advance, $20 at the door. 

(248) 644-4933. 

[Monday, December 7] 

Tea: Manresa’s Women to Women 

Prayer Group holds an Advent Tea 

with the theme “God’s Invitation: Our 

Response.” 1 p.m. Tickets are $15. 

(248) 644-4933. 


Cooking: “Gluten-Free Holiday Baking 

and Comfort Foods” takes place 

from 6-7:30 p.m. at Henry Ford West 

Bloomfield Hospital. $20 per person, 

$30 for two. Register by calling 

(248) 325-3890. 


Support: Peter’s Angels, which helps 

raise awareness of drug abuse in the 

Chaldean community, holds a meeting 

at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Church in Troy. 

PetersAngelsCC@gmail.com. 


Music: Too Hot to Handel, a jazz-gospel 

version of Handel’s Messiah, is performed 

at 11 a.m. at the Detroit Opera 

House. Manresa Jesuit Retreat House 

kicks things off early with a 9:30 a.m. 

brunch at the Cadillac Café. Tickets 

to brunch and concert are $60. (248) 

644-4933. 


Brunch: Regency Manor’s Annual 

Brunch with Santa – traditional brunch 

with a Middle Eastern twist – runs from 

noon-3 p.m. $15 for kids 2-12, $30 for 

others, under 2 free. 25228 W. 12 Mile 

Road in Southfield; (248) 353-1133. 


Support: Peter’s Angels, which helps 

raise awareness of drug abuse in the 

Chaldean community, holds a meeting at 

7 p.m. at Mother of God Church in Southfield. 

PetersAngelsCC@gmail.com. 


Children: “Kid-Friendly New Year’s 

Eve” is a family cooking event with 

easy and festive recipes. 10 a.m.-noon, 

Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital. 

$25 per person. (248) 325-3890. 


Brunch: Shenandoah’s 11th Annual 

Christmas Brunch includes an appearance 

by Santa. Seatings are from 11 

a.m.-3 p.m. and reservations are a 

must. $30 adults, $15 children ages 

4-13, under 3 free. (248) 454-1948. 


Ballet: The Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian 

Nutcracker is performed at the Fox 

Theatre at 3 and 7 p.m. Tickets start at 

$31.50. OlympiaEntertainment.com. 

[Tuesday, December 22] 

Extravaganza: Cirque Dreams Holidaze 

variety show features more than 

20 acts, 30 artists and 300 costumes. 

Tickets start at $29. Runs through 

December 27 at the Fox Theatre. 

OlympiaEntertainment.com. 

Send items for Chai Time to 

info@chaldeannews.com. 

Novi 

Friday, December 4, Civic Center 

(45175 W. 10 Mile Road) 

Royal Oak 

Thursday, December 3, 

Royal Oak Farmers Market 

(316 E. 11 Mile Road) 

Shelby Township 

December 3, Town Hall 

(52700 Van Dyke) 

Southfield 

Tuesday, December 1, 

Burgh Historical Park (Civic 

Center Drive and Berg Road) 

Sterling Heights 


Dodge Park (40620 Utica Road) 

Troy 

Wednesday, December 2, 

City Hall (500 W. Big Beaver) 

Walled Lake 

Monday, December 7, 

City Hall (1499 W. Maple) 

Warren 


City Hall (12 Mile and Van Dyke) 

Westland 

Wednesday, 

December 2 

City Hall 

(36300 Warren) 


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DECEMBER 2015 CHALDEAN 4/15/15 NEWS 1:16 PM15

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 

Bishop: Francis Kalabat 

Retired Bishop: Ibrahim N. Ibrahim 

HOLY CROSS CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

32500 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334; (248) 626-5055 

Rector: Msgr. Zouhair Toma Kejbou 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, noon in Chaldean; Saturdays, 4:30 p.m. in 

English; Sundays, 10 a.m. in Chaldean and Arabic, noon in English, 6 

p.m., in Arabic 

HOLY MARTYRS CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

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

Rector: Fr. Manuel Boji 

Parochial Vicar: Fr. Matthew Zetouna 

Bible Study: Mondays, 7 p.m. in Chaldean; Thursdays, 8 p.m. Seed of 

Faith in English; 

Saturdays, 7 p.m. Witness to Faith in Arabic 

Youth Groups: Wednesdays, 7 p.m. for High Schoolers 

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

English; Sundays: 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; 7 p.m. 

Arabic and Chaldean 

MAR ADDAI CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

24010 Coolidge Highway, Oak Park, MI 48237; (248) 547-4648 

Pastor: Fr. Stephen Kallabat 

Retired Priest: Fr. Suleiman Denha 

Adoration: Last Friday of the month, 4 p.m. Adoration; 5 p.m. Stations of 

the Cross; 6 p.m. Mass; Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. 

Bible Study: Fridays, 8-10 p.m. in Arabic and Chaldean 

Youth Groups: Thursdays, 7:30-9 p.m. Jesus Christ University High 

School and College Mass Schedule: Weekdays, noon; Sundays, 10 a.m. 

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

MOTHER OF GOD CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

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

Administrator: Fr. Pierre Konja 

Bible Study: Mondays, 7-9 p.m. in English; Wednesdays, 7 p.m. for college 

students in English 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 10 a.m.; Tuesdays, 8:45 p.m. in English; 

Saturdays, 4 p.m. in English; Sundays: 8:30 a.m. in Arabic, 10 a.m. in 

English, noon in Chaldean, 7 p.m. in English 

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

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

Pastor: Fr. Fadi Philip 

Bible Study: Thursday, 8 p.m. for ages 18-45; Friday, 8 p.m. in Arabic. 

Teens 4 Mary Youth Group: Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 

Confession: 1 hour before mass or by appointment. 

Adoration: Thursday, 5-7 p.m. Chapel open 24/7 for adoration. 

Mass Schedule: Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m. in Chaldean; Thursday, 1 

p.m. in English and 7 p.m. in Chaldean; Friday 7 p.m. in Chaldean; Sunday, 

10 a.m. in Arabic and 12:30 p.m. in Chaldean. 

SACRED HEART CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

30590 Dequindre Road, Warren, MI 48092; (586) 393-5809 

Pastor: Fr. Sameem Belius 

Mass Schedule: Sundays, 10 a.m. in Arabic, 12:30 p.m. in Chaldean 

ST. GEORGE CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

45700 Dequindre Road, Shelby Township, MI 48317; (586) 254-7221 

Pastor: Fr. Wisam Matti 

Parochial Vicars: Fr. Anthony Kathawa 

Youth Groups: Disciples for Christ for teen boys, Tuesdays, 7 p.m.; Circle 

of Friends for teen girls; Thursdays, 6 p.m.; Bible Study for college students, 

Wednesdays 8 p.m. 

Bible Study: Wednesdays, 8 p.m. in English; Fridays, 8 p.m. in Arabic 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 10 a.m. in Chaldean; Wednesdays, 7 p.m. 

Adoration; 8-10 p.m. Confession; Saturdays, 6:30 p.m. in English (school 

year); 6:30 p.m. in Chaldean (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 

ST. JOSEPH CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

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

Administrator: Fr. Rudy Zoma 

Bible Study: Mondays, 7 p.m. in Arabic; Tuesdays, 7 p.m. in English; Thursdays, 

7 p.m. Chaldeans Loving Christ Youth Group for High Schoolers 

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

10 a.m. in Arabic 

Saturdays, 6 p.m. in English and Chaldean; Sundays, 9 a.m. in Arabic, 

10:30 a.m. in English, noon in Chaldean, 2 p.m. in Chaldean and Arabic, 

7 p.m. in Chaldean 

Baptisms: 3 p.m. on Sundays. 

ST. PAUL CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

5150 E. Maple Avenue, Grand Blanc, MI 48439; (810) 820-8439 

Pastor: Fr. Ayad Hanna 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 6 p.m.; Sundays, 12:30 p.m. 

ST. THOMAS CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

6900 Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322; (248) 788-2460 

Pastor: Fr. Bashar Sitto 

Parochial Vicars: Fr. Jirgus Abrahim, Fr. Andrew Seba 

Retired Priest: Fr. Emanuel Rayes 

Bible Study: Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. in Arabic 

Youth Groups: Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Girls Challenge Club for Middle 

Schoolers; Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Chaldeans Loving Christ for High Schoolers; 

Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Boys Conquest Club for Middle Schoolers 

Other: First Thursday and Friday of each month, 10 a.m. Holy Hour; 11 

a.m. Mass in Chaldean; Wednesdays from midnight to Thursdays midnight, 

adoration in the Baptismal Room; Saturdays 3 p.m. Night Vespers 

(Ramsha) in Chaldean 

Mass Schedule: Weekdays, 10 a.m. in Chaldean; Saturdays, 5 p.m. in 

English; 

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

2 p.m. in Arabic 

Grotto is open for Adoration 24/7 for prayer and reflection 

____________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 

CHALDEAN SISTERS, DAUGHTERS OF MARY IMMACULATE 

24900 Middlebelt Road 

Farmington, MI 48336; (248) 615-2951 

NOVITIATE HOUSE 

31855 Allison Drive 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334; (248) 987-6731 

CONVENT 

43261 Chardennay 

Sterling Heights, MI 48314; (586) 203-8846 

EASTERN CATHOLIC RE-EVANGELIZATION CENTER (ECRC) 

4875 Maple Road, Bloomfield Township, MI 48301; (248) 538-9903 

Director: Patrice Abona 

Daily Mass: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. 

Thursdays: 5:30 Adoration and 6:30 Mass 

First Friday of the month: 6:30 p.m. Adoration, Confession and Mass 

Bible Study in Arabic: Wednesdays 7 p.m. 

Bible Study in English: Tuesdays 7 p.m. 

ST. GEORGE SHRINE AT CAMP CHALDEAN 

7000 Clements Road, Brighton, MI 48114; (888) 822-2267 

Campgrounds Manager: Sami Herfy 

____________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ 

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: Sundays, 9 a.m. in Assyrian; noon in Assyrian and English 

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 in Syriac, Arabic and English 

Visit ChaldeanNews.com for a list of Christmas 

masses at Chaldean churches. 

Submission Guidelines The Chaldean News welcomes submissions of obituaries. They should include the deceased’s name, date of birth and 

death, and names of immediate survivors. Please also include some details about the person’s life including career and hobbies. Due to space constraints, 

obituaries can not exceed 300 words. We reserve the right to edit those that are longer. Send pictures as a high-resolution jpeg attachment. 

