NEW YORK – The Transfiguration (Metamorphosis) of Christ was celebrated in Corona beginning on August 5 with a prayer ceremony before the Holy Cross outside the fire-damaged church, followed by the Great Vespers at Saints Constantine and Helen Church in Jackson Heights.

The presiding priest of the Transfiguration community, Fr. George Anastasiou, spoke to The National Herald, expressing his best wishes that the Transfiguration of the Lord would illuminate, touch, and spread love, joy, and hope to the souls of all people.

He told TNH that “Love of our fellow man is particularly compelling these days because of the great tragedy that our homeland Greece is going through with the devastating fires. We pray that the light of Transfiguration to cover them and soothe the pain. As a community, we are also contributing to the relief effort by sending financial assistance through the philanthropic mission of the Holy Archdiocese.”

The Parish Council President, Leonidas Korachais, said that the renovation of the church will begin soon, “We have already chosen the contractor and within a few days, with the signing of the contracts, the reconstruction will begin, which will be completed within 6 to 8 months. Immediately afterwards the hagiography will begin. Unfortunately, the fire in May 2017 was an unexpected event and caused a great deal of damage. It was a very difficult time planning and raising the funds. Now we are ready to rebuild our church as a real gem, even more beautiful than it was. A huge thank you goes out to the Greek community and to our historic newspaper, The National Herald, for all the love, support, and solidarity.”

Nikolaos Menis, a member of the community since 1967, spoke enthusiastically about the church, which, he said, is home for him and his family.

He told TNH that “from the age of 17, when I came from Greece, I serve the Holy Church of the Transfiguration. My heart cries out to see her closed. I hope that the damage will be repaired quickly and that the chanting will be heard again soon.”

Filia Menis, a member of the community since 1973, expressed the wish that the Transfiguration feast coincide with the inauguration of the new holy church.

Aspasia Katechis wished the Greek community many years of health, joy, and prosperity.

On August 6, the Archieratic Divine Liturgy for the feast day of the Transfiguration took place at Sts. Constantine and Helen Church in Jackson with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios Geron of America officiating.

The post The Transfiguration of Christ Celebrated in Corona and Jackson Heights appeared first on The National Herald.

Here are the names, together with the amounts our readers have contributed, responding to the call through our websites to support the independent journalism of The National Herald.

Their support is a vote of confidence for our work in these difficult times for the media and it increases to an even greater extent the responsibility we feel towards them and generally towards our Greek community.

Those wishing to participate in this campaign can send their check to:

The National Herald, National Herald Way, 37-10 30th Street, L.I.C. NY 11101 or call 718-784-5255 to charge their credit card.

Thank you!

1. Caroline Panagopulos $49.00
2. Irene Panagopulos $49.00
3. Anthony Vartholomeos $149.00
4. Bill Palympis $49.00
5. Christ Kamages $149.00
6. Mary Liarou-Barmparis $149.00
7. John Phufas $499.00
8. Lea Soupata $49.00
9. Urania Glassman $49.00
10. Golfo Tsakumis $149.00
11. Theodore Kariotis $149.00
12. Nicolas & Lusuyd Kourides $149.00
13. Dimitra Filippou $499.00
14. Alex Georgiades $149.00
15. Otestes Varvitsiotes $49.00
16. Anastassios & Bessie Kassapidis $1,000.00
17. Anthony Tesoriero $49.00
18. Steve Galiotos $49.00
19. Dr. George Lowris $49.00
20. Georgia Keilman $49.00
21. Mike & Andy Manatos $499.00 22. George Zbravos $149.00
23. Paul Lountzis $499.0 24. Peter Kakoyiannis $499.00
25. Peter S. Giakoumis $49.00
26. Yannis Amaou $995.00
27. Fr. Basil & Christina Papanikolaou $49.00
28. Apostolos Tambakis $499.00
29. Alexander & Markella Tsoukalas $500.00
30. Anastasios & Fotios Karayiannis $300.00
31. Elizabeth Karamitsos $1,000.00
32. Andreas Dracopoulos $14,000.00
33. Harold Anagnos $499.00
34. Anthony Bartholomeos $149.00
35. Andrew Loucopoulos $995.00
36. Marianna Moschou $149.00
37. Giorgios Xatzhioannou $149.00
38. Ioanna Alafris $49.00

Total $24,559.00

The post Supporters of TNH’s Independent Journalism appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – Contractors in Greece who did work at the Ionian Village the Camp Center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in Bartholomio after the catastrophic tornado of September, 2016 have sued the Camp and are asking for court orders to compel the Archdiocese pay them.

Well-known Attorney Sakis Kotsifas with Law Offices in Amaliada and also in Athens, who represents the unpaid contractors, verified The National Herald’s information. Camp Director Fr. Evagoras Constantinides did not respond to TNH’s request for comment.

Kotsifas told TNH that “the reconstructions works were given in November of 2016 with agreement to areas contractors who finished the jobs within the agreed time frames by May of 2017 and expected to get paid.”

He added that “in the agreement papers, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America gave the order to the contractorsto do the job. Despite the finished work in agreed-upon time, they have not been paid in full.

“According to the agreements and the relevant documents, the Archdiocese continues to owe significant amounts of money,” such as sums of 70,600 and 68,500 euro to particular vendors, plus taxes and other expenses.

Kotsifas also said that despite repeated calls to the Archdiocese, the situation remains deadlocked because the representatives of the Archdiocese insist that the Archdiocese experienced financial difficulties. The public is aware of the situation and the Archdiocese has lost its credibility and its image has been shadowed”.

In June the Ionian Village in a press release stated that “following a massive and devastating tornado that struck its’ campgrounds in Greece last fall, Ionian Village has begun its 2017 summer camping programs with the popular trip for young adults, Spiritual Odyssey. Campers and Staff arrived at the fully restored campgrounds earlier this week and were both inspired and pleased with the work that had been completed to bring the grounds back to fully operational status. ‘It’s been a long winter for all of us here,’ remarked Father Evagoras Constantinides, the Director of Ionian Village, “but with the hard work and dedication of our team of workers and contractors, we were able to arrive here, to arrive home in time for the summer season.” The construction team at the camp was led by Ionian Village Operations Manager George Nastoulis, who grew up at the camp, and along with his family, was present on the campus when the tornado struck. ‘This truly was a synergia, a group effort on the part of each contractor and each worker. They were here immediately after the storm hit, and worked day and night through the winter to get us here. They worked on weekends, they worked through rains and snow, they gave all they could to make sure that the children who want to come to the camp this summer would not be delayed, even by one day,’ said Nastoulis.

“Since the September tornado hit Ionian Village, over $800,000 has been raised for the restoration fund. Major donors include Leadership 100 ($250,000), The Georgas Family of New York ($50,000), Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas, Texas ($40,000) and the National Philoptochos Society ($20,000).

Other organizations such as AHEPA, the Hellenic Women’s Club of Boston and The Metropolis of San Francisco FDF have made significant donations as well. In addition, two Metropolises have donated to the restoration effort (Direct Archdiocesan District and Metropolis of Detroit) as well as 37 individual parishes and 35 local Philoptochos chapters. These donors join almost one thousand individuals who have donated online since the tornado.

“His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios has been continuously apprised of both the fundraising campaign and the ongoing work at the camp through the winter and remarked “I give thanks to God that this effort, not only of restoring our beloved Ionian Village, but of raising these funds from alumni and parishes across the Archdiocese is an inspiring act of love and charity. The Ionian Village has made a tangible impact on thousands of young people over the past almost 50 years, and now with this significant work to restore the facility through the love of so many good and faithful donors, this important ministry of our Archdiocese will thrive for years to come.

“Ionian Village’s celebrated Summer Camp, for high school-age students, begins in late June and continues throughout the summer.”

The post Contractors in Greece Sued Archdiocese for Work at Ionian Village appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – Athenians’ Society of New York has donated 6,000 euros towards infrastructure repairs after the wildfires in Attica, Athens Mayor George Kaminis announced on Tuesday.

