NEW YORK – Earlier this year, The National Herald reported on the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate calling for the return of 8 manuscripts stolen from the Panagia Eikosifoinissa Monastery in Northern Greece which were still held in collections in U.S. institutions, including Princeton University Library and Duke University, even after the December 3, 2016 return of the rare 9th century New Testament manuscript to the monastery by the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago (LSTC).

According to a report in the New York Times, a federal lawsuit was filed in New Jersey on December 13 by plaintiffs including His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople against Princeton University for the return of the manuscripts.

When contacted for a comment about the manuscripts in September of this year, Princeton’s Acting University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss told TNH, “The University is sensitive to the Patriarchate’s concerns and we are committed to ensuring that all of our manuscripts and other holdings have been properly acquired.”

“Among the evidence cited in the lawsuit is a volume, ‘Greek Manuscripts at Princeton, Sixth to Nineteenth Century: A Descriptive Catalogue,’ which was published in 2010 and identifies some manuscripts in the school’s collection as having been removed from the monastery in 1917 by Bulgarian authorities,” the Times reported.

George A. Tsougarakis, a lawyer for Hughes Hubbard & Reed in New York, which represents the patriarch, the monastery, and regional church officials in the case, told the Times that “this is Princeton’s book, issued by the Princeton press, about Princeton’s collection, written by Princeton employees. In our view that’s about as concrete an admission as you could get.”

In a statement on December 14, Princeton’s Acting University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss said, “Based on the information available to us, we have found no basis to conclude that the manuscripts in our possession were looted during World War I or otherwise improperly removed from the possession of the patriarchate,” the Times reported.

At the end of March 1917, during the First World War, the Bulgarian chieftain Panitsas with his men and Vladimir Sis, a self-proclaimed archaeologist, invaded the Monastery of Eikosifoinissa in the Drama area and after they destroyed the monastery and looted the library, including 430 valuable centuries-old manuscripts, fled the scene.

Fr. Alex Karloutsos told the Times that “before the manuscripts were stolen they had been in active use in the monastery, where monks would light candles and incense and read from them during meals and religious services,” adding that “they’re part of sacred history, and that’s our spiritual and cultural identity,” and noting that “the loss of the manuscripts and the efforts to recover them had been ‘very painful.'”

Fr. Karloutsos also pointe tout that Duke University and the Morgan Library & Museum have also been contacted about manuscripts stolen in 1917.

The Times reported that “officials at Duke declined to comment.”

Noreen Khalid Ahmad, a spokeswoman for the Morgan Library & Museum, said via email, “Over the last several months, we have been engaged in thoughtful and respectful dialogue with the monastery regarding the manuscript and have proposed a solution to the patriarch’s counsel that we hope will resolve the issue,” the Times reported.

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Donna Strickland, PhD, received the Nobel Prize in Physics on December 10 in Stockholm at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony and Banquet. The award, for her work on chirped pulse amplification, was shared with her doctoral adviser Gérard Mourou of France. For unrelated work on optical tweezers, Dr. Arthur Ashkin of the United States was also awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Dr. Strickland in 1979 was a postgraduate student with Dr. John Vlachopoulos in fluid mechanics. Dr. Vlachopoulos is currently a National Council member of the Canadian Hellenic Congress (CHC). Strickland is the third woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics after Marie Curie (1903) and Maria Goepert Mayer (1963).

Dr. Costas Pappas (Nuclear Physics), CHC Vice-President, Administration & Secretary, Governmental and Public Affairs (Ontario) said, “I remember Donna, because at the same time, in 1979, I was working with Professor Bertram Brockhouse (Nobel laureate in Physics 1994) at the University. I met Yannis Vlachopoulos in 1972, during my postgraduate studies and since then we are friends and it is my honor.”

“John, congratulations, we are proud you are with us, fighting for our national issues,” he said in statement, adding that the CHC is based on values.

The Canadian Hellenic Congress is a national democratic communal institution that represents, advances, advocates, and promotes the interests and concerns of Canadians of Hellenic descent and Hellenism in general. The Congress is the national voice of Hellenes and their communities and/or organizations across Canada.

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KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian Orthodox leaders on Saturday approved the creation of a unified church independent of the Moscow Patriarchate and elected a leader to head that new church — a move that could exponentially raise tensions with neighboring Russia.

The vote, held at a closed-door synod in Kiev’s St. Sophia Cathedral, is the latest in a series of confrontations between Ukraine and authorities in Russia, including President Vladimir Putin’s government. Ahead of the vote, the Russian Orthodox Church called on the United Nations, the leaders of Germany and France, the pope and other spiritual leaders to protect Orthodox believers in Ukraine.

The leader of the new autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be Metropolitan Epiphanius, a 39-year-old bishop from the Kiev Patriarchate.

“God heard our appeals and gave us this anticipated unity,” Epiphanius told a crowd of thousands who had gathered outside the cathedral on Saturday to hear the news. He stressed that the new church’s doors would be open to all, and encouraged Ukrainians to rally behind it.

Still spiritual leaders attending Saturday’s synod couched their efforts to create an independent church in patriotic rhetoric. Father Sergei Dmitriev said — given Ukraine’s ongoing conflicts with Russia — “we should have our own church, not an agent of the Kremlin in Ukraine.”

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who has made the creation of a new church a key campaign issue, attended the synod Saturday as a non-voting observer.

“Ukraine was not, is not, and will not be the canonical territory of the Russian church,” Poroshenko told the gathering, adding that creating an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church was now a matter of national security.

“This is a question of Ukrainian statehood,” Poroshenko said. “We are seizing spiritual independence, which can be likened to political independence. We are breaking the chains that tie us to the (Russian) empire.”

Representatives of Ukraine’s three Orthodox Churches attended the synod in Kiev, but only two from the branch loyal to Moscow showed up. One Russian bishop — Metropolitan Hilarion in Volokolamsk — on Saturday compared those two representatives of the Moscow-backed church to Judas, the biblical betrayer of Jesus.

The newly formed community is expected to receive independence from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Istanbul-based institution considered the so-called “first among equals” of leaders of the world’s Orthodox Churches.

Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been damaged by Russia’s 2014 annexation of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and its support for armed separatists fighting the government in eastern Ukraine. The church schism and a Nov. 25 naval clash in the Black Sea in which Russia seized three Ukrainian ships and detained 24 Ukrainian crewmen have caused them to deteriorate further.

Saturday’s religious rupture from the Russian Orthodox Church is a potent — possibly explosive — mix of politics, religious faith and national identity.

Since the late 1600s, the Orthodox Church in Ukraine had been a wing of the Russian Orthodox Church rather than being ecclesiastically independent. Many Ukrainians, however, resented the implication that Ukraine was a vassal of Russia.

The move Saturday raises deep concerns about what will happen to the approximately 12,000 churches in Ukraine that were under the Moscow Patriarchate.

In recent years, about 50 churches in Ukraine under the Moscow Patriarchate have been forcibly seized and transferred to the Kiev Patriarchate, according to Metropolitan Antony Pakanich.

Poroshenko said Saturday he would travel with Epiphanius to Istanbul in January to receive a Tomos — an official document — from the head of global Orthodoxy that grants the new church independence.

The Ukrainian leader promised “to respect those who decide, for one reason or another,” to remain with the Ukrainian branch of the Russian Orthodox Church — and also promised to protect those who choose to leave the Moscow Patriarchate and join the new church.

A spokesman for Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, vowed Saturday that the Moscow Patriarchate will continue to work in Ukraine despite the creation of the new independent church.

Ukrainian authorities have sought to portray Russian Orthodox priests in Ukraine as supporting Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, claims that the clerics have rejected.

Dmitriev, a Ukrainian army priest, was once loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate but changed his allegiance to the Kiev Patriarchate after the Russian-affiliated church began refusing to hold funerals for Ukrainian soldiers who died fighting in eastern Ukraine.

As church tensions have grown, Ukraine’s Security Service has searched Russian Orthodox churches in Ukraine and the homes of Russian Orthodox priests in several Ukrainian cities. The agency also has summoned dozens of priests in for questioning.

Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who has from time to time exhibited nationalist sympathies, lashed out at Putin for Ukraine’s bid for religious autonomy.

“What was forged over centuries was destroyed by Putin and his idiots in four years,” Navalny wrote on Twitter. “Putin is an enemy of the Russian world.”

___
By YURAS KARMANAU and EFREM LUKATSKY , Associated Press

Karmanau reported from Minsk, Belarus. Mathew Bodner contributed from Moscow.

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CHICAGO – Just hours from the property being turned over to the bank, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church received a miracle in answer to parishioners’ prayers, a donation of $2 million which will keep the church in operation, ABC7 Chicago reported. 

Holy Trinity’s Fr. Nicholas Jonas told ABC7, “A lot of people thought that this was it and it was hard to see.”

