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Muldoon News *OP

Beyond The Honeymoon

Watch For Survey
First up this year will be re-engage-
ment of the Building Community
communitywide survey directed
by the College of Business on the
University of Michigan-Dearborn
campus. A survey followup sent to
initiative participants will build
on the benchmarking of attitudes
and perceptions that UM-Dearborn
captured in May. The data will be
analyzed to determine if attitudes
and perceptions have changed in
statistically significant ways in either
or both communities — Jews toward
Chaldeans and Chaldeans toward
Jews.
The final report is not expected
until late January.
Among the questions asked of
Chaldean survey respondents (whose
answers can range from strongly dis-
agree to strongly agree):
•All things being equal, you would
do business with a company from
the Jewish community.
• The values of most members of
the Jewish community are similar to
those of the Chaldean community.
•You would be accepting of some-
one from the Jewish community
marrying into your family.
The same questions were asked of
Jewish respondents with the word
"Chaldean" substituted for "Jewish:'
All respondents were asked about
ways to enrich and expand the
partnership in 2011 and the impact
of Building Community events and
activities.
The IN's Horwitz is excited about
the prospects for a memorable Phase
II.
"Fortunately," he said, "we have
enlisted a wonderful group of spon-
sors who continue to share our
optimism for creating a new, durable
model of behavior and interaction
that strengthens our respective
communities, Detroit and the entire
region for years and perhaps decades
to come." I I

Creative director, Deborah Schultz
Senior copy editon David Sachs
Story development editor, Keri Guten
Cohen

y Je rry Zo ly ns ky

Chaldean-Jewish initiative will continue to build.

0
0

Architect Victor Saroki, Lawrence Technological

University President Dr. Lewis Walker and archi-

Arthur Horwitz, Michael George and

Brian and Natalie Stacy of Meijer

Martin Manna

tect Dennis King, a trustee at Beaumont Hospital

Far left:

Martin Manna, Dr. Conrad

Giles and Arthur Horwitz

Left:

Kieth Cockrell of Bank of

America

Joyce Wiswell
Managing Editor I Chaldean News

T

he good feelings of the honeymoon
still linger, but now is the time for
sustained work to keep the mar-
riage thriving.
That was the message from Dr.
Conrad Giles at a celebration of Building
Community, the historic collaboration
designed to bring Metro Detroit's Jewish
and Chaldean communities closer together.
The event, held on Dec. 16 at Lawrence
Technological University (LTU) in
Southfield, attracted 250 members of both
communities. Though Building Community
will continue into 2011 and beyond,
organizers wanted to formally thank the
honorary co-chairs — Giles for the Jewish
community and Michael George for the
Chaldeans — and recognize the sponsors
who made the inaugural phase possible.
Giles likened Building Community to
a marriage. "If you don't work on it every
single day, it doesn't evolve into a beautiful
thing," he said. "Let's keep our eye on the

relationship."
"We've had a great pair of matchmak-
ers," he added in reference to Detroit
Jewish News Publisher Arthur Horwitz
and Chaldean News Co-Publisher Martin
Manna, who together helmed the project.
Manna presented Giles with an original
work of art featuring the Chaldean com-
munity's unofficial symbol, the lion of
Babylon. Horwitz gave George a glass tze-
dakah box that represents a window from
the Jerusalem home of Joseph Davidoff,
a pioneer of modern-day Israel. The tra-
ditional box is meant to collect coins for
charity.
"I will keep this in my office and make
visitors put money into it for the Iraqi refu-
gees," George said.
Kieth Cockrell, Michigan Market presi-
dent of lead sponsor Bank of America,
made brief remarks on behalf of all the
sponsors. "Thank you for setting the model
of collaboration:' he said, noting that
Building Community included not only
shared articles in both publications, but
also a number of special events where the
two communities interacted.

Also acknowledged were gold sponsors
Wayne State University, Meijer and DMC-
Huron Valley Sinai Hospital; and silver
sponsors Wayne County, LTU, University
of Michigan-Dearborn and the Bloomfield
Hills School District.
Horwitz pointed out that Metro Detroit
is a "diverse but segregated region" with "a
sense of optimism for the future.
"Maybe we will inspire other [ethnic and
racial groups] to collaborate he added.
"We come here today definitely more
knowledgeable and definitely more respect-
ful towards each other:' Manna said of the
two communities.
Only positive things can come when
groups work together, George said. "There
are very few people who are not compatible
if they communicate he said.
LTU President Dr. Lewis Walker, the
evening's host, said he looks forward to
continuing his support for the initiative.
"You've created a synergy and made a dif-
ference in the broader world:' he said. "The
future growth of Southeast Michigan hing-
es on entrepreneurs — something these
two communities do very well."

January 6 2011

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