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1 O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 A weekly GrEEk AmEriCAN PuBliCATiON c v March 27-April 2, 2010 Bringing the news to generations of Greek Americans VOL. 13, ISSUE 650 $1.50 Student s Death Shakes Up Community NEW YORK - Artemis Makas, 20, was a beautiful young girl who was full of kindness. She managed to win over the hearts of everyone who got to know her last year, when she was named runner up in the annual Miss Greek Independence Contest held by the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater N.Y. But that same heart of gold failed her early on Thursday March 18, as she took her final breath in the ambulance that was taking her to the hospital. "I lost my daughter. Everyone loved her," her sobbing mother Madalena managed to whisper as she spoke with The National Herald. "Maybe it was heart; I don't know...maybe she was overwhelmed with her studies. She was taking 17 credits." The results of the autopsy showed that Artemis suffered an aneurism. Her funeral was held at the Zoodohos Peghe Church in the Bronx on Monday March 22, and was attended by family members and fellow students. Consoling Artemis' grief stricken parents, Nick and Madalena, and her younger sister Louisa, the pastor of the Church of the Zoodohos Peghe, the Very Rev. Sylvester Berberis, spoke about the Church's outlook on death and the need for patience. He also spoke about the death of Jesus' friend Lazarus and how he cried at hearing the news, even though he resurrected him four days later. In his sermon and in comments to, Father Berberis called Artemis "a very creative girl, who was beautiful on the outside as well as on the inside. She would touch people with her personality, bring them happiness, and give them patience to endure." Following the burial at On the second day of spring, thousands of Philadelphians turn out on a beautiful Sunday to cheer on the marchers in the Greek By Stavros Marmarinos PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia the City of Brotherly Love - showed its appreciation to the country that gave it its name on Sunday March 21, during the annual Greek Parade celebrating the anniversary of Greek Independence. The city s central Ben Franklin Parkway was decked out in blue and white as large crowds took advantage of the warm spring weather and came out to attend the Greek Independence Day Parade organized by the Federation of Hellenic American Societies of Philadelphia and Greater Delaware Valley. The events began with a doxology service at the St. George Cathedral in Philadelphia, presided over by Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey and attended by many dignitaries, including visitors from Greece. A memorial service was also held for late Drexel University President Constantine Papadakis, who passed away last spring. Parade marchers of all ages dressed up in the traditional Evzone and Amalia costumes, and waved Greek flags in the glistening sun-kissed Sunday afternoon. Others marched with icons of the Annunciation, stressing the religious significance of the holiday as well. The first icon in Parade. Hellenes all over the world celebrated the 189th anniversary of the Greek declaration of independence on March 25. Hellenes March through the City of Brotherly Love the procession was from the Greek parish at Elkins Park in the greater Philadelphia area. Greek American soldiers who went off to fight in WWI used to swear an oath of allegiance before that icon. Metropolitan Evangelos spoke about the importance of the double holiday of March 25th highlighting the good news about Jesus Christ marked by the feast of the Annunciation and the anniversary of Greek Independence, which are celebrated on the same day. Metropolitan Evangelos pointed out that the Greek people were among the first to accept Christ and pass on His Gospel, out of love for God and their homeland. He went on to say that our heroes will be commemorated until the end of time. Metropolitan Evangelos also looked back on the life of Dr. Papadakis, noting that he too was a hero and a great benefactor of the community. Later on at the parade, marchers proceeded along Ben Franklin Parkway to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There was a strong showing from the youth of the community, but there were also many elderly Greek Americans who came out to march and display their pride over their Hellenic heritage. Continued on page 8 Continued on page 3 TNH/COSTAS BEJ EU Heads Dither as IMF Deal Looms German Chancellor Merkel Sets Three Conditions for Greek Economic Assistance By Christopher Tripoulas AHEPA Supreme President Nicholas A. Karacostas (l.) presents the Supreme President Award of Excellence in Preserving and Promoting Hellenism in the U.S. to E. John Rumpakis. Cretan Societies Honor Eleftherios Venizelos in NY By Constantine S. Sirigos NEW YORK The Combined Educational and Cultural Committee of Cretan Organizations of New York and New Jersey honored the memory of the great 20th century Greek statesman Eleutherios Venizelos on March 21 at the cultural center of the Cretan association Omonia in Astoria. The event marked the death, on March 18, 1936, of the leader of the Greek Nation who, as Prime Minister during the Balkan Wars, brought about the doubling of the territory and population of Greece For subscription: subscriptions@thenationalherald.com and is hailed as the Father of the Greek Republic. The well-attended event on the second day of Spring began with an opening prayer and blessing by Very Rev. Apostolos Koufallakis, Dean of St. Demetrios Cathedral, and greetings from John Kriaras, the President of Omonia and Mr. Theodore Manousakis, President of the Pancretan Association of America. Fotios Fiotodimitrkis, General Secretary of Omonia, was the M.C. and the featured speaker was Antonis H. Diamataris, Publisher and Editor of The National Herald, who spoke of the life and significance of Eleftherios Venizelos. Demetrius Kalamaras, President of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, also addressed the guests and introduced Bill Stathakos, who stressed that Venizelos, whose family had Continued on page 5 New AHEPA Banquet Formula a Hit By Steve Frangos CHICAGO - Since, 1929, the American Hellenic Educational and Progressive Association (AHEPA) has held a banquet in Washington, D.C. honoring the United States Congress. Over the years this biennial affair typically drew well over a thousand individuals. For the first time AHEPA has elected to divide the country into four great regions. This new regional approach is something of a return to an older style of AHEPAN meeting, where local grass roots connections are the rule of the day. Each regional banquet is designed to not only honor regional congressional officials but also other Hellenes and philhellenes of particular merit. Portland, Oregon was selected as the location of the 2010 Western Regional Biennial banquet. In support of this new approach, a number of the various AHEPA family organizations also held their meetings in Portland. Aside from the biennial banquet which took place in the evening, the AHEPA Supreme Lodge held its quarterly meeting earlier in the day. In like manner, Firwood District 22 conducted its Mid-Winter Conference prior to the evening s festivities. On Saturday, March 6th the Portland Marriott Downtown Riverfront location served as the common center for this series of events. Peter (Panagiotis) Amanatidis, Governor of Firwood District 22, served as chairman of the banquet. With just under 200 in attendance, this banquet proved - through its program, honorees acceptance remarks and enthusiastic response by those gathered - a true success for AHEPA. That the first Biennial Regional Banquet in New York City, held on November 21, 2009, attracted 300 attendees for their successful fete speaks volumes for not only the event in Oregon but the merit of this return to a grassroots focus. Nicolas G. Hancdes, District 22 Lt. Governor, served as Master of Ceremonies and offered the initial opening welcome. This was immediately followed by some additional brief welcoming remarks, first, by Peter Amanatidis, and then, by Katherine Karafotias, District Governor, Daughters of Penelope Firwood District 22. While the ambassador of Greece was unable to attend, the next speaker was the Honorable Ioannis Andreades, Consul General of Greece from San Francisco. Next to the lectern was Nick Aroutzidis, AHEPA Canadian President. This was followed by an invocation by Father John Angelis of the Holy Continued on page 4 GANP/DEmETriS PANAGOS Seen from l. to r. Combined Educational and Cultural Committee Chairperson Maria Koudellou, Omonia Cretan Society President John Kriaras, event moderator Fotios Fiotodemetrakis, and Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York President Demetrius Kalamaras. Merkel fears aid will hurt her party in upcoming elections. NEW YORK - The high stakes game of chicken being played between Greece, Germany, and the rest of the European Union nations is turning into a thriller. Weeks of hazy talk about an EU solution to the Greek financial crisis will come to the forefront at a European Union summit taking place March European leaders negotiated frantically as the sliding euro and a downgrade of Portugal's debt put pressure on them to come up with a bailout plan for Greece's debt crisis. Markets increasingly expect that Eurozone governments will let the International Monetary Fund step in and rescue Greece an admission that Europe on its own can't halt the crisis within its currency union. The latest vote of no confidence in vulnerable Eurozone economies came with Fitch Ratings' downgrade Wednesday of Portugal's debt, in the latest sign that the crisis is spreading beyond Greece. European diplomats speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity said Spain's Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is heading efforts to get the 16 Eurozone nations to meet separately Thursday on the crisis surrounding Greece, in addition to the meeting of all 27 EU member governments. Eurozone leaders have only met once for a summit before, at the height of the banking crisis in "He is pushing hard for this and we think it is going to happen," said the diplomat. EU President Herman Van Rompuy is also asking for a Eurozone summit, said another EU Continued on page 9 Does Church Welcome Newcomers? By Angelike Contis NEW YORK With regard to Greece s perhaps over 1 million recent immigrants, is the Church of Greece a benevolent host or bastion of nationalism? Recent Brown University graduate George Mesthos is in Greece on a Fulbright grant trying to find out. The Burlington, New Jersey, native explained that being in Greece when Archbishop Christodoulos died is what prompted his questioning. The talk about his legacy was really polarized, Mesthos writes, in an correspondence with from a Fulbright workshop in Luxembourg. On the one side, he was an over-politicized, xenophobic Continued on page 5 AP PHOTO

2 2 COMMUNITY THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 In the Spotlight: Courtney Charatsaris By Eleni Kostopoulos Staff Writer NEW YORK Courtney Charatsaris, Miss Mercer County 2010, is a junior at Montclair State University, majoring in theatre with a double minor in musical theatre and psychology. The 21 year-old New Jersey-based honor student, who will compete for the title of Miss New Jersey in June, is a Dean s List student and a member of several honor fraternities. TNH: Tell us about yourself. CC: I love sports just as much as I love sequins and shoes. I m a huge Yankee fan. My passion is singing. Even when I m not in a show or rehearsing, I am always listening to music, humming, or making up silly little songs that I sing as I go through my day. Fate. I believe everything happens for a reason, it s all a part of some master plan. I never saw myself as a pageant girl or thought of going into the performing arts until recently. It was actually my musical director for a charity benefit that felt I would do well in the Miss America system, having a daughter who was a former Miss N.J., and she signed me up. TNH: How did you get to where you are today? CC: It wasn t until I had to fill out my college applications that I knew I wanted to go into theatre. I started thinking about what it was I absolutely loved to do, and that was to perform and entertain people. It makes me so happy to create something meaningful to people and to TNH/COSTAS BEJ Mikrokosmos Ensemble Keeps the Music Alive Led by Grigori Maninakis, the Mikrokosmos Ensemble and 11 talented young people presented Musical Bridge to the New Generation March Above: Vanya Visnjic-Triantafilou (violin) and Katerina Visnjic Triantafillou (accordion). TNH/THEODOrE kalmoukos State Senator Raptakis Honored in Lowell, Mass. The Greek American community of Lowell, Mass. honored Rhode Island State Senator Leonidas Raptakis (standing, 5th from l.) at the Olympia restaurant. The event supported his candidacy to become Rhode Island s Secretary of State. ST JOHN THE BAPTIST GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 143 East 17th St., New York, NY (212) HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES 2010 March 27 - Saturday of Lazarus Orthros 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. March 28 - PALM SUNDAY Orthros 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. The Service of the Bridegroom (Nymphios) 7:00 p.m. March 29 - HOLY MONDAY The Service of the Bridegroom (Nymphios) 7:00 p.m. March 30 - HOLY TUESDAY The Service of the Bridegroom - Hymn of Kassiani 7:00 p.m. March 31 - HOLY WEDNESDAY Sacrament of Holy Unction 7:00 p.m. April 1 - HOLY THURSDAY Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 9:30 a.m. The Service of the Holy Passion of our Lord (Twelve Gospels) 7:00 p.m. April 2 - GOOD FRIDAY: Apokathelosis 3:00 p.m. Lamentations and Epitaphios 7:00 p.m. April 3 - HOLY AND GREAT SATURDAY Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great (Last Supper)9:30 a.m. The Pannychis 11:30 p.m. The Resurrection Service and Liturgy 12:00 Midnight April 4 - EASTER SUNDAY - PASCHA Τhe Great Vespers of Agape 12:00 Noon The Priest, the President, the Parish Council, the Officers and Members of the Ladies Philoptochos wish all the parishioners, friends and their families HAPPY EASTER Courtney Charatsaris bring joy and laughter into their hearts; The applause and laughter is definitely like a drug. TNH: Do you have any role models? CC: My mom. She s such a strong and loving individual, and has done so much for me. She is responsible for who, and where, I am today, teaching me, and of course, making costumes, chauffeuring, cooking, helping me practice, etc. Another would be Princess Diana. I aspire to be as revered and loved as she was, not only for her grace and poise, but for her tireless efforts to help those in need. She was an excellent humanitarian and role model for young women. Oh, and Maria Callas. I think my Dad wants me to be like her. He loves when I get to perform in an Opera because of that. She was insanely talented and I d like to be as respected and admired in the music industry as she still is. She s a music legend. TNH: What is your greatest achievement thus far? What do you hope to achieve in the future? CC: Being crowned Miss Mercer County combined not only my scholastic achievements, but also my commitment to community service and success as a young woman and role model. I think in today s society it s so easy for young people to get side-tracked or to take the easy way out. It s important to get back to our values and come together to make our world a better place and ourselves better people. Volunteering and doing something positive with our lives is the simplest step toward a better and brighter tomorrow. My ultimate goal is to be Miss America, and then open up a performing arts studio. TNH: What is an issue regarding the Greek community - here or abroad- that concerns you? CC: I m really worried about the rioting and uproar happening in Greece over the economy. I think our global economy is in serious trouble and pretty soon it s going to get really ugly. My hope is that people both here and in Greece find ways to peacefully express their concerns and try to find better solutions. Violence won t solve anything - it will only make matters worse. TNH: What part of Greece is your family from? Do you visit often? CC: My family is from Athens. My aunts and uncles live there most of the year, and we all have vacation homes in Kokoni right near the beach. It s beautiful - I went last summer for the month of July. I came back to school with an awesome tan, and at least 5 pounds heavier from my Thia Aristera s cooking. TNH: What are some upcoming projects we can look forward to? CC: Right now I m in several shows. I m singing in MSU s Danceworks, I m in Park Players & Trinity Theatrical Productions Nunsense, in the opera Candide with Colonial Symphony and performers from the MET, and I m hosting, directing, and performing in my very own fundraiser, Cabaret for a Cure which benefits the International Myeloma Foundation. It will support both this organization and my platform Care 4 a Cure which helps cancer patients and their families. TNH: Share with us some words of wisdom. CC: We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit - Aristotle. I try to live by that, and make good decisions that will make be the best Courtney I can be. My personal advice is to smile - I always do - laughter is the best medicine. And some wisdom from my mother: brush your teeth and go to bed. It s really the best health and beauty advice there is. Contact Eleni Kostopoulos at EleniK@thenationalherald.com. TNH/THEODOrE kalmoukos Students of Boston s Cathedral Mark March 25th The students of the Greek school of the Annunciation Cathedral shouted Zito i Ellada at its Greek Independence Day celebration led by Very Rev. Cleopas Strongylis (l.) and priest-monk Demetrios Antonopoulos, who teaches there and was the M.C TNH/COSTAS BEJ Greek School Students Recreate Greek History The students of the afternoon Greek School of St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria, N.Y., dressed in period costumes, celebrate Greek Independence on March 22 with a skit depicting events related to the Greek Revolution at the Patrides Center. a b POCKET-LESS PITA BREAD Kontos Foods The Leading Company in Flat Breads Well known for the Pocket-Less Pita manufacturers of Authentic Ethnic Hand Stretched Flat bread. kontos the first family in fillo dough and fillo products. FillO kataifi, BAklAVA, SPANAkOPiTA, TyrOPiTA NuT roll, melomakarona and the TrADiTiONAl mediterranean DESSErTS. Excellent quality and service. We distribute in USA and Canada. Special prices for communities, schools, churches festivals and other events Kontos Foods, Inc Box 628, Paterson, NJ Tel.: (973) Fax: (973) kontos.com n MARCH 26 ASTORIA, N.Y. The Annual Greek Independence Day Parade Dinner Dance will be held at the Stathakion Center on March 26. The Stathakion Center is located at: th Street, Astoria, N.Y. will be held. $50 Per Ticket. For additional information and to RSVP, please call (718) n MARCH CHICAGO, Ill. - The Gene Siskel Film Center welcomes you to the 13th Annual European Union Film Festival, the largest showcase in North America for the cinema of the European Union nations. All 27 EU nations are represented in this year s festival, which includes 59 feature films, all Chicago premieres. Slaves in Their Bonds (Oi Sklavoi Sta Desma Tous) is the polished historical drama adapted from the novel by Konstantinos Theotokis and is the official Greek submission for Academy Awards consideration. It s the turn of the 20th century on Corfu, and gambling debts and mismanagement have brought the aristocratic Ofiomachos family to the brink of financial ruin. Their only salvation appears to be in a forced marriage between their beautiful daughter and a wealthy, politically connected doctor, passing over the plainer daughter who is eager to sacrifice herself for the family. The Gene Siskel Film Center is located ad: 164 North State Street, Chicago, Illinois. For further information, visit: or call: (312) n APRIL 4 LOS ANGELES, Calif. St. Sophia Cathedral will host its 88th Annual Easter Picnic on April 4 from 11 a.m. 7:00 p.m. The annual Easter Picnic provides all parishioners with the opportunity to break the Lenten fast together, and to celebrate the glory and joy of the Resurrection as a family. Join in for great food, music and fun at a southern California park. It is a time to make new friends and catch up with old friends from all parishes in Southern California. Further information, visit: n APRIL 6 NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. - The United Nations Headquarters is hosting the Worldwide Affirmation of the Genocide of Hellenes (Greeks) perpetrated by Turkey and the Young Turk Party in Thrace, Anatolia and Asia Minor event on April 6 from 12 p.m. 1 p.m. Speakers include the President of the Hellenic Organization of University Graduates of America (HOUGA), the Pan- Pontian Federation USA and CANADA President and officials, and members and officials of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York. This year s memorial will include unique scholars and a solemn recital of the orphic hymns for our dead. For more information on the Hellenic Genocide Memorial and to volunteer time, charity or learn more on how to participate in this historic memorial, contact: Ioannis Fidanakis, (973) ; Nikolaos Taneris, (917) or e- mail: panthracian@yahoo.com. To download the pamphlet, The Genocide of the Greeks, visit: The United Nations Headquarters are located between E. 42nd and E. 43 rd Street, on First Avenue, Ralph J Bunche Park, New York City. n APRIL 7 FLUSHING, N.Y. The Center for Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies at Queens College, the Cultural Committee of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce are hosting the, Greek Debt Crisis: Is There a Way Out, lecture on April 7 at 6:45 p.m. The speaker will be Dr. Charles W. Calomiris, Henry Kaufman Professor of Financial Institutions Columbia University Graduate School of Business. A reception will follow the lecture. Admission is free. Holy Trinity Cathedral Center is located at: 337 East 74th Street, New York, N.Y. For further information please contact the Center: (718) 997- Vote on our website! GOINGS ON The Holy Trinity Cathedral: (212) ; or the HACC: (212) n APRIL 10 NEW YORK, N.Y. The Cultural Committee of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity will host a concert featuring the Choir of St. John the Baptist College, Oxford University on April 10 at 7:30 p.m. The St. John s Choir is touring North America taking a program of Anglican choral music with an emphasis on music related to St. John the Baptist (including Gibbons setting of This is the Record of John, Part An Anthem of St. John the Baptist, and a new commission by composer Philip Moore). There has been a long history of choral music at St. John s where the Choir has been singing Chapel services from its founding in 1660 to the present day. The Choir is composed of about 28 undergraduate and graduate students under the direction of the Organ Scholars. Recent tours have taken the Choir to many places of worship in England, including Westminster Abbey, and internationally to many European countries, the USA, and South Africa. Admission is free and a reception will follow the concert. For further information please contact the Cathedral office at: (212) Holy Trinity Cathedral is located at: 337 East 74th Street, New York, NY n APRIL 16 NEW YORK, N.Y. The raising of the Greek Flag in honor of the Greek Independence Day Parade will be held on April 16 at Bowling Green, in lower Manhattan, at 12:00 p.m. For further information about this, and other events, visit: CHICAGO, Ill The National Hellenic Museum will feature an Artist Series Sculptures and Casting on April 16 from 6:00 8:00 p.m. Featured artist Peter Calaboyias will explain his technique of bronze casting. Learn how he artist developed this specific system of investment casting as he discusses his methodology and ideas. This presentation is especially interesting to art students, sculptors, artists, and even collectors of bronze. Admission: $7 members, $10 non-members, $5 students. The National Hellenic Museum is located at: 801 W. Adams Street, Chicago, Illinois. For further information, visit: rg or call: (312) n APRIL 17 PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. The Saint Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church will host its annual fundraising glendi on April 17 at 7:00 p.m. Music will be by: Ormi & DJ Taki Z. Appetizers, Refreshments, Coffee, & Desserts will be served at 7:00 p.m. Folk dance troupes will perform traditional Greek dances at 8:00 p.m. and at 8:30 p.m. will be open dancing. Admission is $20. For tickets call: Patty Jouras at: (815) ; Dora Adams at: (219) ; or Georgene Karountzos at: (708) Saint Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church is located at: South Ridgeland Avenue, Palos Heights, Illinois MAY 1 CHICAGO, Ill. - AHEPA will host a banquet to Honor three United States Senators on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. AHEPA Supreme President Nicholas A. Karacostas announced that America's oldest and largest Hellenic heritage organization will honor three distinguished U.S. senators and a group of six Greek Americans for their commitment to community leadership and long-standing records of public service. Karacostas said the tri-state American Hellenic community from Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana will gather at an AHEPA-sponsored banquet to honor U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois; U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar from Indiana; and U.S. Senator Russell D. Feingold of Wisconsin. For more information on the event please contact: John Galanis at: (414) or jwg@gpjlaw.com QUESTION OF THE WEEK You have the chance to express your opinion on our website on an important question in the news. The results will be published in our printed edition next week along with the question for that week. The question this week is: Western and Eastern Christian Easters fall on the same Sunday this year. Will part of your family's celebration take place in non-orthodox settings? o Yes o No The results for last week s question: Do you, or does your family do anything special to celebrate Greek Independence Day? 41% voted "Yes" 59% voted "No" Please vote at:

3 THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 COMMUNITY 3 Philadelphia embraces Hellenism on Sunday, March 21 as citizens of all ages and ethnic backgrounds turn out for the annual Greek parade on the second day of spring. Students from the PHOTOS: TNH/COSTAS BEJ Church of the Holy Trinity of Wilmington, Delaware wave Greek flags on their parish s float (center photo). 13 parishes and their related organizations marched in this year s parade. Hellenes March through City of Brotherly Love for the Annual Greek Parade Continued from page 1 The Drexel University Hellenic Club drew especially loud cheers from the audience. When the marchers reached the grandstand, the parade came to a temporary halt and a moment of silence was observed for the ever-memorable Constantine Papadakis. Afterwards, spectators gave the students one more final round of applause. In his message to the audience, Metropolitan Evangelos noted that the Greek American Community has achieved great things and will continue to do so. He also expressed his appreciation to everyone for support- Greece). Mrs. Karabots was selected to be the grand marshal of the parade, together with her husband and noted philanthropist Nicholas, who could not attend due to a pressing engagement. In her statements to The National Herald moments later, Mrs. Karabots said My husband and I feel very proud that were selected to be the parade s grand marshals. I regret that my husband could not be here with me today, but we thank the entire Greek American Community for their love and appreciation. It was a very lovely event. May Greece live on forever. Greek political figures were the sacrifices of those same heroes as their own banner in their struggle for freedom from their Turkish oppressors. She expressed her hope to attend next year s Greek Parade as a representative of a unified Cyprus. Shortly after the parade, a celebration was held in the St. Demetrios church hall in Upper Darby, Penn., which was attended by a capacity crowd. A performance featuring traditional Greek dances was also held there. Dance troupes from local Greek schools, Greek Orthodox churches, and Greek American associations performed under the watchful eye of Nick Giantsos. At St. George Cathedral. (Above, l. - r.) George Horiates,V. Admiral Nicholas Siliotis, Dimitris and Lula Boosalis, Irene Karounis, Gen. John Panarites, Koula Sophianou, Consul Gen. of Cyprus in NY, Aghi Balta, Consul General of Greece in NY, MP Marios Salmas-ND and MP Eleni Panarites-PASOK. Below: Honor guard in traditional Greek costumes during doxology service. Children in the spirit of the day in the community center of St. Demetrios of Upper Darby, PA. ing the parade especially the youth who displayed their Greek pride for all to see. Philadelphia Mayor Mike Nutter greeted the audience as well during the parade, and spoke about the importance of the Greek War of Independence in He also hailed the contribution made today by the Greek American Community to the city of Philadelphia. During his speech, the mayor presented Metropolitan Evangelos with a proclamation from the city of Philadelphia in honor of March 25, The proclamation highlights the struggle of the Greek people for freedom from the Ottoman yoke, recognizes ancient Greece as the birthplace of democracy, and pays tribute to Hellenic culture, which spread from its Greek birthplace throughout the entire world, leaving its mark on every major sector of civilization. Athena Karabots also addressed the parade-goers from the grandstand, proudly saying Zito I Hellas (Long Live also on hand at the parade representing the Hellenic Parliament. Ruling Socialist PASOK party MP Elena Panariti spoke about her pride at celebrating Greece s national day together with Greek Americans. Main opposition Conservative New Democracy party MP Marios Salmas noted that A part of Greece lives on here. He also mentioned a conversation he had with a non-greek student at a Greek school, who told him I may not have been born Greek, but I think Greek. Greek Consul General in New York Ambassador Aghi Balta noted in her speech that Our forefathers raised the banner of liberty, and applauded the Greek American Community. Cyprus Consul General in NY Koula Sophianou was also on hand, and pointed out that the battle cry used by the Greek revolutionary war heroes of 1821 Freedom or Death stands as a timeless message. She also said that 189 years after the Greek War of Independence, the Cypriot people hold Anna Alexandrakis and students Stephania, Paul, Dimitris, Christine, and Charles begin parade day with church services. The Greek and American national anthems were sung by Evanthia Spring at the start of the event, while Mr. Demetrios Rozanitis served as the Master of Ceremonies. Thomas M. Micozzie, Mayor of the Township of Upper Darby also spoke at the event, and presented a proclamation for the holiday of March 25th. The President of the Federation of Hellenic American Societies of Philadelphia and Greater Delaware Valley, George Horiatis, said he was very pleased at this year s parade. It keeps getting better and better with each year that passes, he said. The spirit of Hellenism is alive not only in Upper Darby or Cherry Hill, but all throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area, Mr. Horiatis said. Demetris Rozanitis also shared his joy over the success of this year s Greek Parade. Mr. Rozanitis also said that one of the new participants in this year s parade was the Hellenic Medical Society of Philadelphia, as well as the St. Demetrios Church in Wildwood, N.J. I think that most of the Greek parishes that marched this year had more people participating, Mr. Rozanitis added. And I m glad to see this, because I know most Greeks are yearning in their hearts to go out and attend the parade. This year, I also saw more older folks at the parade than ever before, and this is a great thing. We want them to come to the parade and look proudly upon the next generation of Greek Americans; their children and grandchildren. The youth were particularly exuberant this year too. We had participation from young students attending Greek language schools, as well as Greek university students. In total, 13 Greek Orthodox parishes and their related organizations marched in the parade, from Philadelphia, Broomall, Wilmington, Elkins Park, Norristown, Atlantic City, Egg Harbor, Vineland, Cherry Hill, and Upper Darby. Another 25 Greek American organizations marched, together with other local institutions. Some of these groups included the Greek Clubs from the Universities of Drexel, Temple, Villanova, Penn, and Saint Joseph s. Two AHEPA chapters and three regional organizations from Macedonia also marched. Well known judge Harry Karapalides served as Parade cochairman, together with Nicholas Tsigas.

4 4 COMMUNITY THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 Byron s Encounter with Greece: An Open-Minded Philhellene is Born By Angelike Contis NEW YORK This month marks the 200th anniversary of Philhellene George Gordon Byron s (aka Lord Byron s), first trip to Greece when he was in his 20s. The young man on a junior year abroad and not the distinguished poet and older, familiar Byron of Messolongi, was the subject of David Roessel s talk on March 18 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan. At the third Rev. Basil S. Gregory Memorial Lecture, the professor of Greek Language and Literature from Richard Stockton College, in New Jersey, painted a vivid image of the lesser-known Byron. The young Byron s enthusiastic observations and moody reflections gave a sense of both what he d later become, and the lasting image he d paint of an oppressed, fiercely beautiful Greece. Roessel, who is the author of In Byron s Shadow: Modern Greece in the English and American Imagination, frequently compared the Byron of to his New Jersey college students. From the professor s description, it wasn t hard to picture Byron, with a traveling bag in hand, discovering Greece. The professor contrasted Byron s delving into modern Greece, with other writers like Virginia Woolf who didn t know how to reconcile ancient and modern Greece. The Byronic difference, as Roessel put it, was in exploring the present. Of ancient Greeks we know more than enough, Byron later noted in 1822, but he also contrasted ancient Athenian democracy to modern Greece s enslaved state under Ottoman rule. Byron learned to swear in Turkish as he wrote to his mother but he was devoted to learning Greek, making a point of avoiding his fellow countrymen to do so. He started translating Greek folk songs and poems into English. I cannot stress how unusual this was, noted Roessel. In Greece, the budding writer took spicy pen to paper to compare the Ottoman and British empires. I see not much difference between us and the Turks, except we have foreskins and they don t In England the tradition is drinking and whoring, in Turkey its sodomy and smoking. The poet-to-be lashed out against Elgin (a.k.a. Thomas TNH/COSTAS BEJ Professor David Roessel, of Richard Stockton College in New Jersey, presented a whole other side to Philhellene Lord Byron in his March 18 talk at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin), whose agents removed and shipped the Parthenon Marbles to England, between Byron sarcastically compared the act to insect collecting or fox hunting, adding: Lord Elgin can boast on ruining Athens I do not think the honor of England is advanced by plunder, within Greece or India In his first Greek visit, he ignored 125 degree heat, survived a 3-day fever and noted: Wherever we tread is holy ground. Young Byron noted that London could not compare to his view in Athens that encompassed Mt. Hymettos and the city s stadium. In Byron s poetry, said Roessel, he wrote of Greek nature; in his prose, he focused on Greek country folk. Byron, who would in 1824 die of an illness contracted while fighting for Greek Independence in Messolongi wrote that his visit to Greece helped him shake the narrow prejudices of an islander. In one writing, he planned a quiet life. In another, he made a melodramatic list of his disgust with life and human company. Yet, as Roessel noted, in his vivid talk, If Greece had a debt to the older Byron, Byron understood he had a debt to Greece. When the writer would return in 1824, added the speaker, he became a hero of the script he had written. After the talk, Rev. Basil S. Gregory s son, Andreas Gregory, told the audience that, like Byron, his father loved Greece with all his heart. He would say on a number of occasions: By mistake I was born in the U.S. I should have been born in Greece. The lecture was held under the auspices of Ambassador Aghi Balta, Consul General of Greece, who was in attendance, as was Cyprus Consul General Koula Sophianou. In her introduction, Balta noted: Greek independence is certainly the victory of moral facts over material strength. Roessel was introduced by Vangelis Calotychos of Columbia University s Program in Hellenic Studies. On hand were representatives of the event s co-sponsors: the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, the Cultural Committee of Archdiocesan Holy Trinity Cathedral, the Hellenic Medical Society, the Hellenic Lawyers Association and the Hellenic American Bankers Association. ALL HISTORY New Order of AHEPA Biennial Banquet Formula is a Hit in Portland, Oregon Continued from page 1 GREEK ORTHODOX HOLY WEEK SERVICES IN ENGLISH at ST. ANTHONY ORTHODOX CHURCH 385 Ivy Lane, Bergenfield, NJ TEL: Master of Ceremonies Nicolas G. Hancdes (l.), U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon (c.), Sup. President Karacostas present the Senator Paul Tsongas Memorial Award at the AHEPA banquet. Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Portland. Dinner was served at this point, while the program went on a pace. Next in the evening s schedule of events, Nicolas G. Hancdes, first introduced Supreme President Nicholas A. Karacostas and then the attending individuals from the AHEPA Supreme Lodge. Those so recognized included Karacostas; Dr. John Grossomanides, Jr. Supreme Vice President; Nick Aroutzidis, Canadian President; Anthony Kouzounis, Supreme Secretary; Col. Nick P. Vamvakias (ret.), Supreme Treasurer; Anastasios G. Konstantin, Supreme Counselor; and then Supreme Governors: Peter S. Sergis, Region 1; Chris D. Kontos, Region 5; Tom Gober, Region 6; James J. Perros, Region 7; Peter T. Triantafyllos, Region 8; and for the Sons of Pericles Niko Antonopoulos of Seattle. Basil N. Mossaidis, Executive Director of AHEPA was also recognized. Nine individuals were honored with AHEPA Achievement Awards. First was United States Senator Ron Wyden, who received the AHEPA Paul E. Tsongas Memorial Award for Public Service. Senator Wyden s remarks set the tone for all who followed. The Senator was relaxed and clearly among friends and not just constituents. Naming long time friends at his table and in the audience, the Senator not only received an award but was able to share memoires and thoughts with people he had known all his life. United States Congressman Earl Blumenauer, recipient of the AHEPA Pericles Award, was also a decade s long friend of the local Greek community. In the friendly banter that the Congressman obviously encouraged, Hancdes interrupted the Congressmen to remind him not to forget an upcoming Hellenicsponsored fundraising mara - thon. To the great enjoyment of the attendees, Congressman Blumenauer reminded one and all he could not possibly participate in the marathon, because he was working at the Portland Hellenic Festival on that particular day! United States Senator Jeff Merkley received the AHEPA Meritorious Public Service Award. I should note here that the audience gave standing ovations nine times--not only for their government representatives, but for many of the evening s honorees. It was also the case that Hancdes, as Master of Ceremonies, gave some of the most informed and thoughtful introductions to each honoree that I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. He is a gifted and articulate speaker of the first order. Dr. Harry Anastasiou was awarded the Academy of Achievement Award in Academics. Dr. Anastasiou s award had particular local meanings. Since 1974, AHEPA chapters across Oregon and Washington, as elsewhere in the country, have been especially concerned with justice and human rights. Harry Anastasiou s publications, teaching and personal involvement in conflict resolution on Cyprus have and remain singular contributions. When the attendees rose to applaud this man, they were obviously honoring and recognizing, a favorite-son. I received the Academy of Achievement Award in Journalism. In my remarks, I responded to something both Senator Wyden and Congressman Blumenauer had taken time to reflect on. Each had mentioned how moved they were whenever they entered or walked through the Capital Building in Washington. I noted that it was a Greek Constantine Brumidis who had painted the world-class frescos that adorn it. Kostas Mallios, a Microsoft executive, accepted the Academy of Achievement Award in Business. In accepting his award, Mallios recalled how, as a small boy, he saw the Greeks going from house-to-house in the Greek neighborhood with a small paper bag. Such was the solidarity among the Greeks; they would share what they could, since this was the only way many of them could raise money to start their own first businesses. Dr. Thalia Papayannopoulou received the Academy of Achievement Award in Medicine and also received, on behalf of Dr. George Stamatoyannopoulos, who was in Greece, his Academy of Achievement Award in Medicine. Dr. Papayannopoulou said, in acceptance of both awards, that without the ongoing support of family, friends and community, the often lonely work of research was impossible. A change in the evenings announced program was when Karacostas asked Hancdes if he could introduce the final honoree. E. John Rumpakis received the Supreme President Award of Excellence in preserving and promoting Hellenism in the United States. Giving what proved to be the keynote speech, Rumpakis thoughts focused on the future. An individual with a long history as a public speaker, I cannot hope to match his eloquence just from my notes. But my discussions over the next week with others who attended the event and what they recalled can help me at least give some sense of his extemporaneous remarks that night. As Rumpakis sees it, leadership, long-range planning and reengaging the local chapters at the grassroots are the best methods to take Hellenism in North America to the next level. Rumpakis challenged those present to be the ones to offer that leadership, to be the ones to chart out the needed planning and to be the very source of energy and drive needed. This was also the occasion when it was formally announced that Rumpakis had donated $250,000 to launch the Hellenic Studies Program at Portland State. Portland State University, for those unfamiliar with this institution, is simultaneously in the very heart of the city of Portland and the largest urban college in the state with some 28,000 students. This was not the first time E. John Rumpakis has donated to his alma mater. From the ages of 32 to 52, Rumpakis gave an annual scholarship that was earmarked for seniors in the School of Business studying real estate practices. As a case study in long-term planning and discipline, Rumpakis noted that, in effect, he had set aside $1,000 a month for 20 consecutive years to be able to accumulate the funds he had donated. Expanding on this point, the $250,000 endowment was after taxes, and so in real dollar terms, $450,000 to $500,000 had to be earned. Rumpakis, a realist of the first order, was not simply throwing money at a problem. During his meeting with the Portland State University officials Rumpakis had asked them pointedly, Why Greek? His meaning, which was shared by many others I was to subsequently learn, was what kind of future jobs, positions or benefits could any student expect to gain by taking Greek classes. That no immediate answer was given or in point of fact had been even considered by the faculty and administrators present, should cause Greeks all across the nation to pause and raise similar questions in their home communities. What are Greek Americans reasonably able to expect from the American educational system in terms of Modern Greek Studies? Is it just to give immigrant Greek scholars (who always tell you They are not immigrants, but rather intellectuals living aboard) a job? Is it to compete in some abstract way with other ethnic studies programs? What has Greek America received in tangible terms from nearly one hundred years of fundraising, donations and countless events directed solely at securing some kind of Greek historical and cultural programming in our schools? E. John Rumpakis had definite thoughts about the outcome of these programs to date: Those that learn about a cultural tradition or history of a given people are the only ones that can honestly be said to have ownership over it. Rumpakis received one of the evening s longest standing ovations. Rumpakis asked Dr. Marvin Kaiser, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Portland State University, to offer a few words. Karacostas made the closing remarks followed by a benediction. Far from a solemn occasion live music and dance by Odyssey Greek Music closed out the evening. Future researchers should be aware that Peter Corvallis Productions made a video of the entire banquet. In traveling to Oregon, and in the time I spent speaking with what seemed like dozens and dozens of local Greeks of the Great Northwest, I kept thinking about how AHEPA or any of the fraternal organizations really operated as social forums. I have seen, and not just in the Great Northwest but around the country, how fraternal organizations have helped Greek Americans grow and develop as individuals. It is one thing to say that the children of the first immigrants learned speaking skills and a refined public presence from their daily jobs. But I have long wondered how their parents, the first immigrant generation, succeeded in the Greek War Relief efforts of World War II? Where did they acquire their deep confidence and obvious polished political skills? Do skills acquired in the work place really explain how Greek Americans formed the Greek Lobby of which Washington is still very much aware? I am not a member of any Greek fraternal or church-based organization. But it is not difficult to realize, based on my experiences attending AHEPA s 2010 Western Regional Biennial Banquet, that long-term friendships and honestly-felt affection existed between the local Greeks, academics, and politicians. An organic grassroots revival of Greek America seems to me to be the only way Hellenism will continue in North America, or anywhere else. MARCH 28, :00 A.M. - PALM SUNDAY Divine Liturgy & Procession with Palms MARCH 28,29,30, :00 P.M. - PALM SUNDAY EVENING HOLY MONDAY, HOLY TUESDAY Bridegroom service (Nymphios), Hymn of Kassiani on Holy Tuesday MARCH 31, :00 P.M. - HOLY WEDNESDAY EVENING HOLY OIL ANOINTING (EFCHELAION) Metropolitan Philip, Archbishop of Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, presiding APRIL 1, :00 A.M. - HOLY THURSDAY MORNING Divine Liturgy Eucharist of the Last Supper APRIL 1, :00 P.M. - HOLY THURSDAY EVENING Passion Gospels, Washing of the Feet, Carrying of the Cross to Golgotha APRIL 2, HOLY FRIDAY 4:00 P.M. VESPERS Placing of the Epitaphios (Apokathelosis) APRIL 2, HOLY FRIDAY EVENING 8:00 P.M. Lamentations at the Tomb APRIL 3, HOLY SATURDAY MORNING 10:00 A.M. DIVINE LITURGY Celebration of Christ s Victory over Death (Proti Anastasis) APRIL 3/4, SATURDAY EVENING 10:15 P.M. PASCHA, RUSH PROCESSION & DIVINE LITURGY APRIL 4, EASTER AGAPE VESPERS 11:00 A.M. Reading of the Gospel in many tongues Comments? welcomes your response to any article or editorial Please send to english.edition@thenationalherald.com