E-mail obits to info@chaldeannews.com, or through the mail at 30850 Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025. 

Humility as the source 

of power: The life of 

Naima Poota Bahoura 

When we think of powerful women 

in the world, immigrant 

women with merely a fourthgrade 

education typically don’t come to 

mind. But my mother, 

Naima Poota Bahoura, 

was one of those powerful 

women. When she 

passed away October 

2, 2015, the stories of 

her impact poured in 

from family, friends and 

strangers. 

Anyone who encountered 

her was never SPECIAL TO THE 

IKLAS J. BASHI 

the same again. 

CHALDEAN NEWS 

When she was 20 

years old, there was a man in her village 

who was rejected by his family. When my 

mother and grandmother saw how disheveled 

and unclean he looked, they ministered 

to him. His feet were cut and bled 

because he had no sandals. They drew 

water from the well, cleaned him, washed 

his feet, and clothed him with my grandfather’s 

clothes and shoes. They restored 

him to dignity. 

One woman told us that when she first 

came to this country, my mother was the 

first person to visit her. She came bearing 

gifts: food, housewares, clothing and laundry 

baskets. 

One of my friends whose mother was diagnosed 

with cancer said that my mother was 

the first person to visit her in the hospital. 

A man said he was healed of anger he 

had been holding onto for decades. He sat 

and prayed at my mother’s bedside. That 

day, I was reading Scripture to her from Matthew 

where Jesus instructs us not go to the 

altar with our anger; to go reconcile with our 

brother first and then come to the altar. 

I found out from one of her best friends 

that her devotion to the Blessed Mother 

had not begun when she immigrated to the 

United States in 1970 but started long before 

that in her birthplace of Telkaif, Iraq. 

She belonged to the Legion of Mary and to 

the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for 

over 64 years. 

An elderly man I never knew before 

stood at a distance from her bedside and 

with tears in his eyes just shook his head 

and said, “I have never in my life met another 

woman like her.” 

Then there were the countless couples 

who were having marital difficulties and 

family problems. When my mother was 

called upon to intercede, she took her rosary, 

prayer books and holy water and she 

went to that home and didn’t leave – until 

there was reconciliation and peace. 

Her in-laws will tell you she loved 

HUMILITY continued on page 18 


obituaries 

Naima Poota Bahoura 

Naima Poota Bahoura, born on February 1, 

1929, passed away on October 2, 2015. 

She was the beloved wife of the late Jarjis 

Bahoura, and mother of the late Mikhail 

(Anwar), Amira Kassab (Basim), Almas 

Jaddou (Nazar), Eddie (Raieda), Iklas Bashi 

(Maher), Iman Secreto, and Barbara Matti 

(Joseph). She was adored, loved and inspired 

by her late mother, Wardani Kassab 

Poota, her 23 grandchildren, her 24 great 

grandchildren, her brothers and sisters, and 

her entire extended family. 

Naima was a humble servant of Christ 

and His Blessed Mother. She died peacefully 

and ever so gracefully on the Feast Day of the Guardian Angels, on the first 

Friday of the month devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for which she had 

a 64-year devotion. 

Naima was truly dedicated to her strong faith, her family, all her relatives 

and friends. The Lord granted her great joy and peace as she carried 

out, for His sake, all the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy throughout 

her blessed life. Everywhere she walked, equipped with the Light of Christ 

radiating from her perpetual smile, she authentically and deeply lived out 

the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. 

It is the longing of Naima’s children and family that anyone wishing 

to offer a donation in her honor would send checks made out to Adopt A 

Refugee and in the memo line, please make sure to write MERCI (Medical 

and Emergency Relief for Christian Iraqis). Contact Rafed Yaldo for details 

at (248) 762-4210. 

Sahira Sesi Konja 

Sahira Sesi Konja extended her arms to the 

Lord as she entered the gates of Heaven on 

October 12, 2015. She was born on October 

23, 1949 to the late Salim and Hannyia 

Sesi. 

Sahira was strong, passionate, opinionated, 

hardworking and selfless. In 1965, 

Sahira married Michael Konja and in May 

the two recently celebrated their 50th wedding 

anniversary. Michael and Sahira have 

five children: Faye, Johnny (Cassie), Sandy 

(Wisam), Cindy (Nash), and Michael Jr. 

They have six grandchildren: Sarina, Kayla, 

Shawn, Cassidy, Chloe and Aubrey. 

At the age of 16 Sahira began to take sewing classes merely out of interest. 

Soon after, curiosity turned into a calling. Her passion and dedication 

turned her hobby into a career. In 1984 Sahira and her daughter Faye 

opened the doors to Konja’s Bridal, one of the most well-renowned bridal 

stores in Michigan. Konja’s Bridal became her empire for over 30 years. She 

made sure that every bride walked out of the door with a big smile on her 

face as she carried out the dress of her dreams. 

Sahira was charitable and loved to give to those in need. She was always 

eager to help others and always let her generosity shine through. She was 

very determined and didn’t let anything, whether it be illness or simply just 

bad timing, stand in her way of lending a helping hand. 

Mom, you will be dearly missed by everyone who was graced by your 

uplifting presence, but your legacy will live on forever. The Sunday family 

dinners that were so important to you will never be the same. Your overflowing 

love remains in the hearts of all those whom you encountered. You 

are our beautiful angel now shining your light upon us. Rest in peace Mom, 

you will always be in our hearts. 

Derek J. Sarafa 

Derek J. Sarafa — known to most as “DJ”— 

son, brother, uncle, friend to hundreds — died 

suddenly of natural causes related to a weak 

heart at his home in Birmingham on November 

1, 2015. In his short but accomplished life 

he earned the respect, honor and love of everyone 

he met. 

DJ was adored for his loving, gracious 

and generous nature. Held up by his parents 

and siblings as the rock of the family, DJ’s 

great gift was creating memorable moments 

and savoring them with his loved ones. He 

was beloved for his big heart and largerthan-life 

personality. He was endeared to 

his 10 nieces and nephews, each in a unique way. DJ had an uncanny 

ability to take a genuine interest in each person he encountered. His truly 

selfless approach to life extended to all his friends and their families. 

DJ was a partner at Winston & Strawn in their litigation department. 

In 2011, the Chicago Lawyer magazine selected him from more than 1,200 

nominees as one of the “Top 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40.” Chicago Lawyer 

described him as having “an exceptional work ethic,” as being an “aggressive 

and agile questioner,” and as demonstrating advocacy “on par with the 

finest” that one federal judge had seen in his 23 years on the bench. 

DJ received a B.A. in Political Economy, with high honors, from James 

Madison College, MSU in 1994 and his J.D. from the U of Law School in 

1997, where he was senior editor of the Michigan Law Review. He was a 

board member of Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation and active in 

the Birmingham Brother Rice High School Leadership Institute. 

DJ is survived by his parents, Sameer and Rosie, his siblings David (Evit), 

Dennis, and Suzanne Nelson (Michael), and 10 nieces and nephews. 

Georgette Hanna Sarraf-Sorisho 

Georgette Hanna Sarraf-Sorisho was born 

on July 1, 1931. Georgette was not just any 

Chaldean Catholic, she was a true saint living 

among us. Her life revolved around prayer. 

She was always in peace; you could tell by her 

smile and through that smile came the word 

of God. She taught all her children, grandchildren, 

nieces and nephews how to take the 

time to pray on a daily basis, no matter how 

busy and difficult their lives were. 

Our mother Georgette also taught us how 

to be a patient, forgiving and humble person. 

We know she is watching and praying for us 

in heaven. 

She was the mother of nine beautiful children: Dayar & Adnan Najor, 

Bashar & Amal Sarraf, Nawar & Nobil Kirma, Janar & Scott Zilincik, Sanar 

Sarraf, Manar & Joseph Haddad, Bahar & Shawn Karmo, and Amar & Eva 

Sarraf. She was predeceased by her daughter Hadar Sarraf and grandson Naseam 

Najor. 

The daughter of Hanna Sorisho and Munira (Shammo Najor) Sorisho, 

Georgette was the sister of the late Azzat and Imad Sorisho and wife of Shafik 

Toma Sarraf. 

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Ayad, Athear, Rommy, Rana and 

Ruba (Najor) & Saif Shaman; Fadia (Sarraf) & Dan Frangie, Mina (Sarraf) & 

Ghassan Allo and Zena Sarraf; Nobil, Diane, and Mathew; Peter & Natalie 

Najor and Austin Zilincik; Joseph, Jade and Mark Haddad; Heba, Lara and 

Joelle Karmo; and Elena, Angelina and Julian; and her great grandchildren, 

Liliana and Lucas Frangie. 

We miss our dear mother Georgette and we love her so very much. Rest in 

peace Mama, you’re in our hearts and prayers always. 


obituaries 

RECENTLY DECEASED COMMUNITY MEMBERS 

Mansour Hanna Gorial 

Jan. 6, 1936 - 

Nov. 17, 2015 

Nazhat Sitto 

July 18, 1937 - 


Maysaa Cholagh Kakoz 

April 6, 1969 - 


Hayat Sinawi Karana 

Nov. 17, 1930 - 


Raad Salman Kashat 

Dec. 27, 1957 - 


Azneef H. Meyo 

July 1, 1926 - 


Inttsar Petros Tello 

March 18, 1953 - 


Basheer Abosh Bjoka 

July 1, 1929 - 


Kamal Abbo 

Jan. 12, 1946 – 


Aster Zaia Dawood 

July 7, 1928 - 


Hanni Hannine Isso 

July 1, 1936 - 


Aliz Hanna Seba 

July 1, 1928 - 


Amal Saaed Shabow 

July 1, 1933 – 


Nabeel Asmaro 

Jan. 12, 1952 – 


Salim Naoumi Garmo 

July 1, 1931 - 


Roza Putros Kosto 

July 1, 1927 - 


Haytham (Ibraheem) 

Poles Dankha 

Oct. 21, 1973 - 


Hakima Rezko 

Feb. 3, 1967 - 


Gorial Samano Adam 

March 21, 1929 - 


Habib Tobia Jarbo 

July 1, 1942 - 


Nasrat George Dabool 

June 9, 1941 - 

Oct. 31, 2015 

Yousif Nissan Jandou 

July 1, 1955 - 


Joseph Gappe 

May 27, 1926 – 


Brandon Joseph Karmo 

April 27, 1992 - 


Jamil Hanna Abbo 

July 1, 1926 – 


Markrit Salman Shamo 

May 4, 1930 - 


Frank Abdalahad Bahri 

June 21, 1951 - 


Ikbal Razook Naom 

July 1, 1938 – 


HUMILITY continued from page 16 

them as much as her own family and 

they consider her to be their mother. 

Then there was her friend who 

went to the Holy Land with her. 

They both wanted to get the cross 

tattoo on their wrist. As all the pilgrims 

waited in line, this particular 

friend was held back by her husband. 

He didn’t feel it was appropriate for 

a woman to get a tattoo. My mother 

talked to him in charity and in peace 

and explained how important it was 

to his wife to have the tattoo as a 

symbol and memory of their pilgrimage. 

She convinced him. 

At funerals and masses, she was 

often asked to lead the rosary and 

other prayers. People were moved by 

the conviction, love, mercy and passion 

in her voice. 

She visited the sick in their 

homes, in hospitals, in nursing homes 

or wherever she found out they were. 

My uncle and oldest brother encouraged 

my mother to learn to drive 

and learn the language – to become 

independent. At their encouragement, 

she was receptive. The priest 

would often see up to eight women 

getting out of her car after picking 

each one up individually to attend 

daily mass. They didn’t drive. 

Rarely did she enter a home without 

food in her hand. Always giving. 

Always sharing. 

When we looked through her 

prayer books, we discovered funeral 

cards of countless people whom she 

prayed for daily. 

In light of all these corporal and 

spiritual works of mercy, her vocation 

as a mother always came first. 

The love from her heart radiated in 

her perpetual smile. She brought us 

up to live in virtue, love and mercy. 

She valued Catholic education. She 

was deeply devoted to her husband, 

her children, her in-laws, her friends, 

and to the church. 

These are simply glimpses into 

Naima’s beautiful life. She received 

all her power from the Holy Spirit of 

our Lord, Jesus Christ. He equipped 

her with the charisms of mercy, faith, 

counsel, wisdom, teaching, communication, 

hospitality, evangelism, 

helps and encouragement to accomplish 

His work in the world. 

Naima leaves a rich, glorious 

legacy that was forever rooted and 

unfolded in love and humility. 

Iklas J. Bahoura-Bashi, LPC, NCC, 

is a writer, speaker and life coach. 

Reach her at AHigherWayLLC@ 

gmail.com. 


A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Detroit 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services 

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery 

Have a Merry Christmas 

& 

Happy New Year 

Speak with an advisor 

(248) 350-1900 | cfcsDetroit.org 

25800 W 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48033 


GIFT GUIDE 2015 

GIVE CHALDEAN! 

BY CRYSTAL KASSAB JABIRO 

Take a detour from the mall full 

of festive shoppers and overpriced 

brand names, and check 

out these Chaldean creations. 

Salma Ajo, Ph.D., recalls her life 

in “Melodies Under the Palms: 

Memories from the Iraq I Used to 

Know.” About Christmas in Basra: 

“Christmas Day we wake up with 

the aroma of the harrisa … when 

it is time to get ready to attend the 

church for the midnight mass we 

would go home with our mother 

and dress us with a new dress and 

new shoes. The mass was very long 

and most of the time we would fall 

asleep. … I still remember that as 

a child my mother wouldn’t let 

us touch the kleicha (Christmas 

cookies) until Christmas Day. She 

said the Lord hasn’t blessed it yet so 

she put it on top of the closet.” The 

book costs $19.50 plus shipping. 

Call (248) 925-6644. 

Sisterly Love 

Sisterlylove1030@gmail.com 

Instagram: @SisterlyLoveGifts 

A customized candle is 

always thoughtful. Kristen 

Ayar specializes in memorial 

and remembrance candles 

ranging from wedding 

invitations to pictures to 

anything religious. Prices 

range from $40-$125. 

Rozie M 

order@roziem.com 

Instagram: @RozieM 

For a sentimental gift, check out 

Rosalina Mekhael’s customized rosary, 

which includes pictures of your loved 

ones, starting at $120. She also has car 

rosaries and various kinds of religious 

jewelry, like saints bracelets for $38. 

Picture Perfect Collage 

(248) 660-0769 

Roxanne@pictureperfectcollage.com 

PicturePerfectCollage.com 

Instagram: @PicturePerfectCollage 

Do you want to give something heartfelt yet 

need a creative touch? Let Roxanne Arabo 

help you with her beautiful collages. Simply 

send her your pictures and she will turn them 

into a unique scrapbook page in a frame, embellishments 

and all. Prices start at $50. 

Gammo Jewelry 

36915 Ryan Road 

Sterling Heights 

(586) 795-9145 

Facebook: Gammo Jewelry 

Name necklaces have come 

back in style these past 

couple of years, and Firas 

Gammo carries them in 

white or yellow gold starting 

at $350. His shop also has 

high-quality men’s bracelets. 

Sassy Savannah’s Baby Boutique 

7415 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield 

(248) 325-9246 

Instagram: @SassySavannahBabyBoutique 

Sassy Savannah’s, which is owned by 

Eva Shammami, has trendy clothes 

and accessories for the fashion-forward 

baby and tween. For a really cute gift, 

get an embellished bow holder with 

your little girl’s initial or a custommade 

mosaic collage. 

Great Lakes State 

ILoveMichiganShop.com 

Steve Mansour and Paul Marcial, who market cool Detroit tee-shirts, have added 

magnetic bottle openers, made right here in the Mitten State, to their Michiganthemed 

Great Lakes State line. They cost $30 and can be found at the Rust Belt 

Market in Ferndale, Art Is In markets (Ann Arbor, Clinton Township, Novi) 

and Rally House locations (including Shelby Township and Livonia). 

Banan Creations 

banancreations@aol.com 

(248) 819-6366 

IG: Banan_Creations 

Ban Atchoo uses seed beads 

to design religious pictures, 

many of which take her 20 

to 40 hours to complete. You 

can buy one already made 

or give her a plain picture to 

design. She also has many 

other customized gifts to 

choose from. 




THE SWEETEST GIFTS 

BY JOVAN KASSAB 

Delicious treats like cakes, brownies, 

and macaroons are sure to hit the spot 

this holiday season. Let down your 

dieter’s guard and just plain indulge in 

these Chaldean-baked desserts! 

Gialina’s Bella Events 

Instagram: @GialinasBellaEvents 

GialinaBellaEvents@yahoo.com 

(586) 206-0412 

Melissa Alkass of Shelby Township tempts with glutenfree 

salted caramel coconut chocolate-dipped macaroons 

($21/dozen); twisted holiday pretzels ($1.25); and handwrapped 

caramel pretzels rods ($1.75). 

Sweet Sherina’s 

Twitter: @SweetSherinas 

(248) 469-8488 

It may be called the “Naked Cake,” but 

it looks anything but. Renee Thomas of 

Southfield whips up this vanilla sponge 

cake with buttercream frosting topped with 

sugar-coated fresh cranberries, fresh rosemary 

sprigs and fondant pine cones ($125). 

Sugar & Spice 

Instagram: @Vanessa_kajy_Kashat 

SugarAnd_Spice@ymail.com 

(248) 914-2515 

These festive wreath, gift box, and Santa 

belt red velvet cupcakes with cream 

cheese frosting, decorated with fondant 

($2.50), are the creation of Vanessa Kajy 

Kashat of West Bloomfield. 

MS Creations 

Instagram: @Ms_Creations 

MelaniesSweetCreations@gmail.com 

(248) 302-9920 

Southfield’s Melanie Shammami offers up two-layer vanilla 

cake surrounded by 40 vanilla chocolate KitKat bars 

and topped with green and red M&Ms ($45), and milk 

chocolate-covered, Christmas-themed strawberries with 

drizzle, sprinkles and peppermint ($25/dozen). 

Chocolate Towers 

NedaNaimi.com 

Make a statement with this large tower deliciously 

assembled by West Bloomfield’s Neda 

Naimi with150 assorted strawberries topped with 

coconuts and peanuts ($160 includes delivery). 

Fresh or silk flower tops are also available. 

Samantha’s Sweets & Treats 

Instagram: @SamanthasSweetsAndTreats 

(248) 884-3462 

Sandra Toma of West Bloomfield creates 

a variety of delicacies: milk chocolatecovered 

Oreos with holiday sugar candies 

and royal icing ($2); white chocolatecovered 

red velvet cake pops with 

sprinkles and white chocolate garnish 

($1.75); chocolate-covered graham 

crackers with sprinkles ($1.25); and 

French macaroons ($1.75). 


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TECH GEEKS, REJOICE! 

BY ERIC YOUNAN 

Santa is coming to town, but given the North 

Pole’s distance from Silicon Valley, he may not 

be carrying many gadgets. Whether you’re buying 

for a binge TV watcher, fitness freak, smart 

phone addict, music lover, gamer or computer 

nerd, our gift guide has you covered. 

For the Music Lover 

Braven 570 Bluetooth Speaker 

$59.99 at Amazon.com 

Braven.com 

This affordable portable speaker does more than play 

music. It features a built-in speaker phone and the 

ability to charge other mobile devices. Its 1200 mAh 

battery, which delivers 10 hours of playtime, makes 

the Braven 570 an ideal choice for picnics, tailgates, 

fishing trips and other outdoor activities. It’s available 

in black, white, green, blue and purple. 

For the Binge Watcher 

Roku Streaming Stick 

$49.99 at Best Buy 

Roku.com 

This gateway to couch potatodom provides a powerful 

punch at a minimal price. The streaming stick provides access 

to more than 2,000 channels and content from Netflix, 

YouTube, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime and countless other 

apps. It also allows streaming of personal content from 

smartphones, tablets and laptops. With more and more 

people cutting the (cable) cord, the Roku Streaming Stick 

is sure to please. Best of all, it’s easy to install and even luddites 

will be up and running in a matter of minutes. 

For the Gamer 

Microsoft Xbox One 1TB 

Holiday Bundle 

$399.99 at multiple retailers 

Xbox.com 

The Microsoft Xbox One 1TB Holiday 

Bundle gets the nod over its closest 

completion due to its included games: 

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Rare 

Replay, and a full-game download of 

Ori and the Blind Forest. As an added 

bonus, this game console doubles as a 

streaming device for Netflix, Pandora, 

Hulu Plus and Skype so gamers can 

binge-watch television or listen to music 

when their thumbs need a break. 

