noteworthy Coming Up The
noteworthy Coming Up The City of Sterling Heights City Council has unanimously voted to grant the Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) conditional rezoning to build a new community center. Construction is expected to begin in July on the 11,500 square-foot facility. It will house the CCF’s Refugee Acculturation Sustainability and Training (RAST) office, which provides of variety of services to refugees and other lowincome immigrants. The center will also provide community forums and educational programs. It is expected to be completed by April 2015. Basim Naim Sulaka Yet Another Shop Owner Killed Violence continues to plague store owners as yet another man was killed while working at his shop. In the latest incident, Basim Naim Sulaka was gunned down at his Clinton Township shop on Friday, March 29, by three masked men. No arrests have been made. Sulaka, 51, was killed in a robbery at Moon Lite Party Store on Harper, just north of 14 Mile. Born on September 12, 1962, he had owned the store since 1996. Known as “Sweet Basil,” Sulaka was married and the father of two children. A candlelight vigil outside the store was held the next day by stunned family members, neighbors and customers of the store. Interment was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. A reward totaling ,000, including ,000 from the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce’s Waad Murad Advocacy Fund, is being offered. Anyone with information is asked to call the Clinton Township Police Department at (586) 493-7802 or Crime Stoppers at (800) SPEAK-UP. “We’re received a lot of tips,” said Colleen Thomas from Crime Stoppers. Clinton Township Police did not return repeated calls. Chaldean Sailor Aids in Boat Rescue A Chaldean sailor was among those who rescued a family at sea in a highly publicized operation on April 9. After a family made a distress call about their sick baby, the San Diegobased USS Vandegrift traveled to the family’s 36-foot sailboat off the coast of Mexico. Rescued from their stalled sailboat were 1-year-old Lyra Kaufman, who had developed diarrhea, vomiting and a rash, her sister and their parents. When the Vandegrift crew contacted the sailboat, they stayed approximately five miles from the family’s boat while they worked out a rescue plan. Finally, Vandegrift sailors – including Chaldean Andrew Habib – used an inflatable boat to bring them aboard the ship. Their sailboat had to be sunk for safety reasons. “The infant and 3-year-old were in a harness with the pararescuemen. We did that for safety reasons. We had them cross over,” sailor Andrew Habib told NBCSanDiego.com. “The children were in good spirits.” Habib said he was glad to be part of the challenging rescue. “The family was very humble,” he said. “It looked like they had a sense of relief.” The Kaufman family had planned to sail across the Pacific Ocean. When their situation came to light, that plan prompted scores of criticism and accusations of child endangerment. Seminarians Down Under Include Refugee A Chaldean man is among eight new first-year seminarians at Holy Cross Seminary in New Zealand. Fadi Boless, 21, was born in Iraq but his family migrated to Syria in 2000. In 2012, his family entered New Zealand as refugees, joining his sister, who had married there. Boless hopes to be ordained a priest in the Chaldean Catholic rite, but he will also be able to celebrate the Latin rite normally used in New Zealand. Last year, he was ordained as a sub-deacon by Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako when he visited New Zealand. Boless said he first felt a calling to the priesthood when he was in Syria, and the kindness his family received there was a factor. “I felt a call from God, because of other people. They dealt with us like brothers, even though we were strangers. We have been helped by many churches, even Muslim people,” he told NZCatholic.org. When his training at Holy Cross is finished, Boless will do two more years of study in Australia or Iraq to familiarize himself with the Aramaic dialect used in the Chaldean Church. His fellow seminarians are a diverse lot, hailing from India, Vietnam, Tonga and New Zealand. Store Owners Sought for Survey Chaldean business owners and managers from the city of Detroit are being sought to participate in a survey by a Michigan State University researcher working toward his Ph.D. from the School of Criminal Justice. “The Chaldean business community is crucial to Detroit given the richness of their culture, the wealth of their intergenerational experiences, and their positive impact on the city’s economy,” said Vaughn J. Crichlow. “Some Chaldean store owners, unfortunately, have been the victims of violent crime