=====================================================================
                  T H I S   W E E K   I N   Z E N D A
=====================================================================

The Lighthouse..............  On Economic Productivity
Good Morning Bet-Nahrain....  The Ceasefire
Surfs Up....................    "...but ZENDA staff cowardly apologizes..."
Surfers Corner..............    Nimrod Simono arrives in France
News Digest.................    Leyla Kaplan Killed in Suicide Attack
                                Lebanon's New Pro-Syrian Parliament
                                Turlock Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Calendar of Events..........  Public Rally in Chicago
Entracte....................    No New Entries
Intelligentsia..............    Assyrian History/Language Classes in the U.S.
Assyrian Surfing Posts......    Assyrian Academic Society & Jujada Magazine
Pump up the Volume..........    Celebration,Party, & Anniversary
Back to the Future..........  Nebudhadnezzar's son & George Lamsa
Literatus...................    The Harran Inscription
This Week in History........    Publication of Zaarire'd Bahra
Bravo.......................    Narsai David, restaurateur
The Directory...............    Directory of ZENDA News Sources
Bshena......................    Austin, Sweden, & IBM
Salute......................    Firas & Christoph
 

=====================================================================
             THE   L   I   G   H   T   H   O   U   S   E
=====================================================================
 

                       ON ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY
 

On a national or organizational scale, economic productivity may be
defined as making positive gain in economic power (i.e.making more
money, holding more assets, obtaining greater investments).  One might
note that there are many Assyrian organizations making financial gains
year after year.  Such an analysis fails to realize the economic
productivity is only useful as a comparative measure.  Gains made by
Assyrian organizations are 1) small, when compared to gains made by
non-Assyrian organizations, 2) minimal, when compared to gains made by
successful corporations, 3) almost zero when compare to the growth
needed to raise our nation from its dismal position in the world arena.
This does not imply that Assyrian organizations should stop all
activities and make no gains.  That would be disastrous.  However
Assyrians must begin to look at issues such as economic productivity
from a much larger perspective.
 

One question might be, "what is the significance of economic
productivity?" Let us face facts.  In today's world, survival depends
on economic power, not on a rich history or a well-performed folkloric
dance. If survival is indeed a goal for our nation, we must pay much
closer attention to increasing our economic productivity.
 

Why does our nation suffer from lack of economic productivity?  The
over-riding reason is that there is lack of an economic precedent,
that is, our nation has never thought in economic terms.  For example,
I would venture to say that every Assyrian organization has a treasurer,
but I know of no Assyrian organization that has financial officer
(someone looking for ways to increase financial power).  In the general
meetings that I have witnessed, the treasure just reports on the
financial outcomes of the latest activities of the organization.  He is
not at fault.  The extend of his duties only go that far.  At the risk
of oversimplification, the choice between a treasurer and a financial
officer is a choice between counting money and making money.
 

As the above example shows, lack of an economic precedent has made
Assyrian organizations short-sighted.  Future planning usually extends
only to financing the next party or convention.  Parties and conventions
cannot be goals in and of themselves.  Rather, they should be considered
vehicles toward the main objective-long run survival.  Since our nation's
survival depends on the preservation of the Assyrian people, future
planning should extend to improving the competitiveness of our people.
 

The next step is to examine the factors that render people competitive
in contemporary times.  If the trend seen in the past few decades is an
indicator, education is the key to survival.  It is becoming increasingly
evident that in the future higher education will become (if it has not
already), a necessary prerequisite to effective competition and thereby
survival. No political philosopher can rationally deny the importance of
an educated citizenry in maintaining an efficient, organized, and
competitive community.   Therefore the challenge to Assyrian organizations,
holding long run survival of our people as an objective, is to make
more accessible the often inaccessible necessity of education.
Specifically, this means we must invest in our people (especially the
youth) by providing scholarships and other aids in their pursuit of
education.  Truly emphasizing education is perhaps the best financial
as well as patriotic investment an Assyrian organization can make.
 