Parish Council President Stanley Andreakis said that “the donation will allow the church to re-file for bankruptcy and prevent the building from being torn down by an investment bank firm,” ABC7 reported, adding that  “We feel like kids. You wake up at Christmas and you have a present. You are like, I get to keep my church. Last night, we were all here praying, we were praying for a Christmas miracle, and it came through. We had some individuals approach us and they were able to come up with a proposal that our lawyer put together and our lawyer, at the last minute, at the 11th hour, put together a bankruptcy plan so we can restructure because of these guardian angels. Call it a Christmas miracle.”

A non-profit group made the donation but has not been identified at press time, ABC7 reported, noting that Holy Trinity leaders observed that “at least donor is a member of the congregation.”

Fr. Jonas told ABC7, “We all believe in the miracles of Christmas, and for them to have done this… that is what it feels like for me. I want them to know that their setting up bank accounts and rewards is not what really matters, but what they did sets up a reward for themselves in heaven.”

Services are scheduled for Sunday, Andreakis told ABC7, adding that “with 121 years of service to the community, ministering to the community, this church, which is a house of God, will remain here. It will not be auctioned off to a developer. They would probably knock it down for financial gain and build some kind of development.”

The donation came just hours before Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in the Belmont Central neighborhood was set to go to auction.

The post Holy Trinity Chicago Saved by Christmas Miracle Donation (Pics) appeared first on The National Herald.

DECEMBER 14
LOWELL, MA – Gingerbread Night at Transfiguration Greek Church, 25 Fr. John Sarantos Way, in Lowell takes place on Friday, Dec. 14, 6:30-8:30 PM. Join us for a night of fellowship and fun. Food and drinks will be provided. Please bring the following items with you: One hat, scarf, or pair of mittens for the mitten tree, one gingerbread house to decorate, and two bags of candy to share. Gingerbread house kits can be found at most craft stores, drug stores, and supermarkets. More information is available by phone: 978-458-4321

DECEMBER 15
PALOS HILLS, IL – St. Eleftherios Archieratical Divine Liturgy with Deacon Chris Avramopoulos’ ordination to the priesthood at Saints Constantine and Helen Church, 11025 S. Roberts Rd in Palos Hills on Saturday, Dec. 15, 8 AM-12 PM. His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael will officiate. More information is available by phone: 708-974-3400 and online: stconstantinehelen.org.

STAMFORD, CT – Archdiocese Byzantine Christmas Concert jointly hosted by the Archangels community, the Yale University School of Sacred Music and Saint Vladimir’s School of Theology. The renowned Archdiocesan Byzantine Choir will perform with support from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary on Saturday, Dec. 15, 7-8 PM at the Church of the Archangels 1527 Bedford Street in Stamford. Tickets: $30 per person. Reception to follow in the Greek Cultural Center. More information is available by phone: 203-348-4216 and by email: office@archangelsgoc.org and online: archangelsgoc.org.

MANHATTAN – Join Kyrenia Opera and General Director Constantinos Yiannoudes for the beloved Christmas story Amahl and the Night Visitors, by Gian Carlo Menotti, at The Church of the Heavenly Rest, 1085 Fifth Avenue (at 90th Street) in Manhattan, on Saturday, Dec. 15, 6 PM. Sung in English. Recommended for adults and children ages 6 and up. More information is available online: kyreniaopera.org.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Metropolis Christmas Open House takes place on Saturday, Dec. 15, 3-6 PM at Metropolis House, 372 Santa Clara Avenue in San Francisco. Enjoy an afternoon of festive holiday cheer, refreshments, and Christmas Carols to celebrate the beautiful season of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. RSVP by December 7 to metropolis@sanfran.goarch.org or 415-753-3075. For more details on this year’s charity and how you can help those in need during this beautiful season of giving, visit: sanfran.goarch.org.

DECEMBER 16
CHICAGO, IL – The Metropolis Christmas Celebration at the Metropolis of Chicago, 40 E. Burton Place in Chicago will be held on Sunday, Dec. 16, 5-9 PM. More information is available by phone: 312-337-4130 and online: chicago.goarch.org.

DECEMBER 17
ROSLYN, NY – The Hellenic American Networking Group, along with the Long Island Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, invites you to its Christmas Celebration at Estiatorio Limani, 1043 Northern Blvd in Roslyn, on Monday, Dec, 17, 6:30-9 PM. Hors d’oeuvres provided; cash bar. This year’s charity is Camp St. Paul, which has had a positive impact on children in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and throughout the U.S. Suggested donation $20. More information is available on Facebook.

DECEMBER 19
MANHATTAN – AGAPW invites you to their traditional Christmas Celebration at CocoMat showroom, 49 Mercer Street in Soho, on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 6-8 PM. $20 suggested donation. To RSVP and for further info, please contact info@agapw.org or visit www.agapw.org.

DECEMBER 20
BOSTON – Join Orthodoxy on Tap’s community of over 100 Young Adults from throughout the Greater Boston Area as Fr. Panteleimon Nashi leads us in a discussion around developing authentic relationships on Thursday, Dec. 20, 7-9 PM Uno Pizzeria & Grill, 645 Beacon Street in Boston. The pizza is on us and remember to bring a friend. More information is available on Facebook.

DECEMBER 21
BOSTON – Greek Heritage Night at TD Boston Garden, 100 Legends Way in Boston, with the Celtics taking on the Milwaukee Bucks and their star player Giannis Atentokounmpo on Friday, Dec. 21, 8 PM. Special pre-game and halftime Greek performances. Group tickets starting at $78, individual tickets starting at $93. More information and tickets available at: Celtics.com/greeknight. For Group/Suite tickets (10+) email: mrogers@celtics.com.

DECEMBER 23
CAMBRIDGE, MA – Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 14 Magazine Street in Cambridge, hosts a screening of Love to the End, a documentary film about St. Maria of Paris, followed by a discussion with the film’s director Anberin Pasha on Sunday, Dec. 23, 12-1:30 PM. The event is organized by the Faith & Culture Forum of Sts. Constantine and Helen Church and sponsored by generous donors. Free admission. More information is available by phone: 617-876-3601and online: stsconstantineandhelen-cambridge.org.

DECEMBER 29
ASTORIA – The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, Inc. invites you to its free Christmas Party “Agape” at the Stathakion Center, 22-51 29th Street in Astoria, on Saturday, Dec. 29. More information is available by phone: 718-204-6500 and online: hellenicsocieties.org.

DECEMBER 31
LOS ANGELES, CA – St. Sophia’s 22nd Annual New Year’s Eve Glendi takes place Monday, Dec. 31 at St. Sophia Cathedral Hall, 1324 S. Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles. The event features Synthesi and performances by Kymatakia, Kyklonakia, Trikimia, Syfonakia, and Vrondi. Adults: $75, Kids 12 and under $40, RSVP by December 15 to Nicole Masterson by phone: 480-794-0002 or email: st.sophia.folkdance@gmail.com.

DECEMBER 31-JANUARY 1
SCHAUMBERG, IL – New Year’s Party at Brousko Greek Restaurant, 795 E. Golf Rd., in Schaumburg. Live Greek entertainment all night. Dinner and open bar. 7:30 pm cocktails and appetizers, 9 PM dinner 10:30 PM-3 AM, cocktails and dancing, Champagne toast, party favors, balloon drop at midnight. $100 per person. Seating is limited. For reservations: 847-490-9424.

The post Going on in Our Community appeared first on The National Herald.

The Christmas and holiday – including name day – greeting in Greek is: «Χρόνια πολλά». Both words are familiar to you from many English words, which derive from Greek ones and from Greek Mythology names and begin with chrono- and poly-. What is the etymological connection? Verbatim «Χρόνια πολλά» means “Many years.” Χρόνια, or τα χρόνια means the years. The Greek word ο χρόνος means the time, and the year, one year. It is found as the first element in compound English words (chrono-), like the chono-logy, the chrono-meter, the cron-icle.

CRONUS IN THE GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Ο χρόνος, the time, had been personified in the deity Cronus, ο Κρόνος, in ancient Greek mythology. It is interesting that the element of time in Greek Mythology is closely connected to the universe and to planet earth: Cronus was the son of Uranus, the Sky, and of Gaia, the Earth. He was additionally the father of many Olympian gods and above all of Zeus, their leader, but he is also the one who tries to eat his children, the gods. The time versus the immortality of the gods. In the end, the gods triumphed.