Kaminis thanked the members of the society for their support and said the funds will be deposited in the special bank account set up by the city through the Athens Partnership for use towards restoring infrastructure, after local government input.

The post Athenians’ Society of NYC Donates Funds for Wildfire Damages in Attica appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The New Yorker magazine profiled Cypriot actor Spyros Enotiades in its July 30 issue in the article entitled “The Man Who Captures Criminals for the D.E.A. by Playing Them.”

“When I work, I feel like an extension of law enforcement. I don’t feel like a snitch,” Enotiades told the New Yorker’s Yudhijit Bhattacharjee. The writer met the actor for the first time in 2015, but had heard of his work as a confidential source for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as far back as 2011. The article recounts a few occasions when the dangerous characters Enotiades encountered nearly cost him his life, as well as the occasions that worked out for him and the DEA.

He started out in the pharmaceutical industry and then later went into the night club business. Enotiades has played Greeks, Lebanese, Italians, and even a Kurd in the course of his work for the DEA, but “he is in some ways an unlikely undercover operative; at seventy-two, he has suffered three strokes and has aching hips,” the New Yorker reported, adding that Enotiades “smokes two packs of cigarettes a day and eats with little regard for his heart condition.”

There is a serious toll his profession takes on his family and relationships, but Enotiades shows no sign of slowing down, though the roles he plays have evolved over time. He started out playing a middleman of sorts, connecting bad guys with the illicit items they were looking to purchase, mostly drugs, but also guns. Enotiades and his DEA handlers would create scenarios, much like choose-your-own-adventure plays, to figure out the various ways a given scene could go, allowing Enotiades room to react naturally to any of the possible outcomes of a meeting with some very dangerous people.

Robert Russillo, a former DEA agent who worked with Enotiades in the 1990s, attributed Enotiades’ success to his “worldly ways” and a knack for “putting people at ease,” the New Yorker reported, adding that Enotiades is “fluent in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Greek,” and “specializes in playing the role of cartel boss, middleman, or money manager, making phone calls and holding face-to-face meetings with the DEA’s targets.”

For the last 30 years, Enotiades “has become one of the agency’s longest-serving and most successful confidential sources, participating in dozens of investigations targeting narcotics and weapons traffickers in the United States, Europe, South America, and Africa,” the New Yorker reported. “His ability to migrate between different types of people and cultures is incredible,” Russillo said.

Enotiades, originally from Nicosia, grew up in a wealthy family with his three siblings, Stephanie, Christis, and Marina. Cyprus was still a British colony then and Enotiades at age 11 distributed flyers for EOKA (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston), the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters. After the twelve year old Enotiades began running errands for the group, including transporting “a pistol for EOKA across Nicosia” and then at 13 being “interrogated by the police following a demonstration,” his father sent him away to boarding school in Athens, the New Yorker reported.

In 1960, Cyprus became independent and Enotiades served in the Cypriot Army. He “studied business administration at the Northwestern Polytechnic, in London,” the New Yorker reported adding that “he had never much liked drinking and, at twenty, after smoking hash, developed an aversion to drugs.”

Enamored of nightlife and with gambling skills taught to him by an uncle, after graduating in 1968, Enotiades spent time in France, Germany, and Austria before working for Johnson & Johnson as a sales manager, then moving to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to start his own company “importing pharmaceuticals, and returned to Cyprus in 1980, to join his father’s company,” the New Yorker reported.

After his father was approached to illegally relabel medications for export to South Africa, Enotiades decided to ask the advice of his friend “Panicos Hadjiloizou, the head of the narcotics squad in the Cyprus Police Department, who told him that the medication was widely abused as a narcotic,” the New Yorker reported. Hadjiloizou, now manages a Nicosia-based private investigations firm, told Enotiades that “reporting the scheme to him was the right move; his father could have ended up in prison,” the New Yorker reported. With Hadjiloizou’s direction, Enotiades set up a meeting with the buyer in Frankfurt, where the man was arrested by the German federal police. “I felt as though someone had lifted a huge rock from my shoulders,” Enotiades said, the New Yorker reported.

He began working with the DEA in 1988 after having moved to Buenos Aires and starting an export business shipping beef to the United States. While there, “he befriended a Greek taxi-driver named Stavros, who, he later learned, was a drug dealer,” and “one day, Stavros asked Enotiades if he would help locate buyers of cocaine in the United States,” the New Yorker reported, “I thought, I must be jinxed,” Enotiades said and consulted his friend Hadjiloizou, “who cautioned him against going to the local police, because he feared that they were corrupt, and directed him instead to DEA agents at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires.”

Enotiades became a source on the case and the DEA requested he follow Stavros to Panama for a meeting with drug dealers to gain their trust, “Enotiades’s job was to convince the dealers that he could organize the delivery of barrels of acetone, used in the manufacture of cocaine, in exchange for the drug,” the New Yorker reported.

Spending a great deal of time with the dealers at strip clubs and private parties, including one at which Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was a guest, Enotiades made the mistake of leaving his passport out in his hotel room one day where one of the Panamanians found that Enotiades wasn’t Greek, as he had said, and took the passport to show his partners. Contacting the DEA agents on the case, they were able in a few hours put Enotiades on a plane out of Panama. “I’m lucky they didn’t kill me,” he said, the New Yorker reported, adding that “he was exhilarated by the danger and the thrill of manipulating criminals: ‘Once you get into this and you’re hooked, you’re hooked.’”

Enotiades was soon involved in many international cases from Buenos Aires to Brussels to Caracas, Venzuela. Of the drug dealers and arms traffickers with whom he has negotiated, he told the New Yorker, “They want to believe in me because they are preposterously narcissistic, and they believe they can get anything they want. They have these people around them kissing their feet all day long. They believe that I am a friend of theirs. I am like a rope, a long piece of rope. They grab that rope and they put it around themselves till they get hanged, because they are in this dirty business. I feel sorry for them, but they know what they’re doing.”

According to the New Yorker, Enotiades had planned to retire in 2015 when he first began sharing his story with the magazine. His most recent business ventures have not gone well, however, and he lacks health insurance though he takes medication for his heart and hips, so Enotiades continues working for the DEA, though he is not complaining. “If I had the money, what would I do? Sit by a beach somewhere?” he told the New Yorker, adding “That’s not my style.”

The post New Yorker Magazine Profiles Cypriot who Helps DEA Capture Crooks appeared first on The National Herald.

FLUSHING, NY – The St. Nicholas Greek Afternoon School in Flushing, which bears the names of its great benefactors, Stephen and Areti Cherpelis, is on a restructuring path to attract more students, but also to make it more practical for learning the Greek language and studying Hellenism.

In an interview with The National Herald, Mrs. Maria Zolotas, long-time School Board President, explained that “the traditional academic program will be on Saturday morning” and she added that “the classes that were held on Tuesday and Thursday will be held on Saturday morning because many people felt that the children were tired after public school, it was not so easy to come in the afternoons, and this year we will try to do Saturday morning from 10 AM-1 PM up to the fifth grade. Seventh and eighth grades will remain on Friday afternoon.”

She also said that “parents had asked us, but Father Paul Palesty [presiding priest of the community] and I decided to do a survey. We sent questions to all members of the community, regardless of whether they were parents, grandparents, including questions about the days and times that would be more convenient for parents. Most respondents said they were comfortable on Saturday and would like this change and so we decided to try it out. As you can understand in most afternoon schools, the number of students is down because parents and children have other activities and consider those more necessary than the Greek Letters, so we have now tried to do something different to see if it is now easier for them to come on Saturday.”

According to Mrs. Zolotas, “from pre-K (age four) up to the eighth grade, the school has, at the moment, 150 pupils.”