The benefits of education to our nation are so numerous that examining
all of them is beyond th scope of this article.  Three of the most
important are listed below.  First, education is the fastest road to
increased economic productivity.  Increased education leads to increased
economic power.  Therefore as the education levels of the member of a
community rise so will the economic productivity of the community a whole.
Second, a more educated Assyrian can make many more contributions to
his/her national by the knowledge he/she possesses.  For example, imagine
how useful an Assyrian educated in financial planning can be to his/her
local organization.  Third, and perhaps most important of all, as the
level of education rises, Assyrians can make valuable contributions
to the world.  How much longer can our nation survive when its most
recent contribution to the betterment of the world dates back to a few
centuries ago?  Maybe if through educational endeavors, more Assyrians
rise to prominence in the world, we can all one day stop explaining:
"No, not Syrian, Assyrian."
 

Ashoorbell Moradkhan
Nisibin Magazine, Vol I, #2
California
 
 

=====================================================================
 G  O  O  D    M  O  R  N  I  N  G    B  E  T - N  A  H  R  A  I  N
=====================================================================
 

(ZNRU: Iraq) A U.S.-brokered ceasefire to end two months of clashes
between the two major Kurdish political factions took hold throughout
northern Iraq.  There have been no reports of serious fighting in
this mountainous region. The Iraq-backed KDP and the Patriotic Union
of Kurdistan (PUK)exchanged fire near Degala last Thursday despite
the ceasefire called for the night before.  Delegations from the two
sides are to meet in Turkey this week for peace talks chaired by
senior U.S. diplomat Robert Pelletreau, the State Department said
last Thursday. "Both will be represented at the table with him and
with representatives of the governments of Turkey and the United
Kingdom," State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said in
Washington.
 

Jalal Talabani's PUK, which has denied reports it has been aided by
Iran, said it was committed to the truce brokered by Pelletreau.
Massoud Barzani's KDP backed by Iraqi armored troops took the
regional capital and the ancient Assyrian city of Arbil from
Talabani's group at the end of August, prompting U.S. missile strikes
on military targets in southern Iraq.  The fall of Arbil briefly
brought President Saddam Hussein's forces back into a region barred
to him for five years by a U.S.-led no-fly zone over northern Iraq
set up after the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
 

Some officials have suggested that the talks could take place in
the border town of Silopi, but US State Department representatives
said yesterday that phone calls to both Kurdish leaders had
confirmed talks in Ankara. The talks with the two leaders will,
however, be held separately. One of the issues that will be taken
up with both Barzani and Talabani will involve the role of the
multinational "hammer" peace force stationed in Turkey at a base
near Adana.
 

Diplomats say Barzani's alliance with Baghdad and KDP charges that
Talabani receives military backing from Iran will be two further
issues of contention at next week's talks. At press time participation
of other minority groups (e.g. Assyrians and Turkomans) was not
noted in any official communique.
 

Meanwhile, the Western allies have resumed their reconnaissance
flights over northern Bet-Nahrain.  The flights were suspended early
this month after the Turkish government objected that the planes were
carrying cluster bombs. The planes are based at Incirlik in
northern Bet-Nahrain, inside Turkey.
 
=====================================================================
                  S   U   R   F   S     U   P   !
=====================================================================
"This is regarding ZENDA's new policy for not publishing any messages
which may include personal attacks. This policy was issued after I
responded to Mr. Tower's message.  First, Mr. Tower was introduced to
me by ZENDA, and he was given the chance to tell us about his point
of view in response to Mr. Ashur Simon's scientific theory. This is
the person (Mr. Tower) who attacks Mr. Simon by calling him Waco (sic).
This is the person who attacked the majority of Assyrians for holding
tight to their EMPTY PRIDE in 3000 years of heritage. I think that any
person who calls our heritage EMPTY deserves some kind of treatment,
but ZENDA staff cowardly apologizes for his name appearing in my
message. My question is was his name actually included in my message?
 
I think that every person is entitled to express his/her own point of
view and my message was not a personal attack.  It was my point of view
and a response to Mr. Tower's attack. Second, ZENDA removes all the names
from my message and replaces them with "[a ZENDA reader]" and includes my
last name in my message.  ZENDA, who gave you the permission to include
my last name?. I still have the original copy of my message and my last
name was not included. If Mr. Tower gets all the protection from ZENDA
why shouldn't I?.
 