1. CHRONO- MEANS TIME
Chronology, chronometer, chronic, chronicle come from the Greek word ο χρόνος, which means time and year. The chrono+logy (= χρόνος + λόγος) verbatim is talking about the time, defining it, therefore, the chronology is the date. The chrono+meter (= χρόνος + μέτρο) is a timing device of high accuracy used when exact and accurate measurement of time is required. Το μέτρο is the meter and the measure. We call chronic a disease which continues for a long time. A chronicle is a description of events in the order they happened. The chronogram is an inscription in which specific letters, interpreted as numerals, stand for a particular date when rearranged. The word, meaning “time writing”, derives from the Greek words chronos (χρόνος = time) and gramma (γράμμα = letter). The chronograph (=χρόνος + γράφω), which verbatim means writing the time, is a specific type of watch that is used as a stopwatch combined with a display watch.

English word Greek word Pronunciation
Chrono- Ο χρόνος O HROnos
Cronus Ο Κρόνος O KROnos
The chronology Η χρονολογία EE hronoloYEEa
Chronological χρονολογικός hronologiKOS
The chronometer Το χρονόμετρο TO hroNOmetro
Chronic Ο χρόνιος O HROnios
The chronicle Το χρονικό TO hroniKO
The chronogram το χρονόγραμμα TO hroNOgramma
The chronograph ο χρονογράφος o hronoGRAfos

2. POLY- MEANS MANY
Πολλά means many in Greek. The word is familiar to you from the prefix poly-, which occurs in many English words. For instance, poly-chromy means with many colors, poly-clinic is a clinic with many departments, poly-gamy is the marriage with many partners, polygon is the geometrical shape with many corners, polyhedron is the geometrical shape with many sides, polymorphic is something that changes forms and Polyphemus is the one-eye giant from the Greek Mythology, Cyclops. His name means the one who is known to many, who has a wide reputation.
English word Greek word Pronunciation
Polychromy η πολυχρωμία EE polihroMEEa
-chromy το χρώμα TO HROma
Polyclinic η πολυκλινική ΕΕ poliklinikEE
clinic η κλινική EE kliniKEE
Polygamy η πολυγαμία EE polEEyamia
-gamy ο γάμος O YAmos
Polygon το πολύγωνο TO poLEEyono
-gon η γωνία EE yoNEEa
Polyhedron το πολύεδρο TO polEEedron
-edron η έδρα EE Edra
Polymorphic ο πολυμορφικός O polimorfiKOS
-morphic η μορφή EE morPHEE
Polyphemus ο Πολύφημος O poLEEphimos
phemus η φήμη EE FEEmi

PRONUNCIATION KEY
i (idiom), ee (needle), e (energy), o (organism), oo (boot), y (yes), h (helium), th (theory), d (the). The capitalized syllables are accented.

The post Our Everyday Greek: «Χρόνια πολλά»: chrono- and poly- in English words appeared first on The National Herald.

BEXES, GEORGIA
CHICAGO, IL (from the Chicago Tribune published on Dec. 7) – Georgia Bexes, nee Roumeliotis, passed away peacefully on December 5, 2018 surrounded by her loving family. Georgia was born on February 19, 1933 in Corinth, Greece and was the beloved daughter of the late Panayiotis and Marina Roumeliotis. Georgia came to the United States in 1960 where she later met and married her husband Gust in 1962. They resided in Chicago and later in Skokie. Georgia was the devoted wife of the late Gust F. Bexes; loving mother of the late Frank (Vicki) Bexes and Marina (Stephan) Aliferakis; loving and cherished grandmother of Anna Zoe Aliferakis and Georgia Bexes; dear sister of late Saranti Roumeliotis and the late (Katina); Andrianna and the late (Nick) Dakas, and Stavroula (William) Bebonis; adored aunt of many nieces and nephews and their families who loved her dearly. Georgia devoted her life to her family, her friends, and her church and will truly be missed. Visitation was held at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home, 6150 N. Cicero Ave in Chicago, IL 60646 on December 9th from 4:00-8:00 pm. The funeral service was held at St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church, 7373 N. Caldwell Ave. in Niles, IL 60174 on Monday, December 10th at 11:00 am. Interment Elmwood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church, St. John Chrysostomos Greek Orthodox. Info 773-736-3833 or www.smithcorcoran.com.

COKOTIS, ELIZABETH
SPRINGFIELD, MA (from The Republican, published on Nov. 27) – Elizabeth “Bette” Cokotis, 91, of Springfield, MA, and formerly a resident of East Longmeadow, MA for 32 years, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, November 25th at Baystate Medical Center, surrounded by family. Elizabeth was born to Greek Immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island and worked long hours in the woolen mills in Central Mass to achieve a better life for their family. Her parents are the late Panteleimon and Alexandra (Noutsis) Zacopoulos and she was born in Milford, MA and raised in Uxbridge, MA. She graduated from Uxbridge High School and Hill College of Business. She was retired from Mass Mutual Insurance Company and previously worked at Grants Dept. Store, Blake’s Clothing Store and Shawmut First Bank. Bette served on the St. George Olympians Drum & Bugle Corps Committee and was also a member of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos (Friends of the Poor) Society at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral and at St. Luke. She was an active communicant of The Greek Orthodox Church of St. Luke in East Longmeadow where she and her late husband were among an energetic group of parishioners who were incorporators of the newly expanded suburban parish in East Longmeadow in 1976. They were both 30 year members of the church choir, and volunteered for many fundraisers. In addition to her love of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots, Bette loved to share her baking and cooking skills with her grandchildren and volunteered in many workshops for the Taste of Greece. She participated in Bible Study and enjoyed the St. Luke Romeos and Juliets Senior Club. Elizabeth was predeceased by her beloved husband of 51 years, John Cokotis in 2007. She is survived by her 3 sons; William of Springfield, Peter and his wife Nancy of East Longmeadow, MA, Reverend Father Thomas, Pastor of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Holyoke, MA and his wife Maria of East Longmeadow, and her five cherished grandchildren; Richard of Chicopee, Billy of Palmer, Jennifer Russell and her husband Derek of Springfield, Julie of Nevada, Christopher of Arizona and great granddaughters, Alexa and Peyton. She also leaves behind her beloved sister and brother in-law, Catherine “Tina” and Harry Jordanoglou of Webster, MA; and her sister in-law, Mildred McKinnon of Uxbridge. Bette was predeceased by her older infant sister, Elizabeth and her beloved brother Nicholas Zacopoulos of Uxbridge. In addition, Bette leaves behind many loving nieces and nephews, cousins and close friends. Elizabeth lay in state funeral services followed November 29th at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Luke in East Longmeadow followed by a burial at Hillcrest Park Cemetery, Springfield, MA. Wilbraham Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. The family would like to thank her Primary Care and Specialty Doctors, the dedicated nursing and patient care staff at Baystate Medical Center 7th Floor Mass Mutual Building and Daily Building 6A, as well as the physical therapists and CNTs at Wingate East Longmeadow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in memory of Elizabeth to St. Luke Philoptochos/Food Outreach, 400 Prospect St., P.O.Box 381, East Longmeadow, MA 01028, Holy Trinity Philoptochos/Food Outreach, 410 Main Street, Holyoke, MA 01040, or a charity of one’s choice. For further information, please visit the Wilbraham Funeral Home website at www.wilbrahamfuneralhome.com.

DIMITRIKAKIS, CHRISTOS
UNION, NJ (published online, Nov. 27) – Christos Dimitrakakis age 72, passed away November 24, 2018. Born in Evros, Greece on March 17, 1946, Christos came to this country in 1968 where he settled in Union, NJ. He went on to become a Carpenter and opened up his own woodworking shop in Irvington, NJ, where he still worked up until his very last day. He later met his wife Despina and they had three beautiful children together. Christos was known in the community and to everyone around him as a philanthropist and worked very hard to make sure his family was taken care of. He always had a smile on his face that could light up an entire room. Chris lived his life the way he wanted, making sure that he and everyone around him was always happy. He enjoyed the simple things in life like playing with his grandkids, being in good company, taking Bella for walks, gardening, and his Sunday trips to the flea market. He was amazing husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law, brother, and a friend to everyone. Christos is survived by his wife Despina, his children George and Rania, his children-in-law Stella and Kosta, and his sweet grandchildren, Christos and Athanasios. He is predeceased by his parents, and his daughter Maria. Visitation was at the Paskas Funeral Service, 2800 Morris Avenue, Union. The funeral was held on November 29, 10 a.m., St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church 721 Rahway Avenue in Union. Interment immediately following at Fairview Cemetery, Westfield.

