True Partnership

Jewish and Chaldean doctors
share cultures, medical insights.

Keri Guten Cohen I JN Story Development Editor

Two local cardiologists share
more than a practice and an office
in Southfield. Both were born in
the Middle East — one in Israel
and one in Iraq.
Dr. Wassim Nona, 51, of
Bingham Farms is Chaldean and
was born in Bagdad. His parents
come from Telkaif in Iraq, as do
many Chaldeans in Metro Detroit.
He moved to the United States at
age 12 in 1973, five years after the
Drs. Issac Grinberg and Wassim Nona
revolution in Iraq that made the
study a case together.
situation for Christians even more
difficult in his homeland.
"Everyone comes for the same
reason — the opportunity to better our Chaldean language is remarkably simi-
lar to Hebrew — both are Aramaic.
lives and the desire to give their chil-
Rashi interpreted the Bible in Aramaic':
dren the best chance,' he said.
Grinberg said.
Dr. Issac Grinberg, 50, of Orchard
Nona smiled and added, "I was
Lake was born in Haifa. At age 15, he
always afraid to use cuss words because
and his parents moved to the United
he knows them all. I would say a word
States for economic reasons.
and he'd know exactly what I was say-
Each had his own medical school
ing. ,
trajectory, which coincided at the
Their practice, Heart Cardiology
Wayne State University School of
Consultants in Southfield and Novi,
Medicine.
is very international. Other countries
"We met while we were doing train-
represented include Jordan, Syria, Iran,
ing at Wayne State; he was one month
India, Nicaragua and Lebanon.
ahead of me," Nona said.
In 1999, Grinberg, Nona and Dr.
"He was my medical student':
Grinberg said with a smile. "We became Shukri David traveled to Jordan and
Israel together as friends. David's
friends then and remained friends
nephew was getting married in Jordan.
through six years of training:'
The trio went to Amman, Petra, Haifa,
Both say they are fascinated by car-
Nazereth, Tiberias and Jerusalem.
diology and the human heart, and are
"We get together a lot outside of
grateful for the impact they can have
work": said Nona, the more fastidious
on patients' lives.
Meanwhile, they have had an impact of the two; he always wears a tie and
has a more organized desk. "We share
on each other's lives as well.
an office all week, then we might get a
"He was my first Israeli friend': said
drink or go to dinner."
Nona, who graduated from Oak Park
Grinberg, usually dressed in a casual
High School and had many Jewish
polo shirt, agrees."Our families know
friends.
each other; we are in each other's inner
"He was my first Chaldean friend:'
circles;' he said.
Grinberg said. "Before I came here, I
Only the classic topic — politics —
knew very little about Chaldeans, but I
causes any dissension.
learned very fast. We have very much
"We disagree sometimes on
in common in our cultures. Family val-
American and Middle Eastern politics,
ues are similar and parents are highly
but we are constructive, not destruc-
revered:'
tive,' Nona said. "We have different
There also is the importance of
opinions, but it doesn't carry over into
food to each culture and the sharing of
our friendship. At the end of the day, we
Middle Eastern cuisine.
are best friends." BC
"The most striking is that the

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August 2 • 2012

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