An expansion of the program is also planned, she explained that “it will be based on a Greek-religious rhythm and will be in the afternoons. That is, a child who goes to Public School or to the St. Nicholas Day School and wants to stay after lessons until 6 PM, we have created a program that includes religion, culture, Greek dances, Greek theater, a varied program from which parents can choose what they think their children would like or what they want their children to learn about, and they will attend selectively, that is, they do not need to be enrolled every day but the days they are interested in.”

Zolotas added that “this program, which is dedicated in the name of Stephen and Areti Cherpelis, will be part of the Greek school.”

When asked how many children are expected to be enrolled this year, Zolotas said, “We have no idea because it is the first time it is being offered.”

And she continued, “We know that the first year will be a bit difficult, the organization of it, but we are ready, we have recruited capable people who will, of course, help me now that I have more time to help. The school has a new principal, Mrs. Panagiota Lilikaki.”

Zolotas was the principal of the Argyrios Fantis Day School of the community of Saints Constantine and Helen in Brooklyn for three years from 2015-18.

When asked if the Archdiocese was informed about the changes or if there was any communication with the office of the Archdiocese, Zolotas replied, “To tell you honestly, I do not know for sure, one hundred percent. First of all, Mrs. Maria Makedon, who was somewhat responsible for all the schools, the Day and the Afternoon schools, is no longer responsible; I heard that she was retiring. But it is not something completely different from the norm what we wanted to do to expand our program.”

The post St. Nicholas Greek Afternoon School Restructuring appeared first on The National Herald.

Special to The National Herald

ITHACA, NY – The Very Rev. Dr. Seraphim Poulos, an archimandrite priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese for 40 years, passed away on Friday, July 27, after a months-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was only 68 when he died.

His passing was a tremendous loss not only to St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in Ithaca – situated in the backyard of Cornell University, a major institution of higher learning – but was also felt deeply throughout the entire Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. This was manifest during his funeral on Thursday, August 2, in which nine priests who came from far and wide participated, and which was attended by a packed church that morning.

Three bishops were also officially represented: Their Eminences Archbishop Demetrios of America, Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit, and Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey, as expressions of sympathy poured in from scores of friends and former parishioners nationwide.

Fr. Seraphim was born John Poulos in the village of Groton on May 26, 1950 to the late Peter and Patty Poulos. The family moved to Ithaca when he was two years old. His father was among the founding members of St. Catherine’s Church, and had the honor of naming the parish, selecting St. Catherine the Great Martyr of Alexandria in honor of his mother (Fr. Seraphim’s paternal grandmother), whose name was Catherine.

After graduating from Ithaca High School in 1969, Fr. Seraphim pursued his theological studies at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, as well as at other seminaries and universities. He also earned his Doctorate of Ministry degree at Catholic University in Washington, DC.

Fr. Seraphim had demonstrated a clear love for the Greek Orthodox Christian Church and faith from the time of his youth. While other kids his age were placing posters of pop-culture figures in their rooms, young John adorned the walls of his room with icons of saints and photos of churches and Orthodox Christian bishops.

Before St. Catherine’s Church became a fully incorporated and chartered parish under the Archdiocese, it was a mission parish of the Annunciation Church in Endicott (now located in Vestal), whose then-parish priest Rev. Phillip Gialopsos would come to Ithaca for occasional liturgies, usually on Saturdays, and other liturgical functions throughout the year (e.g., baptisms and weddings). Young John was Fr. Phillip’s consistently faithful altar boy on those occasions.

Fr. Seraphim was ordained in the spring of 1978 at St. Catherine’s Church, with well over 300 people in church that Sunday morning. He wistfully spoke of how his parents had always supported and encouraged him to become a priest. “Priesthood is a gift,” he told the congregation that day with tears streaming from his eyes because his father had not lived to witness his ordination.

He went onto serve several large parishes of the Archdiocese over the ensuing years, to include Greek Orthodox parishes in Brooklyn; Norfolk, Virginia; and most recently, Saints Nicholas, Constantine & Helen Church in Roseland, New Jersey before retiring a little over two years ago from active fulltime ministry. He moved back to the Ithaca area to live a quiet life among his relatives and childhood friends, but resumed serving as a priest at his boyhood parish when Rev. Dr. Athanasios (Tom) Parthenakis, then pastor of St. Catherine’s Church, retired after Pentecost Sunday in June of 2017.

Initially, Fr. Seraphim was “filling in” until Metropolitan Nicholas could assign the parish in Ithaca with a new fulltime priest. His seamless bilingual ability, rich voice, deep knowledge of Scripture and sacred tradition, and liturgical expertise sparked many calls among the faithful of St. Catherine’s parish community for him to be their next priest.

After serving St. Catherine’s on Sundays for an entire summer, Fr. Seraphim agreed to serve the Ithaca parish on a fulltime basis. Metropolitan Nicholas consented, officially assigning him as St. Catherine’s new pastor in September of 2017. He was clearly that rare prophet who was actually welcome in his own hometown:

“When Fr. Tom retired, we wondered what we were going to do. As a smaller parish, it’s harder for us to land a priest sometimes. Who would replace Father Tom? But we didn’t skip a beat. Father Seraphim had already moved back to the Ithaca area, and he just stepped in and stepped up to help us out,” said Nick Lambrou, president of St. Catherine’s parish council.

“After just a couple of Sundays, it was clear that most everyone wanted him to be our next priest. With 40 years of experience, he gave us a great liturgical jolt, which kept us feeling spiritually revived throughout last summer. It was a no-brainer, so we just kept asking him until he said yes. And our bishop thankfully provided,” he added.

It would soon unfortunately prove to be too good to be true. Just one month later, in October of 2017, Fr. Seraphim announced that he had been diagnosed with a serious illness, and that he needed to step away for medical treatment, hoping to resume serving the parish the following spring. But pancreatic cancer is typically among the most aggressive forms of cancer, and notoriously difficult to treat.

“We felt cheated and robbed of a great spiritual opportunity, but we all prayed for a miracle, and we kept going to church,” Mr. Lambrou said.

Metropolitan Nicholas started sending Rev. Stephen Gousios, a lay priest from the Buffalo area, to serve the Ithaca parish on Sundays. While the small community hoped and waited for Fr. Seraphim to recover, the Metropolis of Detroit monitored Fr. Seraphim’s medical progress.

There seemed to be some hope at first, with Fr. Seraphim making two very moving appearances during Holy Week 2018 on Holy Thursday and Great Saturday Evenings. He then travelled to Greece for a month this past June, and went on pilgrimages to St. Nektarios on the island of Aegina and St. John the Russian on the island of Euboea (both great miracle-working saints, thru whose relics the Holy Spirit has healed many people over past decades). But when he returned stateside at the end of June, the disease had clearly taken its toll on him.

Fr. Seraphim was nonetheless determined to continue serving as St. Catherine’s parish priest, and celebrated the Divine Liturgy an additional three Sundays. He was visibly weaker, and the parish witnessed his valiant struggle to keep serving at the altar until he announced that Sunday, July 15, would be his last.

“Celebrating the Liturgy until he no longer could was his ultimate sacrifice to help keep his beloved boyhood parish and community going,” Fr. Stephen pointed out.

Fr. Seraphim passed away peacefully just 12 days later at Hospicare, a palliative care facility on Ithaca’s South Hill. A rainbow appeared over South Hill that same afternoon. Many St. Catherine’s parishioners took this as a sign that Fr. Seraphim was in God’s merciful Hands.

Fr. Seraphim made a definite impact across the country with his ministry: “Father Seraphim has had a profound effect on my life,” said Nick Sgourakis, a former parishioner at Saints Nicholas, Constantine & Helen Church in Roseland. “His sermons touched me, especially when I would bring my late pappou (grandfather) to services. He helped build our church. He was there when my mom, who was Roman Catholic, passed away. The week she was in the hospital, he came by and blessed her every time I asked. He attended her funeral and afterwards offered a graveside Trisagion for her. He was a compassionate, eloquent and devoted man of God with a wonderful soul. He was one of a kind, and truly an inspiration.”

