Tel Keppe

Tel Kepe ܬܠ ܟܐܦܐ
Tel Kepe
Coordinates: 36°29′22″N 43°7′9″E
Country	Iraq
Governorate	Ninawa
Municipality	Tel Kaif
Government
• Mayor	Basim Ballu
Population (2008)
• Total	35,000
	Tel Kepe received a large influx of Christian refugees following the 2003 Iraq War

Tel Keppe (also spelled Tel Keipeh) (Syriac: ܬܠ ܟܐܦܐ‎ Tal Kepe, Arabic: تل كيف‎ Tal Kaif), is one of the largest historically Assyrian towns in Iraq. It is located in the Ninawa Governorate, less than 8 miles North East of Mosul (Nineveh) in northern Iraq.

Etymology

The name, Tel Keppe, is of Aramaic origin and is made of two syllables; "Tel" which means "hill" and "Keppe" which means "stones" i.e. Hill of Stones. Her name comes from its location over a ruined suburb of Nineveh, capital of old Assyria.

Unfortunately, due to the presence of the only cemetery over the hill that make up Tel Keppe, it has been difficult to excavate the Assyrian ruins of this suburb of Nineveh. However, so far what had been able to be excavated is the water irrigation canals that were built by Assyrian King Sennacherib (705- 681 BC) to irrigate the land around Tel Keppe. Also, an excavation by the Iraqi Directorate of Antiquities succeeded in finding vases dating to 2000 years BC, and other items even much older and of a prehistoric time. In addition to that, several old ruins of churches and monasteries dating to early Christianity were found in Tel Keppe. Currently, Tel Keppe has 5 old churches, and a large new one.

Disasters of Tel Keppe

As was the case with most of the Assyrian towns around Nineveh, Tel Keppe had its share of the savage attacks of the Mongols, Persians, and the Kurds. In 1436, Tel Keppe was attacked by the Mongols, and again in 1508, both attacks resulted in the death of hundreds of its children and the destruction of many of its churches and the burning of its crops. So was the fate of the other Assyrian towns of Tel Esqof, Alqosh and its Rabban Hirmizd Monastery.

In 1743, the Persian King Nader Shah attacked Tel Keppe, Karamles, Bakhdida, Bartella and other Assyrian towns savagely. His destructive acts resulted in the death of many thousands and the destruction of their churches and crops. Those who were able to survive did so by fleeing to the mountains.

Tel Keppnias Today

Starting in the 1980s and especially after the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Invasion of Iraq, many Assyrians from Tel Keppe fled to many countries, but primarily the United States. They set up their lives there with new churches and business for their families.

In The United States

The presence of Tel Keppnias in the United States span a hundred years, however, the largest migrations were those during the last 30 years when Tel Keppnias started leaving Iraq en masse.. In their new country, true to their fame as honest and hardworking people, the Tel Keppnias were quick to establish and acquire large & successful businesses. These prominent Assyrians were able to build a prominent economic empire.

Actually, that economic power manifested itself when President Bill Clinton,in 1996, became the first American President to ever meet with an immigrant Middle Eastern community. With that the Assyrians of Iraq led by the Tel Keppnias, became that First Middle Eastern community to be recognized by an American President. Also, during Mr. Clintons presidency, his wife, the First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, was hosted twice by the Tel Keppnias of Detroit.

After the Gulf War, the Tel Keppnias led the Assyrians in the United States in mounting a widely publicised campaign to lift the economic sanctions which was imposed on their original homeland, Iraq. Also, large sums of donations were collected and sent to the needy in Iraq without discriminating whether the recipients were Arabs or Assyrians, Muslims or Christians.

Elsewhere

Tel Keppnias also fled to the neighboring countries of Syria and Iran. Many others also left to other countries including Sweden, Australia, France, and European Countries.

Famous Tel Keppnias

There are and have been many famous Tel Keppnias in the United States, within Iraq, and elsewhere.

Deceased

• Chaldean Patriarch Joseph II Marouf (1667–1713).
• Author and explorer, Mary Terez Asmar, born in 1806. Published her memoir "Babylonian Princess" in English in 1844.
• Poet Toma Taqteq, died in 1860.
• Fr. Shemoel Jamil (1847–1917), who was in charge of all Chaldean monasteries.
• Journalist Maryam Narmy, born in 1890. Published first Iraqi women's issues "Arabian Woman" newspaper in 1937.
• Yousif Malik, one of the leaders of the Assyrian movement in Iraq during the 1930s. Author of "The British Betrayal of the Assyrians".
• Joseph Hirmis Jammo, author of "Nineveh's Ruins or History of TalKayf" published in 1937.
• Journalist Alexander Marouf.
• Rofael Babu Ishaq, born in 1893 and author of "History of Iraqi Christians". Died in 1964.

Living

• Mar Emannuel III Delly: Patriach of the Chaldean Church of the East.
• Mar Gabrial Kassab: Bishop of Australia for the Chaldean Church of the East.
• Mar Ramzi Garmo: Archbishop of Tehran - Iran for the Chaldean Church of the East.
• Mar Ibrahim Ibrahim: Bishop of the Chaldean Church for the Eastern United States.
• Mar Sarhad Yawsip Jammo: Bishop of the Chaldean Church for Western United States
• Tariq Aziz: Was the Foreign Minister (1983–1991) and Deputy Prime Minister (1979–2003) of Iraq and a close advisor of former President Saddam Hussein.
• Anna Eshoo: She is the U.S. Representative for California's 14th congressional district, serving since 1993.
• Faraj Jajo: Renowned engineer and published scholar.

See also

• Nineveh plains
• Alqosh
• Bakhdida