KOTZALAS, WILLIAM
WASHINGTON, DC (from the Washington Post, published on Nov. 27) – William Nicholas Kotzalas, our loving stepfather of over 42 years, passed away on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2018, a little over a year after his beloved wife Stella. He was born in Chicago, IL in 1928 and when the depression struck, he and his family returned to their familial Greek island of Naxos. Stuck there during World War II, he ran messages back and forth for the resistance as a teen during the Italian/German occupation. Back in the U.S., he served in the Korean War, worked at the architectural firm of Leo A. Daly, and was active in the Naxian society, serving as chair for a term. Bill enjoyed entertaining with his wife Stella at their beautiful home. An excellent athlete, his soccer and tennis skills were legendary and his trophies could fill a room, for which he never once boasted. Fiercely patriotic of the United States, he also was very proud of his Greek roots, and could recount any historical battle or date for both WWII and ancient Greek history. His dignity, grace and big heart will forever inspire us all. He is survived by his loving sister Vivian Korkas; his brother-in-law General Constantine Korkas of Athens, Greece; Martha Alafoginis, Alexandra Maroulis Cronmiller and Rae Cronmiller; his grandchildren Kristina and Martin Vedder, Jackie and Mark Vandermeersch, George and Betsy Alafoginis, Katerina Cronmiller; and three adored great grandchildren; his dear nieces and nephews Nick and Cindy Kotzalas, Lena Jones, Olga and Bob Harris, Elena Korkas, Alexander Korkas, and Lexy and Matt Grimmig. Viewing was at St. Sophia Cathedral, 37th & Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC and the funeral was on November 29, 2018. His internment was private. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Sophia Cathedral.

MOLHO, MATILDA
SAN FRACISCO, CA (from the San Francisco Chronicle, published on Dec. 1) – Matilda (Tillie) Molho December 25, 1926 – November 8, 2018. Tillie passed away peacefully on November 8, 2018. She was 91 years of age. Tillie was born in Thessaloniki, Greece on December 25, 1926, the daughter of David and Louisa Amarillo. She grew up in a warm, loving home and shared a happy childhood with her brothers Sam and Solon. During the war, Tillie was separated from her family and was hidden by a Greek Christian family. Several years later she was reunited with her family in Greece. Tillie married Dr. Rene Molho on March 3, 1946, one year after liberation. On March 6, 1947 they had a son named Mario Sam. Together they emigrated to The United States in 1951. Tillie and Rene raised their son Sam in Oakland. Tillie traveled extensively through her lifetime. She also spent countless hours volunteering for Children’s Hospital and was very active in ORT. Both Tillie and Rene were philanthropists and supported the Hebrew University, Yom HaShoah and Temple Sinai, Oakland. Tillie was predeceased by her son Sam and her husband Rene. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Temple Sinai, Oakland or Congregation B’nai Tikvah, Walnut Creek.

MOUGOURIS, PETE
HOUSTON, TX (from the Houston Chronicle, published on Nov. 28) – Pete Mougouris 1930-2018. Pete A. Mougouris, 88 of Houston TX, passed away on November 20, 2018. He was born in Homatero, Greece on July 14, 1930 to Anastasios and Kostantina Mougouris. He emigrated to the United States, with his wife, Panagiota, looking for opportunity. He ultimately settled in Houston, a city that he was proud to call his home. He worked at Shamrock Hilton for 28 years until the hotel was demolished in 1986. He enjoyed telling his family and friends stories of the celebrities and politicians that he encountered at the Shamrock. Pete was a member of the Annunciation Cathedral Greek Orthodox Church on Yoakum Blvd. for over 50 years. He enjoyed spending time with his family and going to church on Sunday. He looked forward to attending the Greek Festival every year. He was a proud converted Texan, and enjoyed taking trips with his family to the Hill Country. He valued education and instilled a love of learning and a strong work ethic in his two children, Tina and Taso, his two greatest accomplishments. He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Panagiota, his son, Dr. Taso Mougouris, his daughter Tina and her husband David Elbert, who he referred to as his “best friend”, his adorable granddaughter Isabella, and his only surviving sibling, Petros Mountzouris of Austin. Visitation was on November 29 and the funeral Service was on November 30 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Blvd. at 11:30am Burial following at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery.

STRAVELAKIS, KATHERINE
WORTHINGTON, OH (from The Columbus Dispatch, published on Dec. 8) – Katherine Stravelakis, 1921-2018. Katherine K. Stravelakis, age 97, passed away Sunday, December 2, 2018 in San Diego, CA. Preceded in death by husband Konstantinos
Stravelakis, son George K. Stravelakis, brother Nicholas G. Mavromatis and sister Helen I. Manos. For over 55 years, she was an active member of the Columbus, Ohio “Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral,” member of the Cathedral Audit Committee, past Board member Ladies Philoptochos Society, past Sunday School teacher, and member of the Annunciation Cathedral Choir, 50 Plus Club, Daughters of Penelope Chapter #15, Ohio Eastern Star #287, and the Clintonville Woman’s Club, since 1965, where she was Chairperson of Dollars and Sense Investment Group. Mrs. Stravelakis established a graduate school academic scholarship in her husband’s honor. The K.N. Stravelakis Family Scholarship Fund established to help Cathedral students of Greek descent in their pursuit of post-graduate studies. She also was a generous contributor of properties to the Habitat for Humanity. Survived by her devoted children: son, (retired) Colonel Nicholas K. (Michele) Stravelakis of Peachtree City, GA; daughter, Maria Anna (Dr. Peter) McDade of San Diego, CA.; her cherished grandchildren, Jonathan and Anthony (Claire) Stravelakis, Kostas and Lukas McDade; great-granddaughters, Ava, Harper, and Quinn Stravelakis; great-grandson, Isaac Stravelakis; and her always caring nieces and nephews, Shelly, Kally, Emanuel, Jack; cousins in the U.S. and in Greece. Katherine regularly spent winters in San Diego, CA and permanently relocated there in 2002. As a member of Sts.Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Cardiff-By-The-Sea, CA, she joined the Prime Timers Club, Philoptochos Society and Daughters of Penelope. Friends called at Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home, 515 High St., Worthington. Rev. Dimetrios Gardikes officiated in funeral services at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 17. Interment Union Cemetery. Contributions in Katherine’s memory may be made to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 555 N. High St., Cols., OH 43215 or to the K.N. Stravelakis Family Scholarship Fund, c/o The Columbus Foundation, 1234 East Broad Street, Cols., OH 43205. May her memory be eternal. Eonia i mnimi tis. To leave a condolence for the family please visit www.rutherfordfuneralhome.com.

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NEW YORK – Order of AHEPA issued a statement condemning a bomb attack outside private Greek television station Skai early Monday, causing extensive damage but no injuries.

“We strongly condemn the bomb attack on @skaigr HQs, which also houses @ekathimerini. We are grateful there were no reported injuries. An attack upon a free press cannot be tolerated & we call for the perpetrators to be brought swiftly to justice,” Order of AHEPA says via its official Twitter account.

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Paid Submission

Dear Mr. Kalmoukos,

After reading your interview with Fathers Jonas and Kaloudis of Holy Trinity Chicago, we feel compelled to reply. Miraculously, it appears that someone has interceded at the 11th hour to save Holy Trinity, and we are all truly grateful for that. However, we also feel it is important that the community understands how the situation became so grave in the first place. We were all members of the HT Parish Council (PC) at the time the community acquired the Deerfield property and have firsthand knowledge of what transpired between Holy Trinity (HT) and The Hellenic American Academy (HAA).

Changing demographics and declining church attendance led to a decision to relocate the Parish. The Deerfield property was purchased with approval of the PC, General Assembly and Metropolis. Some insist Deerfield was purchased solely for the school, yet the church hired a realtor and negotiated to sell the church and school buildings.* An architectural model revealed at the Socrates School Centennial clearly shows a church on the Deerfield site.*

Another falsehood is that $12 million was borrowed by HAA against the church. The church took out a loan to purchase Deerfield, using its properties as collateral. The loan was refinanced through a low interest bond purchase for educational institutions by MB Financial so the loan was transferred to HAA and guaranteed by the HT properties, just like the original loan. $12 million in bonds were available, however only $6 million was borrowed. The agreement between HT and HAA allowed HAA to use Deerfield for 10 years with no obligation to make rent or loan payments.* Despite this, HAA paid $2,500,000 toward the loan. Each side happily contributed what it could, because while we were separate legal entities on paper, we were one united community.

As part of the plan Fr. Kaloudis asked us to hire a young, bilingual Priest, with whom he would work for two years, preparing him to become Proistamenos. The Metropolis assigned Fr. Sotirios Malamis, who was ordained to the Priesthood at Holy Trinity. Fr. Sotiri’s addition created a sense of hope that the Parish was one step closer to fulfilling its plans. Enrollment at the school was increasing. We began Sunday Liturgy in Deerfield, and many former parishioners began attending. There was a sense of renewed interest and optimism.

Under the leadership of Jim Logothetis, both church and school were “in the black”, disproving the theory that this venture was not financially feasible. With things going so well, what happened to bring us to the troubled state in which we find ourselves today? Very simply, Fr. Kaloudis decided that he would not allow Father Malamis to become Proistamenos, and with a small faction decided that the church would not move. While they had every right to change their minds, those decisions had consequences leading to the loss of Fr. Malamis. After waiting five years, instead of the two he was promised, the Metropolis reassigned him to a nearby Parish that had recently opened a day school, and many families followed him there. This was a massive failure of Hierarchical leadership.