For the Fitness Freak 

Fitbit Surge 

$249.99 at Target 

Fitbit.com 

Wearable tech continues to be hot and 

is now a staple in the fitness world. 

With so many options, the Fitbit Surge 

stands out for its reliability and simplicity. 

This an intuitive smart watch that 

provides automatic, continuous heart 

rate and activity tracking right on your 

wrist. It integrates GPS to accurately 

track steps, intensity, distance, number 

of stair flights climbed, calorie burn and 

sleep quality. It wirelessly syncs to your 

smartphone to provide a fitness tracker 

dashboard. There’s even a social aspect 

where you can add friends for friendly 

competition and bragging rights. 

For the Computer Geek 

Microsoft Surface Book 

Starts at $1,499 at multiple retailers 

Microsoft.com 

With the Microsoft Surface Book, you’ll have to make 

one less decision this Christmas: Whether to give a laptop 

or tablet. That’s because the Surface Book transforms 

into three configurations: a laptop; a tablet by removing 

the screen; and a creative canvas by turning the screen 

around and reattaching it. With up to 16GB of memory 

and an optional discrete graphics chip, this is a powerful 

computing device, even in its tablet configuration, with 

a performance level that is exponentially higher than 

any iPads and Android tablets currently on the market. 

It’s suitable for the boardroom or dorm room. Plus, it can 

run the full version of many software applications, which 

has been a limitation for most tablets. 

For the Smart Phone Addict 

Google Nexus 6P 

$499-$649 

Store.Google.com 

It would’ve been easy to list the iPhone 6s or 6s Plus or 

one of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Note 5 or 6s. However, 

the Nexus 6P edges them out for several reasons – it’s the 

first Android launched that runs the 6.0 Marshmallow 

operating system. Plus, it includes the new fingerprint 

scanner technology, USB Type-C port for connectivity 

to peripheral devices and Now On Tap capability, which 

means you no longer have to leave one app to run a 

search in another, or to use a mobile web browser. Another 

attractive feature: it costs $200 to $300 less than 

those Samsung and Apple smartphones. 


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Four generations of artistry and craftsmanship 


Top of page, from left: Saber Ammori, 

RJ King, Mike Sarafa, Ron Boji and 

John Kello 

Left: Mingling before the program 

obstacles to opportunity 

The Chaldean News hosts its first Entrepreneur Forum 


PHOTOS BY DAVID REED 

In business people fail all the time 

and ideas come and go, but success 

occurs when those who are 

knocked down get up and try again. 

They not only listen to great ideas, 

they research and execute a plan. 

That was the message from the four 

panelists who spoke at the Chaldean 

News first Entrepreneur Forum on 

November 12. 

Nearly 100 community members 

gathered at Shenandoah Country 

Club to hear from John Kello, Saber 

Ammori, Ron Boji and Mike Sarafa, 

who have all experienced setbacks 

and success. 

Sharing past Chaldean News Economic 

and Enterprise stories, I talked 

about the late Mike George and how 

he made note several times that Chaldeans 

know how to reinvent themselves 

and catch the next big wave. 

I made opening remarks and introduced 

our moderator, RJ King, editor 

of Dbusiness Magazine. He, too, reinvented 

his career, from a daily business 

reporter at the Detroit News to 

overseeing one of the most prestigious 

business magazines in the country. 

He also knows first-hand what it is 

like to be part of a failed venture. He 

was instrumental in bringing the Redbull 

Air Races to the Detroit River in 

2008. It was a coveted event but because 

of liability issues, the event was 

cancelled after just three years and 

King, like many, had to move on. 

“We are talking about rebounding,” 

said King. “How do you get 

through trials and tribulations, start 

over and make it even better? I have 

a tremendous amount of respect for 

this community. You are such a business-oriented 

culture.” 

Saber Ammori started 

Wireless Vision with his partners, 

his brother Omar and 

brothers Mark and Kevin 

Denha. In 2005, he ventured 

into the wireless business after 

some failed restaurant ventures. “It 

has been a great run,” he said. Wireless 

started with just two stores and 

today they have more than 250 locations 

across 15 states. 

Ron Boji is the president of Boji 

Group — a diversified company in 

development, hotels, gas stations 

and distribution. They have close to 

400 employees and do about a halfbillion 

dollars in sales. 

John Kello, co-founder and CEO of 

MatchRx, was a long-time commercial 

real estate broker and developer before 

SUPPORT PROVIDED BY 

venturing into a company that allows 

pharmacies to buy and sell overstock 

prescription drugs to each other. 

Like many entrepreneurs in real 

estate, Kello’s business was hit by the 

2008 economic downturn. “We had 

a lot of time on our hands,” he said. 

But he didn’t stand idle. His business 

eyes and ears were open and 

Kello became intrigued by an untapped 

area of the pharmacy industry 

– overstocked items. His partner 

came up with the idea and the 

two executed the plan; today they 

do business with 4,000 pharmacies 

around the country. 

Mike Sarafa, president and CEO 

of Bank of Michigan (BOM), which 

was recently acquired by Level One 

Bank, jokingly noted, “I am a banker 

and a lawyer, a member of two of the 

three oldest professions in the world.” 

BOM, which is nearly 10 years 

old, was partnered with Capitol 

Bank Corp. After a few years, the 

bank was hit by the downturn in the 

economy. 

“We battled through a recession 

and battled through a struggling 

holding company which we exited 

in 2012. We have few good years behind 

us now and recently saw an opportunity 

to merge with Level One 

– a deal expected to close in the first 

quarter of next year,” said Sarafa. 

Bank of Michigan was a sponsor 

of the event along with Walled Lake 

Schools and Meijer. 

“Starting a bank is not like starting 

a hot dog stand,” said Sarafa. “It 

is a complicated venture and very 

difficult to be done, and most likely 

will not be done in the future.” 

The banking industry has 

changed drastically and today there 

are fewer bank charters being approved 

than in years past, he explained. 

There has also been a consolidation 

of banks. In 2000, there 

were roughly 16,000 state or national 

chartered banks in the United States 

and today there are less than 6,000. 

Each of the panelists experienced 

his share of difficulties. For MatchRx, 

starting the business itself was a challenge. 

“In our instance, we started 

a marketplace where you needed a 

buyer and seller,” said Kello. 

His partner, who is a pharmacist, 

also became a customer by buying 

products posted on the MatchRx 

site just to create a marketplace. 

“It worked,” said Kello. 

“Creating a marketplace 

from scratch was a twoto 

three-year process. We 

never took outside funding 

for it. It took a lot 

planning, patience and 

good people on the team to make it 

a success. We trusted what we were 

doing.” 

Today, they face challenges on 

the regulatory side and are often in 

Washington, D.C. to address laws 

and issues. 

“We were prepared for this new 

law in place but you are never fully 

prepared to deal with the federal 

government and the speed in which 

they move,” said Kello. “It is a glacial 

speed. You can meet and go to D.C. as 

often as you can and try to make an 


impression and sometimes it sparks. 

We kept knocking on the door.” 

Determination paid off. “We have 

learned a lot and have gotten kicked 

in the teeth a ton but we have persevered,” 

he said. “It has been gratifying 

getting through it all.” 

Kello led right into Sarafa’s observation 

about business. “John touched 

about three great points that apply 

to every business: There is a need, 

an idea that has to be executed, and 

good people must be in place,” he 

said. “That is what happened in the 

bank. Mike George had a lifelong 

dream over the years to have a bank 

in the Chaldean community. Ultimately, 

the idea to launch Bank of 

Michigan was Martin Manna’s.” 

At first, Sarafa thought it was a 

“hair-brained” idea. However, “I knew 

there was a need in the community for 

a niche bank to service some of the 

businesses we have in our community.” 

BOM was opened but not without 

its own struggles. 

In the spring of 2010, the bank 

regulatory arm — FDIC — stopped 

by unexpectedly. Many of the banks 

within the Capitol Bank Corp. family 

were failing, and Sarafa was given 

a letter that stated if the FDIC insurance 

fund was in jeopardy because of 

the other Capitol Bank Corp. banks, 

all of the banks would be held accountable. 

Ten banks were seized 

and the rest figured out a plan. In 

2012, BOM reached a deal to purchase 

51 percent of the bank and 

they raised the capitol to buy it. 

“The silver lining in our story is 

that we persevered through the recession; 

we managed through difficult 

loans and in 2012 we bought out Capitol 

Bank Corp. and became the first independently 

owned community bank 

in the Chaldean community,” said 

Sarafa. “We were able to be entrepreneurial, 

as we are as a community, and 

had many good years that followed. 

This year put us on target to sell at a 

very good price to Level One.” 

He concluded by saying, “the 

need, the idea, the people, the perseverance 

through hard times and being 

opportunistic is what makes for 

a success.” 

In 2004 Ammori was getting out 

of restaurant business, which had 

started out as a prosperous venture but 

was later losing money. A proclaimed 

retailer at heart, Ammori began looking 

at other industries, and wireless 

telecommunications had promise. 

He and his partners did some 

research and looked at various carriers, 

then decided to do business 

with T-Mobile. 

“We put our life savings in the 

business,” said Ammori. “When you 

grow up in retail, you think all retail 

is the same. In wireless it was very 

different. This was a combination of 

retail and sales and we had no idea.” 

Within 18 months, they lost all 

the money they invested. They were 

on the verge of closing when an opportunity 

came to purchase 12 locations. 

They decided to go for it. As 

Ammori said, “My partner Mark said, 

‘we are either the dumbest people in 

the world or the smartest.’” 

T-Mobile was growing and they 

were looking to partner with sophisticated 

retailers. Ammori and his 

team hit it off with the T-Mobile 

leadership team. In 2008, the leadership 

team tested out a business plan 

never done before and gave Ammori’s 

group 12 corporate locations in 

the Columbus, Ohio market. 

“The CEO said to us, ‘we don’t 

usually trust dealers but we trust you 

guys.’ So they gave us an opportunity 

and it took off,” Ammori said. 

Today they have 1,500 employees. 

“I would say the two of the greatest 

traits of a leader is trust and courage,” 

said Ammori. “What really made us 

successful is that T-Mobile trusted us, 

our employees trusted us and we built 

trust with our customers.” 

