Assyrian educational programming comes to Chicago-area library

Yasmeen Altaji | Oct. 29, 2022 | Illustration/Yasmeen Altaji

A series of Assyrian-focused educational programming is coming to a public library in the Chicagoland area, and one class has already filled up. 

The Skokie Public Library, located just outside of Chicago, will commence courses on topics including introductory Assyrian language and “ancient cooking” in November. 

The courses are the result of feedback and direct approaches by members of the Assyrian community, and just hours after registration for the language course opened on Oct. 15, the 24-seat class was filled.

Mary Oshana, a Skokie Park District Commissioner, said she felt a duty to approach the library with the idea.

“I think the onus is on us to approach and see what we can do,” she said. “Seeing all this programming…I never found anything that was Assyrian.”

Skokie is home to an estimated 20,000 assyrians, according to one nonprofit. It’s a component of a larger Assyrian community that calls Chicago and its surrounding suburbs home. 

Despite its size, Oshana observed a lack of Assyrian representation at the village’s library.

“Every time I've gone to the library, one of the most difficult things has always been, you know, not seeing anything Assyrian there,” she said. “I wanted to open up classes for the broader community.”

Language

An eight-week introductory Assyrian language course, geared toward adults, will equip students with novice-level Assyrian speaking and comprehension skills, according to a description of the course at the library’s website. 

William Sargool, the course instructor, told The Word the course is structured for Assyrians as well as non-Assyrians.

“By offering it at the Skokie Public Library, it gives the opportunity for people around the community who are not Assyrian to learn about our language and culture,” he said.

The course at the library comes as a Chicago-area high school district could soon make history by offering an accredited Assyrian language course to its students.

Culture

An “ancient cooking” class is also part of the coming month’s programming.

Atorina Zomaya of Assyrian Kitchen will lead a session entered around Assyrian classics, from quick pickles, or tourshi to homemade yogurt, or mesta, to heartier dishes like kipteh, a traditional Assyrian meatball stew. The latter will constitute what Zomaya called a “hands-on” portion of the Nov. 3 session.

In addition to cooking instruction, the course will provide background on the history of ancient and modern Assyrian cooking methods. 

Zomaya told The Word she looks forward to “sharing our food culture — the world’s oldest recorded recipes — and connecting with the community.”

“These cooking classes are beyond food,” she said. “It’s a celebration of our identity and heritage. It's a conversation, an opportunity to cook together and share culture through food.”

Amy Koester, Learning Experiences Manager at the Skokie Public Library, said the programming is a reflection of interest demonstrated by members of the Assyrian community. 

“It’s important that communities see themselves in library programming,” she said, adding that it reflects the library’s “unofficial slogan: ‘The heart of a vibrant community’.”

The cooking course, which is still open for registration, is the latest addition to the library’s culinary programming, which Koester said is some of the most popular and frequently requested.

Community

According to Oshana, efforts to bring children’s books and language-learning resources from Assyrian publishers to the library are also in the works. She said she anticipates they will be available in 2023. 

“We have such a rich history, such a rich culture,” Oshana said. “Why not share that with the broader community and engage them to learn more about who we are.”

In 2012, a local festival highlighted Assyrian culture and culminated in a discussion of the book “Gilgamesh” at the Skokie Public Library. 

Koester said the library encourages community members to send in their own ideas for programming consideration. The library will consider future sessions based on interest in those offered this month as well as time, space and resource availability at the library, she said.

Oshana hopes the initiative in Skokie “inspires others in other cities to approach their public library and say: ‘We're interested in hosting a class’.”

Courses are free and open to all. Those with a Skokie library card can register online. Others must call the library to complete registration.