Fr. Malamis’ departure and the circumstances around it created doubt and uncertainty. Enthusiasm and support declined, as did enrollment, reducing tuition revenue, placing the school in a perilous financial position, unable to contribute toward the mortgage. The church refused to fulfill its obligation to make payments and rejected settlement proposals, leading to the current, avoidable, situation.

The current PC, rejected offers that provided a viable path toward saving the church. One offer, endorsed by the Metropolis, was to divide the loan, with HAA assuming 2/3 and HT 1/3.* More recently, the Foundation for Hellenic Education and Culture (FHEC) offered to buy the Deerfield property from HT for $4 million to allow the Academy to stay there. Unfortunately, the PC gambled on a $5.4 million offer from a developer (Gilbane) that was contingent on re-zoning. The Parish Council with the approval of the Metropolis Council, evicted 300 students and 35 teachers in the middle of a school year, to cause maximum disruption. By the Grace of God, FHEC purchased a nearby building and the school relocated over Christmas break. Gilbane was not able to secure re-zoning as everyone, except the HT PC, had predicted and withdrew its offer. The Academy had moved, and no longer needed nor had the ability to purchase Deerfield. Based on this, we are particularly disturbed by Fr. Jonas’ statement suggesting Academy members sabotaged the deal so that the Academy could buy the property at a low price. Fr. Jonas also states that HAA President, Jim Logothetis refused an invitation to meet with HT President, Stanley Andreakis. This meeting was only requested after a lawsuit against Mr. Logothetis had been filed, and his attorneys advised him against such a meeting.

This lawsuit against HAA and Mr. Logothetis is particularly disturbing because of the horrible message it sends. Who, in their right mind, will step up and lead, knowing some future group can accuse them of wrongdoing, slander their good name and expose them to a massive financial loss? We will be left with churches filled with well-intentioned people who will never have the fortitude to make ambitious plans, to take a measured risk, or to act in moving the church forward. If Chicago’s Greek community had acted this way in the past, they would have never undertaken the financial burden to build churches and schools.

The lawsuit alleges Mr. Logothetis had a conflict of interest in presiding over both the PC and HAA Board. If Mr. Logothetis had a conflict in serving both institutions, wouldn’t the one attorney who represented both sides, Constantine Kaloudis, also be conflicted? There was no conflict. We were one united community with a common, ambitious goal. The conflicts arose when the plan was abruptly and unilaterally altered.

It is regrettable that it has come to this, especially since this was avoidable. We pray that no other Parish will ever have to experience such a trauma.

*for more information and supporting documentation, please visit www.HolyTrinityDeerfieldTruth.org.

Sincerely,

James Anton
Dr. Steve Ballis
Demetrios Demos
Steve Gianos
John Giourdas
Vasilios Karahalios
Dr. Spiro Karras
Georgia Plevritis
Antonios Samiotakis
George Tsakanikas
Sotirios Vergakis
Steve Vrettos

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NEW YORK – ARCAthens (Artist Residency Center Athens), a new 501(c)(3) based in New York, announced on December 17 that The Helis Foundation has joined ARCAthens as a Founding Patron. The Board of Trustees of The Helis Foundation approved a contribution from the Diana Helis Henry and the Adrienne Helis Malvin Art Funds in support of ARCAthens Pilot Program: Spring 2019.

“ARCAthens represents a unique opportunity for The Helis Foundation to honor the Helis family’s Greek heritage and their longstanding commitment to supporting the arts,” said David Kerstein, President of The Helis Foundation.

The Helis Foundation is a Louisiana private foundation, established and funded by the William Helis Family. The Art Funds of The Helis Foundation advance access to the arts for the community through contributions that sustain operations for, provide free admission to, acquire works of art, and underwrite major exhibitions and projects of institutions within the Greater New Orleans area. More information is available at: thehelisfoundation.org.

ARCAthens introduced its Inaugural Fellows, artist Cullen Washington, Jr. and curator Larry Ossei-Mensah, on October 30.

Taking place in Athens, Greece, from February 18-March 31, 2019, the Inaugural Pilot Program is a six-week residency module which will activate the ARCAthens mission to support the arts and build international bridges.

Key features of the Inaugural Pilot Program:

• Both Visual Art Fellow and Curatorial Fellow will each be provided with live-work accommodations, weekly stipends, travel expenses, and a $1,000 Fellowship—allowing them to immerse and create.
• ARCAthens’ focused and dynamic Outreach Program will provide our Fellows and the Athenian community the elective opportunity to connect through scheduled studio visits, institutional tours, and discussion groups. Additional and extensive outreach with the Athenian community will be cultivated through events and introductions. To start, on February 19, 2019, our Introductory Welcome Event will be held at ATOPOS cvc, a non-profit, cultural organization in Athens.
• At the end of the program, the Fellows will participate in a panel discussion focusing on their work and experience.

Cullen Washington, Jr. utilizes the grid to communicate humanity and interconnectedness. He describes his collage abstract paintings as non-representational fields of activity. Washington has shown nationally and internationally. Selected exhibitions include The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Saatchi Gallery London, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Academy of Arts and Letters, NY. Washington has been a resident at The Studio Museum in Harlem and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. He is the recipient of a Joan Mitchell Foundation Award and in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Studio Museum in Harlem, Charles Saatchi Gallery, Joyner/Giuffrida Collection, and the Alexandria Museum of Art, Louisiana. Washington will be a 2018 resident at The Joan Mitchell Foundation in New Orleans.

Larry Ossei-Mensah, Susanne Feld Hilberry Senior Curator at Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), is a Ghanaian-American curator and cultural critic who uses contemporary art and culture as a vehicle to redefine how we see ourselves and the world around us. He has documented contemporary art happenings profiling some of the most dynamic creatives and visual artists working today—Mickalene Thomas, Kehinde Wiley, Meschac Gaba, Swizz Beatz and JR to name a few.

Ossei-Mensah cut his teeth in the marketing and advertising sector at Sony Music, ClearChannel, Fox TV, Carat Media, The World Economic Forum and Viacom. All of these experiences were the catalyst that informed his over-decade career as an independent curator before taking the helm as Senior Curator at MOCAD in Detroit in September 2018.

As a curator, Ossei-Mensah has organized exhibitions and programs at commercial and nonprofit spaces around the globe from New York City to Rome, Italy—featuring a roster of critically acclaimed artists including Derrick Adams, Firelei Báez, ruby amanze, Hugo McCloud, Brendan Fernandes, Derek Fordjour, Peter Williams, as well as Allison Janae Hamilton’s work at MASS MoCA (co-curated with Susan Cross). Ossei-Mensah is a co-founder of the 501(c)(3) collective ARTNOIR. In 2017, he was the Critic-in-Residence at ART OMI in addition to serving as a member of MoMA’s Friends of Education and a mentor at the New Museum’s incubator program, NEW INC.

More information is available online: arcathens.org.

The post The Helis Foundation Supports ARCAthens as Founding Patron appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church held its annual Stewardship and Mistletoe Galas on December 15 at the Harvard Club in Midtown Manhattan. The evening of Christmas spirit, live music, dancing, and dinner benefited the Annunciation Church and was among the best attended events of the year with hundreds present to support the 126-year old church.

The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church was founded in 1892 and celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the first time in the Hudson Memorial Baptist Church on West 4th Street. Since the early days of Annunciation’s inception, the founding stewards of the parish worked faithfully and diligently to make a difference in the lives of all people.

Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the Annunciation Church and its parishioners have joyfully inherited this legacy and have developed dynamic ways to make a positive impact on all members of society.

In an effort to ensure that future generations will celebrate the Good News of the Annunciation, the parish is initiating a Capital Restoration campaign in the hopes restoring the landmark building and church sanctuary.

The Mistletoe Gala brought together young adults from across the New York tri-state area to celebrate a night of holiday cheer with live music by both Dean Vali and DJ Bobby Karounos, dancing, open bar, and a buffet also to benefit the Annunciation Church.

Among those present, members of the Parish Council and the Very Reverend Archimandrite Father Chrysostomos Gilbert, Annunciation’s presiding priest, who gave the welcoming remarks and best wishes for the Christmas season. Fr. Gilbert has been the parish priest since 2013. The current Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago was the previous presiding priest from 2010-13.

Many members of the community were also in attendance as well as Georgios Michailidis, Head of Economic & Commercial Affairs at the Consulate General of Greece in New York, Hellenic Lawyers Association 2nd Vice President George Zapantis, and Constantine Larigakis, Director, Corporate Affairs for SigmaPharm Laboratories, who attends every year from the Philadelphia area to get a taste of New York during the holidays, enjoy the gala with friends, and to support the Annunciation Church.

