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A P R 2 0 1 5 $4.95
NEVER BEEN EXIER: The record boom in Greek tourismwith more to come,
ElenaountouraK
Tourism Ministersays
GREECE HAS S
:: magazine
Altar boys foreverFrom The Editor
by Dimitri C. Michalakis
Happy Easter – Καλό Πάσχα!periXscope
by Demetrios Rhompotis
Chronic Fatigue Syndromemedical world
by Dr. Nicholas Kaloudis
April 2015
Don’t Look to Kolokotroni,but to The Greek War Relief Fund
strategy/στρατηγική
by Endy Zemenides
Another Lesson from 1821by Alexander Billinis
hellenes without borders
www.neomagazine.com
GREECE HAS NEVER BEENSEXIER: The record boomin Greek tourism withmore to come, says TourismMinister Elena Kountoura
22
AHIF’s Student ForeignPolicy Study Tripto Greece and Cyprus
44
Second Chair to EnhanceOrthodox ChristianStudies at Fordham
48
A Different Kind of…Therapy from theGreek Doctors
50
Be Nice: An Exhibitionby Agni Zotis
51
stThe 1 Annual Cyprus-USABusiness Forum
26
The Cathedral SchoolMerges Modern Learningwith Classic Education
34
Georgia Kollias atthe 2015 High SchoolHonors Performance Series
43
A 41 Year Tradition:The American HellenicCouncil Awards Gala
18
Selma to MontgomeryMarches for Civil Rightsand Archbishop Iakovos
20
HANAC HonorsPeter Vlachosat 42nd Annual Gala
22
Paulette Poulos Honoredas “Greek American Womanof the Year”
24
“Porphyra, a GrecianRock Opera” Debutsat Carnegie Hall
54
Greek Jews inthe National ResistanceExhibition
63
Comedy Night withAngelo Tsarouchas& Jim Dailakis
66
:: magazine
PUBLISHED MONTHLY IN NEW YORK
FOUNDED IN 2005 BY
Demetrios RhompotisDimitri Michalakis
Kyprianos Bazenikas
PublishingCommittee Chairman
Demetrios Rhompotis(718) 554-0308
ATHENS - GREECEPublic Relations &Marketing Director
Rita [email protected]
Marketing & AdvertisingDirector
Tommy Harmantzis(347) [email protected]
NEO Magazineis published monthly by
Neocorp Media Inc.P.O. Box 560105
College Point, NY 11356Phone: (718) 554-0308e-Fax: (718) [email protected]
Director of OperationsKyprianos Bazenikas
I visited my old church in Brooklyn recently, where I once served as an altar boy, and it pretty much looks the same: only with central air conditioning now (instead of the sauna we had to endure back then during the high holy days when the church was packed and candles were lit). The priest is a sweet man with a gift for connecting with people and I see the familiar faces of relatives who have been going to the church ever since.
In those days my mother and I lived on Parrot Place in Bay Ridge just behind the Robert Hall and near Poly Prep where all the ducks swam in the pond (my father in those days worked in Chicago and we saw him only on holidays). And perhaps to keep me out of trouble the relatives suggested I go to the church and apply to be an altar boy. I thought this was a great distinction (which it is) and I rigorously studied the Pistevon and the Pater Imon which I had to recite by heart in order to get a hearing from the priest and the head of the altar boys.
I passed the test and I was told to report for the first day on the job on a Sunday.
I took the Fifth Avenue bus which rumbled down to the church (then a faded area which has since become gentrified) and I wore my Sunday best—my suit and skinny tie and my good pair of black shoes bought at Buster Brown.
I could hear the drone of the psaltes as I entered the church and with a sense of self-importance I passed by the old ladies with their black kerchiefs who always came early and then I ducked behind the door with the icon of St. George slaying the dragon and was
shown into the locker room where all the beautiful silk robes were kept: there were green ones, and blue ones, and reddish ones, and the gold ones that made us sparkle on the high holy days. I was shown how to put them over your c l o t h e s a n d t h e n , m o s t important, I was shown how to tie the sash around you so that it fit snug and kept your robe from billowing. “You want to look fat?” said the head of the altar boys to me. “You want all the girls to think you’re fat?”
And then I sat with the other boys in the anteroom next to the altar and talked about
wrest l ing ( the glor y days of Bruno Sammartino) as we waited to be called on by the priest through the head of the altar boys, dressed all in black, who came whispering and gesturing frantically.
The standing was the worse. Holding the scepter raised during the endless recitation of the evangelia during the high holy days was the worse—watching the candles getting snuffed out to count down the evangelia was a mortal agony.
But then the girls did look at you when you walked down the aisle and you did have a sense of importance when you held back the crowds packing the aisle to get the antidero at the end of the service or during Holy Communion.
I watched the altar boys when I went back to my old church recently and I was very jealous.
Happy Easter!
Check our websitewww.neomagazine.com
:: magazine
Editor in Chief:Dimitri C. Michalakis
Western Region Desk- Los Angeles
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Altar boys forever
On April 25th, the American Hellenic Council (AHC) of California will be holding its Annual Gala. The event, which is expected to attract over 400 attendees, will be held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.
The AHC will be honoring four distinguished individuals for their service to Hellenism and their excellence in their professional fields. Chairman, CEO and Global Co-CIO of Calamos Investments, John Calamos, and Owner and Founder of Felix BNI, Peter Economides will be honored with the Aristeion Award for their extraordinar y accomplishments in their fields of expertise. Former United States Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis will be honored with the Pericles Award for her advocacy of peace, democracy, and justice and her support of the issues that concern the Hellenic-American community. Author of “Kissinger & Cyprus: A Study in Lawlessness”, Gene Rossides will be honored with the Theodore Saloutos Award for his exemplary work at the American Hellenic Institute and for bringing the plight of Cyprus and the Rule of Law to the head of our political action efforts.
John P. Calamos, Sr., is Chairman, CEO and Global Co-CIO of Calamos investments, which he founded in 1977. The firm is headquartered in the Chicago metropolitan area with additional offices in London and New York.
Mr. Calamos has established research and investment processes centered around a team-based approach designed to deliver superior risk-adjusted strategies including equity, fixed income, convertible and alternative investments. He has written two books: Investing in Convertible Securities: “Your Complete Guide to the Risks and Rewards and Convertible Securities: The Latest Instruments, Portfolio Strategies”, and “Valuation Analysis”. Mr. Calamos received his B.A. in Economics and M.B.A. in Finance from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
A 41 Year Tradition: The American Hellenic Council Awards Gala
Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis was the Untied States Ambassador to Hungary from January 2010-July 2013. Before accepting President Obama’s nomination to serve as U.S. Ambassador, she was president of AKT Development Corporation, one of California’s largest land development firms. Ambassador Kounalakis served for nearly ten years as a Trustee of the World Council of Religions for Peace. In recognition for her work with the WCRP, she was awarded the medal of St. Paul, the Greek Orthodox Church of America’s highest honor. Ambassador Kounalakis earned her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the Haas School of Business. In 2011, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the American College of Greece.
Gene Rossides served as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury from 1969 to 1973, during the first term of the Nixon Administration. Henry Kissinger was National Security Adviser during this time. Rossides supervised the U.S. Customs Service, Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. He served as the U.S. representative to INTERPOL. From 1958 to 1961, he served in the Eisenhower Administration and is a founding director of the Eisenhower Institute. In 1974, following Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus, he founded the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) and in 1975, the AHI Foundation (AHIF). Mr. Rossides is also the author of the book, “Kissinger & Cyprus: A Study in Lawlessness”. He graduated from Columbia College and Columbia Law School.
Peter Economides is the owner and founder of Felix BNI based in Athens. He is a former Executive Vice President and Worldwide Director of Client Services at global advertising agency, McCann Erickson Worldwide, and Head of Global Clients at TBWA\Worldwide. His journey through the world of advertising and marketing started in his native South Africa and took him via Hong Kong, Greece and Mexico to New York, and back to Athens. Peter’s work is focused on change – on the strategic responses to shifting culture, consumer habits and behavior, and the challenges of regional and global expansion. His view is that branding strategy needs to be spherical and all encompassing, touching every aspect of the business organization and process. Peter is also a Board Director of Make-A-Wish Foundation International.
Demetrios Boutris, the President and CEO of Boutris Group, a Real Estate, Business & Policy Consult ing Firm, wil l be the Master of Ceremonies. Entertainment will be provided by the Takis Kokotas Band.
The American-Hellenic Council is a non-partisan political advocacy organization with stated goals to promote democracy, human rights, peace, and stability in Southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, with an emphasis on Greece and Cyprus, by informing the American public and public officials about on-going issues and conflicts in the area and about the threat arising from the economic crisis in Greece.