Overall I think that ZENDA is excellent. However, if this is the way
ZENDA treats their readers, then I would like my name to be removed
from your list and wish you all the luck for cowardly protecting people
like Mr. Tower. And this is to all the ZENDA readers, There was only
two responses to Mr. Tower's message and it seems that most of you are
allowing someone like Mr. Tower to attack our heritage and I can't take
this insult from anybody, not even from Mr. Tower's God.
 
This is my point of view and I welcome yours."
 

Sargon Kanja
 

                           **********
 

"I was very distressed by reading a letter which was published in ZENDA
last week.  I wish you had implemented your new policy of not printing
material containing personal attacks to other ZENDA readers, with this
letter.
 

This reader by insulting an Assyrian woman who does not agree with his
opinion, shows his lack of integrity.  He cannot tolerate a woman
speaking her mind.  Although the original article on this subject was
hers, his letter is not addressed to her, she is being mentioned
casually. If this proud man was in power what would he do, burn our
2000 years old churches and silence people who do not agree with him.
It reminds me of the current ruler of our homeland.
 

One who believes in God and loves one's nation will not be silenced by
these attacks. "If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." Luke 19:40."
 

Maryam Pirayou
San Jose
                              **********
 

"When some so called Assyrian Christians mock the word of God and
condemn believers, it doesn't surprise me that Mr. Sargon Kanja
would say what he said about God and our faith. I was shocked when I
read his humiliating statement about me in his article to Mr. Tower.
I am not angry with him. I know how the ways of this world are; I was
there myself at one time. If it wasn't for what my Savior taught me,
I would not be as forgiving as I am.  Jesus said  "Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, bless those who wrongfully accuse you
and pray for those who mistreat you." I am saying to Sargon, "God bless
you my brother". Now I have your name on the top of my prayer list.
In fact, I know several people that see themselves first as a Christian
and secondly an Assyrian, and they do more for our nation than the
"Assyria-First" Assyrians do."
 

Doris Babassi
San Jose, California
 

=====================================================================
              S  U  R  F  E  R  S      C  O  R  N  E  R
=====================================================================
 

Nimrod (Benoit) Simono, perhaps world's foremost grammarian of modern
Assyrian language, has arrived in France for a brief tour of Europe
and north America.  Rabbie Simono is the author of several books on
the Assyrian language and culture and the editor of Gilgamesh magazine.
His first stop over is expected to be Chicago where he will be joined
by the members of the Assyrian Academic Society.
 

=====================================================================
              N   E   W   S       D   I   G   E   S   T
=====================================================================
 

                LEYLA KAPLAN KILLED IN SUICIDE ATTACK
 

(ZNUP: Ankara) A woman killed in a suicide attack on a police
station in southeastern Turkey may have been the notorious
opponent of the Assyrian Cause in Bet-Nahrain.  The woman with
explosives strapped to her stomach walked into the police's rapid-
response department in Adana, a city about 250 miles (400 km)
southeast of Ankara, and detonated her charges.  Three police
officers and a civilian were killed, twelve others were wounded:
eight police officers and four civilians. Police had not identified
the woman by late Friday, but Channel D private TV in Ankara named
her as Leyla Kaplan, 17, from the southeastern province of Mardin.
For a brief period of time the popular Assyrian newsgroup,
soc.culture.assyrian, was bombarded with numerous anti-Assyrian
remarks from a reader who at times identified herself as, Leyla
Kaplan. The Anatolian Press Agency identified Leyla as a PKK
sympathizer.  The separatist PKK carried out a similar false-
pregnancy bombing in May. Six people were killed when a similarly
dressed woman walked into the main square of Tunceli during a military
parade and blew herself up.
 

         LEBANON'S NEW PRO-SYRIAN PARLIAMENT BEGAN WORK
 

(ZNRU: Beirut) The newly-elected 128-member parliament began the
official business of the day by re-electing pro-Syrian Shiite Muslim
leader Nabih Berri to a second term as speaker.  The parliament,
elected in five rounds of voting in August and September, includes
49 newcomers. Many members are wealthy businessmen who ran on
government-backed lists of candidates but 19 seats are still being
contested in the courts following widespread allegations of electoral
fraud. With 35 millionaires and three billionaires among its members,
the new parliament is probably one of the wealthiest in the world.
Berri, a civil war militia leader, is considered Syria's closest
political ally in Lebanon.
 

