NEO magazine - October / November 2019

OCT/NOV 2019

From Tosca to La Boheme to Madama Buttery, Soprano

i n e El

s o n e l Ca Scales the Heights of the Opera Repertoire

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Pappas, Sarbanes, Bilirakis Introduce "OXI Day" Resolution LH Premium Cigars

by Nicholas Syris Hellenic Classical Charter School Named National Blue Ribbon School Kazantzakis Literary Symposium in New York The Hellenic Initiative Annual Gala

FROM THE EDITOR

:: magazine FOUNDED IN 2005 BY Demetrios Rhompotis Dimitri Michalakis Kyprianos Bazenikas Publishing Committee Chairman Demetrios Rhompotis (718) 554-0308 dondemetrio@neomagazine.com Director of Operations Kyprianos Bazenikas info@neomagazine.com Marketing & Advertising Director Tommy Harmantzis (347) 613-4163 th@radioneo.us ATHENS - GREECE Public Relations & Marketing Director Rita Despotidis rdespotis@gmail.com NEO Magazine is published monthly by Neocorp Media Inc. P.O. Box 560105 College Point, NY 11356 Phone: (718) 554-0308 e-Fax: (718) 878-4448 info@neomagazine.com Check our website neomagazine.com Cover photo by

CHRISTOS DIMITRIOU

The Cost of Peace This issue, and the article I wrote about the military service of my papoudes and m y f a t h e r ( “ Wa r a n d Remembrance”), remind me of the perilous times they lived in and how courageous they were to plunge into the abyss when they were barely in their twenties and had practically never left their mountain villages.

Suddenly they were in the nightmare of war, up in mountains, down in ditches, with no comfort except the letters from home, which reminded them of a world that must have seemed like a mirage. I remember my grandfather’s foot locker from the Balkan war, with all its rusted hinges and its canvas strap still intact, and the smell inside of rusted metal and old correspondence, and the occasional battle ribbon, all blue, or green, or red, with its lurid festiveness.

Or the master sergeant who served under him, who was also his friend, and “sinomilikos,” Dimitris Touloumides, who lost his life on the front on the very night he was due to visit his wife and infant daughter after my father got him his first leave.

“We talked that night like we had all the time in the world,” my father said. “He told me he wasn’t afraid of death. But, of course, he was, and so was I. You were afraid every hour you were up there. And when you came back, you could never forget that feeling.”

My father talked about his war experiences, but never glorified them: he had endured a civil war, w h e re f r i e n d s an d f am i ly an d fo e s we re intermingled. You never knew who might kill you.

He remembers the village priest who betrayed them.

He remembers the young “antarta” girl with the cartridge belts strapped proudly across her chest. He remembers the hunt, that became a joke, when they chased after a chicken for food. He remembers the bodies of the young men after a firefight, with their cheeks still pink, and their chins sprouting their first “moustahia.”

Or, as I mentioned in the article, the housing of the cannon shells that my father brought back from the “And all the photographs in their pockets,” he said. front, beautiful and gleaming-gold: instruments of death that now housed instruments of life: wheat He carried photographs of his parents and my stalks. mother and my sister in his knapsack.

I remember him telling me a story about a woman in Thessaloniki that all the university students liked him loved, because she was pretty, of course, but also vivacious, and flirty, and dressed well. And how she was reduced to the pitiful woman in the street with her hair shaved and her clothes torn as she fled from a mob in the street that had attacked her because she had conspired with the Germans.

“I’ll never forget sights like that,” my father said.

“And every night when I came back from patrol, I looked at them again,” he said. “Just like I saw them for the first time.”

Let’s remember the courage, this month of OXI, of all fighting men and women, who risked their lives to save this country and mother Greece.

DIMITRI C. MICHALAKIS

:: magazine PUBLISHED MONTHLY IN NEW YORK Editor in Chief: Dimitri C. Michalakis info@neomagazine.com Western Region Desk - Los Angeles Alexander Mizan director@americanhellenic.org West Palm Beach, Florida Desk Vassilios Kukorinis skopelitis@hotmail.com Baltimore Desk Georgia Vavas gvavas@comcast.net Photo/Fashion New York: ETA Press fpapagermanos@yahoo.com Los Angeles: Nick Dimitrokalis (951) 764-5737 photobynikos@hotmail.com Graphic Design NEOgraphix.us Adrian Salescu Athens Desk Konstantinos Rhompotis (01130) 210 51 42 446 (01130) 6937 02 39 94 k.rhompotis@neomagazine.com

Pappas, Sarbanes, Bilirakis Introduce “OXI Day” Resolution rejection by Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on 28 October 1940, the Hellenic counterattack against the invading Italian forces at the mountains of Pindos during the Greco-Italian War and the Greek Resistance during the horrendous Axis occupation.