Since its inception, the American Hellenic Council has been the focal point of political activities of Greek Americans in California. The AHC has become an effective and respected political advocacy group whose primary purpose is to educate and inform the U.S. Congress for the protection and promotion of Greek-American interests. During its existence, the American Hellenic Council has supported numerous Hellenic issues and has expressed support for members of Congress that understand and subscribe to its causes.
For more information on the Annual Gala and AHC their website is americanhellenic.org
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 N E W S & N O T E S1 8
John P. Calamos Gene Rossides
Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis Peter Economides
The Greek American Community commemorated in March the pivotal role of the late Archbishop Iakovos on the 50th Anniversary of the historic Selma to Montgomery Marches for Civil Rights in 1965. The courageous decision of the Archbishop to join Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. demonstrated his belief that all human beings are created in the image of God and so are entitled to human and civil rights. In doing so, he once again elevated the Greek Orthodox Church in America to national prominence. As such, he was awarded with the Medal of Freedom in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter for his many contributions.
In acknowledgement of his role and of these historic events, Archbishop Demetrios joined President Obama and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 2015, the 50th anniversary of the first Selma March led by John Lewis, now a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Displayed here is the iconic Life magazine image of Archbishop Iakovos with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from the March 15, 1965 Selma March, along with pictures of Archbishop Demetrios in Selma on March 7, 2015 – 50 years later - illustrating the continuing commitment of Greek Orthodox to the critical cause of civil rights, which
Selma to Montgomery Marches for Civil Rights and Archbishop Iakovos
draws on the Orthodox Faith and Hellenic Heritage.
Archimandrite Dr. Nathanael Symeonides, Director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical & Interfaith Relations, organized a historical overview of these events through printed materials, videos, lectures and a special section of the Archdiocesan website, civilrights.goarch.org. He was able to do this in part with funding from Leadership 100.
Iconic image of Archbishop Iakovoswith Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma,Alabama, March 15, 1965
Archbishop Demetrios withPresident Barack Obama in Selma,Alabama, March 7, 2015
Archbishop Demetrios crossingEdmund Pettus Bridge in SelmaAlabama, March 7, 2015
Archbishop Demetrios withRep. John Lewis in Selma
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 N E W S & N O T E S2 0
ORDER OF AHEPA
GOLD COAST CHAPTER NO. 456
Manhasset, New York 11030
AMERICAN HELLENIC EDUCATIONAL PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION
Happy Easter - Καλό Πάσχα
from your friends at the
AHEPA GOLD COAST CHAPTER #456
Please support AHEPA
so AHEPA can support you!!!
Fraternally yours,
John G. Levas
President
Fraternally yours,
Larry Karantzios
Secretary
Our meetings are held at The Port Washington Yacht Club,
located at 1 Yacht Club Dr, Port Washington, NY,
first Wednesday of each month, 6:00 pm.
NEW MEMBERS:
For new members to join the
fee is $90.00. Membership
renewals are $75.00.
Ahepa web Site is
AHEPA.ORG You can
down load membership
applications on line!
PRESIDENTJohn G. [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENTPaul Macropulos
SECRETARYLarry [email protected]
RECORDING SECRETARYPETER G. ROUKIS
TREASURERTed Malgarinos
Board of GovernorsAndrew CyprusLeonard ZangasGeorge J. LevasConstanine Carr
Honorary GovernorsEvens CyprusJames A. PollSunshine WelfareTom Gardianos
The 93rd AHEPA Family Supreme Convention will be held July 1-5 in San Francisco, California!
For more info please visit AHEPA.org
To say that Greece is in dire straits is a euphemism. The country is facing another existential crisis with the possibility of defaulting and abandoning the common European currency as close as ever. The newly-elected coalition government of the leftist SYRIZA and the right wing Independent Greeks so far hasn’t proved itself up to the task of averting disaster and putting the country back on track as they promised. Despite their popularity in poll after poll and the “patriotic” overtures of its media-savvy virtuosos, the country remains between a rock and a hard place and insecurity for the future is painfully felt in the present. Whether the government will surprise everybody, including itself at this point, and manage to turn things around, it remains to be seen. Tourism is one of the areas, perhaps the only one, where real progress has proven within reach, scoring new highs last year (more than 17 million arrivals to a country of roughly 11 million) and expecting more of the same this season. In an interview with NEO magazine (through email submitted questions) Alternate Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Elena Kountoura, appeared optimistic that Greece shall overcome and tourism will lead the way out of the current impasse.
“Tourism should and does unite all Greeks in the great undertaking to resurrect the country and the economy,” she said.
Elena Kountoura was born in Athens and this past January was appointed Alternate Minister
by Demetrios Rhompotis
for Tourism in the Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism. She was for many years a member of the Greek National Track and Field Team and has been Champion of Greece in the high jump and 100m hurdles and holder of numerous national records, as well as national and international titles and awards. She has also had a successful career in haute couture modeling, within the country and overseas.
She has been elected five times member of Parliament, most recently at the national elections of January 25, 2015, collecting the greatest number of votes for the Independent Greeks Movement ballot in Athens. Her party then became a junior partner in a coalition government with the leftist SYRIZA movement.
Since June, 2014 she is a member of the Greek Parliamentary Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and a member of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons and alternate member of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination.
Mrs. Kountoura is very active in supporting a number of charities in Greece and abroad. She is president of the "EUROPA DONNA HELLAS," an organization that raises awareness for the prevention of breast cancer and better health care for cancer patients. She has also been honored for her support in spreading the values of Paralympic Volunteerism in Greece. In December 2007 she was named by the Greek Government a Goodwill Ambassador for Social Volunteering.
You resumed your duties in the midst of another crisis, not that it was ever that quiet the last five years. Due to the barrage of negative publicity internationally, the country’s image has been seriously wounded and that could affect tourism. How are you dealing with all this?
With great effort and strategic planning we have elevated tourism to a national level of importance, because it is crucial to the development, the well-being, and the future of our people, above and beyond partisan politics. Tourism should and does unite all Greeks in the great undertaking to resurrect the country and the economy. Nowadays, international media talks about the return of Greece to the first line of tourist destinations internationally. There are tangible results, but also a central goal: strong and valued tourism identity and international prestige for the Brand Name “Greece”. The challenges are ahead of us. Greece and the US share common values and hopes in a spirit of unity, friendship and cooperation. And that’s how we wish to continue.
Last year Greek tourism did well, in fact better than ever if we are to take statistics literally. How are things looking for this season?
All entities that deal with tourism including our ministry and the people of Greece have come together and joined hands so that 2015 will be an even better year. The feedback so far is very positive and we feel very optimistic.
What is your strateg y for the US? Will you continue promoting Greece as a luxury destination, will you go back to the more popular image, or is it going to be both?
Greece remains an attractive, secure, and hospitable tourist destination for all Americans, including Greek Americans who wish to keep the bonds with their country of origin and our language strong. We want to get as big a chunk as possible from the Americans who travel overseas for vacations. Greece is a multifaceted destination for tourists with different tastes and spending ability. Our strong card, the “Sun and Sea” concept, as well as our special categories, Cruises, Health and Well Being, Conference, Sports tourism and regular international sports events, such as the Classic Marathon of Athens, offer something for everyone. Our goal is to have high quality and modern infrastructure with equal level services all over the country. And while we
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 C O V E R S T O R Y2 2
The record boom in Greek tourism with more to come,
ElenaountouraK
Tourism Ministersays
NEVER BEEN EXIER:GREECE HAS S
A P R I L 2 0 1 5C O V E R S T O R Y 2 3
There is already a flexible and modern framework that facilitates investment in Greece. This framework offers more and better opportunities to invest in tourism with new products and services while curtailing bureaucracy. Golf courses, marinas, spas, hotels and condo hotels and many other sectors offer great opportunities to those who wish to exploit them. I welcome all potential investors to join us in exploring these possibilities for mutual benefit.
Due to the negative images coming out of Greece for some time now, many Americans are concerned with safety in visiting the country. Although statistics still have Athens as one of the safest cities on earth, what would you say to them to make them feel better?
Greece is a safe and friendly destination, a member of the European Union family of nations and other Euro-Atlantic organizations. Athens, despite what the international media showed, often times exaggerating, never lost her identity, her charm and her distinct cultural features. The smile was not wiped off people’s faces and the unique Greek hospitality was never affected. Athens is a modern European metropolis with millennia-old history and civilization. You can visit the Acropolis, then the new Acropolis Museum,
and then stroll through the beauty of her distinctly cosmopolitan streets for an unparalleled experience.
Many Americans also feel uneasy with the noted increase in radicalism within Greek society, including anti-Semitism. This is the last thing the country needs right now. How are you dealing with that?