Along with courage is knowing you 

can’t please everyone. “I tell my kids 

this all the time: ‘say what you mean 

but don’t be mean,’” Ammori said. 

Wireless Vision, which was once 

living month-to-month barely paying 

their rent, now plans to have 300 

locations by 2016. 

When Boji graduated from college 

in 1993 with a construction management 

degree, there wasn’t much going 

on in development or the family grocery 

business. He ventured into the 

computer business in the Lansing area. 

“I think what my father and I 

have been able to do is take obstacles 

and parlay them into opportunities,” 

said Boji. 

He too faced obstacles and has 

always been poised for opportunities. 

One came several years ago 

in Lansing when his father, Louie 

Boji, wanted to buy the former 

Michigan National Tower building, 

a Lansing landmark at 25 stories 

high. Ron and his mother opposed 

the idea but Louie was undeterred. 

Boji, who had no experience in 

building management, used what he 

called his “Chaldean flair” and sales 

experience to engage his new tenants. 

“I was going to wow them,” he decided. 

He walked around and introduced 

himself to everyone. One of 

those meetings would forever set the 

tone for the Boji businesses. 

“My dad always said, ‘never burn 

a bridge because you never know if it 

is the same bridge you need to cross,’” 

he said. “That is politics 101.” 

He met then-lobbyist Dennis 

Muchmore on the tour of his family’s 

new building. Today, Muchmore is 

Gov. Rick Snyder’s chief of staff. 

“Dennis explained to me that 

day that we did not buy a building 

that is just bricks and mortar. We 

bought a landmark. He told me I had 

two options: to manage the building 

from the basement and do well for 

my family or I could parlay this into 

many other opportunities. I had no 

idea what he meant at the time.” 

Some 18 years later, Ron’s office 

is on the 23rd floor of the building, 

and the Boji family owns more than 

FORUM continued on page 28 

Clockwise from top left: Tom Naimi and Gene Dickow; George Kalabat and Dr. Shakib Halabu; the panelists share a laugh. 


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FORUM continued on page 27 

two million square feet of office space 

across the state. 

“In the political arena you can 

parlay many opportunities,” said Boji. 

“It is not just legislative issues and 

what bills pass. It is understanding the 

process. It is simple. It is sitting down 

with people, understanding them, 

working together and creating a win/ 

win situation. We created a niche in 

our company that we pride ourselves 

on — as an organization we are probably 

one of the most profound development 

companies in Michigan based 

on private/public partnerships.” 

The Boji Group recently won a 

state senate bid and has numerous development 

agreements across Michigan. 

“It was that talk with Dennis 

Muchmore that gave me the understanding 

that what my father bought 

for the family was not just a building; 

it was a landmark opportunity.” 

The panelists also discussed opportunities. 

Each had stories to tell and 

advice to share. However, they did not 

fail to recognize attendees in the room 

who have their own success stories. 

“Preparedness is key,” said Kello. 

“I graduated college and experienced 

a lot of failures, and have learned how 

to be prepared for when opportunity 

presents itself.” 

The Bank of Michigan created a 

niche with Money Service Businesses 

(MSB) when they realized other 

banks were terminating their relationships 

with stores that cash checks 

and create money orders. 

“We seized this opportunity and we 

are the biggest bank in Michigan and 

one of the biggest in the entire country 

in the area of MSB,” Sarafa said. 

For Ammori and team it has been 

about complementing each other’s 

strengths by having each partner 

stick to what he does best. 

“My brother Omar is a finance 

guy. He is very methodical. Mark is a 

certified public accountant. Kevin is 

a bulldog in real estate. I move very 

fast and focus on employee management 

and customer service,” Ammori 

said. “You also have to know when it 

is time to hire. We did everything in 

the beginning – sales, marketing and 

human resources until we hit 50 stores 

and the business began to struggle.” 

Wireless hired professionals from 

other corporations like Gap, Pottery 

Barn and Pulte Homes to help run 

the operations, which enabled them 

to continue their growth. 

Louie Boji decided years ago that 

diversification was going to be the 

Boji business model, which enables 

them to be poised for opportunity as 

well as handle economic downturns. 

“It would take one heck of a tsunami 

to hit all of our industries,” said 

Ron Boji. “Diversification has proven 

to work for us and our success has also 

been because of our team. We created 

a team where people have vested interests 

in the business. It is also about 

surrounding yourself with people who 

are smarter than you but also knowing 

how to lead. At the end of the day, 

the buck stops with you.” 

It was the evening’s moderator 

who poignantly pointed out that although 

experience, knowledge and 

skills are vital for business success, 

never discount a community and its 

culture. “Culture eats strategy for 

lunch all day,” said King. 


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spreading the word 

OU CASA mobilizes to raise awareness 


If anyone understands that knowledge is power, 

it’s a college student. So the members of 

the Chaldean American Student Association 

(CASA) at Oakland University are banding together 

to create knowledge: ISIS must be stopped. 

Dubbing November “Awareness Month,” 

CASA held many activities designed to educate 

their fellow students about the existential threat 

posed by the Islamic fundamentalists. 

“Students ask us all the time how they can get 

involved to help the relief effort, so we tried our 

best to organize the easiest ways possible for them 

to join in,” said Halim Sheena, president of OU 

CASA. 

That included postings signs and chalking 

messages all over campus. 

“Student organizations are allowed to chalk 

but only a few take advantage of that,” Sheena 

said. “Our chalk team meets once a week and it’s 

proving to be one of our most popular initiatives. 

People like to be creative. One day, the campus 

was literally decorated – everywhere you went 

there were chalk and signs. Our goal is that you 

can’t come onto campus without becoming more 

aware.” 

OU’s CASA is a popular and growing group, 

with 260 members this year. A November visit 

from Bishop Francis brought out 87 students to 

hear about his experiences visiting Iraq. 

The group is also raising funds through bake 

sales and as of mid-November had collected more 

than $600 for HelpIraq.org from just three events. 

“It’s more non-Chaldeans giving, I think because 

the Chaldeans know what is going on already 

and have already donated,” Sheena said. 

“When we have an informational table and bake 

sale, there are lots of instances where people give 

us $10 or $20 and don’t want anything in return. 

There are a surprising amount of generous people 

out there. Well, I guess it’s not too surprising.” 

CASA has had its share of skeptics who question 

the effectiveness of their modest efforts. 

“Someone said, ‘how can $1 help?’ That day we 

raised $200 and can feed refugee families with it, 

so they don’t know what they are talking about. 

We are not thinking that ISIS will look at the 

chalk and stop – we are trying to raise awareness.” 

Everyone, not just Christians, needs to be 

knowledgeable about ISIS, he said. “All humanity 

should be against them. They are against everything 

that society stands for, and that type of 

thinking is a huge threat.” 

Follow the group on Facebook: Chaldean 

American Student Association at Oakland University. 

CASA members 

engage in a variety 

of awareness 

activities. 



1 

sterling moment 

New foundation building opens to raves 



2 

U. S. Rep. Sander Levin 

summed up the mood in the 

crowded tent at the ribboncutting 

ceremony for the new Chaldean 

Community Foundation (CCF) 

center on November 13: “It’s cold 

outside but really warm here.” 

Several hundred people braved 

the high winds and wet snow to put 

their stamp of approval on the new 

center, which encompasses 11,500 

square feet to help refugees acculturate 

to the United States. 

The CCF has raised nearly half of 

its $5 million goal for the building, 

located on 15 Mile and Ryan Road 

in Sterling Heights. It replaces the 

nearby cramped offices that the CCF 

quickly outgrew — twice. 

“The Chaldean Community 

Foundation opened on March 8, 2011 

to serve 400 people. That first year 

4,000 came through,” said Martin 

Manna, president of both the Chaldean 

Chamber and the foundation. 

The CCF now helps some 

20,000 individuals a year with acculturation 

services, job placement, 

access to health care and 

immigration assistance. More than 

15 percent of clients are not Chaldean, 

Manna said. 

Attendees were impressed to 

learn that ground was broken for the 

building just this past April. “We 

should have put you guys in charge of 

a roads deal,” quipped Lt. Governor 

Brian Calley, one of the many dignitaries 

and elected officials on hand 

for the opening ceremony. 

Manna had high praise for Sterling 

Heights officials. “They’ve been 

bombarded with a lot of Chaldeans 

and they’ve been pretty good about 

it. We’re not the easiest people,” he 

said to laughter. 

“What an asset the Chaldean 

community is to the city of Sterling 

Heights. It’s been a true blessing to 

the city of Sterling Heights to be 

home to so much of the Chaldean 

community. The work they do is 

unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” responded 

Mayor Michael Taylor. 

Anmar Sarafa, who heads the 

“New Lives in a New Land” capital 

committee, said fundraising is going 

well. “We will get to $5 million 

quickly, rather more quickly than I 

expected,” he said. “I told Martin $5 

million will not be enough, that this 

will have to be the first phase.” 

Program Manager Sharon Hannawa 

has run the Eastside office since 


“We are stronger 

because our 

community 

includes all of you.” 

– Lt. Governor 

Brian Calley 

2 

3 4 5 

“The Chaldean 

experience in 

Southeast Michigan 

is the true American 

experience. This 

has always been 

a country of 

refugees and I 

hope this country 

will continue to 

remember that. 

We must welcome 

refugees to 

America.” 

– U.S. Rep 

Sander Levin 

6 

“I hope this building 

always serves as a 

landmark.” 

– Sterling Heights 

Mayor Michael Taylor 

“We’ve seen an 

incredible resurgence 

in the business sector 

[with the Chaldean 

influx].” 

– Macomb County 

Executive 

Mark Hackel 

its inception. “This work is not about 

just providing a service but the lessons 

we learn from each individual 

we encounter,” she said. “The refugee 

who teaches us that there is still 

life after fleeing and leaving behind 

all you have ever known. The immigrant 

who had the courage and 

the drive to leave for a better life. 

The vulnerable that needs to be protected. 

The voiceless who wants to 

be heard. The hopeless who need to 

hear that it’s going to be okay. We 

all want to be accepted and feel welcomed.” 

1. Cutting the ribbon 

2. Sterling Heights 

Mayor Michael Taylor 

3. Sharon Hannawa 

4. U.S. Rep. 

Dave Trott 

5. Anmar Sarafa 

6. Martin Manna 

addresses the crowd 

7. Attendees line up 

for lunch provided by 

Regency Manor 

8. Mar Ibrahim 

Ibrahim and U.S. 