This ultimatum, which was presented to Metaxas by the Italian Ambassador to Greece, Emanuele Grazzi, shortly after 03:00 am on 28 October 1940, who had just come from a party in the Italian embassy in Athens, demanded Greece allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy certain unspecified "strategic locations" or otherwise face war. It was allegedly answered with a single, laconic word: όχι (No!). However, his actual reply was Emblem of the heroic 8th Infantry Division, the rst unit to face the Italian invasion: its motto is OXI in French “Alors, c'est la guerre!” (so this is war!). r e s i s t e d t h e A x i s i n v a s i o n ,” s a i d Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01), John Sarbanes (MD-03), and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Congressman Sarbanes. “The example they In response to Metaxas's refusal, Italian troops members of the Hellenic Caucus, introduced a set, then and now, serves as a beacon of hope stationed in Albania, then an Italian resolution today expressing support for the for freedom and democracy across the entire protectorate, attacked the Greek border at designation of October 28 as “Oxi Day” to world.”

05:30 am—the beginning of Greece's commemorate the Greeks’ refusal to participation in World War II. “As a proud Greek American, I am honored to surrender to Axis forces in the Second World War, stymieing the march of fascism across help commemorate the importance of Oxi On the morning of 28 October, the Greek Day and Greece’s significant role in the defeat Europe. population took to the streets, irrespective of On October 28, 1940, the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, delivered a 3 a.m. ultimatum to Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas, demanding that Axis forces freely enter Greece or face war. In response, the Greek Prime Minister declared “Oxi!” – refusing to fold to the fascist ruler, marking Greece’s entry into World War II. As Italian troops began to invade, Greek citizens took to the streets chanting “Oxi!” in honor of Prime Minister Metaxas’ refusal to relent to fascism.

“On October 28, 1940 our Greek Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) Representative John Sarbanes (MD-03) Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) allies demonstrated unprecedented spirit and courage, changing the trajectory of of Nazi Germany. This historic day celebrates political affiliation, shouting 'ohi'. From 1942, histor y,” said C ongressman Papp as. the internal fortitude and relentless spirit of it was celebrated as Ohi Day, first mostly “Decades later we continue to celebrate He l l e n e s , a s w e l l a s o u r p r i n c i p l e d among the members of the resistance and after Greece’s spirited refusal to bow to the Axis commitment to stand up against injustice and the war by all the Greeks. powers and the fascist values they espoused. tyranny, regardless of the circumstances,” said As a member of the Hellenic Caucus, I am Congressman Bilirakis. “We must never let D u r i n g t h e w a r , 2 8 O c t o b e r w a s proud to lead this resolution that allows us to future generations forget our rich cultural commemorated yearly by Greek communities stand with our Greek allies and celebrate our heritage which defines who we are as a people around the world and in Greece and Cyprus, shared democratic values.” and helps guide our path forward,” he added. and after World War II it became a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus. The events of “I’m proud to join my colleagues in the Ohi Day or Oxi Day (Greek: Eπέτειος του 1940 are commemorated every year with Hellenic Caucus today as we pay tribute to the Όχι, "Anniversary of the No") is celebrated military and student parades. On every heroism of the Greek people, who — with a throughout Greece, Cyprus and the Greek anniversary, most public buildings and defiant “Oxi!” — rose up against bigotry, hate, communities around the world on 28 October residences are decorated with national flags. and oppression 77 years ago and fiercely each year. Ohi Day commemorates the Schools and all places of work are closed.

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OCT/NOV 2019

NEWS & NOTES

How he was a farm boy up in the village mountain of Kourounia. How a draft was called. How he and others took pack mules and rode to Chios town and got housed in makeshift barracks and ate their first military rations (beans with pork fat and worms).

by Dimitri C. Michalakis My grandmother in Chios, Greece had a big lacquered cabinet (with a pattern of flowers) and on top of it, incongruously, stood the housing of two gleaming-gold cannon shells: with wheat stalks in them for decoration.