Later, Lebanese President Elias Hrawi nominated Prime Minister Hariri,
Rafik al-Hariri to a third term in office. Hariri has held office since
October 1992 is a Maronite-Assyrian construction tycoon, is expected to
form a new government by the end of the month. Hariri's continuance in
power is widely considered indispensable if Lebanon is to continue its
recovery, despite warnings from some politicians, labor unionists,
clerics and commentators that he must pay more attention to social
problems and poverty.
 
 
 

ASSYRIAN-AMERICAN CIVIC CLUB OF TURLOCK CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY
 

(ZNDA: Turlock) The Assyrian American Civic Club of Turlock is
celebrating the 50th anniversary of its establishment in the
Stanislaus County, California.  AACCOT is credited with employing
Assyrian immigrants and students, offering scholarships to hundreds
of Assyrian and non-Assyrian high school and university students
residing in Turlock, establishing a radio and television
program, and organizing an Assyrian choir under the direction of
Shoora Mikhayelian.  Often cited for neglecting financial assistance
for the Assyrian artists and organizations outside of the Turlock-
Modesto areas, the Assyrian American Civic Club of Turlock is regarded
as the wealthiest Assyrian organization in the United States. In the
upcoming issues ZENDA will publish a full financial review of the 1996
Assyrian National Convention, held in Turlock-Modesto.

=====================================================================
  C   A   L   E   N   D   A   R     OF     E   V   E   N   T   S
=====================================================================
 

Thru April 6    The Ain Ghazal Exhibit
                Smithsonian Institute
                Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
                Washington D.C.
 

Nov 3            20th Anniversary Celebration of its Founding
                 Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party [Iraq],
                 Public Rally
                 Assyrian American Association Hall
                 1618 West Devon Avenue
                 Chicago
                 4:00 P.M.AAA Hall, 1618 W.
 

Nov 13          Babylon & Syria in the time of XENOPHON
                Lecturer:  M. Stolper
                Oriental Institute
                University of Chicago
                Chicago, Illinois
 

Jan 15          Ashur & Marduk:  The State Gods of Assyria & Babylonia
                Lecturer:  G. Frame
                Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations
                University of Toronto
                St. George campus
                Toronto, Canada
                8:00 p.m
 

Mar 12          Guardians of the Gate:  The Assyrian Winged Colossi
                Lecturer:  A. Harrak
                Near and Middle Eastern Civilization
                University of Toronto
                St. George campus
                Toronto, Canada
                8:00 p.m
 

April 9         Recent Excavations at Gordion, Turkey:
                An Achaemenid Persian Imperial Town in Central                           Anatolia
                Lecturer:  T.C. Young, Jr.
                Royal Ontario Museum
                Toronto, Canada
                8:00 p.m
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                          E N T R A C T E
---------------------------------------------------------------------
No Entries for the Week of 10/28/96.
 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
                   I N T E L L I G E N T S I A
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mondays          Assyrian History Class
                 Fall 1996 Session
                 "Assyrian Biographies"
                 Instructor:  Wilfred Alkhas
                 BETA:  Assyrian American Association of San Jose
                 20000 Almaden Road
                 San Jose, California
                 7:30-9:00 pm
                 Info:  Wilfred_Alkhas@3mail.3com.com
 

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
                 Toronto, Canada
 

                 Nisibin School
                 10:00-12:00 pm
                 BETA:  Assyrian American Association of San Jose
                 San Jose, California
 

SUNDAYS          Assyrian Boy Scouts
                 Assyrian American Association of Southern California
                 Assyrian Club
                 5901 Cahuenga Blvd
                 North Hollywood, California
                 9:30am  to 12:30pm
                 Contact Sargon Gewargis @ fishtale@juno.com
                 (818) 891-3705 after 7:30 pm
 

                 Assyrian Student Union
                 California State University, Northridge
                 Assyrian American Association of Southern California
                 Assyrian Club
                 5901 Cahuenga Blvd
                 North Hollywood, California
                 6:00pm
                 Contact Sargon Gewargis @ fishtale@juno.com
                 (818) 891-3705 after 7:30 pm
 

=====================================================================
  A  S  S  Y  R  I  A  N     S  U  R  F  I  N  G     P  O  S  T  S
=====================================================================

