It wouldn't seem remarkable, at first glance, that a group of proud old men last November planted three blocks of granite into the earth of River Grove, Illinois.  After all, tribes throughout history have remembered their warriors with memorials.  And in this country, where the custom holds, immigrants and their descendants have honored the sons they offered up for their new home.  But quickly it becomes clear that there is something special about the humble exhibit in the near west suburb, the 16,000 pounds of granite that bear the names of 500 Assyrian-Americans from the Chicago region who as young men were sent to serve their country.

Just as the names are etched onto the granite, the years are etched onto the faces of the men who have engineered the remembrance. "This is our life's work," said Lincoln Peters, 73, a retired draftsman whose right leg still bears the marks of the Japanese bullet that pierced it more than 50 years ago. "We really put everything into this.  We are a proud people."  It also is a small group of people whose war exploits are little known outside the community.  In fact, the community- with no country to call home, its original empire swallowed into what is today Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey- is little known itself.

So the old men facing their own mortality say the blocks of stone are perhaps the final watermark of a group that has tumbled through the ages from the height of ancient power to a close-knit but now ebbing culture in a polyglot city years and miles away.  "We want people to see this," said Cyrus Alexander, 70, an attorney who served in the Army.  "In 20 years we'll be gone, and then what will there be?"  The war memorial, at 2905 North Thatcher Avenue, embodies the declining presence, even down to its location in the midst of a graveyard.  It's end-of-the-line Charlie," 78-year-old war hero Eddie Joseph said, employing a phrase he picked up during World War II, his eyes turning liquid.  "I mean, this is it."  Marshall Joseph, 79, a retired accountant who served in the Pacific, said, "We've broke our hearts on this."

On a cold day a few weeks ago, lit by a blast of sunlight, Peters slowed his sedan as it wound through Elmwood Cemetery, past the tombstones with names like "Tamraz," inscribed in Aramaic.  The cemetery is a popular resting place for the Assyrian community.  The small patch of land that is berth to the monument was part of a larger plot once owned by the Assyrian Church in Chicago, intended to be used by its poor too proud to be buried with nameless paupers.  Pride always seems to have played a central role for the Assyrians here.  "In 1918, they had their own National Guard Battalion.  They seemed to have really been into it, from the beginning of the community," said Daniel Wolk, a doctoral candidate in anthropology at the University of Chicago who has studied the Assyrian presence here.  "They became Americans by being very patriotic...by being in the military."  Eddie Joseph, for instance, flew fighter planes in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, retiring as a colonel.  Saul Joseph, 77, was written up in the local papers after he was awarded the Silver Star for valor in battle against the Germans in France.  "A guy froze up.  I took the machine gun myself and started blastin' away," he said, although he was eventually cut down himself by shrapnel from an anti-tank shell.  "I was hit six places."

The men, interviewed around around a table at a diner near the cemetery, say it's been in their tradition to be warriors as well as scholars.  A Semitic people, the original militaristic kingdoms of Assyria asserted themselves in the Middle East during the second millennium B.C.  They began a new period of expansion in the 9th Century B.C. based around their capital Nineveh, and were destroyed by a coalition army in the 6th Century B.C.  Today mainly Christians who claim St. Peter as their first patriarch.  Assyrians have existed as ethnic minorities within several empires since.  They have had a significant presence in the Chicago area since the early 1900's.  During World War I, Assyrians fleeing genocide and famine were settling mainly in Near North Side neighborhoods.  The group- which was made up of many tradesmen initially, but now has achieved greater affluence- gradually spread farther north and is now concentrated in West Rogers Park and the north suburbs.

Census figures from 1990 show about 8,000 first-generation Assyrians in Chicago and 12,500 in the metropolitan area.  The group has about 72,000 members total in the region, according to estimates from the Illinois Ethnic Coalition.  It is mainly from this community that a committee- officially called the Assyrian-American Amvet Post #5- raised $40,000 for the monument by soliciting donations an selling a book with the names of veterans.  When Peters' car finally came to a halt in front of the memorial- the slabs glistening- he quietly pointed and told a story about one of its names.