There is no anti-Semitism in Greece. Our society hasn’t faced on a large scale this blight. Greece is the country that gave birth to democracy and our everyday struggle has freedom, social justice and respect of human rights at its core. Everybody is welcome in Greece to enjoy their vacation with safety and to experience firsthand the hospitality she is famous for.
A message to the Greek American community?
I want to thank them from my heart for what they have done and continue to do for our common fatherland. They keep our traditions, the language and customs alive, and they know how to overcome obstacles and to distinguish themselves in every field of endeavor, while they remain on Greece’s side. They keep our Greek soul alive in the New World, displaying virtue and love for the country. We are grateful for their contributions to Greece and Hellenism at large.
According to a poll by Trip Advisor to more than 44 thousand people worldwide, Greece is among the top five “Dream Destinations” for Americans, regardless of spending ability. Young people are a major segment in this trend and the fact that over 20 thousand runners took part in the Classic Marathon of Athens proves it. We are working on price-friendly packages in the spring, with an emphasis on cultural, sports, diving, educational tourism as well as student conferences in the
fields of health and other sciences. The potential exists and it is included in our national tourism plan so that travel to Greece among young people who love and choose our country could be even easier.
AHEPA held a memorable national convention in Athens a few years ago, the Hellenic American Doctor’s Association met in Kos the year before, and the Pancretan Association did its convention on a cruise ship around Crete. After the economic crisis in 2010 this promising trend was interrupted. Given that Greece could use all the help it can get, are you planning to more actively work with major American Greek organizations in order to hold conventions in Greece or encourage group visits?
The Greek National Tourism Organization and our offices overseas are already working on that. It would be an honor for us and a crucial step if AHEPA and other major Greek American organizations host their conferences in Greece. We can provide them with state-of-the-art facilities. We encourage group visits that will combine work and vacation with a cruise to the islands and visits to archeological sites, making their experience unique. Under my leadership, our ministry aims to enhance communication and cooperation with major Greek American cultural and scientific organizations.
The country is in need of foreign investment and tourism is her “heavy industry”. What are some areas where Greek Americans could put their money and expertise to work?
promote all types of tourism, we give emphasis to establish Greece as a luxury destination. According to last year’s statistics, the market share of four and five star hotels was 40%. We invest and offer all kinds of incentive for new resorts or renovation of older ones, spas, golf courses and luxury summer homes. Greece has been distinguished for the high quality service it traditionally offers and has all the means to become and remain a top tourist destination.
Due to the high cost of airline tickets, many younger people and families have come to realize that the regular summer trip to Greece is beyond their means. However, it is crucial that Greek Americans maintain a direct relationship with the land of their ancestors. Would you consider exploring ways that could make things easier, perhaps a charter airline or incentives to go there during off high season times?
Air traveling is sine qua non for tourism. We are trying to facilitate a steady policy of strengthening tourism from the US with an increase in available airline seats, new direct flights and making better use of indirect flights through Europe. We will try to have as many airlines as possible connect directly with Greece. We are also working with travel agencies to design price-friendly, off-season tourist packages for young people and retirees.
Your predecessor had announced that Qatar Airlines would fly directly from Athens to New York. It didn't happen. However, it 's impossible to significantly increase tourism to Greece from the US unless you have a direct connection year-round, something that is not the case since Olympic stopped flying. Is it in your plans to str ike a deal with an international carrier to finally start direct flights in addition to seasonal flights by Delta?
Your follow-up question shows how much Americans and Greek Americans want to visit Greece, whether for professional or recreational reasons. We are looking at all possibilities and we are carving a new strategy so that airlines will include Greece in their list of top destinations.
Greece used to be the ideal place for students and young people in general until the Euro became too expensive and the prices in the country soared. This is changing now. Are you examining the possibility of enticing college students back, perhaps by helping to organize packages for the Spring Break when millions of them travel?
,,There is already a flexible and modern frameworkthat facilitates investment in Greece. This frameworkoffers more and better opportunities to invest in tourismwith new products and services while curtailing bureaucracy.
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Paulette Poulos, Executive Director of Leadership 100, was honored as “Greek American Woman of the Year” by the Association of Greek American Professional Women (A.G.A.P.W.) in New York City.
The tribute, under the auspices of The Consulate General of Greece in New York in Celebration of Women’s History Month, was attended by more than a hundred representatives of the Greek American Community, including George Tsandikos, Leadership 100 Chairman, and Argyris Vassiliou, Leadership 100 Vice Chairman.
The program opened with introductory remarks by Anthoula Katsimatides, Master of Ceremonies, an invocation by the Reverend Dr. Robert Stephanopoulos, who also read a congratulatory message from Archbishop Demetrios. Welcoming remarks were given by Dr. Olga Alexakos, President and Founder of A.G.A.P.W., as well as by Anthousa Iliopoulos, wife of the Consul General of Greece to New York, and Maria Logus, President of the National Philoptochos Society.
Prior to the introduction of Poulos by Dr. Eleni Andreopoulou, the featured speaker, Tsandikos spoke of his long-term friendship and association with her and her half century of service to the Greek Orthodox Church and Community through her long association with the late Archbishop Iakovos and through leadership positions of increasing responsibility. He said, “You have chosen an exemplary woman for this honor, one who does not discriminate by sex or religion or race, but who yet inspires women young and old by her loving and accepting presence.”
Along with the presentation of the Award by A.G.P.W., Poulos was also presented with a New York State Assembly Citation by Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas in recognition of her outstanding service and philanthropy, as well as professional success, in service to the Greek American and New York Communities. In addition, an Excellence Tuition Scholarship Award was presented, in her name, by Dr. Aphrodite Navab to Elena Karavassilis.
In her remarks, Poulos said she viewed her service to the Greek Orthodox Church and Community not as a professional accomplishment, but rather as a personal and spiritual fulfillment. She
Paulette Poulos Honored as “Greek American Woman of the Year”credited her parents for instilling in her faith, ideals and the importance of integrity and Archbishop Iakovos for mentoring her as he set the course for the Greek Orthodox Church and Community in America and around the world, believing in placing women in positions of responsibility. She described her current role as Executive Director of Leadership 100 as a continuation of his legacy and expressed indebtedness to Archbishop Demetrios, “for his trust in me and his paternal love and guidance”, to Tsandikos “for his sage counsel, guidance, support, love and friendship for so many years, and to “an exceptional group of Officers, Board of Trustees and members who have offered their time, talent and treasure for the good of the Church and for Leadership 100.”
She closed her remarks by extending warmest gratitude to Dr. Alexakos, who as president and founder, “devotes all her energies and untiring efforts to the success and advancement of A.G.A.P.W.”
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 N E W S & N O T E S2 4
Olga Alexakos (left) and Dr. Aphrodite Navab, present“Greek American Woman of the Year’ Award to Paulette Poulos.On far left is Anthoula Katsimatides
From left, Olga Alexakos, Anthoula Katsimatides, Anthousa Iliopoulos, Penny Tsilas, Dr. Aphrodite Navab,Paulette Poulos, Elena Karavassilis, Dr. Eleni Andreopoulou, Maria Logus, and Catherine Moutoussis.
Cyprus is one of the world’s most promising international business centers offering unique strategic advantages and an abundance of new investment opportunities. This was the main theme of the 1st annual-USA business forum held at the Harvard Club of New York this past March.
During the full house event, investors, business executives, and professionals from the New York financial community heard from high-level officials and expert panelists from Cyprus, including the Cypriot Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism Yiorgos Lakkotrypis.
In his welcoming remarks, Cyprus Trade Commissioner Mr. Aristos Constantine laid out that Cyprus offers the most important things for US businesses: Access, Legitimacy, Reliability - Access through Cyprus’ EU membership and broad double tax treaty network; Legitmacy as an on-shore jurisdiction fully compliant with all international standards and practices; Reliabilty through rule of law and the highest standard of services.
The Secretary General of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry Marios Tsiakkis reinforced that message by elaborating on the unique opportunities Cyprus offers for American investors. He referenced Cyprus’ strategic geographic location in the eastern Mediterranean
at the cross-roads of three major continents (Europe, Asia and Africa), the fact that it is a member of the European Union and has a Common Law legal system all of which are important factors to the international business community. Moreover, Cyprus’s tax regime is considered among the most attractive tax systems in Europe and most appealing worldwide thanks to its simplicity.
Minister Lakkotrypis, the keynote speak, picked up on the theme of Cyprus as an important business center in the eastern Mediterranean. Cyprus, he said, had overcome the obstacles
associated with its 2013 banking crisis in record time and it is now back on track to restoring its place as one of the most favored international Financial Centers in Europe. He went on to talk about the measures Cyprus is taking to build upon its advantages as a quality and high standard international business center and to capitalize on new opportunities developing around the region.