5 THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 COMMUNITY 5 Cretan Societies of N.Y. & N.J. Honor Memory of Eleftherios Venizelos Continued from page 1 roots in the Peloponnese, not only fought for the liberation of Crete from Ottoman rule, but for enosis (union) of Crete with Greece. The island was first merely granted autonomy in Maria Koudellou, president of the Combined Committee, read Mantinades the traditional island poetry Crete is famed for about Venizelos. The event s highlights included songs by the choir and youth dance troupe of Omonia, both led by Niko Zoulakis. The spirited dancers were a tribute to the vivacity of the Cretan community in New York and the memory of the Cretan who was being honored that afternoon. The guests were also entertained by the excellent traditional Cretan orchestra composed of talented local young adults. Antonis Diamataris began his presentation by quoting Venizelos contemporary, British Prime Minister Lloyd George, who called his Greek colleague the greatest Greek statesman after Pericles. Acknowledging that one simply cannot say enough about Venizelos, Diamataris praised the passion, vision and accomplishments that led to the doubling of Greece s territory, and then related some lesserknown facts of his life. Dimataris speech was supplemented by an excellent biographical documentary that was shown to the guests, who TNH Editor/Publisher Antonis Diamataris speaks about the Greek leader Eleftherios Venizelos at the Omonia Association. learned that a severe political crisis in 1909 left Greece in desperate need of leadership. Venizelos stepped into the void. He became Prime Minister, initiating vital reforms and the modernization of the state, but most importantly, he led Greece into the alliance of Balkan states that finally expelled Turkish forces from all of Europe but Eastern Thrace. Venizelos then led a bitterly divided Greece into WWI on the side of the allies (the monarchy, which had family ties with the German royal family, preferred neutrality) and he gained still more territory, including most of Eastern Thrace, the islands of Imbros and Tenedos and the right to land Greek armed forces in Smyrna. At this point, there were tragic and unexpected turns. Days after signing the triumphant Treaty of Sevres, on July 30, 1920 (old calendar), two disgruntled Greek naval officers attempted to assassinate the man who almost singlehandedly created the Greece we know today. That near-tragedy was followed by a political collapse. In his presentation, Diamataris described the scene at Venizelos s residence a few months later, when the people of Greece shockingly voted Venizelos party out of power, albeit by the slimmest of margins, a few thousand votes. Venizelos told friends and family I thought I had the people with me, that the people were following me, but I deceived myself. They were tired. I will not speak ill of them. I asked them for sacrifices greater that they could endure, he said, referring to the new war underway in Asia Minor, the final push to secure the Megali Idea, the Great Idea of the Greek Nation that Hellenes dreamed of since the birth of the tiny Greek state in That night Venizelos was asked, said Diamataris, why he called for elections in response to the political crisis caused by the death of King Alexander. Venizelos said of the attack on him in Paris: I was returning with the Treaty of Sevres in my pocket. I had restored Byzantium, Constantinople [was at hand] - and two of my naval officers shot at me. This affected me. It left me with doubts. I had to dip my mandate again into the will of the people, to feel their support again. Venizelos left for exile in Paris. Greek forces under King Constantine, however, could not make good Venizelos plans for Smyrna. Military defeat was total, now known to history as the Asia Minor Disaster, because it led to the expulsion of more than one million Greeks and the end of the 3,000-year Greek presence in Asia Minor. Venizelos was called back from exile, begged by the people who had rejected him, in the poignant words of Lord Kinross, to pick up the pieces of his own shattered dream. Finishing his historical highlights, Diamataris cited the humility of the great leader, who freely acknowledged his mistakes and remained true to his principles in triumph and defeat. He lauded the Cretan s deep grasp of human psychology, his charisma and brilliance as a speaker, his self-control, and his policies, which were rooted in reality, not dreams, and his great spirit and will. The members of the Combined Committee are: Cretan Association Omonia ; Pasipahe of New York; Syllogos Kreton Minos ; Idomeneas Youth of New York; Cretan Brotherhood of New York; Cretan Sisterhood of New York; Kazantzakis Youth of New York; Kritiki Filoxenia of Staten Island ; The White Mountains of New Jersey; Arcadi Youth of New Jersey; Erotokritos-Aretousa of Long Island and Diktamos of Westchester County. PHOTOS: GANP/DEmETriS PANAGOS The Venizelos exhibit included an early issue of Ethnikos Kirix. Vermont Parish Introduces Short-Lived Plastic Spoon Option for Communion By Theodore Kalmoukos BOSTON Responding to fears about the H1N1 flu epidemic, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox parish of Rutland,Vermont started using individual plastic spoons for the Holy Communion though it seems that this new practice will not continue due to objections from the Metropolis of Boston. Mr. Theodore Corsones, a long-time member of the parish, first raised the issue, in a letter to editor published in National Herald on February 20, Corsones was responding to our December 26 Edition article by Dr. John Collis, M.D. Dr. Collis stated in his article, Some members of the Orthodox Church never take communion because of the use of a common spoon...they all believe that the use of a common spoon is unhygenic...perhaps our church, i.e. our bishops, could arrange for us Orthodox Christians to have the option of receiving communion without a common spoon. Corsones, a lawyer and a lifelong member of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox parish in Rutland wrote that, in response to Dr. Collis letter in TNH, as of this winter, the following procedure has been adapted: The priest instructs the parishioners who prefer to use individual plastic spoons to be first in line. Then, as each one of them approaches, an altar server provides a plastic spoon and the priest administers Holy communion to each of them with the plastic spoon. Each spoon that is used is discarded. Then, those that wish to receive Holy Communion with the common spoon do so immediately afterwards. It works very well and all our pleased with this procedure. During this winter season, most parishioners are using individual plastic spoons. The parish belongs to the Metropolis of Boston. Metropolitan Methodios did not reply to The Herald s written request for comments. In a telephone interview, Mr. Corsones said, The parish took the initiative because it was concerned about the swine flu. We are a small parish of about 15 families our priest is Fr. Nicanor Koutelas. He is retired. He added: The priest is very understanding and he thought it was most important that the parish participate in Holy Communion as the parishioners recommended saying, Give us the option. He said of course, he said, What is important is for you to participate and take Holy Communion, whether it is a metal spoon or plastic one is not the issue, the issue is participating in the body and blood of Christ. Corsones himself receives Holy Communion with the traditional common spoon. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated once a month, usually on the last Sunday of the month. Rutland, Vermont is located about three and a half hours from Boston by car. When asked if Fr. Nicanor received special permission from Metropolitan Methodios to use the plastic spoons, Corsones said: I do not want to get anybody in trouble, but I would tell you that we wouldn t ever ask him to do anything, if he did not discuss it with the Bishop. Fr. Nicanor did call Metropolitan Methodios and the hierarch said, I understand the problem. You do what you believe is best for your parish. He added: Fr. Koutelas told me exactly that the bishop was very understanding. He did not say, You must do it this way, or you must do it that way. Corsones also said, The parish is 100% in favor. The majority - almost all of them - use the plastic spoon. Perhaps five of us use the common spoon. When asked about the plastic spoon usage, Fr. Koutelas explained: There was panic here because of the flu. I have older people up here and they had difficulties receiving Holy Communion and I found a solution with the plastic spoon. He explained that the common spoon still remained an option. Fr. Koutelas said, My faithful accepted it very well. When asked what is done with plastic spoons after they are used, the priest explained: We have a crucible at the church and we put them in it. When asked if he had informed Metropolitan Methodios, Fr. Koutelas said No, adding: It was exclusively my initiative; the Metropolitan did not have any responsibility. However, Fr. Koutelas explained that the Metropoitan called me and he was very upset with me and he wanted to punish me. We do not use the plastic spoons any more. In October 2009, the Metropolis of Boston issued a statement in English about the swine flu and Holy Communion, which stated the following: It should be noted that the Church has always been clear in its belief that diseases are not transmitted from the Holy Chalice, which we believe contains the very body and blood of our Savior. Hence, the distribution of Holy Communion was never a question, even when various diseases ravaged the world. As is well known, Priests consume what remains in the Chalice at the end of the Divine Liturgy, regardless whether it was celebrated in a parish church, a hospital or hospice chapel. Orthodox Faithful have always acted responsibly. As we face the reality of the present flu pandemic fears, Orthodox Christians are urged to use discretion as they follow the directives of the medical community. GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ST. NICHOLAS Northern Blvd, Flushing, Ny Tel.: (718) HOLY WEEK AND PASCHAL SERVICES 2010 Orthros 7:30 a.m. Divine liturgy 8:30 a.m. Does Greek Church Welcome Immigrants? Continued from page 1 reactionary. On the other side, he was an over-politicized philanthropist who was kind to all people, Greek or migrant, Orthodox or otherwise. This led to Fulbright project Prevailing Faiths, whose description (along with Mesthos highbrow and lowbrow reports from Greece) are found on his online journal Why does immigration integration matter? In an online project description, Mesthos observes: The appearance of nearly one million immigrants has shocked Greeks accustomed to exporting workers and entertaining tourists. Greeks often brand newcomers xenos, foreigner, a term just short of barbarian. Immigrants are often left in limbo as applications for permanent residency sit in offices for years or decades while their children are born state-less. For his research Mesthos, who is also studying for a masters in South East European Studies at the University of Athens, is scouring press reports, speaking to non-governmental organizations and conducting interviews. However, the up-and-coming reporter notes: It s crucial to get this information from the horse s mouth in order to find out what is really happening, what the Church does and doesn t do with migrants He speaks to immigrants too, but notes, I ve found there is far more literature on immigrants than there is on the Church s approach towards them. Strangely, he s found that, when it comes to Church outreach programs, Immigrants often don t realize the services they re receiving are coming from the Church. For instance, Mesthos has spoken to a Moroccan and a Georgian who George Mesthos, Fulbright Scholar, in Sounio, Greece. Mesthos hails from NJ. didn t realize the Church sponsored their Greek lessons. He hypothesizes that this means that the Church is not out to convert people, but at the same time, it doesn t form deep relationships with them either. In a year when the new Prime Minister tabled a bill proposing citizenship for children of immigrants, the topic is especially relevant. It s becoming more and more obvious that the Church is if not divided - full of a diverse range of opinions on the subject, writes Mesthos. He points out that, in the same week, Bishop Anthimos of Thessaloniki blasted amnesty for immigrants, calling them all illegal, while Archbishop Ieronymos and Patriarch Bartholomew handed out food to migrants and homeless in Omonia. Mesthos has found, at the same time, that charity doesn t always advertise itself. He notes: There are priests in the islands, the countryside and the inner cities doing tremendous work for migrants, usually just out of compassion. But then out of humility or habit they keep that work to themselves. The Fulbright scholar believes one of Christodoulos lasting legacies was officially establishing that the Church s agencies would dispense philanthropy regardless of race, creed or nationality. Without the bureaucratic inertia of the state, and with perhaps greater ability to rouse the masses, the Church s potential for doing good are enormous. Mesthos points to the Church in the Streets soup kitchen in Omonia, a partnership of faiths, as a case in point. Mesthos time in Greece has clearly been inspirational and a type of homecoming. After his Greek American father died when he was just one year old, writes the Fulbright scholar, his Irish American Catholic mother seemed to enjoy taking up the torch of Hellenism. He writes, Mom sent me to Greek School, but before and after that went down in flames (laughs), she got me some books on Greek mythology and history. It was at Brown, as a Classics student, that he approached Modern Greek and studied abroad at College Year in Athens. After a magical time in Greece, his senior thesis explored Why Classical History Matters in Today s Fight Between Greece and FYROM. Prevailing Faiths will culminate in an audio (and maybe video) documentary and papers. With three months of research to go, Mesthos concludes: It s important that the Church be seen for what it is, in all its complexity. If Greece is going to achieve immigrant integration, to the benefit of all, the church has to be part of the solution. a b Οrthros 6:45 a.m. 1st Divine liturgy (main Sanctuary) 7:45 a.m. 2nd Divine liturgy (Sarantakos Hall) 9:45 a.m. 3rd Divine liturgy (main Sanctuary) 10:15 a.m. 4th Divine liturgy (Sarantakos Hall) 11:45 a.m. SERVICE OF THE NYMPHIOS 7:30 p.m. Pre-Sanctified liturgy 8:00 a.m. SERVICE OF THE NYMPHIOS 7:30 p.m. Pre-Sanctified liturgy 8:00 a.m. lεντεν SuPPEr 6:00 p.m. SERVICE OF THE NYMPHIOS 7:30 p.m Pre-Sanctified liturgy 6:00 a.m. HOly unction 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. 1st Divine liturgy (Chapel) 5:15 a.m. 2nd Divine liturgy (main Sanctuary) 6:30 a.m. 3rd Divine liturgy (Sarantakos Hall) 7:30 a.m. 4th Divine liturgy (main Sanctuary) 8:30 a.m. (Holy Communion will be administered only at the appropriate time at each Divine liturgy) The royal Hours 8:30 a.m. Descent from Cross 2:30 p.m. Trisagion for departed 6:30 p.m. THE lamentations & PrOCESSiON OF THE EPiTAPHiOS (Church) 7:30 p.m. (Sarantakos Hall) 7:30 p.m. 1st Divine liturgy (Chapel) 5:30 a.m. 2nd Divine liturgy (main Sanctuary) 6:30 a.m. 3rd Divine liturgy (Sarantakos Hall) 7:30 a.m. 4th Divine liturgy (Church) 8:30 a.m. (Holy Communion will be administered only at the appropriate time at each Divine liturgy) PASCHA VIGIL 11:00 p.m. resurrection liturgy 12:30 a.m. AGAPE SErViCE 10:30 a.m. Οrthros 8:00 a.m. Divine liturgy 9:00 a.m. Οrthros 8:00 a.m. Divine liturgy 9:00 a.m. THE SERVICE OF THE HOLY PASSION 6:45p.m. His Eminence Archbishop DEmETriOS of America will preside at the service of the Holy Passion Protopresbyter PAUL C. PALESTY, the Priests, the Parish Council, the Educators the Office Staff and all Parish Organizations wish the members AND ALL GREEK ORTHODOX a Blessed Easter

6 6 FEATURE THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 By Georgia Kofinas Special to ATHENS - I learned about the sacredness of bread very early in life. As children we were never allowed to leave the table without finishing our last bite of bread; for, as our mother constantly reminded us, in that piece of bread lay our strength. We thought it was just a way of getting us to clean our plates and learn the golden rule: waste not, want not. My mother never threw a piece of bread away even when it was stale. She carefully trimmed it and used it as a meat extender with ground beef, or in stuffings and pastes. Bread which had accidentally fallen onto a clean surface was quickly picked up, brushed off, kissed and reverently placed back in the bread box. Beyond learning good manners and frugality, we duly respected the tedious preparation of bread carried out by my mother s loving hands. She started out early in the morning to make sure the golden-crusted treasure would be ready by mealtime. The nourishing aroma of freshly baked bread was enough to bring us out of play, work and study and into the kitchen to witness the steam rising from the plump loaf as my mother gently broke it apart. The history of bread is as old as society itself. The Egyptians first mastered the technique of domesticated yeast when they used fermented boiled grains to produce beer. The yeast, mixed with high-gluten cereals, paved the way for making leavened flatbread. There were at least fifteen varieties of bread which included flat cakes with a circular design in the center, triangular shapes and breads shaped like disks, mounds, cones, spirals and crescents. There are even counts of dough fried in oil fashioned in animal or human form. It was the Greeks, however, that developed the venerable art of breadmaking to a sophisticated level that eventually was adopted by the Romans and the rest of Europe. Traces of ovens dating from as far back as 2000 BC with their cone-like half circle shapes reveal how advanced the technique of breadmaking was in ancient Greece. Unlike the Egyptians who obtained yeast from leftover dough, the Greeks learned to produce it at grape harvest time from a mixture of grape must and various hops. This yeast could be stored in small amphorae (clay jars) for months. The third century A.D. historian, Athenaeus, cites around seventy-two varieties of bread served at the lavish meals of the classical Greeks. Because Greece was not able to grow enough grains to meet the needs of the population, they imported barley and wheat from Sicily, Egypt, the shores of the Black Sea and Southern Russia. Of all the varieties of bread, the preferred was a white flavorful bread called amilois produced in the famed bakeries of Athens and Megara. There are still some older generations of Greeks today that consider white bread to be superior to the rustic brown peasant bread made with whole grain flour. So revered was breadmaking in Byzantium that the bakers of Constantinople were allotted special privileges such as exemption from public service or any other obligation that would interrupt their occupation with breadmaking. By this time the word for bread, artos, had taken on its colloquial form and was known as psomi, derived from the word opson which is actually food (relishes) eaten with bread. Here, too, the Byzantines preferred the white bread distinguished as katharos, clean, to the brown bread, ryparos, dirty. Another typical bread klibanites, similar to flat pita bread, was baked in a crock pot and was the favored bread of the Byzantine army. The vessel in which it was baked, the klibanos, was portable and therefore facilitated breadmaking on the army s long campaigns. The traditional village woodburning ovens which still dot the Greek countryside today reveal the continuation of a highly skilled technique. The stone or stuccoed ovens are designed after their ancient counterparts, shaped like a half circle with an opening in the center large enough to facilitate building a fire from wood deep in the center of the oven on stone or marble slabs. In the sacredness of making bread there is nothing more symbolic than the fermentation of the sourdough starter, prozymi. Preparing prozymi has deep roots in Orthodox tradition as there are certain feastdays directly associated with its symbolic meaning. The Epistle reading from Galatians on Holy Friday tells us, Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new dough, as you really are without leaven. For Christ, our passover has been sacrificed. At this point, in many monasteries, a member of the monastic community mixes together flour and water in the narthex of the church to prepare the prozymi which will become the base of the sourdough starter for their Prosphoron (Bread of Offering). The mystical power of fermentation comes from placing over the mixture a twig of dried basil from the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) or the Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross (third Sunday of Lent), or dried flowers from the previous year s Epitaphion. Certain regions of Greece will also use rosemary or holy water from other feastdays, or even coins f r o m t h e Vasilopita. The prozymi is then left to ferment for two to three days (depending on the type of flour used) and is kept in a cool place until used. Celebratory bread is universally tied in with sacrificial elements whether they encompass Christian symbols or other religious symbols of divinities. Ancient Greeks made breads decorated with symbols of fertility such as cradles holding navels which they placed on the