AUGUST 2023

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY VOL. 20 ISSUE VII AUGUST 2023 

Fight 

or Flight 

THE WAR OVER 

THE FAITHFUL 

IN IRAQ 

Featuring: 

Iraq Medical Mission 

The School Mindset 

Chaldean Kitchen

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AUGUST 2023 CHALDEAN NEWS 3

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4 CHALDEAN NEWS AUGUST 2023

METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY | AUGUST 2023 | VOL. 20 ISSUE VII 

ON THE COVER 

20 Fight or Flight 

The War Over the Faithful in Iraq 

By Sarah Kittle 

DEPARTMENTS 

6 From the Editor 

Diving Deeper 


8 Guest Column 

N. Peter Antone 

Identifying Options for Our Students 

10 Foundation Update 

Karam Bahnam, Job Fair, 

Sports Programs, Talk‘n the Beat 

12 Noteworthy 

Denha Family Gift to Brother Rice, 

Dr. Sabah Abro & Savvy Sliders in TX 

14 Chaldean Digest 

Ankawa Youth, Ataturk on 

Disney+, Legal Group 

16 Iraq Today 

Protests Over Water Shutoff 

18 In Memoriam 

22 Culture & History 

Cardinal Sako Stands 

By Dr. Adhid Miri 

26 Chaldean Story 

Chaldean Cultural Roots 


34 Economics and Enterprise 

Christina Roki: 

Motor City’s Media Maven 

By Cal Abbo 

38 Chaldean Kitchen 

Samira Cholagh: Food as Art 

By Z.Z. Dawod 

40 Sports 

Terrific Tennis Trio 

By Steve Stein 

42 New Americans 

Theoni Balasi 

By Susan Smith 

44 Family Time 

Beat the Heat 

By Valene Ayar 

46 Dr. Is In 

Candida Auris: Fungal 

infection in the news 

By Dr. Renee Jiddou 

50 Event 

Father Namir Narra’s Ordination 

Photos by Chaldean Diocese 

20 

FEATURES 

28 Getting Back into 

the School Mindset 

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

30 Beyond Borders 

Reflections from a 

Transformative Iraq Mission Trip 

By Dr. Rena Daiza 

32 On Martyrs Day 

Remembering Seyfo 

By Chris Salem 

48 7 Mile’s Kabob King 

Tribute to Bahi Jarbo 

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

30 

38 


FROM THE EDITOR 

PUBLISHED BY 

Chaldean News, LLC 

Chaldean Community Foundation 

Martin Manna 

EDITORIAL 

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

Sarah Kittle 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Cal Abbo 

N. Peter Antone 

Valene Ayar 

Dr. Rena Daiza 

Z.Z. Dawod 

Crystal Kassab Jabiro 

Dr. Renee Jiddou 

Sarah Kittle 

Dr. Adhid Miri 

Chris Salem 

Susan Smith 

Steve Stein 

ART & PRODUCTION 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Alex Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

Zina Lumelsky with SKY Creative 

PHOTOGRAPHERS 

Alex Lumelsky 

Wilson Sarkis 

SALES 

Interlink Media 

Sana Navarrette 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Sana Navarrette 

Subscriptions: $35 per year 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

Story ideas: edit@chaldeannews.com 

Advertisements: ads@chaldeannews.com 

Subscription and all other inquiries: 

info@chaldeannews.com 

Chaldean News 

30095 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 101 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334 

www.chaldeannews.com 

Phone: (248) 851-8600 

Publication: The Chaldean News (P-6); 

Published monthly; Issue Date: AUGUST 2023 

Subscriptions: 12 months, $35. 

Publication Address: 

30095 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 101, 

Farmington Hills, MI 48334; 

Permit to mail at periodicals postage rates 

is on file at Farmington Hills Post Office 

Postmaster: Send address changes to 

“The Chaldean News 30095 Northwestern 

Hwy., Suite 101, Farmington Hills, MI 48334” 

Diving Deeper 

Startling news out of Iraq 

caught many off-guard 

mid-July; the Chaldean 

patriarch has removed himself 

from the capital of Baghdad 

and is now in a monastery in 

northern Iraq. Tensions had 

been brewing between Cardinal 

Louis Sako and the military 

leader who goes by Rayan 

al-Kildani for months, but the 

latest move by none other 

than the president of Iraq, Abdul Latif 

Rashid, threatens to strip the patriarch 

of any power over the Church’s holdings 

in the country. It is such a big story 

that all major international news outlets 

have covered it in depth, and so have we. 

Dr. Adhid Miri goes into detail on the 

history of al-Kildani and why the patriarch 

so strongly opposes any connection 

of Rayan to the Chaldean Church 

in his Culture & History article, “Cardinal 

Sako Stands Against Conquest 

and Confiscation.” Unfortunately, that 

struggle is not the only one facing Iraqis 

currently, as water supplies are shutoff 

despite unbearable heat due to climate 

change. Read about it in Iraq Today. 

We also explore Chaldean cultural 

roots in our inaugural piece for the 

“Chaldean Story,” a brand-new series 

made possible by a grant from Michigan 

Humanities Grants’ “Great Michigan 

Stories” initiative. This first story in the 

series stretches back to ancient Mesopotamia, 

where many of civilization’s 

‘firsts’ were recorded. Look for follow-up 

stories on Chaldean entrepreneurship, 

culture, and spirituality in future issues. 

SARAH KITTLE 

EDITOR 

IN CHIEF 

Speaking of spirituality, 

on our Event page, we bring 

you photos of the recent ordination 

of Father Namir Narra, 

courtesy of the Chaldean 

Catholic Diocese. And on 

this 90th anniversary of the 

Semele Massacre, we mourn 

those that lost their lives 

to this undeniable tragedy. 

Chris Salem pens a heartfelt 

plea that we remember this 

historical event and gives a framework 

to the treasure of stories that was likely 

lost in its aftermath. 

In Chaldean Digest, we report on a 

youth group meeting in Ankawa and 

on protests regarding a film scheduled 

to run on Disney+ about the founder 

of modern-day Turkey, Mustafa Kemal 

Ataturk. Protesters say he is portrayed 

in the film as a hero, while to the Greeks, 

Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Aramaeans, 

Maronites, and other Christians 

of his time, he was anything but. 

Previously, we brought you stories 

of Chaldean Town, the stretch of 7 Mile 

that was an early home to the community. 

On the passing of Bahi Jarbo, the “Kabob 

King,” Crystal Kassab Jabiro paints a 

beautiful picture of a life well lived. 

In “Beyond Borders,” Dr. Rena Daiza 

blesses us with her own personal account 

leading a recent medical mission 

trip to Iraq, which was, in the author’s 

own words, “transformative.” The purpose 

of the visit was not only to give 

medical care to the needy in Iraq, but to 

educate people about the importance of 

obtaining proper care, including dental 

care and mental health checkups, and 

how crucial it is to follow a healthy diet. 

The team from the U.S. met with government 

officials and health ministers 

and toured medical schools and universities, 

all the while feeling a connection 

to the land as well as the people. 

In the next installment of Chaldean 

Kitchen, reporter Z. Z. Dawod takes us 

into the kitchen of Samira Cholagh as 

she prepares Pikota Habbia Kashka, a 

traditional cooked barley dish. Samira 

is a food artist, however, and her take 

on the dish is anything but traditional. 

Also earning the label ‘untraditional’ 

is Christina Roki, a young woman 

who has made a name for herself as an 

influencer on social media in the niche 

market of automotive engineering and 

aesthetics, as reported by Cal Abbo in 

our Economics & Enterprise section. 

Fittingly, this first-generation Chaldean 

American dynamo taught herself about 

cars by watching videos on You Tube. 

Rounding out our August issue, we 

have articles on gearing up for school 

(“Getting Back in the School Mindset” 

and “Identifying Options for Our 

Students”), a terrific story about three 

terrific tennis players (“Terrific Tennis 

Trio”), a short piece about a 90-yearold 

who recently gained citizenship 

through the Chaldean Community 

Foundation (“New Americans”), and 

tips on beating the late-summer heat 

(“Family Time”). 

We hope you enjoy this latest edition 

as much as we enjoyed putting it 

together for you. 

Sarah Kittle 

Editor in Chief 

CONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY. 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHALDEAN NEWS 

AND FOLLOW CN ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 


PUBLISHER'S CIRCLE 

Join the 

Publishers Circle 

As the publication of record for Michigan’s 

Chaldean community, the mission of the 

Chaldean News is to preserve and archive 

Chaldean heritage and history, and to tell the 

ongoing story of Chaldean contributions to the 

communities in which we live and work — in Michigan 

and around the world. 

Since being acquired by the Chaldean Community 

Foundation in 2019, the Chaldean News has substantially 

increased its readership and social media following, 

introduced new digital and website content, and expanded 

storytelling with the help of small grant funding. 

The Publisher’s Circle initiative empowers community members 

to provide major support for the Chaldean News and its 

important mission. With the generous help of individuals and 

organizations, together, we can ensure that this vital resource 

continues to educate and connect the community, while 

evolving to meet the needs of future generations. 

The Chaldean News has ambitious plans which include 

launching a CN app and continuing to expand into new 

media such as radio and TV, all with the goal of preserving 

our culture and telling the story of our people. You 

can take part in helping to preserve your Chaldean 

heritage by joining the Publisher’s Circle today. 

Jibran “Jim” Manna 

Martin and Tamara Manna 

We are grateful for the generous and 

continuing support of our community. 

To learn more, visit chaldeannews.com 

or contact us at 248-851-8600 

Let’s grow the circle. 


GUEST COLUMN 

Chaldean News is proud to present the first-ever 

Chaldeans Rising: Young Writers Challenge, 

a writing competition that invites bright young 

minds between the ages 14-25 to write a unique 

essay about their perspective on the Chaldean 

community and share their visionary ideas for 

the future. Through this competition, we aim to 

inspire imagination, spur critical thinking, and 

create unity within our community. 

CATEGORIES: 

Teens (age range 14-18 at time of submission) 

Young Adults (age range 19-25 at time of submission) 

GUIDELINES: 

Essays should be between 500 and 1500 words and 

may be written on any topic related to our community. 

Visit chaldeannews.com/writingcontest (QR code below) 

for topic suggestions and prompts. 

WRITING PROMPTS AND SUBMISSION FORM: 

chaldeannews.com/writingcontest 

DEADLINE: 

October 31, 2023 

PRIZES 

1. $500 cash for top entry in each category 

2. Select essays placed in a time capsule, to be opened in 2073 

3. Top essayists to be profiled in the Chaldean News 

4. Opportunity to contribute to community projects 

5. All contributors celebrated on CN social media channels 

Prizes will be distributed after the winners 

are announced in December of 2023. 

SCAN THE CODE FOR MORE 

INFORMATION AND TO 

SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY 

CHALDEANS 

RISING 

Young writers 

challenge 

WIN 

$100! 

$500! 

Identifying Options 

for Our Students 

N. PETER 

ANTONE 

SPECIAL TO 

THE CHALDEAN 

NEWS 

With the school year 

about to begin, the 

Chaldean News decided 

to explore the issue of 

whether our Chaldean kids 

are making the best of the opportunities 

offered to them in 

school. To assist us in this endeavor, 

we sought the opinion 

of two prominent educators. 

One is Crystal Jabiro, a certified 

teacher at West Bloomfield 

Middle School who possesses 

a master’s degree and 

is working toward obtaining her Doctorate 

Degree in Education. Crystal 

is focusing on issues related to Chaldean 

and Assyrian students—exploring 

education 

gaps, diversity, and 

social justice. The other 

educator, Andrew Najor, 

is a Teacher-of-the-Year 

award winner at Key’s 

Grace Academy in Madison 

Heights. 

Both educators emphasized 

the importance 

of parents’ involvement 

in their kids’ student careers. 

Many schools offer 

an abundance of opportunities, 

such as afterschool 

tutoring, career 

pathways, college application 

assistance, afterschool 

activities, sports, and student 

clubs, among others. 

Our Chaldean kids might not be 

aware of all these options available to 

them or might not have thought of getting 

involved in any of them. Parental 

involvement could not only help make 

kids aware of the available opportunities, 

it could also encourage them to 

be more involved in and to take advantage 

of these opportunities. 

Schools are meant to prepare our 

kids for the future once they graduate. 

While America is already a melting pot 

of many different cultures, our society 

is becoming more diverse in terms of 

national background, culture, and 

race, and is becoming more accepting 

of non-traditional sexual 

orientations and gender 

identities. 

It will be important for 

our kids to be able to communicate, 

work, and interact 

with such diverse groups of 

individuals. Schools offer an 

opportunity for such interaction 

and enable our kids 

to understand others who 

might be different from them. 

Parents could encourage 

their kids to be more involved 

and to interact with others and should 

resist the temptation to have their kids 

befriend only other Chaldeans. 

While it is natural for our kids 

to befriend other Chaldeans due to 

shared culture, it is important for both 

parents and kids to avoid isolating 

themselves from others who might be 

different from them. 

Both educators with whom we 

spoke explained that many Chaldean 

parents are not as involved in their 

kids’ schools as they can or should be. 

Mr. Najor explained that many Chaldean 

kids in his school are excelling 

in their involvement in such activities 

as student council, and after school 

clubs. Still, others need the continuous 

support, involvement, and encouragement 

of their parents. It is a 

topic worth discussing. 



FOUNDATION UPDATE 

Ball ’N Out 

This year, the CCF is pleased to offer two separate 

programs two afternoons each week for 

both boys and girls. 

Through generous support from the Good 

Sports Foundation, girls in our community 

are learning basic volleyball skills. The Good 

Sports Foundation donated over twenty-six 

pairs of shoes and outfits, volleyballs, and nets. 

Each participant in the program received a new 

pair of gym shoes and a complete volleyball 

outfit, to help the girls feel more like a team. 

The goal is to make a very real impact on the 

empowerment, self-esteem, and self-respect of 

teen girls through mindful movement and creative 

expression. 

The Good Sports Foundation did not forget 

boys, either. Over thirty middle school boys are 

learning more about the game of basketball, including 

basic skills and teamwork. They’ve also 

Above: The boys’ basketball program. 

Top of page: Girls playing volleyball. 

discovered a place to make new friends! We are 

grateful for the additional support of the Good 

Sports Foundation to outfit the boys and update 

the basketball equipment. This year’s basketball 

program includes participants from last year 

and many boys that are new to the sport. With 

all the same basketball coaches having returned 

from last summer, parents feel comfortable, and 

the program has doubled in size. 

Talk’n the Beat 

with the Sterling 

Heights Police 

Department 

Stacy Bahri, Strategic Initiatives 

Manager at the Chaldean Community 

Foundation, joined Officers Larry 

Reynolds and Kevin Coates of the 

Sterling Heights Police Department 

on their fourth episode of the Talk’n 

the Beat podcast. Scan the QR code 

below to learn more about the Chaldean 

community’s journey to Southeast 

Michigan, entrepreneurship, and 

the support provided to more than 

40,000 individuals annually through 

the Chaldean Community Foundation. 

CCF to Honor Karam 

Bahnam at this Year’s 

5th Annual Awards Gala 

The Chaldean Community Foundation is happy 

to announce that it will honor the achievements 

of Karam Bahnam at the 5th Annual 

Awards Gala on Friday, September 22 at the 

Palazzo Grande. Karam is a successful entrepreneur 

who has devoted his life to inspiring 

others to deepen their faith. He is a founding 

member of the Eastern Catholic Re-Evangelization 

Center (ECRC), an organization spearheaded 

by the Chaldean Catholic Diocese. His 

dedication to ECRC and other charitable endeavors has made a 

large impact on the Chaldean Catholic and broader communities. 

For gala sponsorship inquires, visit www. chaldeanfoundation.org 

or call Jubilee Jackson at 586.722.7253. 