Assyrian Academic Society       http://www.wwa.com/~aas
Hujada Assyrian Magazine        http://www.cs.umu.se/~dprhi/assyr/hujada.html
 

=====================================================================
               P  U  M  P    UP THE   V O L U M E
=====================================================================
                   ENGLISH                ASSYRIAN
 

                Celebration           khoo/ga/ya        [M]
                Party                   ar/khoo/ta      [F]
                Anniversary             yoo/ba/va               [M]
_____________________________________________________________________
F = Feminine     M = Masculine      P = Plural
 
=====================================================================
             B  A  C  K     TO THE      F  U  T  U  R  E
=====================================================================
 

B.C. (562) Nebuchadnezzar dies and is succeeded by his son Amel-Marduk,
an unpopular ruler in Babylon.  After a brief period of kingship he was
killed in a revolution.
 

<< Babylon, Oates>>
 
 

A.D. (1975) dies, Professor George Lamsa the author of the Lamsa Bible.
 

<<Soorgada d'Sheeta Msheekheta, Givargiz >>
 

=====================================================================
              L    I    T    E    R    A    T    U    S
=====================================================================
                      THE HARRAN INSCRIPTION
                              560 BC
 
The sons of Babylon, Borsippa, Nipur, Ur, Uruk, Larsa,
priests and people of the capitals of Addad,
against his great divinity offended...
they forgot their duty, whenever they talked it was treason
and not loyalty,
like a dog they devoured one another;
fever and famine in the midst of them...
 

<< Babylon, Oates  >>
 

=====================================================================
    T  H  I  S    W  E  E  K     I  N    H  I  S  T  O  R  Y
=====================================================================
November 1, 1849:  The first Assyrian newspaper, Zaarire'd Bahra or
the Rays of Light, is published in Urmie.  Zaarire'd Bahra was in
fact the first newspaper published in Iran using the new printing
techniques.
=====================================================================
                      B     R    A     V     O
=====================================================================
 
 

The Anti-Defamation League has honored Narsai M. David with its
Restaurant Industry Achievement Award for his outstanding accomplishments
and service to the San Francisco Bay Area community. Narsai David was
born to Assyrian immigrants and is currently one of the Bay Area's
leading restaurateurs. Narsai David has catered several large scale
outdoor dining events including concerts for Bill Graham and the Napa
Valley Wine Auction. Currently, his time is divided between travel and
food segments for KTVU television, the management of Narsai's Specialty
Food Business, and as wine and food editor of KCBS Radio. Furthermore,
he is a columnist for the food section of the San Francisco Chronicle
and makes celebrity chef appearances at gatherings throughout the world.
 

Narsai David is currently president of the board of the Assyrian Aid
Society of America, a member of the board of directors of the Berkeley
Community Fund of the San Francisco Foundation and International House
of Berkeley. He serves as host for many fundraisers in the bay area
including the annual Meals on Wheels event in Alameda County, the
American Heart Association gala, the Warren Eukel Teachers Trust event,
the Taylor Family Foundation Day in the Park fundraiser for Pediatric
AIDS, and the Narsai Toast to the Arts for the Berkeley Repertory
Theater. In addition, he is also the president of the Pacific Coast
Farmer's Market Association.
 
=====================================================================
                   the   D I  R  E  C  T  O  R  Y
=====================================================================
ZNAD (Assyrian Democratic Organization)
ZNBN (Bet-Nahrian Inc/ KBSV-TV "AssyriaVision")
ZNDA (Zenda: zenda@ix.netcom.com)
ZNNQ (Nabu Quarterly)
ZNNV (Nineveh Magazine)
ZNRU (Reuters)
ZNSJ (San Jose Mercury News)
ZNTM (Time Magazine)
ZNUP (United Press International)
ZNUS (US News & World Report)
 

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

CORPORATE ACCOUNTS
                        Pacific IBM Credit Union
                        Hujada Assyrian Magazine, Sweden
 
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
                        Austin, Texas
                        Sweden
 
=====================================================================
                            S A L U T E
=====================================================================
Zenda wishes to thank the following individuals & organizations
whose contributions appear in this issue:
 

                Firas Jatou             Chicago, Illinois
                Christoph Aktas      Sunnyvale, California

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