Rep Sander Levin 

7 

8 

“What you’re 

doing today is not 

just for you but 

for generations to 

come.” 

– U.S. Rep Brenda 

Lawrence 

“This building is a 

symbol of coming 

together, community 

collaborations, 

friendships new and 

old, and teamwork.” 

– Sharon Hannawa

water warrior 

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha stands up for Flint 


Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha still 

finds the whole Flint water 

crisis hard to believe. 

“In the middle of the Great Lakes, 

in 2015, we have poisoned a population,” 

she said. “It’s shocking.” 

The director of Hurley Medical 

Center’s Pediatric Residency Program 

is not exaggerating when talking 

about the scandal of Flint’s water. 

In April 2014, the city’s emergency 

manager switched from the Detroit 

Water System to water from the 

Flint River to save money. Though 

residents immediately began complaining 

about the funny look and 

bad taste of the water coming from 

their taps, the state kept insisting everything 

was fine. But the river’s corrosive 

water was allowing lead from 

the pipes to leach in. 

Hanna-Attisha, whose background 

is in public health, wasn’t 

buying it, especially after a Virginia 

Tech researcher said the water contained 

an undeniable presence of 

lead. That prompted Hanna-Attisha 

to compare blood level test results 

for 1,746 children in Flint before and 

after April 2014 – and find that the 

percentage of kids with elevated levels 

of lead had doubled. 

“We have gotten the lead out of 

paint and out of gas, and every year 

the percentage of children with it 

decreases. To see an increase was 

shocking,” she said. “But when we 

announced the results, the state 

called me ‘an unfortunate researcher 

causing near hysteria,’ an ‘irresponsible 

researcher.’” 

Hanna-Attisha was horrified – 

not only by the presence of lead but 

by the state’s stubborn insistence 

that the water was safe. 

“When you do research you’re always 

paranoid — you check, double 

check, triple check. The numbers 

don’t lie. But when the state says 

you’re wrong, you second guess yourself. 

I was physically ill,” she said. 

“After about a week of criticizing 

the work and finally after some good 

conversations with some intelligent 

people at the state, they realized how 

to look at the data and they realized 

their numbers were the same,” she 

added. “Before that, it was just deny, 

deny, deny.” 

Local public health officials declared 

a public health emergency on 

October 1, and the state admitted to 

the lead problem the next day. Flint 

was switched back to Detroit’s water 

system (it plans to join a new system 

that gets water from Lake Huron 

next year) but the water is still being 

piped into homes and businesses via 

the city’s old corroded pipes. 

On October 15, the state legislature 

unanimously passed a bill allocating 

$9.3 million to address the 

crisis. The city will put corrosion 

control agents in the water it buys 

from Detroit to help reduce damage 

caused to water mains and service 

lines. There is another effort underway 

in the legislature to allocate $50 

million to replace lead service pipes 

and provide support and educational 

services for children poisoned by the 

water. 

(And, in continuing fallout, Flint 

Mayor Dayne Walling — who had 

also insisted the water was safe — was 

voted out of office on Election Day 

by newcomer Karen Weaver, who 

pledges to “rebuild trust” between 

residents and their government.) 

Hanna-Attisha, a first-generation 

Chaldean American, said she hopes 

to see legal action on behalf of Flint’s 

citizens, who used lead-poisoned water 

for more than 16 months. 

“People need to go to jail – this 

was criminal,” she said. “If I am in 

the OR and have a bad outcome I 

lose my license and I get sued. This 

was clear, irresponsible neglect and 

I believe there will be criminal investigations. 

There’s been tampering 

with data, discarding some samples. 

In addition to her medical degrees, Mona Hanna-Attisha has a master’s in public health 

and is a former assistant professor at Wayne State University’s Department of Pediatrics. 

And it took evidence that children 

were being poisoned for anything to 

happen.” 

Such a disaster would never happen 

in a wealthy suburb, Hanna-Attisha 

maintains. 

“There is a 40 percent poverty 

rate in Flint vs. 16 percent for the rest 

of the state. This would only happen 

in communities like Flint that are already 

disenfranchised. It would never 

happen in Bloomfield Hills. These 

people are so beat down, and then 

you give them lead. Just because you 

have no money doesn’t mean you are 

not entitled to safe drinking water. 

If you deliberately wanted to put a 

poison in a population to keep them 

down, this is what you would do. I 

don’t believe it was deliberate, but it 

was highly preventible.” 

Lead, she explained, is an irreversible 

toxin directly linked to violent 

offenses, and even small amounts can 

cause serious health problems. Children 

under the age of 6 are especially 

vulnerable to lead poisoning and can 

suffer problems in both mental and 

physical development. 

Lead poisoning causes genetic 

changes that last generations. The 

effects of the poisoned water will 

have repercussions for decades, said 

Hanna-Attisha. 

“In five years we will likely see 

an increase of children who need 

special education services,” she said. 

“In 10 years we will likely see more 

kids with behavior problems and increased 

diagnoses of ADHD. In 15 

years, we will see more problems in 

the criminal justice system. All these 

costs are in the multiple billions.” 

That’s why, she said, it is essential 

that everyone from federal and state 

governments to private foundations 

join forces to help Flint’s residents, 

particularly its children. Hanna- 

Attisha is part of the newly formed 

Flint Lead Innovation Team, which 

the state has assembled to combat 

the effects of lead poisoning. This includes 

pushing good nutrition (notoriously 

lacking in poor populations), 

increased early-intervention programs 

like Head Start and long-term 

follow-ups with physicians. 

“We have a really unique opportunity 

to build a model health 

program where we can buffer these 

kids so we don’t see these terrible 

consequences,” said Hanna-Attisha. 

“But it will take a lot of resources. I’m 

angry, but I’m using that to do some 

of the secondary prevention work. 

Our community has been physically 

traumatized and they think that every 

kid has been damned. We need 

to give them hope.” 

Hanna-Attisha, the mother of 

two, has taken on hero status as the 

water scandal continues to make 

news. Her ignored warnings about 

the water and refusal to give up has 

led to interviews with media as diverse 

as the BBC and Al-Jazeera. 

“It’s been absolutely surreal – one 

day I had seven media interviews. It’s 

gone international,” she said of her 

newfound fame. “I came to work in 

Flint to do pediatric public health. 

It’s like this was destined for me to 

do this.” 


May the magic of 

Christmas bring you 

peace, love and joy 

throughout the year! 

From the Salon Skye 

Family to your family. 


developing disciples of christ 

New program teaches the virtues 


A 

few years ago a Dominican 

sister from Columbus, Ohio, 

was planning to implement 

Sean Covey’s “Leader in Me” program 

at her Catholic school, but never 

could really figure out how to incorporate 

the principles from a Christian’s 

perspective. At the same time Sr. 

John Dominic was working on a virtues 

program. “We were in the stages 

of what the virtues themselves look 

like and sound like,” she said. 

From that birthed the “Education 

in Virtues Remain in Me” program. 

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, 

Mother of the Eucharist, were on a 

mission to create Disciples of 

Christ. Formalized in 2013, 

today more than 250 Catholic 

schools in the country have 

implemented the program including 

Our Lady of Refuge, 

where more than half the students 

are Chaldean. 

The “Remain in Me” 

names come from the scripture 

teachings found in the Gospel 

of John: “I am the vine, you 

are the branches. Whoever remains 

in me and I in him will 

bear much fruit because without 

me you can do nothing.” 

“We had been looking at 

teaching virtues to students and 

parents,” said Sr. John Dominic. 

“Teaching that to a first-grader 

is challenging and we struggled 

with this for a bit so we looked 

to our sisters who are teaching.” 

They looked to St. Thomas 

Aquinas’ teachings on the virtues 

and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They 

began to focus on the Cardinal Virtues 

of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude 

and Temperance and within those 

virtues are other virtues, which they 

began to color code. 

Along with the Cardinal Virtues 

are Theological Virtues, Gifts of the 

Holy Spirit, Fruits of the Holy Spirit 

and the Beatitudes. 

“We brought our children to SSA 

thinking it would change our child’s 

life bringing them into virtue and an 

everlasting joy that this earth cannot 

give, but turns out it is changing the 

parent’s lives just as much, if not more, 

than the child’s,” said Alivia Arabo, 

a parent at Spiritus Sanctus Academy. 

“The Dominican Sisters of Mother 

Mary of the Eucharist are a gift of joy 

to our family; they have brought us 

the joy of Christ with abundant graces 

pouring out from Heaven.” 

Many of the schools are tailoring 

the program to fit their needs. The 

Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona, for example, 

is using the program to incorporate 

standards for physical education 

and health. 

“We began giving our students 

Some of the materials used in the Virtues program. 

concrete examples and practical 

ways to live the virtues,” said Sr. 

John Dominic. “All of us are called 

to Holiness and all of us are called to 

be saints.” 

The virtues begin to shape behavior 

and character. “The beautiful 

thing about virtues is pattern of goodness,” 

said Sr. John Dominic. “No one 

wakes up saying ‘I am not going to be 

good today.’ Chaldeans love their 

children and want them to be good. 

We know Chaldean parents. They 

want their children to be princes and 

princesses of the world – to be good.” 

Children taught in the virtues 

learn that one becomes holy in the 

little things done in a course of the 

day. Sr. John Dominic gives some examples: 

“Being patient at the grocery 

store, keeping your dresser drawers 

neat, doing your homework, completing 

tasks, or noticing a sad person 

and speaking to that person, trying 

to make him or her feel better. These 

are ways we grow in the virtues.” 

This process enables children to 

expand their critical thinking. When 

approached about her behavior, the 

student is given a Saint Card to read 

and reflect on while assessing her own 

behavior and looking at ways she can 

improve by learning from the saint. 

“It is a whole language and broadens 

the vocabulary,” said Sr. John 

Dominic. “They are learning words 

that help them acknowledge their behavior 

and enable a child to change 

behavior and be more kind and courteous, 

such as ‘don’t let the door slam 

in your mom’s face.’ There are all these 

little things that mold behavior.” 

She also tells students that the 

virtues supply them with words to 

describe themselves. 

School administrators across the 

country have seen positive changes 

in students since implanting the program. 

“Kids and adults have set the 

bar higher,” said Sr. John Dominic. 

