Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/898573
30 November 9 • 2017 jn continued from page 29 ences, and the environment of each gallery reflects that specific time in history; for example, the Jerusalem section has been built with stone. The floors hold dates showing the involved time frames as guests walk through each section." The first gallery, "Ancient Mesopotamia," captures history back to the Sumerians. Authentic replicas and original artifacts purchased from around the world represent the expe- riences of that era. The next gallery, "Faith and Church," explores the beginning of the Chaldean Catholic Church of the East. There are liturgical manuscripts and church adornments. In a media presentation, prayers are recited in Aramaic so that the sounds of the language are experienced. "Chaldean Village Life" has life-size mannequins shown carrying out day- to-day activities in realistic settings. "Journey to America" shows immigra- tion documents and spotlights those who became entrepreneurs. A small replica of a Chaldean-owned grocery store of the 1930s in Detroit shows only American products as assimila- tion takes hold. In "Chaldeans Today," a large video presentation introduces people who value their heritage along with their places in America. "I had the pleasure of watching how this museum developed over time," Kratchman says. "Because of the initiative, we found people who are neighbors, and they became our lasting friends. With the museum, we can gain more insight into under- standing our similarities." As Romaya was planning the museum, she sought advice from Stephen Goldman, then executive director of the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills. She had visited the center and was impressed with the way personal stories were told using a multitude of media. "He explained the way panels should look, and he recommended antiquity dealers," Romaya says. "He told me about giving personal tours and the importance of training docents. There also was advice about conducting oral histories. All of that has been very valuable to us." The Chaldean Museum was developed with the help of Saylor + Sirola, New York exhibition designers specializing in boutique museums. Special effects and segments were handled by Sana Media in New York and LifeFormations in Cincinnati. Funding came from individuals, orga- nizations and businesses. "I've already brought two groups of Jewish women to see this museum," says Jeannie Weiner, who was at the helm of the Social Action Committee of the Building Bridges Initiative. "It's as fine a museum as you could find anywhere. It's sophisticated with hands-on information. "I think it's important to learn about other cultures just as I think every group should visit the Holocaust Memorial Center. "I was especially fascinated by learning about the ancient code of laws — some laws pertinent today and others very brutal as a reflection of the times. I encourage everyone to go and see all that the museum offers." • In the "Why Detroit: Immigrant Entrepreneurs" exhibit is a replica of what a Chaldean-owned Detroit grocery store would have looked like in the 1930s, with a period phone, radio, Toledo scale, register and packaging. "Like many second-generation children born in Detroit of Chaldean immigrant parents, I had to work in my father's grocery store after school, on weekends, during summer vaca- tions," Romaya says. "I was not unique in this — we all did it. It was a family-owned business and we were family. It taught us how to handle money, the value of money, how to deal with customers and developed a very strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit within us and throughout the Chaldean community." details The Chaldean Museum is open to the public 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays at the Shenandoah Country Club, 5600 Walnut Lake Rd., West Bloomfield. Groups can make appointments for other times. (248) 681-5050. Chaldeanculturalcenter.org. arts&life TOP: A panoramic view of the Ancient Mesopotamia Gallery, which takes the visitor back more than 5,000 years. The mural on the far wall is a depiction of the Processional Way and Ishtar Gate built during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, 5300 B.C. Toward the end of this gallery, there are Jewish references from the Book of Daniel as well as an image of a Jewish Ostracon with Aramaic writing on it. BOTTOM RIGHT: A village life tableau displays a Chaldean woman rolling out dough for lughma 'd rekki, a thin, crispy bread. BOTTOM CENTER: An inter- active display shows the 22 letters of the Aramaic alphabet. When a letter is touched, visitors hear the sound of the letter, its mean- ing and then how it would look in Phoenician, Chaldean (Aramaic), Hebrew, Arabic and Latin. BOTTOM LEFT: Barbara Kratchman and Mary Romaya stand by a replica of the Ishtar Gate that led into the city of Babylon. In the fore- ground, a replica of Hammurabi's stele, or Code of Laws, inscribed in the Akkadian language using cuneiform script. This replica was purchased by the Chaldean Cultural Center from the Louvre Museum in France.