Also among those at the Mistletoe Gala, Philo4Thought (HMI) Inc.

CEO and Founder, Adj. Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Literature, Communications & Environmental Studies, New York City, Administrative Manager & Student Coordinator, Center for Genome Technology & Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, and journalist and public speaker Christine Salboudis and National Hellenic Student Association Chairman, Advisory Council Chairman, and Past President Konstantine Ouranitsas, a consultant with the Project Controller practice at Deloitte Consulting, LLP.

This year’s Grand Raffle included five prizes: First Prize: $1,000 Amazon Gift Card; Second Prize: Two Broadway tickets and pre-dinner at Kellari; Third Prize: Year’s delivery of bi-monthly Greek treats by Pavlitos Baked Goods; Fourth Prize: Private catered dinner for six by Chef Elizabeth of Elizabeth’s Catering; and Fifth Prize: Special Sports package with four U.S. Tennis Open tickets, New York Rangers tickets and basket of fan gear, and four tickets to Barclay’s Center.

The raffle drawing was held after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, Dec. 16 at Annunciation Church with prizes to be picked up by March 1, 2019.

More information about Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is available online: annunciation-nyc.org.

The post Hundreds Attend Annunciation’s Stewardship and Mistletoe Galas appeared first on The National Herald.

ASTORIA – Carnival of Love Foundation (COLF) held its Christmas in Candyland party at Central Bar & Lounge in Astoria on December 13. Donations raised will support the opening of a Healing Arts Community Center for families living with autism and special needs.

Among those present were COLF Co-founder/Executive Director Dennisia Slabakis, COLF Parent Outreach Director Youla Efthimiou, Co-founder Maria Sakellis Giannikouros, Anastasia Theofanis, Stefano Nyktas, George Zapantis, COLF supporters, family, friends, and members of the community

Olympia Mylonas who wrote the music and lyrics for the Carnival of Love song was also in attendance at the event.

Slabakis spoke to The National Herald at the event, noting that the Foundation was returning home at Central, where the first fundraiser was held ten years ago, and was grateful to have a safe space for such events in the community. After a few years with events held at different venues, “It’s nice to come back where we started,” she told TNH.

The attendees enjoyed savory appetizers from Zenon Taverna and delicious sweets and desserts in the colorful Candyland theme. A wide variety of items were up for raffle including spa visits and other gifts. The event also offered shopping opportunities at booths displaying items including jewelry, handbags, accessories, and Luv Michael Granola which is a new line of gluten-free and nut-free granola by a company that trains, educates, and employs people with Autism.

Luv Michael Granola is available in the fifteen Manhattan Fresh & Co. locations. Dr. Lisa Liberatore and Dr. Dimitri Kessaris helped create the food based business so that their son, Michael, and others with Autism would not be a burden on society or limited in their potential to lead happy and productive lives. They started Luv Michael under the parent company, Indigo Life, which represents a commitment for doing even more for the Autistic population.

COLF’s mission is to enhance the mind, body and spirit of children and families affected by autism and special needs, through access to alternative therapies, culturally-minded programs and services, educational resources, and unique healing experiences.

Through hosting educational workshops, community support programs for parents and siblings, and family recreational activities, COLF has made a tremendous impact in the lives of many members of the community. The need for support for this worthy cause continues and those interested in helping the foundation achieve its goals can donate online.

Carnival of Love Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, founded in 2008. More information about the Carnival of Love Foundation is available at: www.carnivaloflove.org.

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NEW BERLIN, WI – Dolores Gaveras, known as “Del,” RN, ET (nee Reuter) entered into Eternal Life on Monday, November 19. She was 86. Beloved wife of Steve Gaveras; devoted and loving mother to Peter (Debra) Gaveras, Stephanie (Leon) Gaveras – Jacobsen, Alexander Gaveras, Pamela (Gary Bady) Gaveras and Stasia (Matt Langendorf) Gaveras; loving grandmother of Nicholas, Diane, Patrick, Alyssa, Katy, Maya, and Bennett; cherished great-grandmother of Grace.

Gaveras was preceded in death by her parents John and Mary Reuter; siblings Walter (Lucille), Harvey (Mary Jo), Jerome (Kathy), Florence Zacher, and Sylvia (Francis) Passage.

After graduating from Misericordia Nursing School, Del worked at Misericordia Hospital and then Elmbrook Memorial Hospital, specializing in cancer patient cancer care and enterostomal therapy and recently served as president of Misericordia Nursing Alumni Association.

Gaveras was Master Gardener, a keen Scrabble and Uno player who enjoyed painting, crafting, knitting, crocheting, and sewing. Del was a kind spirit to all who crossed her path and will be sorely missed.

The visitation at the Funeral Home was held on November 27 from 4 to 7 PM. Additional Visitation at St. John Vianney Parish 1755 N Calhoun RD. Brookfield, WI on November 28 from 11-11:45 AM. The Mass of Christian Burial was held at 12 Noon followed by the procession to Wisconsin Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 5010, Elm Grove, WI 53122 www.lombardifoundation.org or a cancer charity of your choice appreciated.

(From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, published on November 25.)

The post Dolores Gaveras Passed away at Age 86 appeared first on The National Herald.

The latest Turkish distortion of modern history pivots on the difference between a slave and a citizen. Turkish intellectuals are intentionally confusing the idea of a legal citizen with an individual’s personal ethnic identity. As Armenians, Greeks, Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews, Christian Arabs and various others migrated out of the Ottoman Empire they had to acquire and present an Ottoman passport. Given international law this was a mandatory legal document to obtain. And I see no problem with acknowledging the obvious, yes, these non-ethnic Turks had to have such a document.

The twist Turkish writers are now performing is to say first that the individuals they are writing about were legally citizens of the Ottoman Empire and then to next claim all such individuals were/are ethnic Turks.

Let me offer two examples of this kind of ongoing Turkish falsification of modern history. The first is a historical documentary the other a book of collected essays. Ten years ago, here in the pages of the National Herald, I wrote about announcements, then made by Turkish film makers, to produce first a documentary film, An Izmiri Camel Herder in the Wild West to be immediately followed by a Hollywood-style film, Kahraman Sherif (The Honorable Sheriff) (August 23, 2008). Both films were to showcase the arrival and exploits of eight Greek camel drovers in the American West.

Beginning on February 10, 1856, eight Greek camel drovers began arriving at the Port of Indianola in Texas abroad the USS Supply. Be advised that this self-styled United States Army’s experiment with camels, in what was then called the Great American Desert of the southwest, is heavily documented beginning with period publications such as United States army dispatches, government reports, book-length publications, and quite literally hundreds of newspaper accounts (beginning in the 1850s continuing up to the present day) which all document the conception of this experiment with camels as draft-animals, the ultimate arrival of 100 camels, the presence of Greek drovers and the varying history of the camels and drovers long after the American Civil War when this experiment was abandoned.

While ‘An Izmiri Camel Herder in the Wild West’ and ‘Kahraman Sherif’ were announced, neither appeared nor did I hear more about either film. Then, by chance I just recently ran across Turkish filmmaker Mert Turkoglu’s announcement that on December 25, 2017 he had released the 45 minute documentary film, Hi Jolly. Labeled as a “world premier” this documentary was shown first in Quartzsite Arizona the location of the grave of one of the original Greek drovers, known as Hi Jolly by the army soldiers but who called himself, Philip Tedro. According to various other announcements on the Internet this documentary has been shown on May 8, 2018 at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History with other showings for the American Turkish Society in Los Angeles, for a private screening on December 1, 2018 and finally also in Boston.

In the preview of this documentary we see printed on the screen various incredibly incorrect assertions (https://vimeo.com). First this new documentary’s title is Legendary Ottoman Camel Driver Hi Jolly (IMBD.com) with the added explanatory line, “One of America’s First Turkish Immigrants Helped Conquer the West with Camels (http://vimeo.com). No sources are offered to substantiate the claim that contrary to United States army reports and other publications the drovers were all ethnic Greeks. The key issue which I did not recognize as such was in the use of the word “Ottoman.”

Thinking that this film was merely an aberration I sought out a book on Turkish migration to North America. I immediately found, Turkish Migration to the United States. From Ottoman Times to the Present, edited by A. Deniz Balgamis and Kemal H. Karpat (Madison: University of Wisconsin, 2008) a collection of thirteen essays.

Much to my surprise, I found that the thirteen essays found in this volume use primarily American census data. This data correctly found Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Jews, Serbians and assorted others who identified themselves as being born within the Ottoman empire. What I did not expect was that the lives and accomplishments of these same non-ethnic Turks were utilized throughout these essays as contributions of “Ottomans.” The Ottomans were ethnic Turks and the word Ottoman is a historical Anglicization of the name of Osman I, the founder of the Empire and of the ruling House of Osman (also known as the Ottoman dynasty).

