By Maryam Ishaya (MIA ’23)

Every year, Assyrians around the world observe Assyrian New Year on April 1 by hosting festivals or parades to celebrate the beginning of the spring equinox. In Yonkers, New York, the Assyrian community celebrates by coming together and witnessing the raising of the Assyrian flag at city hall. 

Often referred to as Akitu or Kha b’Nissan, which translates to the first of April, Assyrian New Year is a key celebration that brings the community together. In fact, according to the Babylonian calendar, the Assyrians celebrated 6,772 years of existence this year.

Since the late 19th century, Yonkers has been home to a small Assyrian community. Between 1914 and 1915, many Assyrians fled persecution from the Ottoman Empire in Persia, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria and settled in Yonkers over time. 

The Assyrians were one of the first ethnic groups to adopt Christianity as a religion. Upon arriving in New York, the Assyrians did not want to lose the faith of their forefathers. Eleven families joined together to conduct church services in their homes with the help of three deacons: Ephraim Shimon, Khoona Shomon, and the late Baba Sargis.

Around 1953, the community purchased a three-family house in Yonkers and converted it into a chapel. As communication increased and more Assyrians flocked into Yonkers, the chapel was no longer adequate. The community decided to build a church on the property adjoining the chapel, which instituted the historic Mar Mari Assyrian Church of the East on Lake Buena Vista Avenue.

To Assyrians in Yonkers, Mar Mari is their second home. The church serves not only as a place of worship, but also as a place where parishioners congregate for holidays and commemorations, Neo-Aramaic language classes, and youth fellowship sessions. The church and parishioners manage to keep their culture alive by hosting activities ranging from picnics to social gatherings. 

Around 2015, the Assyrian community in Yonkers — with the assistance of Assyrian American attorney Mark Constantine — initiated the flag-raising tradition, coinciding with the rise of the Islamic State and the persecution of indigenous Assyrians in Iraq and Syria.

Hoping to promote awareness and participation in this annual event, Constantine said, “The raising of the flag is a community effort, and the most important thing of this is that the younger people participate and feel the drive to continue this tradition in order to celebrate and cultivate their Assyrian culture.” Assyrians in Yonkers customarily gather together at the city hall bright and early to witness the Assyrian flag raising.

This annual tradition brings great pride to Assyrian youth as well. Since his childhood, Michael Ashayagori grew up in the Assyrian community of Yonkers. Now 18 years old, Ashayagori is an active youth member in Mar Mari and stands as a deacon in the parish. Describing the importance of his community and engagement as a youth member, Ashayagori said, “I feel very comfortable around everyone and the people that I call family.” 

Similarly, as a child, Nancy Multari grew up attending the Mar Mari church. She is the daughter of Ivan Mirza, one of the original builders of the Mar Mari church and a close friend of the late patriarch, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV. Her father encouraged her to be an active member of the community, and he currently serves as a church officer, also referred to as the “Motwa.” 

To her, the raising of the Assyrian flag symbolizes revival. Multari said, “I think having our flag raised with the Assyrian New Year gives me hope of Assyrian existence at large.” She added, “Seeing our flag wave at city hall fills my heart. It's a voice to our people that we are still here in New York and our existence as Assyrians [continues].”

Susy Gevarguize, a member of the Yonkers Assyrian community, sees the flag raising as a beacon of hope. “The flag raising gives me hope that Assyrians will not be forgotten and will forge on with continued accomplishments by future generations,” she said. 

After the flag raising, the community gathered at the Mar Mari Church to enjoy brunch and drink tea with one another. The community hopes to continue this tradition to inspire the younger generations and promote Assyrian pride. The raising of the flag showcases the past, present, and future of Assyrians in New York. The community takes pride in their culture, and having the Assyrian flag raised at city hall brings great honor to the Assyrians in Yonkers.

Maryam Ishaya (MIA ’23) is a first-generation Assyrian American activist from Phoenix, Arizona. Within her master’s program, she continues to raise awareness for the indigenous Assyrian community in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran.