{

social action

Women United

Chaldean-Jewish women's event centers on plight of Iraqi Christians.

Robin Schwartz Contributing Writer

The persecution of Iraqi

Christians has made head-

lines around the world.

Last October, a high-profile

church attack in Baghdad

killed 58 people; mili-

Sathab Ousachi

tants stormed Our Lady of

been exposed to each other before were
selected to attend and learn more about
the plight of Iraqi Christians.
"Chaldeans who arrive here in the
U.S. face countless challenges — finan-
cial support, education, employment,
family separation, language barriers,
immigration issues and so many other
challenges': Ousachi continued. "We are
working closely with the Department of
State and our local congressional lead-
ers to help advocate on behalf of this
vulnerable class. Both communities can
identify with the plight of these people
and work to empower women of faith/
culture to overcome these obstacles."

Salvation Syriac Catholic

church and blew themselves

up during a Sunday mass.

More than 100 people were taken
hostage and dozens were injured. In
the wake of the ongoing bloodshed,
violence and unrest, thousands of Iraqi
Christians have fled, leading to an
influx of refugees right here in Metro
Detroit. Our area is home to more
than 120,000 Chaldeans — the larg-
est Chaldean population in the United
States.
"Chaldeans, as a small minority
group, are suffering torture, massive
church bombings and slayings, oppres-
sion, forced religious conversion,
murder, kidnappings, rapes and more
[in Iraq]," says Sathab Ousachi of West
Bloomfield, an immigration attor-
ney, executive board member of the
Chaldean Federation of America and
an active member of several other local
Chaldean organizations. "To date, the
existing Iraqi government has been
unable to protect this minority group."
Ousachi is a keynote speaker along
with Ann Antone, a longtime commu-
nity activist and retired social worker,
at an invitation-only Chaldean-Jewish
women's event on May 3. The gathering
at Shenandoah Country Club in West
Bloomfield is the first event sponsored
by the Chaldean and Jewish Women
Social Action Initiative, part of the
Chaldean-Jewish Building Community
partnership. About 40 women (20 from
each community) who may not have

Ann. Antone

interfaith Leadership

Gail Katz, LeeAnn Kirma and Jeannie
Weiner, all of West Bloomfield, orga-
nized the inaugural women's event.
Katz is president and co-founder
of WISDOM (Women's Interfaith
Solutions for Dialogue and Outreach
in Metro Detroit); Weiner is a past
president of the Jewish Community
Relations Council of Metropolitan
Detroit. Both are retired teach-
ers. Kirma is president of Chaldean
American Ladies of Charity, a humani-
tarian organization. She's also an ana-
lyst at Ford Motor Company and owner
of LuLu's Mosaics, a hobby she turned
into a business.
While Kirma and Weiner co-chair
the overall social action initiative, all
three women share a passion for unit-
ing people of different backgrounds,
cultures and religions.
"This effort is an effort to really sus-
tain the community: Weiner explained.
"I think it's extremely important
to meet new people and work with

Jeannie Weiner

Gail Kati

Chaldeans who arrive here in the U.S. face

countless challenges — financial support,

education, employment, family separation,

language barriers, immigration issues and

so many other challenges.

— attorney Sathab Ousachi

them on issues that matter to all of
us in Southeast Michigan. It's always
fun to find you have similarities with
people you didn't know you had a lot in
common with."
Katz, who taught English as a second
language for many years in the Berkley
School District, already feels a close
connection to the Chaldean commu-
nity. Many of her students, both adults
and children, were Iraqi Christians.
"I'm so excited to see Chaldean and
Jewish women coming together," she
said. "We have coexisted for such a long
time; and there are so many similari-
ties in our communities and our chal-
lenges.
"We share so much, we live in the
same space, and we need to sit down
and break bread together and get to
know our neighbors. We're so fabulous
at taking care of our own; but it takes a
little bit of extra effort to cross divides
and learn about the neighbor living
right next door."
As the women unite here in
Michigan, thousands of miles away,
U.S. troops remain on the ground in

Iraq. They're scheduled to withdraw
from the region at the end of the year
as part of a December 2008 security
pact; but there has been talk of our
forces remaining beyond their sched-
uled departure if invited.
While the future in Iraq is uncertain,
the women believe Iraqi Christians
and Jews in our community will have
a brighter future if they break down
barriers and stereotypes, foster friend-
ships and understanding, and begin an
open dialogue. A plan for social action
that will assist families in both com-
munities will eventually be developed
and coordinated together.
"It's wonderful to see two communi-
ties who have been living side by side
for decades come together to better
understand one another and the chal-
lenges we each face': Kirma said.
"Our communities are pretty awe-
some; and our women are stellar':
added Antone. "Who better to bring a
better understanding of each other? A
few women working together can be
quite powerful; just think of what can
be accomplished!" BC

May 2011

CHALDEAN NEWS I JEWISH NEWS 9