01111 141 I) 11111 III. III V Affinity reaches deeply Chaldeans, Jews refresh close ties to address new challenges By Alan Stamm he most powerful bibli- "We could substitute 'Jewish' for cal symbols, the ones `Chaldean' in the narration," an that come alive in any attorney told her afterward. "It's place and time, fit mod- our story, too." ern life with ageless immediacy. The overlap also surfaces in CHALDEAN CULTURAL CENTER That's why the fig tree, which family settings. "I told my recently still thrives in ancestral Chaldean married son that I'm going to be JEWISH FEDERATION OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT and Jewish homelands, is an apt metaphor for entwined a Jewish mother," Romaya says. "I roots and fruitful relationships among these two sizable use that term in a positive way." Strong traditions Metro Detroit communities. Each has survived harsh en- Historic kinship creates a foundation for collaboration of faith are vironments, each flourished after being transplanted to in the areas of social services, health care, refugee resettle- among the many American soil and each now nourishes their new settings. ment and immigration reform advocacy. similarities shared by "There's a resiliency in the immigration experience," says This interfaith unity shows how immigrants and their the Jewish Scott Kaufman, CEO at Jewish Federation of Metropolitan descendants contribute to Metro Detroit vitality. While and Chaldean Detroit. "Chaldeans have overcome language and economic similar enrichment flows from people of various back- communities. issues, as did the Jewish community. They've done a good grounds, the natural affinity uniting Jewish and Chaldean job of keeping young people in the community." neighbors nurtures particularly productive partnerships Similar heritages "are the ties that bind," says Mary Romaya, that uplift each community and the region. director of the Chaldean Cultural Center in West Bloomfield. That The special relationship arises from parallel experiences by connection was clear when she screened "Our Story — Chaldeans groups that: in Detroit," a 2004 documentary, at Honigman Miller Schwartz and • Share Semitic languages and cultures. Cohn in downtown Detroit, as part of a cultural awareness program. • Overcame challenges as religious minorities. Ancient Chaldea: Tribes settle in fertile, marshy basins of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers — an area now comprising roost of Iraq and part of Syria, It is originally called mat Kaldi — "land of Chaldea," Metro Detroit's 121,000 Chaldeans are the largest concentration outside the Middle East. The community's growth, spanning a century, reflects economic, social and geopolitical factors similar to those bringing Jewish families here. 17TH-5TH CENTURIES B.C. mum ies united by history and culture Geography, language an history connect Chaldeans and Jews in Metro De- troit. Across 3,000 years, respect and affinity have strengthened links between these ancient and modern neighbors. Legendary names: Nebuchadnezzar II, the best-known Chaldean king, rules for 72 years, infiltration and internal conflicts mark the history of an area called Babylonia and later Mesopotamia, known as the cradle of civilization." 6TH-5TH CENTURIES 8.C, 28 April 1 • 2010 Papal welcome: After a split over theological philosophies, Chaldeans join the Eastern Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. They're under papal authority from the Vatican in Rome, but retain their historic rituals and language for mass and other ceremonies. 1ST CENTURY A.D. • Roots: As descendants of the prophet Abraham, who came from the Chal- dean city of Ur, both groups consider themselves "Chil- dren of Abraham." Early Sumerian/Chaldean kings also are listed as leaders 1762-1783 The 72,000 Jewish residents in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties are a remarkably stable community, with nearly 90 percent living here 20 years or more. Migration out of Detroit, particularly to Oakland suburbs, parallels moves by Chaldeans. Reiigion: The Chaldean Catholic Church descends from the historic Church of the East, which united Chaldea and Assyria. According to legend, the Apostle Thomas converted Chaldeans around 45 A.D. on one of his missionary journeys. 1840s Pioneers: A handful of Jewish fur traders and merchants come from New York and Montreal in the 18th century. Detroit's first known Jewish settler, Chapman Abraham, does business from 1762 until at least 1783. A larger influx from Germany began in the 1840s. in the Old Testament. • Language: Hebrew was derived from Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus still used by many Chal- deans. Both are known as Semitic languages, a word that also describes the 1850 Worship: Twelve German American families form Beth El Society, the state's first Jewish congregation, in a Detroit home in 1850. 1445 cultures and ethnicities of varied people united by Middle Eastern origins. • Monotheism: Judaism and Christianity are based on belief in one God. • Persecution: Each group has been a repeated target 1861 1877 1 Diversity: In 1861, 17 followers who prefer traditional Judaism withdraw from Beth El to start the Shaarey Zedek Society. Its first of six Detroit synagogues was built in 1877.