“They are more conscious of their 

behavior and how friendly they are 

to others. Kids have written me that 

living virtuously is about living as a 

Disciple of Christ.” 

The program defines — for students 

and parents — what it truly 

means to be a Disciple of Christ. 

“You hear people say you have to live 

as a Disciple of Christ but you really 

don’t know what that is like,” said Sr. 

John Dominic. “You don’t have to 

spend all your time at church; 

we really want you to go out 

and make a difference in the 

culture. You want your friends 

to notice you are different because 

you are kind, trustworthy, 

and loyal — you are living 

the virtues of friendship.” 

Sr. John Dominic has also 

developed the Life of Christ 

Journal, a tool to guide people 

into living a “Life of Christ.” It 

introduces both students and 

parents to prayerful readings 

and understandings of Jesus’ 

life as recorded in the Gospels. 

It is a journal of reflection and 

helps people listen to the Voice 

of Christ as they focus on following 

Him, and glean a deeper 

meaning as to why someone 

would want to live virtuously. 

“When we live as Disciples 

of Christ, we are seeking life in 

the virtues,” said Sr. John Dominic. “It 

is knowing Christ and establishing a 

friendship with Him. If we don’t have 

this personal interior relationship with 

Christ, it is harder to be good.” 

There is a lack of desire in today’s 

culture to develop one’s spiritual life, 

she said, “a ‘who-really-cares’ attitude 

that has quietly gripped the 

culture. There are so many distractions 

in the world – social media and 

technology and there is not time to 

pause and be silent and reflect, and it 

so important for brain development. 

We need time away to be silent.” 


Search for the ways to 

manage your chronic disease. 

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can reduce your risk by talking to 

your healthcare provider or visiting 

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mary: the personification of mercy 

Marian Conference draws hundreds 


Witnessing four seasons in one day at the 

foot of Boyne Mountain, more than 550 

faithful gathered the weekend of October 

16 for the 24th annual Marian Conference 

where the theme was “Behold, Your Mother.” 

Attendees came from all over the state and 

Kentucky Ohio, and Illinois. The lineup of dynamic 

speakers included powerhouses within Catholic 

circles who spoke on the topic of mercy. 

“Without mercy, heaven would be empty,” said 

Fr. Dennis Stilwell of the Diocese of Gaylord. As a 

young man in Catholic elementary school, in fear 

and trembling he was sent to the office to see the 

principal. After hearing the facts, she picked up a 

blank book and wrote down his name and his offense. 

She told him she had never seen him in the 

office before and that she would write his name 

lightly in her book. If he didn’t ever return to the 

office, she would erase his name from her book. “I 

was so scared and yet I left so happy,” he said. 

Mercy is a powerful and beautiful thing and 

Mary is the very personification of mercy. It all 

started with her “yes.” 

“In this country, we have more people in jails 

than anywhere in the world. We are a country hell 

bent on punishing people. We are afraid to be merciful. 

We worry about people getting away with 

wrongdoing but Pope Francis would say mercy is 

greater than right,” said Fr. Stilwell. 

The message of mercy struck a deep cord with 

attendee Brian Laesser. “The love that the Eucharist 

poured into me — being such a broken person. 

This conference has rewritten the pages of my 

heart and recreated me,” he said. 

Fr. Larry Richards, author of Be a Man!, said 

that when we place one hand in the heart of Jesus, 

who is Divine Mercy, and the other hand outstretched 

to others to give mercy, then we can be 

true instruments of peace. 

“The reality is that God will give you what you 

love the most. Instead of fitting Him into your day, 

you should build your day around Him. One drop 

of the blood of Jesus is enough to cleanse you,” he 

said. 

“My soul has been so nourished here,” said Julie 

Kaszubowski. “I came giving myself totally to this 

weekend and now I’m leaving knowing God’s personal 

love for me.” 

In his talk, “Only One Heart, Only One Soul,” 

Fr. Ben Luedtke of St. Albert the Great in Dearborn 

told the faithful that love and joy are a decision. 

“Love each other like Christ. Be His image to 

each other. He defined it by hanging on the cross,” 

he said. 

Clockwise from top left: Fr. Larry Richards; Brian Flynn: One drop of the blood of Jesus is enough to cleanse you.” 

Brian Flynn performs for youth at the conference. Attendees celebrate mass. 

Clockwise from top left: Fr. Larry Richards; Brian Flynn performs for youth; celebrating mass. 

Fr. Luedtke told how his parents were divorced 

and as a young man he looked for other examples 

of love in his life through his aunts and uncles. 

He advised married couples to never give each 

other the silent treatment, describing this as a 

“form of hell.” 

“I always tell couples on the day of marriage that 

you have to live as if you were going to die tonight. 

With what love, with what tenderness would you 

have kissed your spouse last night? When we think 

we have tomorrow, we screw up today,” he said. 

The joy we all desire comes from sanctifying grace. 

Sr. Maria Inviolata presented about St. Catherine 

Labouré’s apparitions. Mary, the Blessed 

Mother, is the source of many graces as symbolized 

in the Miraculous Medal. When St. Catherine 

asked why some of the rays of light did not arrive to 

land, Mary replied, “Those are the graces for which 

people forget to ask.” 

The weekend included masses, confession, 

healing service, talks, a raffle and bookstore. 

There were special presentations for young adults 

and children. 

Marial Brooks, 8, wants to be a nun when she 

grows up. She said her favorite part of the conference 

was making sacrifice beads. “I will play with 

my brother even when I don’t want to,” she said, 

referring to the first of 10 sacrifices represented on 

her beads. 

Among the other speakers were Sr. John Dominic 

from Ann Arbor and Rev. Richard Ho Lung 

from the Missionaries of the Poor in Jamaica. 

Award-winning international Catholic recording 

artist Brian Flynn provided music and worship. 

As always, the conference was hosted by the 

Marian Center in Joy Valley in Petoskey, which is 

about 30 minutes north of Boyne Falls. Julie and 

Brian Tuck are the directors. Next year’s event, 

the 25th, is set for October 14-16. Visit Marian- 

Center.org. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARL TUREK 



chaldean on the STREET 

What’s your favorite Christmas memory? 

BY HALIM SHEENA 

Tis the season to reminisce about our most joyous Christmas experiences. 

My favorite Christmas memory was 

teaching my grandma how to make 

chocolate chip cookies, because she’s 

never used measuring utensils to make 

Chaldean food before. She’s used to 

just estimating and never measuring 

her ingredients. 

– Lavrena Kenaya, 19 

West Bloomfield 

My best Christmas memory is the 

year my family first moved into our 

new house. I was about 7 years old 

and we had a Christmas party with all 

our friends and family. Old pictures of 

this party always make me so happy 

seeing all of my family together in our 

new home. 

– Sara Mansoor, 19 

Clinton Township 

My favorite memory for Christmas was 

when I was able to see my whole family 

that day. I went to my grandmother 

from my mom’s side and my dad’s 

side, and it was great spending time 

with them — and also eating the food 

they made. 

– Jake Jarbou, 22 

Shelby Township 

Christmas is special every year because 

my cousins from Canada come 

to visit and we all get to spend time 

together. We go to my grandparent’s 

house for dinner and open presents. 

Every memory we create together is 

sacred, and I cherish the time that 

we’re able to spend together. 

– Rima Esho, 20 

Troy 

My favorite Christmas memory was 

when I was 7 and realized that Santa 

Claus was also my dad. I still believed 

Santa Claus was real because my 

parents said he was busy tonight. 

– Zaid Yousif, 19 

Warren 

My favorite Christmas memory is 

sleeping on the living room floor in 

front of the fireplace hoping to catch 

Santa! 

– Lauren Mansour, 19 

Scottsdale, Arizona 

One of my favorites is from last 

Christmas. I chose to step up and do 

something to give back to the less 

fortunate. I joined OU CASA for their 

annual Jaycee’s Christmas shopping 

trip. We not only had the chance to 

give back to the less fortunate, but we 

also got to work hand in hand to help 

them pick out gifts for their families. 

– Zena Atcho, 20 

Southfield 

My favorite Christmas memory was in 

2013 when my family gathered at my 

nana’s house. We all sat together on 

Christmas Eve around the tree and 

fireplace and had “Santa” come and 

hand out all the presents. Having the 

entire family together made this particular 

Christmas the most memorable, 

because family is the most important 

thing in my life. 

– Stephanie Sitto, 19 

Macomb 


CHALDEAN COMMUNITY 

FOUNDATION 

Help Wanted! 

Please consider hiring a refugee today. 

They need your help! Many possess the skills and determination 

to work hard for you and your organization. 

You can give back to your community by hiring a 

refugee. The Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) has 

a bank of resumes of candidates qualified to do a variety 

of jobs. To inquire about hiring a refugee, call Alfred or 

Elias at the CCF at 586-722-7253. 

Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce 

and Chaldean Community Foundation 

30850 Telegraph Road, Suite 200 

Bingham Farms, MI 48025 

248-996-8340 

www.chaldeanchamber.com 

Chaldean Community Foundation 

– Sterling Heights Office 

4171 15 Mile Road 

Sterling Heights, MI 48310 

586-722-7253 

www.chaldeanfoundation.org 

Waad 

Murad 

AdvocAcy 

Fund 


classified listings 

STORE FOR SALE 

HAMTRAMCK PARTY STORE 

Same location 40 years. Major 

corner. Owners retiring. Mid America 

Realty, 248-470-1175. 

RESTAURANT FOR SALE 

TUBBY’S FOR SALE NEAR 

DOWNTOWN LAKE ORION 

1058 sq. ft. Dining room seats 16. 

Lots of opportunity for growth. Needs 

young ambitious owner. Lots of 

new development in area. Asking 

$90,000. Call Al @ 248-808-0361. 

Please do not approach employees. 

HELP WANTED 

Looking to join an energetic 

workforce? The Chaldean 

Community Foundation is seeking 

qualified candidates to join its new 

Sterling Heights location for the 

following positions: 

PROGRAM MANAGER – 

REFUGEE MENTAL HEALTH 

SERVICES (RMHS) 

The ideal candidate has an 

understanding of the Chaldean 

Community and has managed a 

behavioral health department for 5 or 

more years. The Program Manager will 

be responsible for directing the activities 

of the RMHS program and overseeing 

staff and external service providers. 