Safie Specialty 

Foods Job Fair 

Looking for a job, or looking for employees? We can help! The 

Chaldean Community Foundation hosted a job fair for Safie Specialty 

Foods on Wednesday, July 5. Guests were encouraged to try 

Safie’s delicious food items ranging from pickles and asparagus 

to carrots and their famous beets, all while learning about the 

company’s culture. With the CCF’s help, twenty-eight job seekers 

filled out applications and some even interviewed with Safie 

Foods’ HR management. Three people from that event have already 

been hired. 

For more information regarding future job fairs at the Chaldean 

Community Foundation, contact Elias Kattoula at 586-722-7253. 

Upcoming Events 

Karam Bahnam 

is the CCF’s 

2023 Honoree. 

Safie Specialty Foods products are displayed at the CCF job 

fair on July 5. 

CCF’s Stacy Bahri with officers Reynolds and Coates 

from the Sterling Heights Police Department. 

August 10 - Warren Consolidated Schools Back to School Event 

August 17 - Utica Community Schools Back to School Event 

September 22 – 5th Annual Awards Gala 

September 27 - Community Job Fair 



NOTEWORTHY 

Denhas Make Generous Gift to Brother Rice 

It is with great appreciation for the living example of their parents that John (Class of ‘87), Jeff (Class of ‘89), and Chris (Class of 

‘90) have made a magnanimous $500,000 gift to Brother Rice High School in honor of their parents, Mike and Nedal Denha. This is 

evidence of the commitment of the Denha Family to the community and their investment in the future of Brother Rice High School. 

The Denha Family at the 

2022 Chaldean American 

Chamber of Commerce 

Awards Dinner, where Mike 

was honored as Businessperson 

of the Year. 

Dr. Sabah 

Abro named 

Chair at 

Lawrence 

Technological 

University 

Dr. Sabah Abro 

A search committee established to hire a 

chairperson for the department of Engineering 

Technology in the College of Engineering 

at Lawrence Technological University has concluded 

the search. After going through over 

a dozen applicants from all over the United 

States, Dr. Sabah Abro was offered and accepted 

the position. 

Dr. Abro has five degrees and certifications 

from five different countries: a bachelor’s 

degree from Baghdad University; a master’s 

degree from the United Nations Institute in 

Kuwait; a master’s from University of Wales 

in the UK; and a Ph.D. from The Catholic University 

of Louvain in Belgium. He also has a 

Master Black Belt certification in Six Sigma 

Engineering Quality from the US. 

Dr. Abro has taught in positions at several 

universities in the Middle East and the United 

States. He has been working full time at LTU 

since 2000. 

Savvy Sliders in Texas 

Happy Asker and Steve 

Kherkher open the first 

Savvy Sliders in San Antonio, 

Texas on June 22. 

Savvy Sliders’ founder and CEO Happy Asker started with a dream and a strong vision to reimagine what a 

slider should be. In 2018, he opened his first Savvy Sliders location in Commerce Township, Michigan. Today, 

Savvy Sliders has 35 locations in Metro Detroit with 30 more in development in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, 

Florida, and Texas. The growth of the company has made it the fastest growing slider brand in America. 

A recent San Antonio opening—the brand’s first location in the Lone Star State—witnessed the highest-volume 

debut in the company’s five-year history. 


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CHALDEAN DIGEST 

American 

Armenians Call 

for Cancelation 

of Disney’s 

Upcoming 

Ataturk Series 

Ankawa Youth Meeting 

The annual Ankawa Youth Meeting in 

Iraq ended with a captivating Divine 

Liturgy led by Chaldean Archbishop 

of Erbil, Bashar Warda, alongside participating 

clergy. 

Recognized as the largest gathering 

of Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian 

youth, this year’s event took place at 

the esteemed Mor Elijah Chaldean 

Shrine. Over a thousand young men 

and women from various Chaldean 

archdioceses in Iraq eagerly participated. 

The meeting featured enlightening 

speeches by clergy, engaging interventions, 

and thought-provoking dialogue 

sessions among the youth. In addition, 

the vibrant talents of the youth from 

different parishes were showcased, 

along with a variety of enjoyable entertainment 

activities. 

Concluding the event, Chaldean 

Archbishop Bashar Warda delivered 

Chaldean Youth of Erbil 

an impassioned speech, expressing 

heartfelt gratitude to all those 

who contributed to the success of 

the meeting. He emphasized the 

vital role of the youth in Christian 

upbringing, underscoring their significance 

in shaping the future of the 

faith community. Archbishop Warda 

concluded, “Our Church will always 

be strong and alive.” 

– Syriac Press 

The Armenian National Committee of 

America (ANCA) has called on Disney 

to cancel its upcoming series about 

the life of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the 

founding father of the modern Turkish 

state, according to Greek Reporter. 

The ANCA accused 

Disney of glorifying 

a “dictator and 

genocide killer.” The 

series is scheduled 

for release on October 

29 this year, to coincide 

with the 100th 

anniversary of the 

Republic of Turkey. Mustafa Kemal 

Disney has made Atatürk, c. 1918. 

no indication that it 

will consider canceling the series. 

“Calling on Disney Plus to cancel 

its series glorifying Mustafa Kemal 

Ataturk – a Turkish dictator and genocide 

killer with the blood of millions of 

Greek, Armenian, Assyrian, Chaldean, 

Syriac, Aramean, Maronite, and other 

Christian martyrs on his hands,” the 

ANCA wrote on Twitter. 

– News.am 

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS 

Inaugural 

Gathering 

of Arab and 

Chaldean 

Legal Group 

In May, a group of more than 20 Michigan 

judges of Arab and Chaldean descent 

got together for an inaugural 

meeting of the Arab-American Judges 

Association of Michigan (AAJAM). The 

AAJAM is the result of an effort to bring 

together judges of Arab American and 

Chaldean ancestry, according to founders 

of the organization. Its mission is to 

promote diverse judicial leadership and 

foster social, professional, and personal 

development among members. Relatedly, 

the AAJOM hopes to encourage Arab 

Americans and Chaldeans to pursue 

legal careers and organize education, 

mentorship, and outreach programs. 

– LegalNews.com 

Pictured in the front row, l-r, are Wayne County Circuit Judges Charlene Elder and Yvonna Abraham, Michigan Administrative 

Law Judge Zainab Beydoun, and Magistrate Rula Aoun of the 19th District Court. Appearing (l-r) in the back 

are Judge Michael Hatty of the 44th District Court, Wayne County Circuit Judge Adel Harb, U.S. District Judge Hala 

Jarbou, Magistrate Mona Fadlallah of the 20th District Court, Judge Diane D’Agostini of the 48th District Court, Wayne 

Court Circuit Judge Susan Dabaja, Judge Gene Hunt of the 19th District Court, Oakland County Circuit Judge Yasmine 

Poles, Judge Sam Salamey of the 19th District Court, retired U.S. Magistrate Mona Majzoub, Judge David Turfe, Oakland 

County Probate Chief Judge Linda Hallmark, Wayne County Circuit Judge David Allen, Judge Alyia Hakim of the 

39th District Court, Wayne County Circuit Judge Helal Fahat, Macomb County Circuit Judge Tracey Yokich, Magistrate 

Ali Hammoud of the 19th District Court, and Wayne County Circuit Judge Edward Joseph. 


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IRAQ TODAY 

PHOTO BY HADI MIZBAN/AP 

A protest against the cutting of Iraq’s water supplies outside the Turkish Embassy in the Green Zone, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Baghdad, Iraq. 

Sun-baked Iraqis Protest Water 

and Electricity Shortages 

France24.com 

Baghdad (AFP) – Despite punishingly 

high temperatures, dozens of Iraqis 

took to the streets of Baghdad on July 

18 to protest water and electricity 

shortages, and to blame Turkey for reduced 

flow of rivers. 

Designated by the United Nations 

as one of the five countries in the world 

most touched by some effects of climate 

change, Iraq is experiencing its fourth 

consecutive summer of drought. 

“We have come to peacefully protest 

and demand water from the government 

and the source countries,” 

Najeh Jawda Khalil told AFP around 

midday as temperatures neared 50 degrees 

Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). 

“The agricultural regions and 

marshes are gone,” said Khalil, who 

travelled to the Iraqi capital from the 

central province of Babylon for the 

march. “There is neither electricity 

nor water.” 

In addition to declining rainfall 

and rising temperatures, Iraqi authorities 

say upstream dam construction by 

Turkey and Iran has affected the volume 

of water in the Tigris and Euphrates 

rivers through Iraq. “If the Turkish 

government continues to deprive 

Iraqis of water, we will move towards 

internationalizing the water problem 

and boycotting Turkish products,” 

read a sign at the demonstration. 

Summer in Iraq is a prime example 

of the convergence of multiple crises 

weighing down the lives of the 43-million 

strong population: rising temperatures, 

severe water shortages and 

a dilapidated electricity sector -- exacerbated 

by rampant corruption and 

public mismanagement. 

“Twenty years and the electricity 

crisis repeats itself every year,” read 

another banner, referring to the time 

passed since the fall of dictator Saddam 

Hussein in a US-led invasion. 

In addition to 

declining rainfall and 

rising temperatures, 

Iraqi authorities 

say upstream dam 

construction by 

Turkey and Iran has 

affected the volume 

of water in the Tigris 

and Euphrates rivers 

through Iraq. 

Ravaged by decades of conflict, oilrich 

Iraq relies on Iranian gas imports 

for a third of its energy needs. 

Generally, power cuts can last up to 

10 hours a day. But every summer when 

the thermometer climbs, the supply of 

public electricity worsens. Only those 

who can afford it are able to connect 

their houses to neighborhood generators 

to make up for the poor supply. 

Water shortages have fueled tensions 

between Turkey and Iraq, which demands 

Ankara release more water from 

upstream dams along the rivers. 

“Currently, Iraq only receives 35 

percent of its water rights. This means 

that Iraq has lost 65 percent of its 

water, whether it’s from the Tigris or 

the Euphrates,” Khaled Chamal, the 

spokesman for the Ministry of Water 

Resources, has told AFP. 

In the summer of 2022, the Turkish 

ambassador to Baghdad sparked outrage 

after accusing Iraqis of wasting 

water and urging “the modernization 

of irrigation systems.” Experts say he 

may have a point. Iraqi farmers flood 

their fields, rather than irrigate them, 

which is more efficient. 


202307_18-CFCU-MoneyMarket-PRINT_ChaldeanNews-FINAL.pdf 1 7/18/23 2:15 PM 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 


IN MEMORIAM 

Shango (Shawn) Elias 

Shango 

Jul 1, 1938 – 

Jun 23, 2023 

Joza Lazou 

Jul 1, 1940 – 


Thomas Habib 

Shahara 

Dec 21, 1942 – 


Mariam 

Alhakim 

Dec 21, 1933 – 


Samira George 

Jul 1, 1941 – 


Salem Jirjis Meram 

Mar 5, 1939 – 


Richard Michael 

Namin 

Nov 22, 1949 – 


Vivian Bunni Jamil 

Feb 5, 1961 – 


Majed Hermiz Beba 

Feb 7, 1953 – 


Mary Kiryakoza 

Jabero 

Jan 20, 1933 – 


Maree Naoom 

Jul 1, 1938 – 


Wardiya Jamil 

Jul 1, 1932 – 


Habbee Yousif–Zora 

Khabbaz 

Jul 1, 1938 – 


Nabeel “John” 

Shaboo 

Dec 25, 1960 – 


Youash Dawood 

Shapoo 

Jul 1, 1934 – 


Rozah Khamo 

Mansour 

Jun 7, 1938 – 

Jul 1, 2023 

Samir Samer Kada 

Feb 21, 1980 – 


Naima Ayar Sandiha 

Jan 1, 1930 – 


Dr. Justin Joseph 

Bahoora 

Mar 12, 1987 – 


Yelda Konja 

Jul 1, 1939 – 


Ghazi Nasir Krikor 

Jul 1, 1929 – 


Amira Bakko Haio 

May 1, 1946 – 


Amanuel 

Esittaifo Yonan 

Jul 1, 1951 – 


Shamasha Yousif 

Hermez Bashi 

Mar 19, 1928 – 


Shamoon Shammo 

Mar 11, 1946 – 


Nada Sharrak Odish 

Sep 21, 1964 – 


Faiza Tobia 

Haba Najar 

Jul 1, 1949 – 


Wadeea Samaan 

Lossia 

Jan 22, 1946 – 


Sharkia Samona Ouro 

Jul 1, 1933 – 


Najiba Roufa Lossia 

Jul 15, 1929 – 


Nouria Kassab 

Yatooma 

May 1, 1933 – 


Ablahad “Bahi” Jarbo 

Dec 10, 1947 – 


Sameerah Elias 

Mansoor Yaldo 

Jun 29, 1941 – 


Fawzi “Frank Paul” 

Gabbara 

Apr 13, 1954 – 


Dinkha Somo Isho 

Jun 6, 1958 – 



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COVER STORY 

Left: His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphaël Sako, 

patriarch of Iraq’s Chaldean Catholic church, 

moments before his enthroning ceremony at St. 

Joseph’s Church in central Baghdad, Iraq, in 2013. 

Below: Open letter to the Iraqi president. 

Fight or Flight 

The War Over the Faithful in Iraq 

BY SARAH KITTLE 

It was mid-July when Iraqi President Abdul Latif 

Rashid revoked a decree that gave state recognition 

to His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphaël 

Sako, the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church. The 

decree had given recognition to the patriarch’s appointment 

by the Holy See as head of the Chaldean 

Church “in Iraq and the world” and thus, “responsible 

for the assets of the Church.” Why did Rashid 

do that, and what does it mean for Iraq’s dwindling 

Christian population? 

The Synod of Bishops of the Chaldean Catholic 

Church elected Mar Sako to succeed Mar Emmanuel 

III Delly as Patriarch of Babylon in February 2013. 

Pope Benedict XVI gave his assent to the election 

and granted him ecclesiastical communion as required 

by the canon law for Eastern-rite Catholic 

churches in recognition of their union with the 

wider Catholic Church. That same year, Iraq’s thenpresident 

Jalal Talabani issued a decree giving state 

recognition to Mar Sako as Patriarch of the Chaldean 

Church. 

PHOTO BY KARIM KADIM/AP 

The Revocation 

On July 15 of this year, Iraq’s President Abdul Latif 

Rashid announced the revocation of the government’s 

2013 decree formally recognizing Mar Sako 

as Patriarch. Rashid claimed that the decision to 

revoke the decree was made to correct a constitutional 

error; he says as president, he has no right to 

appoint or recognize religious leaders. According to 

the press office of the Chaldean Patriarchate, such 

proclamations have been issued since Ottoman 

times and are still very common ways of recognizing 

the legitimacy of the leadership of minority religions 

in the region today. 

Rashid claims that his revocation does not 

change Sako’s status as patriarch since he was duly 

elected by the Chaldean Synod and confirmed by 

Pope Francis. He further stated his decision was because 

the Patriarch’s office is not recognized by the 

Iraqi Constitution. 

Rashid had recently rejected requests for comparable 

decrees from the Patriarchs of the Assyrian 

Church and the Old Assyrian Church; notably, these 

would be new decrees as opposed to the decade-old 

decree that was revoked. 

Mar Sako, who has been outspoken about the 

Iraqi government’s failure to protect its Christian 

population, viewed the revocation as an extension 

of the government’s ongoing “deliberate and humiliating 

campaign” against him. Others cited complex 

political maneuvering within the Iraqi government 

and through the leader of the Babylon Movement. 

Patriarch Mar Sako emphatically defends his 

right as patriarch to administer the affairs of his 

community and to have full state recognition. 

In a letter to the Iraqi president, His Beatitude said 

that he is appealing the decree’s revocation to Iraq’s 

judiciary and wrote to Rashid, “I believe the legal advice 

that was given to Your Excellency is incorrect and 

it wanted to undermine your stature 

and the Christian component.” 

In response to the revocation, 

which Sako the Patriarch called 

“unprecedented in the history of 

Iraq,” he announced he was leaving 

Baghdad to take up residence 

in Iraqi Kurdistan. In his statement, 

the Patriarch condemned the government’s 

silence over what he 

described as a campaign against 

him. He has “decided to withdraw 

from the seat of the patriarchate in 

Baghdad,” the statement said, and 

would instead settle at one of the 

monasteries in Kurdistan, where he 

will continue to lead the Chaldean 

Catholic Church. 