"That name there is Albert Peters.  He was my cousin, but he was more than that.  When my mother died, his mother took me to live with him, " he said.  "When he got drafted, I joined the Army just to be with him.  He was killed in Italy in World War II, a few months after we went in.  We had a deal that whoever had a son would name him after the other one.  So, I named my boy Albert."   Such a strong connection exists for all the men- even those of a different ethnicity.  "I damn near grew up with these guys.  Every name on there is a personal friend," said Albert Miglioratti, 75, an Italian-American who married an Assyrian-American.

The initial effort to construct the monument, begun in 1992, was spearheaded by John Hosanna, a quiet, religious man who was forever seeking ways to preserve his community's identity, one that was becoming diluted through intermarriage and assimilation.  "John's goal was to make sure that people remembered," Marshall Joseph said.  Hosanna died October 18 of last year at age 87, less than one month before the granite slabs were set in the ground.  "He would ask about that monument when he was in the hospital," Peters said.  "We would tell him that it was coming along really good."

The monument will be officially dedicated May 16, with a formal dinner banquet May 17.  Anyone wishing to attend should call Marshall Joseph at (773) 821-7001.

Graeme Zielinski
Chicago Tribune
5 April, 1998

"Here is a response to my brother Martin, in his article about 'Why Assyrian Youth Are Not in Our Churches?'    My Brother Martin you have opened a can of worms.  Let's be real. You and I know parenting is a tough job; we should not expect a church to fulfill our shortcomings or what parents could not deliver.  Church is not a baby-sitter. Do not pass the responsibility of religiosity to others.  Why should a church teach our offsprings discipline- where parents have failed.   Do you think they are more effective?  I--- don’t----- think so  .  I?am--defending the-- church this time, can you believe that?   It is just like saying: I want for the government to raise my children. Assyrians go to church to socialize and to meet people or to find mates. It’s like a club, all right.  Bingo, weddings, funerals,  Kada sessions , Easter-
bunny, and Santa Clause are the responsibility that should not be taken for granted.

I think this Zenda reader is frustrated. What he's really saying is 'why is it not like it used to be?' Does it really matter where you pray or learn about religion?   You can practically save yourselves money by studying  Bible at home in your own privacy; video and audio tapes offer a good alternative. As you know our churches have divided what is left of the Assyrians. ---  “Irrelevant”,---  some may say. The AAA of San Jose is a good example of how united we stand.  Is it the fault of the church ?  I would strongly--- say, “Yesss”. They have failed us. Church is to divide people, to control opinions and to manufacture consent;  Ask any Government.   Should Assrians have a place of worship ? Yes,  I suppose. How can we accomplish this task? …  Not Difficult at all.   Ask the Assyrian people  , -- NOT the----church !!!!
Gore Vidal says: “the power of doing nothing is great,… but it must not be abused”. In twenty years, church members would be in half, unless we do something about it.   Our churches are boring ; subjects are obsolete , and our clergies are out of touch .  When asked: 'is it important to use Santa Clause and Easter Bunny to lore innocent minds in church teachings?'  The clergy answered: "They like that.'  Don’t underestimate that;  Mickey Mouse is used on adults, and it's working.    What do you know ! I thought ? "How can you convince a nine year old who is fascinated with a Barbi Doll',  he said?   Is it fare to tell the kids,  that we are six thousand years old, according to the book of Genesis, while  Assyrians just celebrated 6,748 years of history.  Math is a logic that must not be abused !!   How about the Adam and Eve story?   'What about that', he said.  'Whether –I am somehow responsible for Adam’s mistake in the Garden of Eden---- six----thousand years later.'  'Yes', to my surprise the clergy answered: 'and you deserve it, -- you--- vegetarian - pinko -cummy!'

Albert Issaco
Sutter Creek, Ca.