The Minister provided an in depth presentation as to why Cyprus is the ideal destination for international investors, noting also that the country counts on its most valuable and distinctive asset, its people. The people of Cyprus, as he stressed, ensure that the country’s competitive advantages are maintained by using their resourcefulness, entrepreneurship and
professionalism to develop existing and new sectors of growth. He also spoke about how Cyprus is currently actively developing significant natural gas deposits discovered in its offshore Exclusive Economic Zone. These reserves, Minister Lakkotrypis stated, have made the island’s geographic location gain further strategic importance and although the development of the gas industry lies in the near future, along with other related industries, they constitute a key move in terms of the country’s economic diversification and open up great prospects for the economy as whole. At the same time these developments provide excellent opportunities to foreign investors.
Also speaking at the Forum was Commissioner for Privatizations Constantinos Herodotou and a group of expert panelists from Cyprus financial services industry, who spoke about the banking system, the business environment within the legal framework, the international tax structure, renewable energy projects, global wealth management and the Cyprus funds industry and the importance of Cyprus as a regional hub for multinationals.
The banking system of Cyprus is harmonized with EC directives and, under the regulation and supervision of the Central Bank of Cyprus, ensures a safe and stable financial system, while the country provides an effective and transparent tax system that is fully compliant with EU laws and regulations. As explained by the Chairman of the Cypr us Inves tment Promot ion Agency Christodoulos Angastiniotis, the island is constantly developing and modernizing its legal framework by promoting new and revised legislation in an effort to continuously improve the overall investment environment. It is worthwhile noting that the government has already introduced a series of incentives offering a wide variety of benefits to drive employment, support existing business and more importantly to boost new investments.
The 1st annual Cyprus-USA business forum was organized by the Cyprus Embassy Trade Center in New York in conjunction with the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency and was by all accounts a huge success. The event was followed by a networking reception co-hosted by the Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce.
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 N E W S & N O T E S2 6
stThe 1 Annual Cyprus-USABusiness Forum
The panelists
Minister of Energy,Commerce, Industryand Tourism Yiorgos
Lakkotrypisaddressing the forum.On left, Cyprus TradeCommissioner in the
US Aristos Constantine.
Dr. Nicholas Kaloudis is a highly regarded, board certified endocrinologist. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and owner of EndoHealthMD, in Manhasset, NY. His center provides comprehensive specialty care using current evidence-based practices, and the latest advances in medical aesthetics. He holds an appointment as Associate Clinical Professor at North Shore University in Manhasset. He has received numerous awards, and he has published articles in the field of Endocrinology.
For more information and a listing of services provided call: 516 365 1150.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
By Dr. Nicholas Kaloudis
Medical World
About Author
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder characterized by a state of chronic fatigue that persists for more than 6 months, has no clear cause, and is accompanied by cognitive difficulties. More recently, the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) proposed that the condition be renamed “systemic exertion intolerance disease” (SEID) to better reflect the condition's hallmark defining symptom, “postexertional malaise”.
The cause of CFS is unknown, but the disorder is probably an infectious disease with immunologic manifestations. Many viruses have been studied as potential causal agents, including: EBV, HHV-6, coxsackievirus B, spumaviruses, and even human T-cell leukemia virus strains; however, no definitive causal relation has been determined.
Because no direct tests aid in the diagnosis of CFS, the diagnosis is one of exclusion but that meets certain clinical criteria, which are further supported by certain nonspecific tests. The diagnosis of CFS also rests on historical criteria (ie, otherwise unexplained fatigue for more than 6 months accompanied by cognitive dysfunction). The absence of cognitive dysfunction should exclude CFS as a potential diagnosis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in order to receive a diagnosis of CFS, a patient must (1) have severe chronic fatigue of at least 6 months’ duration, with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis, and (2) concurrently have four or more of the following symptoms:
Ÿ Substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration
Ÿ Sore throat
Ÿ Tender lymph nodes
Ÿ Muscle pain
Ÿ Multijoint pain without swelling or redness
Ÿ Headaches of a new type, pattern or severity
Ÿ Unrefreshing sleep
Ÿ Postexertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours
The symptoms must have persisted or recurred during 6 or more consecutive months of illness and must not have predated the fatigue.
The CDC case definition also states that any unexp la ined abnorma l i t y de tec ted on examination or other testing that strongly suggests an exclusionary condition must be resolved before further classification is attempted. Conditions that do not exclude CFS include the following:
Ÿ Any condition defined primarily by symptoms that cannot be confirmed by diagnostic laboratory tests, including fibromyalgia, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, nonpsychotic or melancholic depression, neurasthenia, and multiple chemical sensitivity disorder
Ÿ Any condition under specific treatment sufficient to alleviate all symptoms related to that condition and for which the adequacy of treatment has been documented, including hypothyroidism for which the adequacy of replacement hormone has been verified by normal thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, or asthma in which the adequacy of treatment has been determined by pulmonary function and other testing
Ÿ Any condition, such as Lyme disease or syphilis, that was treated with definitive therapy before development of chronic symptoms
Ÿ Any isolated and unexplained physical examination finding, or laboratory or imaging test abnormality that is insufficient to strongly suggest the existence of an exclusionary condition, including an elevated antinuclear antibody titer that is inadequate, without additional laboratory or clinical evidence, to strongly support a diagnosis of a discrete connective tissue disorder
As suggested by the term chronic, the clinical course of CFS is punctuated by remissions and relapses, often triggered by intercurrent infection, stress, exercise, or lack of sleep.
Laboratory tests have 2 functions in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). First, they may be used to assess the possibility that another condition is causing the fatigue; second, they may be used to help diagnose CFS. CFS laboratory abnormalities are not specific, but, taken together, they can make up a pattern consistent with CFS in patients who have a cognitive dysfunction in whom other
diseases have been excluded as a cause for their fatigue.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended a “basic battery” that includes the following:
Ÿ Complete blood count (CBC)
Ÿ Liver function tests
Ÿ Thyroid function tests
Ÿ Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Ÿ Serum electrolyte level measurement
Some clinicians also include antinuclear antibody and morning cortisol measurements. Adrenal function tests are useful for the purposes of exclusion.
The most consistent laboratory abnormality in patients with CFS is an extremely low ESR, typically in the range of 0-3 mm/h. A normal ESR or one that is in the upper reference range suggests another diagnosis.
Most patients with CFS usually have 2 or 3 of the following nonspecific abnormalities:
Ÿ E l e v a t e d i m m u n o g l o b u l i n M ( I g M ) / i m m u n o g l o b u l i n G ( I g G ) coxsackievirus B titer
Ÿ Elevated IgM/IgG human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) titer
Ÿ Elevated IgM/IgG C pneumoniae titer
Ÿ Decrease in natural killer (NK) cells (either percentage or activity)
Because most cases of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) may be due to a viral infection, no uniformly effective therapy exists for CFS. Trials of antiviral agents have been ineffective in relieving the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Various medications have been shown to be ineffective, including steroids, liver extract, chelating agents, intravenous (IV ) vitamins, vitamin B-12, and IV or oral vitamin or mineral supplements. Antidepressants have no major role to play in the treatment of CFS. Otherwise, treatment is largely supportive and responsive to symptoms.
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 H E A L T H2 8
The methods of teaching may invariably evolve to meet the ever-changing demands of society, but some concepts will forever remain relevant to education. This idea has supported both the evolution and progression of The Cathedral School, a New York City-based independent school founded in 1949 by The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity to serve Greek families who wanted to instill an appreciation of Greek language, culture and history in their children. Today, the school caters to an international, religiously diverse population while upholding its roots in Hellenism and Orthodoxy. Fittingly, The Cathedral School's mission statement is inspired by Socratic wisdom: “To learn to know ourselves as individuals and to learn to know our community and the world, in a diverse, nurturing and challenging educational environment.”
For anything to grow efficiently, it must be nurtured, and The Cathedral School's most recent advancements can be accredited to the strong support and ambitious vision of the school's principal Theodore Kusulas, who was brought on board last year.
“I’ve really been embraced by the community at-large with some of my innovative ideas,” said Kusulas of his experience thus far. “I've begun to forge good relationships with parents, students and faculty, as well as with members of the Philoptohos, Rev. Fr. John Vlahos, dean of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and all of the support personnel there. I also think that we’ve started to
bridge a more positive relationship between 74th Street and 79th Street- the school and the Archdiocese- which is something that had not been there in the past.”
Prior to his role as principal at The Cathedral School, Kusulas devoted more than 40 years of his professional life to the public school system. Though he originally aspired to attain a Ph.D. in social anthropology to work on early American folklore and history, he began his teaching career after getting his Master's degree and came to love education. “I went to St. Demetrios and started teaching social studies there in 1974, and I left 13 years later as the principal of the elementary school,” he said. “Eventually, I got hooked to the gig and I didn’t want to leave.”