Metropolitan Nicholas was overseas when Fr. Seraphim took his last breath, so he sent his chancellor, Rev. Dean Hountalas (pastor of Holy Cross Church in Farmington Hills, Michigan), to represent him and officiate Fr. Seraphim’s funeral proceedings. “I would have come anyway,” Fr. Dean said, citing Metropolitan Nicholas’ and his own close personal friendship with Fr. Seraphim. “John (Fr. Seraphim) was our classmate at Holy Cross Seminary in Boston,” he said.

Fr. Dean assured the congregation that Fr. Seraphim was a true priest to the end. “His tenure as a priest in our Holy Church and Archdiocese was stellar. There were times that he suffered – when he was hurt and disappointed – but he continued to persevere over and against all hurdles placed before him. He fought the good fight. He gave it his best fight. His will was to continue, but his body’s strength sadly ebbed away. Yet when all things were coming to pass, it seemed to be orchestrated from Above. Fr. Michael Bahlatzis (pastor of the Annunciation Church in Vestal) arrived the Sunday before my friend and brother breathed his last to administer the Holy Gifts, and Father Seraphim was able to receive Communion as a priest one last time. He was then able to allow his soul to embark on his heavenly journey to receive his crown and celebrate his holy priesthood: ‘Thou art a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5.6),’ in God’s Heavenly Kingdom along with the Heavenly Hosts,” Fr. Dean said during the eulogy.

Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Evangelos sent personal letters of condolences to Fr. Seraphim’s family and the small parish in Ithaca where he concluded his ministry.

“Father Seraphim centered his life and ministry on the victory that came from the sacrificial death on the Cross of our Lord and His glorious Resurrection. Entrusted with the holy priesthood in 1978, he served many parishes of our Archdiocese; from communities in the Direct Archdiocesan District to the Metropolis of San Francisco, to the community of St. Catherine in Ithaca, New York where he grew up, and which he held so near and dear to his heart. He nurtured the growth of all the communities under his care, and focused his energies on the ultimate goal of bringing the faithful closer to Christ. In this difficult hour of separation, please know that my thoughts and prayers will be with you. May the Good Lord grant life to you and eternal rest to the soul of His beloved servant, Father Seraphim, who has fallen asleep in the Lord,” the Archbishop wrote.

“I was truly and deeply saddened upon being informed of the falling asleep in the Lord of our beloved Fr. Seraphim. Please accept my most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to his family, faithful parishioners and beloved friends. Know that he is in my fervent prayers for the repose of his soul in the bosom of Abraham. Fr. Seraphim’s depthless love for Christ and His Church was, and remains, an indelible part of his character in perpetuity. He was a dedicated servant of God who loved his flock deeply and served his entire life faithfully. His success as a parish priest was clearly seen on various levels within the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey. His dignified and devoted presence before the Holy Altar of our Lord, and his love for ministry and for the parishioners he shepherded, defined his legacy,” wrote Metropolitan Evangelos, who also instructed every parish in his jurisdiction to offer a Trisagion prayer service on Sunday, July 29, two days after Fr. Seraphim passed away.

The eight additional priests who assisted Fr. Dean for the funeral were Rev. Andreas Houpos (St. Nicholas Shrine Church in Flushing, a spiritual son of Fr. Seraphim, who read Archbishop Demetrios’ letter to the congregation during the funeral); Rev. James Pavlow (St. George Church in Trenton, NJ, who read Metropolitan Evangelos’ letter); Rev. Michael Marcantoni (Holy Spirit Church in Rochester); Rev. David Smith (St. Sophia Church in Syracuse); Rev. Nicholas Rafael II (St. Demetrios Church in North Wildwood, NJ, a lifelong friend of Fr. Seraphim); Rev. George Khitiri (Fr. Seraphim’s successor at Sts. Nicholas, Constantine & Helen Church in Roseland, NJ); Rev. Gousios (currently servicing St. Catherine Church in Ithaca); and Rev. Dr. Tom Parthenakis (of Erie, PA, Fr. Seraphim’s predecessor at St. Catherine’s).

Fr. Seraphim is survived by his sisters Katherine Poulos-Van Markwyk and Stella Poulos-Chronis; his cousin Kathie (Paul) Karakantas; an aunt; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and a multitude of spiritual children from the many parishes he served during his priesthood. He was predeceased by his parents, Peter and Patty Poulos, and his older brother Nick.

Funeral arrangements were by Bangs Funeral Home. Burial was at Lakeview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Fr. Seraphim and his family have requested that memorial contributions be made to St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church (120 W. Seneca Street, Ithaca, NY 14850), Hospicare of Tompkins County or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Everlasting be his memory. And may the Good Lord bring his soul into a place of refreshment, a place of light and a place of repose, where there is no sorrow, suffering or shame. Amen.

The writer is a 1998 graduate of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, and was managing editor of The National Herald from 2004 to 2009.

The post In Memoriam: The Very Rev. Dr. Seraphim Poulos, Archimandrite appeared first on The National Herald.

The Greek-American president of the University of Southern California, C. L. Max Nikias, resigned on Tuesday amid a raging sex scandal involving a university gynecologist who is accused of conducting inappropriate exams for decades, The New York Times reports.

“The university had already pledged to ‘begin an orderly transition’ to find a new president, but it appeared to fast-forward the process on Tuesday, announcing that Mr. Nikias would step down effective immediately,” the NYT says.

Two hundred faculty members, joined by upset staff and students, have earlier this year demanded Max Nikias resign, protesting he did not remove the school gynecologist.

The staff members sent a letter demanding Nikias’ resignation to USC’s Board of Trustees, stating that he “lost the moral authority to lead” after the gynecologist was kept on staff, the Los Angeles Times and other media reported, adding that the trustees were standing by him.

The statement came after four former USC students sued the school and Dr. George Tyndall who they claimed frequently made crude comments, took inappropriate photographs and forced them to strip before groping them under the guise of medical treatment for his “sexual gratification,” the civil lawsuit said.

Reports indicated that the behavior had been going on for years, including since Nikias became President in 2010 and while he condemned what Tyndall had allegedly done that wasn’t enough to satisfy critics who said there should have been sterner action before the doctor left and was given a severance package.

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LOS ANGELES, CA – The sad news was announced on Wednesday, August 8, via a statement on the Los Angeles Chargers’ website that Faye Spanos, matriarch of the Spanos family, had passed away at age 92.

The entire statement follows:

In Memoriam: Statement on Behalf of the Spanos Family on the Passing of Faye Spanos

The entire Spanos family is heartbroken to announce the death of the family’s matriarch, Faye Spanos, who passed away peacefully at age 92. Faye was the essence of grace, compassion, humility, and kindness. Her devotion to her family and her deep faith in God guided her throughout her life. Faye was a blessing to all who knew and loved her.

Beloved wife, mother to four children, grandmother to fifteen grandchildren, and great grandmother to ten, Faye lavishly nurtured them all with love, attention, and support. Faye married the love of her life, Alex, in 1948. As their family grew and their business prospered, Faye shared their good fortune first with their large extended families and then with their community. Faye’s generosity and kindness matched her husband’s, and together they made donations benefitting schools, children, the arts, hospitals, and people in need.

Faye Spanos’ Greek name “Fotini” derives from the Greek word for light.  And throughout her life Faye has been the light and rock for Alex and for her family. She brought balance, encouragement, faith, support and love to her family. Faye’s legacy to her large family and to those who knew her and loved her was her multitude of kindnesses and her fathomless compassion. Faye Spanos will be missed terribly by her family and by all who knew her.

Funeral arrangements are underway and will be announced in the next few days.

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ATHENS – Eustathios Kefalides, the newly elected Governor of Hellas District 25, which covers all of Greece, recently made his first official visit to a chapter in Athens, where he was hosted by Solon Chapter HJ-04 led by its president, George Malamos.