The Syriac Cultural Front invites you to participate in the second annual conference on 1 May 1998 under the banner of:  "Assyrian is the Civilization, Language and Identity of a Nation" in Beirut, Lebanon. The gathering will be under the care of Their Holinesses:

Mar Nasrallah Putrus Sufair (Maronite Church)
Mar Dinkha IV (Assyrian Church of the East)
Mar Antowan Hayik (Syriac Orthodox Church)
Mar Raphael I Bidawid (Chaldean Catholic Church)

Session I (chaired by the M.P. Dr. Peyar Dakkash)

• Opening Remarks:   Dr. Imad Shimun
• The Harmony & Agreement between the Assyrian Church of the East and the Western Catholic Church:  Bishop Mar Narsai Al Bazi
• The Assyrians and the Maronites Under Syriac Unity:   Bishop Antuwan Landari
• The Separation Between the Church and Politics among the Assyrian Communities:  Mr. Aprim Shapeera

Session II (chaired by His Grace Bishop Elias Tubbi)

• The Assyrians and the Chaldeans:  A Unity of History, Identity, and Belief.  Bishop Mar Yousif Thomas
• The Assyrians and the Arameans; A history of Military ... Under One Civilization and Linguistic Unity.   Bishop Mar George Saleeba
• The Syriac Common Roots for the Followers of the RUM Catholic Church  Mons.  Elias Rahhal

Session III (chaired by Dr. Demetri Betar)

• The Assyrian Civilization - the Empire of One Thousand Years   Mr. Gabrial Gorieh
• The Chaldo-Assyrians in Their Homeland:  Facts and Numbers  Mr. Said Lahdoo
• The Chaldo-Assyrians in Diaspora:  Facts and Numbers   Mr. Hirmis Aboona
• The Chaldo-Assyrians: Tragedy of a Nation which will Not Die- Films & Documents    Dr. Saady al Malih

Session IV (Conclusion: Recommendations and Resolutions)

Syriac Cultural Front
Beirut, Lebanon

May 1	BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA  Lecture:  "Assyrian Americans at the Threshold of the 21st Century"  Speaker:  Dr. Aryan Ishaya  Alumni House Lounge, UC-Berkeley  7:30 PM  Refreshments Provided  Sponsored by the Assyrian Foundation of America & University of California at Berkeley's Center for Middle Eastern Studies
May 1	BEIRUT , LEBANON  2nd ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE SYRIAC CULTURAL FRONT [See This Week's SURFERS CORNER]
May 2	SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA  ASSYRIAN AID SOCIETY DANCE PARTY Entertainers:  Walter Aziz  Time:  8 p.m.  AWANA of the Church of the East  680 Minnesota Avenue  (209) 538-9801  Contribution: $20 per Adults/ $5.00 Children under 12  For Tickets/Information:     Youki Khanania    (650) 968-9241 X 260 days                                (408) 226-9724           evenings     Fred Aprim          (510)  624-3505          days                                (408)  246-9106          evenings     Neil Kahraman     (408)  945-5789          evenings     Fouad Sada          (408   296-5144          evenings
May 2	SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA  ASSYRIANS FOR RON GONZALES  Personally meet Mr. Gonzales, a candidate for Mayor in the City of  San Jose, register to vote, and obtain useful information about the City of  San Jose and its services.  Time:  11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Beta of the Assyrian American Association of San Jose  20000 Almaden Road in San Jose  Contribution: $20 per person (includes a kabob sandwich & drink)  Co-Sponsored by ZENDA
May 9	SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA  UNITED WAY/ASSYRIAN AID SOCIETY "WALK-A-THON" For Information:     Youki Khanania    (650) 968-9241 X 260 days                                (408) 226-9724           evenings     Fred Aprim          (510)  624-3505          days                                (408)  246-9106          evenings     Neil Kahraman     (408)  945-5789          evenings     Fouad Sada          (408   296-5144          evenings
May 17	CERES / MODESTO, CALIFORNIA  "BEN ELIAS FOR CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY" DANCE PARTY Entertainers:  Albert Mansour, Ashor Farhadi & the Harout Band  Time:  6 p.m.  Bet-Nahrain Hall  3119 South Central, Ceres  (209) 538-9801  Contribution: $10 per person  For Tickets:     John Soro Music Center:   (209) 551-1800     William Wardah:               (209) 577-8106     Ben Elias:                         (800) 353-5427
May 22	HAMBURG, GERMANY AN ASSYRIAN EVENING  A Cultural Exchange Event Organized by German Cultural Organizations/Radio&TV  Lectures & Interviews with Several University Professors , Students, & Representatives of Assyrian Organizations from Hamburg, Wiesbaden, Paderborn, Berlin, and & other German Cities are Expected to Attend  Assyrian Dance Groups from Wiesbaden & Hamburg  Appearance on Hamburger Fruehstueckfernseher Television Program  An Event Organized by Elizabeth Karamian
May 22-25	TURLOCK-MODESTO, CALIFORNIA ASSYRIAN STATE CONVENTION OF CALIFORNIA  Sponsored by the Assyrian United Organizations of California  Host:  Assyrian American Civic Club of California
May 23	MODESTO, CALIFORNIA 4th ASSYRIAN COMMUNITY NETWORKING CONFERENCE  Organized by:  Nineveh On Line  1:00 PM  DoubleTree Hotel (Formerly Red Lion Inn)  Center Plaza, Modesto
July 4	SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA ASSYRIAN OLYMPIC GAMES
Sep 2-7	WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT ASSYRIAN AMERICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION Sponsored by the Assyrian American National Federation

