Entries for January 2008

Michigan, USA - Chaldeans have long endured discrimination and harassment at work.  Accustomed to the persecution Christians faced at the hands of fantastical Muslims. Silently overcoming the humiliation and unfair treatment Chaldeans endured.  “It was not until they torched our homes, raped our children, or forced us into prisons unjustly,” says Chaldean Justice League member Abrahim Kamoo.  “America needed hard workers for their factories and once a few Chaldean families settled in, they saved as much as they could so they could reach back and rescue others.”

In America, Chaldeans continue to face discrimination and unfair treatment.  However, some Chaldeans are fighting back.  A civil right hearing held in Detroit over the racial abuse of Mazyn Barash, 50 by metro Detroit’s suburban bus system. Civil Rights agents have confirmed the repeated harassment and violence against Barash for being Chaldean. 

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights investigated the allegations and found evidence to issue an official charge of discrimination. The public hearing was held today at the Michigan Civil Rights Commission in Downtown, Detroit in the Cadillac Place building.

Michigan, USA - Chaldeans will have to contend with tighter U.S. Border crossings as new rules go into affect today.  The new rules for the types of identification U.S. and Canadian citizens must present to cross into the country will require more documentation. 

Authorities were optimistic the changes wouldn't cause significant delays. Under the new rules, anyone crossing the border will no longer be allowed to simply declare to immigration officers at border crossings that they are citizens.

Instead, those 19 and older will have to show proof of citizenship -- a passport, trusted traveler card or a birth certificate and government-issued ID such as a driver's license.

Chaldean entrepreneurs will mostly agree that buying a business is not simple; in fact, it is almost similar to starting a new venture. The struggle of finding a business that matches your capabilities and investigating the business potential to remain profitable is just the beginning.  Buying a business requires the same thoroughness as creating a business plan for starting a business. 

Edward Putrus, owner of West Coast Electrical Warehouse Supplies in Arizona says the ability to make a good business great is different than creating a new business.  Anthony Jurjus, an associate partner in the firm Rosen, Russel, and Silverman Consulting, PLC is a commercial real estate agent and business broker who often helps Chaldeans in finding and buying businesses.  “Anyone buying a business needs to do be careful, have a strategy, be patient, and persistent,” says Jurjus. 

Jurjus suggest Chaldeans follow a 10-step process in guarantying the business they buy is the right one. 

Michigan, USA - Below zero cold weather in Royal Oak, Michigan, could not stop over 500 Chaldeans as they gathered to jump-off the Chaldean Church Sports League 2008 indoor basketball season.  Six Chaldean churches in Michigan, each hosting three divisions of players, came together to prove their basketball skills. 

Hundreds of friends and family members cheered their teams on to victory as athletes sprinted down court, jammed jumpers, and popped threes from the outside.  The league is made-up of women 15-18, boys 11-14, and men 15-18 from the six Chaldean churches of southeast Michigan. 

“It was jammed packed!  I never saw so many Chaldeans in one place,” says Kenny Bajoka excitedly.  “You couldn’t move.  It was loud and exciting.  The women were great and the battle between the Twin Tigers and Dragon Slayers was deep.  I am real happy I came to watch.”

The women’s 15-18 division did provide a show for the fans.  Many underestimated the skill and focus of the Mar Addai Healers and the St. Joseph Protectors.  The see-saw competition kept fans jumping to their feet screaming for their teams.  In the end, the one point difference placed the lady Healers into the win column. 

(Registration on www.CHALDEAN.org is free and required to view the nearly 250 photos of the CCSL’s Basketball League Game 1 matches.) 

California, USA - It seems the Arab Jewish conflict in the Middle East is fast spreading through congress as political and cultural jousting matches get underway. 

“It doesn’t matter if they are Arab or Jew, just as long as the American people are shown justice and fairness.  Isn’t that the American way?” says David Karim, Chaldean political science major in San Diego.  “Sunshine is the greatest disinfectant and it seems Issa is upsetting a whole bunch of people that want to keep things hush, hush.”  