Kefalides’ visit was also the occasion for a Chapter meeting that took place at the Civitel hotel in Marousi which included discussion of the Solon chapter’s prospects and plans for upcoming events and activities.

AHEPA, whose 37 chapters display a dynamism that their brothers and sisters in America, the land of the Order’s birth, would be proud of, are not among the Greek operations that shut down for the summer. Members are always on the alert for opportunities to help AHEPA brothers and sisters, the community, and the nation.

In light of the devastation and tragic loss of life caused by the wildfires in Attiki, the leadership of Solon HJ04 communicated about how they could help. They will follow the will of District 25 regarding help for the victims, but the Chapter will also deliberate about how they can contribute to the reconstruction of the region.

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WASHINGTON, DC – What do Cyprus, Iceland, El Salvador, Puerto Rico have in common? If one combines the GDP of these nations it just about equals Jeff Bezos’ estimated paper wealth. Mr. Bezos, the founder of Amazon hit upon on a formula that was not really that unique. To the contrary, the formula was initially introduced exactly one century prior to Amazon’s formation. That formula was a mail order catalog printed by Richard Sears. The catalogue bearing his name initially featured watches, diamonds, and jewelry.

When Amazon first started it was a marketplace for new and used books. In 1894, Richard Sears expanded his catalogue to 322 pages that included a vast selection of products that were not otherwise readily obtainable and all at a fixed price. A farmer in the middle of Iowa, a rancher in the outposts of Colorado, or a household in the suburbs could select and have products delivered right to their doorstep thanks to the Sears Catalogue. This led to the establishment of hundreds of brick and mortar Sears retail stores. The Sears & Roebuck Company was a Wall Street darling symbolized at its peak by the world’s largest building bearing its name: the Sears Tower in Chicago.

How did Sears tackle the challenges of big-box competitors like Walmart, Costco, Target and online challenges from Amazon, eBay and similar companies? Their approach was to be bought out by another big box name brand emerging from bankruptcy: K-Mart. Were both Boards of these once giants naïve, ill-informed, and misguided.  Likely not—they stuck to what they knew best and saw change and the evolving dynamics brought on by disruptive technologies as a threat rather than retreating to the original formula that made them revered household brands.

What Sears faced is not much different than what a host of once heralded mainstream non-profit service, ethnic, and community organizations face today: Masons, Shriners, Elks, Moose, Knights Templar, Daughters of Job, Jaycees, Daughters of the American Revolution, Rotary, Lion’s Club, Kiwanis and yes, AHEPA too face dramatic challenges in retaining and recruiting members.

The shared purpose of these and other organizations is to bring like-minded people together. While so many of these community-based groups have declined, online social media channels have flourished. Brands such as Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and others are now household names connecting billions of people together from the comfort of their smart phone, tablet, or similar device from all over the world.

Let’s face it; the Greek America of a generation ago does not look remotely like the Greek America we know today. The modern community can be characterized as a lot more American than Greek—interfaith, intercultural, and very little spoken Greek is the norm rather than exception. To call oneself “Greek” is no longer a given, but a matter of individual choice.

As stewards of Hellenic heritage and culture we must mirror the Amazon disruptive approach to traditional norms if we are to succeed. The late and indeed very “great” Constantine Takis Papadakis, President of Drexel University, successfully employed a “customer centric” approach to lift Drexel to the world class position the university enjoys today. “Sure, I have to educate the students, but I also have to house them, feed them, care for their security, and make them “anthropi”—good citizens” was the way Taki described an approach that sought to create centers of excellence catering to his “customers’” needs that resulted in growing Drexel’s endowment from $90 million to nearly $800 million.

The National Hellenic Society is a non-profit foundation comprised of an impressive association of Greek American leaders, visionaries, and philanthropists desiring to perpetuate, celebrate, and pass on the richness of Hellenic heritage, especially to the next generation of our “customers.” Success in professional and business life translates to an open mind about how to develop and implement successful strategies and programs. Similar to Bezos’ and Taki Papadakis’ approach—NHS does not recreate the proverbial wheel but duplicates success tailoring it to meet the needs of “our customers.”

NHS’ signature program is the Heritage Greece Program ® developed with the American College of Greece (ACG) in Athens, a 2-1/2 week cultural and educational immersion shared with students from ACG. This year NHS sponsored 65 Greek American college students on the Heritage Greece Program sharing their experience with 15 Greek students from ACG. The best description of the Program borrowing from the students is: “lifechanging” as affirmed in the empirical studies undertaken since the Program’s inception 9 years ago.

NHS “Heritage” brand has grown to encompass a domestic counterpart, the Heritage America Program developed in tandem with Manatos & Manatos, Heritage America provides Greek American college students with a keen awareness of the importance and positive impact of their heritage through the context of personal life stories and anecdotes from a Who’s Who of Greek American leaders from the public and private sector in Washington, DC. They learn about the immigrant stories from individuals that represent the rise to the top echelons in government, corporations, and other walks of life.

The participants in both Programs continue to be part of the NHS’ extended family through the Heritage Greece Alumni Network. The Network offers the alumni career advancing assistance through mentoring and internship programs and continued access to NHS’ valuable member network which now includes Heritage Greece alumni that are now in the workforce and rising stars in their respective professions.

The NHS will continue the path of making a difference in the lives of the next generation through programs that inspire, educate and engage. Our goal is to grow programs such as these to benefit substantial numbers of the next generation of Greek Americans and to empower them to be tomorrow’s leaders, visionaries, and doers.

“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”  Albert Einstein

Art Dimopoulos is Executive Director of the National Hellenic Society, for further information about the NHS and its programs visit: hellenicsociety.org.

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ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – District 6, also known as the Empire District, was honored as the nation’s top AHEPA District at the National Convention in Atlantic City. The award was presented by AHEPA Supreme President Carl Hollister in recognition of the District’s extraordinary performance during the 2017-2018 fraternal season.

The Empire State, again led the nation in membership, but its contribution to AHEPA’s core national projects, including St. Nicholas at Ground Zero, Oxi Day, Saint Basil Academy, the Greek Independence Parade, and the establishment and re-activation of chapters played a significant role in AHEPA’s selection.

In addition, District Governor Ted Stamas and his Lodge along with Supreme Regional Governor Tom Dushas and strong and creative leadership at the chapter level further influenced the selection.

“The AHEPA brand lifted Hellenism to new and exciting prominence in the Empire State, a very proud achievement reflecting the commitment of approximately 1,500 members to the Order of AHEPA,” District 6 Secretary Chris Pappis said in a statement to The National Herald.

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NEW YORK (PRNewswire) – Pave the Way Foundation (PTWF) together with 17 Muslim partners, requested that the government of Turkey recognize and follow ” The Covenant of Protection to Those Who Adopt Christianity ” sealed by the Prophet Muhammad in 628 AD. This law commands his followers (Muslims) to protect the people of the book (Jews and Christians) until the end of days. The authenticity of this Islamic law has been sustained throughout the ages by Islamic scholars yet has been largely ignored by the media and purposely hidden by those who seek to illegally use religion to justify violence.

Specifically, in a joint letter addressed to Prime Minster Erdogan (now president) originally issued in 2012, the group specifically asked that the government of Turkey reopen the Greek Orthodox seminary in Halki, closed since 1971.

In July 2012, Dr. Mehmet Gormez, President of the Islamic authority in Turkey, visited His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in support of reopening the seminary in the name of Islam. Dr. Gormez embraced the patriarch and stated, “A religious community’s dependence on other countries to raise their own theologians does not befit Turkey as a major country. I would like to note that its [the Greek seminary’s] continuation in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations just as it did throughout history will befit the greatness of this country.”

“We wish to further highlight, based on the covenants of the prophet, that the government of Turkey should release Pastor Andrew Brunson, jailed since 2016. We join our prayers with others of all faiths and persons of good will that Pastor Brunson be permitted to return home and rejoin his family and that the Halki seminary will soon be reopened,” says PTWF Founder, Gary Krupp.