The Faithful’s Response 

In a statement issued July 15, Mar 

Sako called the president’s action 

— which calls into question his 

ability to control Church assets in 

the country — “unprecedented” 

and “unfair.” 


PHOTO BY ALI ABDUL HASSAN/AP 

His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphaël Sako (second from left), with Lt. Gen. Abdul- 

Wahab al-Saadi (right), and Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi (second from right), 

of Iraq’s elite counterterrorism forces visit a church damaged by Islamic State 

fighters, in Bartella, Iraq. 

“It is unfortunate that we in Iraq 

live in the midst of a wide network 

of self-interest, narrow factionalism, 

and hypocrisy that has produced an 

unprecedented political, national, 

and moral chaos, which is rooted 

by now more and more,” Mar Sako 

wrote. “Therefore, I have decided to 

withdraw from the patriarchal headquarters 

in Baghdad.” 

“I call on Christians to remain in 

their faith, which is their consolation, 

strength, light, and life, and on 

their national identity until the storm 

passes with the help of God,” Sako 

added. “May God help the helpless 

Christians and Iraqis.” 

There are an estimated 300,000 

Chaldean Catholics in Iraq, and, according 

to the U.S. Commission on International 

Religious Freedom report, 

they make up 80% of the Christian 

population in the country. 

The U.S. State Department’s Matthew 

Miller said at a press conference 

that the department was “disturbed 

by the harassment of Cardinal Sako, 

the patriarch of the Chaldean Church, 

and troubled by the news that he has 

left Baghdad.” He went to say, “We 

look forward to his safe return. The 

Iraqi Christian community is a vital 

part of Iraq’s identity and a central 

part of Iraq’s history of diversity and 

tolerance. 

“I will say we are in continuous 

contact with Iraqi leaders on this matter,” 

Miller stated. “We are concerned 

that the cardinals’ position as a respected 

leader of the Church is under 

attack from a number of quarters, 

in particular, a militia leader who is 

sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky 

Act.” 

Iraqi Christian rights activist Diya 

Butrus Slewa, speaking to The Christian 

Post, called the action “a political 

maneuver to seize the remainder 

of what Christians have left in Iraq 

and Baghdad and to expel them. Unfortunately, 

this is a blatant targeting 

of the Christians and a threat to their 

rights,” Slewa said. 

“We hope the Iraqi presidency 

hears our people and revokes this (decision) 

as soon as possible, otherwise 

it will become an international matter 

and the Vatican will get involved,” 

Slewa added. 

“Personally, I believe the approach 

to revoking the decree was flawed,” 

Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda 

said in a statement. “The President 

of the Republic could have convened 

a meeting with all the Church leaders 

to explain the history of these decrees 

and his decision to retract them. Instead, 

the matter was played out in the 

media, leading the Patriarch to interpret 

this action as punitive,” he wrote. 

The Chaldean bishops in the U.S., 

Europe, and Asia issued a letter of 

their own urging Rashid to reverse his 

decision. 

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Chaldean News half pg vert-4.375 x12.indd 1 

AUGUST 2023 CHALDEAN 7/7/2023 NEWS 10:17:21 AM

CULTURE & HISTORY 

Pope Francis greets His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphaël Sako, patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, in the library of 

the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican on Feb. 18, 2022. 

Cardinal Sako Stands Against 

Conquest and Confiscation 

BY ADHID MIRI, PHD 

In geography books, there are references 

to historical events which 

have changed the borders of certain 

countries. In history books, there 

are chapters in which reference is 

made to geographical conditions at a 

particular time. History and geography 

are not independent. In fact, one 

could say that history is written on the 

pages of geography, and those who 

control the geography of an area write 

their own history. 

The Iraq of the past, heralded for 

the coexistence of its people within 

their geographic and ethnic components 

and classifications, no longer 

exists. After the 2003 US invasion of 

Iraq, the nation was transformed into 

armed groups in the form of militias 

that stripped the country of their attachment 

to ancestral geography and 

planned to change history. 

Iran-backed Shiite militias have 

taken steps to shrink the size of the 

Christian, Mandean, and Yazidi communities 

in Iraq by seizing their properties, 

homes, and businesses, gradually 

pushing them out of the country. 

Numerous abductions, killings, kidnappings, 

extortion, robbery, and sexual 

assaults have occurred against the 

minority population in recent years. 

Militias have also seized large areas 

of land belonging to Christians, especially 

in the Nineveh Plain. At least 

20,000 acres of farmland have been 

burned and the militias have carried 

out 75 attacks on places of worship, 

with no fewer than nine instances of 

them using a church as a military base. 

Since 2014, confiscating and seizing 

of property has become increasingly 

prevalent in Iraq, with thousands of 

homes and properties being sold without 

their owners’ knowledge. Armed militias 

have undertaken these land-grabs, 

seizing property in Baghdad, Basra, 

Kirkuk, the Nineveh Province, and Kurdistan 

Region, supported by Islamist parties 

that have been at the helm of power 

since 2003, in coordination with several 

public land registry officials. 

They have basically stolen agricultural 

land and manufacturing facilities, 

taken over homes, buildings, 

commercial properties, small businesses, 

restaurants, and stores. Several 

culprits and forces are involved. The 

Sunni-backed Islamic State and Shiitebacked 

Iran are competing for control 

PHOTO BY CNS/VATICAN MEDIA 

in a politically unstable region. Moreover, 

Turkey is also fighting a proxy 

war in northern Iraq and has bombed 

several towns on the Nineveh Plain to 

clear the border areas. 

To suggest that only ISIS Sunni Jihadists 

have contributed to the persecution 

of Christians in the Middle East 

is simplistic and ignores the influence 

of Iran-backed militias in countries 

like Iraq. These militias are especially 

prevalent in northern Iraq and Nineveh 

Province. They are squeezing non-Muslims 

out of the country, taking advantage 

of local political instability to gain 

a foothold in war-torn regions and control 

the geography of the region. 

This is a classic Iranian scheme of 

deception designed to confiscate and 

control the land that stretches from 

the western Iranian border near Diyallah 

to Damascus, Syria, and beyond to 

Hizballah, Lebanon via the Christian 

Nineveh Plain. Iran’s plans are to build 

railway systems and highways to connect 

to the Mediterranean. The Christian 

and Yazidi towns are in their way. 

Iranian interferences cast a dark 

shadow over Iraq today. After taking 

control of all aspects of life including 

the sUpreme control of the Shia 

and Sunni endowments offices, Iran 

turned its attention to subjugate the 

Christian religious authorities, confiscate, 

and control their properties using 

pro-Iranian agents and parties. 

After experiencing violence, persecution, 

displacement, confiscation of 

their properties in the recent past, new 

clouds are gathering over the future 

of Christians in Iraq, with the government 

decree revocation that threatens 

the highest Christian authority in the 

land, the Chaldean Patriarch, Cardinal 

Louis Raphael Sako. 

Forgery and Fraud 

Forgery, theft, confiscation of homes, 

properties, assets, extortion, and intimidation 

of minorities by the militia’s 

secret arms has become widespread 

in Iraq to the extent that the 

judicial authorities are unable to stop 

it. Corruption is rampant and concealing 

capital is a common practice. Buying 

and selling real estate, converting 

cash to real estate, establishing fake 

companies, and putting money in 

foreign banks are all ways for owners 

of illicit money to hide their primary 

sources of ill-gotten income. 


Recently, the most dangerous forgery 

operation in Iraq is the selling of 

private property without the knowledge 

of its owners—Iraqis residing 

abroad who left the country years ago. 

The value of some of these properties 

exceeds a million dollars. 

Once sold through forgery, the retrieval 

of properties is difficult, requiring 

strong government and an impartial 

judiciary. This is far from what we 

have, which is authoritarian and partisan 

influences and the dominance of 

the militias associated with the ruling 

parties. 

Religion and Politics 

Tensions between the Chaldean 

Catholic hierarchy and figures in the 

Babylon Movement date back several 

years. The dispute between Cardinal 

Louis Raphael Sako, the head of Iraq’s 

Chaldean Church, and al-Kildani, the 

leader of the Babylon Movement, has 

become increasingly tense, ranging 

from corruption charges to demonstrations 

and taking each other to court. 

In 2016, the Chaldean Patriarchate 

made it known there was no relationship 

between the Church and the 

Babylon Brigade (50th Brigade), the 

military wing of the Babylon Movement. 

The Patriarch threatened to sue 

the Iran-backed militia leader Rayan 

al-Kildani in international court if the 

Iraqi government failed to take necessary 

measures against the U.S. blacklisted 

military figure. 

In recent weeks, the clash between 

Cardinal Sako and al-Kildani has escalated. 

In July, the Iraqi President 

Abdul Latif Rashid ended the institutional 

recognition of the Cardinal’s 

office by repealing Decree 147, signed 

by Rashid’s predecessor, the late Jalal 

Talabani, in 2013. Decree 147 recognized 

the Patriarch’s appointment by 

the Holy See as head of the Chaldean 

Church, “in Iraq and the world,” and 

thus, “responsible for the assets of the 

Church.” 

The latter aspect is what matters. 

The president’s decision strips the 

Chaldean leader of the right to administer 

Church assets, which are the targets 

of Rayan and his Babylon Brigade. 

Following the decision, President 

Rashid tried to clarify his decision. 

His office issued a statement saying, 

“Withdrawing the republican decree 

does not prejudice the religious or legal 

status of Cardinal Louis Sako, as 

he is appointed by the Apostolic See 

as Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in 

Iraq and the world.” 

With the revocation of the presidential 

decree, the cardinal will likely 

lose control over the church’s assets 

and properties. 

In response to the president’s decision, 

his Beatitude Cardinal Louis Raphael 

Sako sent an open letter to the 

President of the Iraqi Republic, Dr. Abdul 

Latif Rashid. It was his third such 

letter in the past weeks, and his third 

letter that went without response. 

The Chaldean primate highlighted 

the grave consequences of the 

presidential decree and suggested 

that he might turn to international 

tribunals to protect Church rights. 

The harsh attacks against Sako and 

the Church have pushed hundreds of 

Christians—priests as well as congregants—to 

take to the streets in solidarity 

with the cardinal. 

CULTURE continued on page 24 

Since 2014, confiscating and seizing of property has become 

increasingly prevalent in Iraq, with thousands of homes and 

properties being sold without their owners’ knowledge. 

Christians in Iraq protest in support of His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphaël Sako. 


CULTURE & HISTORY 

KDP President Masoud Barzani welcomes Cardinal Louis Sako to Erbil. 

CULTURE continued from page 23 

Cardinal Louis Sako cautions that, 

“The day will come when Iraq will be 

void of Christians in light of the continuous 

discrimination against Christians by 

various parties including armed militias, 

corrupt politicians, and the absence of 

the rule of law, job opportunities, and 

clear vision for the future of Iraq.” 

Solidarity 

Christian leaders condemned and denounced 

the Presidency’s decision to 

revoke the decree. Protests came from 

civil society organizations, the Syriac 

Catholic bishop of Mosul, Syriac Orthodox 

bishops, National parties, the 

Assyrian Democratic Movement, Chaldean 

Syriac Assyrian People’s Council, 

Beth Nahrin National Federation, Sons 

of the Two Rivers Party, Assyrian National 

Party, the Chaldean league in the 

USA, and the Iraqi Society for Human 

Rights in the United States of America. 

On July 13, 2023, Christians gathered 

before the Cathedral of Saint 

Joseph in Ankawa in solidarity with 

Cardinal Sako. Residents of the town 

of Al-Qosh joined a stand in solidarity, 

carrying banners demanding justice 

for the head of the church and raising 

large pictures of Patriarch Sako. 

It’s not just Christians supporting 

the cardinal. The Association of Muslim 

Scholars in Iraq and the office of 

the supreme religious authority, Sayyid 

Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, expressed 

solidarity with Sako after the recent 

public attacks. An official in the office 

communicated with the patriarch and 

expressed his regret for the manner in 

which His Eminence was dealt with recently 

and his hope that the appropriate 

conditions would be available for 

his return to his headquarters in Baghdad 

as soon as possible. 

Bishop Basilio Yaldo was another 

strong voice who issued a statement, 

along with the Syriac Catholic bishop 

of Mosul, Orthodox bishops, 11 ambassadors 

of the European Union, and 

other Chaldean Catholic leaders.. 

Statements from the Chaldean Community 

Foundation were sent to U.S. 

State and Congressional members, 

initiating a response from the State Department. 

Mathew Miller, the official 

spokesperson for the U.S. State Department 

held a press conference in which 

he stated, “We are disturbed by the harassment 

of Cardinal Sako, the patriarch 

of the Chaldean Church, and troubled 

by the news that he has left Baghdad. 

We look forward to his safe return. The 

Iraqi Christian community is a vital part 

of Iraq’s identity and a central part of 

Iraq’s history of diversity and tolerance. 

“I will say we are in continuous 

contact with Iraqi leaders on this matter. 

We are concerned that the cardinal’s 

position as a respected leader of 

the church is under attack from a number 

of quarters, in particular a militia 

leader who is sanctioned under the 

Global Magnitsky Act.” 

Ano Abdoka, Minister of Transportation 

and Communications in 

the Kurdistan Regional Government 

(KRG), criticized President Rashid’s 

decision as “unjustifiable” and said 

that “for the first time since 2003, we 

are witnessing a dangerous precedent 

represented by the behavior of the 

head of a state’s hierarchy.” 

“Why is one of the most important 

Christian symbols being unjustly targeted, 

namely the institution of the 

Chaldean Patriarchate and the moral 

highness of the Chaldean Patriarch?” 

Abdoka said in an open letter. 

Baghdad without a Patriarch 

Patriarch Louis Sako announced on 

July 15, 2023, in an open letter the decision 

to withdraw from the patriarchal 

headquarters located in the Iraqi capital, 

Baghdad, and settle in one of the 

monasteries of the Kurdistan region. 

The cardinal apparently no longer 

feels politically or personally secure in 

the Iraqi capital. 

The last time the Chaldean leadership 

fled Baghdad, according to the 

Iraqi Christian Foundation, a Mongol 

army was solidifying its control of the 

city in 1259 A.D. 

The clash between Cardinal Sako 

and Rayan is nothing new. The sharp 

divisions between the Chaldean Church 

in Iraq and the Babylon Movement are 

expected to continue. Christian interests 

hang in the balance in a country 

where fewer than 200,000 remain today, 

a staggering fall from over 1.5 million 

who used to call Iraq home before 

the infamous 2003 American invasion. 

In conclusion, Iraq’s future and the 

fate of Christianity in Iraq are lights we 

cannot see. What is done in the dark 

must come into the light. This may 

well be the last chapter in the ‘turn the 

other cheek’ concept. The future will 

tell if Christianity in our homeland 

survives this calamity. 

Sources: Articles by Keely Jahns, Al- 

Monitor, Al-Ain News, Rudaw News, 

Asia News, Shafaq News Agency, 

Ankawa.com, Ishtar TV, Kurdistan24 

News, Vatican News, America -The 

Jesuit Review, and Patriarchal News. 


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For sponsorship inquiries, please call Jubilee Jackson at 586-722-7253 or 

Jubilee.Jackson@chaldeanfoundation.org. 


CHALDEAN STORY 

We are pleased to present the first installment 

of a new year-long “Chaldean Story” 

series, made possible by a generous grant 

from Michigan Humanities’ Great Michigan 

Stories program. The grant allows us to fully 

explore the stories of Chaldean immigrants 

to Michigan, who have brought with them 

an ancient culture that has been carefully 

and lovingly preserved in story and art. 

Through feature stories, podcasts, and 

events planned for the next 12 months, we 

aim to tell the story of Michigan’s Chaldean 

community, and the contributions they’ve 

made to our state. As of 2023, more than 

160,000 Chaldeans call Michigan home. 