And then they marched in wooly uniforms and oversize backpacks that now carried their whole life into steamers with huge rivets and funnels like the Titanic into the bowels of the ship where the engines drummed and the seas splashed the sides and made the hull sweat and the seawater seep in There was the haunting story he told of a widow in and make their hold smell like “sardeles.” one village who had only a son left after the years of fighting and when a colonel drove with his “And when we got to the front, we pushed into entourage through the village in an armored detail Macedonia,” said my papou, patting his hands, how a flash of sun made the colonel’s armed staring at a misty horizon, his chin stuck out again detachment think the son was pointing a rifle at just like in the photograph. “We didn’t stop for them and shot him dead—the last male in her household. anything.”

I was a kid growing up in Chios with my grandparents and I would occasionally stare up at the cannon shells when my mother put me to sleep for my afternoon nap. They were beautiful, I thought, and I wished that when I grew up I would go to war and get my own cannon shells.

He was at war long enough to ruin his health for life (he wore sweaters in the swelter of the day) and he They had been brought back from the Greek civil talked about his battlefield experiences only in war by my father, who had served as an officer at the inspired moments, but he was very content that he front for five years—the best years of his life—his had done his part for Greece. early twenties, and who was among the few officers who had returned.

Up in Kourounia, my other grandfather Dimitrios, also had a photograph of All I knew was that my father had been in “mahi” himself in uniform wearing his spats and I imagined that “mahi” was something that I and his mustache and his jacket saw in my Greek mythology books (with the buttoned all the way up to the collar over serrated edges), which showed ancient Greek the bureau in the bedroom (the house warriors like Achilles and Hercules. I never saw the only had two rooms) right next to his heroes of Greece’s modern conflicts, until, one day, wedding picture—which I’m sure my in a rusted metal footlocker with a rusted clasp, I grandmother only tolerated. saw this murky photograph of a soldier from a distant conflict wearing chaps over his boots and a And when he went down to the gun belt and straps over his dark shirt and a rifle “kafeneio” of the village and had a few slung high over his chest like he was facing off “soumes” and “krasia” with the other against an enemy. He had no glasses on and a thick men, his gold teeth would flash in the m u s t a c h e l i k e a light of the gas lamps as he told his war brush—but I couldn’t stories, and they told theirs, about the miss that head cocked miles they marched in the wars, and the b a c k , t h o s e e y e s mountains they crossed, and the icy squinting, and that streams they forded. c h i n s e t stubbornly—it was my “The water came up to here!” my grandfather g r a n d f a t h e r i n would say heatedly. “It would come right up to here! another life.

And when the water snakes came after us we would just throw them aside! And the bullets we caught My papou, that little with our teeth!” man stooped over, in the sun hat, and the They would laugh a little, and drink their souma, plaid shirt buttoned all and water it less as the night wore on and the tales the way up to his got taller.

Adam’s apple when he worked in the fields, But the genuine war hero in the family was my that little man was the father, and he was a fabulous storyteller, so the mighty warrior in the old photograph. stories he told were like an epic of modern Greece.

I asked him about it, and he patted his hands and looked embarrassed, or he looked away because the subject was too complicated to encapsulate.

“That was a long time ago,” he said.

“How long?” I said.

He looked away again.

“Long ago,” he said.

But I got the story in other ways: on the nights when our neighbors in Kofinas came over for their evening “vengera” and they got my grandfather to talk history (he worshipped Plastiras, the incorruptible George Washington of modern Greece, to my grandfather) and in that recitation of history, while the moths flew around the lightbulb at night on the “verandah,” my grandfather would also tell his story.

There was the time the train his troops were riding was ambushed as it reached a tunnel and got stranded in the tunnel while enemy troops attacked it from both ends. And how he coordinated counterattacks and got his troops out and the villagers nearby gave them a parade for their heroics—my father leading the parade and saluting British-style open-palmed—one of my favorite photos of him—and later my father getting pinned with all his medals for bravery.

