Z E N D A  M A G A Z I N E
[renamed Zinda Magazine in 1999]

Volume II                       Issue 4                      February 26, 1996

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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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      ASSYRIAN PRIDE IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET

As I was surfing the net I was amazed with the amount
of information made available through the commitment
and dedication of our Assyrian, Babylonian, Chaldean,
(and whatever else we call ourselves these days)
brothers & sisters on the net. It is clear, that we
truly love our nation, culture and people. It could
only be summed up in two words "Assyrian Pride" (In
this article I will use Assyria and Assyrian as the
collective representative of our nation). This pride
has transcended itself beyond the boundaries of
countries and continents with the magic of the
internet and the medium that internet encompasses.
From Zenda's E-mail based newspaper to our Assyrian
servers in Sweden, to BBS services in Turlock, to a
site in Turkey, etc.

But what is most important is the audience of our
newly formed "virtual community/nation". No pond
is intended in the word virtual; it is a living,
breathing medium, with true-blooded Assyrians sitting
behind their terminals, who at the end of the day go
home and eat Dolma and Kipte!!  Humor aside, lets see
what it can mean to have a virtual community/nation.
For the first time in thousands of years we can
communicate with our fellow Assyrians at a global
level. For an individual, this is a dream come true;
it does not matter, at this junction in time, if I
have a homeland. I can be united with my countrymen/
women on a global scale until a day we are reunited
in a physical dimension (i.e. homeland).

The fact that we are spread throughout the world is
immaterial, because, WE ARE LINKED. We are not only
linked, but the cream of the crop of our people is
linked. The educated, young, visionaries, thinkers,
and all who care!! A networked BRAIN POWER of trained
individuals is what our nation needs today. The
benevolence that is exemplified on the Net is the
testimony of our elite's readiness to be proactive with
a strong sense of nationalism. We have fellow Assyrians
in any field imaginable: physicians, lawyers, engineers,
programmers, bankers, factory owners, scholars,
professors, students, nurses, writers, artists, ...
this pool of talent is unique to a living nation. It
must to be acknowledged, commended and united.

Certainly I am not the only one with such a vision.
Our active fellow countrymen(women) on the Internet
have already started this process. The seed is planted
on our behalf.  We have to acknowledge it and use it.
Not having a cohesive infrastructure has historically
been our biggest weakness and the reason for it has been
disbursement of the population, political suppression,
and of course lack of communication. Internet solves
it all!!  Any society that thrives, depends on its
people to communicate common visions, line up behind
those visions and execute them to perfection.

To establish an infrastructure this Brain Powers must
be identified. A database of all the residents of our
"virtual community" should be created.  This
population of our global society must in turn become
the voice of our nation. Let me share with you an
example of a small but vital project that could be
accomplished with the information obtained with this
database. If each member donates one book related to
the Assyrians we can establish the first and perhaps
the largest collection of such books and documents ever
assembled in one place. A group of us could act as the
"virtual librarians" in this project and help deliver
these books and periodicals from one user to another.
This and many similar projects would be a part of our
"national awareness" campaign to inform this elite
membership of our nation's history, culture, language, etc.

As a small but first step we need to know each other.
This will help us communicate with each other better,
and share our views easier. And if enough people believe
in these views they will get executed. The fundamentals
of a democratic Assyrian society, with its brain power as
its guiding light into 21 century, are being put in place.
We have been around for almost 7000 years, and we can and
will be around for another 7000!!!
 
                        Jeanclaude Toma
                        A small but proud Assyrian voice
                        Milpitas, California

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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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ASSYRIAN CHILDREN FROM B-N TO BE TREATED IN U.S. HOSPITALS
 

(ZN: San Francisco) With the assistance of the Texas
Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, the
Taylor Family Foundation of Lafayette, California,
and the Community Presbyterian Church in Danville,
California, the Assyrian Aid Society of America is
preparing to bring Bernadit Jalal (7) and Yokhana Nano
(6) from northern Bet-Nahrain.  Both Assyrian children
are in need of corrective heart and chest surgery,
respectively.  Tax deductible contributions can be
submitted to:       The AAS of America
                        44 Sutter St., Ste 1534
                        San Francisco, CA 94104
 

  A HEBREW-ASSYRIAN DICTIONARY PUBLISHED IN ISRAEL
 
(SC: Chicago) A 2-Volume Hebrew-Assyrian Dictionary
is published in Israel, under the title: Avri-Arami-
Ashuri b'Lahag Yehudey-Zakhu.  The author Vardah
Shiloh's dictionary for the Assyrian-Jewish speakers
from the Zakho district of northern Bet-Nahrain is
written for the benefit of the 250,000 Assyrian-Jews
currently living in Israel. In Israel, they are
referred to as the Kurdish-Jews.  The 963-page
dictionary costs 228 Sheqels ($80) and begins with
a preface by Professor Gideon Goldenberg of the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, a prominent
scholar of the Neo-Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic) dialects.
Among the prominent members of this small community
of the Assyrian speakers in Israel is the Likkud-
backed General Yitzhak Mordekhai who may be
appointed as the next Israeli Defense Minister.
 

