Vol IV, Issue 4

Adaar 30, 6748                   March 30, 1998


T H I S   W E E K   I N   Z E N D A

The Lighthouse How Was It Possible?  -  The Assyrian Church in Moscow
Good Morning Bet-Nahrain Turkey Extends State of Emergency in Six Provindes
Surfs Up "Individuals cannot be allowed to hide behind patriotism"
News Digest Congressman Blagojevich Establishes Assyrian Advisory Council
Calendar of Events Dr. Arian Ishaya's Speech at UC, Berkeley
Assyrian Surfing Posts Assyrian Art & The Saga of the Ninevite Marbles
Pump up the Volume Senate & the House of Representatives
Back to the Future Senacherib Attacks Elam & the 1898 Assembly in St. Petersburg
Literatus The Time Has Come!
This Week in History The Verdict
Bravo Paul E. Newey

THE LIGHTHOUSE

On 26 September 1997 Russian President Boris Yeltsin, ignoring objections from world's religious and secular leaders signed a bill that recognized the Russian Orthodox Church as Russia's dominant religion.  The bill restricts the activities of other religious groups, particularly the non-Orthodox Protestant and Roman Catholic churches.  According to this bill two categories of religious associations are recognized by law:  those that were recognized 15 years ago by the Soviet state will continue to enjoy full rights and privileges, but the newer groups will have their activities sharply restricted.  The first group can own property, control radio and television stations and distribute religious literature.  They would also be entitled to tax exemptions and conduct services in hospitals and cemeteries.

Since 1981 the Assyrian Church of the East has been actively involved in the development of its "Russian" branches in Moscow and other former Soviet Republics.  His Grace Mar Gewargis is currently the Patriarchal Representative and Metropolitan of Iraq, Russia and other affiliated Sovereign States.  Last year under the auspices of His Grace the construction of the new Church of Mart Maryam with a capacity to seat 500 worshippers was completed in Moscow, signaling the warm relationship between the Russian Orthodox leaders and the Assyrian Church of the East.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the meeting which took place in St. Petersburg (see BACK TO THE FUTURE) and attended by the Russian state and religious representatives, this week we bring you an exclusive interview conducted last month by our ZENDA reporter in Moscow, Mr. Nicholas N. Seleznyov, with Qasha Khamis Yausep of Mart Maryam Church in Moscow.

ZENDA


THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH IN MOSCOW

How Was it Possible?

Despite a long period of isolation, the Assyrian community of Russia is alive and well. On 31 May 1993 the presence of the Assyrian Church of the East was officially established and recognized in Moscow. In July 1994 it was granted full status under the auspices of Mar Gewargis Sliwa, Metropolitan of Iraq.  With the permission granted by the City of Moscow and the approval of the Russian Patriarch, Alexis II,  the building of the Mart Maryam Church began on 28 May 1996.  At this time the construction of this beautiful and the very-Assyrian church building is complete and the last stone was set on 20 February 1998.  "How was it possible?", I asked Qasha Khamis Yausep, a priest sent to Moscow from Iraq. "It is simply a miracle, a miracle of God", he replies and our conversation begins.

ZN: Qasha Khamis, how long have you been here?

Khamis:  Mar Gewargis made his first visit to Moscow in May 1994 which lasted two weeks, and I accompanied him.  I then came back here, again with Mar Gewargis on 6 January 1996 and have stayed ever since.

ZN: Where have you celebrated the Qurbana (Communion) during this time?

Khamis: First, with the permission of the Russian Patriarch Alexis II, in the big Russian Orthodox Church near the Vagan'kovo Cemetery. Then I was allowed to celebrate in the smaller church in the same place. In our new church of Mart Maryam I celebrated the evening Qurbana for the first time on Maundy Thursday of 1997.

ZN: Where did you serve before coming to Moscow?

Khamis:  In the ancient Iraqi town Telkepe, five miles from Nineveh, in the church of Mar Shmoni.
I was responsible for 230 families belonging to the Assyrian Church of the East. Telkepe is generally a
"Chaldean" town but in 1961 a large group of [non-Chaldean] Assyrians came and settled there.

ZN: Why did the Metropolitan select you to serve as a Qasha in Moscow?

Khamis: You should address that question to the Metropolitan himself. That was his choice and his
decision. I simply follow my orders.

ZN: Where were you born? In Telkepe?

Khamis: No, in the mountains of northern Iraq, in a village called Ain Nuna. I was sent to Telkepe in December 1990 to replace the priest who had passed away a year earlier.