Chaldean 

Cultural 

Roots 

Innovations that 

shaped civilization 

BY SARAH KITTLE 

Where did Chaldean culture start? Chaldeans, 

Assyrians, and Syriacs – whatever 

they call themselves – are the descendants 

of ancient Mesopotamians, with a rich cultural 

history to be proud of. 

Mesopotamia, referred to as the “Cradle of Civilization,” 

was home to some of the earliest complex 

societies in human history. Located in the region of 

the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, it was the birthplace 

of many remarkable advancements that laid the 

foundation for future civilizations. Ancient Chaldean 

history is a part of Mesopotamia; its people 

kicked off a dynasty that would later be known as 

the Neo-Babylonian Empire. 

Most of us are aware that the wheel was invented 

in Sumer sometime in the fourth millennium BC. 

Originally used by potters to help shape clay, the 

invention led to use on carts and battle chariots 

as well as agricultural tools and mechanisms. But 

there are many other “firsts” to celebrate. 

Among the many inventions credited to Mesopotamian 

cultures, most notably the Sumerians, are 

the first written language, first code of law, first urbanization 

in the form of city-states, first astronomical 

calendar, and first numerical system based on 

60 (seconds in a minute, minutes in an hour). They 

also invented the idea of a 24-hour day and the concept 

of zero! 

Through chronicles of entrepreneurship, 

culture, and spirituality, we will tell 

stories of brave deeds, endless resiliency, 

and epic generosity, as remembered by 

those who witnessed these acts. We will 

explore the Chaldean immigrants’ path 

from party stores to boardrooms and will 

share their deep and abiding faith in God 

and their strong commitment to family. 

Everything that we have celebrated for 

nearly two decades will be highlighted in 

this series, which gives us a chance to follow 

the narrative from the beginning—the 

emigration from Iraq, through the journey to 

get here, to the present. We hope you enjoy 

reading it as much as we enjoy writing it. 

Cuneiform Writing 

Arguably the most significant Mesopotamian first 

was the invention of writing. Sometime around midmillennial 

3000 BCE, Sumerians—people of southern 

Mesopotamia whose civilization flourished during 

that era—devised cuneiform script, a complex 

system using wedge-shaped marks. Written on clay 

tablets and initially used for record-keeping, cuneiform 

gradually evolved into a sophisticated writing 

system encompassing literature, mathematics, astronomy, 

and law. 

The hundreds of thousands of texts discovered 

over the years by archeologists include royal 

inscription and treaties as well as everyday bookkeeping. 

Extensive libraries were kept in temples 

and palaces, and King Shulgi of Ur (ruled 2094-2047 

BC) and Ashurbanipal of Assyria (ruled 668-627 BC) 

each made the claim to be able to read and write ancient 

cuneiform. Aramaic became intertwined with 

Akkadian during the reign of the Assyrian empire, 

and by the time Ashurbanipal was king, Aramaic 

spread throughout the Assyrian empire. 

The invention of written language not only 

transformed communication but also paved the way 

for the transmission and preservation of knowledge 

across generations. It was a pivotal moment in human 

history; cuneiform became the precursor to all 

subsequent writing systems. 

Code of Law 

Mesopotamia introduced the world to the concept 

of law and established legal systems. They also 

witnessed the earliest known legal code, known as 

the Code of Hammurabi. Created by the Babylonian 

king Hammurabi around 1754 BCE, this comprehensive 

set of laws covered various aspects of life, including 

commerce, family, and property rights. 

Hammurabi expanded the city-state of Babylon 


along the Euphrates River to unite all of southern 

Mesopotamia. The Hammurabi code of laws, a collection 

of 282 rules, established standards for commercial 

interactions and set fines and punishments 

to meet the requirements of justice. 

Hammurabi’s Code, which established the principle 

of “an eye for an eye,” was carved onto a massive, 

black stone stele (pillar). It laid the groundwork 

for subsequent legal systems, marking a significant 

milestone in the development of legal justice. 

Mathematics & Astronomy 

Mesopotamians were pioneers in mathematics and 

astronomy, making numerous groundbreaking 

contributions in these fields. They were the first to 

develop a numerical system based on sixty, one we 

still use today to count units of time. They also developed 

advanced arithmetic techniques including 

multiplication, division, and the concept of zero. 

These mathematical advancements enabled accurate 

astronomical calculations and played a vital 

role in various aspects of daily life. Mesopotamian 

astronomers mapped the stars, observed celestial 

bodies, and created the first known astronomical 

calendars. 

Trade & Commerce 

Mesopotamians were pioneers in long distance 

trade and commerce. They established extensive 

trade routes and connected not only with Egypt 

but regions as far away as the Indus Valley. Regular 

trade made it possible to plan purchases ahead and 

develop relationships with vendors. 

Their use of the clay tablet for record-keeping 

along with standardizing weights and measures 

made commercial transactions possible and laid the 

groundwork for a global trading system. 

City-States 

Another of Mesopotamia’s most noteworthy achievements 

was the development of the city-state system. 

Around 3000 BCE, city-states such as Uruk, Ur, and 

Lagash emerged, each with their own centralized 

government and complex administrative structures. 

By 3000 BC, Uruk was a walled city of over two 

square miles with about 1,000 inhabitants. These 

early city-states represented the first instances of 

urbanization, where dense populations settled in 

a central location, establishing the groundwork for 

future urban planning. 

Centralized Planning 

Mesopotamia’s cities were marvels of urban planning 

and engineering. They constructed monumental 

structures, such as ziggurats and temples, which 

served as religious and administrative centers. Ur, 

Babylon, and Nineveh were imperial capitals known 

throughout the ancient world. 

Centers of innovation and learning, these cities 

were where priests trained, poems and tales were 

studied and copied, laws were created, international 

treaties agreed upon, and financial contracts 

signed. When Alexander the Great conquered 

Mesopotamia in 331 BC, Babylon was considered 

the most spectacular of all cities. 

Art & Architecture 

Architecture on a grand scale is generally credited 

to have begun under the Sumerians, with 

religious structures dating back to 3400 B.C. The 

buildings are noted for their arched doorways and 

flat roofs. 

The society’s technical sophistication is evidenced 

in elaborate construction, such as terra 

cotta ornamentation with bronze accents, complicated 

mosaics, imposing brick columns and 

sophisticated mural paintings. Sculpture was 

used mainly to adorn temples. Facing a scarcity 

of stone, Sumerians made leaps in metal-casting 

for their sculpture work, though relief carving in 

stone was a popular art form. 

Ziggurats began to appear around 2200 B.C. 

These impressive pyramid-like, stepped temples, 

which were either square or rectangular, stood 

nearly two hundred feet high and featured no inner 

chambers. Ziggurats often featured sloping 

sides and terraces with gardens. 

The ‘hanging gardens’ were built in Nineveh 

by the Assyrian king Sennacherib. Scholars today 

have largely abandoned the idea of the Babylon gardens, 

which are attributed to errors made by Greek 

historians. 

Sennacherib also built an aqueduct from the 

mountains north of Assyria to transport water into 

the growing city of Nineveh. The engineering feat 

was so spectacular that it can still be seen through 

Google Earth. 

First Royalty 

Sumerians introduced us to the concept of royalty 

and declared that the king (literally “great man”) 

was descended from Heaven. The ruler’s primary 

obligation was to lead in battle, please the gods 

through temple building and offerings, maintain 

city walls and irrigation canals, and enforce justice. 

Sumerians were organized as a patchwork of 

city-states until Sargon of Akkad established the 

first true and lasting empire, one that all future 

Mesopotamian kings would emulate. The strongest 

dynasties, those of Ur, the Babylonian kings Hammurabi 

and Nebuchadnezzar II, and the kings of Assyria 

saw invasions from the Iranian highlands and 

tribal nomads from the northwest, but these invaders 

for the most part adopted and sustained Mesopotamian 

culture. 

Tablet with 

a Bilingual 

Dictionary from 

King Ashurbanipal’s 

Library, Neo-Assyrian 

period, 668–627 BC, terracotta. Musée du Louvre, 

Department of Near Eastern Antiquities, Paris. 

Agriculture 

Mesopotamians developed sophisticated irrigation 

systems, including canals and levees, to control 

and distribute water for agriculture. These achievements 

in urban planning and infrastructure laid 

the foundation for future city development and resource 

management. 

Mesopotamians pioneered innovative agricultural 

techniques to sustain their growing population. 

They utilized irrigation systems to control the 

flow of water, improving crop yields and supporting 

surplus food production. They also introduced the 

use of the plow, enhancing agricultural efficiency. 

These advancements in agriculture allowed for the 

establishment of larger settlements and facilitated 

the growth of complex societies. 

Legacy Left 

In his 1988 book History Begins at Sumer, author 

Samuel Noah Kramer identifies 39 “firsts” that 

originated with the Sumerians, including the first 

schools, first Great Flood story, first heroic epic story, 

first historian, first library catalog, first aquarium, 

and first lullaby. 

Visionaries and trailblazers who left an indelible 

mark on human civilization through their pioneering 

achievements, Mesopotamians influenced current 

culture to a remarkable degree. By pushing the 

boundaries of human knowledge and ingenuity, the 

Mesopotamians created a legacy that will continue 

to endure. 

Today, the descendants of ancient Mesopotamians 

— Chaldeans, or Assyrians or Syriacs — take 

pride in their heritage both in their native homeland 

and throughout the world, where they have been 

forced to disperse due to persecution. 

PHOTO © MUSÉE DU LOUVRE, DIST. RMN-GRAND PALAIS. 


FEATURE 

least 20 minutes a day or to draw a 

picture of a fun summer memory. Depending 

on their maturity level, give 

them the freedom to use that space 

responsibly without you – after setting 

expectations, of course. Kids will 

have better focus and thus produce 

higher-quality work. Sometimes the 

best thing for our kids is when we get 

out of their way. 

Getting Back into 

the School Mindset 

BY CRYSTAL KASSAB JABIRO 

It’s August, and soon the summer 

will slowly come to a sad surrender 

and the hustle and bustle of 

school will be upon us. Pick-ups and 

drop-offs, packing snacks and school 

lunches, buying clothes and shoes and 

school supplies, and of course, homework 

and extracurriculars. It is a full 

plate for moms and dads and kids everywhere! 

For some parents, getting back into 

school-mode is a daunting task – the 

time, the cost, the energy (the khilek) 

that is needed! For others, it is delightful, 

and the first day cannot come fast 

enough – they need those kids (and 

their fingerprints) out of the house! 

No matter what kind of parent you are, 

YOU are your kids’ main teacher, and 

it is important for you to positively set 

the tone for the new school year. 

This will be my 22nd year teaching 

tweens and teens, and I have learned 

many valuable lessons along the way, 

especially through my most important 

job — being a mom to two wonderful 

teenagers. Below are my top 5 research-based 

tips on getting back into 

the school mindset. 

Reestablish Routines 

The dog days of summer might make 

us carefree and even a little lazy and 

out of our habits, but to make your 

lives easier, you must go back to routines 

or establish new ones at least 

two weeks before school starts. That 

means bedtimes, wake-up times, and 

mealtimes need to be consistent. 

Decide on a bedtime or give a time 

range that your kids need to be in bed 

by and have them practice “waking 

up” for school, even if you are not going 

anywhere. Their bodies need to get 

used to the time change, and the more 

prepared they are, the less morning 

struggles your home will have. 

The usual rush in the morning 

means a quick and simple breakfast 

before the bus arrives, so restart that. 

You can also serve lunch between 11 

and noon, a common time in schools, 

and if you haven’t already, start eating 

dinner at a consistent and agreedupon 

hour that works for your family. 

Research shows that children with 

consistent routines have strong social/ 

emotional health; it is up to you as the 

parents to reinforce those routines. 

Set Expectations 

Parents, we must go back to being 

strict. Not in a draconian way, but in 

a manner that is clear-cut to our children. 

Just as teachers set expectations 

in a classroom, so must we in our 

households. Have a family discussion 

about everything, like getting homework 

and chores done, social media, 

how much caffeine they can have, 

going out, and curfews. When you believe 

it is age-appropriate, talk to your 

kids about sex and drugs and alcohol. 

Talk about everything! 

When your kids ask why you have 

these rules, tell them they are not 

rules, but expectations, as in, “I expect 

your homework to be done before 

dinner,” or, “I expect you will be home 

by 10 pm,” or even more all-encompassing, 

“I expect you to approach us 

about your problems and not turn to 

dangerous habits.” 

Talk about goals along with what 

went well last school year and what 

they would like to improve upon this 

year. Include those new goals in your 

expectations. When you involve your 

kids in the decision-making, they will 

strive to meet those expectations, and 

when you are consistent, it will help 

with behavior and discipline, which 

ultimately leads to positive effects in 

academic achievement. 

Set Up a Study Area 

Create a space for your kids to do homework, 

study, read, or complete projects, 

making sure that it is well-lit and 

away from distractions. Keep the space 

stocked with paper, pencils, markers, 

crayons, glue, tape, scissors, and any 

other school/office necessities. 

Before school starts, encourage 

them to use that space to read for at 

Every Moment is a 

Teachable Moment 

Any and everything can be a lesson! 

Don’t worry, if you have not been doing 

this all summer, you can start now. 

You could take your kids to the Detroit 

Zoo to learn about animals and their 

habitats or to the Chaldean Cultural 

Center to learn about our history. 

The grocery store is a very easy 

place to teach reading, math, science, 

and even geography. Ask your kids to 

read the signs and help them sound out 

words, and then tell them to look for 

something on your grocery list. They 

can help you figure out how much three 

pounds of cucumbers will be. They can 

do a scavenger hunt to learn on their 

own, like about the volcanic soil of San 

Marzano tomatoes or why Michigan is 

the cherry capital of the world. 

They can also glean lessons in 

manners, like saying “thank you” to an 

employee or returning the grocery cart 

to the corral in the parking lot. These 

sorts of exercises help to combat learning 

loss when kids are out of school, 

also referred to as the “summer slide.” 

Practice Run 

Some kids, especially little ones or 

those going to a new school, get anxious 

before school starts, so it would 

be a good idea to take them there to 

familiarize them with it. Show them 

their classroom(s), as well as the office, 

cafeteria, gym, and bathrooms. 

Older kids will have lockers, so you 

can help them practice, especially if 

it is their first time having one. Some 

schools will do meet-and-greets, and 

even if there is no formal one, you 

might find the teacher there preparing 

his or her classroom. They are almost 

always happy to chat. 

With some practice before school 

starts, we can calm those first day 

jitters – for our kids and for us too – 

and help set them up for a successful 

school year. 


CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 

Educational programs 

Registration open. 

Please call for an appointment. 

All Nationalities Welcome! 

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE 

GED (HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DEGREE) 

Provides individuals English 

instruction at basic/beginner and 

intermediate/advanced levels 

Small group instruction for 

individuals working towards 

their GED 

LITTLE SCHOLARS PRESCHOOL 

CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION 

Prepares children for kindergarten 

through a variety of emergent 

literacy, early learning and 

development opportunities 

Offers instruction and training for 

successful completion of the U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(USCIS) Naturalization interview 

We can’t wait to see you! 

Want to learn more? Please contact Rachel Rose at 

Rachel.rose@chaldeanfoundation.org or call (586) 722-7253 


FEATURE 

Beyond Borders 

Reflections from a Transformative Iraq Mission Trip 

BY DR. RENA DAIZA 

“ 

The fruit of love is service, 

which is compassion in action.” 

Mother Teresa’s words 

echoed in our hearts as we embarked 

on a remarkable medical mission to 

Iraq in June 2023. With a team of nine 

dedicated healthcare professionals 

and two aspiring medical students, 

we traveled to a land that held both 

ancestral roots and a need for medical 

assistance. What unfolded was an 

emotional and impactful experience 

that left a lasting impression on us. 

As our team geared up for the journey, 

I felt a deep sense of humility to 

have been entrusted with leading this 

diverse and dedicated group. It was 

an honor that carried with it an air of 

responsibility and a desire to ensure 

that our mission would leave a lasting 

impression. With half of our team 

consisting of American-born members 

who were unfamiliar with Iraq’s 

current state, we trekked into the unknown 

with unwavering enthusiasm, 

ready to lend our skills and support. 