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                  S U R F S  U P !
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"Dear brothers: You wrote: feb 24, 1918: Rev. Yousip
DeKalaita, an Assyrian scholar and a school principle
dies at age 82.  Rev. DeKalaita died 1952. Please
check the date again. thanks"
 

                                -William Dinkha
 

[We stand corrected. Rev. De Kalaita passed away on
February 25, 1952.  Also, at ZENDA it's always "Dear
brothers AND sisters."
 

             --------------------------
 

"I enjoyed reading your electronic newsletter very
much..."
                                -Samson Badal
                                 Bristol, CT
 

             --------------------------
"Thank you for mailing me the Zenda each week, for
an Assyrian as me it`s really interesting reading.
I have just one request and that is if you would like
to add my URL ... to your list. That would make me
really happy.  Thank`s again."
 

                                -Abjar Massi
                                 Sweden
 

[Your URL is listed under ASSYRIAN SURFING POSTS
(New Sites).  Please inform our readers about your
"local union's"  activities and planned meetings.
That would make us all really happy.]
 

             --------------------------
 

"I think Sandra [Vol II, #3] is right because I
think that everything in life, (weddings, engagements,
graduations, promotions, etc.) beside the politics
is part of our culture."
 

                                -Samir Younan
                                 Toronto, Younan
 

[We couldn't agree more.]
 

             --------------------------
 

"...your wonderful work on the ZENDA magazine and
I'm proud of it...I'm now System Operator for e.BABYLON
BBS in Turlock.   I would like to have your Permission
to Post some News from Zenda to our e.BABYLON BBS in
Turlock.  This well help to have more readers Zenda
magazine.  By the way, please correct ( in the meeting
field for Assyrian Educational & Cultural Club at Modesto
Junior College) the meeting is on ( Fridays at 1:00
pm in Founders Hall 108).  Thank you for everything and
God bless you ( Ka daha shoula shapera)."
 

                                 -George Mikael
                                  SYSOP e.BABYLON
                                  Turlock, California
 

[Our goal is to become the official Assyrian News Agency
serving every Assyrian community around the world.
Hence, your posting of our News section will be greatly
appreciated.  Any section of ZENDA may be read or written
with proper references."
 
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                                 N E W S    D I G E S T
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          SADDAM KILLS SONS-IN-LAW & FAMILY
 

(AP:  Morocco)  Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
personally interrogated and killed his two sons-in-law,
according to a report published in Sharq al-Awsat after
forcing them to divorce from his two daughters. The two
men, Hussein Kamel al-Majid and his brother Saddam Kamel
al-Majid returned to Iraq with their families Tuesday
from Amman, Jordan, where they had fled last August.
Gen. Hussein Kamel al-Majid, the former head of Iraq's
secret arms programs, said at the time he intended to
overthrow Hussein, but his efforts to become leader of
an exiled Iraqi opposition failed. The report in the
Arabic-language newspaper said the assassination was
later covered up as a family feud to hide the fact that
Hussein had committed the murders himself. The two were
among nine people shot dead when clan members stormed
their home Friday, according to Iraqi media.
 

 ASSYRIAN CREDIT CARD, DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT
 

(SC: Chicago)  Card Babylon is the new credit card
issued through MasterCard with an introductory
interest rate of 7.9 percent.  30 percent of the
net proceeds will be used in assisting the Assyrian
needy, churches, and student scholarships.  For more
information contact David Youkhana at 312-338-9100.
 
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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
NM (Nineveh Magazine)
NN (Nineveh Newspaper)
RU (Reuters)
SC (soc.culture.assyrian)
TN (Turkish News Agency)
WS (The Wall Street Journal)
ZN (Zenda Reporters):   zenda@ix.netcom.com
 

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       C A L E N D A R    OF     E V E N T S
=====================================================
March 1         The AAA of San Jose
                General Meeting
                BETA; 20000 Almaden Rd
                7:30 pm
 

March 3         Writing the Modern Assyrian Language:
                Americans and Assyrians Work Together
                            (1835-1914)
 

                Helen Vandenberg, Ph.D.
                7:00 P.M., Holiday Inn (Skokie)
                Devonshire Room
                5300 W. Touhy, Skokie, Illinois
 

March 13        "How a Babylonian Schoolboy learned
                 his ABC's"
                Public Lecture Series
                University of Toronto
                (416) 978-4531
 

March 24        Sawa Khamis Qardakha of Arbela:
                His Poetry on Religion, Romance, Wine,
                 Wisdom and Other Topics
                Oraham Yalda Oraham
                5:00 P.M., Edens Banquets
                6313 N. Pulaski, Chicago, Illinois
 

May 24-27       Assyrian State Convention of California
                San Jose, CA
                Fairmont Hotel
 

May 24-25       Memorial Weekend Games
                Chicago, Illinois
 

May 25-26       2nd Assyrian Community Networking Conference
                San Jose, CA
                Fairmont Hotel
 

June 1          Nineveh Choral Concert
                Conducted by Maestro Nebu Issabey
                San Jose, California
                Santa Teresa High School Auditorium
                8:00 pm
 

June 9-11       The ARAM Conference
                Harvard University
                Cambridge, Massachusetts  U.S.
 

