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                    THE   L   I   G   H   T   H   O   U   S   E
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[The following article was written 60 years ago by
Livinsgtone Porter, Ph.D., of California State Dept
of Education, in Pasadena, California.]
 
 

                THE ASSYRIAN HERITAGE
 

Assyrian played a leading part in the civilization of
the ancient world.  The Assyrians displayed truly
remarkable creative ability and originality. Excavations
have been carried on continuously now for more than a
century and for this reason Assyria has become well
known to the modern world.  Fresh discoveries have
served to keep alive and extend the general interest.
 

The Assyrians of 2500 years ago were imbued with a
strong feeling of dependence upon the past, they were
keenly interested in it, they revered their ancestors
for what they have accomplished, and they sought to
follow their example, to complete that which they had
commenced.  they appreciated the value of preserving
the monuments and the literature which transmitted
to them the deeds and thoughts of their forebears.
Special pains were taken to make full records of
contemporary events.  These were recorded in their
chronological order with unrivaled exactness and
wealth of detail and they were illustrated by
magnificent reliefs hewn out upon the walls of the
palaces.
 

Our information concerning the activities of the
ancient Assyrians is rich and fairly complete.  We
know that they were a people of highly developed
intelligence, of fine sensibilities, and that they
were filled with energy and enthusiasm.  Their art
proves that their reactions to life were genuine.
They were continuously making progress.  The
centralized system of government which they developed
became the model which was followed by succeeding
empires.  The culture of the modern world has been
greatly enriched by its knowledge of ancient Assyria.
Amongst the educated there is a sincere appreciation
of the contributions which the Assyrians made to the
world.
 

When the discovery wa made that Nineveh fell in the
year 612 B.C. instead of in 606 B.C., this news was
disseminated all over the world and was received with
much interest.  Although it is nowhere so recorded,
most people still seem to think that the Assyrians
vanished from the surface of the earth when Nineveh
was destroyed.  Few knew of their glorious history
since that time, of their adherence to such ideals
and practices as have made them continue to be the
aristocrats of the Near East.  "A History of the
Assyrian People From 612 B.C. to 1936 A.D." is sorely
needed. Such a book would amaze the world.
 

Assyrians have every reason to be proud of their
heritage.  They should keep it in remembrance and
should pass it on their descendants. Its value is
priceless.  Their worth to themselves and to the
land of their adoption will be in proportion to the
effect their precious and unique inheritance has
upon them.  Their heritage is so rich that it will
require effort and time to know it.  The reward will
be an immense enrichment of one's life.  The
perpetuation of the Assyrian Heritage will make for
a better world.
 
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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
=====================================================
 

       ASSYRIAN STUDENTS KILLED IN ARBEL
 

(ZNSC:  Arbella)  According to an Assyrian Democratic
Movement Press Release last Sunday a few members of the
Assyrian Student Association in Ankawa, Arbel were
attacked by a group of Kurdish students. After verbally
and physically attacking the Assyrian students, the
Kurdish attackers open fire and kill two unarmed
Assyrians, Samir Moshe, Assistant Director of the ADM
headquarters, and Peras Mirza Sliyyoo, a guard at the
Assyrian television studio. Samir Moshe was killed
instantly; Peras Mirza Sliyyoo was wounded critically
and died two days later. An unidentified Assyrian woman
was shot in the leg. Another Assyrian student was
severely beaten with steel bars and wooden clubs. Both
remain in critical condition. No further information was
provided on the condition of other wounded Assyrian
students.
 

        IRAQ AGREES TO UN'S HANDLING OF AID
 

(ZNRU) Iraq has agreed to allow the United Nations to
distribute food and medicine in northern Bet-Nahrain
purchased through the sale of its oil. Iraq has also
agreed to offer diplomatic immunity to those  in charge
of distributing the aid, but differences remain over
the extent of this immunity. Iraqi and U.N. negotiators
sent a draft agreement to Saddam this week for his
approval.  The U.N. Security Council offered to let
Baghdad sell $2 billion worth of oil over six months to
buy food and medicine to ease the impact of the economic
embargo imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990.
 

