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46,

Opening doors

Refugee aid is another Jewish-Chaldean
bridge of shared experience

By Alan Stamm and Justin Fisette

W

hether refugees wear a cross or Star of David, wor-
ship in a church or a synagogue, they're just as re-
freshed by the pure, open atmosphere of liberty in
America. This inviting environment has nourished
generations of Chaldean and Jewish immigrants.
Many benefitted — and many still do — from hands helping those
who yearn to breathe free.
Here in Metro Detroit, assistance comes from the Chaldean Feder-
ation of America, Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Detroit
Mercy, Jewish Community Relations Council and also from an inter-
national Jewish group based in New York, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid
Society (HIAS). Support crosses between communities, as it does with
other social services such as a new health care initiative.
For Chaldeans, a traditional migration route from Iraq to Metro
Detroit — originally linked to the economic opportunity of auto in-
dustry jobs — has become much more active and urgent in recent
years. To protect Iraq's Christian mi-
nority fleeing violence and other per-
secution, the United States eased visa
restrictions in 2007 — a move urged
by the Jewish Federation of Metropol-
itan Detroit and counterparts nation-
wide. About 5,300 Iraqi refugees have
settled in this area during the past
three years, state government figures
show, and more are coming.
When the Iraq War began, the
— Joseph Kassab
Christian population totaled about
Executive director,
1.4 million. Today it is less than half
Chaldean Foundation of America
that amount as Iraq's Christians suf-
fer religious persecution at the hands
of Islamic fundamentalists. Since 2004, more than 70 Christian
churches and institutions have been bombed. More than a dozen
clergymen have been kidnapped or murdered — most shockingly,
the Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul, Paulus Faraj Rahho, who was
kidnapped and killed in February 2008.
In addition to maltreatment, their resettlement challenges bring
new collaborations.

"Organizations
like [HIAS]
open the door
for Chaldean
refugees."

`A lot of similarities'

"Chaldean leaders spoke two times to our board about their con-
cerns," says Robert Cohen, executive director of the Jewish Commu-
nity Relations Council in Bloomfield Hills. "We have a lot of similari-
ties in our immigrant experience."
One result was a visit last February by Gideon Aronoff, na-
tional president and CEO of HIAS, a 129-year old group that
reaches out to refugees of any religion, nationality or ethnic
background. He met service providers and community organiz-

34

August 5 2010

Basil Baca speaks with Chaldean refugees resettling in the United
States as part of the Adopt-A-Refugee Family program,

ers at the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce.
"We are particularly empathetic to the plight of Iraqi Christians,"
Aronoff says on his society's website. "We can't ignore a parallel to
our own history as striking as this."
Added Mark Hetfield, Senior Vice President for Policy and Pro-
grams at HIAS, "We are engaged in a big way with the Chaldean
community in the realm of advocacy. In Geneva and Washington in
2007, HIAS pushed hard to establish refugee resettlement for Iraqi
religious minorities."
At the Chaldean Federation, the founder of a three-year-old Adopt-
a-Refugee Family program is heartened by broad support for displaced
families overseas as well as newcomers here. "The Jews and Chal-
deans grew closer because of all the similarities — ancestors in suffer-
ing, fighting for survival of family and religion and so forth," says Basil
Bacall, chairman of the charitable effort. "It's a story of survival, unity
and fighting for the basic rights of religious freedom."
Joseph Kassab, the federation's executive director, echoes his
colleague. "We are very grateful to the Jewish community for men-
toring us, helping us and supporting our cause," he says. "HIAS lead-
ership and other organizations in the U.S. have helped provide the
best possible resources to save lives." In addition to immediate needs
such as housing, food, furniture and sometimes short-term finan-
cial help, newly arrived families may need tutoring, job leads, health
care, counseling and legal services.
Past teamwork with Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit
provides helpful models again for Chaldean providers. Norm Keane,