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YONKERS

NEW YORK

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YONKERS

John Baba begins the Yonkers footage at a central location, the church. As the Assyrian Presbyterian congregation emerges from Sunday service, Qasha Marshall Yacoe and the parishioners gather.

From the church, John Baba visits with the Benjamin family, merging his American life with the bonds from his home village of Seir, Persia.

Follow Baba as he celebrates Yonkers musicians, a police officer, an attorney, a dentist, and one of the first woman-owned businesses, Lucy’s Knitting Studio. He also visits the Yonkers Assyrian American Association to meet with some of the men who helped organize the Assyrian Federation, known today as the Assyrian American Federation.

Celebrate with him as he visits home parties, businesses and family gatherings, all while taking in the architecture of nearby Manhattan.

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Hungarian Presbyterian Church

Timestamp: 00:11

In 1937, the Hungarian Presbyterian Church, 35 Jackson Street, shared space with the Assyrian Presbyterian Congregation.
After purchasing its first church building in 1961, the congregation moved to its new location at 355 South Broadway in Yonkers. In 2002, that building was razed. The remaining church members joined South Presbyterian Church prior to the destruction. Much of the congregation had passed away and their children had moved to other locations.

Ford Model A in front of church

Timestamp: 00:30

Yonkers parishioners exit church.

Timestamp:00:33

L-R (center group): Emma Moorad Kambar, Florence Lazar, Sue Nweeia, Irene Baba

Left: Irene Baba

Timestamp: 00:54

Center: Florence Lazar

Timestamp: 01:05

Sheffield Farms truck

Timestamp: 01:10

Nick Benjamin's truck. During the Great Depression, he lost his employment and the friendly milk man got him a job.

Julia George Nasir (or Nassar) Benjamin

Timestamp: 01:13

YNK_20.1.jpg

L-R: Yonan Kambar, William Kambar, unknown, and Emma Moorad Kambar

Timestamp: 01:23

L-R: Bessie Baba, Nathaniel Baba

Timestamp: 01:33

Bessie Baba’s Memoir can be found in the Assyrian Studies Association (ASA) Archive.

Emma Moorad Kambar

Timestamp: 01:35

L-R: Elizabeth Baba and Qasha Yacoe

Timestamp: 01:39

L-R: Elizabeth Baba and her son, Norman Baba.

Timestamp: 01:55

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Additional Information

For more on Assyrians in Yonkers:

John Pierre Ameer , Assyrians in Yonkers: Reminiscences of a Community, Gorgias Press, 2008.

Ruth Kambar, Assyrians of Yonkers, Images of America Series: Arcadia Publishing, 2019.

Assyrians in Motion Copyright, ASA 2023

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Supported by the Assyrian Studies Association’s Preserving Assyria program, Assyrians in Motion is a living document that can be developed, altered, and expanded through multiple voices and contributions.

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