  SEVERAL KURDISH REBELS KILLED IN FIERCE FIGHTING
 

(ZNRU: Diyarbakir) Turkish troops kill 60 rebel Kurds in
northern Bet-Nahrain in the biggest recent losses for
the rebels in a single clash, according to a Turkish
governor of the Batman District. Last month Turkish
troops killed more than 100 PKK rebels in a week of
clashes in the eastern province of Bingol, losing more
than 30 of their own in some of the fiercest recent
clashes with the guerrillas.
 
 

=====================================================
                                           S U R F S  U P !
=====================================================
 

     NO EMAIL MESSAGES WERE RECEIVED LAST WEEK!
 
 

=====================================================
            S U R F E R S   C O R N E R
=====================================================
The Assyrian Community Networking Conference will be
a great opportunity to meet the faces behind ZENDA,
eBabylon, Nineveh.Com, soc.culture.assyrian, Assyria
Link, and many other Assyrian internet services.  Be
sure to attend this meeting on Saturday May 25, at
the Fairmont Hotel, 1:00 to 5:00 pm.  Mr. Wilfred
Alkhas of ZENDA will speak on the topic of the
establishment of a worldwide Assyrian news agency.
 

Please note that ZENDA will not be published next
week.  We will be back the following Monday on June 3.
 

ZENDA WISHES THE ORGANIZERS OF THE 30TH ASSYRIAN STATE
   CONVENTION OF CALIFORNIA A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME.
 
=====================================================
               N E W S    D I G E S T
=====================================================
 

(ZNRU: Tehran) Last Sunday thousands of paramilitary
volunteers launched a crackdown on un-Islamic values
in Iran offering advice on adhering to Islamic rules
and norms. The 230,000 members of the Basij force have
set up 72 tents in Tehran to offer 'verbal advice' to
those who do not observe Islamic code of dress. Islamic
literature would also be handed out at the tents.
In recent months Islamic militants have increased their
activity and attacked cinemas showing films deemed
un-Islamic as well as a Tehran park used by women for
cycling. Meanwhile, last week, Egypt's Higher Constitutional
court upheld a ruling by the Education Ministry barring
schoolgirls from wearing the Islamic veil over their faces.
According to ZENDA sources in Tehran Assyrian women
may refrain from wearing the Islamic veil or Chador as
required of all Moslem women in Iran.
 
=====================================================
  D I R E C T O R Y  OF THE  N E W S  S O U R C E S
=====================================================
ZNNQ (Nabu Quarterly)
ZNRU (Reuters):  ClariNet Communications Corp.
ZNSC (soc.culture.assyrian) newsgroup
ZNUP (United Press International)
ZNDA (Zenda: zenda@ix.netcom.com)
 

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       C A L E N D A R    OF     E V E N T S
=====================================================
No New Activities
-----------------------------------------------------
 

May 24-27       Assyrian State Convention of California
                Fairmont Hotel
                San Jose, U.S.A.
 
May 24-25       Memorial Weekend Games
                Chicago, U.S.A.
 

May 25-26       2nd Assyrian Community Networking Conference
                Fairmont Hotel
                San Jose, U.S.A.
 

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

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

July 1-5        RENCONTRE ASSYRIOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE
                Praque, Czech Republic
 

July 2-7        10th Annual Assyrian Youth Convention
                of the Assyrian Church of the East
                Chicago, Illinois
 

July 4-7        Assyrian Olympics of California
                San Diego, California
 

Thru Aug 15     "Beirut:  Uncovering the Past"
                Profiles recent UNESCO archeology efforts
                The British Museum
                London, England
 

August 12-14    SyrCOM-96: Second International Forum
                           on Syrian Computing
                Symposium Syriacum
                Uppsala University
                Dept of Asian and African Studies
                Box 513
                S-751 20 Uppsala
                Sweden
                Fax: +46 18 181094
                Witold.Witakowski@afro.uu.se
 
Aug 29-Sept 2   AANF National Convention
                Red Lion Inn Hotel
                Modesto, U.S.A.
 
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                  ENTERTAINMENT
-----------------------------------------------------
May 20          Dinner Banquet
                Urhai Entertainment Committee of
                  The Church of the East
                Crystal Palace Banquet Hall
                1811 Albion Road
                Entertainer: Linda George.
 