Issa, a Lebanese American has drawn the ire of Jewish groups and pro-Israel congressmen, news papers and media.  Hatred for the representative grew so fierce that Issa was the target of an assassination attempt by Jewish terrorists.  An attempt that implicated two members of the Jewish Defense League and was thwarted by the FBI just days before it was carried out. 

Michigan, USA - The Chaldean Education and Career Center, Chaldean American Student Association of Michigan, and Chaldean American Professionals share with the community four very important instructional family based seminars on children with special needs.  The events are free and will be held throughout Oakland and Wayne County.

Chaldean parents and health professionals which include teachers, counselors, social workers, nurses, psychologist, ministers, and community family aid providers as well as Chaldean college students studying in these fields are strongly encouraged to register and attend.  The events offers state accredited certificates and an opportunity to network with other professionals in your field. 

The seminars will be held in English by industry experts.  The dates for the events are February 16, March 5, and March 18. The seminar will cover state aid and educational services for families with children of special needs. 

Afterwards CE&CC, CASA-MI, and CAP will be organizing special culturally focused sessions for families with children of special needs.  A brief summary including the seminar syllabus, location, and registration requirements follows.

A group of Chaldeans, well established in their careers, were talking at a wedding and debating to visit their old priest, who they heard had recently retired.  The cold weather and three hour drive to the rectory caused a debate.  “Not enough time,”  “Too busy with work,”  “He may not remember us or may be too tired or sick to see us,” were some of the excuses.  Until one of them, wisely appealing to his friends vanity and selfishness said, “Are you happy in life?”  Perhaps this visit will do more for us than him.  Plus, we can drive together, catch-up during the ride, and save on gas.  Fortunately we are all successful enough to take the time off.”

The others startled over the comment about concerns with gas cost and able to take time off, quickly objected.  “It is not about the gas or money,” one stammered. 

When Joseph Garmo attended a Chaldean wedding, he never imagined that he would hear the benefits of his own product begin shared by a fellow guest. 

There at the table, says Garmo, another guest seated with the group began to share his excitement for a new product our firm developed to help reduce check cashing fraud.  "It was like a totally unsolicited sales pitch" for the Michigan-based firm helping the Chaldean community deal with the rash of check fraud.  “The Michigan economy is horrible. Add low morals with a poor economy and you get lots and lots of crime,” says Garmo.  “Chaldeans in large part are victims of these crimes and not much is done to help them.  We wanted to change that.”

Garmo explains how the table guest began what would continue on as a 15- to 20-minute discussion between the guests at the table about his company's product. “It was hard to keep quiet, but I did.  I wanted to hear what they would say,” he says. “I wanted to learn if our idea could make a difference.”

It was also the moment he realized the power of his connections. He hadn't spent a dime on marketing his product and before him was a table filled with his target market discussing his Check cashing prevention system.  Listening to the Chaldean business talk, Garmo realized where the guest had learned about his product. 

How did he do it?

Baoutha is a three-day celebration that is composed of prayers and fasting. 

This annual observance is limited to the Chaldean Catholic Church and occurs exactly 3 weeks before the start of lent. 

In the 6th century a severe plague inflicted the northern regions of modern day Iraq; the ancient city of Nineveh, modern day Mosul, Iraq. 

Chaldeans love a good wedding.  Even more, Chaldeans love a great marriage.   Sure: a pick of the dress, a smile to the camera, the walk down the aisle, the prayers of matrimony, and the ever-deep line of “I do.” 

Alongside dawning smiling faces are friends, family, and loved ones.  The night hours tuned to the rhythm of music and beat of the feet as the celebration of love and family starts a new chapter.  The couple now joined in Holy Matrimony awaits the joys of love. 

All wrapped in hope to successfully leap over the obstacles that will undoubtedly emerge. But, of course, that is only the beginning of the story; particularly for Chaldeans in America and parts of Europe. 