Personally, this mission offered a 

unique opportunity to connect with 

my family’s homeland–a place I never 

thought I would have the chance to 

visit due to its war-torn history. Setting 

foot inside the same church where 

previous generations had exchanged 

vows evoked a deep sense of connection 

to my roots. It became evident that 

this journey encompassed more than 

healthcare; it also forged personal and 

cultural bonds, bridging gaps formed 

by years of separation and turmoil. 

The impact of those turbulent years 

was palpable as we ventured to villages 

located just north of Mosul, including 

Tel Keppe where my family is from. 

These areas were captured by ISIS during 

their invasion in 2014. As we made 

our way toward Tel Keppe, we couldn’t 

help but notice the presence of damaged 

buildings, scarred with bullet 

holes that had never been repaired. 

Once bustling with our Chaldean 

families, these places looked completely 

desolate. Walking through the 

remnants of our churches, witnessing 

their destruction, stirred deep emotions 

within us. Closing our eyes, we 

could almost envision the marble 

walls that once shimmered during 

Sunday masses. The sight of religious 

relics used as targets for ISIS fighters 

was a reminder of the atrocities endured. 

Despite the emotional intensity, 

this visit held immense significance 

for our entire team. 

The final village we encountered 

on our journey back to the city was 

Alqosh, a village spared by the horrors 

of ISIS. Although I had never set foot 

there before, it immediately evoked 

a sense of familiarity and a feeling of 

home. We made a special visit to an 

all-girls orphanage in Alqosh. 

Our time with these angels proved 

to be as enriching for our team as it 

was for the girls themselves. Laughter 

filled the air as we shared stories and 

formed connections. Taking on the 

Dr. Rena Daiza discussing urgent 

health issues in Iraq with the 

Minister of Health of Kurdistan 

Region of Iraq, Dr. Saman Barzangy. 

role of health educators, we shared 

valuable knowledge on the importance 

of proper dental care, making 

healthy food choices, and safeguarding 

their mental well-being. This experience 

served as a genuine bond that 

we will cherish forever. 

Many of our days were dedicated 

to visiting local hospitals and clinics, 

some of which were established 

to address the needs of those disproportionately 

affected by the atrocities 

committed by ISIS, including minority 

Christians and Yazidis. Among them, a 

particular clinic in Duhok made a profound 

impact. 

This clinic specifically focused on 

providing support to Yazidi women 

who endured unimaginable suffering 

at the hands of ISIS. These women 

faced immense challenges in readjusting 

to life after their captivity, with 

Mission team after a productive 

meeting with Ano Abdoka, Minister 

of Transportation and Communications 

of Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

some expressing a preference for the 

life they had with their captors rather 

than risk being rejected by society. The 

clinic emerged as a sanctuary, providing 

a safe haven for these courageous 

survivors to reclaim a sense of normalcy 

and heal from their traumatic 

experiences. 

Our mission extended beyond medical 

care as we engaged with religious 

leaders, government officials, and 

health ministers to address healthcare 

needs in Iraq. These discussions paved 

the way for future medical missions as 

we explored potential collaborations 

and partnerships. 

We also seized the opportunity to 

visit medical schools and universities, 

initiating a medical student exchange 

program between the United States 

and Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Through 

this program, we aim to enhance medical 

education on both ends, fostering 

cross-cultural understanding and nurturing 

the next generation of healthcare 

professionals. 

Despite its reputation for conflict, 

Iraq unfolded as a stunning country 

that captivated us with its natural 

beauty and embraced us with the genuine 

warmth of its people. The Kurdistan 

region in particular left a lasting 

impression. 

We discovered a developed area 

where we felt safe and secure, surrounded 

by vibrant markets, stunning 

mountains, and cascading waterfalls 

that showcased Iraq’s natural splendor. 

However, what truly made our 

journey unforgettable was the genuine 

kindness and hospitality of the locals. 

Their belief in bridging cultural divides 

was inspirational, fostering an 

environment where genuine connections 

could flourish. 

Our medical mission to Iraq was 

a journey of compassion, connection, 

and hope. The trip was more impactful 

than I could have imagined. From 

visiting clinics to creating a bridge between 

students across the globe, our 

efforts sought to pave the way to these 

connections and encourage others to 

venture to places unknown. We left 

with hope, inspiring others to visit this 

beautiful place and give back to their 

communities. For in the fruit of love, 

we find service, and through service, 

we discover the true essence of compassion 

that transcends borders and 

unites us all. 


PROJECT 

LIGHT 

THERAPY SERVICES 

Therapy can be a big step toward being the healthiest 

version of yourself and living the best life possible—our 

professional therapists are here for you to access. 

Through therapy, you can change self-destructive 

behaviors and habits, resolve painful feelings, 

improve your relationships, and share your feelings 

and experiences. Individuals often seek therapy for help 

with issues that may be hard to face alone. 

In therapy your therapist will help you to establish person 

centered goals and determine the steps you will take to 

reach those goals. Your relationship with your therapist 

is confidential and our common therapeutic goal for those 

we engage is to inspire healthy change to improve quality 

of life — no matter the challenge. 

We invite you seek out the Light of Project Light! Serving 

individuals ages 13 years and up. Please call to request a 

Project Light Intake at (586) 722-7253. 

For Your Best Health. 

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY: The CCF and Project Light is committed to your privacy and confidentiality and are sensitive to the stigma and stress that come with seeking 

mental health support. Therefore, all counseling records are kept strictly confidential. Information is not shared without client’s written consent. Exceptions to confidentiality are 

rare and include persons who threaten safety of themselves others or in circumstances of a court order. 

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3601 15 MILE ROAD, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 | (586) 722-7253 


FEATURE 

On Martyrs Day 

Remembering Seyfo 

BY CHRIS SALEM 

Imagine attending a wedding a century 

ago with hundreds of friends 

and family at a community banquet 

hall like Shenandoah. Everyone 

was enjoying themselves and then 

suddenly, invaders showed up. They 

were not coming to rob or steal; they 

were coming to eradicate you and your 

people with a darkness that knew no 

bounds. They started by disarming 

any potentially armed men, rounding 

them all up, and murdering them in 

front of their wives, mothers, children, 

and the entire extended family. In this 

horror story, once every adult male was 

sprayed with dozens of bullets, 

no one remained to protect the 

hundreds of horrified widows 

and daughters from the invaders 

who committed unspeakable, 

gender-specific crimes 

against them. 

This story is not fictional — 

it is your history. It began with 

the Seyfo Genocide between 

1914 – 1925 and peaked with 

the Semele [Simele] Massacre 

in 1933, exactly 90 years ago. 

If you ever wondered what our 

community was doing during 

World War I and the Great Depression, 

this was it. 

Age was not a factor in these 

crimes. Little girls and elderly women 

were not immune from assaults on 

their dignity. After the invaders attacked, 

they disposed of the women in 

the same way they did the men. Some 

committed suicide rather than being 

held captive. Some were given the 

option to be promoted to the second, 

third, or fourth wife of their assailant, 

but under strict conditions requiring 

conversion. Other women were kidnapped, 

transported, and sold to the 

highest bidder. 

After watching their mothers and 

sisters get violated, and their fathers 

and brothers get shot, any children 

who were old enough to remember 

what they witnessed also got shot. 

The invaders could not risk vengeful 

8-year-olds growing up with fire in 

their hearts, plotting their demise. The 

loose ends were tied up. 

The youngest, too young to remember 

such horrors, were torn from 

their roots and raised to become like 

the very monsters who deleted their 

family’s existence and reshaped their 

lives. Not every child shared this fate. 

Many of them were turned into targets 

for sport. 

This is what happened during the 

Semele Massacre in 1933. Many of the 

victims had fled what later became 

Turkey after the Seyfo Genocide and 

eventually settled in Semele, Iraq. 

Semele is about 40 miles away from 

Tel Keppe, and about 25 miles from 

Alqosh. The genocide in Turkey was 

perpetrated by the Ottoman government, 

Turkish irregulars, Kurdish militants, 

Circassians, Arabs, and Azeris, 

Persians, while the atrocity in Semele 

was a state sponsored massacre by the 

Iraqi Government and Kurdish militants. 

An estimated 6,000 Christians 

were killed and over 100 villages 

were destroyed over a period of several 

days. in a single day. Those who 

remained fled to Alqosh, where they 

were protected by their heavily armed 

brethren, according to a documentary 

by Wilson Sarkis. 

August 7 is the 90-year anniversary 

of the Semele Massacre, which 

is also known as Martyr’s Day. In a 

groundbreaking move, the U.S. House 

of Representatives has introduced a 

resolution—H. RES. 472— to formally 

recognize and remember the Semele 

Massacre of 1933. This resolution seeks 

to rectify the historical injustice faced 

by our community, rejects any attempt 

to deny the massacre, and emphasizes 

the need for public education about 

the incident. 

When the invaders successfully exterminated 

3/4 of our population during 

WWI, it was because of division. 

Division led to the fall of our ancient 

empire and led to the Seyfo Genocide 

Yousef VI Emmanuel II Thomas, patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church from 1900 until his 

death in 1947. General Petros Elia, head negotiator for the Assyrian nation between 1919 and 

1923. Madame Habiba, matron of the military hospital who was featured in Shall This Nation Die? 

in World War I. Division also led to the 

Semele Massacre. In a book detailing 

an account of the massacre of Christians 

by the Turks in Persia, author Yonan 

Shahbaz wrote the following: 

“The Mohammedans were, of 

course, pleased to see the Christians 

fighting one another. In the towns the 

latter were always at variance; each 

sect claimed that the others had no 

right to be there, and they opposed 

one another with great animosity. 

Each despised the other, very often on 

the mere ground that one had been the 

longer in the country. These bitter and 

outrageous feelings have been held 

for years, many years. The complaints 

were transmitted from one generation 

to the next.” 

Within the last few hundred years, 

divisive church politics weakened a 

nation one race of people into multiple 

competing churches, and we lost 

hundreds of thousands as a result. 

They died in the cruelest ways for 

their Christianity and their way of life, 

culture, and heritage. Our Church is 

known as the “Church of Martyrs” for 

that reason. 

Some, fortunately, lived to tell the 

story. One of those people was Chaldean 

Reverend Joseph Naayem, who 

published a book in 1921 called “Shall 

This Nation Die?”. Without people like 

him, we wouldn’t even know the massacre 

happened in the first place. All the 

screams, horror, blood, and destruction 

would have simply vanished into the 

dark abyss of oblivion. In fact, the Turkish 

government publicly denies this ever 

happened, like they do with the Armenian 

Genocide, which happened in the 

same place at the same time. 

Some estimates report losses of up 

to 300,000 people, while others 

are as high as 750,000. 

Imagine all the relationships 

that were lost, the wealth 

that was burned, and the traditions 

that are now stored deep 

in the vastness of obscurity. 

We’ll never fully know what we 

lost. Millions of lives, possibilities, 

and dreams vanished into 

the void of the past, leaving 

only shadows of what might 

have been. This is our history, 

and history repeats itself. ISIS 

rose in 2014. Now, our people 

are barely hanging on by a 

thread in the homeland. 

The Jews spare no detail when they 

discuss the holocaust. Neither do the 

Armenians when they talk about their 

genocide, or African Americans when 

they talk about slavery. If our ancestors 

went through all of that, the least 

we can do is read and know about it. 

We were at a crossroads in 2014; 

face extinction or do something about 

it. Now that we have finally settled in 

the West, transformed ourselves entirely, 

and achieved financial success, 

we can finally do something about it. 

Several nonprofit organizations exist 

for this exact purpose, like the Chaldean 

Community Foundation, Assyrian 

Aid Society, Help Iraq, Etuti Institute, 

and Nineveh Rising. Find the one 

you resonate with and make a difference 

so that this history never again 

repeats itself. 


ARE 

YOU 

HIRING? 

JOIN US 

2ND ANNUAL 

COMMUNITY 

JOB FAIR 

Wednesday, September, 27, 2023 3:00 P. M . -6:00 P. M . 

The Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) invites you to participate in our 2nd Annual 

Community Job Fair 2023. Our job fair will enable you, the employer, to meet and 

conduct on-the-spot interviews with New Americans and the greater community. It is an 

excellent opportunity to promote open positions and network with other businesses and 

organizations. We look forward to seeing you! 

Please register by scaning the 

QR code below. 

Employers will receive: 

• Table and two chairs for setup. 

• Light refreshments and snacks. 

* Space is limited. Registration is available on a first come, 

first served basis. 

$150 Registration fee 

For more info contact Elias at Elias.Kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org or call 586-722-7253. 


Wireless Vision Gymnasium 

3601 15 Mile Rd. 

Sterling Heights, MI, 48310 


ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE 

Christina Roki: 

Motor City’s Media Maven 

BY CAL ABBO 

When Christina Roki’s family 

car broke down, they 

couldn’t afford a mechanic 

to look it over. Her family lived paycheck 

to paycheck, and with three 

children, there was little money to 

spare. Most would turn to a family 

member for help or take out a shortterm 

loan. But Christina had a rare and 

enterprising thought: What if she tried 

to fix it herself? 

The rest, as they say, is history. 

Since the incidents with her parents’ 

car, Christina leveraged her 

knowledge and social savvy to find 

extraordinary success on social media 

in the niche market of automotive 

engineering and aesthetics, amassing 

more than three million followers on 

TikTok and 265,000 on Instagram. Her 

videos, which she posts several times 

per week, attract viewers in the hundreds 

of thousands. These numbers 

put her in the top echelon of automotive 

social media creators, and she 

is certainly one of the most popular 

Chaldean influencers in the world. 

There is, however, a hitch in the 

narrative. Christina failed, many times, 

at fixing the vehicle. The key differences 

between her story and others are 

persistence, diligence, and the relentless 

desire to help her own family. 

A Mechanic’s Metamorphosis 

The journey was neither straightforward 

nor simple. As a young, firstgeneration 

American woman, Christina 

has a unique position in the automotive 

influencer category. She’s learned 

a lot about the cutthroat and saturated 

industry, and with few female influencers 

to draw inspiration from, she has 

forged her own path out of necessity. 

Christina’s mother was born in Zakho, 

a mid-sized city located about as far 

north as Iraq extends. Her family fled 

just before the Iran-Iraq war began in 

1980. According to Christina, her mother 

and her family walked all the way to 

the border to seek refuge in Turkey. 

From there, her family applied for 

refugee status. Unfortunately, different 

people were accepted in different 

parts of the world. This is common for 

refugees and contributes to the reality 

of the Chaldean diaspora. Some of 

her family went to Europe, and some 

to Canada. Christina’s mother eventually 

married a Chaldean man in Detroit 

and gave birth to three daughters, including 

Christina, who was born on 

Christmas Day in the year 2000. 

When Christina was about 5 years 

old, her mother and the three kids 

moved back to Canada, where she 

has several cousins. Once she was in 

middle school, they moved back to the 

Detroit area. 

Growing up, Christina joked that 

she was the boy in the family. While 

she got along well with her sisters and 

performed the same household chores 

as they did, she grew to like things that 

are often seen as traditionally masculine—cars, 

engineering, and computer 

science. When the famous car 

breakdowns began to occur, Christina 

educated herself on car mechanics 

by searching the issues on YouTube. 

In these moments, history was made, 

and the echoes of her first clanking 

can be heard by millions around the 

world who watch her videos. 

Christina faced harsh backlash 

from her father for her attempts to fix 

the family car. “You can’t do it,” her father 

said, according to Christina. “Why 

are you even opening the hood?” 

“I won’t lie, I started crying,” Christina 

said. “It’s just that doubt, constant 

doubt from your own support system. 

It filled me with anger, confusion, 

and I questioned my own abilities. 

You have to brush it off, even when it 

comes from your own father, that you 

can’t do it because you’re a girl.” 

She also had to convince her mother 

to let her go to Los Angeles as an 

18-year-old. “It’s hard for them to understand 

social media, TikTok, car engineering, 

and the educational side of 

it,” she said. “Being successful is a big 

part, knowing that I was able to make 

something out of it.” 