DATA ENTRY CLERK 

The ideal candidate is highly 

organized and pays close attention to 

detail and accuracy while maintaining 

client database and preparing reports 

for requested data. 

Qualified applicants should send 

a cover letter and resume to hr@ 

chaldeanfoundation.org. No phone 

calls please. For more details 

and full position descriptions visit 

ChaldeanChamber.com. 

Content Creators & Communication Strategists 

Our team will create your communication 

strategy; we will clearly and concisely pen 

your message for your various platforms. 

• Websites 

• Newsletters and Publications 

• Blogs 

• Op-eds 

• Press Releases and Advisories 

• Social Media Sites 

• Speeches, talking points or 

brief remarks for events 

• Presentations and reports for 

sales people, experts and CEOs 

• Brochures, programs, marketing 

and public relations material 

• Multi-media production such as 

marketing videos, commercial scripts, 

podcasts, on-hold messages and voice-overs 

As an award-winning 

journalist for both 

broadcast and print, 

founder of Denha Media 

Group, Vanessa Denha 

Garmo has an adaptable 

writing style and has 

trained members of her 

team on various writing 

techniques. 

“You have to know how 

to tell your story if you 

want others to care 

about your story and if 

you want the media to 

cover your story.” 

— Vanessa Denha Garmo 

“We pulled Denha Media in to help us plan and execute a major 

international event we were hosting. They flawlessly managed 

the event from start to finish. A wonderful team to work with.” 

— Luanne Thomas Ewald, Vice President, Business Development 

and Strategic Planning for Children’s Hospital of Michigan 

info@denhamedia.com 248.702.8687 


PHOENIX REFRIGERATION, INC. 

Commercial Refrigeration•Heating & Cooling 

Mechanical Contractor 

PROFESSIONALS 

PROFESSIONALS 

PROFESSIONALS 

Accredited Buyer Representative 

Certified Luxury Home Marketing 

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Certified Residential Specialist 

Internet Professional 

Graduate REALTORS Institute 

Quality Service Certified 

Seniors Real Estate Specialist 

Palladium 

Financial GrouP, llc 

MOrTGaGE brOKEr NMLS 128686 

Brian S. Yaldoo 

Classic - Associate Broker 

29630 Orchard Lake Road 

Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334 

Office: 1-248-737-6800 

Fax: 1-248-539-0904 

E-Mail: brianyaldoo@remax.net 

Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com 

brianyaldoo.realtor.com 

BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com 

Individually Owned and Operated 

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 

CHALDEAN 

AMERICAN 

CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 


FOUNDATION 

SANA NAVARRETTE 

MEMBERSHIP MANAGER 

BMW of Rochester Hills 

Sammi A. Naoum 

Client Advisor 

Street Address 

45550 Dequindre Road 

Shelby Township, MI 48317 

Telephone: (248) 237-3832 

Mobile: ( 248) 219-5525 

Fax: (248) 997-7766 

Email: sammi.naoum@bmwofrochesterhills.com 

Website: www.bmwofrochesterhills.com 

GabE GabriEl 

NMLS 128715 

30095 Northwestern Hwy, ste. 103 

Farmington Hills , Michigan 48334 

Office (248) 737-9500 

Direct (248) 939-1985 

Fax (248) 737-1868 

Email MortgageGabe@aol.com 

www.palladiumfinancialgroup.com 

CHALDEAN 

AMERICAN 

CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 


FOUNDATION 



TEL: (248) 996-8340 CELL: (248) 925-7773 

FAX: (248) 996-8342 

snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com 



Twitter: @ChaldeanChamber 

Instagram: @ChaldeanAmericanChamber 

RW INTERNATIONAL 

WWW.RWGLASSDOORS.COM 

Walk-in Cooler Glass Doors 

Innovative Technology & Design 

Energy Efficient Refrigeration Products 

21445 Hoover Rd. Warren, MI 48089 

Phone: 586.920.2796 

Fax: 586.920.2796 

sales@rwglassdoors.com 

SANA NAVARRETTE 

MEMBERSHIP MANAGER 



TEL: (248) 996-8340 CELL: (248) 925-7773 

FAX: (248) 996-8342 

snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com 



Twitter: @ChaldeanChamber 

Instagram: @ChaldeanAmericanChamber 

Parking Lot Lighting 

Commercial & Industrial 

Installation & Service 

Tom Tamou 

Cell: (810) 560-9665 

Tamou’s 

Electrical Contractors 

Generators for Large Facilities 

tamouselectric@sbcglobal.net 

Office/Fax (586) 803-9700 

HealtH Insurance 

& MedIcare specIalIst 

stephen M. George 

office 248-535-0444 

fax 248-633-2099 

stephengeorge1000@gmail.com 

Contact me for a free consultation 

on Health Care Reform, Medicare 

and Life Insurance 

CRUISE PLANNERS TRAVEL 

Diane E. Hunt 

Immigration Attorney 

For all your immigration needs 

The Immigration Law Firm of 

Antone, Casagrande & Adwers, P.C. 

31555 W. 14 Mile Road, Suite 100 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

(248) 406-4100 

law@antone.com 

www.antone.com 

Marie S. Nelson 

Immigration Attorney 

Gaven LaKritz 

Travel Specialist 

Offi ce: (248) 406-4777 

Mobile: (248) 535-4884 

gaven.lakritz@cruiseplanners.com 

Let us help you plan and book 

your next dream vacation! 

• Incredible Cruises 

• Complete Vacation Packages 

• All Inclusive Resorts 

• Worldwide Land and Tour Vacations 

• Shore Excursions 

Don’t Miss The Boat! 

Call Gaven Today! 

1973320 


KIDS corner 

MAKE A CHRISTMAS NECKLACE! 

Remember: Jesus is the reason for the season! You can help spread that message 

with by making a Jesus Christmas Necklace. 

ME 

Materials 

Yarn (red or white) — enough to slip over head 

Penne pasta noodles 

Paint (red & white) 

Candy cane (J-shaped & wrapped) 

Scotch tape 

Hole puncher 

Black permanent 

marker 

I 

LOVE 

ESUS 

LOVES 

DO YOU KNOW 

THE CANDY CANE 

STORY? 

The J shape represents Jesus 

The white represents 

Jesus’ pure, sinless life 

The red represents the blood 

Jesus shed for our sins 

The peppermint flavor is similar 

to the spices the wise men gave 

Look at a candy cane, 

what do you see? 

Stripes that are red like 

the blood shed for me! 

White for my savior, 

who’s sinless and pure! 

“J” is for Jesus, 

my lord that’s for sure! 

Turn it around and a 

staff you will see — 

Jesus, my shepherd, 

is coming for me! 

Instructions 

Paint some noodles white and some 

red and let dry completely. 

Loosely wrap tape around bottom of candy cane wrapper to reinforce the package 

and punch hole to slip onto necklace. 

With marker write on one pasta “I”, write on another pasta of alternate color 

“LOVE”, continue with alternating colors to write “ESUS”, “LOVES” and “ME” 

String pasta with alternating red and white placing the written ones in order 

prepared. However, between “LOVE” AND “ESUS” place the candy cane upside 

down as a J. 

DECEMBER WORD SEARCH 

Christmas 

Jesus 

Mary 

Joseph 

Savior 

Wise Men 

Nativity 

Birthday 

Family 

T B Z C B C A I L R E H N V Y R Q N A F 

Y G I X H E U F Z P M M P A U H I A Q U 

V Y E E Z R H H W C I M Y S M S K T S P 

J E S U S G I G W Y X U A I V U L I J V 

N E M E S I W S H V U E X R C O N V M Y 

V S B X W Y R K T P S U F A Y L X I C T 

J E J V Q X T J E M E F F U P C P T Y P 

D P Z Q X Z Z O O Z A S L X K B I Y A D 

X Z U X N R K Z R H M S O K U A H C R T 

K C U P A W V T X I K J E J L M Z Y M P 

D L F W J Z L B M S D P I C O Z L G T K 

E Y F U C J V R L M C V B S R U J J R X 

T X Y X S P J B Q Y U G O N Y J A D O G 

W R Y V H D I T G T S B J L S B R X I E 

X W L H M R L Z H C E K I K S O O H V F 

T F R J T W P Y P E X M N Q C I Y N A Z 

B Q Z H K V P T N J A M O V N C Y E S C 

T T D U Q H H Z Q F Y O P T X X D V U J 

X A G I H N R U A K W W Z A U S T Z D J 

Y X J V D L O Z S B F A V E K B F S A Q 


event 

1 2 

3 

5 

4 

6 

8 

7 

1.Jenelle & Faiza Manjo 

and Rachel Savaya 

2. Full house 

3. Jewels Hingorani 

4. The ladies of CALC 

5. Raghad Yaldo 

and Lillian Sheena 

6. Vicki Asmar and 

Saddia Shaffou 

7. Bianca Bahri 

8. Cheryl Khalife 

and Mary Calderone 

9. Lulu’s Cookies 

calc’s shopping 

extravaganza 


9 

Shopping was elevated to a high art form on 

November 5 as the Chaldean American Ladies 

of Charity presented their annual Shopping 

Extravaganza at Shenandoah Country Club. 


Experience the New! 

SERVICE CENTER 

GM CERTIFIED SERVICE 

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WELCOME TO THE SHOW! 

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HOURS 

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PHONE 

800-292-4000 

www.superiorbuickgmc.com 

Open 

Saturday!

40 YEARS OF 

SERVICE 

FOUR GREAT 

BRANDS 

SERVICE IS OUR 

#1 PRIORITY 

PORSCHE OF THE MOTOR CITY 

24717 Gratiot Ave. 

Eastpointe, MI 48021 

Sales: Ray Crawford 

866-981-3878 

www.porscheofthemotorcity.com 

MOTOR CITY MINI 

29929 Telegraph Road 

Southfield, MI 48034 

Sales: John Nazzal 

877-207-7281 

www.motorcitymini.com 

AUDI OF ROCHESTER HILLS 

45441 Dequindre Rd 

Rochester Hills, MI 48307 

Sales: Elie Daher 

888-524-8551 

www.audiofrochesterhills.com 

BMW OF ROCHESTER HILLS 

45550 Dequindre Rd 

Shelby Township/Rochester, MI 48317 

Sales: Sammi Naoum 

248-237-3832 

www.bmwofrochesterhills.com 

ONE STANDARD 

OF EXCELLENCE

DECEMBER 2015

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