in Detroit and this problem needs to be addressed. My hope is the results from this research will help to improve policecommunity relations and encourage the development of community partnerships for future crime prevention.” Store owners or managers will be asked to participate in an anonymous survey that will take about 15 minutes to complete. Respondents can refuse to answer certain questions or discontinue their participation at any time, said Crichlow, who as an immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago said he relates to ethnic communities. Learn more by calling Crichlow at (517) 353-0948, or email crichlow@ msu.edu. Events Honor Alex and Gabby Mansour The memory of Alex and Gabby Mansour, the children tragically killed in a boating accident last summer, lives on with several upcoming events. On May 2, people will gather at Airtime Trampoline & Game Park in Troy for a family-fun evening. The event runs from 5-9 p.m. and, besides the chance to leap about on trampolines, includes food, drinks and prizes. Tickets are and . Call (248) 918-0909. A 3 on 3 basketball tournament takes place on June 14 at West Bloomfield High School. The event includes male and female tournaments open to ages 8 and up at 9 a.m. and an adult session that begins at 2 p.m. There will also be food, a 50/50 raffle and an appearance by the mascot Hooper. Team costs are 0 for ages 8-16 and 0 for ages 17-plus. A walkathon and mass at the Detroit Zoo is planned for September 21. All the events benefit the Chaldean Seminarian Fund, which gives financial Gabby and Alex Mansour assistance to 10 young men on the path to priesthood. Alex, 11, and Gabby, 8, were killed on July 14, 2013 on Sylvan Lake. Their sister Adriana suffered severe injuries in the accident but continues to steadily improve. Visit AlexAndGabby.com to learn more. People Two members of the Secrest Wardle law firm have been named to the list of Top Women Attorneys in Michigan by Michigan SuperLawyers. Partner Krystal D. Hermiz works in the Motor Vehicle Litigation and Premises Liability Practice Groups. A graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, she is a former president of the Chaldean American Bar Association. Partner Renee T. Townsend is a Krystal D. Hermiz Renee T. Townsend member of Secrest Wardle’s Employment, General Negligence, Insurance Coverage, Motor Vehicle Litigation and Premises Liability Practice Groups. She is also a graduate of U-D Mercy School of Law. 10 CHALDEAN NEWS MAY 2014
Community Bulletin Board Champs! Congratulations to the St. Thomas Twin Tigers, varsity boys champions of the Sunday Chaldean Church League. Coach Raymond Jonna and assistant coach Brent Jamil led the team to victory. Guards were Joseph Dabish (Defensive MVP), Brandon Nafso (MVP), Billy Sharrak (Captain), Lance Shallal, coupled with dominating big men Paul Mansour, Antonio Yono, Nicholas Husanynue, and versatile hybrid players Niko Jonna, Patrick Etta and Jordan Jeberaeel. Each player has his own set of unique talents. By the end of the season their synergy and chemistry was evident with crisp passes, high percentage shots, lockdown defense and clear communication. Explosive and dynamic, this team won eight games in a row to capture the coveted Championship Trophy. Pretty Price A rare and important Nebuchadnezzar II Babylonian cuneiform cylinder set a world auction record on April 9. The price of 5,000 achieved by Doyle New York far surpassed the prior record of £264,000 (approx. 0,000) set in 2011. The clay cylinder describes the rebuilding of the temple of Shamash in Sippar (modern Tell Abu Habbah in Iraq) by Nebuchadnezzar II and dates to the Neo-Babylonian period, circa 604-562 BC. At 8.25 inches in length, it is the largest example to come to market in recent times. The cylinder sold to a bidder participating on the telephone – could the buyer be a local Chaldean? He Scores! Isaiah Barno is the Southern California winner in the recent free throw contest in the 9-year-old group. The competition was held by the Knights of Columbus California State Championship South Section in March. Attentive Attorneys Members of the Chaldean American Bar Association and the Iraqi American Christian League gathered on March 18 to present a free legal seminar at the Knights of Columbus in Sterling Heights. The attendees, many of whom are recent arrivals who don’t speak English, had the chance to learn about immigration, landlord/tenant and family law. Pictured are some of the participants, attorneys Brandon Kalasho, Salam Elia, Madana Hermiz, Dalia Kejbou and Jalal Dallo. Have an item for the Bulletin Board? Send it to Chaldean News, 29850 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48034, or e-mail info@chaldeannews.com.
