took students to Israel and the West
Bank to study Middle East history,
politics and culture. We
Dr.
are committed to support
Conrad
the initiative fully."
Giles
Weighing In
Dr. Conrad Giles of
Bloomfield Hills, the new
national chairman of the
Jewish Council for Public
Affairs, added his perspective.
"While as a Jewish commu-
nity, much of our focus has been
on our concerns related to the uncertain-
ties in the Middle East and the affect of
our local economy on Metro Detroit, some
of the positive elements of Metro Detroit
receive short shrift:' he said.
"The West Bloomfield-Birmingham
corridor;' he said, "is a stunning example
where our children have forged friend-
ships that auger well for the future charac-
ter of Metro Detroit and demonstrate this
ability to live and thrive together."
Carl Levin, Michigan's longtime
Democratic U.S. senator, put the waves
of immigrants over the past century in a
historical context. "Previous generations, in
spite of the uncertainties they felt, left their
homes for a land of oppor-
tunity — and often, for
those in both groups, to
flee persecution. We see
a tragic reminder of that
shared struggle today in
Iraq, where Iraqi Christians
had to flee from their homes in
large numbers and Iraq's once-
thriving Jewish population has
nearly ceased to exist."
Each ethnic group has felt the
sting of persecution on occasion
Sen. Carl here in America as well. But in
spite of the obstades, Chaldeans
Levin
and Jews have become integral
to the tapestry of Metro Detroit
and Southeastern Michigan.
As the senator put it, "Each commu-
nity enriches our commerce and culture.
Each group is proudly American, proudly
Michiganian, but also proud of its unique
heritage, maintaining strong ties to ancestral
homes. Without either its Jewish community
or its Chaldean community, Metro Detroit
would be far poorer in mind and spirit." 0
JN Creative Director Deborah Schultz and IN
Senior Copy Editor David Sachs participated
in the development of this report.
Our Monthly
Themes
• APRIL – Two communities with
similar histories and common
roots.
• MAY – Chaldeans and Jews as
neighbors.
• JUNE – Chaldeans and Jews as
entrepreneurs/business engines for
Southeastern Michigan.
• JULY – Giving Back: Volunteering
and charity work in the Chaldean
and Jewish communities.
• AUGUST – The current refu-
gee problem for Chaldeans.
•
•
•
•
Our inaugural two-page
monthly spread, developed by
the Farmington Hills-based strategic
SEPTEMBER – Chaldeans
communications firm Tanner Friedman,
and Jews: The importance
begins today on pages 28-29. Today's cover
of education.
story as well as the two-page spread are
OCTOBER – Linked in
appearing in both the JN, published each
sickness and health.
Thursday, and the Chaldean News, a monthly
coming out near the first of each month. Each
NOVEMBER – Serving
month during our "Building Community"
the public interest:
initiative, the two-page spread as well as
Chaldeans and Jews in
related coverage about the two com-
public service.
munities will be similar in both
JANUARY – Moving forward
publications.
together for the betterment of
Southeastern Michigan and our
respective communities.
Getting To Know You
Joyce Wiswell I Managing Editor, Chaldean News
Keri Guten Cohen I Story Development Editor, Detroit Jewish News
How Many Are We?
Metro Detroit is home to about 121,000 Chaldeans and about 72,000 Jews.
What's That Sound?
At the end of the Jewish wedding ceremony, the groom smashes a glass with his
foot showing that, even in such happy times, it is important to remember sadness
at the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. The shattered glass also is
a reminder of the couple's shared duty to strive together for tikkun olam, repair of
the world. At the end of a Chaldean wedding mass, women trill loudly in a celebra-
tory sound called the halhole — a shrill cacophony of joy.
What's for Dinner?
Jewish delicacies often revolve around holi-
days: latkes (potato pancakes) for Chanukah,
kugel (a sweet baked pudding of noodles, eggs
and fruits) for Rosh Hashanah and matzah
ball soup for Passover. Additionally, more
observant Jews follow kosher dietary laws that,
at a basic level, include no pork or shellfish,
no mixing of meat and dairy and eating only
foods prepared under rabbinic supervision.
Chaldeans celebrate Christmas and Easter
with pacha (stuffed beef tripe with stew),
yaprak (also called dolma — grape leaves
filled with ground meat, rice and herbs) and
haresa (barley soup that cooks overnight).
CURRENT CHALDEAN POPULATIO CENTERS
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Where Do We Worship?
Jewish synagogues in Metro Detroit number in the dozens and are categorized by
the streams of Judaism, with the main ones being Orthodox, Conservative, Reform
and Resconstructionist. Eight Catholic churches serve the Chaldean Assyrian
Syriac community in Michigan, and the Chaldean Church is in the process of buy-
ing a church in Sterling Heights and just established a mission in Warren.
Where Do We Work?
Sixty-one percent of Chaldean households own at least one business. Dominant
industries include grocery, liquor and convenience stores; real estate; cellular;
hotels and insurance. Increasing numbers of Chaldean youth are graduating from
college and entering professional fields. Sixty-one percent of those in the Jewish
community who are employed are in professional, managerial or executive posi-
tions. Jews have moved from owning manufacturing businesses; many are in
financial services, real estate, real estate development, retail and health.
Who Leads Us Religiously?
Locally, Chaldeans are led by priests, who pledge a life of celibacy. Jews are led by
rabbis, who are free to marry and have children. While the Catholic Church has a
hierarchy headed by the Pope, the Jewish religion has no overall leader.
How Do We Mourn?
When a loved one dies, Chaldeans hold at least one wake at the funeral home
where the body is present, often in an open casket, and well-wishers come to pay
their respects. There is a formal funeral mass immediately before burial. On the
following Sunday, referred to as the "Seventh:' people visit and pray with the fam-
ily after mass in the church hall. Jews have burials as soon as possible, preferably
within 24 hours of death. Prior to burial, the body is ritually washed and then
watched over by a guardian who recites Psalms. Burial is followed by shivah, an
initial seven-day period of intense mourning, where people visit the house to pray
together and pay their respects. Chaldeans often send flowers, but this is usually
not done in the Jewish religion, though food or a fruit basket is welcome. It is cus-
tomary for Chaldean women mourners to wear black for up to a year. O
April 1 2010
27