Kusulas then went to a Southern Westchester school district to work as an elementary school teacher for a decade. From there, he moved to central administration, becoming the director of curriculum and instruction in the Clarkstown Central School District in Rockland County. He would spend another three years there as the
associate superintendent of elementar y education before becoming a superintendent for a needy school district in Sullivan county. Following his retirement from the public school system in 2013, he was called back by that school district to consult, and he eventually transitioned to the ro le o f spec ia l ass i s tant to the superintendent. During that time, he stumbled
upon an opportunity he said he could not pass up. “I saw this ad for an opening at The Cathedral School, and I knew it was time to give back,” he said. “I'm a proud Greek American and a devout Orthodox Christian, and it was time to give back to the community that nurtured me when I first started.”
After being bogged down by mandates in the public school system for years, Kusulas became elated to shift his focus to teaching and learning. “I am able to do what is right for the population of the children I serve and the families I serve,” he said. “The Cathedral School is in a really good place with a very strong curriculum that stresses a classic education for 21st century learners, and I think the seeds were already planted here. I just raised the bar a little bit, and I've given my staff some professional development so we can compete with these very elite private schools.”
The Cathedral School currently serves 156 students from nursery through eighth grade. The smallest grades by size- sixth, seventh and eighth- have single-digit classes, a statistic Kusulas hopes to remedy over the next two years, and the student to teacher ratio is 10 to 1. “Restructuring will make
our upper school a true middle school, in which we double-lock the fifth and sixth grade together, and the seventh and eighth grade together in three strands: humanities, which is English and social studies; a classics strand, which is modern Greek, mythology, religion and literacy enhancement; and STREAM, which consists of
s c i e n c e , t e c h n o l o g y , r e a d i n g / w r i t i n g , engineering, art and math.”
Seventh and eighth graders currently take one period a week of Modern Greek, two periods a week of Ancient Greek and two periods a week of Latin. Like other private schools in New York City, the curriculum at The Cathedral School
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 E D U C A T I O N3 4
Middle School Classics Students Visit the Caryatid Hairstyle Photography Exhibit, at Greek Consulate, with Professor Katherine Schwab, Fairfield University.
New School LOGO.
Annual 25th of March School Wide Presentation. This year’s theme celebrated Philhellenes.“Anybody can be a Hellene, by his heart, his mind, his spirit.” Socrates
The Cathedral School MergesModern Learning with Classic Education
by Eleni Kostopoulos
A P R I L 2 0 1 5E D U C A T I O N 3 5
encompasses all standard disciplines. From nursery through the eighth grade, all students take part in what the school calls “excellence through the classics,” to complement and enhance students' overall education and academic profile, according to The Cathedral School's website.
A core group of the school's teachers are members of the American Classical League (ACL), and The
Cathedral School is a charter member of the ACL’s National Junior Classical League whose objective i s to “ga in an act ive appreciat ion and understanding of the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, thereby better enabling us as individuals to interpret and appraise our world today.” The school has also established a close relationship with the Hellenic Studies Program at Columbia University.
Kusulas estimates that 50% of the school's student population is Greek and/or Orthodox. Another 30% is non-Greek Orthodox and 20% is neither Greek nor orthodox; all students are required to take Modern Greek. This year, he introduced and implemented a Greek as a foreign language program to accommodate students who have little to no experience with the Greek language. “Our non-Greek students are some of our best students of Greek,” he pointed out. “For example, last year our valedictorian won the Classic Society’s gold medal in mythology, acing the Ancient Greek exam.”
Most recently, students participated in a celebratory event to honor Greek Independence Day. Laced with the theme of Hellenism, they spent March 25 rappelling through the pages of Greek history and beyond. “It was incredible,” said Kusulas. “The kids learned all of the
contemporary heroes from 1821 and how [these events are] still relevant today.”
To keep up to par with the proliferation of technology, The Cathedral School is equipped with a fully operational high school science lab. Every learning space contains a Smart Board that is used to stream video and access the Internet. The school also boasts a complete robotics lab that is accessible to students in third through eighth grades. Next year, students will be able to get involved in beginning robotics.
“We have 21 flat-screen Apples, a printer and a computer program that can print out a g r e a t d e a l o f mechanical drawings, and we have a 3-D printer that enables students to actually make their products,” said Kusulas. “In math class, if they're studying angles, geometry and shapes, and in science class, if they’re learning about the living environment, they can learn how to program to develop a geodesic dome- but not just an object or a trinket- one that can be made into a terrarium. If they’re going to make a bonsai terrarium, they can create one that is miniature in scope. This involves a lot of problem solving, critical thinking and informed decis ion mak ing ; a l l these t h i n g s g o i n t o everything that we do here.”
The Cathedral School also offers an extensive range of after-school programs that aren’t always offered during the normal course of a day. Some of these inc lude advanced robotics, karate and gymnastics. Younger students are able to play sports like soccer and basketball. The
school also offers courses like Indian dance and photography. The after-school Greek program is available to both students of the school and students from other schools who want to enhance their Greek reading and writing but also learn about Greek culture, games, cooking, music and signing. At $17,500, Kusulas admits tuition is steep, but financial aid is available to eligible students.
The Cathedral School’s Parent Association in tandem with the school board will host its annual “Glendi” in May of this year in an effort to augment the operating budget of the school. The funds raised will go to three categories: curricular and instructional enhancements, infrastructure needs and endowment for scholarships. The gala will also honor a former head of school, Anastasia Michaels.
Moving forward, he said he hopes to maintain the school’s place as an enriching private school that can compete with the best in Manhattan. “We’re getting our children ready for high school and beyond.”
Kusulas and members of The Cathedral School aim to integrate the most modern educational methods in the school’s curriculum while adhering to the ancient Greek tradition of paideia, the process of educating humans into their “true form,” the real and genuine human being.
The Cathedral School is in a really good placewith a very strong curriculum that stresses aclassic education for 21st century learners, andI think the seeds were already planted here. I justraised the bar a little bit, and I've given my staffsome professional development so we can competewith these very elite private schools.”
Theodore Kusulas, Principal
Celebrating GreekIndependence Day on Fifth Avenue.
Select Upper School Chorus perform for His Eminence Archbishop Demetriosat Three Hierarchs Award of Excellence Ceremony, with Father John Vlahos,Dean of Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity & Maria Macedon,Director of Direct Diocese Office of Education.
Socratic Seminar, preparing studentsfor high school & beyond.
Youngster CreatingAwesome with Mr. K.
strategyσ τ ρ α τ η γ ι κ ή
b y E n d y Z e m e n i d e s
DON’T LOOK TO KOLOKOTRONI, BUT TO THE GREEK WAR RELIEF FUND
Endy Zemenides is the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), a national advocacy organization for the Greek American community. To learn more about HALC, visit www.hellenicleaders.com
After five years of crisis, it is unclear that worldwide Hellenism has risen to the occasion with regard to the challenge facing Greece. To be clear, w e h a v e s e e n s u b s t a n t i a l humanitarian efforts on multiple fronts – by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, by Ahepa, by the Hellenic Initiative – and by several others. But have we as a diaspora rallied sufficiently to these efforts?
N o m a t t e r w h o y o u b e l i e v e responsible for the depth of this economic crisis in Greece, and no matter what you think the right so lut ion i s , to min imize the humanitarian crisis the Greek people are undergoing is a sin. Yes, Greece
has several wrongs to right: there are those who have to pay more taxes; there are jobs that still must be shed; there are politicians and business elites that should be prosecuted for corruption. But the burden of righting those wrongs is being disproportionately placed on those who have the least. The tax burden on Greece’s poor has increased 377% since the beginning of the crisis. The unemployed and pensioners who have seen their benefits drastically cut have their electricity cut off and have less and less food aid available. In the meantime, you have European leaders who make statements indicating that this is just the moral penance that the Greek people must endure for voting in bad leaders over the years. As northern Europe presides over the fraying of the European Union, their ambassadors in the U.S. make glib presentations with statements like “we may have been a little too austere” and “the Latins (i.e., the Southern Europeans) have problems living with austerity.”
Maybe the suffering would be worth it if the light at the end of the tunnel could be seen. But it can’t. The only things that the Greek people are offered by their European allies are admonitions that “it can get worse.” It has become painfully obvious that punishment and imposing a form of moralism is as much a motive for Greece’s European partners as managing the debt.