Christina constantly refers to her 

parents as “old school.” In the beginning, 

her mother would see her working 

on a project with a boy and immediately 

offer her objections. Christina 

countered that there were no girls to 

work with, but part of her mission was 

to change that. “I told them, this is me 

trying to make that change.” 

While Christina still takes it seriously, 

she said it feels silly thinking 

about it now. “Looking back, it definitely 

drove me to be where I am right 

now and fueled me up,” she added. 

“It’s another variable that helps me 

boost my drive, that keeps me going 

and learning.” Having these doubts 

come from her own family, she said, 

helped her laugh off outlandish social 

media comments which come from 

people she doesn’t even know. 

At Stevenson High School in 

Sterling Heights, Christina met her 

statistics and calculus teacher, Mr. 

Carpenter. “He was one of my biggest 

mentors. He told me about tons 

of opportunities and scholarships,” 

she said, emphasizing his exceptional 

ability to instruct each individual student 

rather than teaching an average 

class. He also encouraged her to join 

the robotics team to further explore 

her passion for computer science. 

Robotics introduced her to the 

world of computer science and engineering 

in an official and educational 

setting. She fell in love with the field 

and decided to make it into a career. 

This experience also gave her the confidence 

to work with groups of boys in a 

traditionally male-dominated field, an 

ROKI continued on page 36 


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Breaking Barriers provides services and advocacy to those with developmental and/or intellectual 

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helps better equip those with visual impairments to live independent lives. 

H.E.A.L. (HARD OF HEARING, ESL, AMERICAN SIGN 

LANGUAGE, LIFE SKILLS) PROJECT – helps better equip those with 

hearing impairments to live independent lives. 

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BINGOCIZE- Older adults meet and enjoy group Bingo and light exercise to 

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ROKI continued from page 34 

asset she’s carried with her ever since. 

Even before she graduated high 

school, Christina started a program for 

women in STEM. “The robotics team 

in high school is there so we can learn 

and make mistakes,” she said. “I wanted 

to create something like that but 

less competitive.” Thus, Christina’s 

automotive STEM camp for women, 

Project 102, was born. 

The annual camp accepts 20 female 

high school students who are 

interested in STEM and the automotive 

industry and leads them through 

a five-day program of workshops, lectures, 

and hands-on installation of vehicle 

modifications. 

This year’s iteration of Project 102, 

From Scarcity to Stardom 

During her childhood, Christina’s parents 

didn’t speak much English, and they 

had an especially difficult time reading 

and interpreting mail. This gap was filled 

by her and her sisters, who would help 

translate documents and bills. 

“I was constantly trying to make 

ends meet with my parents’ bills,” 

Christina said. Often, she couldn’t afford 

to participate in class field trips because 

of costs, and she never had stylish, 

new clothes to wear in school. “But 

I never blamed my parents,” she added. 

According to Christina, her mother 

worked two or three jobs at a time, and 

her sisters would help whenever they 

could. At times, this meant applying for 

food stamps or healthcare, or filing taxes, 

and helping around the house. “My 

work for one of the big three as a data 

analyst on performance vehicles. Although 

the path is less clear now, she 

has only expanded her options. 

“I had a lot of doubts, but I’ve always 

been a big risk-taker,” Christina 

said. “I wanted to not take the average 

path. I have goals bigger than I could 

achieve by taking an average path. If I 

just went with the flow, it wouldn’t get 

me where I need to go.” 

Christina sees herself as a force 

for inspiration in her community. She 

shared one of her mottos, which she 

learned in Chaldean and translated 

into English. “Keep your head down 

and walk.” 

She interprets this saying as a way 

to stay humble and focus on your own 

path. Have your ups and downs but 

going to school now,” she said. “I’m 

just here to inspire and be inspired.” 

In the beginning, Christina filtered 

her content so that she only showed 

successes. She avoided telling her audience 

about problems she encountered 

or mistakes she made. Soon, she 

realized she was putting on a face that 

was unnecessary; it’s okay to make 

mistakes and break things. In fact, 

that’s how others learn from you. She 

found a lot of media success and more 

satisfaction after this stylistic switch. 

Christina also shares a YouTube 

channel with her boyfriend of more 

than five years, Grant Sloan. Together, 

they post vlogs of themselves buying, 

building, and modifying cars. While 

this content is not as lucrative or attention-grabbing 

as short-form videos, 

From left: A post on Christina’s social media account; young women at a workshop taught by Christina; the influencer in Japan with Nissan. 

which concluded in March, was featured 

as a photo essay in the Detroit 

Free Press. Sarahbeth Maney, a photojournalist 

for the Free Press, showcased 

the project to the metro Detroit 

community. 

“I want to inspire girls to join maledominated 

fields,” Christina said. “Being 

Chaldean, our families want us to 

be doctors and pharmacists, but I just 

wanted to be an engineer. I wanted to 

introduce it to other students for free 

so they can figure out if it’s a passion 

of theirs. This is something that you 

can’t really do unless someone puts it 

in front of you.” 

Christina tapped into an important 

aspect of the gender disparity in engineering 

and the automotive industry. 

As a general rule, this work is difficult 

to access because of its expensive 

equipment. Many car engineers and 

mechanics end up in the industry after 

learning or being inspired by family or 

friends, and women are not privy to this 

type of knowledge as much as men. 

Christina is trying to fix that, 20 women 

and millions of viewers at a time. 

head was always in the real world.” 

This childhood experience feeds 

Christina’s strong desire to support her 

own family, and bonds them together 

in everlasting connection. “We’re very 

family-dependent,” she said. “My sisters 

and cousins always have my back. 

If my mom had one dollar in her pocket, 

she would give it to us.” 

Christina’s mother tells her daughters 

that she came to this country for 

them, so they could have a better life. 

Christina accepted this love, transformed 

it, and sent it back. She wants 

her mother to have a better life now 

and see something grow out of her 

own arduous journey. 

Christina’s expertise in the automotive 

industry is mostly self-taught, 

however, she is an exceptional student. 

She graduated from Stevenson one 

year early and entered college as a junior 

at the University of Michigan in the 

College of Engineering. She is due to 

graduate this summer, which will give 

her more time to work on her car builds 

and content creation. Before her social 

media accounts blew up, she wanted to 

keep them to yourself. “I have so many 

ideas and things I want to accomplish,” 

she said. “It’s more fulfilling 

if you achieve it on your own, without 

telling anyone your plans.” 

Fast Lane to Fame 

Christina’s content has changed a 

lot since she began. She first learned 

about TikTok from her younger sister, 

who was on the app before it even got 

its name. “She’s always ahead of the 

trend and gives me inspiration and 

ideas,” Christina said. 

Christina also claims to be one of 

the first automotive influencers on Tik- 

Tok. In the beginning, she posted educational 

content like how to change a 

headlight or modify a car. Then, over 

time, it turned into a lifestyle account, 

and she started to involve her family. 

Now, Christina is a shining example 

for female automotive content creators. 

She regularly sees content online 

that is clearly inspired by her own, 

and she couldn’t be prouder. “I get a 

lot of tags and comments, people telling 

me about their cars or that they’re 

Christina enjoys this more because it 

allows her to form a deeper connection 

with her audience. 

One of Christina’s favorite cars is 

one she made for an invitation-only 

drag race created for influencers. She 

swapped a Hellcat Redeye with a Challenger 

RT, which is a complex process 

that involves removing and reinstalling 

the Hellcat’s 6.2-liter, supercharged 

V8 engine in the Challenger, offering 

nearly double the horsepower. The final 

modification, which she decided on 

24 hours before the race began, was to 

wrap the vehicle in rose gold. 

With great power comes great 

responsibility, and with that, great 

fame. When she began, Christina 

would send emails and pitch projects 

to various brands; most were 

not interested. Now, the paradigm 

has flipped, and brands are eager to 

work with her. “One of the tipping 

points was Nissan, which allowed me 

to build a car and put it at the SEMA 

show front and center,” she said. 

For this show, she customized a Nissan 

truck with a wide body, lowered 


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Christina has also worked on 

major projects with Ruffles, Toyota, 

Hypebeast, and 7-Eleven. She just 

revealed her newest car build which 

features a custom Slurpee design inspired 

by the world-famous convenience 

store. 

Earlier this year, Christina was invited 

to the world premiere of Fast X, 

the latest hit movie in the Fast & Furious 

series, in Rome, Italy. There, she 

met some celebrities, including John 

Cena and her favorite cast member, 

Jordana Brewster, who plays Mia Toretto 

in the movies. 

“I love bringing my family along 

on all of these journeys,” she said. “I 

brought my cousins from Canada and 

Belgium and my little sister. That’s 

what makes my day. I don’t like enjoying 

this stuff all by myself. I want 

my family to share these experiences, 

too.” 

Christina has enjoyed her fair 

share of fame from fans, too. In one 

instance, she went to a car festival in 

Arizona where one of her fans drove 

all the way from Texas to meet Christina 

and show off her own inspired 

build. “I spent pretty much the whole 

day with her,” Christina said. “She 

started watching me from my very 

first videos. It was a whole different 

level of connection that makes me 

want to keep going. I’m here to represent 

the female automotive community. 

This is only the start of it.” 

Christina believes that brands 

play a vital role in breaking down 

the gender gap in the industry, and 

not just in her case. When large companies 

sponsor Christina’s projects, 

it shows other women that there are 

real opportunities out there, and it 

helps to grow her female audience. 

“Institutions and communities 

and smaller groups are paving the 

path for the future, and it can start a 

chain reaction,” Christina said, referencing 

her experience with the robotics 

team. “That’s why it’s important to 

keep my program going.” 

Christina advises her followers to 

stick with their goals and plans and 

avoid getting down after a few rejections. 

Even the most successful stories 

are full of dismissals and unanswered 

emails in the beginning. She 

told a story of her application for a 


scholarship almost five years ago. She 

was denied, and she admitted it hurt 

her at the time. 

This seemingly small event, which 

undoubtedly put doubt in her mind 

and shot her own confidence, came 

full circle as she recently reconnected 

with the CCF, albeit at a different stage 

in her life and for different reasons. 

This synchronicity reinforced a valuable 

lesson for Christina, one that she 

hopes to instill in others: Keep your 

head down and walk. 


CHALDEAN KITCHEN 

Samira Cholagh’s elevates 

traditional cooked barley 

(Pikota Habbia Kashka) 

into a work of art. 

A Short History 

Barley is an extremely hardy grain and 

has survived over the centuries because 

of its unique design: It has a double 

husk, and the outer husk layer helps to 

make it very resistant to insects. 

First cultivated around 11,000 

years ago, barley was grown in the 

Fertile Crescent, a region with relatively 

abundant water that spans Western 

Asia and the Nile River delta in northeast 

Africa. It was a staple in many 

cultures — including ancient Greek, 

Roman, Egyptian, Chinese and Viking 

civilizations. In ancient Mesopotamia, 

barley was used not just for cooking 

but often served as currency as well. 

Food as Art 

Presentation is central to Samira Cholagh’s take on 

the traditional cooked barley (Pikota Habbia Kashka) 

BY Z.Z. DAWOD 

Although there are a variety of 

ways to prepare Pikota, the ageold 

Chaldean dish, Samira Cholagh’s 

presentation is like nothing you’ve 

ever seen before. With only a handful of 

ingredients, the recipe itself is surprisingly 

simple but the final touch of display 

Samira gives her Pikota is over-thetop 

extraordinary: It’s a work of art. 

Detail-oriented and creative, 

Samira draws on her love for baking 

when putting the final touches on her 

creations. Experimenting with cake 

pans for shaping and molding, the 

results are truly impressive, original 

presentations. 

Barley as a Family Tradition 

Although Samira was born and raised 

in Baghdad, summers were spent visiting 

her mother’s family in Alqosh, 

where farming and animal grazing was 

a way of life. Samira recalls the sheep 

producing the best cheese around; in 

fact, people would travel from afar to 

purchase the cheese. 

Since the 1960s, her uncles in 

Alqosh have operated tahini and barley 

processing factories so, as a child, 

Samira saw first-hand the process barley 

and tahini follow prior to appearing 

in our kitchens. 

PHOTOS BY ALEX LUMELSKY 

Early Experiments in the Kitchen 

Curious about cooking from a very 

young age, Samira would experiment 

with different ingredients. She recalls 

preparing meals at the age of ten, 

while her family took a siesta. If it did 

not turn out, she wouldn’t serve it so, 

“No one ever tasted the ‘wrong’ thing.” 

From a young age, Samira was a perfectionist 

at heart. 

At about the age of eleven, Samira 

remembers a cookbook making its 

way into the family. Following recipes 

was like a puzzle for little Samira, she 

would try it over and over until she got 

it to taste right and look presentable. 

Samira recalls her mother preparing 

traditional dishes for breakfast, lunch 

and dinner but, as far as Samira can remember, 

her mom never baked. The aspiring 

young chef ventured into baking 

by following recipes from the cookbook, 

making her the baking pioneer in the 

family. Being the eldest of her siblings, 

she cherished and treasured what ended 

up being the only cookbook she had for 

many years to come. 

Adjusting to the Western Diet 

As Samira and her husband made 

their way to the United States in the 

early 1980s, her only cookbook made 

the journey as well. When she became 

a mother, she relied on this book to 

make meals for her growing family. 

Having earned a degree in Agricultural 

Engineering from University 

of Baghdad, Samira’s philosophy 

is based on the basic foundation of 

whole ingredients that nourish the 

YouTube Sensation 

With more than 113,000 subscribers, 

14,036,505 views and 669 episodes, 

Samira Cholagh has earned a coveted 

symbol of YouTube success — the 

YouTube Play Button. 

She began sharing her talent for 

baking and cooking on the World 

Wide Web when she launched her 

YouTube Channel in October 2010. At 

669 episodes and counting, Samira 

has no plans to slow down anytime 

soon. From main dishes to soups to 

meat pies to salads to jams to breads, 

if you can think of it, Samira has a 

recipe for it. She enjoys encouraging 

and teaching the next generation all 

about the art of making deliciousness. 

In addition to Samira’s success on 

YouTube, she is also very active on Instagram, 

Facebook and TikTok, where 

she has a wide following. 


ody — such as vegetables, grains, 

meats and fish. 

Samira recalls her kids enjoying 

the traditional home-cooked dishes 

she made daily. But as her kids grew 

older, they became interested in eating 

what their friends were eating. 

Samira quickly realized that the modern 

Western diet is not at all the same 

(or as healthy) as the traditional Eastern 

diet she grew up eating. 

It became Samira’s goal to recreate 

all sorts of dishes for her family, 

and to completely avoid feeding her 

children the unhealthy “fast food” 

meals. Focusing on wholesome ingredients, 

through trial and error, Samira 

figured out how to make a couple of 

favorites such as chicken nuggets and 

hamburger buns for the burgers. 

Cheerleader for Aspiring Chefs 

In addition to cooking for her family, 

Samira has always enjoyed sharing 

her recipes. Friends, family and sometimes 

complete strangers began asking 

for her recipes and instructions. 

Eager to lead, set an example and 

empower, Samira’s approach is to encourage. 

She tells people, “You can do 

this, even if you’ve never cooked before.” 

The more she shared, the more 

inspired she became to keep going. 

Over the years, Samira’s passion 

for cooking, and especially baking, 

grew to the point of boiling over (pun 

intended) and she finally decided to 

put it all into a book. 

Between 1997 and 2011, Samira published 

three cookbooks in Arabic and 

in English. Her first book, Muchtar Min 

Fenoon Al-Dabough, was published in 

Arabic, in 1997. Next, came the Treasured 

Middle Eastern Cookbook, published 

in 1998. Her third book, A Baking 

Journey, was introduced in 2011. 

While raising a family and putting 

together cookbooks, Samira also became 

a regular on TV Orient — the Arabic-speaking 

network on cable television 

— preparing, demonstrating and 

sharing her latest dishes for the Chaldean 

and Arabic speaking community. 