About Pave the Way Foundation

PTWF, known as “the most important organization in the world that no one has ever heard of” operates in 21 countries quietly from behind the scenes, and is based in Wantagh, New York. PTWF is a nonsectarian public foundation whose mission is to identify and work to resolve obstacles between religions. We achieve our goals by establishing foundations of trust through cultural, educational and technological gestures between the faiths. Please visit our website www.ptwf.org

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York City moved Wednesday to regulate the explosive growth of Uber and other app-based ride services with a temporary cap on new licenses for ride-hailing services.

The City Council approved a package of bills that included a one-year moratorium on new licenses for for-hire vehicles while the city studies the rapidly changing industry. The legislation also will allow the city to set a minimum wage for app-based drivers.

Backers of the proposals said both the traditional yellow cab industry and drivers for app-based services are suffering as Uber cars flood the city’s streets. They said the growth of ride-hailing apps has also worsened traffic congestion.

“More than 65,000 working families will be getting a desperately needed raise because of today’s vote,” said Jim Conigliaro Jr., the founder of the Independent Drivers Guild, which represents drivers for Uber and other services.

Bhairavi Desai, the executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, said the councils’ vote set a precedent for the world as companies like Uber and Lyft use technological innovation “to return us to a time of sweated labor, destroying lives and livelihoods across the planet.”

But Uber spokeswoman Alix Anfang said the pause on new vehicle licenses “will threaten one of the few reliable transportation options while doing nothing to fix the subways or ease congestion.”

She said Uber will do whatever it takes to keep up with growing demand for its service and will work with city and state officials to pass “real solutions” like congestion pricing for cars in Manhattan.

New York City is the largest American market for Uber and is now the first U.S. city to attempt to regulate the growth of app-based rides.

A similar cap on Uber and other car services was proposed in 2015 but did not attract enough support to pass. City officials said that in the intervening years the number of for-hire vehicles on the streets has surged from 63,000 to more than 100,000, forcing drivers to compete for scarce fares and making it difficult for any of them to earn a living wage.

At the same time, the value of the medallions that are required to operate a yellow cab has plunged from more than $1 million to $200,000 or less, forcing many medallion owners into bankruptcy. Debt and financial hardship have been blamed for the deaths of six taxi and car-service drivers in the last year.

Opponents of the legislation said Uber and Lyft provide much-needed service to areas outside of Manhattan that aren’t served by traditional taxis. They also said black and Hispanic New Yorkers need ride-hailing apps because yellow cab drivers often won’t stop for them.

“They’re talking about putting a cap on Uber, do you know how difficult it is for black people to get a yellow cab in New York City?” The Rev. Al Sharpton wrote on Twitter.

But Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo, a Democrat, said Uber will still be available despite the moratorium on new cars.

“Uber as you know it is going to be Uber as you know it,” Cumbo said. “You’re not going to be stranded. Uber is not going away.”

The legislation will now go before Mayor Bill de Blasio, also a Democrat, who is expected to sign it.

—
By KAREN MATTHEWS , Associated Press

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NEW YORK – As the long days of summer come to a close and families prepare for their children to go back to school, Dr. Joseph J. Abularrage, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, offers the following tips for a healthy and safe school year.

“As summer ends, it is important to teach your children healthy habits that they will carry through the school year,” said Dr. Abularage. “Children should continue staying active, eat three healthy meals a day, and get back into the habit of going to bed earlier to get the right amount of sleep each night.”

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens’ Dr. Abularrage provides the following tips concerning children’s sleep schedule, backpacks, nutrition and overall health.

Sleep

Set up a consistent sleep schedule. During the summer, children may grow accustomed to both falling asleep and waking at later times. About a week or two before school starts, gradually alter bed times until your child is used to his/her school year sleep schedule.

Take away mobile or tablet devices before bed. Smart phones and tablets emit “blue light,” which gives our body a false signal that it is morning, making it difficult to fall asleep.

Make sure your child is sleeping enough. A study from the National Sleep Foundation has shown that the recommended sleep for preschoolers (three to five years old) is 10-13 hours, and school-aged children (ages 6-13 years old) is 9-11 hours. Getting enough sleep is critical for a child to be successful in school. Children who do not get enough sleep have difficulty concentrating and learning as well as they can.

Backpacks

Make sure your child wears their backpack properly. Children should always use both straps on their backpack. Wearing a backpack with just one strap can put too much stress on certain parts of the body, leading to lower back pain or poor posture.

Monitor the weight of your child’s backpack. Make sure your child is not carrying too much in his/her backpack. If you think your child is carrying too much home, talk to your child’s teachers on ways to reduce the load. Go through the backpack with your child every week to remove unnecessary items to keep it lighter and easier to carry.

Nutrition

Make sure your child eats breakfast. Children who eat a nutritious breakfast everyday function better. Having a full breakfast that contains some protein can help increase a child’s concentration, energy and improve their grades. Make sure your child eats three healthy meals a day and does not skip breakfast.

Look into what food choices are available in school, in and out of the cafeteria. When you visit the school, look at the vending machines, school stores and snack carts to see what is available. Schools should stock healthy choices like fruit, low-fat dairy products, water, and 100% fruit juice.

Consider drinks other than soft drinks on a regular basis. Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. In fact, drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child’s risk of obesity by up to 60%. Choose healthier options (such as water, 100% fruit juice boxes and low-fat dairy products) to send in your child’s lunch.

Overall Health

Schedule a physical. Remember, every child, regardless of athletic participation, should be getting an annual physical. If your child is an athlete, you should set up a sports physical before the school year, so your child can join their team with little to no obstacles.

Keep your children active. Fewer than half of America’s youth meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Children need 60 minutes of vigorous to moderate intensity activity a day. Make sure to work in exercise or vigorous play for your child outside of school.

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, located in Flushing, NY, is a community teaching hospital affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine, serving Queens and metro New York residents. The 535-bed tertiary care facility provides services in 14 clinical departments and numerous subspecialties. Annually, 15,000 surgeries and 4,000 infant deliveries are performed at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. With its network of affiliated primary and multispecialty care physician practices and community-based health centers, the hospital provides approximately 162,000 ambulatory care visits and 124,000 emergency service visits annually. For more information, visit nyp.org/queens

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MORRISTOWN, NJ – Owner, operator, and chairman emeritus of Village Super Market, Inc. James Nicholas Sumas, 84, of Morristown, NJ, beloved husband, devoted father, loving grandfather, loyal brother, friend to countless people, and mentor to so many, passed away peacefully in Morristown on July 7.

James, or Jimmy as he was affectionately known by so many, is survived by the love of his life, his wife, Helen Sumas (nee Dillon); his daughter, Dr. MariaElaina (Mia) Sumas (Patrick Baker); his daughter, Stephanie Sumas; his son, John James Sumas (Dr. Alexandra Liggatt), and his grandsons, Theodore-James Sumas and James Beau Sumas. He is also survived by his brother, Robert Sumas (Deana), and sister-in-law Harriet Pallantios (Pete), along with a very large extended and loving Greek family. Jimmy was predeceased by his brother, Sturgis Sumas. Jimmy loved his family, his church, and his “Village Family” more than anything. He made it a point to lead by example, never complain, and always do his best no matter the circumstance.

Sumas was born in Newark, NJ, on October 24, 1933. He was the first son to Greek immigrants Nicholas and Athena Sumas, with roots in Kozani on his father’s side. He was a lover of baseball (a lifelong Cardinals fan) and an avid poker player. As a youngster, he loved working in his father, Nick, and his Uncle Perry’s market while he attended Columbia High School. Always working and thriving in the family’s grocery store, Jimmy continued his education at Seton Hall University, earning his business degree in 1955. He then decided to serve his country and enlist in the U.S. Army for the next two years.