ZN: Where is the Shamasha from?

Khamis: Shamasha, before he was sent to Moscow, was a Seminary student. He is quite young; born in 1975.

ZN: How big is the Assyrian community in Moscow?

Khamis: Among those who belong to the Assyrian Church I have counted about 50 permanent and active families, so far. The community as a whole has about 300 families; the church community that is.

ZN: And in the whole of Russia?

Khamis: In Moscow, as I said, about 50 families. In Rostov-na-Donu... Well, that's hard to tell exactly;
I did not work there, just visited thrice. There are also some communities in Krasnodar, in Russian Urmia. Many of the Assyrians of Saint Petersburg have lost touch with their church.

ZN: As far as I know, you are also responsible for the Assyrian faithful in Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine...

Khamis: Yes, that's right.

ZN: Are you in touch with them?

Khamis: There is a Shamasha in Gardabani city, in the East of Georgia. I visit there thrice a year, each
time for four or five weeks. In Gardabani there's a small church with the community of 85 families. In
the village of Kanda - more than 100 families. In Kutaisi in western Georgia, - about 50 families; in
Sinaki also about 50 and in Zugdidi - 7 families. In the autonomous Batumi around 60.
I have also been to Armenia. In the village Arzni there are more than 300 families. In Dimitrov - 50
families. In Dwin - also about 300.  I have not been to Azerbaijan but have met a family from Baku. I was told there were just few Assyrians there.  I have neither been to Ukraine, but it is reported
there are a lot of Assyrians there.  I know there are some in Tartarstan - 36 families in
Kazan; in Kazakhstan - about 50 families in Alma-ata.
Country 
City/Village 
Number of Families 
 Russia
Moscow
300
 
Rostov-na-Donu 
>1
 
Krasnodar
>1
 
(Russian Urmie)
>1
 
St. Petersburg
>1
Georgia
Gardabani
85
 
Kanda
>100
 
Kutaisi
50
 
Sinaki
50
 
Zugdidi
7
 
Batumi
60
Armenia
Arzni
300
 
Dimitrov
50
 
Dwin
300
Azerbaijan
Baku
>1
Ukraine
Kiev
>1
Tartarstan
Kazan
36
Kazakhstan
Alma Ata
50

 

ZN: What are your relationship with the Russian Patriarch?

Khamis: I respect him very much. I believe he is a strong and clever Christian. And we have his permissionl.

ZN: What are the main problems for the Assyrian community in Moscow? What do you point out, as a Qasha?

Khamis: There are lot of problems. First, the Assyrian community here developed outside the Church.
During this time its members joined the local churches such as the Russian Church, the Georgian Church, the Church of Armenia- mainly the Orthodox churches.  Because we are very much alike.  Gradually, they have been losing their own church traditions. Second, the pertinent information about the Assyrians was not available to the Assyrian Church from 1920 untilk 1981.  No information!  In 1981, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, visited Russia for the first time. His second visit was in 1988.  The main problem is obviously is that the Assyrians in Russia and the ex-USSR for a long time were cut off from the rest of the Assyrian communities.

ZN: What is the future of this community?

Khamis: There's a good deal of work that needs to be done. The role of the community is very important because the law limits the activity of the foreign churches. Thanks to this community I am able to do much more. If we have at least three registered communities (in fact, two of them are already registered), the Assyrian Church of the East may be recognized by the Russian government as well. So, we'll see.

ZN: Bassima raba, Qasha Khamis!

Khamis: Allaha amokhon!

Nicholas N. Seleznyov
Moscow, Russia

GOOD MORNING BET-NAHRAIN

TURKEY EXTENDS STATE OF EMERGENCY IN SIX PROVINCES

(ZNAF:  Ankara) The Turkish parliament agreed to extend a state of emergency last Tuesday for four months from March 30 in the south-eastern provinces of Hakkari, Siirt, Sirnak and Diyarbakir, which have a substantial population of Assyrians, plus the eastern provinces of Tunceli and Van.  The six are the only provinces still to be subjected to emergency rules dating back to July 1987, which were preceded by a period of martial law from 1979.  A state of emergency was lifted in October 1997 for the provinces of Batman (southeast), Bingol (east) and Bitlis (southeast).

SURF'S UP!

"Happy Kha B'Neesan to you too, ...the great voluntary zenda staff... Bravo Zenda for helping us get in touch with welfare organizations serving the needy Assyrians.  The Welfare Committee of Bet Eil Assyrian church [San Jose, California] made a donation in the amount of $500.00 to the Welfare Committee for the Assyrians in Canada thanks to the report that Zenda published about its activities. You are providing a great service in many different areas as well, by being the cyber-bridge for Assyrians everywhere.