ENGLISH	MODERN ASSYRIAN	GENDER	EXAMPLE
Crime	khay/ya/voo/ta	Fem.	Unforgettable crime: khayyavota lamednashyanta
Guilty	khitd/yaa/naa  or  khoo/tda/ya	Masc.	Pronounced Guilty:  rsheema khitdyaanaa

 

DATE	FEASTS & MEMORIALS
April 5	Palm Sunday
April 10	Good Friday
April 12	Easter
April 17	All Martyrs Day
April 19	Easter (Old Calendar), New Sunday & Festival of Mar Auraha
April 24	Mar Givargiz (St. George the Martyr)
April 27	Rabban Hormizd & Mar Pethon
May 5	Mart Shmoni & Her Sons
May 10	Mar Addai (Apostle of the East)
May 15	Feast of Our Lady of the Fields (Mart Maryam Natdrat Zar'eh")
May 22	Feast of the Ascension (Soolaqa)

 

BC (3000)

There is evidence that by this time the city of Uruk was a populous center of trade between the Persian Gulf states and other Middle Eastern kingdoms.  The tablets found from the remains of this ancient southern Bet-Nahrain city indicates the existence of specialized craftsmen, textile production, farm administration, and copper trade.  The population may have been anywhere from 10 to 50 thousand persons.

Mesopotamia, Reade

Malik Kambar of Jeelu and the Chaldean Patriarch meet with General Gorou, the French commander-in-chief in the Middle East, in Beirut.  General Gorou informed Malik Kambar that the French had decided to offer the Jezeera region of Syria to the Assyro-Chaldeans as their own country.  Malik Kambar was then asked to enlist Assyrian men from Georgia to guard the new borders.  Malik Kambar responds: "I accept your generous offer with all my heart because it carries within it the seeds for our own salvation.  Here, after 2,500 years, there is the hope that we might be able, through your help, to gather our people from all over the world in one place and call it Assyria.  Here, I am enlisting my name as the first soldier in that first Assyrian Division which I am going ot Tiflis (Tbilisi, Georgia) to try to establish."  General Gorou then hands Malik Kambar a copy of the letter signed by the French Prime Minister "promising to give" Jezeera to the Assyrians as the autonomous Assyro-Chaldean State.

