User talk:Tonyglewis

I am Tony Lewis from the Joby (pronounced in Arabic "ju a bee") My heritage roots are in Fairouzeh, Syria a small Christian community a short walk from Homs, Syria. Both of my grandparents were raised in Fairouzeh, Syria. However my paternal grandmother was born in the USA and moved back to Fairouzeh, Syria shortly after her birth. My father Edsel Lewis eloped with his dream girl Helen Younan (nicknamed Nabeeha) when he was 21 and she was 17. Edsel was born in Jacksonville, Florida and Helen was born in Detroit, Michigan. Both were raised in Detroit. Edsel's family members include his father Albert, mother Mary, Sister Marie (nicknamed Snowy since she was as white as the driven snow) oldest brother Joby (often called the God Father of the Fairouzeh community) Fathel (Fi) Camel (Cam). Helen's family members include Father Tony Mother Shumsee Oldest brother Nate, Peter (Pete)George Oldest sister Mary (nicknamed Nademie)Ann (Nicknamed Imaza)Josephine (Jo). Our heritage was Syrian Orthodox but the Fairouzeh, Syrian community lived in a small community (called a Hada) and there was no Syrian Orthodox Church in Detroit so Christ Church Detroit an Episcopalian Church adopted the community and made us part of their congregation. To this day there is a strong Fairouzeh, Syrian attendance in this magnificent Church located on the Detroit River just blocks from Cobo Hall and the heart of downtown Detroit. The Fairouzeh, Syrian community had a mindset to be a part of the America and raise their children as Americans. This goal has come to fruition. However now that most of the community belonged to the same Church they set out to have another bond. They formed a club and called it the Sands Club. This club has stayed together for all of these years. Unfortunately raising the children to be American has left the club and community's identity weaken as time has past. The children know and love their roots, eat the food and are proud of their culture but there is no common thread that keeps the off-springs together as a unified force. (To be continued...)