NINEVEH . Established 1964 Voice of .'Dedicated to the The A SSyrian Foundation of America A dvancement of Education of AsSyrianS ' MARCH - APRIL 1980 VOLUME 3, NO.2 At Dur Sharrukin (Khorsabad) Sargon II King of Assyria carrying the Sacrificial Ibex (8th Century B.C.) ~_...~~~ C_U_L_T_U_R_A_LE_D_U_C_A_T_l_0_N_A_LS_O_C_1A_L__~ ~11 A ssyrian Periodicals We urge our readers to read and support MARCHI APRIL 1980 i the Assyrian publications. The active VOLUME 3 NO.2 participation oj all ASSyrians is the only JULIUS N. SHABBAS Editor guarantee of the SUccess oj Assyrian JOEL J. ELIAS Ass't. Editor periodicalS. YOURA TAMRAZ Staff Writer/Assyrian JACOB MALEKZADEH Advertising SARGON SHABBAS Circulation POLICY IN THIS ISSUE: • Editorial 2 ARTICLES SUBMITIED FOR PUBLICATION WILL BE SELECTED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF ON THE BASIS OF • Letters to the Editor THEIR RELATIVE MERITTOTHEASSYRIAN LITERATURE, HISTORY, AND CURRENT EVENTS. Kha B'Nissan 3 OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE THOSE OF THE RESPECTIVE AUTHORS AND NOT NECESSARILY • Urbillum, Arba-I1u, Arbela THOSE OF NINEVEH. in Perpetual Existence ASSYRIAN FOUNDATION OF AMERICA ESTABLISHED IN For Your Information 4 JUNE 1964 AND INCORPORATED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AS A NON·PROFIT, TAX EXEMPT ORGANI· ZATION DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDU· • Children of King Sennacherib CATION OF ASSYRIANS. Assyrian Recipe Women's Lib in Ancient Assyria 6 • The First Assyrian Graduate of Columbia University ADDRESS LETTERS TO Mar Narsai Parish Feasts THE EDITOR & Commemorations 7 NINEVEH 1920 SAN PABLO AVENUE • The Assyrian Language BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94702 and Its Roots 9 • News Items 11 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION U.S.A. & CANADA $10.00 • . In Memoriam 13 OVERSEAS 15.00 SUBSCRIBE TO NINEVEH ADVERTISEMENT RATES One Islue Six Issues We need your support to FULL PAGE $ 40.00 $ 25.00 ea. HALF PAGE 25.00 12.00 ea. help defray the cost ONE-QUARTER PAGE 15.00 8.00 ea. of publication ONE·EIGHT PAGE 8.00 5.00 ea. 1 AS THE EDITOR SEES IT LET US NOT ERR AGAIN After the fall of the Assyrian Empire, for centuries the Assyrian people concentrated in areas embracing Jezirah, Sapna of Amadia, the Northern part of present day Azerbaijan, with their stronghold in the mountains of Kurdistan. This territory was a part of the Ancient Assyrian Empire, and the present As- syrians are direct descendants of those people. Today, the Assyrians are doctrinally divided into five principal ecclesiastically designated religious sects, namely "Nestorians" (The Holy Apostolic & Catholic Church of the East or The Assyrian Church of the East), Maronites, Jacobites, Chaldeans, and Syrian Catholics. The differences between these religious DEDICATED TO THE sects are based purely on christology and not nation- ality. ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION The intent here is not to analyze the causes that led to these divisions, among which were persecutions and OF ASSYRIANS many other calamities that befell the Assyrian people in their ancestral homeland. Neither is it the intent to bring facts pointing to the continued existence of Assyrians throughout history to the present time. It is understandable that a nation, any nation, would have among its nationals different religious sects or NEEDS beliefs. But there is no reason, in fact it is illogical, to identify the nationality of the people with a name that YOUR SUPPORT represents their religious beliefs, because in so doing, the true national identity of the people becomes obscured. It is, therefore, incumbent upon each and everyone of these religious sects to call themselves Assyrians with respect to their nationality. and not "Nestornaye," Maronaye, Yacobaye, Chaldaye, etc. A second great error that we Assyrians have made is the use of the words Suraya , Su ryaya , lishana (language) Suryaya to designate Assyrian, when the correct word should have been Aturaya. The name One's being an Assyrian is a synthesis of heritage, Suraya comes from Asuraya, Assuraya, Ashuraya religion and culture, and emotional (Assyrian), etc., with the letter "A" being silent. The consciousness that transcends all diversities, direct translation of the word Suraya to English and theological demographic, and otherwise. To be other European languages therefore became Syrian or an Assyrian is to feel: The past is my heritage I Syriac (for the language). Hence, this designation has shall forget it not; the present, my responsibility: been perpetuated by these foreign writers who failed to the future. my challenge. investigate and analyze the root of the word. as it has When a person is of Assyrian blood, he retains his been strongly pointed out by the late Dr. David B. birthright, self-esteem, and the heritage ot his Perley and other Assyrian writers. fathers. The term Assyrian is one single unity. It is vitally important for our national identity that The approach of this oneness of all Assyrians each one of us avoid usage of the word Suraya, in fact, regardless of their religious adherence. is through delete it from our vocabulary and substitute for it the the avenue of blood, and through the majesty of word Aturaya. common memories. Religion is a faith acquired With this increased awareness on our part. we can and is changeable. Nationality is one's flesh and hope to influence writers and historians to re-examine blood; it is his total nature. Even death cannot the basis for the old terminology and introduce the undo it. correct term, Assyrian. Let us not err again. The Assyrians of today are the Dr. David B. Perley rightful descendants of the ancient Assyrian civilization. Julius N. Shabbas Joel J. Elias 2 Letters to the Editor Dear Sir: Dear Sir: Please send me some information on the Assyrian I want to thank you so very much for putting the people and culture. I once met an Assyro-American, bookad (ASSYRIAN HERITAGE-U.S. OR DEATH) and was surprised to find that the culture still was in the magazine. This magazine is done very well-so preserved. Is there a book on Assyrian-Americans? much good in it. It does my heart good to see the What does your association do? history of Assyrians being printed. Y. Lowe I have been giving my book to school teachers and as Fairchild - Dept. 361 many non-Assyrians asl can. This way people can see 1725 Technology Drive Assyrians are still in the world. People have asked me San Jose, CA 95110 what language they speak. I always say that they speak Assyrian. that it is very close to Aramaic language. From my research, I feel the schools will be teaching about the Assyrians some years from now. It isjust a Dear Sir: matter of time. I am enclosing an obituary statement together with a Mary Elia picture for you to print in your publication. As you Northridge. CA can see, the few paragraphs are more than obituary but rather an announcement intended to promote the study of our Assyrian language and culture. We should appreciate your printing this message, in any Dear friends: language you choose, as soon as possible. If there are charges for the printing the photograph, please let us We are certainly glad for your cordial help of $100 to know. our son. Ken P. Joseph, five years ago when he entered BIOLA College. and now we are glad to tell you that he Sincerely yours, is now able to graduate, thanks to your initial help, Eden Naby (Frye) with the class of 1980. Thanks to you and the 86 Beech Street California State and the federal government. Other- Belmont, Mass 02178 wise he would never have been able to make it on our missionary allowance. We also thank you for your good publication KHA B'NISSAN NINEVEH. The Assyrian New Year We wonder if you ever got the word that our second Celebrated in all periods of our history on son, Bobb, also entered BIOLA planning to be a fuIJ- April 1st was KHA B'NISSAN the beginning time servant of Jesus Christ, and I am sure that he of the Assyrian New Year. In ancient times it would appreciate any help you could give him. It was known as the AKITU Festival lasting would certainly be a great encouragement because he is from .the 1st to the 12th Nissan (March- having to work one semester. being out of school, to April). Rooted in our nation's foundation, get caught up financially. He will enter at the next this festival symbolized national links between the god and the king. semester again. At that time his brother Jim, who now Kha B'Nissan was the time of new growth graduates from high school, will join him at BIOLA and springtime and our ancient forefathers College. I'm sure you think there is no end of the demonstrated their greatness by recognizing Joseph boys, but there's only one more-Mark, 12 this as the time of nature's continuity of life. years old! We do thank the Lord that they are anxious .. and logically designated this the time to to go to a good Christian college and prepare for the celebrate the New Year. work the Lord has for them. And we do thank you for All traditional holidays were fully cele- brated, but when Christianity spread into your help to them toward this goal. God is not Mesopotamia and later became the center of unrighteous to forget your labor of love ... Christian teachings, Christian rituals re- placed our national customs. Although the Please correspond directly with Bobb at BIOLA Assyrians were among the first to become College, 13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada Ca. 90637. Christians and missionaries of Christianity, there remained with some Assyrians, the Kenny Joseph influence of the ancient traditions and Tokyo,Japan national rites ..