Dr. Arian Ishaya
San Jose, California

To our readers in California:  Don't miss Dr. Arian Ishaya's lecture entitled "Assyrian Americans at the Threshold of the Twenty-First Century" on May 1st, sponsored by the Assyrian Foundation of America and University of California at Berkeley's Center for Middle Eastern Studies.  See CALENDAR OF EVENTS



"Please let me congratulate you for your excellent magazine. I'm happy to be a reader of it..."

George Moosa
Karlsruhe, Germany



We'd like to acknowledge and applaud Zenda's journalistic efforts in reporting the facts and events concerning Assyrians.  Zenda has always been objective and truthful in reporting the news, even when the wrong doings, mis-informations, and concealments, are initiated by our own people.

As such there is a responsibility that we will carry within us, to be truthful to others as well as to ourselves.  Individuals cannot be allowed to hide behind patriotism, Assyrian flag, Christianity, National Songs, etc.  and go un-exposed.  The latest scandal in San Jose, California is not the first, nor will it be the last time that our nation has to question its rights or wrongs, but we hope that Zenda staff will always be there to report it as is!!!

Job Well Done !!!

Jeanclaude & Odet Toma
San Jose, California

Our readers from San Jose are referring to an article published in our February 23rd issue (click here) under the NEWS DIGEST column.  Two weeks after the publication of our investigative report Mr. Eskandar Kambar of San Jose, California verbally abused the publisher of ZENDA Magazine in his weekly TV Program, The Nineveh TV,  referring to ZENDA as "a Satanic act whose sole purpose is to divide our Assyrian people."  As a result of Mr. Kambar's 20-minute TV monologue and verbal attack on ZENDA, to date 8 new subscription requests have been received from the enathusiastic San Jose community, of which three were requests to "re-subscribe."



"I would like to take this opportunity  to thank you all for your expediency in responding to my request...  My thanks to your Staff and to the person that was responsible for such a beautiful article about
"KNANAYA CHRISTIANS OF INDIA "  and how well it was presented.  It was an educational information and a wonderful article , accurate information , with dates, names and so on .  Zenda , it is good  and great to have you ready in helping  your fellow Assyrians , especially in the time of need.  I asked for your help, there you were,  within one day you came to my rescue.   Once more , my thanks to all of you. God Bless.

Martin David
California

Mr. David, a regular contributor to our magazine, in assisting another reader from India had requested information regarding the migration of 72 Assyrian families who traveled from Syria to India in 345 A.D. under Mor Yousip Urraha and Mor Tooma Cannaneo in an effort to help preserve the Christian converts of St. Thomas in India.  ZENDA referred Mr. David to our THE LIGHTHOUSE article written on 17 May 1997.  The following is the letter submitted from our reader in India regarding this information:



"Thank you for the insight. I am also associated with the North American Knanaya Diocese web-site. I have seen that information. I am now in the process of substantiating that information with historical facts. The reason I contacted the Syrian Historical web sites was in order to find out if there was any possibility of

1)  Tracing the facts of the migration in the fourth century.
2) What was the composition of the migrants.
3) What was the customs of the Syrian-Jacobites of that period in Syria.
4)  Did the then Christians have the restraint to marry from outside their community.
5) Where did the name Knanayeh originate from.
6) Is there any Knanaites left in Syria
7) Does the name Knanayeh got to do anything with patriotism (like fundamentalists)? If so, was Simon, the 11th disciple of Jesus a Knanaite?
8) Is the practice of not marrying from outside, a legacy of Jewish origin or  Syrian? Or is it that the migrants just did not want  to mix with the local  population due to racist attitude.

It is important to find answers to these questions now because in the course of the 16 centuries of migration, we have lost all our records to show our origin. Due to our custom of purity of blood (marrying only from within), there are lots of questions being asked from many quarters including from within. Specially the younger generation who are only convinced on seeing solid proof - a legacy of St. Thomas, I suppose. In case we need to preserve the 16 century old traditions in the modern society, then we need to find hard evidence to our culture - The need to preserve tradition.

Since all evidence in our possession was destroyed in the 16th century, the only source of information left is in Syria, the place from where the migration started. Hence I need your help in unraveling the 4th century migration of the 72 families under the leadership of Thomas Cannaneo and Joseph of Urhai. This migration had the official blessings of the the Syrian Church and the ruler.