In 1957, Sumas came home to dedicate himself to his family and his work. He had passion and a natural mind for business and quickly began to lead the Sumas family into its growth phase by opening ShopRite supermarket locations throughout the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s, and beyond. As Village ShopRite expanded, so did Jimmy’s dedication in doing the right thing by the customer – offering the best products at the best possible value. He took pride in the fact that families that couldn’t afford much could shop in his stores and still provide quality food for their loved ones.

Over the course of his lifetime, Sumas and his wife, Helen, remained constant and loyal supporters to the Saints Nicholas, Constantine, and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, always believing in the church’s vision “To provide a loving community where all are one with Christ through worship, learning, outreach, and fellowship.” Jimmy continued his father Nicholas’ legacy by serving as president of the church and presiding over the merger of St. Nicholas of Newark and St. Constantine and Helen of Orange. The construction of the new church in Roseland, NJ, would not have been possible without his guidance and support. The Nicholas J. Sumas Library for Children at Saint Basil Academy in Garrison, NY was built through the generosity of the Sumas family.

Jimmy Sumas was elected as the Village chairman of the board in 1989. He was named chief executive officer in 2002. He served variously as vice president, treasurer, and as a director of the company since its incorporation in 1955. In late June of this year, the Sumas family opened its 30th ShopRite store and the first ShopRite in the Bronx, NY.

An icon in the supermarket industry, Sumas helped define the landscape of the business by dedicating his passion, heart, and soul to his work. This tireless work ethic, brilliant understanding of the marketplace, and intuitive grasp of the customer’s needs made him a natural leader. At Wakefern, Sumas was always one of the most trusted forms of counsel on the Board of Directors. He became Wakefern’s Grocery Committee chairman in 1957 and commanded that post for nearly 60 years. This was a position that he loved – it allowed him to interact with other leaders in the supermarket industry, other ShopRite members, and his colleagues at Wakefern. He loved educating those at the Grocery Committee in a way that only he was able to do, by combining his vast knowledge with his quick wit to provide a valuable lesson to those willing to listen. Countless people recall these interactions with love, fondness, and respect. If you ask anybody at Village Super Market, they would tell you that Jimmy is a legend. If you were lucky enough to learn from him, you considered those moments special.

Always known as “The Boss,” “Mr. Jimmy,” or “Mr. Sumas,” he was a true mentor to so many store managers and Village associates across decades of service. Often calling younger associates “buddy” or “kid,” he always commanded both love and respect – something many people try to accomplish but only a small number actually do. He was a patriarch and a beloved leader to so many Village and Wakefern employees. He will forever be missed but will always remain in the hearts of those he touched.

Relatives and friends attended the visitation on Wednesday, July 11 and Thursday, July 12 at Ss. Nicholas, Constantine, and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 80 Laurel Ave., Roseland, NJ. The funeral was held on Friday, July 13 at the church, followed by entombment at Somerset Hills Memorial Park in Basking Ridge, NJ. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Farmer Funeral Home of Roseland. Condolences and memories may be shared at farmerfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Ss. Nicholas, Constantine, and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, c/o Mortgage Fund, in Roseland, NJ, in honor of Jimmy’s memory.

(From the Star-Ledger)

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NEW YORK – A recent rule change proposal by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City would require food vendors to have “a location sharing device,” such as GPS, allowing the city to track their movements in order to make health inspections for grading the food vendors easier. The proposal has many, including local Greek food vendors, questioning the necessity when so many are already posting their location on various social media outlets and on their websites to attract customers anyway.

The Grading of Mobile Food Vending Units (Amendments to the Chapter 6 of Title 24 of the Rules of the City of New York) rule change proposal states: “Unlike restaurants, which exist at a fixed location, mobile units move and are not required to operate on a set schedule. If the Department cannot locate all of the mobile units that require grades, the grading program will fail; not every unit will be graded and the grades that are posted may not be current. The successful implementation of the mobile food vending grading program, and the ability to mirror restaurant grading as closely as possible, requires adhering to the prescribed inspection schedule and ensuring that accurate and current grades are posted and timely on all units. That necessitates the Department being able to find and inspect units across the City. To accomplish this and to check for compliance with grade posting requirements, the Department requires each vending unit to be equipped with a location sharing device that will enable the Department to pinpoint the unit’s location when it is to be inspected.”

Nicko Karagiorgos, who along with his brother Franky owns Uncle Gussy’s food trucks, located at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown and on Wall Street in Manhattan, serving traditional Greek food, spoke with The National Herald about the proposal. He said, “If you want to find a food truck, there are many ways, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Food moves app, Moving food, the list can go on and on. This is all free technology.”

Karagiorgos continued, “I believe that it is a waste of tax dollars, the money can go elsewhere for example, to fix our schools and broken infrastructure.The focus should be to allow small business to capitalize in a free and open capitalist market. It is the backbone of America. De Blasio is one of the worst mayors ever since I have been around. He makes Dinkins look like a God.”

“I post everyday, twice a day, on at least 3 social media platforms and our website,” Karagiorgos told TNH.

Concerns about the rule proposal have also been raised by others including Human Rights Watch in a recent articleon its website which noted that the rule change may violate the right to privacy of food vendors and pointed out that “the city’s proposal does not clarify how the location data the devices generate will be protected or how long it will be retained, raising concerns about how it may be misused or worse, hacked.”

“Undocumented immigrants who work as vendors are particularly fearful,” Human Rights Watch reported, adding that “United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investing in expanding its surveillance capabilities to find and deport more people by purchasing cell phone data analysis systems to track real-time location, by using Facebook data and potentially pinning down travel patterns from license plate scanners.”

“Street vendors already face harassment and excessive ticketing by the NYPD and these location trackers will only increase the risks they face to make good food,”said Fahd Ahmed, the executive director of Desis Rising Up and Moving, an organization of working-class South Asian and Indo-Caribbean immigrants, Human Rights Watch reported.

More information about the New York City rule proposal is available online: rules.cityofnewyork.us, search Grading of Mobile Food Vending Units (Amendments to the Chapter 6 of Title 24 of the RCNY).

More information about Uncle Gussy’s is available online: unclegussys.com.

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NEW YORK – New York City Council Members Costa Constantinides, Chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection; Mark Levine, Chair of the Committee on Health; and Ritchie Torres, Chair of the Committee on Oversight and Investigation, introduced legislation on August 8 in partnership with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. that requires the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to conduct unannounced inspections of drinking water tanks atop buildings.

“New Yorkers should not have to worry about harmful bacteria in the water they drink,” said Council Member Constantinides. “Unfortunately, landlords are misrepresenting the condition of the water stored inside tanks for many buildings. This legislation will provide the necessary oversight to ensure our residents, especially those in low-income housing, are healthy.”

Council Health Chair Mark Levine said, “It is in the public health and environmental interests of this City that New Yorkers have the confidence of knowing that when they turn on the tap, the water that comes out will be free of contamination and safe to drink. No one should have to question the quality of their drinking water–especially not NYCHA residents facing challenges on so many other fronts. As this bill strengthens the rules for inspection of water tanks, it will provide for a higher level of real time transparency.”

“The recent news reports of contaminated water tanks that are rarely inspected and unregulated have made it clear that the City and the Health Department must intervene. Requiring unannounced inspections will ensure that water tanks aren’t hastily fixed in a pinch, will protect public health and safety, and ensure that drinking water is safe to consume,” said Council Member Torres.

“Our City has seen devastating outbreaks of Legionnaires’ Disease in recent years, and these water tanks tend to be breeding grounds for this disease and other harmful bacteria. New Yorkers deserve safe drinking water, and they deserve to know that their own water tanks have been inspected and just what that inspection found. This legislation will help do just that, and I am proud to partner with Council Members Constantinides, Levine, and Torres to move this critical public health and safety legislation forward,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Tanks are typically made from cedar and used to feed water to buildings taller than six stories. More than 10,000 buildings in the five boroughs rely on water tanks, according to City estimates. Until about a decade ago, these tanks were essentially unregulated to ensure they complied with various City codes.

