Chaldean Americans are a Uniquely Close-Knit Community
Detroit City Council member Coleman A. Young II gave the Chaldean Chamber a Spirit of Detroit Award at their Business Luncheon in October 2023. Photo by Dany Ashaka
By Sarah Kittle
In the vast landscape of America’s cultural mosaic, the Chaldean community stands out not only for its rich heritage but also for its remarkable closeness. Nestled within the broader spectrum of Iraqi Americans, which include Assyrians and Syriacs, Chaldean Americans have cultivated a distinct identity characterized by a deep sense of unity and familial ties.
When I first interviewed for a position with the Chaldean American Chamber, I was asked what I knew about Chaldeans. Being closely associated with an amateur historian, I knew Chaldeans were Catholic, came from Iraq, and spoke a form of Aramaic. That was enough, and more than most people outside the community knew. But there was so much more to learn.
As a Roman Catholic, I was familiar with the liturgy and core beliefs. I saw the Board of Directors hold hands and say the Lord’s Prayer together before and at the conclusion of each meeting, and it struck me that this community was unique.
Proud of its rich cultural heritage which spans back to Babylonian times, Chaldeans are a special group. They have fought for their faith and their right to exist almost from their inception.
In the first week of my employment with the Chamber, I attended (well, basically ran) an orientation presentation that taught new members a little bit about the Chaldean community, its history, and values. For instance, Chaldeans claim ancestry from Abraham, the “father of many” in the Bible, who was from Ur, and King Nebuchadnezzar, who built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in 600 BC.
A faith-oriented community who mostly resides within 10 miles of their parish, a Catholic Church of the Eastern Rite, united with Rome under the Pope but with their own Patriarch, currently in Iraq, Chaldeans are a singular people. Church is what separates Chaldeans from Assyrians and Syriacs, who have their own churches, although they all share the same roots.
There are an estimated 2 million Chaldeans/Assyrians/Syriacs throughout the world, with approximately one half million residing in the United States—nearly 200,000 in Michigan alone.
Bustling Businesspeople
Industry Outlook panelists (from left) Saber Ammori, Rachel Stewart and Jordan Jonna share a laugh before the event on February 15, 2024.
Photo by Nico Salgado
Known for their extraordinary skill in starting and running businesses, finding new niches before they become trends, and inventing new ways of doing things, Chaldeans have certainly affected the economy wherever they live.
When they first came to Detroit, following their Lebanese predecessors, they did what they knew. As farmers and merchants, they recognized the need for markets in the city even as others were moving out. At the Chaldean Chamber’s 2023 Business Luncheon, Detroit City Councilman Coleman A. Young II recognized the great part that Chaldean gas station and convenience store owners played in the survival of the city. They stayed when everyone else packed their bags and left.
Since cornering the market on the corner market, Chaldean investors have branched out to other industries, fulfilling various needs that they identified. Some of the biggest success stories of the community came from necessity.
For instance, Saad Abbo, who founded the company US Ice, did so under pressure from his father to be a good ice supplier, one who didn’t make his clients wait or ignore them in favor of other clients. He suggested an ice supply company for his son because he was struggling to keep ice in his store. Saad recently sold US Ice for tens of millions. That’s one person who is glad he listened to his dad!
Another example of identifying and fulfilling a necessity is the late John Loussia. John left a legacy for his children in many ways but one which stands out is the ownership of Value Wholesale Distributors. John saw all these small grocers in Detroit who struggled to keep fresh food in their stores and thought there must be a way to help them. So, he created a local wholesale grocery distributor and supplied not only Chaldean stores but any store in the area with fresh products at reasonable prices. That’s why they are still around today, and bigger than ever.
Faith, Food & Family
I was told Chaldean philosophy is centered on three things: faith, food, and family.
Faith is certainly the cornerstone of the community. One must only witness the high regard that not only the congregation, but the entire population has for the Church to see that its leaders are some of the most respected members of the Chaldean community here in America.
The clergy serves as a spiritual guidepost for the community, offering counseling on all topics from marriage to vocations to recovering from child abuse. The Chaldean Catholic Diocese in the United States is a powerful organization, one which lives in today’s world and addresses today’s problems. Forums on gambling, internet addiction, and marijuana have been conducted by clergy, seeking to meet the congregation where they are.
Respect for elders is another trait that is highly visible within the community. “Rabbi” is a term of endearment for a teacher, one I’ve heard often in the offices of the Chaldean News and Chaldean American Chamber. The closeness of the generations is lovely to behold, and many children grow up with both sets of grandparents being a big part of their lives.
As I worked closely with and grew closer to individual Chaldeans, I began to see food preparation as an act of love. The time and patience required to cook and serve meals is no joke!
Chaldeans offer strangers food, too, as a sign of respect and welcome. I have eaten my way through Iraqi Salad, Biryani, Dolma, Kufta, Amba, and Kleicha, warming up to the solid nutrition and the care packaged in each bite.
As an “honorary Chaldean,” I am sometimes overwhelmed by the love and support lavished on me as a Chamber staff member and editor of this fine magazine. One of the things I love most about the community is the ability to laugh, even sometimes at your own expense.
Laughter, I believe, is one of God’s gifts to His children. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “It is cheerful to God when you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart,” and Khalil Gibran is credited as saying, “In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.”
It is the simple things — faith, family, comradery, laughter, home-cooked meals — that make this community special.
With their strong family ties and their entrepreneurial spirit, the Chaldean American community is a vibrant and dynamic force that continues to thrive and prosper in the United States. The Iraqi Prime Minister visited just this past April and was mightily impressed. He took back to Iraq a desire to replicate the community’s success in their homeland.
From the busy streets of Detroit to the laid-back neighborhoods of San Diego, the connections binding Chaldean American families and individuals resemble the roots of a sprawling, ancient tree. Within this rooted network lies a narrative of shared history, cherished cultural customs, and steadfast solidarity, showcasing the unique and distinctive spirit of the Chaldean American community.