Also, please tell me more about Mor Cannaneo."

Sundeep Abraham Kochuthommen
India

ZENDA invites its readers with information on this fascinating account of the "Knanayas migration", its leaders and the 72 families involved to contact us immediately.  Our reades can also ask for a copy of our 17 May 1997 article entitled "Assyrian Knanya Christians of India".    

NEWS DIGEST

CONGRESSMAN ROD BLAGOJEVICH ESTABLISHES ASSYRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL

(ZNAI:  Chicago)   U.S. Representative Rod Blagojevich of the 5th Congressional District of Illinois has established an Assyrian Advisory Council (AAC) to serve as a forum for discussion and consultation regarding domestic and international issues of special importance to the Assyrian community in Chicago.  According to the Assyrian International News Agency all organizations and church groups have been invited to attend the AAC meetings.  The first breakfast meeting on 2 December 1997 was attended by Congressman Blagojevich and several staff members.  From the Assyrian community, the breakfast meeting was attended by members of the Assyrian Academic Society, the Assyrian National Council of
Illinois, the Assyrian American National Federation, the Assyrian Aid Society, the Assyrian Democratic Movement, the Assyrian Democratic Organization, the Assyrian Church of the East and the Assyrian American Veterans of Illinois.  Other Assyrian organizations and church groups who were unable to attend the first meeting are expected to attend the upcoming spring meeting of the AAC.

During the breakfast meeting, the Congressman expressed concern for the well-being of Assyrian communities in the various countries of the Middle East in general and about recent persecution of Assyrians in Iraq and Turkey in particular.  He also discussed domestic matters of immigration and citizenship important to the Assyrians in Chicago.  The Congressman reiterated his offer of assistance to the Assyrian community through the AAC.

During the meeting, the Congressman unveiled a resolution to be introduced in the House of Representatives in 1998 regarding persecution of the Assyrians in the Middle East.  Congressman Blagojevich's letter regarding the equitable distribution of humanitarian aid to the Assyrians in Iraq, was cosigned by Congressman John Porter of Illinois and 12 other Congressional Representatives and featured in the last issue of ZENDA.

Assyrians attending the AAC meeting stated that additional support from other Congressmen representing districts with large Assyrian communities would further help to focus greater attention at the Congressional level on issues important to the Assyrian community.  Assyrian attendees noted that Congressman Blagojevich's efforts were both necessary and timely especially in light of recent international focus on the Middle East and the plight of the minorities.

 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

 

April 5

CHICAGO

Kha B'Neesan Parade 

April 24

SAN JOSE

ANNUAL DANCE & COCKTAIL PARTY

St. Mary's Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church

Entertainers:  Edmond & Assyria DJ's Emil & Jimmy 
Lou's Village  
1465 West San Carlos 
San Jose 
Admission:  $20 in advance/$25 at the door 
To purchase tickets: 
   Nancy Kaldani       408-448-2806 
   Hannibal Menashy  408-363-6950 
   Khalid Elias            408-972-544 
   Ramil Esho            510-713-0980 
No Children under 12 allowed

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 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

The Fourth 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

Assyrian Olympic Games

 

 

ASSYRIAN SURFING POSTS

ASSYRIAN ART:  A COMPILATION OF LINKS TO THE MODERN ASSYRIAN ART WEBSITES

SAGA OF THE NINEVEH MARBLES

 

PUMP UP THE VOLUME

ENGLISH 
MODERN ASSYRIAN 
GENDER 
EXAMPLE 
 House of Representatives
  Bet-Qayoomeh
 Fem.
 -
 Senate
  Knooshya d'Raaghleh
 Masc.
 -
               
We Stand Corrected!   Under last issue's EXAMPLE column we translated "Salted Nuts" as kesaneh milkhaneh (salty).  Moomlikheh is the correct translation of the word "salted" as in kesaneh moomlikheh.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

BC (691)

King Sennacherib's armies encounter the invading Elamite forces on their way to capure Nineveh.  He writes "Like the advance of locust swarms in spring, they came on together against me to do battle, the dust of their feet covering the face of the wide sky like a pouring storm in harsh cold weather.  They placed themselves in battle order against me at Halule on the bank of the Tigris.  They blocked my access to drinking water and prepared for battle." After his victory in the battlefield, Sennacherib writes "I put them to rout and turned them back.  I transfixed the troops of the enemy with javelins and arrows.  I cut their throats like sheep...I filled the plain with the corpses of their warriors like herbage."  Sennacherib claims that the enemy lost 150,000 men.

