Z E N D A  M A G A Z I N E
[renamed Zinda Magazine in 1999]
Volume II                      Issue 1                      February 5, 1995

 

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A Weekly Online Newsletter Serving the Assyrian Communities Around the World
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THE   L   I   G   H   T   H   O   U   S   E
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A year has passed since the electronic distribution of
the first issue of ZENDA.  Since then hundreds of
Assyrian students, professionals, and ordinary
technophiles have become aware of ASSYRIA ONLINE,
eBABYLON, and SOC-CULTURE-ASSYRIA. In 1995 Assyrian
nationalism spanned space, time, and all preexisting
social and organizational arrangements, and re-
discovered itself in a new form.  In a short time
Assyrians, and the rest of the world for that matter,
discovered the internet.  Individuals, organizations
and local communities which often relied on long-distance
calls and quarterly journals for news and information
were now networked with the same communication technology
made available to the most technically-sophisticated
laboratories and corporations around the world.  A
student in California was now able to discuss the
Christology of the Church of the East with a bishop in
Boston.  Minutes after her initial request an Assyrian-
Canadian received useful information on the whareabouts
of her cousin in Germany.
 

In 1885, a group of Assyrians in Bet-Nahrain embarked
upon a new experiment:  to chronicle every newsworthy
event affecting the Assyrian populations in the Ottoman
and Persian Empires.  Their publications, created using
the most efficient printing machinces at the time,
contained political commentaries, literary articles, and
religious theology.  Assyrian nationalism was examined
with every article printed in Urmie, Mosul, and Tur-
Abdin.  The result:  a politically-aware generation of
nationalists who could represent the inheritors of a
glorious past and take their plight to Geneva and Lausanne.
Today, once again we are assessing our potential for self-
determination.  And once again we have equipped ourselves,
with the most efficient mean of communication.  In 1995
we inspired the future Delegation to the United Nations.

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G O O D   M O R N I N G   B E T - N A H R A I N
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CONSTRUCTION OF VILLAGES IN NORTHERN BET-NAHRAIN

(BN-Sweden)

Three Swedish organizations have completed
reconstruction efforts in northern Bet-Nahrain,
which included rebuilding of destroyed houses in
such Assyrian villages as Kanni, Dori, and Bet-
Tanori.  It is estimated that nearly 300 residential
units have been reconstructed by the Swedish
organizations SCHRKP and CARITAS.
 

   IRAQI GENERAL KILLED BY THE RESISTANCE GROUP
 

(CNN) Cyprus- Iraqi opposition forces claimed that
they killed an Iraqi general in northern Iraq. They
also said the Iraqi government retaliated by attacking
villages by helicopter.
 

The Iraqi National Congress said that they ambushed
and killed Brigadier General Mohamed Hamoudi Aboud
al-Taie while he was riding in a convoy at Showan,
near Kirkuk. The general's driver was also killed
and members of the convoy were taken prisoner by the
opposition umbrella group.
 
 

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S U R F S  U P !
=====================================================
"Best wishes for the new year. Here is a little tid
bit of news I found while I was surfing. It might be
useful to publish it in your next issue. Your efforts
in maintaining this publication are highly
appreciated."
                                -Edmond Williams

"Please keep me on your E mail list for future
editions of ZENDA, I trully enjoy your work and
commend you for your efforts."
                                -Sargon B Yalda

"I wonder if there is any way to incorporate Assyrian
Proverbs within your newsletter?  Proverbs, afterall,
are time-honored truths which expose and highlight
collected wisdoms of a culture; of a people.  They
are not predicated on unrealistic standards of ethical
behavior and rules of conduct.  What makes Proverbs
unique is that they are based on human nature and
observations over time.  Five thousand years of
Assyrian history is quite a long time, I would say.
What do you think?..."
                                -Nadia E. Joseph
                                 Chicago, Illinois

"...Thank you for all your work and efforts on behalf
of all our Assyrian people."
                                -H.B. Quoyoon

"Keep up the good work.  The important thing is that
you are Assyrians and are helping push us forward in
the world."
                                -Thomas Paul
 

"... you are doing very good, God bless you for your
hard work at ZENDA."

                                -Samir Younan

"Glad to know you're back on-line.  I had been
wondering why I'd not seen any new releases for
sometime and was concerned about the status of
ZENDA..."
                                -Esha Tamraz

"I have always just appreciated the work that you
do.  I am not upset in the least that you have had a
temporary halt in publication. I understand how these
things work. Just keep doing the good work that you
do. It is essential and appreciated by us all."
 