Whether Greece stays in the euro and how it reshapes its economy is not up to us. What we CAN do is give the Greek people a sense of solidarity that is lacking in the Union in which it belongs. Nazi Germany once tried to star ve Greece and the Greek diaspora’s response was one for the ages. We just celebrated the famous heroes of 1821, but it is not their memory we should be invoking at this moment in time. It is the memory of those Hellenes who organized the Greek War Relief Fund. Millions of dollars were raised by the diaspora, and in two years these efforts reduced starvation in Greece by two thirds.
We are not able to create a better European Union; we cannot bring
about necessary reforms to the Greek economy; and we cannot prevent all the pain and uncertainty that Greece still has to face. But we CAN do something about the humanitarian c r i s i s . O u r G r e e k - A m e r i c a n forefathers did not allow Nazi Germany starve Greece. We cannot allow a democratic Germany do so.
HALC will follow Ahepa’s lead and support its efforts to feed the hungry in Greece and provide medical supplies, as well as the efforts of the Church to provide direct food relief. This Easter, commit yourself to making sure that the Greek people know that we have got their backs. Maybe one day there will be posters reminding the world of how we stepped up.
Another Lessonfrom 1821
hellenes without bordersby Alexander BillinisAlexander Billinis is a writer and banker currently living in Serbia. His book "The Eagle has Two Faces: Journeys through Byzantine Europe," is available on amazon.com
Once again this year I listened as my daughter's Greek School here in the Northside of Chicago extolled the bravery and the unity of the "Heroes of 1821." While my wife and son, knowing just a wee bit more of the actual history of this epic struggle, heard my slight sigh at the numerous platitudes, I kept my composure as the poems and the "parla" eventually dissolved into a fantastic set of dances. Thankfully.
It is not that I do not honor the heroism of that generation, among whom were my Hydriot ancestors (as well as some others who were a bit more "complicated" in their background, see NEO magazine April 2014). It is, rather, that the Revo lu t ion was ha rd l y the coordinated uprising described in the history books, and much of the gains of 1821-22 were squandered by the Greeks' love of political in f ight ing , corr upt ion, and financial scandals. Does this sound at all familiar or contemporary? It should.
The inability to put a national cause before personal profit and ego resulted in what might have been a pan-Hellenic, or even pan-Balkan uprising ended up as a a basically Peloponesian, Rumeliot, and island affair, after revolts in Crete, Macedonia, Chios, Epirus, and elsewhere were crushed. Only Samos in the extreme east of the Aegean held off all comers. In Rumeli, certain islands, and the Peloponnesus the revolution was almost extinguished by the French trained Egyptian army and navy of
Ibrahim Pasha, as the Turks called in their vassals to finish the job they could not. From the jaws of victory, defeat loomed.
Only intervention saved Greece, some of it by design, but the actual battle that birthed Greece, the Battle of Navarino, was in fact by accident. Shots fired at or by a blockaded Turco-Egyptian fleet at or by the squadrons of the British, French, and Russian fleets ended in a rout of the former by the latter. Now independence would come, delivered by foreign powers, and under their, not our, terms. Does any of this sound at all familiar, or contemporary?
But wait, it goes further. Just as we could not f inish the job of liberating Greece without foreign intervention, we could not, it seems, govern Greece without foreign intervention either. Count Ioannis Capodistrias, a Corfu nobleman with a government resume no Greek (and few Europeans) could match, spent a few years at the helm of Greece, working for no pay in an attempt to cobble some order out of the chaos that was the war-stricken country,
including curbing the rule of local Greek notables who sought to replace the Turkish pashas with themselves. One of these put a bullet in his stomach, and he expired on the cobbled streets of Nauplion, the lovely town chosen to be Greece's capital. As Greece descended once more into chaos, the foreign powers had to-you guessed it-intervene and create a Kingdom of Greece, with a foreign king. This foreign intervention (either invited or "invited" by events) occurred many times over the course of the next nearly two centuries.
That is just the political side of the equation. Greece's financial woes and debt requirements, which began with the first loan to the Greek government in the early 1820s, continued throughout Greece 's his tor y. Often the financial and political would co inc ide , and the c red i to r
governments would come calling with gunboats, occupying the customs houses of Greek ports until their debts were satisfied (and you thought "The Troika," sorry, "The Institutions," were bad). It might have been excusable that a largely illiterate, rough band of rebels would lack governing or civic skills, but have we really evolved much since then?
The Heroes of 1821, like those of the American Revolution, to which we Greek Americans love to draw rather stretched para l le l s , were great and f lawed individuals. Their efforts gave us the Greek state, but among their flaws were a fractiousness that led to them seeking, requiring, and relying upon, foreign assistance, either for survival or solvency. Over the course of nearly two hundred years of independence, most of their successors have shown a tendency to some of the same vices, and sometimes, rather seldom actually, some of the same virtues. Often the intervention we despise is the one we bring upon ourselves, either indirectly or directly. Not a theme for a school program, perhaps, but one that should be in the back of our minds, as adults.
We had a Greek Revolution, but have we had a Greek EVOLUTION?
Theodoros Vryzakis(Oil painting, 1852)
Georgia Kollias, a sophomore student at Tower Hill School, Wilmington, Delaware, was selected for the 2015 High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall and performed as a second soprano with the Honors Choir. Participation in one of the three Honors Ensembles is limited to the highest rated high school performers from across North America and selected schools internationally. Acceptance to the elite group is a direct result of the talent, dedication, and achievements demonstrated in her application and audition recording. Georgia joined other performers from 49 United States, several provinces in Canada, and several foreign countries for a special performance at a venue that marks the pinnacle of musical achievement.
According to Morgan Smith, Program Director, “Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each Finalist should be extremely
proud of accomplishing. We process more than ten thousand nominations annually, selecting only the most talented performers applying on an international level . Working with these conductors and performing at Carnegie Hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these student musicians never forget.”
Georgia has studied music for 12 years and is a member of the Tower Hill School Vocal Ensemble, Tower Hill School Jazz Band, and Tower Hill Upper School Choir. She participated in the 2013
Delaware All State Junior Choir and 2014 Delaware All State Sen io r Women’ s Cho i r. In response to her selection as a Finalist, Georgia said, “I am honored to participate in the Honors Performance Series and cannot wait to work with many other amazing and talented young
people who share a similar love and dedication for music and vocal performance.”
The Honors Performance Series was created to showcase accomplished individual high school performers on an international level by allowing them to study under master conductors and perform in the celebrated venue, Carnegie Hall. Each year, the Series selects approximately 500 Finalists. For more info, their website is honorsperformance.org
Georgia Kolliasat the 2015 High SchoolHonors Performance Series
GeorgiaKollias
The American Hellenic Institute Foundation (AHIF) is accepting applications for its travel abroad program aimed to help Greek American college students better understand the core foreign policy issues important to the Greek American community. The program is open to Greek American and Cypriot American college students who are in good academic standing and who are studying political science, international relations, history, government, law and foreign affairs. The trip is scheduled for June 17-July 3, 2015.
During the two-week trip to Washington, DC, Greece and Cyprus the students will have the opportunity to see and experience first-hand foreign policy issues affecting Greece and Cyprus,
AHIF’s Student Foreign Policy StudyTrip to Greece and Cyprus
their relations with the U.S., and the interests of the U.S. in the region. Although the schedule will be packed with briefings and meetings with officials, the students will also have free time to visit historic and other cultural sites in both Greece and Cyprus.
Prior to departure students will meet in Washington, DC to attend a mandatory briefing about their trip. They will also attend meetings and briefings with Greek, Cypriot and U.S. officials in Washington, Greece and Cyprus. Emphasis will be placed on understanding Greek-Cyprus-Turkish relations, issues affecting the southeastern Mediterranean involving Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.
The program is open to undergraduate or graduate students (rising sophomores to second-year graduate students) with a full-time enrollment status (12 credit hours per semester), and have a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA. Program size is limited, and participation is contingent upon acceptance by the program review committee.
The deadline to apply is April 15, 2015. Applications received after that will be considered on a space-available basis. For more information, AHI’s website is ahiworld.org
Fordham University has received a generous gift to establish the Father John Meyendorff & Patterson Family Chair of Orthodox Christian Studies. The gift comes from Solon and Marianna Patterson, whose philanthropy at Fordham had previously endowed the Patterson Triennial Conference on Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue, a distinct initiative of the University’s Orthodox Studies Center.
“We are deeply grateful to the Patterson family for making possible this addition to serious scholarship in Orthodox studies at Fordham,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University. “John Meyendorff was the most significant English-speaking historian of Byzantine Christianity in the 20th century, and a familiar presence at Rose Hill. We are therefore very pleased that his name, as well as that of the Patterson family, will forever be associated with Fordham.”
As an academic discipline Orthodox Christian studies is a relatively new, interdisciplinary approach to examining of an archipelago of cultures. Eastern Orthodoxy refers to a cluster of religious traditions that for millennia have been the dominant form of Christianity throughout Asia Minor, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Russia.