June 1          Dance Party
                United Assyrian Youth of Canada &
                  AUA Political Arm
                Crystal Palace Banquet Hall
                1811 Albion Road
                Entertainer:  Linda George
 

-----------------------------------------------------
            REGULAR CLASSES & MEETINGS
-----------------------------------------------------
Mondays         Assyrian History Class
                "Assyrian History: 18th Century thru Present
                Instructor:  Wilfred Alkhas
                BETA on 20000 Almaden Rd, San Jose, Calif
                Class begins on June 3
 

Thursdays        Nineveh Choir:  Maestro Nebu Issabey
                 BETA:  AAA of San Jose, U.S.A.
                7:30-9:00 pm
 

Fridays          Assyrian Educational & Cultural Club at
                 Modesto Junior College
                 1:00 pm
                 Founders Hall 108
                 Modesto, U.S.A.
 

Saturdays        Nisibis School
                 10:30-1:30
                 The Church of the East
                 The United Assyrian Youth of Canada
                 Toronto, Canada
 
 

                 Nisibin School
                 Ages 4 thru 14
                 Assyrian Language, History, & Arts
                 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
                 BETA on 20000 Almaden Rd, San Joe, Calif
                 Classes begin on June 15
 

=====================================================
   A S S Y R I A N   S U R F I N G   P O S T S
=====================================================
 NEMO:  An Assyrian Commentary Page
 

        http://www.nineveh.com/~agabrial/nemo.htm
 
 

Assyrian Vision TV station Web site
 

        http://www.nineveh.com/~agrbrial/kbsv.htm
 

Iraq Research & Documentation Project
 

        http://fas-www.harvard.edu/~irdp

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                      P U M P  U P  T H E  V O L U M E
=====================================================
        ENGLISH                ASSYRIAN
 

        Migrane             bsaar-tda      [M]
        Cancer              sir-tdaa-naa   [M]
        Pneumonia           raat-yaa-noota [F]
 
Note:  pronounce td as in tdlaa (number three)
____________________________________________________
F = Feminine     M = Masculine      P = Plural
 

 
=====================================================
        B A C K    T O  T H E    F U T U R E
=====================================================
 

B.C. (1157) Babylonian prince, Enlil-nadin-ahhe, is
defeated by the Elamites (southwestern Iran).  The
statue of god Marduk is taken in captivity by the
Elamites and so ends the Kassite Dynesty- the longest
dynasty in the history of Babylon.
 

<< Ancient Iraq, Roux >>
 

A.D. (7th Century) Ishak al-Ninevehi was born in
Yemen and is ordained a priest of the Assyrian
Church of the East in Rabban Shapoor (modern Ahwaz,
Iran).  A prolific writer Ishak wrote several
philosophical and religious treatises in Assyrian.
 
<< The Assyrian Star, Vol 43, #1 >>
 
 

======================================================
              L  I  T  E  R  A  T  U  S
======================================================
 

              *** An Assyrian Saying ***
 
When the Kurdish fellow could not steal the grapes from
the vineyard, he claimed that they must be sour.
 

======================================================
      T H I S    W E E K   I N    H I S T O R Y
======================================================
 

May 20, 1956:  The Assyrian Soccer Team of Baghdad vs
Iran's National Soccer Team; 25,000 spectators were
gathered to watch this historic game.
 

May 22, 1918:  180 Assyrian fighters who attempted to
transport ammunition via Lake Urmie are taken captive
by their Moslem enemies and immediately executed.
 
 

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

The Assyrian residents of the city of San Jose,
California have successfully implemented a monthly
donation program to assist in the purchase/construction
of an Assyrian Hall.  Nearly 120 individuals and
families continue to send a monthly contribution to
the Assyrian American Association of San Jose, whereas
to date, over $30,000 have been collected in a little
less than a year.  The Rescue Project, as it is called,
is thought by some to be the foundation of a more
comprehensive "voluntary taxation" program to collect
revenue for the Assyrian National Fund.
 

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

UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTS
          Franklin and Marshall College
 
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
          San Jose, California
          3 Unidentifiable Accounts
 
 
======================================================
                      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:
 

Albert Gabrial      Hollister, California
Peter Jasim         Chicago, Illinois
Assyrian Democratic Movement, U.S.A.
 

____________________________________________________
 

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 and church
activities, personal accomplishments, and meeting/
school events to Zenda no later than Sunday, 12:00 PM,
Pacific Standard Time.
 

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Our Next Issue will appear on Monday, June 3, 1996.
 

PLEASE NOTE THAT ZENDA WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED NEXT WEEK.
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