altars of the goddess Demeter. Later, around 250 B.C., ancient writings reveal special breads being offered to the god of health, Asclepius, at his altar on the island of Kos. These breads were made with flour, olive oil and wine. After being placed on the god s altar, they were taken home and eaten by those wishing to have good health or to be cured of some illness. This practice passed into Christian tradition where special cross seals engraved with the words YGEIA ZOE have been found dating back to the 5th century A.D. These breads are believed to be the precursors of today s breads for the Service of the Five Loaves (Artoclassia), which was incorporated into the GREEK GASTRONOMY Baking & Partaking: Bread, a Sacred Symbol in the Greek Cycle of Life church services after the 7th century A.D. in Byzantium. Retaining their strong religious symbolism, wine and olive oil are offered with the five loaves of the Artoclassia. The Eucharistic bread, prosphoro, offered in the Divine Liturgy, has obscure origins mainly due to the fact that the early Christians hid the symbols of their faith for fear of being persecuted. It was not until the 4th century that the faithful assembled together for worship where they brought with them bread and wine which was shared by all after the reading of the prayers. Gradually the symbols of Christianity were engraved in wood and used as seals for the Eucharistic bread. As time passed and church services became more fixed the celebratory breads took on more specific characteristics. A s i d e from the celebratory breads used in church services there are also many special breads baked for specific occasions in the life cycle. Breads for the newborn are decorated with symbols of Fate, while for the new mother they are decorated with flowers and swaddled babies. In many parts of Greece, especially in Crete and areas of northeastern Thrace, natives bake a special bread named perpatopsomo for the child s first steps. For the baptism, the symbolically ornamented bread is given by the parents to the godparent of the child to seal the importance of the relationship between them. And of course, the most elaborate and symbolladen breads are those of the wedding feast. Crete by far has the richest tradition and variety of these gamokouloura. Many of these are true works of art and have been dried and placed in folk art museums. Appropriate to this season and deserving special mention is the lesser known tradition of making lazarakia ( little Lazaruses ). Celebrating the feast day of Saint Lazarus holds a special place in Orthodox worship. His raising from the dead by Christ symbolizes our hope in new life through Christ s own Resurrection. In Greek folklore Lazarus represents the mortal who went to Hades and was recalled to come back to the land of the living. In some regions of Greece the lazarakia are given to children who go round singing the special Lazarus carols. Quite strong in the folk traditions of the islands, especially, these little breads take on many shapes and symbols. Varieties include small little loaves stuffed with nuts and spices and decorated with dough that represents the swaddling used in biblical times to wrap the body for burial. Larger sleeping Lazarus figures are richly dressed in the local traditional costumes. By far, however, the most prized of Greek traditional celebratory breads rich in symbolism is the Easter tsoureki, a braided loaf of sweet bread traditionally d e c o r a t e d with dyed red Easter eggs. The word tsoureki was adopted from the Turkish word çörek which refers to any bread made with yeast. Greeks, however, began making their own version of tsoureki with the addition of eggs, sugar and butter. In addition to the Easter tsoureki, many regions of Greece maintain the tradition of making other Easter breads such as lambrokoulouro, or lambropsomo. While not necessarily sweet breads, they are nonetheless embellished with decorations symbolizing life and resurrection. Preparing tsoureki is well worth the time and effort it takes to produce this traditional bread that so adorns the festive Paschal table. The recipe, along with much of the information presented in this article, has been adapted from the book Breads and Sweets of the Greeks by Nikos and Maria Psilakis, avid pioneers in the recording of traditional Greek folklore. Easter Tsoureki Makes 6 loaves 4 lbs. all-purpose flour (approximately) 4 packages dry yeast 1 ½ cups lukewarm water 6 large eggs well beaten 1 ½ cups butter 1 ½ cups milk 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground mahlep (spice found in Eastern food markets) 1 teaspoon ground masticha 2 egg yolks mixed with 3 tablespoons water for egg wash Sesame seeds 6 dyed red eggs Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and add 2 cups flour. Mix and set aside to rise for about 1 hour or until bubbles form on surface. Heat milk just to boiling point and stir in sugar, butter, salt and spices. Cool to lukewarm. Place half the flour in a large bowl or mixer, make a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast and milk mixture. Mix to a thick batter and gradually add in enough of the remaining flour (or more if necessary) to make a soft rather sticky dough. Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead well until dough is still soft but no longer sticky. Place dough in large bowl, cover well with cloth towels and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until double in bulk (about 2-3 hours). Punch dough down again and divide into 6 parts. Divide each part into thirds and roll out into long thick cords of the same length. Join 3 chords together at one end and braid the dough. Press bottom edges of cords together with fingers dipped in water to secure braids. Press a dyed red egg into the dough at the top end of the braid. Place braided loaves on large baking sheets lined with baking paper, cover with towels and let rise in warm place until double in bulk. Brush tops with egg-wash and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. Bake in preheated oven at 325 o for about minutes. If loaves brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil. When cool, remove from sheet and peel off baking paper. Variation: Make smaller round loaves and press red eggs into the center. Or roll dough out in long thick cylinders and swirl into spiral shapes. Press red eggs into the center. Georgia Kofinas is a food writer, cookbook author and chef instructor at Alpine College. ARCHITECTURE AND DIASPORA The Significance of Hellenic Content in Almost Architecture A Critique BROOKLYN, N.Y. - When a building has columns and an entablature, can one call it a Doric Temple? When a building has a dome and is painted red can you call it a Byzantine Church? In fact, when a person attends various ceremonies in these buildings, can you call him/her Greek? When a community consists of people who frequent red domed buildings and decorate their buildings with fluted columns and elaborate entablatures, can you call it Hellenic? In short, what is the significance of a symbol when content is absent? Last Saturday I was having a conversation with a friend about the importance of symbols in our lives. Herself a walking symbol of privilege and elitism, she quoted Carl Jung as she discussed the re-emergence of ancient symbols in modern life. She talked about the significance of symbolism in ancient tribal cultures, about Native American totem and Greek Corinthian columns, the Parthenon frieze, etc. By then, the wine had kicked in for good, so I decided to call it a night. As I was leaving the place I remember vividly being taken over by a feeling of insecurity. All this talk about awesome symbols of civilizations past, and my own generation of Greeks was doomed to vanish unnoticed by history. Hungry, tired and soaking from the pouring rain, I entered a quiet diner. I sat down and ordered my pancakes, and there they were, right in from of me: the symbols of an ancient civilization: ruins of a Doric temple, partly built, partly painted on the wall in white and blue. There they were, next to the shelf with the glasses and the forks. That s when it hit me! THIS is the symbol of my own civilization, I said (to myself). Not so much a single image on the wall, but this whole situation I was part of, in which an ancient and once meaningful symbol of a glorious past had been stripped completely of it's original content, had been transformed by some untrained eye, both in terms of proportion and purpose, and had been kept captive in four walls filled with the smell of fried stuff and drunken patrons like myself. "Who does this?", I thought to myself. "Why?". If this sort of thing happened to a human you would call it humiliating torture. But an architectural symbol cannot feel any pain. Still, it can generate pain in the conscience of people who are aware of its origins. To this kind of sight there are two types of reaction. One is a vague feeling of emptiness inside, a feeling of loss of one's integrity. That is usually the reaction of the ones who care and are relatively aware. The second one, believe it or not, is pride for this type of thing (for some reason always being reminded that we live in the shadows of our ancestors is a good thing) usually a reaction of those who care, but are not aware. The third one is even more unfortunate, and the major failure in the whole story: communicating to those who do not know and do not particularly care that much, but will form a picture of our contemporary culture regardless. For the latter our walls and menus become advertising banners, not of the ancient culture they are depicting, but of our own. In those banners, ionic columns are associated with salad, domes are associated with eggs benedict and the Parthenon is associated with the large gentleman that owns the place: it is a Dionysian orgy involving all sorts of things that we are supposed to value, but often do not know why. I must clarify at this point that my intent is not to attack Dinerchitecture, but to make a point about how obsession paired with ignorance can erode the essence of a culture and eventually replace it with something that is characterized by An almost there mentality marks many attempts to duplicate the splendor of the Athens Parthenon...in humbler locations. cheap imitations and an "almost there" approach to pretty much everything; almost about a monument, almost about a culture, but mostly about nothing. However, nothing about the Parthenon, the Agora, the Delphi or the Epidauros was "almost there" or cheap. Not the materials, not the structures, not the joints, not the accoustics, not the location, not the proportions, not the positioning, not the arrangement of their contexts. Also, nothing about the ancient Athenians, or the Spartans, or the Macedonians that we call our ancestors was "almost there" or cheap. Yes, one could argue that the culture of day-to-day living in the Athenian or Macedonian agoras were about as provincial as that of the most backward village. However, we are not judged by our actions as by EVANGELOS LIMPANTOUDIS Special to much as we are judged by the principles and standards behind these actions, and by this measure, many fear that we are failing. I believe it is time to get rid of the "almost" and the cheap forever and replace them with absolute awareness and principled action when it comes to forming the physical environments of our homes and our communities. Architecture is not some kind of kit of parts in the hands of a child. Architecture is the manifestation of our collective purpose and the social principles that define our society. It has nothing to do with abusing the symbols of our ancestors. It has to do with creating an environment that will allow new elements to emerge, that might one day serve as symbols for our descendants. But this is just my humble opinion. And what do I know anyway... By then I had finished my meal and asked for the check. The diner was closing. Evangelos is an architect registered in Greece, an Associate member of the A.I.A. and a LEED accredited professional. Obsession paired with ignorance can erode the essence of a culture and eventually replace it with something cheap. He is a partner in the company P.E. Limpantoudis Developments, a luxury residential development company in Northern Greece. He currently resides in N.Y. where he has taught and published widely on issues related to architecture and urban design. For more information, visit: For responses to the article, please to elimpantoudis@elosdesign.com. GREEK POETRY Spinoza Baruch Spinoza, lens-grinder in Amsterdam kept hidden within him a loud tam-tam. In a cold dark cellar, all alone he sent repeated signals, a constant drone to the sky. Like the Africans in the virgin bush. Little by little he managed to push to the Whole. To the One. Infinity. Where he studied the nature of humanity. (In his thirst for primary causation he very nearly died of starvation.) At night in his dreams Spinoza slept in the arms of one Rosa. Rosa Raczewski nee Vamprotten. Nobody knows where and when He met her. She was a blonde of pedigree. An eyeful. And everything went swimmingly. Nasos Vayenas (1945- ) Translated by Margaret Kofod in The Greek Poets edited by Constantine, Hadas, Keeley and Van Dyck.

7 THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 FEATURE 7 Remembering Athan Karras: Artist, Hellene By Dan Georgakas Special to AMHERST, Mass.- Athan Karras enjoyed far more fame among his professional colleagues than in the general public, even though he was a well-known performer on stage, in film, and on television. Through his activities in a variety of foundations, studios, and university positions, Karras became universally recognized as America s premier authority on Greek folk dancing. Not least of his many accomplishments was Karras role in bringing important Greek dance troupes to the United States and arranging for their Greek American counterpartss to appear in Greece. Hollywood insiders frequented the various studios and other dance venues Karras established over the years. These students included dancers as talented such as Ginger Rogers, eccentric megastars such as Marlon Brando, and phil-hellenes such as Omar Shariff. Karras also was almost always the expert that Hollywood directors and producers turned to when they needed guidance on a scenarios involving traditional Greek dancing. Athan Karras was the authority on Greek dance in the US. High-powered egos frequently cause bitter jealousies and disputes in the entertainment world. This was not true of the charismatic Karras, who enjoyed particularly good relationships with most of his Hellenic colleagues. When I was interviewing Hermes Pan, Fred Astaire s personal choreographer, Pan told me that if I wanted to understand the Hollywood dance scene, I should make it a priority to meet with Athan Karras. I got the same advice when talking with Telly Savalas and a Greek American columnist who wrote for the Hollywood Reporter. Karras happened to be out of town on that occasion, and we never managed to be in the same place at the same time. We did, however, correspond. Karras sent me interesting accounts of his activities and on one occasion cordially commented on a film review I d written. One of Karras most important contributions involves his association with the legendary folk dancer Dora Stratou. At the conclusion of World War II, Stratou embarked on a mission to preserve traditional Greek folk dancing and its costumes. What she soon discovered was that World War II, the subsequent civil war, and the mass migration from villages to the cities, had created voids in dance culture. Many traditional costumes, local songs, and dance variations had been lost. What Stratou, with the assistance of Karras, discovered was that the vast majority of Greek immigrants in the early years of the century had come from villages and they had held on to or were able to replicate local costumes. The immigrants also knew tunes and steps that had been lost in Greece itself. Stratou was able to recover a trove of such historic and cultural treasures. Karras who had spent so much energy in promoting folk dancing throughout America, was an invaluable partner in this enterprise. Karras was renowned as a dance teacher. One of his outstanding qualities was that he rarely talked about steps. Karras believed one had to personalize dancing, whether dancing involved bravado leaps or intimate twists and turns. The dancer s look and bodily movements must express the individual s emotions, whether militaristic, romantic, or comical. He always imparted that perspective to his students and associates, whether famous Hollywood pros, ordinary Americans, or fellow Hellenes. Connie Callincos, author of American Aphrodite, who worked with Karras on several projects, recalls a May Day celebration that Karras had organized, Athan read the explanatory script to the audience and authentic folk instruments played as the girls danced around the Maypole, each holding a different colored long stream in her hand, and singing a traditional folk song celebrating the sky. Ribbons undulating, their color skirts swooshing as they sang, they danced round and round the Maypole like etoile ballerinas, and all I could think of to say through my tears was, Bravo Thanasi! Unfortunately, Karras prime years as a dancer preceded the period when videos and other inexpensive means of reproduction became commonplace. But a brilliant example of his work survives in Dark Odyssey, an independent feature film released in 1957 in which he starred. Karras plays Yanni Martakis, a Cretan who has come to New York to kill a fellow Cretan who has ruined his sister. In the course of the film, Karras falls in love with a Greek American who tries to convince him that carrying out his revenge will destroy his life. A cultural highlight of the film is when Karras performs a tsamiko at a party given by his new girlfriend s parents in their Washington Heights apartment. It s a sword dance and Martakis explains its meaning to others at the party. Martakis doesn t really want to dance as he fears the dancing could unleash his secret, murderous impulses. But he is prevailed upon to dance and performs what is perhaps the single best dance sequence in American film. The movements are all the more dramatic in that Karras wields a sword as he dances, a reminder that many movements in folk dancing are far more meaningful when we understand they were first performed by men in foustanellas who were armed with rifles or swords. In his various activities, Athan Karras, an immigrant from Thessaloniki, managed a feat that eludes many immigrants. Athan Karras starred in a 1957 feature film: Dark Odyssey. He became quite successful in an important mainstream American profession, yet he retained and advanced his Greek culture, often incorporating that Greek culture into mass media creations. Few people can boast of enriching Hollywood, Greek folk lore, and the lives of ordinary citizens. Athan Karras was such a rarity. In dance, he was one of a kind. Prof. Georgakas is Director of the Greek American Studies Project at Queens College CUNY and Consulting Editor of CINEASTE magazine. NEW YORK - One of my regrets, as far as my involvement with music is concerned, is not taking advantage of the opportunities I had to fully master Byzantine music and chant. Despite this, I thought that it might be appropriate in today s column, as we enter Holy Week, to share with you some of the things I have learned about Byzantine music, as well as personal, empirical ways that I have experienced and used Byzantine chanting through the years. The emphasis is on the word empirical because, although I did not pursue enough formal training, I was extremely fortunate to have met several excellent Byzantine chanters and thus, learned from them enough to have spent nearly 30 years as a Byzantine chanter myself, at some of the Greek Orthodox churches in the New York area. During the late 60s, as a student at Adelphi University, I started chanting at St. Paul s Cathedral in Hempstead, continued in the 70s at the Annunciation Church in upper Manhattan, while a student at Columbia University, and for about 20 years, during the 80s, I was the chanter at St. Catherine s church in Astoria. Several of the practical things I learned about Byzantine music go back even to my high school years on the island of Lemnos, listening and occasionally helping some of the local chanters, and later on, listening to the great masters on radio and cassettes. I also learned through self-study with books that were available on the subject. To date, some of my most gratifying and memorable experiences stem from my tenure as a chanter. Over the years, I have been no less fascinated by some of the historical and anecdotal aspects of Byzantine music, which, in my opinion, have played a uniquely important role in preserving and forming the character of our folk (traditional) music and songs, which in turn provided the foundation for the preservation and development of many aspects of the multifaceted character of Greek music. To understand this, we need to simply consider the fact that, from the beginnings of Christianity, through the Ottoman occupation, starting in the mid 15th century, to the establishment of the new, liberated Hellenic State, in the early 19th century, Byzantine music never ceased to exist and develop as one of the major forms of music with a strong Hellenic character, in terms of both the language and the music, primarily through Greek Orthodox church hymnology. The Byzantine musical notation of the Early Christian era was comprised of letters of the Greek alphabet, used either upright or inverted, whole or in part. It is truly amazing that the number of such symbols, neumes for both types of music, instrumental and vocal, amounted to 1,620, as Alypios (3rd century) states in his work Introduction to Music. When these symbols were placed on the text, a definite melody was shown. Through the centuries, this rather impractical system of 1,620 symbols, almost impossible to memorize, went through continuous and substantial changes. It was not until 1814, however, that the new Byzantine notation, as we know it today, was adopted. This so called New Method, used today in Greek GREEK MUSIC...PLUS Byzantine Music: Part of our Heritage and Treasure Expand your mind... Bookstore (718) info@thenationalherald.com Orthodox church hymnology, was formulated in Constantinople by the Three Teachers, Chrysanthos from Madytos, Gregorios Protopsaltis and C h o u r m o u z i o s Chartophylax (the archives keeper). Since its adoption, this new notation ended the extraordinary diversity of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s given to neumes through the four centuries of the Ottoman occupation. More importantly it provided an organized and uniform notation which made possible the printing of musical texts so as to have Byzantine music live up to our own times as functional, contemporary music, found side by side with more Western music used by many Orthodox churches, while preserving its differences, its uniqueness and its important characteristics. What Chrysanthos students and admirers of his new method, point to as a very efficient innovation is the replacement of the older polysyllabic words corresponding to the notes of the musical scale (Ananes-Neanes-Nana-Ayia- Neanes-Neheanes-Neayia) with monosyllabic ones, made