`Informative
And Inspiring'

The Building Community narrative
wins high praise from journalists.

David Sachsi Senior Copy Editor, Detroit Jewish News

Last year, two ethnic

groups and two

newspapers joined

forces to create the

E A RE
.114E CA A M PIONS.

glAess

Building Community

initiative. This year, the

two journalists who

wrote the initial story

about it were jointly

honored by their fellow

scribes.

Walsh recently won the 2011 ACG

Detroit Cup, a competition between
business graduate students that is

focused on a mergers & acquisition

case. We think that says a lot about

our students. We applaud the efforts of

teams from Michigan's most respected
business schools, including the

University of Michigan, Michigan State

University, and Wayne State University.

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12 CHALDEAN NEWS I JEWISH NEWS August 2011

WALSH®

COLLEGE

LIVE. BREAT14E. BIAINEs5.

Editors Vanessa Denha Garmo
and Robert Sklar

Robert Sklar, contribut-
ing editor of the Jewish News, and
Vanessa Denha Garmo, editor and
co-publisher of the Chaldean News,
were feted April 13 by the Detroit
Chapter of the Society of Professional
Journalists (SPJ). Their story, "A Well-
Rooted Friendship': which appeared
in both newspapers in April 2010,
received the society's first-place
award for general news reporting.
The journalists who judged the
SPJ writing competition called the
Building Community piece "a very
interesting and worthwhile project,
developed in great detail with a broad
range of sources, research and effort.
"Informative and inspiring, even
for readers who are neither Jewish
nor Chaldean': the judges noted.
The colorful four-page spread,
which was the cover story of both
publications, began with the bold
declaration: "Chaldeans have more in
common with the Jewish community
than with any other nationality"
This provocative quote from
Chaldean leader Michael George
was followed by a series of articles
introducing the two Semitic peoples
to each other — discussing history,

religion, social contacts ... even food.
The successful rollout of the
Building Community project led
to an ongoing initiative that has
produced multiple joint ventures
between Jews and Chaldeans in the
areas of business, education, health-
care, social action and the arts.
"I want to congratulate Vanessa
and Bob': said Chaldean News
Co-Publisher Martin Manna. "We
sought to focus on our similarities,
not our differences. This unique
effort brought both communities
together and created long-lasting
friendships."
Sklar, the 13-year editor of the IN
who was honored the same evening
with a lifetime achievement award
from the SPJ, said of his fellow editor,
"I knew Vanessa before the Building
Community initiative began, but
working alongside her is a pleasure.
She's a real pro, and she's become a
good friend."
Two ethnic communities working
together and forming friendships —
certainly something to celebrate. BC