Monitoring our water systems, either tanks that hold drinkable water or cooling towers, is crucial as New York endures yet more outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia caused by contaminated water particles. Health officials recently found traces of Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, in the water supply at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. Harmful materials found in drinking water tanks at several New York City Housing Authority properties were not included on reports to the DOHMH, according to a recent City & State article.

Intro. 657-A of 2017 required landlords to submit annual tank inspection reports to show they complied with all New York City administrative, construction, and health codes. The DOHMH received those reports, which are then supposed go into an online open data portal.

Unfortunately, a City & State report in May found many inspections are done after the tank is scrubbed of sediments or harmful materials such as dead pigeons, squirrels, and roaches. While doing so is legal under the existing laws, it deprives the City of a full picture of what New Yorkers might be drinking on the average day. Samples from tanks atop several municipal buildings also showed signs of E. Coli, used to determine if the water contains potentially harmful bacteria.

The new bill, which was formally introduced to the City Council on August 8, would require spot checks of water tanks conducted by DOHMH without the building owner’s prior knowledge. The legislation would also cover both private buildings as well as public ones, including NYCHA properties, which experts told City & State last week had some of the worst materials. This will give a clearer picture of what types of materials are in the tanks, which will then be posted online in a public database.

Council Member Costa Constantinides represents the New York City Council’s 22nd District, which includes his native Astoria along with parts of Woodside, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights. He serves as the chair the City Council’s Environmental Protection Committee and sits on four additional committees: Parks, Transportation, For-Hire Vehicles, and Land Use, as well as the sub-committee on Zoning and Franchises. For more information, visit council.nyc.gov/costa.

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LOS ANGELES, CA – Faye Spanos, the beloved wife of Los Angeles Chargers owner Alex Spanos, passed away the night of August 8 at 92 years old. She was born in 1926 to Greek immigrant parents in Tarpon Springs, Florida, one of the biggest Greek-American enclaves in the United States. During the 1900s, her parents left the Greek island of Simi to come to the United States, joining fellow islanders who had arrived earlier, in search of a more prosperous life in America.

When she was nearly three years old, her mother died, leaving a six-month old son and Faye and difficult times that were overcome by having an extended and loving family of aunts, uncles and cousins who became a big part of the fabric of her life.

When she was just 18, she met her future husband, who was in the Air Force and stationed at Drew Field in Tampa. After a long-distance courtship, they married in 1948 in her hometown of Tarpon Springs.

Then they settled in Stockton, California, working side-by-side in the kitchen at the Roma Lunch Bakery, an establishment owned by Alex’s father. The young couple began to build their family as they welcomed their children, Dean, Dea, Alexis, and Michael.

As their children grew, so did her husband’s success in business as he built a billion-dollar fortune in real estate and construction, and buying a majority share in the San Diego Chargers in 1984. The team moved to Los Angeles in 2017. Their son, Dean Spanos, is the Chargers’ Chairman of the Board and controlling owner.

The Spanos family is well-known for philanthropy, donating to causes related to schools, children, the arts, and hospitals.

Faye opened her heart and home and shared their good fortune with their large extended families and their community.

She taught everyone around her by example. Guided by faith, she lived her beliefs every day of her life and treated everyone with the dignity and the respect they deserved. Faye’s name in Greek derives from the Greek word for light, and throughout her life, she was the light and rock for Alex and her family.

She brought balance, encouragement, faith, support and love to her family, and was a blessing who will be missed. The family also has 15 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

The Spanos family released the following statement on August 8:

The entire Spanos family is heartbroken to announce the death of the family’s matriarch, Faye Spanos, who passed away peacefully at age 92. Faye was the essence of grace, compassion, humility, and kindness. Her devotion to her family and her deep faith in God guided her throughout her life. Faye was a blessing to all who knew and loved her.

Beloved wife, mother to four children, grandmother to fifteen grandchildren, and great grandmother to ten, Faye lavishly nurtured them all with love, attention, and support. Faye married the love of her life, Alex, in 1948. As their family grew and their business prospered, Faye shared their good fortune first with their large extended families and then with their community. Faye’s generosity and kindness matched her husband’s, and together they made donations benefitting schools, children, the arts, hospitals, and people in need.

Faye Spanos’ Greek name “Fotini” derives from the Greek word for light. And throughout her life Faye has been the light and rock for Alex and for her family. She brought balance, encouragement, faith, support and love to her family. Faye’s legacy to her large family and to those who knew her and loved her was her multitude of kindnesses and her fathomless compassion. Faye Spanos will be missed terribly by her family and by all who knew her.

Funeral arrangements are underway and will be announced in the next few days.

In a statement released by the NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell said, the Los Angeles Times reported, “The NFL family is saddened by the passing of Faye Spanos, the light and rock of the Spanos family. Faye was a woman of faith, compassion and dignity, who inspired her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren as well as countless friends and extended family. We extend our deepest condolences to Alex, Dean, the entire Spanos family and the Chargers organization. Family meant so much to Faye, and she was a wonderful partner to Alex for 70 years on a lifelong journey marked by their service and generosity to people throughout their beloved state of California.”

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NEW YORK – The members of the Scholarship Committee of the Cyprus Children’s Fund (CCF) with Chairman Charles Anastasiou have selected 26 students for the 2018 Scholarship Award recipients for a total sum of $65,000; the annual scholarships make the organization one of the major supporters of Hellenic students. The Cyprus Children’s Fund is a tax exempt 501c3 institution.

Chairman of the Committee Charles Anastasiou said, “Through our Scholarship Fund, we are very happy to have offered awards to Greek and Cypriot students in need for over 35 years. Our Committee’s work this year was particularly challenging given the large number of high quality applications we reviewed. We are delighted to be able to help them with their studies at U.S. colleges and universities, and are counting on them to be future leaders. Congratulations to all the award recipients!”

This year, the organization added two Special Scholarships in Memory of Peter J. Pappas, a great supporter and former CCF president, and Dennis Droushiotis former CCF Board of Directors member and Cyprus’ Trade Commissioner for many years in New York. This award was co funded by the U.S.-Cyprus Chamber of Commerce.

Cyprus Children’s Fund, Inc grants scholarships to students of Hellenic descent that study full time in American universities and who cannot afford tuition on their own. The selection of the awards takes place in New York each year, after the applications have been completed (Deadline April 30).

The scholarships for 2018 were awarded to the following students:

In Memory of Peter J. Pappas

1. Stefanos Charalambous

In Memory of Dennis Droushiotis

2. Maria Elena Nicolaidou

Makarios Scholarships

3. Dimitris Theodorides

4. Stavros Strati

5. Costas Vafeades

6. Spyros Prokopiou

7. Tatiana Ioannou

8. Michael Koutoumba

9. Ourania Koutoumba

10. Olga Stylianou

11. Simone Khenkin

12. Stefanie Lemesianou

Cyprus Children’s Fund Scholarships

13. George Stevens

14. Alexander Kamilaris

15. Elias Pappas

16. John Petris

17. Georgios Chatzopoulos

18. Georgios Taxidis

19. Chris Loizou

20. Anastasia Peratopoulos

21.Gregory Melissinos

22. Christopher Dimitropoulos

23. Kamlin Opencar

24. Eleni Zambas

25. Andreanna Papatheodorou

26. Christiana Miltiadous

The 2019 scholarship applications will be available January 1, 2019 to students of Hellenic origin who are citizens of the United States, Greece, and Cyprus. Eligible students must be enrolled in September 2019 on a full-time basis in a U.S. accredited College or University. Applications MUST be postmarked the latest by April 30, 2019 and MUST follow all instructions. Applications will be available on the Organization’s web: www.Cyprus-childrensfund.org.

Cyprus Children’s Fund 15 W. 38th Street New York, NY 10018, USA

(temporary address)
Tel: 212-696-4590 Fax: 212-532-9640

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