The Might That Was Assyria, H.W.F. Saggs



AD (1898)

The synod of the Russian Orthodox Church and the representatives of the Tsar Nicholas II assemble in St. Petersburg to discuss the future of the Assyrian churches in Persia, the Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church in Azarbaijan, and their non-Christian neighbors.  Following this meeting the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church were sent to Urmie in the fall of 1898.  At this time, for the fear of persecution in the hands of their Moslem enemies, nearly 15,000 Assyrian villagers abandoned their Assyrian churches and joined the Russian Orthodox Church by signing the following petition:  "In the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, By the Grace of the Life-giving Holy Spirit, we, the Syrio-Chaldean people, followers of Nestorius, determine to unite again with the Greco-Russian, one, true, holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church, to unite free from deceit or insincerity, in truth and with a right heart, according to the words of our Great Chief Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, that 'there shall be one flock and one shepherd.'  Our fathers and ancestors, fourteen centuries ago were separated from the unity of the Church, but hereafter let this division and separation not be, between our Nestorians and the Orthodox."  The Times of London reported that "thousands of Nestorians have adopted the Greco-Russian tenets in the hope of enjoying some day Russian protection."  In 1905 the Russian army was defeated by the Japanese forces and the Constitutional Revolution in Iran further increased the level of disorder in Persia.  In the spring of 1909 Russia captured Tabriz, Iran to impose greater control over northern Iran.  In the winter of 1917 the Russians entered into negotiations with the Moslem enemies of the Assyrians and following the Bolshevik Revolution withdrew their troops from Persia.  The Assyrians of Urmie were then left to the mercy of their Moslem neighbors.  In a matter of weeks the greatest exodus of the Assyrians began from Urmie towards central Iraq.  During this time three-fourths of the refugee population perished due to hunger, cold and the enemy attacks.

"Conversion of the Nestorians of Persia to the Russian Church", Samuel G. Wilson

TALMIDU

 

 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

 

LITERATUS

THE TIME HAS COME

 

Peter Sargon
Sofia, Bulgaria
kingsar@bigfoot.com

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

April 5, 1976:  The jury for "The People of the State of California versus David Malek Ismail" in the County of Santa Clara arrived at the following verdict:  "We, the jury in the above entitled case, find the defendant, David Malek Ismail, guilty of murder by violation of California Penal Code Section 187, and fix the degree as murder in the first degree."  The defendant was later sentenced to life imprisonment for the assassination of Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII, Catholicos-Patriarch of the East in San Jose, California.  Today, David Malek Ismail is a free man.

BRAVO

PAUL D. NEWEY

The blue hyperlinks to the Congressional websites outlined in our last issue brought our readers closer to two friends of the Assyrian people in the U.S. Congress:  John E. Porter and Rod Blagojevich.  Among tens of other readers, Mr. Paul Newey of Chicago, immediately acted on our request and wrote to his Congressional representatives on the murder of the Assyrians in northern Iraq.  Mr. Newey writes to us:

"Enclosed are copies of my letters to Congressmen Porter and Blagojevich.  I know these people from my many years of exposure to Chicago politics.  My late partner Ben Adamowski was the State's Attorney here and also ran for Mayor of Chicago (1963) and Cook County Assessor (1970) and I was very much involved in those political campaigns.  When I was an Assistant State's Attorney and Chief Investigator for the State's Attorney (1956-61) one of the rookie assistants was none other but James R. Thompson who later became the governor of Illinois and served for 12 years in that office.

There are many others in high office politically who I know and if I was a bit younger, believe me, I would be doing a lot more for our people.  The new breed of Assyrian/Americans should go outside their ethnic groups and become heavily involved in American politics, like our wonderful representative Congresswoman Anna Eshoo.  If they do, it will not be long before the Assyrians will be as well known in this country as the Armenians, Greeks, Italians, Jews, Irish, etc.  We are primarily good people and have many intellectuals among us and we should always support each other and never get into any "sibling rivalry" - WE NEED EACH OTHER and if we do not hang together we will "HANG SEPARATELY".

ZENDA can be the glue that holds us together and I just can't tell you how much I enjoy reading your newsletter weekly.  I think that the Internet can do wonders for our people who are scattered all over the globe.  So I am praying that God will help us use this medium to unite, and put aside our petty differences.  If we are Assyrian, we are Assyrian and should not allow our religious preference separate us -- we are soul brother first and foremost.  Alaha minookhun in the wonderful work you are doing.