Michigan, USA - The cold winter months in Michigan may keep some Chaldeans indoor and lazily lounging around.  That is not the case for over two hundred Chaldeans that gathered at the Salter Gymnasium in Royal Oak, Michigan.  The large group of Chaldean men and women came out in large numbers for the first of three open sessions for the Chaldean under 18 open basketball tournament. 

The tournament organized and hosted by the Chaldean Church Sports League (CCSL) of Michigan returns after financing a very successful flag football and volleyball youth tournament.  This year the CCSL brings the Chaldean community both boys and girls basketball for both Chaldean boys and girls age 11-14 and 15 -18. 

The CCSL hold their next tryouts this Sunday, January 13 at 2:30 p.m. at the Slater Gymnasium located at 10 and half and Campbell in Royal Oak, Michigan.  Tryouts are open to all Chaldeans between the ages of 11-18.  “Chaldeans just need to show-up at the gym.  We have coordinators there to get them registered, go over the rules, get forms signed, and get them on the court to show their stuff,” says Brenda Kouza, CCSL administrative assistant. 

This article is the first in a seven series discussion on the attributes of a Chaldean apostle.  A Chaldean apostle is a vigilant and faithful servant willing to accept in their mind and heart that Jesus is their God and savior.  By having such faith the Chaldean apostle’s behavior will naturally change and begin to better reflect the Kingdom of God.  Therefore, this series will examine the attributes of behavior that demonstrate the grace of our Lord and our choice to be a follower of Christ.  

True Chaldeans understand that God is the only person who can bring people to salvation.  Christians who believe this should result in an almost automatic humbling of any person.  There are those with egos who claim to be servants of God, but their behavior shows something entirely different. 

Johnny Bitti hopes to sell his home before July.  Raymond Kalu, Century 21 Hometown agent from Sterling Heights, Michigan says, “Bitti needs to start thinking about how to make his home stand out from the rest.  The trick is to spend time and money on fix-ups, getting the house to look neat and open instead of spending money on remodeling projects.” 

Kalu seems to have his hand on the pulse of the market.  Remodeling magazine completed a study of homeowners across America and the result is that the owners aren't recouping as many improvement costs as they could in recent years.   In fact, real-estate agents advise clients not to overdo it, regardless of what the local market conditions are like.

The investment for any remodeling projects is added to the selling price of the home.  Chaldean real-estate agents say that the buyers market is fiercely competitive and sellers will have trouble selling a home with value added costs added to the bottom line.   The reason is that asking prices are based largely on comparisons with similar homes in the area, Kalu says. “And in the many markets that aren't exactly booming right now, buyers have more negotiating power over the price of a home,” he adds.

www.CHALDEAN.org contacted a number of Chaldean real-estate agents and asked them for their best tips for Chaldean homeowners looking to sell.  Here is what they had to say…

California, USA - Chaldeans are very fast learners.  All it took was a number of passengers in 1999 that were stranded in Detroit Metro Airport in Michigan to sue Northwest airlines for wrongful imprisonment.  The 11 hour snowstorm and Northwest’s decision to keep everyone on board affected 7,000 passengers and ultimately cost them $7 million in an out of court settlement. 

Unlike Chaldeans in Michigan, Kate Hanni can’t stand the cold.  The California resident made that painfully clear after American Airlines diverted her flight for more than eight hours a year ago.  The law suite filed by Hanni and another passenger alleges false imprisonment, fraud and negligence. 

“Chaldeans are fed up of being taken advantage of because of our accents, hard-work ethics, or family togetherness.  From my personal experience, people are envious of Chaldeans and don’t like the fact that we are a devoted community,” says Ann Kareem, a Michigan native who was part of the Northwest class action suit.  “Homeowner’s association try to take advantage of Chaldeans, school districts, and clubs do the same because they think they can get away with it or are upset that Chaldeans are successful or how our family’s remain so close.  Whatever the reason, you can ask any Chaldean and they will tell you they are often treated unfairly. I am glad Kate is suing in California, more Chaldeans need to sue.”