December 5, 2025 – Chicago, Illinois
The Assyrian American Chamber of Commerce hosted a spirited and well-attended Christmas Revival at Crystal Palace, drawing together the leading Assyrian organizations of Illinois, Bishop Mar Paulus of the Assyrian Church of the East, three Illinois state senators, and a range of civic and community leaders. The event marked a renewed effort to strengthen the economic, cultural, and social foundations of the Assyrian community.
Assyrians gain local power. Left to right: State Senator Ram Villvalam Illinois senate 8th district, State Senator Laura Fine Illinois senate 9th district, Assyrian Marie Benyamin – Niles township trustee, Assyrian Marryann Warda village of Niles Trustee, Assyrian Ted Mason – Elk grove village democratic committee person and candidate for Cook county commissioner, and Assyrian Ashur Shiba village of Morton Grove Trustee and Executive Director of Vote Assyrian.
Among the evening’s highlights was the Chamber’s presentation of two major awards. Senator Ram Villivalam, who opened his remarks by greeting the audience in Assyrian, received the Assyrian Business Empowerment Award for his support of Assyrian business initiatives and his ongoing advocacy for the community. The Chamber also honored Mr. Tiglat Issabey, head of the Assyrian Cultural Foundation, with a special award recognizing him as an advocate for Assyrian culture, history, and music—acknowledging his leadership in advancing Assyrian arts, historical scholarship, and community programming.
Senator Ram Villivalam of the Chamber’s Assyrian Economic Empowerment award for his assistance of the Chamber.
Mr. Mooshekh thanked the Chamber for its leadership and called for deeper cooperation among all Assyrian organizations, stressing that only through unity can the community advance its collective interests.
President of the Assyrian American National Federation, Mr. Alan Mooshekh.
Also speaking was Mr. Simon Enwia, who leads an initiative to create virtual employment opportunities for Assyrians in the homeland through VA Teams. He emphasized the dual benefits of the project: providing Assyrian professionals in the region with stable income and supplying American companies with highly skilled talent at competitive rates.
Senator Laura delivers her wishes for the success of the Assyrian Chamber and community.
State Senator Kevin Olickal took great pride in his participation in the creation of the resolution to recognize April as Assyrian month in Illinois.
The keynote remarks were delivered by Mr. Robert DeKelaita, Executive Director of the Assyrian American Chamber of Commerce, who outlined the Chamber’s mission to revive Chicago’s Assyrian community and strengthen its entrepreneurial spirit. He explained that the Chamber serves as a unified voice for Assyrian businesses at the local, state, and federal levels, while also creating meaningful opportunities for members to connect, collaborate, and grow.
Beyond advocacy and networking, the Chamber provides practical support to help businesses operate more effectively, works to enhance the overall economic vitality and visibility of the community, and functions as an information hub that keeps members informed about economic trends, regulatory developments, and other matters essential to business success. Mr. DeKelaita emphasized that a chamber exists so its members can thrive at a level unattainable in isolation, describing the Assyrian Chamber as “the cement that aligns our business interests with both individual and collective prosperity,” and noting that lifting one another up is the foundation of a thriving community and nation. He then outlined current initiatives, including building a national economic network linking Assyrian businesses across Chicago, Detroit, Arizona, and California; negotiating favorable terms with suppliers and service providers to reduce costs and increase value; advocating for policies that benefit Assyrian entrepreneurs; and coordinating with partner organizations to create a unified and influential national voice for Assyrian economic and cultural advancement. Looking to the future, he described the Chamber’s goals of establishing a fully staffed, professionally run office; offering consistent support to Assyrian businesses and individual entrepreneurs; fostering a strong sense of belonging, pride, and confidence within the business community; celebrating members’ successes; and standing by them during times of challenge. In closing, Mr. DeKelaita reaffirmed the Chamber’s guiding principle: “When you succeed, we succeed—as an organization, as a community, and as a nation.”