Feb 26, 2004

Assyrian Church holds fund-raiser for future church in Almaden

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

Nearly 400 women of the Assyrian Church of the East attended a tea party fundraiser last week for the church which is located in Willow Glen. The fundraiser was designed to raise money for a new church that will be built in south Almaden on McKean Road near the Cinnabar Golf Course on land that was recently purchased. The new church is still in the planning stages and has not yet received a building permit. The groundbreaking is not planned for ‘at least three years’. The current church, St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Willow Glen, continues to expand and the 400 families that attend need larger facilities. Many of the church members live in Almaden.

Assyria is the modern name for Babylonia, which hasn't existed as a country for many centuries but was roughly the area in northern Iraq and Iran. Many Assyrians, whose native language is Aramaic—the language Jesus Christ spoke—now live in the United States. The Bay Area, including San Jose, houses the second largest population in this country. The largest number of American Assyrians live in the Chicago area.

The culture is rich with tradition. Customs have been handed down through the generations. Young women learn culture, customs, language and dancing from their mothers and aunts. The religion is a form of the Eastern Orthodox wing of the Christian church and is similar to Syria and its traditions in name only. Syrians, by contrast, speak Arabic and traditionally are Muslim.

The women attending the tea varied in age from very young ladies—at the youth group table—to grandmothers. More than 40 women from the church spent $50 each to sponsor a table and decorated it with themes ranging from traditional Assyrian to Japanese to crystal. Tables were named for cities in Babylonia and featured themes such as “Assyrian Star,” “Gates of Ishtar”, “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” to “Ladies in Wonderland,” “Valentine” and “English Garden.” Centerpieces included lovely bouquets of flowers, candles and Assyrian sculptures such as the Winged Bull and a miniature version of the walled Assyrian Kingdom.

The women invited friends and/or family and served a meal on exquisite heirloom china or with china matching the table's theme. Sherry Rad, a church member who bought two tables and owns E Events, provided service plates. They dined on tea sandwiches, pastries and cakes.

The three-hour tea featured the Assyrian Church of the East's Bishop of the Diocese of Western California Mar Bawai Soro. He discussed the transformation of women's roles in the 21 st century Assyrian Society including how society can help women to excel in all aspects of life and the cost of supporting women in social involvement and education. The bishop also discussed women's roles as teachers, healers and leaders, in addition to their role in the church and the community and their influence on the church's society.

The tea also featured a raffle with donated gifts, including an airline ticket to travel anywhere within the United States, a gift certificate for Guadinos in Los Gatos, jewelry including two necklaces, a gold Assyrian star and a gold cross pendant, statue and paintings, candles and other art work.

The church holds four fund-raisers a year at its current location, 680 Minnesota Ave. in Willow Glen. Although this is the first time the tea party has been held, the ladies plan to make it an annual event. Each year the church holds an Assyrian festival in August; a two-day event with Assyrian dancing, food and culture plus exhibitions. They also hold Christmas and Easter bazaars featuring food and decorations in addition to traditional games. The bazaars are held in the recreation hall next to the cathedral, which also is rented out for weddings and parties.