up of euphonious syllables out of the first seven letters of the Greek alphabet: pa-bou-ga-di-ke-zonh. Even more remarkable, however, is the fact that in this new method, there are merely ten symbolic characters of notation. They are divided into five ascending, four descending and one neutral neumes, the so called ISON (neither ascending nor descending). Combinations of these ten neumes create additional composite characters, which, along by GRIGORIS MANINAKIS Special to with some 40 or so quality and rhythmic type characters, are more than adequate to create and express any desired or required melody. In his book, Chrysanthos states: The notation characters themselves indicate the notes indefinitely, as each character might stand for every note. A rare example of musical notation in a Byzantine manuscript. The system was greatly simplified in the nineteenth century. To someone who is used to the European (Western) musical notation, the above statement might create confusion. The fact is, however, that it points out precisely the difference in notation, between European and Byzantine music. In European notation the position of each note on the five line staff defines and represents a specific pitch/frequency. In Byzantine notation, however, there is no specific pitch associated with any of the symbols used. Each symbol simply defines whether one should ascend, descend or stay on the same pitch of the previous note. As such, any particular Byzantine musical symbol/character may represent every possible note (pitch) in a particular melody. Personally, one of the aspects of Byzantine chant, which I find truly fascinating, is the employment of eight different modes, in chanting the various hymns. The mode of a particular hymn is obviously chosen by the hymn s composer, who desires to convey a certain feeling when the hymn is chanted, such as sadness and despair, as in many Holy Friday hymns, or joy and celebration, which we see in the hymns related to the Resurrection. The musical texture of each mode is directly related to the pitch distance when ascending and/or descending the seven notes of the Byzantine scale (full, half, quarter tones, etc.) The modes are analogous to the keys of Western music. For example, the major diatonic scale of the European music is similar to the scale used in the Plagal Fourth mode (Πλάγιος της Τετάρτης) of Byzantine music. The minor European scales are closest to the Plagal of the First mode ( Πλάγιος του Πρώτου), while the very popular Hitjaz scale, used in many Rebetica and Smyrneika style songs, corresponds closest to the Plagal of the Second mode (Πλάγιος του Δευτέρου). Here is then a fact about Byzantine music that one might find truly remarkable: Many of the church hymns with identical lyrics, such as Doxa Patri Δόξα Πατρί, Pasa Pnoi-Πάσα Πνοή, Kirie ekekraxa-κύριε εκέκραξα, and several others, are routinely chanted in eight different ways, employing one of the eight modes each time. To put it in more familiar, terms, this is equivalent to singing any of the popular songs we know in eight different ways. Relative to the above, one should respect and admire Byzantine master chanters when, in the course of a church service, they routinely and with remarkable ease go through several modal changes from hymn to hymn. During my years as a chanter, I found this to be a most challenging task, especially in church services, such as the one on Holy Thursday evening, where there are a great many successive mode changes through the various hymns. Personally, not being a master chanter, I found that humming in my head a few of the notes in the scale of a particular mode, the so called «apechema - απήχημα», is the best and most practical way to cope successfully with the task of changing modes. Please do not consider this article, not even remotely, as an exhaustive write up on the theory and the history of Byzantine music, for it is merely a condensed view of someone who has been fortunate to have experienced and loved the beauty of the Byzantine music world. If any readers are interested in more information about Byzantine music theory, I recommend the Engilsh translation of The Great Theory of Music by Chrysanthos of Madytos, published this year by the Axion Estin Foundation Inc, New Rochelle New York. Enjoy the Holy Week hymns and Happy Easter to all. Grigoris Maninakis is a Professor of Engineering Technology at SUNY Farmingdale. He has been active in Greek music since the early 70s as a founding member and singer/soloist of the Greek Popular Chorus of N.Y. established by Mikis Theodorakis. He has organized quality Greek music concerts all over the U.S. and occasionally in Greece. His column will appear twice a month in The National Herald. For comments and suggestions or visit: gkangm@ aol.com,

8 8 OBITUARIES CLASSIFIEDS THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 Elizabeth Collis Mourned By Her Family and Friends LEXINGTON, Kentucky - Elizabeth J. Collis, 102, widow of John S. Collis, passed away on Tuesday, March 16 at Lexington Country Place, Kentucky. Mrs. Collis was born in Greece, the daughter of the late George and Alexandra Stefanis. Elizabeth s life was dedicated to her family, friends and church life. A member of the Greek Orthodox Church, she had been very active in the First Christian Church in Winchester in her early life. She is survived by two sons, Dr. John Collis and his wife Helen, who live in Cleveland, Ohio, and Dr. William Collis and his wife Constance, who live in Lexington; a daughterin- law, Kalitsa Collis, who also lives in Lexington; a sister, Rose Hanches, in Seattle, Washington and a sister-in-law, Frances Stefanis. Elizabeth will be greatly missed by 7 grandchildren, Maribeth Collis Lekas, John Collis III, Foster A. Collis, Liza Collis, Ellen Collis, Todd Collis, and Adam Collis; and 9 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Attorney Foster Collis. Friends and family paid their respects at the Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, where a Trisagion service was also held on Friday, March 12. Funeral services were held on Saturday, March 13 at the Panagia Pantovasilissa Greek Orthodox Church. In addition to rearing her By Patricia Sullivan The Washington Post WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leslie Finer, 88, a journalist and author who reported on the 1967 military junta in Greece for several British publications, and for more than 30 years was newsletter editor at the Greek Embassy in Washington, died of cancer March 10 at his home in Lewes, Delaware. Mr. Finer was considered "the most serious and reliable reporter in Athens" for 14 years, according to the Greek daily Kathimerini, while he worked for the BBC, the Financial Times, the Observer and other British media between 1954 and His dispatches during the coup prompted authorities to buy up all the newspapers Elizabeth J. Collis three sons, she also poured out her love in assisting many relatives as they migrated from Greece to America. Eliazabeth had many interests. She was an active gardener, and immensely enjoyed flowers as well as quilting, knitting, crocheting, and cooking. She was a God-fearing woman of deep faith and she loved her church life; therefore, it is suggested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to the Panagia Pantovasilissa Greek Orthodox Church, 920 Tates Creek Road, Lexington, KY where his articles appeared, to station an army officer in the radio station where he recorded his Greek-language reports, and to ultimately warn him that his journalism was unacceptable. Mr. Finer, according to a 2001 retrospective in Kathimerini, said he did not know any other way of doing his job. He was expelled by the ruling junta, which forced a separation and later divorce from his first wife, Greek actress Elsa Verghi, who could not obtain permission to accompany him. Mr. Finer returned to his native England, where he continued to broadcast on Greek affairs until the junta's collapse in The editor of Kathimerini, Helen Vlachos, refused to continue to publish her paper under censorship and shut it down. College Student's Death Shakes Up Community Continued from page 1 Mount Hope Cemetery in Yonkers, N.Y., two of Artemis' classmates read a touching poem dedicated to her memory during the "makaria" (traditional meal) that followed at the City Island Restaurant. The tragic news hit the local Greek American Community hard. Many of the participants in this year's Miss Greek Independence Competition called the offices of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater N.Y. asking for more information. They also requested that the competition scheduled for this Sunday March 21st at the Stathakion Center be postponed. Out of respect for Artemis' memory, officials at the FHSGNY decided to reschedule the event for a later date, yet to be announced. According to reports, which Artemis' mother confirmed, the unfortunate 20-year-old had gone out the previous night with her friends. That evening, she returned to her dorm on the Brookdale campus of Hunter College in Manhattan, where she was attending the Medical Lab Sciences program. The next morning, she was supposed to accompany a friend of hers to the doctor for an examination. That same morning, she complained to her friend that she was in pain. Soon afterwards, she vomited and lost consciousness at some point. Calls were placed to the paramedics and her parents, but she never made it out of the ambulance alive. Artemis was pronounced dead on arrival at Bellevue Hospital. Artemis' death was announced at the public meeting held on Thursday night March 18 at the Stathakion Center, and a moment of silence was observed in her memory. "She was a very good and beautiful girl, who captured all of our hearts," FHSGNY Cultural Committee Chairman Petros Galatoulas said. "The Greek American Community is stunned by her death. Artemis cultivated her Greek national identity, and she was very proud of her Hellenic heritage." Nafsika Michaleas, who is in charge of the preparations for the annual Miss Greek Independence pageant, told TNH that she was "a very beloved, smart, and pretty girl." Ms. Michaleas said that she had contacted her last week to participate in this year's competition, but Artemis had declined saying that she was very busy with school. Fotis Savvidis, a friend of the Makas family, who live in the Bronx, commented that "Artemis had respect for everyone. She was a serious girl, an excellent student, and we will always remember her." Artemis is survived by her younger sister Louisa, and her parents, Nick and Madalena, who come from Northern Epirus. By Stavros Marmarinos Leslie Finer Dies; Greek Junta Ousted Reporter in 67 n COSTARIS, MICHAEL ASBURY PARK, N.J. The Asbury Park Press reported that Michael John Costaris passed away on February 13 following a heart attack. Mike adopted Charlene's family in Kansas. He loved hunting with the men and he embraced the family as his own. He was proud of his immigrant father John and his adored mother Irene for their success in the restaurant business Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He enjoyed and respected his Greek heritage and was pleased to know and visit his family in Greece. Mike loved to tell stories about his service in the Navy, defending the Turkish front during the Korean War. Mike earned his doctorate in education at Rutgers University. He fondly remembered the friends he taught with in the early years of Monmouth Regional High School and his work as Director of Counseling at Ocean County College and as a psychology teacher at Stockton College. Mike enjoyed making and refinishing furniture. He specialized in maritime history for the Barnegat Historical Society. He is survived by his beloved wife, Charlene; his brother, Arthur Costaris; his sister, Connie Smith; his nephews, Stephen and John Costaris and David Smith. Funeral services took place at St. George Church. Donations may be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 700 Grand Ave., Asbury Park, NJ or to Doctors Without Borders, 333 Seventh Ave., 2nd Floor, New York, NY n DIMATOS, NICHOLAS BINGHAMTON, N.Y. The Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reported that Nicholas Dimatos, 74, passed away on February 15 at his home, with his loving wife Maria at his side. Nick is survived by his children, Stella Dimatos, Spyros (Nicole) Dimatos, Niko (Shiho) Zaharopoulos; his grandchildren, Nicholas, Alexandra, and Daisy Dimatos; his brother, Gerasimos (Maria) Dimatos; his sister, Eleftheria (Stefanos) Kritos; his sisters and brother-in-law from Greece, Athanasia and Spryos Baltsavia, and Kalomiranthi Tavla; as well as many nieces and nephews both in the United States and in Greece. Many people know Nick as the owner of The Spot Restaurant and have seen him smiling as he holds up a giant halibut in The Spot Restaurant commercial. In addition to his restaurant, the legacy he left to his family, Nick was an avid hunter and an enthusiastic gardener. A funeral service was held at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. In lieu of flowers, friends wishing may make memorial donations to The Red Cross, 620 East Main Street, Endicott, NY The Red Cross provided the blood transfusions which helped to preserve Nick's life and also arranged for his son, Staff Sergeant Niko Zaharopoulos, to be flown in from Japan with his wife. DEATHS n GEORGE, FOTICA ANN ARBOR, Michigan The Ann Arbor News reported that Fotica George, 97, passed away peacefully in her home on March 3 surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Brusa, Asia Minor on August 15, As refugees of the Greco-Turkish war, Fotica's family immigrated to the United States. On May 8, 1932, she married James George in Ann Arbor, Michigan where they resided until retiring to Scottsdale, AZ in Fotica proudly obtained her US citizenship in While her brothers served in the military during World War II, she worked at the Willow Run Bomber Plant, assembling heaters for B-24 bombers. She was proud of her Greek heritage and was very active in the Greek Orthodox Church. She was a member of the Ladies Philoptochos Society, GAPA, and the Daughters of Penelope. She is survived by her brother Gus Christ; her children James (the late Elsie) George, Jr., Thelma (Gordon) Steers, Marguerita (Billy) Yates; her grandchildren Vicky Flick, James (Mandy) George III, Mark George, Karen (Rayes) Tafoya, Katherine Yates; and nine greatgrandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Reverend Fathers Andrew Barakos and William Christ officiated at funeral services at the Assumption Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Iconography Fund at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Ann Arbor, MI, or to Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Scottsdale, AZ. n GOUDOUROS, JOHN MANCHESTER, N.H. The Union Leader reported that John M. Goudouros, 78, passed away on March 4 at Elliot Hospital, surrounded by his loving family and friends, after a period of failing health. He was born in Stoutari, Greece on November 26, 1931, to Michael and Patricia (Goulakos) Goudouros. He immigrated to the United States in 1961 and resided in Manchester most of his life. He graduated from New Hampshire Vocational Technical College in In his early years, he was a machinist at Sanders Associates. Later, he was a tool & die maker at Disogrin Industries, Sweetheart Plastics, and Keller Products for 20 years, until his retirement. He was a member of St. George Cathedral. An outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and gardening. He authored two books, "From Byzanthium to Mani: A History of the Gourdouros Family" and "The Complete History of Laconia". He is survived by his son, James Goudouros; his brother, Gregory Goudouros; his sisters, Rose Mourmouros and Arista Goudouros; several nieces and nephews; and his companion, Agnes Pelletier. Funeral services were private. Connor-Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 537 Union St., Manchester, NH is in charge of arrangements. For more information, go to n KACAVAS, GREGORY QUINCY, Mass. The Patriot Ledger reported that Gregory John Kacavas, 80, passed away on February 14 at the Hellenic Nursing Home after a long illness. Mr. Kacavas was born in Boston and was a graduate of the Boston School System. He served as a member of the U.S. Postal Service at the South Postal Annex for over 42 years before his retirement, and received several commendations while at work. Mr. Kacavas had been a member of the American Legion, having served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and also several Greek Organizations throughout his life. He was a member of the Annunciation Greek Church of Boston. He was predeceased by She was put under house arrest for "insulting authorities" by making fun of them in the Italian press. When she decided to leave Greece, Mr. Finer helped arrange her escape. She dyed her hair to match a fake passport and hid out in a cramped bordello, while her subsequent husband walked around their Athens flat in high-heeled shoes to trick the guards into believing she was still there. Mr. Finer arranged secretive transport on a British flight. He moved first to New York, then to Washington in 1980 and consulted for the Greek Embassy while also editing its newsletter. A native of London, Mr. Finer graduated from the London School of Economics. During World War II, he was an assistant principal with the Ministry of War Transport and later worked as a liaison with U.S. forces based in England. In the post-war period, he was the private secretary to Philip Noel- Baker, chairman of England's Labor Party, and assisted with the passage of transport legislation through the Parliament. Mr. Finer's books included "Passport to Greece" (1964), and he translated many texts from Greek. He lectured in Canada and Norway on Greek affairs. His second wife, Jean Rubin, died in Survivors include his wife of nine years, Jacqueline Tippett Sunderland Finer of Washington and Lewes; two stepsons, Dr. Trey Sunderland of Washington and William Tippett Sunderland of Baltimore; and five grandchildren. his parents, John and Mary and his brother, James J. Kacavas. He is survived by his sister in law, Evelyn F. Kacavas; his nephew, James (Bette) Kacavas, Jr.; great nieces, Julie and Sarah Kacavas; and his cousin, Stephen (Judith) Eustis. Mr. Kacavas requested funeral and interment services to be private. Donations in Gregory s name may be made to the Alzheimer s Association assisted Living Program at Fenno House, 540 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA Mr. Kacavas family has entrusted the Lydon Chapel for Funerals, 644 Hancock Street, Quincy, with assisting them with funeral arrangements. n LASKARIS, GEORGE TORONTO, CANADA - The Toronto Star reported that George Laskaris passed away peacefully with his family at his side on February 15. George immigrated to Canada in 1956 from Xirokambi, near Sparti, Greece and settled in Bowmanville. George became a respected businessman in town, owning the Olympia Restaurant for many years. After retiring, he devoted his time to his family and church and became a leader in the Greek community in Oshawa. His hard work and generosity will never be forgotten. He is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Stavroula; his children, Despina (George) Morfidis, Bess (Jeff) Stone and Sam (Kathryn); his brother, Dimitrios (Evgenia); his nieces, Despina and Anastasia; his mother-in-law, Vasiliki Giatra; and his grandchildren, Ria and Stephanie, Anna Maria and Nicholas, Michael and Adam. Visitation was held at the Morris Funeral Chapel and funeral services were held at the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. This is a service to the community. Announcements of deaths may be telephoned to the Classified Department of at (718) , mon- Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST or ed to: classifieds@thenationalherald.com Mourned by friends and family, praised for her outer and inner beauty, Artemis Makas life left its mark on the community. Legal Notices/LLC 857 DEAN STREET, LLC a domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC) filed with the Sec of State of NY on 11/18/09. NY Office location: Kings County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her to Mohammad Abdou, 807 Bergen St., Brooklyn, NY General Purposes /10709/04-17 Legal Notices/LLC NYS LAND LLC a domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC) filed with the Sec of State of NY on 1/6/10. NY Office location: Kings County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her to Vito Angelo, th St., Brooklyn, NY General Purposes /10709/04-03 Legal Notice/Notice of Formation/LLC NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: PGBMTG10 LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/08/10. Office location: Kings County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, th Street, Brooklyn, New York Purpose: For any lawful purpose. HELP WANTED REAL ESTATE subscribe /12206/03-27 LEADING GREEK AMERICAN NEWSPAPER SEEKS Full-time AD sales represen - tatives for both GREEK and EN- GLISH language publications. Applicants should have some sales and/or marketing experience. Fluency with computer use and knowledge of Internet a plus. Bi-lingual command of both languages preferred. This positions offers base salary, plus commissions. resume and cover CLASSIFIEDS letter to info@ ekiri kas. com FAX: (718) Attn. Publisher or call (718) ask for Veta. CONSTANTINIDES FUNERAL PARLOR Co st Street Bay Ridge - Brooklyn, NY (718) Services in all localities - Low cost shipping to Greece ANTONOPOULOS FUNERAL HOME, INC. Konstantinos Antonopoulos - Funeral Director Ditmars Blvd., Astoria, New York (718) Not affiliated with any other funeral home. APOSTOLOPOULOS Apostle Family - Gregory, Nicholas, Andrew - Funeral Directors of RIVERDALE FUNERAL HOME Inc Broadway New York, NY (212) Toll Free GAPOSTLE LITRAS FUNERAL HOME ARLINGTON BENSON DOWD, INC FUNERAL HOME Parsons Blvd., Jamaica, NY (718) (800) TO PlACE your ClASSiFiED AD, CAll: (718) , ExT. 106, classifieds@ thenationalherald.com PRINTED EDITION OF THE NATIONAL HERALD VIA THE POST-OFFICE: o1 month $11.00 o3 months $22.00 o6 months $33.00 oone year $66.00 VIA HOME DELIVERY (NY, NJ & CT): o1 month for $14.00 o3 months for $33.00 o6 months for $48.00 oone year for $88.00 VIA HOME DELIVERY (New England, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., VIRGINIA & MARYLAND) o1 month for $18.00 o3 months for $41.00 o6 months for $57.00 oone year for $ ON LINE SUBSCRIPTION NON SuBSCriBErS: oone year for $45.95 o6 months for $29.95 o3 months for $18.95 SuBSCriBErS: oone year for $34.95 o6 months for $23.95 o3 months for $14.95 TNH ArCHiVES NAmE:... ADDrESS:... CiTy:...STATE:...ZiP:... 