People tend to get emotional when talking about Frank Jonna, the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Businessperson of the Year. Frank, who will be honored at their 21st Annual Awards Dinner on April 26, has the reputation of a man who listens to people and makes them feel valued.
Read MoreIn honor of April as Poetry Month, the Chaldean Cultural Center will host an event at the West Bloomfield Public Library on April 13 from 1-3pm. The event, held in the meeting room of the library at 4600 Walnut Lake Road, features four Iraqi-born women including Weam Namou, director of the Chaldean Cultural Center, and Dunya Mikhail, poet, author, and professor at Oakland University. The women are in a short 10-minute documentary which was funded by the Knight Foundation.
Read More“I actually hate mortgages,” says Danny Marogy. “I think it’s the most boring transaction in the history of mankind.” Yet Marogy, Senior Director of Sales at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), is known as one of the highest performing account executives across the country for the past 15 years. What motivates him?
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The Arabic language is considered one of the most elegant, pure forms of language in modern literature. With its rhythm and precision, it is the cornerstone of poetry and expression. What many people don’t know is that, although it is the language of prayer, recitation and poetry throughout the Islamic world, the Arabic language predates Islam.
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Back in 1937, a group of Chaldean Iraqi Christians traveled from Telkaif to Mosul, then to Adana to board a cargo ship bound for America. However, the United States was not their final destination. Upon reaching Ellis Island, New York City’s famous point of entry, they would board another ship, this one bound for Veracruz, which was then the main port of entry into Mexico.
Read MoreApril is National Cannabis Awareness Month, so we wanted to take the opportunity to give you an update on the industry and on the status of the opposition to legalized marijuana. The legal industry is still young; we know that many Chaldeans have gotten in on the ground floor, capitalizing on their shrewd business skills. But others are not happy with the new legal status.
Read MoreIn a story shared by NPR and featured on All Things Considered, Dr. Mona Hanna Attisha is again in the news. Penned by reporter Jennifer Ludden, the article details a new program co-founded and promoted by Hanna- Attisha called Rx Kids. Rx Kids is a cash transfer program that began in the city of Flint, Michigan in January 2024.
Read MoreThroughout history, April has been a time of rebirth. It is the season you see new green shoots poking out of the ground. As the chill of winter gradually fades away, nature awakens with a vibrant burst of life, heralding the arrival of spring. With each passing day, the world undergoes a miraculous transformation as dormant buds unfurl into delicate blossoms and barren landscapes are blanketed in a tapestry of lush greenery.
Read MoreEven before the 2020 election that featured a national explosion of approval for ballot proposals legalizing marijuana production, processing and sales, the industry had taken off, with Michigan among the most lucrative states for cannabis crop sales. However, the lure of marijuana money comes with expensive federal tax headaches, restrictions on trade across state lines, and a depressed market overcrowded with licensees.
Read MoreThis past March 14 was a significant day for the Christian community of Baqofa, Iraq in the Nineveh Plain. Bishop Mar Thabit led the consecration ceremony of the newly built Virgin Mary Church, an effort that has taken five years. Speaking exclusively to Chaldean News, Bishop Mar Thabit expressed his gratitude towards the generous contributions from various Catholic organizations and compassionate locals, which made the construction of the church possible.
Read MoreTurkish drone strikes in northeastern Syria on Wednesday killed at least three members of a local Christian force and wounded others, including civilians, a Kurdish official and a Syrian opposition war monitor said.
Read MoreWhen David Garmo makes a decision, he doesn’t look back. This resolute attitude led him to the pinnacle of athletics in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where he represents Chaldeans as one of the toughest fighters in the world. It also brought him to the 2023 world finals match against repeated world champion Ronaldo Junior.
Read MoreIn the tapestry of history, the contributions of remarkable women often remain woven in the shadows, their stories hidden beneath layers of time, patterns, and societal norms. Yet, within the rich and vibrant cultural heritage of the Chaldean community, a garment of strength, resilience, and empowerment emerges; one adorned with the narratives of extraordinary women who have defied expectations and altered the weave.
Read MoreBeirut (AP) Feb. 3 — British forces on Saturday joined their American allies in new attacks against militia in Yemen. The U.S. military earlier launched strikes on dozens of sites manned by Iran-backed fighters in western Iraq and eastern Syria in retaliation for a drone strike in Jordan in late January that killed three U.S. service members and wounded dozens.
Read MorePart III The Chaldeans’ journey to Detroit is a story constantly being rewritten as the community grows and evolves. It would be relatively simple to characterize Chaldeans in the early 1900s; their differences from other immigrants left them with few options besides the assembly line, menial labor, or starting their own farmers market stalls and eventually small storefronts.
Read MoreThe Chaldean American Bar Association (CABA) has risen from the ashes. A young and energetic board led by president Rita Soka has big plans for the future of the Chaldean legal community. CABA hosted its first event in January at the new restaurant and bar West End to kickoff its relaunch.
Read MorePoetry is a form of art much like painting, calligraphy, composing, or playing a musical instrument. Discovering poetry is an adventure to a world of wonder led by intuition and imagination, arriving at a love of words. For those who choose to explore this medium, it is a beautiful personal journey of the mind and soul.
Read MoreAs with most immigrant families, education is a priority in Chaldean households. These archival photos from the Chaldean Cultural Center show classes in Baghdad as well as Detroit, with Chaldean teachers in all classrooms.
Read MoreI was recently out to lunch with some family and friends and the topic came up of how taboo and even frowned upon mental therapy is within the Chaldean community. Like other social issues such as disabilities or physical ailments, therapy has had its own negative stigma for years uncounted. In the past, if you even remotely considered counseling, you were deemed weak, crazy, or both.
Read MoreFittingly, the first March cover in 2004 (and only the second CN issue ever) was about the community having a voice. Featuring a young Shoki Konja from Chaldean Voice Radio, the article told the story of the radio show that began as “Voice of the Chaldean Youth” and was broadcast from a closet below the stairs of Mother of God Church.
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