The Meyendorff/Patterson Chair was specifically created to enhance Orthodox Christian studies by supporting scholarship and teaching focused on the relationship between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions. Promoting the churches’ unity is a cause that resonates deeply with the Pattersons. Born in Greece, Solon Patterson was raised Greek Orthodox and Marianna, his wife, was raised Roman Catholic. When they married in Atlanta, Georgia in 1961, they still maintained their separate faiths; as a result, they found they faced formidable obstacles.
“We did struggle, and in spite of these obstacles, we’ve been married for 54 years,” said Solon Patterson. “We’d like to help other couples like us who might not get married because of these
Second Chair to EnhanceOrthodox Christian Studies at Fordham
by Patrick Verel*
religious differences—which we’ve found over the years are not really significant.”
Graduates of Emory University, the Pattersons had no previous connection to Fordham before traveling to Constantinople, Turkey in 2004 to see the return of the relics of St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Theologian, which had been seized by crusaders more than 800 years ago. There, they met Fordham Professor of Historical Theology George Demacopoulos who was instrumental in facilitating the relics’ return.
Demacopoulos co-founded and now directs the center.
“You have in the Pattersons a kind of pioneering family, in the sense that they were one of the first Orthodox-Catholic couples whose marriage was r e c o g n i z e d b y b o t h c h u r c h e s , ” s a i d Demacopoulos. “In Fordham’s Orthodox Christian Studies Center they see an opportunity to allow education to shift the ecclesiastical landscape and to provide the resources by which future families like their own can navigate the world of interfaith marriage in a healthy way.”
The new chair—the second within the Orthodox Christian Studies Center—joins the Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture created by the Jaharis Family Foundation, Inc. Professor Aristotle Papanikolaou, senior fellow and co-founder of the center, is the inaugural holder of the Archbishop Demetrios Chair.
It was Papanikolaou who suggested to the Pattersons that they name the new chair to honor Protopresbyter John Meyendorff, a professor of Byzantine history at Fordham from 1967 to 1992, and dean and professor of church history and patristics at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers.
Papanikolaou said that, while he was a Fordham student, he had the privilege of taking one of Father Meyendorff ’s classes and having him as the adviser to his honors thesis.
“He laid the groundwork for the creation of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham,” said Papanikolaou. “This chair will always remind us of his invaluable role in the story of Orthodoxy.”
Father Meyendorff ’s son—Paul Meyendorff, the Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical Theology at St. Vladimir’s—said his father would appreciate the significance of an academic chair at a Catholic university being named after an Orthodox scholar.
“He was able to see through all the polemics and take a more objective view of history, seeing the weaknesses and strengths of both sides, which is an absolute prerequisite for any kind of observation,” he said.
The Pattersons hope that the research generated by the chair holder will influence the next generation of church leaders. Marianna Patterson said that now more than ever a reunion is needed, as secularism and radical Islam threaten the western and eastern churches, respectively.
“Our original intent is still to bring about the reunion, but with the passage of time, I think our reasons have broadened,” she said. “We feel that if the churches were united and could speak with one voice, they’d be far stronger. Neither of us sees why either church needs to change and become like the other for that to happen.”
The inaugural chair holder will be announced in summer of 2015 and installed at a special ceremony the evening of Monday, Oct. 5 at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx.
If you were a student of Father John's or would like to know more about the Center's plans to honor him, please contact Valerie K. Longwood a at [email protected] or 212.636.7439.
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 N E W S & N O T E S4 8
* The article was first published in Arts and Culture, Inside Fordham University News.
Marianna andSolon Patterson.
Second Chair to EnhanceOrthodox Christian Studies at Fordham
Rev. John Meyendorff
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The Hellenic Medical Society of NY organized their annual "Apokries with our Doctors" dance at the Archdiocesan Cathedral Hall. It was a festive opportunity to embrace Greek traditions prior to the Lenten season. Hellenic Medical Society President, Dr. George Liakeas enjoyed a masquerade evening organized by Chairs Dr. Stella Lymberis and Mrs. Roula Lambrakis and Board members Dr. Demetrios Karides and Dr. Mike Plakogiannis along with Consul General of Cyprus Mrs. And Mr. Vasilis Philippou.Members and guests celebrated the Greek carnival season with friends and family with traditional foods from Bahari restaurant in Astoria, and live music and dancing by Apollo Orchestras and Lefteris Bournias along withThomas Vrettos, Mavrothi Kontanis, and Christoforos Ellis.Donning feathers, moustaches, masks and costumes guests enjoyed traditional dances such as the Apokreatiko "Pos to triboun to Piperi" which along with the traditional sound of the klarino by virtuoso Lefteris Bournias helped create an authentic Greek Apokries celebration right in the center of Manhattan.
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 E V E N T5 0
Dr. Mike Plakogiannis, Dr. Stella Lymberisand Dr. Demetrios Karides
Ambassador Vasilis and Anthea Philipouand Dr. Dia Christodoulidou
From left, Greek Press Office DirectorNikos Papaconstantinou, Prof. James DeMetroand Dean Syrigos
Georgia Panagopoulos,Mrs. Dionisia & Mr. Costas Lymberis
Sisters Natalia Karides and Olga Komissarova
Dr. Stella Lymberis dancing with Consul Generalof Cyprus, Ambassador Vassilis Filipou andDr. Dia Christoloudilou
From left, Roula Lambrakis, Lefteris Bournias,Dr. Stella Lymberis and Dr. George Liakeas
Dr. Vassilios Latoussakis, Dr. Stella Lymberis,Thomas Vrettos and Argyris Filios
Lefteris Bournias on clarinet, Mavrothi Kontanison oud and Thomas Vrettos on bouzouki
Dr. and Mrs. Tsiouris, Mr. & Mrs. Filiou and friends
301 Project is presenting Be Nice, a solo exhibition by Agni Zotis, from March 26 to April 25th in New York. Be Nice relates the current state of the world to the Allegory of the Cave in Plato’s Republic: the play of light and shadow creates illusions in the mind. Be Nice emerges from the cave into the light, allowing for truth. The work mimics the journey of existence embedded in primordial essence. Union brings life; love, which is the defining force; and the inevitability of death. Creation and destruction are a continuum.
According to Ms. Zotis, there are similar patterns that occur in molecular structure, in nature and in outer space, reflecting the relationship of the microcosm to the macrocosm, order in chaos, and individuality within universal consciousness.
Mentis EstateOlive Oil -A Taste of GreeceThe exquisite olive oil produced by Mentis Estate is hand picked and pressed carefully by local artisans. To preserve the integrity of this extra virgin olive oil, only limited quantities are available. A pure unblended olive oil, with an acidity of less than 0.5%, the Mentis Estate produces an aromatic and fruity nectar. Well-balanced characteristics described as pine, floral, nutty, buttery and pungent with a hint of artichoke make up this extra virgin oil.
The Mentis Estate olive trees are located in Neapolis, Laconia which is a microclimate offering fertile soil and perfect Mediterranean weather.
Mentis Estate has produced olive oil for three generations harvesting the Athenolia olive variety. In mythology, the goddess Athena offered the gift of olives to the Athenians from the region of Laconia giving the name Athenolia to this variety of olives.
For over 5000 years, olive oil has been used medicinally and its health benefits includes: boosting the immune system, preventing heart disease, cancer, and strokes and helping to lower blood pressure.
The Mediterranean Diet is renowned throughout the world for its vital role in healthy living. According to numerous s t u d i e s , o l i v e o i l s h o u l d b e incorporated in every meal.
Rich in history, Laconia formed part of the Byzantine Empire in medieval times and in ancient Greece it was the principal region of Sparta.
An Exhibitionby Agni Zotis
Be Nice:
She directs raw energy to capture movement in time and space. She equates light with knowledge, as it has the power to alter perception, and her work transforms according to the light to which it is exposed. The artist applies boldly colored pigments, metals, semi-precious stones, and phosphorescence for their aesthetic and energetic qualities as well as their ability to shift, absorb, reflect, and refract light.
Agni Zotis is a multimedia artist exploring the human condition. She works predominately in series of painting and includes performance, video art, and installation as part of her narrative. She studied studio art at Hunter College and anatomy at the Art Students League and learned Byzantine iconography as an apprentice to a monk in Astoria, Queens. She has been the director of various artist spaces in New York City, including AGNI Gallery 2004– 2009 in the East Village, hosting the avant-garde. Interested in empowering youth through mindfulness and arts, she created MAY Kids Transform in 2013. She is a New Yorker of Greek heritage. 301 Project is a series of artistic collaborations to create new ideas.