All the Armenians, Greeks, Jews and assorted others were not ethnic Turks and so did not have the same legal standing within the Ottoman Empire as Turks. The Ottoman Empire is recognized as one of the very last of the polyethnic, polylingual, polycultural empires of modern times.  Compounding this misuse of the Census data is that “The whole Ottoman emigration to the United States is calculated to be between 178,000 and 415,000. Its composition is said to have been 27 percent Greek; 18 per cent Armenian; 6 per cent Jewish; 12 per cent Serbian, Montenegrin, or Bulgarian; 26 per cent Syrian; 5 per cent Turkish and 6 per cent ‘others’ (page 35).” Other data is introduced citing monies and other items sent back to relatives in the Ottoman Empire. The inference in this book is that these funds and items were sent to aid the Empire rather than the individual non-Turkish families and villages from which the American migrants hailed.

The problem here is that I know of no Armenians, Greeks, Ashkenazi and/or Sephardic Jews, Christian Arabs and various other non-ethnic Turks born within the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire who ever claimed they were an ethnic Turk. How the Ottoman Empire, which has always been recognized as a poly-ethnic/polyglot political entity all of a sudden became a monoethnic state is never explained. Clearly we have entered the realm of the Big Lie – which if told often enough attempts to replace actual historical events.

Now the bold misrepresentation of modern Turkish history is not limited to the ongoing denial of the Anatolian Holocaust or its direct influence on Adolph Hitler’s decision to initiate it in the final solution. Among Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s (1881-1938) incredible historical claims for ethnic Turks is that the indigenous peoples of North and South America were the descendants of Turkish sailors who had traveled unintentionally to the Western Hemisphere (Foreign Policy November 26, 2014). Taking up this theme the current President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently claimed that none other than Christopher Columbus wrote in his journal that when he first saw the islands of the Caribbean a mosque was visible on a nearby hilltop.

Publishing lunacy and/or outright lies is a serious matter. But as one study after another has shown few Americans bother to read any history after high school. While I have found no statistics on how many Americans – on average, read modern Greek or modern Ottoman history that number, I am assuming, is far far less than the types of books Americans do read in any given year.

So, what are these Turkish intellectuals really doing? First, creating a history the average reader will have no idea is totally false. Which is nothing less than ongoing cultural theft – clearly and simply. And of the basest kind. Yet, in truth, the non-Turks are not those who are injured the most by this series of bald-faced lies. Unintentionally, these self-identified Turkish intellectuals are demeaning the real ethnic Turks who immigrated and now live in North America. What could be worse, or more telling, than to ignore the actual history and accomplishments of Turkish-Americans as insignificant – by their own intellectual class.

Steve Frangos, c. 2018                     

helleneNOW1@yahoo.com

The post Hi Jolly and the Return of the Turkish Bandits  appeared first on The National Herald.

BOSTON – Boston and its suburbs, especially Arlington and Cambridge, were filled with Christmas carols sung by the joyful voices of the students of the independent Greek school, Greek Group Tutoring (GGT), rejuvenating the tradition of visiting homes and businesses of Greek-Americans for Christmas.

Thirty-two children out of the sixty that comprise the newly-established school and twenty-two parents, along with teachers, boarded a school bus at a central point in Arlington, MA and began their Christmas journey with enthusiasm, laugher and carols singing the Incarnation of God.

Greek Group Tutoring is a newly established School, the initiative of the parents from the parish of St. Athanasius the Great in Arlington after the dismissal of its presiding priest of 28 years Fr. Nicholas Kastanas by Metropolitan Methodios on July 30, 2017.

Since then the situation has gotten worse. A massive exodus of parishioners took place, including some 54 parents who took their children out the Afternoon Greek School and left.

Pemmy Kanavos, chairperson of the Board and one of the parents who initiated the establishment of the new school told The National Herald that “the School was established in 2017 due to the problems which arose from Fr. Nick’s removal from our parish. We decided we wanted to keep our children together, so, we gathered and we decided to ask the teachers to offer private lessons to our children. The effort was spread by word of mouth but more parents were asking what they could do, and thus 54 children were gathered – we left and established our own school. We found a very nice place at the Baptist Church in Lexington Massachusetts, where they embraced us, they opened their doors to us and welcomed us.”

According to Mrs. Kanavos “the school today has 60 students and the tuition for the first child is $500, for the second $425 and for the third $350. Mrs. Eleni Kakambouras, who specializes in special education in the public school system offers her help voluntarily to our school.” Asked if the Greek Afternoon School of the St. Athanasius parish is in operation, Kanavos and Kakambouras said they don’t know and that they have no communication with it at all.

To the question whether attempts were made by the Metropolis of Boston and from St. Athanasius parish to approach them, Kanavos said “not from the Metropolis. Once Fr. Anthony Evangelatos and Fr. Aaron Walker, he now has gone from St. Athanasius, came and told us that they want to bridge the gap and they want us back. We told them that we already have established a school, we are very well here and we don’t intend to return.”

Kanavos clarified that “we have nothing to do with St. Athanasius. We are a completely independent school and we accept children from everywhere.”

She also said that “all parents and teachers are united with love for one another. We are friends and we support each other for the good of our children and that is why the effort has been successful because we strive to keep the friendships of our children alive and strong, we are one family.”

When asked why they didn’t stay at St. Athanasius, she said “With everything that transpired we thought it wouldn’t be prudent to let our children experience all those things that were happening there.”

Kostas and Efrosini Kouiroukidis have two children in the school, a boy and a girl. Mrs. Kouiroukidis said “the school is going very well. The children like it because all the children are together” and she added that “we shouldn’t lose our Greek language, our Faith and Culture, we should be united.”

Regarding the possibility of establishing a Greek day school in Boston, they both replied “It would be nice, something like that.” They also said that they would welcome the creation of a charter school in Boston.

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LOS ANGELES (BUSINESS WIRE) – Greek-American TV/radio personality Maria Menounos and digital health company Rally Health SM teamed up with Westside German Shepherd Rescue to host a dog walk in Griffith Park in Los Angeles to promote healthy living and the health benefits of pet ownership.

The 1.5-mile walk started with Menounos, a Rally Health Ambassador, addressing participants about the fitness and emotional benefits of having a dog. She also talked about how her own dogs helped her through her health challenges in 2017.

“Today was a fun and heartwarming event. It is such a gift to be able to help others by sharing the story of my health journey, which includes my dogs. They bring me so much joy and ensure that I get exercise every single day. I’m grateful to them for that and wish the same for other people,” said Menounos.

The event was co-sponsored by Westside German Shepherd Rescue, a no-kill animal rescue nonprofit in Los Angeles dedicated to finding permanent and loving homes for German Shepherds and other dogs.

“Our Rally team, including Maria, was thrilled to be able host this special event. It’s our goal to help people live healthier lives, and we know that pet ownership can make a big contribution to that,” said Brenda Yang, SVP, Rally Health.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181216005031/en/

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ATHENS – The National Library of Greece (NLG) at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is celebrating the “Logos 5” event cycle.

An event entitled “The Future of the Past of Greek immigration and the Diaspora” will be held on Thursday, Dec. 20 from 7:30-9:30 PM at the Book Tower.

In the framework of the collective interdisciplinary and inter-university research project ImmiGrec, which studies Greek immigration in Canada and is funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, historians of Greek immigration as well as experts in archives and immigration museums in other countries (Australia, France, Germany, United Kingdom, USA, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland) will meet and converse in two roundtables, with the following topics:

1. The Challenges for the History of Greek Immigration and the Diaspora of the 21st Century.
2. Exhibiting, Writing, and Visualizing the Stories of Immigrants in the Digital Age.

With this event, the NLG participates in the effort to preserve and rescue the testimonies of the post-war immigrant generation that is gradually disappearing while exploring the new 21st century immigration.

Roundtables are coordinated by Tassos Anastasiadis, Associate Professor at McGill University in Canada. The program of events is organized by the NLG President of the Board of Trustees Stavros Zoumboulakis. Entrance is free to the public.

The program follows.

1. Round table: The Challenges for the History of Greek Immigration and the Diaspora of the 21st Century.

Participants:

Georgios Anagnostou, Professor, Ohio State University (USA).

Lina Venturas, Professor, Panteion University.

Alexander Kitroeff, Associate Professor, Haverford College (USA).

Anastasia Christou, Associate Professor, Middlesex University (United Kingdom).

2. Round Table: Exhibiting, Writing, and Visualizing the Stories of Immigrants in the Digital Age.

Participants:

Alexandra Cherry, Public Programs Coordinator, Canadian Museum of Immigration of Pier 21, Halifax (Canada).

Kristin Rasina, Director, Archives of Population Survey, The Hague.

Isabelle Renard, Head of Collections and Exhibitions, National Museum of the History of Immigration, Paris.

George D. Tselos, Supervisory Archivist and Head of Reference Services at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, New York.