Toward the end of her run with TV 

Orient, Samira moved her platform to 

YouTube, where she has been posting 

since October 2010. Taking charge 

of the production directly has given 

Samira complete creative freedom. It 

is only the latest chapter in her long 

and evolving career. 

RECIPE 

Pikota Habiya Kashka 

Recipe shared by Samira Cholagh 

Ingredients: 

4-5 pounds beef or 

lamb with bones 

3 cups barley 

6 cups water 

1 teaspoon ground turmeric 

1/2 cup oil or butter 

1 large onion, chopped 

salt to taste 

Step 1, Barley: Rinse the barley. Fill 

pot with water, add barley, salt and 

turmeric. Boil until the water has 

evaporated. In a frying pan, heat 1/4 

cup oil, add chopped onions. Cook 

onions until soft, not brown. Add 

onions to cooked barley, mix well. 

As a final step, add remaining 1/4 

cup of oil to pan, heat at high temperature 

then pour into the pot of 

the Pikota. Mix well. 

Step 2, Meat: Select beef or lamb 

with bones for best flavor, any 

choice of cut. Searing the meat in 

oil at a high temperature for a few 

minutes on each side will enhance 

the savory “meat” flavor. Add water 

to the pot, cover and simmer for an 

hour and a half or until tender. 

Step 3, Presentation: To achieve the 

pictured presentation, pack Pikota 

into a round cake/Jello pan or any desired 

shape. Place a flat serving dish 

over filled Jello pan, keeping pressure 

to seal them together and in one quick 

swoop, flip Jello pan over serving dish 

and slowly remove the shaped pan. 

Arrange meat around the Pikota. As 

a side with this dish, fresh tomatoes, 

parsley and cucumbers are served. 


SPORTS 

Terrific 

Tennis Trio 

Meet three Chaldean 

girls who won 

championships 

BY STEVE STEIN 

Raegan Tomina. Kayla Nafso. 

Alana Hindo. Three Chaldean 

girls, three winners of high 

school state championships in tennis 

this past spring. 

Tomina won the No. 2 singles title 

in Division 1 just before she graduated 

from Bloomfield Hills. Nafso and Hindo 

were half of the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles 

state championship teams in Division 4, 

playing for Bloomfield Hills Academy of 

the Sacred Heart. Nafso will be a senior 

and Hindo will be a junior this fall. 

All three girls were named to the 

Michigan High School Tennis Coaches 

Association’s All-State team for their 

division. 

Their tennis journeys include losing 

a season to the COVID-19 pandemic, 

having sisters who also were tennis 

stars at their school, changing spots in 

their team’s lineup, and transferring to 

another school. 

Raegan Tomina 

Tomina, 17, who lives in Bloomfield 

Hills, is moving on to Oakland University 

to pursue a career in nursing. Her 

competitive tennis career is most likely 

over. “I’ve played competitive tennis for 

a long time, and I loved playing tennis in 

high school,” she said. “I’ll miss it a lot, 

but it’s time to move on to new things.” 

Two of the new things are pickleball 

and reading. “I love pickleball; 

It’s my new tennis,” Tomina said. “As 

for reading, I really didn’t like it until a 

couple years ago. But a found a couple 

genres I like, murder mysteries and romance 

novels.” 

After losing her freshman tennis 

season at Bloomfield Hills to the 

pandemic, Tomina won the Division 

1 state championship at No. 2 doubles 

as a sophomore. Her sister Hannah 

won the state title at No. 1 doubles for 

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HINDO FAMILY 

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NAFSO FAMILY 

Bloomfield Hills that year as a senior. 

“I really didn’t want to play doubles 

when I was a sophomore, but 

I ended up loving it,” Raegan said. 

After starting her junior year at No. 1 

doubles, Raegan was moved to No. 2 

singles and lost in the Division 1 state 

quarterfinals. She was at No. 2 singles 

all season this past spring and won another 

state championship. 

Hannah, now 20 and a junior at the 

University of Michigan who also plans 

to be a nurse, won the Division 1 No. 1 

doubles state championship as a sophomore 

and senior, sandwiching a lost 

junior season because of the pandemic. 

Another Tomina sister is ready 

to make her mark on the Bloomfield 

Hills girls tennis team. Sophia, 14, the 

youngest of the sibling trio, will be a 

freshman in high school this fall. 

Kayla Nafso 

Nafso, 17, a Bloomfield Hills resident, 

has played for the No. 1 doubles state 

championship in Division 4 all three 

years of her Sacred Heart career. She 

won with her sister Marisa in 2021 but 

lost with her in 2022. 

Because of graduation losses, it is 

not certain Kayla will be back at No. 

1 doubles for Sacred Heart come next 

spring. She may be needed to play 

singles, probably No. 1. “I don’t love 

singles like I love doubles,” she said. 

“But if my team needs me to play singles, 

I’ll do it.” 

Clockwise from above: State champion Raegan Tomina is surrounded by 

family members (from left) Sophia, Kelly, Hannah and Patrick. 

Alana Hindo won a state championship as a sophomore. 

Kayla Nafso (right) and her doubles partner Jade Horcoff celebrate not only 

their regional championship, but Sacred Heart’s team regional championship 

this past spring. 

It has been a busy summer for 

Kayla, who attended the University of 

Notre Dame’s two-week, “History of 

London as a Global Trading Capital,” 

program last month in England. 

Back home, she’s involved in Focus: 

HOPE’s Food for Seniors program, 

which provides thousands of seniors 

with monthly food packages. 

Alana Hindo 

Hindo, 16, who lives in Commerce Township 

and is active at St. Thomas Chaldean 

Catholic Church in West Bloomfield, has 

left Sacred Heart and is transferring to 

Birmingham Marian because she wants 

to attend a bigger high school. 

Because she’s transferring, she 

can’t play golf or tennis for Marian this 

school year. She said she’d likely resume 

playing one or both sports when 

she’s a senior. 

Hindo played No. 3 singles for Sacred 

Heart as a freshman. She wanted 

to play doubles with close friend and 

practice partner Presley Krywko this 

past spring, and they were given that 

opportunity. “Did I think Presley and I 

could win a state championship?” she 

asked. “I didn’t think it could happen 

at first, but as the season wore on, we 

got more confident,” said Hindo. 

The Scoreboard 

So how did the three girls win their 

state championships in June? 

Tomina, the No. 3 seed at No. 2 

singles in Division 1, defeated two familiar 

foes en route to her state title. 

She beat No. 6 seed Abbey Labate of 

Clarkston 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals 

and No. 4 seed Katie Fu of Rochester 

Adams 7-5, 6-0 in the state championship 

match. Tomina had defeated both 

earlier in the season, including Fu in 

the regional title match. 

Nafso and her partner Jade Horcoff, 

the No. 3 seed, had a tough road to the 

No. 1 doubles state championship in 

Division 4. They had to rally for a 5-7, 

6-3, 6-4 win over No. 2 seed Brooke Tietz 

and Alivia Mott of Grand Rapids West 

Catholic in the semifinals, and they 

turned back No. 1 seed Sophie Chen 

and Lauren Ye of Ann Arbor Greenhills 

7-5, 7-6 (2) in the championship match. 

Hindo and Krywko were the No. 1 

seed at No. 3 doubles. They dropped 

just nine games in three matches before 

their 6-2, 7-6 (3) win over No. 2 

seed Meera Pandey and Meera Tewari 

of Greenhills in the title match. They 

had beaten the Greenhills duo twice 

earlier in the season in close matches. 

Tennis fans will be sad to see this 

trio move on but rest assured, there 

will be others to take their place. 

Bloomfield Hills junior Julia Yousif, 

another young Chaldean, was the No. 

2 seed at No. 3 singles at the Division 1 

state tournament. She advanced to the 

semifinals in the flight. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOMINA FAMILY 


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NEW AMERICANS 

Theoni 

Balasi: 

Finally 

Made It 

BY SUSAN SMITH 

Sometimes the Chaldean Community 

Foundation is the last stop 

on a long string of stops. When 

the last stop offers a welcome in your 

own language and you’re met with 

kindness, those two things can go a 

long way. 

Told by her daughter-in-law, this 

story is about Theoni Balasi’s journey 

to gain U.S. Citizenship at the age of 90. 

Theoni came to the United States 

to live with her son and daughter-inlaw 

Samantha in 2008 after the death 

of her husband. Both families lived in 

Greece, sharing a building and meals, 

and caring for each other. Samantha 

is a teacher here as she was in Greece 

and has always had a strong relationship 

with her mother-in-law Theoni. 

Traveling back and forth between 

Greece and the U.S., Theoni had the 

best of both worlds — visiting with 

family, but with a home in the U.S. and 

aspirations to become a citizen. 

Samantha took all the right steps 

to help Theoni. She obtained and filled 

out the necessary paperwork, coaching 

and preparing her mother-in-law for the 

naturalization interview. After several 

unsuccessful attempts to obtain citizenship 

for Theoni, the pair lost hope. 

A few years later, they stopped by 

a location that no longer offered help 

with becoming a citizen; however, 

this organization pointed them in the 

direction of the Chaldean Community 

Foundation. Samantha and Theoni 

had no idea what to expect; of course, 

that day the lobby was overflowing, 

and extra chairs had been brought out. 

Fluent in English and Greek in a full 

lobby of people speaking Arabic and 

Chaldean, they were concerned that 

once again they would be turned away. 

After finally being seated in front 

of a case worker, the two were introduced 

and greeted in Greek by one of 

Theoni celebrates with an 

official and with family as 

she accepts her citizenship 

certificate. 

CCF’s immigration team. They relaxed, 

and progress began. 

“We were introduced to the immigration 

team, and they reviewed 

each step we took and made us feel 

like family,” said Samantha. “Our experience 

was one of compassion and 

kindness, as my mother-in-law finally 

became a U.S. Citizen. 

“Beyond happiness, we were also 

connected with additional CCF staff and 

received assistance with the applications 

for Medicaid and guardianship,” 

Samantha went on. “That experience 

was easy and again the staff made us 

feel welcomed and like family.” 

For Theoni, receiving her U.S. citizenship 

has been a long time coming. 

Now she can obtain a U.S. passport to 

visit friends and family in Greece without 

having to obtain a visa — that is 

worth celebrating! 

She plans to visit her 86-yearold 

twin sisters who are still living in 

Greece. When receiving her citizenship, 

Theoni summarized it best when 

she shared, “I finally made it.” 

A TTORNEYS & C O UNSELORS AT LAW 



FAMILY TIME 

Fun Ways 

to Beat the 

Heat This 

Summer 

BY VALENE AYAR 

The WoahZone 

at Heron Beach. 

Summer is really heating up! And because we 

have barely been able to go outside earlier this 

summer because of the poor air quality, we 

have to make up for some much-needed splash time. 

Thankfully, though, you don’t have to travel too 

far to engage in some family-fun outdoor activities. 

So many new splash pads and aquatic centers have 

emerged in the last few years; allow me to list a few. 

WhoaZone at Heron Beach 

I decided to start with the most unique and versatile 

place on my list. This attraction was perhaps Oakland 

County’s best-kept secret, but the secret is out 

now. Located on the sandy beach of the Holly Recreation 

Area, you and your family will want for nothing 

where fun and water activities are concerned. For instance, 

the Wibit Aqua Park is a one-of-a-kind floating 

obstacle course for anyone 7 years and older and 

at least 45 inches tall. 

If you have younger children, there is also the 

Wibit KidsZone for children ages 4-6 and under 45 

inches tall; this is the perfect miniature version of the 

Wibit Aqua Park. 

These obstacle courses are just a few things you and 

your family can enjoy. There are also watercraft rentals 

for kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. WhoaZone also 

Kensington 

MetroPark’s 

Splash N Blast 

attraction. 

offers shaded seating rentals, SnackZone concessions, 

and a beach store. If your interests are simpler, you can 

always enjoy a nice dip in the cool, refreshing lake. For 

more information, visit whoa.zone/holly. 

Troy Family Aquatic Center 

With both indoor and outdoor pool activities, you 

have so many options if you decide to spend a day 

here. Located at 3424 Civic Center Drive, the Troy 

Family Aquatic Center is the ideal place to cool off 

this summer. 

Their outdoor aquatic center has a main pool 

with a zero-depth edge, tube and body slides, a kiddie 

area with a waterfall, kiddie slide and splash pad, 

sand volleyball and sand play area, along with concession 

stand. And these are just a few of the outdoor 

attractions; there are plenty more both outdoor 

and indoors if those are not enough for you. Visit 

rec.troymi.gov/parks_facilities for more information. 

Lily Pad Springs in West Bloomfield 

Located at Maple and Farmington Roads in West 

Bloomfield, (where Potomac Pool previously was), 

this new neighborhood splash pad is great for kids 

of all ages. 

With over 50 play features, 4 water slides, and a 

splash bucket that dumps 55 gallons of water, you really 

cannot go wrong here. Add to that the very low 

price of $4 per resident and only $7 per nonresident, 

it is likely to become your new favorite end-of-summer 

hangout. And because it is in the heart of West 

Bloomfield, there is no doubt you and your children 

will run into some familiar faces or perhaps make 

new friends as you splash around and make some 

memories. Find Lily Pad Springs at wbparks.org. 

Heritage Park Splash Pad 

Located inside Heritage Park on Farmington Road between 

10 and 11 Mile Road, you will find a splash pad 

with a series of fountains and sprayers that is free to 

the public. 

Why not have a picnic and a splash at this Farmington 

Hills community staple? There is also a Nature 

Discovery Trail and a snack shack that sells treats 

and refreshments, just to round out your family outing. 

Visit fhgov.com for more info. 

Kensington MetroPark Splash n Blast Waterpark 

Located inside Kensington Metropark at Martindale 

Beach in Milford is an oldie but a goodie —Splash 

n Blast Waterpark. I loved going there as a kid and 

teen, and from the looks of it, the park and slides 

have only gotten better with time. 

In addition to nice, sandy beaches and spacious 

shelters and picnic areas, you will also find a splash 

pad, two 240-foot-long twisted waterslides, the ‘spray 

ground’ with palm trees, serpents and cannons that 

spray water and more…much more! With the perfect 

blend of refreshing lake and affordable splash park 

options, there is something for everyone. But don’t 

take my word for it, plan a day, and go check it out for 

yourself! You will not be disappointed. 

Find out more at metroparks.com. 

Conclusion 

Summertime for parents and children can be tricky. 

With summer coming to an end but time on everyone’s 

hands, it can be difficult to find ways to fill up 

your days while also bonding as a family and staying 

active. My advice . . . turn off those iPads and hit the 

splash pads! 


When Every Moment Counts 

Synergy Longevity Centers’ Breakthroughs 

in Early Cancer Diagnosis 

Synergy Longevity Centers is 

proud to be the Midwest’s 

first comprehensive longevity 

health center, focused on a preventative 

approach to avoiding disease 

and early disease detection. Using a 

multimodal approach by utilizing proprietary 

whole-body MRI, extensive 

blood tests, cardiac ultrasound, and 

CT imaging, they will create a healthfocused 

and personalized assessment 

to optimize your longevity and 

health. 

As the only clinic in the Midwest 

to offer a comprehensive evaluation 

of your health with the goal of improving 

longevity, Synergy Longevity 

Centers uses the latest technology 

for their proprietary whole-body MRI, 

Synergy DeepScan, a noninvasive 

MRI that uses no radiation or dyes. 

They also offer: a blood test that can 

detect more than fifty distinct types of 

cancer; 

Four different testing modalities 

for the heart, including ultrasound; a 

CT scan to look at plaque buildup; an 

EKG; and extensive blood tests that 

your primary doctor may not even 

know to order. 

Synergy Longevity Centers’ services 

include a nutritional evaluation 

and heart-health assessment, along 

with a cancer-focused assessment 

that incorporates stool testing to evaluate 

for cancer. Services are offered 

a la carte for extreme personalization. 

This combination creates a wholehealth 

comprehensive evaluation. 

Included in each service is an 

initial consultation, a follow up appointment 

with a physician to review 

your results, and a customized plan 

to improve your longevity. The five 

different assessments are nutritional 

evaluation, heart-health assessment, 

cancer-focused assessment, wholebody 

MRI, and longevity evaluation. 