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9 THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 GREECE CYPRUS 9 Athens Celebrates Greek Independence day Left: Athenians of all generations wave flags at the annual parade, as they take in the balmy weather on March 25, AP PHOTOS/THANASSiS STAVrAkiS Above: Members of the Greek Navy triumphantly pass in front of the pinched Bank of Greece, arms and legs in synch. European Leaders Dither Over Aid as IMF Deal Looms for Greece Continued from page 1 official. EU Economy Commissioner Olli Rehn told reporters that there was "a sense of urgency" to settle on a solution because the financial stability of the currency union is being questioned. "Greece nor the Eurozone are out of the woods yet, and as there are still concerns over financial stability," he said. Germany remains chiefly opposed to discussing a potential bailout at the two-day summit starting Thursday, because Greece is not yet asking for help and is not on the verge of bankruptcy. But after being publicly lobbied by EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso earlier this week, and following repeated statements by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou that he would have no problem turning to the IMF should the EU not act in solidarity with its struggling member, Germany indicated that it might agree on an aid package for Greece financed in part by the countries of the Eurozone but only as a last resort and subject to tough conditions. Merkel set three conditions for supporting EU assistance another German official told Bloomberg on Tuesday on condition of anonymity. Aid would be made available only if Greece couldn t raise funds in financial markets, the IMF makes a substantial contribution and EU sanctions against deficit-limit violators are stiffened. The shift toward an IMF role before the EU summit came only a week after Eurozone finance ministers agreed to a European framework for a bailout. German HIDDEN GREECE Chancellor Angela Merkel, who says her taxpayers shouldn t pay for the region s biggest budget deficit, then pushed for a greater IMF role. That reversal put her at odds with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose government pushed for an EU solution. Many European officials have resisted calling in the IMF. Falling back on the Washingtonbased lender of last resort could be interpreted as some sign of weakness of our institutions, ECB Vice President-elect Vitor Constancio said yesterday. The euro has declined almost 6 percent this year on concern that Greece s financial woes threatened the future of the monetary union. Greece has around 20 billion ($27.1 billion) of debt maturing over the next couple of months and wants to avoid paying sky-high premiums to raise money from international bond markets. Greece says it does not need a direct cash infusion, but a blueprint for help to convince markets that it will not be allowed to default. That would lower its costs to raise money. Merkel said Monday that EU leaders should not discuss a bailout plan at the March summit because Greece should try to solve its debt problems itself. She said European governments should only help Greece when it is "at the brink of bankruptcy, which it luckily is not at the moment." If aid is needed, "the IMF is a topic we need to look at," she told reporters in Berlin. France and EU officials are far more proactive, saying some sort of support package has to be agreed upon, and soon. EU Andy Dabilis camera captures the texture of life in today s Greece, in all its colorful variations. Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called last week for EU leaders to speed up agreement on bilateral loans for Greece. Luxembourg Prime Minister and Chairman of the Eurozone - the bloc of EU countries that use the euro - said at least two Eurozone nations opposed offering EU loan guarantees to Greece, which left bilateral loans from individual nations as the only real option open at the moment. So far, the political support proffered by the Eurozone and the massive austerity packages recently passed by the Greek government have done little to reduce the price investors are asking to lend Greece money. That's unsustainable in the long run. Although the government has said it can wait until the end of April to borrow more money, its economic situation is dire the Bank of Greece estimates the economy will contract by 2 percent this year, more than previously expected. Greece will default on its bonds at some point as the euro region fails to deal with its first major economic crisis, said Paul Donovan, deputy head of global economics at UBS Investment Bank, said. I think it s in an impossible situation, said Donovan, who is based in London, in an interview with Bloomberg Radio on Wednesday. Europe has failed to clear its first serious hurdle. If Europe can t solve a small problem like this, how on earth is it going to solve the larger problem, which is that the euro doesn t work. It s a bad idea. But in a separate interview with Bloomberg, Columbia University Professor Charles Calomiris said it s not inevitable Greece will default even though it needs to cut government spending by 25 percent. A 25 percent reduction is something I ve never seen in any country, Calomiris said. It would require a huge lift. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou effectively gave Eurozone countries an ultimatum last week, telling them that he would consider going to the IMF if they could not come up with something more tangible at this week's summit. Loans from the IMF would certainly be cheaper than borrowing in the markets. Analysts say that Greece will find it difficult to roll over its upcoming debt paying that sort of premium. "It would be very useful if it was obvious the EU has a mighty, loaded gun on the table capable of preventing speculators and speculation, something which is beyond our powers, the powers of an economy our size," Papandreou said on Monday. Papandreou has stressed that the mere existence of a strong support mechanism would deter speculators and drive down borrowing costs. He has said he believes this would alleviate Greece's predicament sufficiently to avoid making use of it. "This is the support I asked for, not support for a bailout but to secure the significant period of calm and stability necessary to take the big steps our country needs," he told Parliament. "We will do it under our own steam... We have not asked for money." He described suggestions Greece might abandon the euro currency as laughable. "We have now reached the point where we hear fanciful scenarios about our country exiting the euro. This is ridiculous, these scenarios are laughable." Whatever declaration emerges from the EU summit, it is unlikely that it will give the kind of detail sought by Athens, which wants to know the terms under which any loans would be made. German public opinion remains resolutely against supporting Greece and Merkel is preparing to lead the government into local elections in May. Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou said that he expected positive results from the summit and preferred a European solution for any potential aid. We want to borrow with better rates and believe this will happen with the implementation of the deficit plan, he said at a conference in Athens yesterday. Greece is banking on wage cuts and tax increases to shave the deficit to 8.7 percent of GDP this year from 12.7 percent in 2009, the highest in the euro s 11-year history. Papaconstantinou said that target is reachable even if the economy shrinks as much as 2 percent this year. This article incorporates reports from The Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg, and The New York Times. tripoulas@ekirikas.com Greek Unionists Strike Against Austerity Cuts ATHENS (AFP) Several thousand Greek unionists demonstrated in Athens on Tuesday against austerity cuts imposed by the Socialist government which is battling a huge debt amid deteriorating financial conditions. According to police, some 5,000 teachers, civil servants and leftists marched on parliament, brandishing banners against the EU, the government and capitalism. "Down with the junta of the markets," some demonstrators chanted as others sang: "Let the bankers, cartels and the Church make sacrifices." The recession-hit government of George Papandreou has prescribed spending cuts and tax hikes worth around 16 billion euros (22 billion dollars) this year to slash a budget deficit over four times the allowed three-percent of GDP Eurozone limit. The Tuesday protest was organized by the civil servants union Adedy whose members are bearing the brunt of the pay cuts. Greece is laboring to rein in its debt of nearly 300 billion euros and has called on the European Union to formalize political support for its efforts to bring down its high borrowing costs at a leaders summit this week. The austerity cuts have already sparked two general strikes and the tax hikes - to be formalized in a law coming to Parliament this week - are expected to raise more anger. A wide range of professionals including taxi drivers, gas station owners, doctors and lawyers have been holding separate strikes of their own. The influential Orthodox Church has been included in the tax hikes and its leader Archbishop Ieronymos has labelled the measure "arbitrary" and "unfair." But polls show most Greeks concede the cuts are necessary. Romanian Held in Cyprus Archbishops Tomb Raids Singing For His Supper TNH/ANDy DABiliS As in most big cities, Athens has its share of sidewalk singers and entertainers hoping for a few coins from passers-by. Many of the soloists and performers here are pensioners. Some, like this man, sing heartbreaking songs of love and loss. NICOSIA - (AFP) A 34-year-old Romanian man was arrested on Sunday, March 20, suspected of vandalizing the tombs of three Greek Orthodox archbishops of Cyprus, police said. The graves of two Greek Orthodox archbishops were opened and their remains thought to have been stolen while the gravestone of a third primate was moved at a Nicosia cemetery. But an investigation later indicated that only one coffin went missing, out of the graves of three primates who died between 1900 and "The man in custody appears to be the culprit in this specific case," Nicosia police chief Kypros Michaelides told reporters. He said the suspect - who has not been named - voluntarily signed a statement admitting to the crime. "We consider this case to be completely solved." Michaelides said the man was "known to police" and had a "problem with the church and its clergy." The suspect had also admitted to starting a fire in the same area as where the remains were stolen. Police said the man faces charges of religious sacrilege, trespassing and causing malicious damage at grave sites. Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said the coffins were found missing early on Sunday after officers and fire fighters went out to tackle a fire in the grounds of Ayios Spyridonas church near a central Nicosia police station. Initially it was believed the graves of Sofronios III and Kyrillos II had gone missing while the grave of Kyrillos III had been vandalised but that his coffin had not been stolen. But police later said the remains of Kyrillos II had previously been transferred by the Cyprus Church for reburial in his home village in the Troodos mountains. It was still unclear whether the remains of Sofronios III had actually been stolen by the man, while investigators said the tombstones of all three were tampered with on Saturday night. The raid came 10 days after the remains of former Cyprus president Tassos Papadopoulos were reburied after they were stolen in December by bodysnatchers, in a case that scandalised public opinion. "It appears once again that we are faced with an immoral crime and unfortunately this society has people in it with sick minds," Katsounotos told reporters. "It is reasonable to say that people will start asking where all this is leading us," he said. The body of Papadopoulos was stolen on the eve of the first anniversary of his death at 74 from lung cancer in Three men, including a convicted double murderer serving life, face charges of extortion in that case. Sunday's tomb raids are expected to further shock a small Mediterranean island that is devoutly religious and came just two weeks before Easter, the most important time of the year for the Greek Orthodox community. In January, Romania extradited one of its citizens to Hungary who was suspected of stealing the remains of German billionaire Friedrich Karl Flick in Austria in 2008 to demand a multi-million-dollar ransom. Stay informed all year round, anytime, anywhere Become an online subscriber of and get... ONLY* $34.95 a Year! Visit us online at or call us: ext.108 *The price indicated above is for current subscribers. Regular price is $45.95/year. Alternative for current subscribers is per 3 months $14.95, per 6 months $23.95 WR Από το 1915 για τον Ελληνισμό * daily updates with news covering the community, Greece and Cyprus. * immediate access to our previous editions. * edification that every Greek American should have! Bringing the news to generations of Greek Americans a b Law Firm Mr. Spiridakis and his colleagues have successfully won over $50 million for clients the past 24 years J O H N S P I R I D A K I S The Law Firm the Community Trusts ACCIDENTS - MEDICAL MALPRACTICE Construction Car/Motor Vehicle Head injuries Slip & Fall Wrongful death All injuries Estates & Wills Divorces Free consultations Home & Hospital visits 24 Hours 7 Days Legal expenses are payable at the conclusion of the case only if you win To receive our special care Call us at (212) or (718) Toll-Free SPIRIDA ( ) nextlaw@aol.com OFFICES: Manhattan, Queens (Astoria), Brooklyn, Long Island, LICENSED: New York, New Jersey

10 10 EDITORIALS LETTERS THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 Holy Week A weekly publication of the NATIONAL HERALD, INC. (ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ), reporting the news and addressing the issues of paramount interest to the Greek American community of the United States of America. Publisher-Editor Antonis H. Diamataris Assistant to Publisher, Advertising Veta H. Diamataris Papadopoulos Executive Editor Constantine S. Sirigos On Line Assistant Editor Christos Tripoulas Production Manager Chrysoula Karametros Webmaster Alexandros Tsoukias (USPS ) is published weekly by Inc. at th Street, LIC, NY Tel: (718) , Fax: (718) , english.edition@thenationalherald.com Democritou 1 and Academias Sts, Athens, 10671, Greece Tel: , Fax: , athens@ekirikas.com Subscriptions by mail: 1 year $66.00, 6 months $33.00, 3 months $22.00, 1 month $11.00 Home delivery NY, NJ, CT: 1 year $88.00, 6 months $48.00, 3 months $33.00, 1 month $14.00 Home delivery New England States, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland: 1 year $109.00, 6 months $57.00, 3 months $41.00, 1 month $18.00 On line subscription: Subscribers to the print edition: 1 year $34.95, 6 months $23.95, 3 months $14.95; Non subscribers: 1 year $45.95, 6 months $29.95, 3 months $18.95 Periodical postage paid at L.I.C., N.Y. and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send change of address to: THE NATIONAL HERALD, th Street, LIC, NY Discipline and focus. These are perhaps the most important aspects of Greek Orthodox Holy Week. For those of us swimming every day in a complex, fast-paced world, juggling jobs, family and other obligations, it s extremely hard to remember at times that there is something bigger going on. Even if you show up in body at church every single night of Holy Week, but have your mind on the latest text message you received, the income tax papers you must prepare,etc. the meaning of the ritual is eroded.for people in a world with an increasingly short attention span, focusing on one thing even if it s the dramatic story of Christ s trials and tribulations more than 2,000 years ago is no small feat. Holy Week is the opportunity for Orthodox faithful to exercise their ability to focus on an important religious narrative, and recall how it is part of their own identity. It s a reminder of how each Orthodox Christian fits into the bigger whole, a chance to tap into an annual religious cycle that takes place with only minor changes of date each year, generation after generation. Introducing youngsters to not just Easter with its fun red eggs, chocolate bunnies and games but also to Holy Week with its less fun story of suffering and redemption - is important in their understanding what their religion is really about. They learn by watching, just as you did. They observe, little by little, how Easter s messages of hope and resurrection is pinned on Christ s difficult journey. It s also a time to remember the past. How many of us don t find in the repetition of each day of Holy Week - memories flooding into our thoughts of our grandmothers with their lips moving in prayer, singing in a way that may have embarrassed us then (but now touches us) or of our mothers with tears actually rolling down their cheeks as they live the experience of Christ s Passion. It was perhaps easier for previous generations especially those in villages, where the entire community s life centered around church during Holy Week to be able to focus. But we can amidst all our shopping, consumption and endless string of wants try to tap into that old wisdom too. Fasting is an important aspect of Holy Week for many. The discipline of refraining from your usual food habits for even a week, is a reminder that this isn t just any week. Holy Week isn t life as usual. Having the discipline to control what crosses your lips is just part of a bigger lesson, and one of many ways to focus on the importance of the days. March 25th and the future The 25th of March is so filled with meaning for Hellenes, especially those of us who were born in Greece or have parents who were born there, that it is difficult to accept what some of our leaders tell us, that we must continually invest time, energy and thought in keeping the spirit of 1821 alive in the hearts and minds of our young people here in America and the rest of the diaspora. The social facts are powerful: American culture seems to not appreciate history in general and many students feel that such events are too long ago and far away from their own reality. In this newspaper we can do this by continuing to acknowledge those individuals and groups who have worked hard to create events that reach out to the youth and fire them up through participation in musical, theatrical, literary and other endeavors. As we write these words, the crisis in our homeland comes to mind once more, and we are struck by the irony that on the days when we are celebrating Greek Independence, the media is focused on Greece s dependence on her EU neighbors for a bailout and speculation about how much of her independence will be lost if only temporarily - to the IMF if Athens must take that route. So it seems that Hellenism is challenged all over the world. We are concerned, but not daunted. As the song we learned in school says: H Ellada Pote Den Petheni Greece Never Dies. GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY: A NATIONAL DAY OF CELEBRATION OF GREEK AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, 2010 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Today, as we commemorate the 189th anniversary of Greece's independence, we reaffirm the ties that link our nations together as allies and warm friends. We also honor the accomplishments of Greek Americans and their immeasurable contributions to the United States. It was the genius of America's forebears to enshrine the pre-eminent idea of democracy in our Nation's founding documents. Inspired by the governing values of ancient Greece, they launched the great American experiment. Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of our Declaration of Independence, later expressed his admiration for the Greeks and their heritage as they fought their War of Independence. Writing in 1823, he acknowledged Greece as "the first of civilized nations, [which] presented examples of what man should be." The Hellenic influence on America's scholarly traditions reflects our Nation's high regard for Greece's lasting heritage. Our physicians uphold the timeless ethics of Hippocrates, and our students learn the mathematics of Euclid and Pythagoras. Our law schools use the Socratic Method, and the structures of ancient Greece have inspired many of our most cherished buildings and monuments. Greek Americans have also shaped our Nation as leaders in every sector of American life, and their community has strengthened the fabric of our country with its vibrant culture and unique traditions. Above all, we were blessed to inherit the Hellenic ideal of democracy, which lives on today in Greece and America, and reinforces the enduring bonds between our two nations. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 25, 2010, as "Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy." I call upon all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth. BARACK OBAMA An Eyewitness to the Mess in Greece Expected Better To the Editor: This week [in Athens, Greece], people have been marching downtown, protesting about the government trying to fix the Greek economic crisis. The way I see it, they are part of the problem. All they want to do is take, not give. The laws have been on the books, but no one TO OUR READERS welcomes letters from its readers intended for publication. They should include the writer s name, address, and telephone number and be addressed to: The Editor,, th Street, long island City, Ny letters can also be faxed to (718) or e- mailed to english.edition@thenationalherald.com. we reserve the right to edit letters for publication and regret that we are unable to acknowledge or return those left unpublished. SANTA FE, N.M. - God bless America. And God bless Greece. Both nations could use some divine intervention right about now. At their own peril, the United States and Greece are moving along paths that could result in their effective demise at the very least they each could become non-recognizable when viewed through the lens of history. And whether they like it or not, both countries are experiencing formidable transformational challenges that even the mighty Heracles would find difficult to deal with. But, we must ask, will such transformation really result in the kind of change that we can believe in? And, importantly, is it change that serves our highest good, both personally and collectively? As I write this week s column, Greece is getting ready to celebrate the 189th Anniversary of its Declaration of Independence. How ironic. In view of recent political and economic events, along with the malaise that covers the nation like a sick blanket, we might as well rename and celebrate March 25th with Happy Dependence Day. And I m afraid that we ll soon be able to say the same thing on the 4th of July in the U.S.A. In this regard, while reliance on government welfare (and I use this term broadly) in the Land of the Free still may be behind that in the Cradle of Democracy, although perhaps not as far behind as some people may think, American citizens are fast becoming dependent upon their government in an insidious and, dare I say, unhealthy, ways. Of course, the United States is not Greece despite the fact that it owes so much of its system of governance and cultural heritage to all things Greek. Economically, while there are certainly similarities between what s been happening in the old country and what s been LETTERS TO THE EDITOR follows them, and the police don t enforce them. People have always said to me, This is Greece, what do you expect? Well, I ll tell you. A lot more than I see that is being done, from a place I expect to do everything LOGOS right. The biggest problems I see is the grafitti, garbage, the lack of respect for anyone else, [illegal] parking, dog [poop]. I guess I could go on all day. This doesn t sound like Greece to me. It sounds like a third world country. My Big Fat Greek (& American) Entitlement By Eleni Kostopoulos CHrySANTHi liristis / SPECiAl TO THE NATiONAl HErAlD NEW YORK By now, you must have seen at least one commercial for U.S. Census 2010 somewhere if your form hasn t already arrived in the mail; after all, more than $130 million in advertising dollars was spent to get people to participate. Perhaps you caught a glimpse of a $2.5 million ad during the super bowl, posters on the subway that read, If we don t know how many people are in the city, how would we know how many trains we need? (as if the struggling/bumbling MTA cares) or the bureau s eminent slogans It s in Our Hands and We Can t Move Forward Unless You Mail it Back. If you did indeed receive the form in the mail, you couldn t have missed the large, demanding print: YOUR RE- SPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW. Why is filling out the every 10-year survey important? According to the Census Bureau, the information the census collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services like: hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects and emergency services. But like most government-issued projects, the flaws in the questionnaire seem obvious. The race debate is among the most conspicuous of the issues. Some argue that we are all Americans and where we originate has nothing to do with the work we do. On the flip side, an accurate census count combined with other government records can be used for analysis, such as budget information and labor statistics, which results in a greater understanding of who is affected hardest by unemployment and funding for health and education programs. This year, for my portion of the Census (I was Person 3 in by Dr. ALEX PATTAKOS Special to COMMENTARY happening in the good-ole U.S.A., Greece no longer has the presumed luxury of being able to print its own currency when in need. Unable to rely on its own economic virtues and the illusion of expanding degrees of freedom by injecting Monopoly money into the system, Greece must now depend on the good will and fiscal capacity of other nations. And as we all know, these nations are not necessarily good neighbors, frequently resulting, when push comes to shove, in encounters of the worst kind. Against this volatile background, Greece, the little country that could, is caught, much like Sisyphus, between a big rock and a very hard place. And to complicate matters further, Greece has a citizenry that also seems to have lost its way. Mistaking entitlement for freedom, the core Greek values of responsibility and love of honor (philotimo) have been replaced by a new and weird form of greed government owes us a life and a living from cradle to grave! I find this new, so-called progressive, paradigm to be bizarre and a freedom killer rather than a freedom promoter. Indeed, I don t recall either my pappou, who had emigrated from Crete to America in search of a better life for his family (and subsequently returned to his horio to rest in peace), or my patera, who exemplified the authentic Greek American spirit in Horatio Alger fashion, ever advising me to look to government for my happiness, health, or welfare! Indeed, I learned from a very early age just the opposite. Prosperity, to be sure, required opportunity (something in which governance systems obviously play a key role through their regulatory powers); but taking advantage of such opportunities required taking personal responsibility and action, as well as being selfconfident and selfempowered. At no time was I taught (or programmed) to feel entitled to anything that I did not deserve or earn from hard work. Moreover, I learned quickly and sometimes abruptly that what government giveth, government can take away. Hence, slurping at the public trough, that is, being dependent upon government action, no matter how well intended, was not a cherished value in my proud Greek (Cretan) family, be they in Greece or in America. Unfortunately, in today s world, Greeks appear to want to have it both ways. Paradoxically, while they despise government intrusion in their private lives, a manifestation of which is not supporting the government of their choice by paying their taxes, they fully expect (and feel entitled) to government assistance so that they can live out their private lives without intrusion. Too many Greeks seem intent on showcasing to the world that they are unwilling and unable to sacrifice selfinterest in favor of the public interest during difficult times. Whatever it takes (e.g., strikes and rioting) and whatever it costs (e.g., depression, recession, and the like), they want the government to give them their entitlements even if they are unreasonable and, yes, unsustainable. Their sense of entitlement, be warned, only my household- how particularized!) I felt compelled to insert a footnote. GREEK AMERI- CAN, I wrote in bold letters under the only blank space left, under other option for race, other. While ethnicity does not equate to race, I figured if they re spending all this money to get information out of people, why not offer what I can? I m here to help us move forward, right? I can only wonder if any of our elected representatives ever considered using those millions of advertising dollars for hiring people competent enough to come up with more meaningful questions. The Greek community in America is under-documentedboth historically and in the modern world [currently], as are other particular groups the government throws under the category white. Considering many eyes from many lines of research (like social scientists) will utilize this data to our benefit, I m not quite sure how defining me as a non-hispanic individual benefits me to the fullest extent. Maybe if the predicted twothirds of the population indeed fill out the census, and maybe if the participating population was able to specify their ethnicities, we d have a good foundation of information that would truly Greece, get your act together. Everyone will benefit from it. Look at the beauty of this country. It should be the best place on Earth to live. Sandra Bikas Holargos, Athens, Greece. serves to exacerbate the situation and breed even more contempt for government due to the incongruence between ends and means, that is, between expectations and reality. Now with President Obama s unsustainable healthcare entitlement, the United States is positioned to follow suit, catch up with and join Greece at the edge of the cliff. But remember, the great entitlement carnival is not a celebration after all; it s a bandwagon of misery that eventually robs human beings of true freedom. And as I ve pointed out numerous times in this column, true freedom cannot (and does not) exist without responsibility. And without a sense of personal responsibility for one s decisions and actions, the freedom to choose, to be engaged, to be creative and innovative, and, in the final analysis, to be self-empowered, become fleeting and disappear. America does not need to embrace Greek-style retirement to experience the dire implications of what I m referring to here. This country has already set into motion policies that will help to ensure that the plot unfolding in Greece also happens here. Economic realities notwithstanding, we should all be concerned about the role and influence of big government on individual freedom and, by implication, the general welfare. Dr. Pattakos, author of Prisoners of Our Thoughts, is currently working on a new book on how to live a meaningful life inspired by Greek culture (see: His column is published weekly in. Readers may contact him with questions, comments, and/or suggestions for topics at: alex@prisonersofourthoughts.com or visit his web site: U.S. Census is A. Productive, B. Important, C. Neither further help our communities and those who represent us. And maybe, if we went online to fill out these forms quickly and efficiently- oh wait, there s no such option. In an age where practically anything and everything is accessible online, it seems rather archaic that there is no online option to submit your U.S. census forms. The Web site UnofficialCensus.org, aspires to change that by urging the U.S. Census Office to make an online submission option a higher priority. Cleverly, it asks the same questions as the 2010 U.S. Census, but allows users to submit their answers online and see real-time statistics as of April 1. Speaking of archaic, maybe the bureau should consider finally changing the option for Black individuals who have two categories to choose from while specifying their race: African American or Negro. Degrading, much? On the bright side of the equation, we have 10 years to prepare for our next senseless census. Let s hope that the bureau hears our cries for an upto-date questionnaire that s easily accessible and that will provide solid information for a better tomorrow (or rather, a better decade).

11 THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 VIEWPOINTS 11 There was an old man named Costa on a Greek island, and his only companion was a dog he loved dearly. When the dog died suddenly, Costa went to the priest of the Greek Orthodox church and said he wanted a service for the dog and was willing to make a donation. Ela, Costa! We don t have a service for dogs. Why don t you go to the Catholic church and ask them. A few days later the priest saw Costa and asked him if the Catholics had complied. Yes. And they were delighted with the 5,000 euros I gave them. The priest raised his arms toward heaven and exclaimed, Vre, Costa, you didn t tell me it was a Greek Orthodox dog! That s how it is with the church, which none of us, former GOYA-goers or long-time attendants want to believe, that, what the church really cares about isn t the spiritual side of life and your salvation, but what drives most everyone: money. You see it in the scandals in which hundreds of millions of euros disappear in dubious land swaps between the church and state, in news reports that pop up about a priest secreting away some of those weekly small donations you make so he can be secure in his retirement while you are not, and the sense that behind the piety there is a sect of greed, one of the worst of the seven deadly sins. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that greed was a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, inasmuch as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things, and where in the bible does it say that a priest or Bishop has to have a Mercedes-Benz? As unemployment in Greece surpassed 10.3%, and as the country lurched toward possible default because of a crushing deficit of 12.7% of GDP that forced Prime Minister George Papandreou to announce round after round of wage and benefit freezes and cuts and higher taxes on almost everything, the church said it should be exempt and will fight a 20% tax he wants to impose on its real estate income, reportedly worth more than 10 million euros ($14.8 million) a year. You d think since the church asks people to sacrifice every day to make themselves worthy in the eyes of God, and to be charitable toward their neighbors and open their hearts to the destitute, that it would set the example and embrace paying its fair share of a secret kingdom of cash it squirrels away without having to worry about the taxman, ranging from those tiny coins you put in the box every week to the multi-million dollar and euro deals it does behind your back. If you don t believe money is one of the main motivators, just try bringing in a priest to pray for an ill friend or relative without slipping him an envelope with at least 100 euros (in cash, please, small bills) and see the ungodly look you ll get. The church tax is an attempt to go after one of the legions of LETTER FROM ATHENS It s a Taxing Time in Greece, Except for the Church...and where in the Bible does it say that a priest or Bishop has to have a Mercedes-Benz? by ANDY DABILIS Special to tax evaders in Greece, including taxi drivers, owners of periptera, those little stands where you pay cash for overinfla - ted prices of small items and don t get a receipt, athletes who stash their money away in foreign banks, doctors, and the rich. It s considered sacrilegious to criticize the church because you re just supposed to kiss the hand that fleeces you, but it was shameful to see the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos complain that the looming tax on church-related commercial pro - perty and revenue was unconstitutional and that he would bring suit in Greek and European courts to stop it. He could call God as a witness, although it would be a little awkward to put him on the stand and ask him to raise his right hand and swear to tell the truth because he d have to end it by saying, So help me, me. All the good the church does - and it is plentiful - is undone by this sort of petty carping, especially when everyone knows the Greek Orthodox Church has more money than God, but you couldn t get it to part with a penny, apart from some of the noble ventures it undertakes to help the poor. But that s not a free pass to hoard the rest. The Archbishop, in an interview in the Athens weekly paper The Real News, proposed a calculation based on revenues and expenditures, with the Church paying a tax of 20% on the remainder of whatever net income, which will be nothing, of course, because church accountants are better at laundering money than Mafia casino magicians in Las Vegas. The state is telling us that We don't know what your revenues are; yet, I want 20% of what you receive. This is unconstitutional, and can be countered in both Greek and European courts. However, it is also unprincipled. How can you take 20 percent from someone when he may not even cover his expenditures? he said. First, no one in the church is going hungry or has to worry about being unemployed, and why go to court? Just ask God to void the tax or have him drop a lightning bolt near Papandreou to scare him into changing his mind. No one outside the church really knows how much money it has, and people have a right to know in a country where 97% of them are members. The Archbishop dismissed reports the church is rolling in cash and said, Come show us where this money is. Let s take him up on that gesture and see how fast it s withdrawn. In a real Shoes of the Fisherman gesture, the Archbishop can open some of those vaults and show the church practices what it preaches. Instead, he said he will confront Papandreou. Our patience is now exhausted, he said. But the church treasury isn t, so help me, me. Mr. Dabilis was the New England editor for United Press International in Boston, and a staff writer and assistant metropolitan editor at the Boston Globe for 17 years before relocating to Greece. His column is published weekly in. Readers interested in contacting him can send s to andydabilis@gmail.com. On Health Care: Socialism is in the Eye of the Beholder SCHAEFFERSTOWN, Penn. - The United States is, for the most part, a capitalist nation. It has never been run entirely by private entities - if that were the case, then each of us would be individually responsible for dealing with hurricanes, fires, terrorist attacks, and many other problems now handled by the public sector. In the 20th Century, particularly as a result of Franklin Roosevelt s New Deal, and Lyndon Johnson s Great Society, a social safety net was widened, compelling the federal and state governments to step in and lend a helping hand to the neediest among us. Essentially, then, socialism was underway long before Barack Obama came to town. Even though our government has grown to such mammoth proportions that our Founding Fathers would probably not even recognize it, it is still by and large far more capitalist than socialist. And for good reason. As Winston Churchill famously said: democracy is the worst system of government, except for all the others. For the purposes of this discussion we can substitute the word capitalism for democracy and retain the essence of Churchill s statement. We saw capitalism in an awful state during a handful of economic calamities throughout our nation s history, yet most of us would consider living through the Great Depression the lesser of two evils if the alternative were to live in the Soviet Union under a totalitarian dictator. We can conclude, then, that the majority of the American people are satisfied with the existing ratio of capitalism to socialism. But what is the underlying factor that really drives the opponents of health care? Comedian Chris Rock recently compared health care to a commercial flight. Rock likened those who oppose Congress health care plan to those who can afford a first class airplane ticket and are exasperated when some lucky stiff from coach gets a bump up, and say something to the effect of: why do you get to sit next to me? Surely, the politicians on both sides of the aisle have their own reasons for promoting or opposing the health care bill proposed by Congress. But the people the average Americans who have no political agenda and denounce the health care plan with every fiber of their being may very well be like those first class ticket holders that Rock describes. They feel that they work hard and can afford good health care, so why should someone else get it for free or, worse yet, have it paid for by themselves - who have already purchased their own? What would do those same naysayers have to say when it comes to collecting Social Security or accepting Medicare? Are they willing to forego those precious dollars and benefits for the sake of preventing socialism from tainting our hallowed capitalist soil? As if often the case in politics, by CONSTANTINOS E. SCAROS Special to the health care issue provides a fertile breeding ground for hypocrisy. Quite often, those least likely to share their first class cabin with others are the same ones who profess to be good Christians. That Jesus Christ never would have kicked anyone out of a first class cabin, or a hospital bed, is too obvious to elucidate. And any notion that attempts to link Jesus and capitalism is too absurd to even entertain. Nonetheless, when pointing out the health care obstructionists pharisaic behavior, the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew: 20) is worth repeating. That story, as told by Jesus, goes something like this: a landowner went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyeard. He offered to pay them a certain amount, and they agreed. Later in the day, he hired other men to work for the rest of the day, and paid them the same amount as the ones he hired at dawn. He went out again, much later on, and hired more men, again paying them the same amount as the others, though they only worked a fraction of the time. At the end of the day, when all the men got paid the same amount, the ones who had worked all day were grumbling because the others did much less work but earned the same pay (sounds like the people in coach who got bumped up to first class for free, Greece in Crisis: What Greek Americans Can Offer Their Struggling Homeland doesn t it?). In response, the landowner chastised the complainers for being jealous. He reminded the day-long workers that they were perfectly happy at the onset with the amount that he offered to pay them, so, why should they care if he chose to be especially generous to another group? Similarly, it is up to the folks who paid for their first class seat to enjoy their trip, or to allow their inner demons to cause them to be bitter and resentful because some of their fellow passengers got a free ride. It is one thing to oppose Congress health care plan for being an anathema to sound macroeconomic policy, but it is another to consider the fundamental human right of medical treatment to be a class privilege such as a ticket to the Super Bowl. As for the dreaded public option which would be so watered down from any socialist plan anyway, that it may as well have been written by Adam Smith here is something to keep in mind. People have nothing but bad things to say about police officers, doctors, lawyers, and public options until they really need one. Constantinos E. Scaros is a published author and expert in American presidential history, with a background in Ancient Greek history. He has taught history, political science, and law at New York University, and served as an Academic Dean at two other colleges in New York. He welcomes comments at his blog at scaros.blogspot.com Stasis in Cyprus: Hope for Christofias-Talat Talks Dashed WASHINGTON, D.C. - Progress in resolving the occupation and division of Cyprus has never moved faster than a glacier. Now it seems to be slowing down even more. Cypriots had hoped that the election of two leftist political leaders, Dimitris Christofias and Mehmet Talat, who did not have the baggage of their predecessors, would change the game. They had worked together before and Talat was an opponent of Faz l Küçük and Rauf Denkta, the Turkish Cypriot leaders most responsible for Greek-Turkish violence on the Island. For the first time, the two communities the directly interested parties would negotiate directly. Talat and Christofias got a lot of good press at first. However, they bogged down once the negotiations disposed of the easy issues. Without Turkey s direct participation in the talks, Talat cannot deliver on key issues such as the presence of Turkish troops and the fate of mainland Turkish colonists. Internal developments in Turkey have further undermined Talat s position. Turkish Prime Minister Teyyip Erdogan has challenged the old Kemalist establishment, the secular elite and especially the Armed Forces, for control of Turkey. He exploited potential Turkish entry into the European Union as the principal vehicle to displace the military. The EU criteria for accession are incompatible with the power and privilege that the Turkish Armed Forces enjoy within the Turkish State. Challenging the military has proven dangerous for Turkish politicians, and in one case with lethal consequences. In 1962 the Turkish military overthrew, tried and executed Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and Foreign Minister Fatin Zorlu. (One need not shed tears for Messrs Menderes and Zorlu; their courtmartial cites provoking the 1955 Constantinople riots against Greeks among the bill of particulars.) Consequently, Erdogan must limit his battles with the Generals to those areas that promise the greatest advantage to him, such as resolving the Kurdish Question. He has ceded to the Army control of secondary issues such as dealing with Greece and Cyprus. In Cyprus the Generals will not let Talat bargain away 45,000 Turkish troops on Cyprus, a number that far exceeds any possible military requirement. For the Generals maintaining huge forces on Cyprus represents not only policy but provides a pretext for inflating the defense budget. In fact, the Turkish military loses money if it agrees to any reduction in force. Many other factors have convinced Erdogan that he has little incentive to invest in negotiations, although he does not want to shut them down. The French and Germans are trying to slam the door shut on EU accession, thus removing the best incentive for a Turkish withdrawal from Cyprus. Polls now indicate that a majority of Turks believe that nothing they do will get them into the EU. Greek and Cypriot support for Turkey s accession has gained little attention in the U.S. Turkey s friends in the U.S. and in Europe continue to exploit the Greek Cypriot rejection of the Annan Plan in 2004 as an excuse to end the isolation of by AMB. PATRICK N. THEROS Special to the Turkish Cypriots despite the fact that the isolation is self-imposed. That few outsiders know that 40,000 or more Turkish Cypriots have obtained Republic of Cyprus passports or that the Republic of Cyprus places no obstacles to Turkish Cypriot goods moving through the legal ports of the Island attests once again to Greek Cypriot inability to manage international perceptions. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), fearing a wave of claims by Greek Cypriots seeking redress for property in the occupied north after a successful ruling in Britain, ruled that it would hear no more cases until the Greek Cypriot property owners had exhausted all other avenues. The ECHR now requires Greek Cypriot claimants to present their cases to the property claims commission established by the Turkish military in the north. Although the ruling forced the Turkish Government to acknowledge that it is the Occupying Power, the decision added more layers of bureaucracy between the claimants and justice. Turkey has done a remarkably good job of wooing away Cyprus former allies among Muslim countries. In the past, a ruthlessly secular militarybased regime undermined the claim that Turkey was the only democratic Muslim state. Now that a religiously based politician, Erdogan, is in power in Turkey, Muslim states feel constrained to support him in his battle with the Generals. Erdogan s public break with the pro-israeli policies of the Turkish military has made him a hero throughout the Arab World. The Turks appear confident that with time they will persuade some Muslim or Arab countries to formally recognize the TRNC. Now Talat faces elections that the polls indicate he will probably lose. The presidential election in northern Cyprus is set for April 18 and polls indicate that the nationalist Prime Minister Dervi Ero lu will win. Eroglou insists on recognition of an independent Turkish Cypriot state as a precondition to negotiations, an obvious non-starter. To complicate matters, outside powers are pressuring Christofias to make more concessions in order to save Talat. This puts Christofias in a bind: he either gives away something significant or gets the blame for Talat s electoral defeat, again, a failure of perception management. Finally, the Cyprus issue has fallen off the screen in Washington. There are simply too many other issues clamoring for the President s attention in Washington. Unless Cyprus can manage to make the issue front burner in Washington we should expect little if any movement over the next year or two. The Hon. Ambassador Theros is president of the U.S.-Qatar Business Council. He served in the U.S. Foreign Service for 36 years, mostly in the Middle East, and was American Ambassador to Qatar from 1995 to He also directed the State Department s Counter-Terrorism Office, and holds numerous U.S. Government decorations. By Constantine S. Sirigos NEW YORK - The dark and frightening news from Greece can be overwhelming, but it is often met with a powerful desire among Greek Americans to help in some way. A fund to alleviate the Greek debt has been created. That is very positive, but I fear it is a mere drop in the ocean of Greek debt. It is also good that more targeted funds are being explored, to provide support for vulnerable groups like the elderly, vital sectors of society that are in danger such GUEST EDITORIALS as the healthcare system and schools, or to assist with strategic investments in areas such agriculture, which some believe is the sleeper sector in the Greek economy. I believe, however, that the diaspora can make more powerful, non-monetary contributions. Optimists believe that the entrepreneurial and commercial talent displayed by the Greeks from abroad surely is locked up somewhere in the population of Greece itself, and only awaits release through changes in laws that would enable Greeks to cre- welcomes manuscripts representing a variety of views for publication in its View Points page. They should include the writer s name, address, telephone number and be addressed to the View Points Editor,, th St., lic, Ny They can also be ed to english.edition@thenational - herald.com. Due to considerations of space we enforce a strict 850- word upper limit. we reserve the right to edit. ate businesses more easily and enables the country as a whole to attract more foreign investment. We can say that entrepreneurship consists of two components: risk tolerance and learned practices. Even if the overall population of Greece is less risk tolerant than diaspora Greeks some say that the risk-prone Greeks are the ones who were up to the challenges of immigration and the risk-averse ones stayed behind surely a substantial percentage who remained in Greece and their offspring are also daring and imaginative. Then there are learned practices. With information, training and encouragement, this critical mass of entrepreneurial Greeks is sufficient for the country to make a quantum leap in economic performance. That would alter the pessimistic projections regarding Greece s ability to repay its debt and get back on a good economic track. These courageous Greeks, the new entrepreneurs, could become engines of job creation for the recent graduates and those who will lose their jobs due to budget cuts. After government reforms, what they need is know-how and success stories - a map of the path and perhaps some help in visualizing themselves doing it. After all, we are talking about what in many ways would be a radically new Greece, where individuals must become more self-reliant and less dependent on a bankrupt state. Could this be the beginning of the Greek self-help boom? There are numerous Greek Americans (or their spouses and colleagues many Greeks understand English) who would be able to present seminars, lectures, courses, etc. to pass on their experience in starting and developing businesses. Such programs would attract large audiences throughout Greece: Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete, in all the economic and academic centers. With the Internet, the reach and efficiency of such initiatives could be very wide. A few names that come to mind are writers/lecturers like Alex Pattakos, who writes in TNH and consults with major corporations about creating organizations that are both more innovative AND humane and the people who were the pioneers in creating Greek networking organizations and events. They exist in every Greek American community. Some bright person among them will create a Greek Learning Annex and make a lot of money. Leading Greek American organizations could move quickly, some with their members expertise, some with leadership and funding. My experience tells me the members of the following would be eager, individually and collectively, to raise funds for such an endeavor: AHEPA, the larger regional organizations, HABA, HLA, HMS, the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, AHI and many of the people on TNH s list of the 50 wealthiest Greeks and the members of Leadership 100. Such programs should be active far into the future, perhaps with a coordinating committee of representatives from the above groups. The offices of consuls general throughout the U.S. are natural starting points. New legislation would have to be in place, but key people on both sides of the Atlantic should begin to speak with each other now. If by some political miracle, new business creation could be addressed by the creation of ONE NEW office people can go to like Greece s fairly new one-stop Citizen Help Centers (KEP) - rather than by attempting to re-work the many places one must now go for approvals, the need for such programs would be immediately apparent. As Greek Americans, we would finally have an opportunity to share our success with our patrida, not just boast about it.

12 12 ARTS&LEISURE THE NATIONAL HERALD, MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2010 Greek Composer in New York Chases Muses and Fights The Hags By Angelike Contis NEW YORK It s the first balmy Saturday of what feels like spring and Greenwich Village is full of people in good moods who have pulled their summer clothes out of hibernation. In the basement performance space of the Cornelia Street Café, however, the mood is more serious, as a devoted crowd of about 20 people, primarily writers, have assembled to hear readings. Poet Dean Kostos, who has organized the Greek American Writers Association readings at the Cornelia the third Saturday of every month, except July and August, for the past 20 years, takes the microphone to introduce the first of three artists. Though clearly among friends, he doesn t waste time with superfluous words. At the March 20 event, he first introduces playwright Maria Michelis. Micheles takes the stage with two women who will read her one-act play This is Your Mark. It features a teacher, who critiques the school and greater society to her shocked students. Don t you know, kids, there are no adults. No adults in this NEW YORK One of the distinct traits of Minos Papas independent film Shutterbug (released on March 19), is its soundtrack. The often hallucinogenic story of photographer Alex (Nando DelCastillo) diving into the slimy underbelly of New York City is set to an offbeat mesh of pulsating sounds. Composer Tao Zervas says the tunes were inspired not by the images on the screen, but instead by the Greek forest fires of The internal chaos of Alex, who is grappling with an artistic existential crisis as well as problems with his eyesight, are expressed in what Zervas calls very electronic and very dissonant sounds, molded on his 70s-inspired Reaktor virtual synthesizer. Zervas, who has been on the music scene of New York since leaving Greece in 1985, explains: The music was almost written independently of the film. I started writing a big cycle of music that was inspired by the fires in Greece. I got really depressed at the time. I had dreams of almost the whole country sinking into the water. Shutterbug deviated from the usual rules. Says Zervas, Usually directors say everything is timed He moves his hand, I want to hear violins. Or The oboe should come in in two seconds, or 3/10 of a second, says Zervas. In the case of Shutterbug, the music was linked less to actions, and more to moods. He only wrote specific music for a few scenes. Papas, a Cypriot director born in London, entrusted Zervas with the music, because he wanted something untraditional and they had previously worked together. (Zervas also writes music for Papas father, the filmmaker Michael Papas). He says of Zervas music for Shutterbug : His soundscape deepens the rust and grime of the city, portrayed as a gritty dreamscape in the film's darkest moments. There is also a great deal of hope in the score, that accompanies Alex, the main character's, journey of discovery. Tao is a master of atmosphere and can build an emotional soundscape with limited melody - which is exactly the kind of score I prefer. Papas adds, He avoids the generic strings and melodies of movies we have grown tired of. Because the film s self-involved central figure Alex, notes Zervas, is not very likeable, there are no heroic themes. Instead the music conveys his being disquieted inside. There is one theme that particularly expresses an artist s struggle, says the composer. The song The Hags, says Zervas, could apply to anyone who has artistic dreams or any dreams for that matter, realizing that they ve reached the point so that The Hags are closer to him than the dreams and [they] are pursued by them and might be overtaken by them. And that would be the end of anything artistic. It also helps the director that Tao s attitude as his Zen-like name indicates - exudes a calm resolve. (Tao is pronounced Teo, and is a Poster (l) and still (below) from Shutterbug, a recent release featureing Nando Del Castillo as a photographer. derivative of Theodoros.) Zervas reflects from his spot in a cozy SoHo café on the often less-than-cozy decades. Sometimes being an artist feels like you are really on top of the world - you have the best job in the world. It s also the worst job in the world if you feel that what you dream about cannot be accomplished. The 45-year-old adds: When I was younger, with the rock band, I had a lot of run-ins with record labels. Zervas landed in New York after falling in love with a singer, while both were on a Mediterranean cruise ship. Despite family opposition, it wasn t hard for Zervas to follow former model Julia to New York. The adventurous youth had been the guitarist/lead of a rock band called Naon with his friends in Athens, which enjoyed performing their tunes often unknown to his ETBA bank president father - in bank offices. But, he adds: It felt too confining to grow up in Greece.It just felt artistically small and I felt that I wanted bigger things. But New York had its challenges too, as Tao and largerthan-life Julia (who became his wife) formed groups Summer Suspiria and then Soulpusher. Zervas earned a degree in psychology, at his father s insistence, but he focused on the tough music biz. He recalls: My band was pretty high profile. We had a lot of record label dealings and we had a lot of A&R (Artists and repertoire) people approaching us There would be clashes, disagreements and there would be a lot of disappointments too. Tragedy struck too, when Julia abruptly died of a heart attack, six years ago, leaving Zervas numb. The pain is crystallized in his album Julia, while their bands music still makes its rounds on venues like MTV. Only in the last few years, says Zervas, has he felt safe in his career. He s achieved this by keeping his commercial and artistic work separate in his mind. While composing more movie soundtracks, he also produces a band, composes tunes for websites, games and has created a series of CDs for commercial-use music entitled Greek Spy. There is another major change in his life. In his SoHo apartment, one room is crammed full of mixing equipment, while another includes a neat stack of his two-year-old son s books and toys. Though the soundtrack for Shutterbug was inspired by Greece, it does not have Greek sounds. However, working with the Papas filmmakers has inspired Zervas to delve into Greek music, in his own way. Ancient Greek instruments are the tools he uses in designing the soundtrack for Michael Papas upcoming film Little Ulysses and the Cyclops. Rocker Zervas notes, I love doing music like that. It s in the blood. It comes out easy. Cornelia Street Cafe Harbors Greek American Writers and Literary Friends TNH/ANGElikE CONTiS Poet/Hellenic American Writers Assocation founder/organizer Dean Kostos presents the readers at the Cornelia Street Cafe. world, says the teacher, adding: Our parents acted like adults only towards us. The play, Micheles later explains, is a satire on our education and political system, their disconnection. She said she visited the Greek American Writers Association in Cornelia in her younger days. It just seemed like a great place, humble and real, and accessible for all people, and offered some of the best poetry out there from both published and unpublished writers, Micheles said. I try to mix it up, explains Kostos. He isn t just referring to poetry versus other writing styles. The Greek American Writers Association was born as an alternative to a more introverted gathering of Greek and Cypriot writers in Astoria, when Kostos told himself: Something needs to exist because, as Greek Americans we are invisible on the literary scene. The poet who has published five volumes and teaches at two colleges notes that openness is the key. He invites those who are published, those who aren t, Greeks and non-greeks. By inviting in the outside world, Kostos believes, they know what we are doing. Case in point: the second writer on March 20, Dominicanborn poet Octavio R. Gonzalez, who was in a poet s circle with Kostos. The PhD candidate and instructor at Rutgers University reads from his newly-published The Book of Ours. His poems are full of images of the city above, from pay phones and taxis to intimate spots in bars, with plenty of Dominican accents. There s nothing about you I don t like, he reads, from the poem American Sign Language, though it doesn t bear a happy ending. Gonzalez s high school friends in the audience were among those applauding his first poetry collection. The mood shifted suddenly for the final reading - to a hilarious picture of 1970s Amorgos island. Stephan Morrow, a theater veteran and director of The Great American Play Series, who is of Greek descent, read his Solas Award-winning travel piece about an extended stay on the island with his girlfriend. His animated reading included descriptions of a grim-faced captain, black turtleneck underneath his blue naval uniform jacket, who could have been sent by Central Casting, and a man who welcomed a ship, splitting his face from ear to ear with what passed for a welcoming grimace. He also summoned up images of peeping michael radassao Composer Tao Zervas, who has been based in New York since 1985, created the soundtrack for new release Shutterbug. Toms and near-fatal hikes alike. Morrow gravitated to the Cornelia Street Café s Thursday salons after relocating from Los Angeles to New York a few years ago to care for his father. He heard about the Greek readings from the café website Morrow only started writing about his travels two years ago, after realizing the uniqueness of the subculture of grassroots travel of the 1970s. With his wise guy looks, Morrow has appeared on the Sopranos, but takes his theater deadly seriously, having worked with the likes of Norman Mailler and Arthur Miller. On April 5, he s directing a free rehearsed reading of Murray Shisgal s new work Play Time at the 45 Bleecker St Theatres (212) ), with Rosie Perez amongst the cast members, and on April 13, he is moderating a benefit there. The next Greek American Writers Association reading will be on April 17th, with writers Mark Dow, Dimitri Lyacos and Melinda Thomsen. By Angelike Contis. angelike.contis@ekirikas.com Same Name, Same Ebullience, New Rising Star Sings in NY By Constantine S. Sirigos NEW YORK - A young jazz singer dazzled with old standards at New York City s Metropolitan Room on Thursday, March 18. Ariana Savalas, the 22 year-old daughter of much-loved Greek American actor Telly Savalas, brought her rich voice with its captivating vibrato and a lively sense of humor to midtown Manhattan s popular music venue. With the audience s anticipation heightened by the brightly lit drums, bass fiddle, piano and their youthful players onstage, Ariana Savalas name was announced, and into the spotlight strode an even more youthful blonde woman dressed in basic black elegance. Her New York debut began with a sparkling rendition of Cole Porter s I Get No Kick from Champagne, and the seasoned Manhattan crowd immediately embraced the young woman who was last on that island when she was 5 years old. Ariana professed not just her love of New York what debuting artist hoping for its love in return doesn t but her respect for it, announcing she would not bombard her audience with the usual New York anthems, New York, New York, New York State of Mind etc. Rather, she would mix in her favorites songs with those written by her favorite New York composers and songwriters. Sinatra fans experienced All the Way in a new way, and then Ariana raised the temperature of the warm room by leaping onto the piano, and with a hushed voice, proffered Peel Me a Grape, grabbing the guests attention with her sultry voice and dangling legs. One guest burst out with the line from the illustrated movie Who Killed Roger Rabbit, I m not bad I m just drawn that way, to the singer s delight. The songs that followed were executed expertly, defying Ariana s mere 22 years, and were interspersed anecdotes and banter. She interacted nay, flirted with the thrilled crowd, who are already anticipating her return to the Big Apple. Cry Me a River was succeeded by Nice and Easy, but for many present the evening s highlight was the surprise passionate, perfectly pronounced French classic La Vie en Rose. Another poignant tune that brought a hush to the Metropolitan Room was Smile, with words and lyrics written by the great silent film comedian Charlie Chaplin. The program concluded with George and Ira Sultry singer Ariana Savalas tells her new friends to Peel Me a Grape in her New York debut at the Metropolitan Room. Gershwin s They Can t Take That Away from Me but the crowd demanded - and got - an encore, The Shadow of Your Smile. Most of the audience members, and all the Greek Americans, knew that Ariana is the daughter of the late and beloved actor Telly Savalas. On Thursday night they also met her proud mother, Julie Hovland, who hails from Minnesota, and her stepfather, Rick South. But some Greeks did learn something new about Telly, which explained a lot about his talented daughter: he had recorded a number of albums, including songs that were number one hits in Europe. Ariana s friend from England, Clara Govingden, who was also her former classmate at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), praised Ariana s acting ability. Ariana recently played the role of a hitchhiker picked up by a serial killer in an episode of Criminal Minds. Following her RADA training, Ariana moved to Los Angeles to work with Robert Carnegie at the prestigious Playhouse West Theater. She also studied modern dance, jazz dance and ballet with renowned Atlanta based instructor Charles Carr, and she is also dedicated to songwriting. Jazz afficionado and fellow Hellene Staz Tsiavos said, her last name will get your attention but it s her voice that holds it. According to Ariana s official bio, while developing her talents as a true triple threat singer, actress, dancer and listening to the pop music of her own generation, Ariana s heart and soul are most captivated by the music of the great American Standards. I feel like I have been given an amazing opportunity to bring this timeless music to a younger audience, she says. A recording is in progress that will feature a colorful mix of standards and some music that mark the singer s emergence as a composer. A Reasonable Must-Read By Released late last year, In Reason We Trust (RoseDog Books) by John Chrysochoos, Ph.D. examines the complex political world of corruption, greed and other faulty qualities of American society to come to one conclusion: the only effective path for protecting one s civil liberties is reliance on reason and objective judgment. Such reliance on reason and its lack thereof is applicable to all walks of life in our society, whether political, financial, or social, leading to either beneficial or harmful results, writes the book s publisher. The history of our nation consists of an enlightenment period during which reason prevailed, as well as of dark periods during which both reason and objective judgment were totally ignored. Chrysochoos was born in Ikaria in the mid-thirties and moved to the United States as an educator and researcher in He is currently professor emeritus of Chemistry at the University of Toledo in Ohio. He has published about 150 scientific articles and conference abstracts and is the author of two novels, Beyond the Blue Ikarian Sea, and Elusive Dreams.