Sebastian Tyrakowski, Deputy Director, Emigration Museum of Gdynia (Poland).

National Library of Greece

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

NLG Book Tower

Thursday, Dec. 20, 7:30-9:30 PM

Free admission.

The post The National Library Explores Greek Immigration Past and Present appeared first on The National Herald.

ASTORIA – The Pancyprian Association of America Cultural Division presented the Annual Christmas Concert “Kalanta” with Artistic and Music Director Phyto Stratis and the Pancyprian Choir of NY at St. Catherine and St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Astoria on December 14. The well-attended event filled everyone’s heart with the Christmas spirit and impressed the audience once again with the talents of the Pancyprian Choir.

Among the talented featured soloists, Ellie Tsachtani on the flute brought her expertise and virtuosity to beloved Christmas songs, including Feliz Navidad and A La Nanita Nana, adding a depth and lyricism through her artistry. Her solo vocals to begin the hymn I Parthenos Simeron, also impressed the audience with her clear tone and demonstrated her mastery of a variety of musical styles and genres. Tsachtani earned Bachelor degrees with full tuition scholarship from Bard College and a Masters from Queens College. She performs in every Pancyprian Choir event and her leading role in the performance once again highlighted her extraordinary abilities as a musician.

MC Vicky Tsavalias gave the welcoming remarks and Artistic and Music Director Phyto Stratis led the choir in the traditional Kalanta to kick off the performance. Soloist Demetris Michael sang Christos Gennate Doxasate, among the other songs, with his impeccable technique. On guitar, Vanessa Karvelis, also a soloist on vocals, offered an enchanting What Child Is This? while narrators Theodore Petropoulos and Christiana Kandilioti provided poetic insights between songs.

Stratis’ new version of the Carol of the Bells with lyrics he also wrote was magical and highlighted his great talent not only in musical arrangement but also as a lyricist.

Soloists Penny Tsinias, Ariadne Panagopoulou, Aggeliki Psonis, Tasos Karydis, Demetris Bonaros, and Eliam Ramos each brought their unmistakeable vocal talents to the performance with fine accompaniment by Glafkos Kontemeniotis on piano. Oh Holy Night and Silent Night both in Greek and English were among the highlights of the concert.

The Pancyprian Choir Youth Group and students from St. Demetrios Elementary School also joined the performers onstage along with a special guest from the North Pole, Santa Claus, whose presence immediately drew smiles from the many youngsters in the audience.

Stratis noted that Christmas is all about the children and invited everyone to sing along for the traditional New Year’s Carols, among other songs, which added to the festive mood of the concert. Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas were sung with considerable cheer and enthusiasm by the choir and the audience alike.

At the conclusion of the concert, Stratis thanked all those present for their support especially Pancyprian benefactor Philip Christopher, American Network Solutions CEO, and PSEKA (Justice for Cyprus) President and invited him to say a few words. Christopher thanked everyone for their support and especially Stratis and Pancyprian Choir President Ismene Michaels and the members for all their efforts, as well as Consul General of Cyprus in New York Alexis Phedonos-Vadet for attending the event. He pointed out that 38 percent of Cyprus still remains under occupation and 500 churches have been desecrated since the 1974 invasion. The voices of the Pancyprian Choir represent all of Cyprus, free and occupied, Christopher said and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

A reception in the church hall followed the concert.

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WHITESTONE – The grand opening of North Shore Farms’ eighth store and the first in Queens took place on December 14 in Whitestone. Many members of the Greek community attended the new store’s grand opening to congratulate and wish all the best to the owner Nick Katopodis.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place after the traditional blessing with holy water by His Grace Bishop Apostolos of Medeia, along with presiding priest of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church of Whitestone Fr. Dionysios Anagnostopoulos, Fr. John Lardas and Fr. Dennis Strouzas from the Archangel Michael Church in Port Washington, Fr. Nektarios Papazafiropoulos from St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria and Fr. Gerasimos.

Among those present were the Queens Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Grech, members of the We Love Whitestone Civic Association, representatives of the police, as well as members of the local community and non-profit organizations.

“We are excited to bring North Shore Farms to Whitestone and Queens. The Great Neck location is close but it does not compare to being in the heart of a vibrant community like Whitestone. We feel fortunate that we have community support and we will be here to serve everyone all the time,” said George Tsiatis, a spokesman for the company.

Nickos Katopodis opened the first North Shore Farms in 2003 in Port Washington, followed by Glen Cove, Great Neck, Mineola, Commack, North Bellmore, Hauppauge, and now Whitestone.

On Friday morning, the doors opened to welcome the first customers. The lucky first ten even received a $25 gift card.

Next Saturday, Maria Zoitas, known for her “Made by Maria” products at her family’s West Side Markets, will visit the new store for a signing event for her new cookbook entitled Made with Love.

Customers will have the opportunity to sample food and desserts as well as speak with the staff about the products.

The new North Shore Farms store is located at 153-01 10th Avenue in Whitestone and is open seven days a week, 7 AM-10 PM.

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BOSTON – Michael Dukakis, who served two terms as governor of Massachusetts and was the Democratic party’s candidate for President of the United States in 1988, spoke to The National Herald exclusively about the mistakes that cost him the White House. He was ahead of the late George H.W. Bush by approximately twenty percent after the Democratic convention and before the GOP’s conclave, but his failure to respond to negative ads turned things around.

“Everybody is aware what happened in 1988,” he said,” and I don’t blame anybody but myself for not responding effectively to Bush’s attacks. I wasn’t pleased with the kind of campaign Bush ran but the one thing that he deserves credit for as President is working with Gorbachev to end the Cold War. It was a great achievement and very important and the one that we have to be thinking about as the new President of ours seems to be taking us right back to a cold war again and we don’t need that. We spent over thirty years living through the first one and there is absolutely no reason for this.”

Asked if he thinks that Trump is going to be successful in doing that, he said “I don’t know what Trump is doing. I don’t think he knows what he is doing – but one thing [he should not be doing] is trying to provoke conflicts at a time that we should be building the United Nation and the international community to solve its problems without killing people. This is ridiculous. Anybody who talks about space wars and that kind of stuff are really beyond logic.”

Asked why he did not attend Bush’s funeral, he said “I have a full teaching schedule, sixty students that I have to teach. It is not that I didn’t want to pay my respects, but those students are very important to me and they are my priority”.

When we asked him what he would do differently in response to the infamous Horton attack ad if he could go back to 1988, he said “As you and I talked about it before, I had made the decision that I was not going to respond or attack on anything, but I think the lesson from 1988 – and by the way, also from John Kerry’s 2004 campaign, is that when the other guy is going to attack you can’t just sit there saying nothing. You have to have a plan for dealing with those attacks when they come. I did that quite successfully when Ed King was attacking me in 1982 and beat him very decisively.”

Dukakis further explained his motivations in 1988. “There was an enormous amount of polarization during the Reagan years. These days people have the tendency to forget that and I think the country was fed up with that stuff.” He noted, however, that “Reagan and Bush had the most liberal furlough program in America. They were granting furloughs up to 45 days – ours was only 72 hours. Reagan himself, when he was governor in California, had a furlough program that he defended, and I never talked about that.”

Dukakis added, “I was very close with Mario Cuomo and when I first announced for the Presidency I talked to him, and he said don’t pay any attention to the negative stuff that you will hear, just keep it positive. About four days before the election, he and I were campaigning in Queens in New York and he turned and said to me “it was the worst advice I ever gave you.”

Speaking about the support and the response of the Greek-American Community Dukakis said, “it was fantastic. I was overwhelmed. I remember going to Iowa and in one of the towns there had only one pizza place and it was run by Greek immigrants, the only Greeks in town and they were so supportive of me. Actually, that pizza place became our local headquarters. They were very proud of my campaign; they were just magnificent.”

We asked him about what he foresees for 2020, and he said, “I think the midterms went well – better than I expected. By the way, we have lessons to learn from the midterms. One of them is we have to get rid of this red and blue stuff. It is clear that Democrats can win everywhere. Kansas got a very fine new democratic woman governor and a member of Congress. We won seats in Texas, in South Carolina, in Oklahoma. We look at the country and we say half of it is hopeless, on the contrary…good democrats with a good message can win those states and those districts. We must run a fifty state campaign. As soon as the holidays are over we have to get going on 2020.”

Dukakis, along with other prominent political leaders are calling for the elimination of Electoral College. When we asked him how close are they to achieving that, he said “It is hard to say. You know, the organization Common Cause in running this campaign to get rid of the Electoral College through the necessity of constitutional amendment. We are sixty percent there and are winning the support of a sufficient number of state legislators to get rid of it and I am optimistic, but we have to keep working on it.”

Speaking about President Trump he said “one positive thing he has done is turning young people to politics and public Service. And it is great to teach and encourage them.”

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