                                -Robert Nelsom, Utah
 

My personal thanks to you for all the hard work, often
without any form of thanks, that you have been doing
this past year.  I, for one, appreciate all that very
much; and look forward to receiving the Zenda news in
1996."
                                -Roy J. Shlemon
                                 Newport Beach, CA
 
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N E W S    D I G E S T
=====================================================
MEMORIAL DAY GAMES IN CHICAGO
(SCA-Chicago)

The Assyrian Athletic Club of Chicago is sponsoring a
local athletic event during the Memorial Day Weekend.
The "Memorial Weekend Tournament" will take place on
May 25 & 26 at the Warren Park in Chicago.  For more
information write to Sargon Yalda at <SYalda@aol.com>.
 

FREE POSTER OF THE ASSYRIAN MARTYRS
(SCA-Toronto)


On February 4, 1985 three Assyrian nationalists were
executed in Iraq for acts of subversion against the
Baathist government in Baghdad.  Yosep, Hubert, and
Youkhannan's pictures are often observed during the
commemorations of the Assyrian martyrs.  The Assyrian
Voice of Canada has published a poster depicting all
three Assyrian martyrs in remembrance of their
struggle for freedom against Saddam's rule in Iraq.
Fax your order to: (905) 279-7347.

YEZIDI LEADER DIES IN IRAQ
(BN-Baghdad)


Muawiya Ismail, the leader of the Yezidis, who
consider themselves direct descendants of the ancient
Assyrians, died in Baghdad.  Over 300,000 Yezidis
were reported to take part in the funeral which took
place in the city of Mosul in northern Bet-Nahrian.

SYRIAC FONTS AND SYSTEM SUPPORT
(ZN-US)


A set of Syriac fonts with script system support for
NISUS word processor on Macintosh is available
through Ecological Linquistics.  The basic package
includes a single typeface chosen from Estrangelo,
Serto, and Eastern.  The complete package also
includes Garshuni and Syrican Transliteration (Latin
Letters).  For samples and order form write to
ecoling@aol.com or contact Lloyd Anderson (202)545-5862.
 

NINOUS AGHASSI'S DEBUT ALBUM
(ZN-San Jose)

Recently a group of talented Assyrian artists from
San Jose, California released a new album entitled
KHESWA or Vision.  The vocalist, Ninous Aghassi and
his multi-talented musician Rainier Bet-Elia have
produced a collection of Assyrian songs in a modern
style of synthesized music.  Such hits as Shemshi-Sara
(Moonlight) and Lab Diakh (Without You) have quickly
become favorites among the youth.  All lyrics but one
were written by Dr. Manfred Alkhas.  To order a
cassette tape or compact disk write to P.O. Box 1571
Cupertino, CA 95015 or call (408) 244-7220.

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  D I R E C T O R Y  OF THE  N E W S  S O U R C E S
=====================================================
AA (AAA of San Jose Newsletter)
AP (Associate Press)
AS (Assyrian Server in Sweden)
BN (Bet-Nahrain Journal)
EB (e.Babylon BBS): 1-209-668-1827
        Hollister, California
JS (Journal of the Assyrian Academic Society)
   P.O. Box 4102   Des Plaines, Illinois 60016-4102
NQ (Nebu Quarterly)
        P.O. Box 59422, Chicago  Illinois  60659
NV (Nineveh Newspaper)
RU (Reuters)
SC (soc.culture.assyrian)
TN (Turkish News Agency)
WS (The Wall Street Journal)
ZN (Zenda Reporters):   zenda@ix.netcom.com
    Toronto, Germany, Chicago, Los Angeles, & San Jose
 

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       C A L E N D A R    OF     E V E N T S
=====================================================
March 13        "How a Babylonian Schoolboy learned
                 his ABC's"
                Public Lecture Series
                University of Toronto
               (416) 978-4531
 

May 25-26       2nd Assyrian Community Networking Conference
                Modesto, CA
                Red Lion Inn Hotel
 

May 24-27       Assyrian State Convention of California
                Modesto, CA
                Red Lion Inn Hotel
 

May 24-25       Memorial Weekend Games
                Chicago, Illinois
 

June 9-11       The ARAM Conference
                Harvard University
                Cambridge, Massachusetts  U.S.
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                  ENTERTAINMENT
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Feb 11          Valentine's Day Party
                AAA of San Jose
                Donation:  $15.00
 
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                    MEETINGS
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Thursdays     Assyrian Educational & Cultural Club at
              Modesto Junior College
              1:00 pm
              Founders Hall 125.
 