The nutritional test is a blood and 

urine test that evaluates over 125 

biomarkers and assesses the body’s 

functional need for forty antioxidants, 

vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, 

amino acids, digestive support, 

and other select nutrients. This assessment 

is extremely important in 

helping identify underlying factors for 

longevity, mood disorders, fatigue, 

cardiovascular disease, weight issues, 

malnutrition, and issues with digestion 

and nutrient absorption. 

The heart-health assessment focuses 

on your cardiovascular health 

and combines the Boston Heart Cholesterol 

Balance© blood tests, EKG, 

echocardiogram, and coronary calcium 

score. If you are at elevated risk for coronary 

artery disease, they offer a coronary 

CTA which uses IV dyes to look at 

blood vessels around your heart. This 

comes at an additional cost but is available 

for people who are elevated risk 

or want a better, more detailed picture 

of their coronary arteries. 

The cancer-focused assessment 

uses their whole-body MRI, blood cancer 

test, and stool testing to identify if 

cancer exists in your body. The blood 

cancer test is 98.5% effective at picking 

up over fifty distinct types of cancer 

if it is present. The cancer assessment 

includes a repeat blood cancer 

test in 1 year to ensure that nothing is 

missed. 

Their whole-body MRI, Synergy 

DeepScan, is a proprietary MRI sequencing 

created to identify early disease 

and possible cancers. This noninvasive 

test images the top of your 

head to your mid-thigh for a detailed 

picture of your inner body without the 

harmful effects of radiation. They also 

have the option of doing NeuroQuant 

imaging which looks at a part of your 

brain called the hippocampus and 

has implications with development of 

dementia as an add-on to the wholebody 

MRI. 

The longevity evaluation includes 

the whole-body MRI, blood cancer 

detection test, echocardiogram, EKG, 

coronary calcium score, Boston Heart 

Cholesterol Balance© blood tests, 

macro- and micro-nutrient evaluation, 

as well as stool testing. During your 

longevity evaluation, you also obtain a 

head-to-toe physical examination with 

qualified physicians. 

Every patient has a free, no obligation 

meeting with one of the physician 

partners. During this 15-minute 

meeting, any questions or concerns 

you may have about services are addressed. 

Synergy Longevity Centers 

will send you an intake form and review 

this form with you to review your 

past medical history, family history, 

and different risk factors to develop 

the right plan for you. 

Results are fast. If you need bloodwork, 

they send a phlebotomist to 

wherever you prefer (your home 

or work). If imaging is included in 

the work, they send the specialist 2 

weeks before your imaging appointment. 

If you do not have bloodwork, 

when you come in for imaging, you 

will have your results within 48 hours. 

When you finish your evaluation, 

you will leave with a binder of all your 

information, which is also stored in a 

secure, HIPAA compliant server. In this 

binder will be a customized plan for 

you as well as recommendations for 

follow up with any specific physicians 

if indicated. You will review this binder 

with your physician who specializes in 

functional medicine. 

Anthony Oraha, MD 

Michael Zielinski, DO 

248-304-7624 

info@synergly.com 

synergylc.com 

@synergylongevitycenters 

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DOCTOR IS IN 

Fungal Infection 

Making the Rounds 

If you follow the news, 

you may have heard 

about drug-resistant 

infections caused by an organism 

called ‘Candida auris.’ 

This kind of news can 

create concern; the goal of 

this article is to help readers 

understand the infection—who 

is at risk, how it 

spreads, associated symptoms, 

and treatment. 

C. auris, a fungus first 

identified in 2009 in Japan, 

has become a cause of severe infections 

across more than 30 countries 

worldwide. C. auris began spreading 

in the United States in 2015, and 

cases increased significantly in 2018. 

At that time, the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC) decided 

it should become a notifiable disease. 

Despite headlines, the infection 

is still rare and healthy people do not 

usually get C. auris infections. Affected 

patients usually have serious underlying 

medical conditions or weakened 

immune systems, such as blood cancer 

or diabetes. 

Some people can carry the fungus 

somewhere on their body even if it’s 

not making them noticeably sick with 

symptoms, a process called colonization. 

When people have it on their bodies, 

it can spread to nearby objects or 

equipment, and in turn, spread to others. 

Because of this, health care workers 

are trained to properly identify a C. 

auris infection. 

DR. RENEE 

JIDDOU 

SPECIAL TO 

THE CHALDEAN 

NEWS 

Many hospitals also 

screen patients who are considered 

high-risk or come 

from long-term care facilities 

to determine if they are 

carriers. The most common 

symptoms of an invasive C. 

auris infection are fever and 

chills that don’t improve after 

antibiotics for a presumed 

bacterial infection. Sometimes 

specialized laboratory 

technology is needed to help 

diagnose the infection. 

When diagnosed, there are things 

that can be done to stop the spread. 

For instance, C. auris can live on surfaces 

for several weeks, so good hand 

hygiene and properly disinfecting surfaces 

is especially important. Health 

care workers should wear 

gowns, gloves and clean 

their hands correctly before 

and after patient care. 

Patient rooms should also 

be cleaned thoroughly with 

a disinfectant that works 

against this fungus. 

Family members and 

other close contacts of patients 

with this infection 

should clean their hands 

with hand sanitizer or soap 

and water before and after 

touching a patient with C. 

auris, or after touching any equipment 

or other objects in the patient’s room. 

There are many types of Candida, 

with at least 30 causing infections in 

humans. C. auris might be resistant to 

medications commonly used to treat 

other types of Candida infections, 

meaning these medications will not 

work to treat that specific infection. 

Instead, many C. auris infections are 

treatable with a class of antifungal infections 

called echinocandins. 

However, some C. auris infections 

can be resistant to all three main classes 

of antifungal medications, making 

it difficult to treat. In such situations, 

multiple antifungal medications are 

used at high doses to try and treat the 

infection. 

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When people have severe infections, 

such as it is in the bloodstream, 

it can cause serious illness and even 

death. In most C. auris cases that result 

in death, the infected individual had 

other serious, underlying illnesses. 

Even after the infection is treated, 

patients may continue to have C. auris 

on their skin or other body sites that 

does not cause infection but can still 

spread to other patients. All these precautions 

previously mentioned would 

continue throughout their whole stay 

in the hospital. 

Although the risk of infection in 

healthy people is low, patients and 

family members should continue with 

good hand hygiene, washing hands 

thoroughly before and after touching 

the patient or medical devices when 

they return home. Handwashing is especially 

important if a caregiver is caring 

for multiple patients at home. 

Routine testing for C. auris of family 

members or other close contacts is 

usually not recommended. However, 

if someone who has frequent contact 

with a person with C. auris is admitted 

to a health care facility, they might be 

checked to see if they carry it and help 

prevent it from spreading further. This 

is usually done with a swab of the skin 

near the armpits and groin. People who 

have tested positive for C. auris in the 

past should inform their health care 

providers of this. For more information 

on C. auris, you can visit CDC.gov. 

Renee Jiddou-Yaldoo, MD is a 

specialist in Infectious Diseases at 

Corewell Health’s Beaumont Hospital 

in Grosse Pointe. 


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FEATURE 

Left: The Jarbo Family 

at Georgina’s wedding. 

Below: Sue and Bahi 

cooking kabobs. 

7 Mile’s 

Kabob 

King 

A Tribute to 

Bahi Jarbo 

BY CRYSTAL KASSAB JABIRO 

A 

simple man with an extraordinary 

life story, Ablahad “Bahi” 

Jarbo left a legacy for his family 

and his community. 

Bahi was born to farmers Zingel 

and Gorgia Jarbo on December 10, 

1947, in the village of Telkeppe, Iraq. 

As a young boy, he shepherded animals 

and cared for his hunting dog. 

His mother died when he was 11. His 

older sisters helped raise him, as did 

his mom’s brother, the late Ramzi 

Yono, who taught him how to cut hair. 

When he was 18, Bahi was drafted 

into the Iraqi Army where in between 

training and combat he would trim 

soldiers’ hair for extra money. He 

served six years in very difficult conditions 

because of ongoing conflict in 

the region. After he was discharged, 

Bahi went to Kuwait and worked for a 

sheik as his personal barber. Several 

years later he traveled to Lebanon with 

a friend to await their American visas. 

On March 18, 1976, Bahi arrived in 

Detroit, Michigan and was reunited with 

his brother Edris, his only sibling in 

America. He lived with him on Havana 

Street in a section later known as Chaldean 

Town because of its large Iraqi- 

Chaldean immigrant population. With 

only $50 to his name, he started working 

at the Big Boy factory in Warren making 

ketchup. After a couple of years, he became 

a fish salesman for a small, Chaldean-owned 

company and later became 

a butcher in a supermarket. 

Bahi’s older sister Mare, who was 

now in Detroit with her family, encouraged 

the then 33-year-old to settle 

down and start a family. He was not 

interested, but she insisted on him 

meeting Sabri Shayota’s daughter, a 

young and pretty brunette who lived 

in the house across the street on Robinwood. 

To appease her, he agreed to 

meet the girl… but he had to see what 

she looked like first. So he offered to 

cut Sabri’s hair at home! 

When he saw 25-year-old Sue, he 

thought she was beautiful. Bahi recognized 

her as the girl who cashed 

out his invoices for fish delivery at the 

market. She was aloof and more interested 

in her brother Wisam recording 

the haircut on his new video camera. 

Innovative for 1980, he had attached a 

cord to the TV in the other room for the 

family to watch the haircut live, so Sue 

and the rest of the kids were laughing 

and having fun with it. 

Bahi wanted to see her again and 

hopefully get her attention. He intentionally 

left his clippers there so he 

could go back. 

The next day, another suitor for 

Sue popped up at the Shayotas. Bahi 

returned later that same day without 

knowing that. Sabri invited him to 

come in for some Arak. Sue looked at 

Bahi and said to herself, “This man 

will be my husband.” When he left, 

she discussed the proposals with her 

dad. He insisted on Bahi because he 

knew him from the market but ultimately 

left the choice up to Sue. She 

wanted to marry Bahi, so her mom 

Miriam called Mare to accept the marriage 

proposal. They had a tanatha 

(promise ceremony) the next day, New 

Year’s Day, 1981. 

Four months later, Bahi and Sue 

got married at Sacred Heart Chaldean 

Catholic Church in Detroit, officiated 

by the late Father Jacob Yasso. They 

had a big party at Chateau Hall with 

over 700 people in attendance. 

The next year, their daughter Georgina 

was born and Bahi opened a 

nameless chaikhana (coffee shop) on 

Seven Mile and Havana, at the end of his 

street. Bahi started selling kabobs there, 

and they were so tasty that everyone in 

the neighborhood called them “Bahi’s 

kabobs.” He was honored that people 

craved his kabobs, but he was bombarded 

with orders. So in 1989, he opened 

Bahi’s Kabob Restaurant at Seven and 

Blake next to Greenfield Union Elementary 

School. It was the hot spot for over 

a decade. Bahi’s kabobs connected people 

in a way that was previously unseen 

in Chaldean Town. Even celebrities like 

Shaquille O’Neil and Kadim Al-Sahir 

loved Bahi’s food! 

Throughout the success of his restaurant, 

Bahi and Sue had three more 

kids: Jarvis, Genelle, and Julian. Bahi 

worked seven days a week all day long 

to provide for his family. They would 

wait up till midnight just to see him 

when he came home. Sometimes the 

kids would hide from him, and he 

would act scared when they jumped 

out. At holiday get-togethers, he would 

pretend he was talking to Santa or the 

Easter Bunny to get their permission to 

give away sweet treats and ice cream. 


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MARIAM ABDALLA 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST 

ELIAS KATTOULA 

CAREER SERVICES MANAGER 

Jaguar Land Rover Troy 

Sammi A. Naoum 

1815 Maplelawn Drive 

Troy, MI 48084 

TEL 248-537-7467 

MOBILE 248-219-5525 

snaoum@suburbancollection.com 

Advertise 

JACQUELINE RAXTER, LMSW, LPC 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 

PROGRAM MANAGER 

in our business directory section! 

for As little As $ 85 

to place your ad, contact us today! 3601 15 Mile Road 

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TEL: (586) 722-7253 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 

phone: 248-851-8600 fax: 248-851-1348 

jacqueline.raxter@chaldeanfoundation.org 

30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101 

www.chaldeanfoundation.org 


CHALDEAN 

AMERICAN 

CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 

CHALDEAN COMMUNITY 

FOUNDATION 

3601 15 Mile Road 


TEL: (586) 722-7253 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 

CHALDEAN 

AMERICAN 

CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 

mariam.abdalla@chaldeanfoundation.org 


CHALDEAN COMMUNITY 

FOUNDATION 

SANA NAVARRETTE 

DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 

30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101 


CELL (248) 925-7773 

TEL (248) 851-1200 

FAX (248) 851-1348 

snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com 

www.chaldeanchamber.com 




TEL: (586) 722-7253 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 

elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org 


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to place your ad, contact us today! 



TEL: (586) 722-7253 

FAX: (586) 722-7257 

phone: 248-851-8600 stacy.bahri@chaldeanfoundation.org 

fax: 248-851-1348 

30095 Northwestern Highway, www.chaldeanfoundation.org 

Suite 101 


SANA NAVARRETTE 

MEMBERSHIP MANAGER 

That was his playful way. He was also 

fun-loving on the dance floor at family 

celebrations, dancing with a cup on 

his head, flailing his hands and even 

shimmying to the ground. 

Safety eventually became a concern 

in Chaldean Town. Bahi was carjacked 

once and endured two more attempts, 

and even a hold-up at the restaurant. 

The once-vibrant mainstay closed 

down in 2000. Bahi and Sue ran “Bahi’s 

Kabobs’’ inside three local markets in 

Sterling Heights for nearly two decades 

before they decided to retire in 2018. 

That is when Bahi got to experience 

what he missed out on all those 

years he labored in the kitchen. He 

30850 TELEGRAPH ROAD, SUITE 200 

BINGHAM FARMS, MI 48025 

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

FAX: (248) 996-8342 

spent time with 

snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com 

his grandkids, tended 

www.chaldeanchamber.com 

to his garden, and www.chaldeanfoundation.org 

barbecued for family 

Twitter: @ChaldeanChamber 

and friends, Instagram: rain or @ChaldeanAmericanChamber 

shine. He lost 100 

pounds by watching his diet and walking 

three to five miles a day, even in the 

winter. Every single morning, he made 

coffee for himself and for Sue, and every 

single night, they would play konkan. 

Bahi was diagnosed with dementia 

in 2021. An emergency CAT scan 

several weeks ago at the ER revealed 

the last stages of pancreatic cancer. 

He was sent home to rest with his 

family where he passed away peacefully 

on July 18, 2023. He leaves behind 

a legacy rooted in family, fellowship, 

and food. 

From left: Bahi in the Iraqi Army, circa 1965; Bahi Jarbo, 1947-2023 


EVENT 

Fr. Namir Narra 

Ordination 

On July 1, the Chaldean community gathered at 

Mother of God Cathedral in Southfield, Michigan, 

as Fr. Namir Narra was ordained to the priesthood. 

A graduate of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, 

Father Narra was ordained through the laying on 

of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit by 

the Most Rev. Francis Y. Kalabat, Bishop of St. 

Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Diocese. 

Father Narra will serve as parochial vicar at St. 

George Chaldean Catholic Church in Shelby Township, 

Michigan. Please keep him in your prayers as 

he begins his new journey as a priest! 

Clockwise from top of page: Bishop Francis and Fr. Namir with our Chaldean 

clergy, seminarians, and visiting clergy; Chaldean seminarians leading the 

procession for the Ordination Mass; Fr. Namir being celebrated by happy 

faithful; Mother of God Cathedral at capacity; Bishop Francis laying on hands 

Fr. Namir Narra; Bishop Francis placing the priest’s cope on a newly ordained 

Fr. Namir with help from Fr. Bryan Kassa.

AUGUST 2023

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