Aug 29-Sept 2   AANF National Convention
                Modesto, CA
                Red Lion Inn Hotel
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                  ENTERTAINMENT
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March 2         Dinner/Dance Party
                Assyrian American Association of Chicago
                1618 W. Devon Ave
                Entertainers: Ramsin Shino & Oleen Rehana
                Donation $15.00 (includes Dinner)
                Contact Yousif Gabriel:
                  312-338-3922/ 312-465-9109
 

March 16        A Fundraising Party for Rep. Anna Eshoo
                AWANA
                Church of the East
                San Jose, CA
 
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                    MEETINGS
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Fridays       Assyrian Educational & Cultural Club at
              Modesto Junior College
              1:00 pm
              Founders Hall 108
 

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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:  Maestro 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 SITE(S)
 

Assyrian Local Union in Norrkoping, Sweden
        http://www.netg.se/Oppen/Org/a/ass/index.php
 

Middle Eastern Cuisine (includes Assyrian dishes)
        http://value.net/~stoma/#clicking
 

Assyrian Fonts
        ftp://scholar.cc.emory.edu/pub/fonts/mac
        ftp://scholar.cc.emory.edu/pub/fonts/windows
.......................................................
 

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 Collection of the Metropolitan Museum
        http://www.metmuseum.org/htmlfile/gallery/second/
        near.html
 

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 Woman Home Page
        http://www.nineveh.com/~agabrial/woman.htm
 

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

Church of the East Page
        http://www.allover.com/org/assyrian.ch.east/ace.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
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ENGLISH                   ASSYRIAN
 
Crook           Pleema      [M]  Plimta     [F]
Heathen         Khanpa      [M]
Accused         Mzaadtma    [M]  td as in tdlaa for "three"
 

_____________________________________________________
F = Feminine     M = Masculine      P = Plural
 
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                       B A C K    T O  T H E    F U T U R E
=====================================================
B.C.(654) After the destruction of Elam, Urartian
(ancient Armenians) embassadors appear at the palace
of Ashurbanipal to congratulate the scholarly monarch
on his victory.  On a relief from the palace at
Nineveh, they are depicted viewing the execution of
the Elamite captives.
 

<< The Kingdom of Armenia, M. Chahin >>
 
 

A.D.(Autumn 1862) According to a report prepared for
the Russian Holy Synod the regions of Urmie, Salamas,
and Sulduz in northwestern Iran included 4050 families
belonging to the Assyrian Church of the East.
 

 << Journal of the Assyrian Academic Society, Vol VI,
No 2, Fall 1992 >>
 

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              L  I  T  E  R  A  T  U  S
======================================================
                        An English Translation of

          ****** MY DARLING (Mokhebti) ******
                                        by
                           WILLIAM DANIEL
                                 (1903-1988)
 

I long for the marble of your arms shapely nude;
For the honey with which your lips are imbued.
 

For the Charming perfume that your breast emanages,
I think so longingly of those lovely dates.
 

Which we spend in meadows under blue of the skies,
We drank love from the spring of each other's eyes.
 

Oh let us go again, take a walk in the park,
Just before the sunset, just before it is dark.
 

Where our hungry hearts fed on each other's love;
Our church was the earth and witness sky above.
 

Where vows of loyalty never to be broken,
Were sealed in the soul with kisses as token.
 

Where commonest shrub looked so rich and so lush,
Painted like a rainbow by love's master brush.
 

I beg you my sweetheart, let us go where it seems,
Slumber with love potions does charm our dreams...
 

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                        T H I S    W E E K   I N    H I S T O R Y
======================================================
Feb 26, 1917:  A group of Assyrian nationalists gather
in Rev. Joel Warda's home in New York and propose the
establishment of an Assyrian National Fund.
 

Feb 28, 1918:  In Urmie, Shakespeare's The Merchant of
Venice is performed in Assyrian.
 

March 1, 1898:  The body of the Assyrian missionary,
Yakub Yalku Qarajalu, is burried in Manchuria.  Rev.
Yakub preached the Gospel throughout Russian territories,
Siberia, and Central Asia.
 

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                                        B   R   A   V   O
======================================================
 

The author of this week's feature article, Jeanclaude
Toma, is in the process of completing the ZENDA Homepage.
On a personal note, Jeanclaude and Odet recently
returned from their honeymoon trip to Tahiti.
Congratulations!

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

              [CORPORATE ACCOUNTS]
 

Membrane Technology

             [INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS]

Chicago
Anonymous
 

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

Albert Gabrial          Hollister, California
Abjar Massi             Norrkoping, Sweden
Davis Youkhana
Dan Shapira
____________________________________________________
 

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.
 

We urge you to submit your community events, personal
accomplishments, and meeting/school times to Zenda
no later than Sunday at 12:00 PM, Pacific Standard Time.
 

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Our Next Issue will appear on Monday, March 4, 1996.
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