“To grow as a community, we have to start with the children,” says Sandy Sesi, director of the First Holy Communion program at Saint Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church. First Holy Communion, also referred to as First Holy Eucharist, is one of the early sacraments in the Catholic Church and an important step in a Catholic’s spiritual journey.
Read More“I help get justice.” That’s how Ron Acho, partner at Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho, P.L.C. describes his job. It wasn’t a straight career path for the counselor; he says he got into law by happenstance. Born in Baghdad in 1945, Ron came to the Unites States with his family in 1949. His father, who was discriminated against because of his faith, only had a fifth-grade education and was subject to menial jobs in Iraq.
Read MoreRamy Noori Syawish, the Chaldean Mayor of Ankawa in Erbil, Iraq, visited Detroit’s Chaldean community in April. His goals were twofold: bridge the divide between homeland and diaspora and recruit well-intentioned Chaldeans to invest in their native country of Iraq.
Read MoreEvery year, millions of people are treated due to sports injuries, especially in the summer. As a family doctor trying to keep my patients as healthy as possible, I have witnessed the severe consequences sports injuries may have. Fortunately, there are reliable ways we can prevent them.
Read MoreNeither Mario Marougi nor Roman Kalasho had done any competitive rowing before they joined the storied Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School rowing team as they entered their freshman year at the school. Their only experience in the sport was the annual Learn to Row camp put on by St. Mary’s rowing coach Chris Czarnecki and St. Mary’s rowing team members in the summer before they became freshmen.
Read MoreAteam of 32 firefighters in northern Iraq was battling to put out a massive fire Thursday, June 13, a day after it broke out at an oil refinery, local officials said. The fire broke out late Wednesday at a large refinery in Irbil, in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
Read Moreمن بين سلسلة مقالات مجلة اخبار الكلدان حول محن المكونات الأصيلة والأقليات العرقية والدينية في العراق سبق وأن كتبنا عن أبناء خالتنا الصابئة المندائيين (عدد شهر أكتوبر 2022 ص 38-36)، وسنتناول في هذا العدد مكون عراقي اخر هو ألأزيديون، وبدورنا نأمل أن يلقي هذا المقال الضوء ولمحات على التاريخ العميق لهذا المكون الأصيل وبعض مما يحتاجه القارئ لمعرفة تاريخ وعقيدة ومعيشة ومحنة ومأساة المجتمع الأزيدي في القرن الحادي والعشرين.
Read MoreThe Yazidi (or Yezidi) are a Kurmanji-speaking minority group who are indigenous to northern Iraq, Kurdistan, and a geographical region in Western Asia. This includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran. Most Yazidis remaining in the Middle East today live in Iraq, primarily in the governorate of Nineveh and Duhok.
Read MoreChaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil in Iraq says about 9,000 Christian families have returned to their homes on the Nineveh Plains after fleeing a decade ago, when ISIS took the region. In June 2014, the Islamist extremist group captured Mosul and the villages to the north and east of the city, prompting a mass exodus of Christians and Yazidis. Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Archbishop Warda noted the occupation of Mosul left other Christians on the Nineveh Plains vulnerable, and on August 6, 2014, prompted by further ISIS aggression, the entire Christian population fled to Iraqi Kurdistan.
Read More“في العراق، حتى الوشم له ماضي وحاضر متضاربان” هكذا يبدأ مقال الكاتب أحمد ويندي الصادر عام 2023 بعنوان “وشم جداتنا”، إذ كان لدى كلا جدتيه وشم تقليدي، بينما لم يكن لدى والدته – المولودة في الستينيات – أي وشم، ومن الطبيعي أن هذا دعا الى فضوله وتساؤلاته؟ ويقال إن كلمة “وشم” نشأت من الكلمة التاهيتية “تاتو”، والتي تعني وضع علامة على شيء ما.
Read MoreMiles for Smiles is a nonprofit dedicated to spreading smiles and creating unforgettable memories for children battling cancer. Select individuals get the chance to feel the rush of the racetrack, surrounded by supportive friends, family, and a community united in the fight against pediatric cancer.
Read MoreThe presence of tech, specifically Lawrence Technological University (LTU), is growing in Iraq. On a recent visit to the metro Detroit area, the Iraqi prime minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani, had the opportunity to speak with LTU’s president Dr. Tarek Sobh about the university’s agreement with the American University in Baghdad (AUIB).
Read More“In Iraq, even tattoos have a conflicted past and present.” So starts a 2023 essay by Ahmed Windi titled, “Our Inked Grandmothers.” His two grandmothers had traditional tattoos and his mother – born in the 1960s – did not. So naturally, he had questions
Read MoreMeet Sterling Heights’ Chaldean Police Officers: Over the last few decades, Sterling Heights has become the capital of metro Detroit’s Chaldean community. According to data from the 2010s, around 25% of the population in Michigan’s fourth largest city, more than 30,000 people, is Chaldean or Iraqi. Almost certainly, that number is higher now. In general, the city is known for its diverse population and immigrant communities.
Read MoreIn celebration of the 21st Annual Awards Dinner hosted by the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce (CACC) in Michigan, the organizers invited several dignitaries from Iraq. Among those that accepted and made the trip to the U.S. were the mayors of the Districts of Qaraqosh/Nineveh, Mayor Issam Behnam Matti, and Ankawa/Erbil, Mayor Ramy Noori Syawish.
Read MoreIn 2018, newly legalized sports gambling exploded across the country. With 34 states legalizing wagering on athletic contests, companies such as DraftKings and FanDuel swooped in with easy-to-use apps, glitzy ads and magnetic celebrity endorsements. Tie-ins with professional sports teams, leagues, and networks helped further move sports betting out of the shady world of bookies and loan sharks and onto a bright playground of easy winnings, fun gimmick bets, and enticing incentives.
Read MoreWhen Chaldeans first came to Detroit, they struggled to integrate into American society and learn the language. They had their own unique culture, one that was different from that of other Americans and most immigrants. At first, this was a point of pride for Chaldeans. Their faith, family values, tight-knit community, and work ethic ultimately led to success in a foreign land. Chaldeans raised their families in the same traditions that they came from and passed down their culture successfully.
Read MoreWe often hear about “the beloved’s hand is an Al-Khaza’aliyah’s hand,” especially in old classic folklore songs. Why this proverb or song, and what was a specific story behind it or reason for naming it? Why did poets and artists sing it and why did they do so?
Read MoreThe Chaldean News and Chaldean Community Foundation hosted a “Culture Night” to celebrate and showcase Chaldean culture. More than 200 people attended the event, many of whom were not Chaldean. The guests enjoyed traditional Chaldean foods like potato chop and geymar, among others. The event marked the end of a months-long grant series called the Chaldean Story. Last year, the Chaldean News received a grant from Michigan Humanities’ Great Michigan Stories, which is meant to highlight untold stories in Michigan.
Read MoreIn 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.
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