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                    CLASSES
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Mondays       Assyrian Language Classes
              BETA:  AAA of San Jose
              7:00-8:30 pm
 

              Assyrian Discussion Group
              BETA:  AAA of  San Jose
              8:00-9:30 pm
 

Thursdays     Nineveh Choir:  Mastro Nebu Issabey
              BETA:  AAA of San Jose
              7:30-9:00 pm
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                    SPORTS
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Tuesdays      Boys Soccer Practice
              South Valley Christian School
              Corner of Blossom and Shawnee
              San Jose, California
              5-6:30 pm
 

Sundays       Boys/Girls Volleyball
              Campbell Community Center
              Camden & Union
              Campbell, California
              6-9 pm
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   A S S Y R I A N   S U R F I N G   P O S T S
=====================================================
                     NEW WEB SITES
 

Church of the East Page
        http://www.allover.com/org/assyrian.ch.east/ace.html
 

.......................................................
 

Ancient Mesopotamia
        http://sipparorinst.uchicago.edu/OI/DEPT/RA/ABZ
        U/ABZU_REGINDX_MESO.HTML
 

Akkadian Language
         http://ruurq2.sron.ruu.nl/akkadian/
 

Assyria On-Line
        http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~jatou/./
 

Assyrian Flag
         http://www.cesi.it/flags/assyria.html
 

Assyrian Server (in Sweden)
         http://www.cs.umu.se/~dprhi/assyr/assyr.html
 

Assyrian Songs
        http://users.aol.com/assyrianme/songs/
        assyrian.html
 

Assyrian Youth Association of Sweden
        http://www.cs.umu.se/~dprhi/assyr/assyr.html
 

Corpus Neo Assyrian Project:  Helsinki, Finland
        http://www.helsinki.fi/science/saa/cna.html
 

e.BABYLON
        http://www.garlic.com/~agabrial/babylon.htm
 

Journal of the Assyrian Academic Society
        http://www.garlic.com/~agabrial/jaas.htm
 

List of Books on Babylon
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/who/Jamie.Norrish/nephilim/
         Bibliographies/babylon.html
 

Mesopotamia
         http://www.singnet.com.sg/~edmonds/sumerian_
         main.html
 

"Newsgroup"     soc.culture.assyrian
 

Nineveh Kids Homepage
        http://www.garlic.com/~agabrial/kidsweb.htm
 

Syriac Comp Inst
        http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/gk105/syrcom/
 

 
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          P U M P  U P  T H E  V O L U M E
=====================================================
ENGLISH                   ASSYRIAN
 
Lawyer          Noomiqa [M]     Noomiqta [F]
Physician       Asya [M]        Asyeta  [F]
Engineer        Ardekhla [M]    Ardekhelta [F]
 

_____________________________________________________
F = Feminine     M = Masculine      P = Plural
 
=====================================================
        B A C K    T O  T H E    F U T U R E
=====================================================
B.C.(883-859 BC) Ashurnazirpal II establishes Nimrud
as the capital of the Assyrian empire.  During the
opening ceremony he invites 69,574 guests for a ten day
celebration.  He writes "the happy people of all those
lands, together with the people of Nimrud, for 10
days I feasted, wined, bathed, annointed and honored
them; sent them back to their lands in peace and joy."
 

A.D.(1982)  The first Assyrian word processors appear
in California and Chicago.  The efforts of George Kiraz
(Alaph Beth), Ashur Mansour (AssurBanipal Graphics),
Peter Jasim (Ninveh Software) Sargon Hasso
(Syriac Writer), and the IBM engineers in the Almaden
Research Center, with the financial support of the
Assyrian American Association of San Jose, ushered
the Assyrian nation in the new age of computing.
 

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         W E L C O M E   T O   Z E N D A
=====================================================
Zenda welcomes our new on-line subscribers from:
 

              [CORPORATE ACCOUNTS]
VLSI (3)
A & A Mechanical
 

             [UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTS]
 

University of Miami, Florida
California State University, Stanislaus
 

             [INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS]
 

New Britain, Connecticut
Walnut Creek, California
San Jose, California
Australia
Toronto, Canada
Chicago, Illinois
Sweden (14)
 

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          A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
=====================================================
Zenda wishes to thank the following individuals &
organizations whose contributions appear in this issue:
 

Sargon Yalda          Chicago, Illinois
Ashur S. K. Malek     Toronto, Canada
Edmond Williams
____________________________________________________
ZENDA will continue to print your comments and
suggestions free of editing, as they appear in our
mailbox.  All letters will be printed in our SURFS UP!
section unless directed otherwise.
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Our Next Issue will appear on Monday, February 12, 1995.
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