Beyond the Call of Duty, Parhad

Location	Class	Instructor	Date	Time	Location
Chicago	Introductory Classical Assyrian alphabet and the vowel system, basic literacy skills & vocabulary	Saad Sadi	APR 4 JUN 27	Saturdays 3-5 PM	North Park Univ Carlson Tower  Room C44
Chicago	Introductory Modern Assyrian I alphabet and the vowel system, basic literacy skills & vocabulary	Zaia Kanoon	APR 9 JUN 25	Thursdays 7-9 PM	North Park Univ  Sohlberg  Room B-3
Chicago	Introductory Modern Assyrian II reading & writing,  & elementary grammar.	Zaia Kanoon	APR 4 JUN 27	Saturdays 3-5 PM	North Park Univ  Carlson Tower  Room C42

"To claim that the Assyrians as a people evaporated suddenly lacks logic and objectivity, to deny a historical association between the ancient and modern Assyrians with no objective and comprehensive investigation amounts to naivety or a premeditated attempt of history distortion, but, most certainly, to try to be more authentic and conclusive in this particular issue, further research is indispensable."

Dr. Edward Y. Odisho
Chicago, 1987

May 1, 1847:  The Grand Opening of the Assyrian wing at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

According to the most recent issue of "The Tree of Life", a publication of the Assyrian Aid Society of America, the AAS was able to collect over $450,000 from individuals and organizations in 1997.  A major portion of the income is attributed to the Benjamin Adams Fund in the amount of $224,000 received at the end of the year.  The following is a summary of the financial report from January through December 1997:

Beginning Balance                                        $  2,016.00
Fundraising by all chapters in the U.S.           $ 99,327.00
Lifeline Pledge                                             $   8,725.00
Donations                                                    $ 25,749.00
AAS-Canada                                                $   1,355.00
Assyrian Foundation of America                    $ 10,600.00
Civic Club of Turlock                                   $ 10,000.00
Orhai Assyrian National Foundation               $   4,000.00
Assyrian American National Federation          $ 20,000.00
Benjamin Adams Memorial Fund                  $224,000.00
Office of Federal Disaster Assistance             $  51,854.00

Total Income                                               $455,610.00

Financial Aid to Northern Iraq                       $183,918.00
Operational Expenses                                   $    8,107.00

Total Expenses                                            $192,025.00

Ending Balance                                            $265,601.00

If you wish to make a tax deductible contribution to the Assyrian Aid Society of America or volunteer to help contact them at  41 Sutter Street, Suite 1534, San Francisco, California  94104

CORPORATE ACCOUNTS	UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTS	PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
Quantum Corp		Chicago  Morton Grove, Illinois

                             

This Week's Contributors:

Firas Jatou	Chicago	Assyrian Surfing Posts
Hirmis Aboona	Canada	Surfers Corner

               

Thank You For Referring ZENDA to a Friend:

Doris Babassi	San Jose, California
Rich Samuel	Chicago, Illinois

 

P.O. Box 20278 San Jose, California 95160 U.S.A.

---

The Directory of ZENDA News Sources

ZNAA (Assyrian Academic Society-Chicago)
ZNAD (Assyrian Democratic Organization)
ZNAF (Agence France-Presse)
ZNAI  (Assyrian International News Agency)
ZNAK (American Kurdish
ZNAM (Archeology Magazine)
ZNAP (Associated Press International)
ZNBN (Bet-Nahrain Inc/ KBSV-TV "AssyriaVision")
ZNCN (ClariNews)
ZNIF (Iraq Foundation)
ZNDA (Zenda: zenda@ix.netcom.com)
ZNIN (Iraqi National Congress)
ZNLT (Los Angeles Times)
ZNMN (San Jose Mercury News)
ZNMW (Mideast Newswire)
ZNNQ (Nabu Quarterly)
ZNNV (Nineveh Magazine)
ZNQA (Qala Atouraya- Moscow)
ZNRU (Reuters)
ZNSH (Shotapouta Newsletter)
ZNSJ (San Jose Mercury News)
ZNSM (Shufimafi Lebanese News)
ZNSO (Syrian Orthodox News "SOCNews")
ZNTM (Time Magazine)
ZNUP (United Press International)
ZNUS (US News & World Report)