Genesis of the Syriac Community in North America *

The presence of the Syrian Orthodox Church on American soil goes back to the late nineteenth century. There are no records of who the first Syriac person was to arrive on American soil, but it is known of some individuals, such as Dr. Abraham K. Yoosuf, a native of Kharput, Türkiye, who arrived in the United States as early as 1889. Dr. Yoosuf was born on December 12, 1866, and received his higher education at Central Turkey College in Gazi Antep (Aintab), where he graduated in 1886 and worked as instructor until 1889. The same year he came to the USA and worked his way through Baltimore Medical School, graduating with high honors. He then settled down in Worcester, where he began his practice and in 1897 organized and served as president of the Assyrian Benefit Association. Dr. Yoosuf was a prominent figure who played an important role in the life of the Church, people and adopted nation before passing away on December 26, 1924.

Syriacs from Diyarbakır  

Jack Darakjy, attorney in River Edge, NJ. His parents were originally Diyarabakır, the largest city in Southeastern Turkey, on the banks of Tigris (Dicle), one of the greatest rivers of Middle East. His grandparents left Diyarbakır in 1922 to Aleppo, Syria. His eldest uncle came to the U.S. in 1922 and his family moved to the States in 1960. Practicing as a lawyer for 35 years, he speaks French, English, Arabic, Turkish and Armenian. He has an extensive knowledge of Syriacs from Diyarbakır as well. Diyarbakır St. Mary Church has survived 18 centuries throughout history and continues to inspire a strong and growing presence in the United States. With roots planted in 1915 in West Hoboken, N.J., (now North Bergen), the first Assyrian Orthodox church in the U.S. took its name from the original church in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Darakjy answered TURKOFAMERICA’s questions.

How Covid Has Impacted The Real Estate Industry

Deniz Turkbas * - With the new year, comes new hopes and new aspirations. However, with Covid still in the midst, it is hard to tell how our hopes and aspirations will come to fruition. For those whose hopes and aspirations revolve around real estate, some may be happier than others. Covid has affected some positively and some negatively.  Although the tell tale rule seems be holding true, in real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. Ironically, Covid has changed what we consider a desirable location. When Covid began in March 2020, we all locked ourselves in our homes and we distanced ourselves from friends, family, coworkers and, well, basically everyone. Now, the four walls you lived in became your whole world. Your desirable location became questionable depending on the size of your living quarters. It’s desirable to live in a city where you can go out to eat and frequent Broadway shows. But as the pandemic caused social distancing, New York City restaurants were not allowed to serve people inside. During the summer months, this was not so terrible, as any resilient New Yorker, we all adapted to our new normal. But still many restaurants were unable to survive. We saw iconic restaurants close, such as the 21 Club. Founded in 1930, the 21 Club, known for its jockeys lined up in front, has hosted very president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, aside from George W. Bush, and its secret wine cellar was home to the private collections of celebrities and presidents including Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and Richard Nixon, according to AMNY. Broadway shows closed. Needless to say, many establishment owners’ hopes and aspirations were hit hard with Covid.

Supporting the Hospitable People of Turkey and Refugees Living There

6.8 magnitude earthquake rocks Turkey. Islamic Relief staff in Turkey alerted us to a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the Elazig province just hours ago. Latest reports share that more than 1,000 people have been injured and at least 22 people were killed -- many of them as they were trying to escape collapsing buildings.

Undocumented Students Generated Up to $132 Million in Relief to Colleges—But They Won’t Receive a Dime From the Stimulus

By Viviann Anguiano - Maya is an undocumented student activist enrolled at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) as a sociology and labor studies major. Her parents are undocumented and have lost their jobs due to shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic. While Maya’s family’s unexpected struggles resemble many families’ across the country right now, her family is not eligible to receive the stimulus checks that the U.S. government is disbursing as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Maya recently paid her family’s rent with the money she received from a private $1,000 scholarship.

Meet The Richest People In America

By Kerry A. Dolan and Luisa Kroll - Forbes - It was another record year for the wealthiest people in America, as the price of admission to the country’s most exclusive club jumped nearly 18%. The minimum net worth to make The Forbes 400 list of richest Americans is now a record $2 billion, up from $1.7 billion a year ago. The group’s total net worth climbed to $2.7 trillion, up from $2.4 trillion, and the average net worth rose to $6.7 billion, up from $6 billion. 

Turks View U.S. As Number One Threat: Survey

ANKARA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkish people perceive the United States as the number one country that poses threat to Turkey, while regarding Azerbaijan as Turkey's closest friend, according to local research. About 66.5 percent of Turkish people think that the U.S. is the "biggest threat" among foreign countries, the research, conducted by Center for Turkey Studies in Kadir Has University on June, said. Israel follows with 37. 4 percent and EU member states come in the third row with 24 percent, according to the survey.

Tagged under

Foreign Buyers Are Snapping Up More American Real Estate Than Ever

One market’s loss, is another market’s gain. Countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand are starting to see foreign buying tapering. However, the United States is starting to see a surge in foreign buying according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). These numbers are showing explosive growth in both the transactions, and dollar volume.

Subscribe to this RSS feed