In his letter to Congressman Porter, Mr. Newey writes:

"...this letter is really meant to send my deep gratitude and thankfulness for the tremendous letter you recently wrote to the U.S. Secretary of State in behalf of the Assyrian Christians who were recently murdered by some vicious Kurds, without cause, in northern Iraq.  Your letter was posted on the Internet by an Assyrian Newsletter called "ZENDA" and of course has been read by all their subscribers in the U.S. and elsewhere.  In the past we could always rely on a very good friend of Metropolitan Chicago Assyrian/Americans Senator Charles Percy who knew us very well.  I now know that we have another very close friend in you and can depend on reaching you whenever the need arises."

Mr. Newey addresses the issue of the murders in northern Iraq to Congressman Blagojevich in the following manner:

"It has been some time ago when you came to my house when we were trying to get Congressman Rostenkowski re-elected and I hope that we can see each other again before this coming November.  As you know, I'm now 84 years old and not as active politically as I used to be, but I do a lot of pro-bono legal work for the Assyrian immigrants in metropolitan Chicago.  My ancestry is Assyrian and although I was born in the U.S. and served our country in World War II and the Korean War, I bleed for those of my blood who are suffering untold hardship in Iraq today.

While on the Internet last night I read your letter to our Secretary of State asking her to look into the recent murders of several Assyrian Christians in Northern Iraq by a band of Kurdish people who are out of control.  Fortunately, we have a voice on the Net by a weekly newsletter called "ZENDA" and you were credited by that newsletter for your help.  I just can't find words to adequately tell how pleased I am and all the Assyrian/Americans in this community are for your participation."

Last week the office of Congressman Blagojevich in Washington D.C. contacted ZENDA and thanked our staff for publishing the aforementioned letter in our last issue.  Per the request of Mr. Blagovich's press secretary the office of Congressman Blagojevich was added to our list of subscribers and in a separate telephone conversation the current issues concerning the Assyrians in the United States were discussed with ZENDA.

ZENDA wishes to thank our readers and especially Mr. Newey for so promptly responding to our request.  We also like to thank Mr. Greg Adams in the office of Congressman Blagojevich and Ms. Lynnette Farhadian, an Assyrian ZENDA reader, in Congressman Matthew Martinez of California's 31st District for helping our staff to initiate a channel of communication with our Assyrian friends in the U.S. Capital.  We invite our readers from every country to follow suit and help us at ZENDA to identify "friends of Assyrians" in their local and national governments.  The gap between the Assyrian people around the world and their representative governments can be narrowed further with each upcoming issue of ZENDA magazine. 

WELCOME TO ZENDA

 

CORPORATE ACCOUNTS 
UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTS 
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS 
 U.S. Govt. (Washington D.C.)
  

Brasilia, Brazil 

Greenfield Park, Australia

India

Netherlands

San Jose, California

Toulouse, France

                             
ZENDA's Growing Family of Worldwide Subscribers:

ASIA

AMERICAS

EUROPE

MIDDLE EAST (ASIA)

OCEANIA

Looking forward to welcoming Our 30th Country!

SALUTE!

This Week's Contributors:
Firas Jatou Chicago, Illinois Assyrian Surfing Posts
Raman Mikhael Chicago, Illinois News Digest
Vivian Hermiz Modesto, California Calendar of Events
               

Thank You For Referring ZENDA to a Friend:
Francis Sarguis Santa Barbara, California
Jingo Sarkis San Jose, California
Lena MushellSan Jose, California
Lynnette Farhadian Washington D.C.
 

 


ZENDA Magazine is published every Monday. Views expressed in ZENDA do not necessarily represent those of the ZENDA editors, or any of our associated staff.  This publication reserves the right, at its sole discretion, not to publish comments or articles previously printed in or submitted to other journals. ZENDA also reserves the right to publish and republish your submission in any form or medium. All letters and messages require the name(s) of sender and/or author. All messages published in the SURFS UP! section must bear the name of the author(s). Distribution of material featured in ZENDA is not restricted, but permission from ZENDA is required.  This service is meant for the exchange of information, analyses and news. To subscribe, send e-mail to: zenda@ix.netcom.com with the message body "subscribe ZENDA Firstname Lastname". To unsubscribe, send e-mail to the above address, with the message body "unsubscribe ZENDA".

zenda@ix.netcom.com

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


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ZNSM (Shufimafi Lebanese News)
ZNTM (Time Magazine)
ZNUP (United Press International)
ZNUS (US News & World Report)