Project #301 is located at 547 West 27th Street New York, NY. Gallery Hours: Tue-Sat 1-6pm or by appointment [email protected]
The preceding excerpt is taken from Porphyra’s crowning epic “988AD- In the Time of Basil II Emperor of Byzantium”, enthusiastically labeled as “Byzantine Rock” by the press.
This is the story of Grand Prince Vladimir of the Kievan Rus and Princess Anna Porphyrogenita of Constantinople. They meet and fall in love in the tumultuous year of 988 AD. Following Vladimir and his nation’s conversion to Greek Orthodox Christianity the balance of power shifts, ushering a second Golden Age for Byzantium and a new civilization for young Russia. Our hero, Vladimir was the first King of the Rus, ancestor of the Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians. Princess Anna was instrumental in making Kiev a powerful artistic and religious Byzantine Center.
Many films and books have been written to glorify the tiny and culturally dynamic nation of Greece. But never has there been a rock opera that has captured its ever evolving history. From Alexander the Great to the apogee of Byzantium, the electric guitar in joyous harmony with bouzouki and violin will take you on an epic journey through the cross starred lovers dreams and ambitions. As the world focuses again on Greece unfortunately due to its economical collapse rather than its cultural legacy, it is a perfect time to revisit that glorious, happier past once again.
“Porphyra, a Grecian Rock Opera”, is based on Billy Chrissochos’ band Porphyra’s epic album “Faith, Struggle, Victory”. It also features new
a Grecian RockOpera” Debuts atCarnegie Hall
“Porphyra, a Grecian Rock Opera”, will debut at Carnegie Halls’ Zankel Theater on Sunday, May 3, 2015.The theme arose out of the simple concept to combine Greek history and folk music with hard rock and melodic metal.
musical compositions, Greek folk songs, belly dancing numbers choreographed by the Dena Stevens Shazadi Dance Project, actors and a 12 piece rock orchestra.
This is a sexy, fun, historical romp in the Greek, Russian and greater Mediterranean world through music. This is the first Greek inspired Rock Opera of its kind for Carnegie Hall and a major step towards taking this unique musical project to Broadway.
Tickets are available at the Carnegie Hall website-Carnegiehall.org.
You can also help financially support the project and receive plenty of exclusive VIP perks and gifts over at their crowd funding campaign at Crowdzu (crowdzu.com). According to the organizers, this money will help with the theater and production expenses, rehearsals, costumes, props and marketing.
And for a l l th ings Porphyra head over to their websi te porphyraband.com.
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 N E W S & N O T E S5 4
,,Poet you will sing about the dayWe pledged our hearts my love and ITo the glorious empire of GreeceFor what is man’s soul of culture deprived?
“Porphyra,
From left, Peishan Lo, Billy Chrissochos, Dimitris Lambrianos,Meredith Bogacz, Frank Pace, Demetrios Tsinopoulos, Paul Cerni.Front row: Christos Alexandrou, Mia Stevens, Richard Khuzami,George Tsalikis, Elaine Tuttle, Dena Stevens
© J e f f r e y R . W y a n t
The personal stories of Greek Jews who took part in the Greek Resistance during WWII are presented in the exhibition “SYNAGONISTIS: Greek Jews in the NationalResistance,” which is running from April 1st through May 30th at the Washington Hebrew Congregat ion. The exhibition, originating from the Jewish Museum of Greece and presented by the Embassy of Greece aims to honor the contribution of the Greek Jewish fighters to the struggle against the Nazis in occupied Greece, as well as dispute the theory that all Jews succumbed to the Holocaust like “lambs to the slaughter.”
Thorough research that went on for five years resulted in the collection of personal stories of men and women f rom va r ious J ew i sh communities of Greece, who took up arms in the dark days of the Occupation and were named “comrades in arms,” the supreme title of honor among Resistance fighters. Photographs, documents, letters, proclamations, resistance newspapers and other relevant material are being presented for the first time. The exhibition is accompanied by a b i l ingual ca ta log , a documentary film by David Gavriilidis, as well as a specially designed educational program for schools.
“Synagonistis” is the Greek word for “fellow fighter” and it’s exactly this notion that the exhibition is highlighting: Greek Jews fought side by side with Greek Christians against the same enemy, in defense of the same country. It is a duty to save them from oblivion and this is the goal of this exhibition. “It is also a voice against anti-Semitism and racism,” said Press Counselor Christos Failadis, exhibition manager on the part of the Greek Embassy in Washington, D.C. Along with the fake IDs given by the Greek authorities to
Greek Jews, the official protest by Archbishop Damaskinos and the salvage of the Jewish population of the island of Zakynthos thanks to the heroic actions by Metropolitan Chrysostomos and Mayor Lukas Karrer, “Synagonistis” is another glorious page in the modern history of Greece.
The Washington Hebrew Congregation is located at 3935 Macomb Street NW, Washington, DC 20016-3741. Openig hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Greek Jews in the National Resistance Exhibition
periXscope
Happy Easter – Καλό Πάσχα!We are about to wrap up another big issue of NEO magazine and I’m taking this minute to thank you all for your support. By placing an ad this time, either promoting products & services or wishing the community Happy Easter, you also helped this project that successfully has entered its 10th year, to secure the necessary funds in order to continue publishing and become better, issue after issue.
To all timers, my gratitude is as great as my heart! To newcomers I extend an open embrace (metaphorically, you don’t need to worry that I might embrace you physically, although I’m sure some you’d wish I do that!). To those who passed this time, no worries, we’ll get you again in the future, it’s never late to help and become involved by supporting a cause. And this is what NEO magazine has evolved to: a cause worth your while and ours because we believe in our community and its potential to take off to new heights (I’m not implying the use of illicit substances here …)!
On behalf of the entire NEO team that keeps expanding and has successfully reached double digits, I wish you all a Happy Easter, full of joy, extended family gatherings (don’t panic, only for a day or two) and inebriated discussions about politics and, why not, soccer!
by Demetrios [email protected]
The Community of Archangel Michael Church in Port Washington, NY recently hosted comedians, Greek-Canadian Angelo Tsarouchas and Greek-Australian, Jim Dailakis. The show sold out with over 475 people attending, enjoying an amazing night of laughter, food, dancing, and above all else, fellowship. The gymnasium was transformed into a banquet hall with a sea of tables, chairs and people roaring with laughter at the comedians that entertained them for the evening. At various points, people wiped away the tears from their eyes and felt their bellies ache as the comedians joked about the shared experiences that only Greeks can relate to. In the crowd was our own Greek Meteorologist Nick Gregory, who announced the raffle to benefit Camp St. Paul.
Comedy Night with Angelo Tsarouchas & Jim Dailakisby Demetra Tsismenakis
After the show, everyone moved into the Fellowship Hall for dessert and the after-party where they continued to enjoy the night dancing to both Greek and freestyle music provided by Privilege Entertainment. President Michael Cavounis and his wife Susan were gracious hosts along with their comedy night committee, Chris Neocleous, Demetra Tsismenakis, Chris Marie Tsavelis, Mamie Fulgieri, Michael Pysllos, Helen & Michael Bapis, Renee Rallis, Pete Stavrinos and MCs , Mario Harris and Melissa Kanes. The Archangel Community was thankful to their sponsors: Bargain Printing, H on the Harbor, Kyma, Landmark Diner, La Nonna Bella, MP Taverna, North Shore Diner, North Shore Farms, Oasis Café, Odyssey Café, Seven Seas Restaurant, Titan Bakery, Tower Diner, Villa Milano, and Zenon Taverna.
The Archangel Michael Church is a vibrant Greek Orthodox community in Port Washington, NY serving 600 families under the guidance of Father Dennis Strouzas, Protopresbyter and Father Nikolas Karloutsos. They have numerous organizations whose work is carried out by the parishioners benefiting both the parish and the broader community. A few years ago, they relocated from Roslyn, which had been their prior home since 1981. They offer Preschool, Greek School and Sunday School to their youth as well as athletics in their brand new gymnasium through the Hope, Joy and Goya programs.The Junior Choir this past December was invited to surprise and sing for Archbishop Demetrios.
A P R I L 2 0 1 5 E V E N T6 6
Children of the Archangel Michael Communityholding the check to St. Paul Camp
ComediansAngelo Tsarouchas (left)and Jim Dailakis
From left, Michael Bapis, Peter Stavrinos, Eleni Bapis,Mamie Fulgieri, Chris Neocleous,Susan Cavounis,Chris-Marie Tsavelis, Demetra Tsismenakis, Nick Tsismenakis
Parish PresidentMichael Cavounisand wife Susan
The Officers, Directors and Members
of the
Hellenic American Bankers Association, Inc.
For additional information or questions, please email [email protected]
or call HABA at +1 212 421-1057
wish the Community
Happy Easter - Καλό Πάσχα!