There was the story of my father’s master sergeant, named Dimitris Touloumides, a giant of a man, who had one baby daughter, as my father had one baby daughter, and how they spent their nights talking under the stars at their mountain outpost about the fateful day when the war would end and

they could join their wives and children and go on with their lives: the eternal lament of all fighting men. How there was a skirmish that night at the foot of the mountain and Touloumides was due to go on leave for the first time the next morning, but he volunteered to lead a reconnaissance patrol.

“I’ll take it,” said my father.

“What’s the difference?” said Touloumides. “If my time is up, my time is up.”

My father couldn’t convince him to stay, Touloumides led the patrol, and he was killed that night in a skirmish in a wheat field: my father and his unit found the bodies the next morning, with Touloumides locked in a death grip with an Of him as a university student in Thessaloniki equally-young and unfortunate foe. being rounded up by the Germans and put in a concentration camp for dangerous intellectuals.

“Why don’t you write about that?” I asked my father over the years.

How he escaped by speaking German (what he had learned in school) and taking a “kaiki” loaded to the And he always said he would, and tried several gunwales with refugees like him that, miraculously, times: he left fragments behind in his spidery script, made it from Thessaloniki to Chios. some on onion paper, in boxes that I keep in my basement.

How he survived “Katohi” in Chios up in the mountains and like everybody else lived on But they are only fragments, like the flash of the dandelions, beans, olives and “spouryites” gunfire he witnessed all those nights on the front up (sparrows) shot down with homemade slingshots. in the mountains, where the fate of the whole world, and certainly Greece, seemed to rest on the How when the “peace” came he was drafted into the shoulders of mountain boys like my papoudes and Nationalist Army in the Greek civil war and at the my father, and their courage secured a future for the ripe age of twenty-two was enlisted as an officer on rest of us. the front facing the communists of Yugoslavia.

NEWS & NOTES

OCT/NOV 2019

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NAPERVILLE (IL) AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND CALAMOS INVESTMENTS PRESENT THE 12TH ANNUAL ECONOMIC FORECAST

Harris, Vice President, Tax Policy & Chief Tax Policy Counselor for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation.

“Every year we look forward to the insight and expertise that Mr. Calamos and other elite panelists bring to the table,” said Anderson.

“This event is one of the most anticipated with our chamber members simply because we have revered experts identifying how the future economy will impact our businesses, locally and globally.

Hotel Arista is located at CITYGATE, 2139 CityGate Lane in Naperville. Check-in and cocktails will begin at 4 p.m.; the program will start promptly at 4:30 p.m. To purchase group or individual tickets, and for more information their website is https://naper.cc/economicforecast2019 The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce is the largest suburban Chamber in Illinois with an active membership of 1,200 organizations of every size and from every sector. The NACC promotes economic growth and advocacy in and around the Naperville area. For its efforts in promoting free enterprise and the business community, the Chamber has been recognized with 5-Star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an honor bestowed on only 1 percent of Chambers, out of the nearly 7,000 in the nation.

Calamos Investments LLC is a diversified global investment firm offering innovative investment strategies including U.S. growth equity, global equity, convertible, multi-asset and alternatives. The firm offers strategies through separately managed portfolios, mutual funds, closed- end funds, private funds and UCITS funds. Clients include major corporations, pension funds, endowments, foundations and individuals, as well as the consultants and financial advisors who serve them. Headquartered in the Chicago metropolitan area, the firm also has offices in London, New York, San Francisco and the Miami area. For more information their website is calamos.com.

John P. Calamos Sr., Founder, Chairman and Global Chief Investment Officer at Calamos Investments The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (NACC) and Calamos Investments will co-host the 12th Annual Economic Forecast from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, at Hotel Arista in Naperville, IL. The program features a panel of local and national financial experts, including John P. Calamos Sr., Founder, Chairman and Global Chief Investment Officer at Calamos Investments, who will share insight and analyses of market conditions for the coming year and giving attendees the information they need to better prepare and manage their business.

“Fears of slowing global growth, escalating trade tensions, falling rates across the world, concerns that the Federal Reserve may be less responsive than required, and mounting political uncertainty set the stage for continued market volatility,” says Calamos. “However there are opportunities amid the volatility, so expect them to be in the spotlight at this year’s Forecast event.”

Financial expert Terry Savage will return as session moderator. A best-selling author, regular guest on CNN and CBS, and a Chicago Tribune columnist, Savage helps consumers make sense of the markets and the economy.

“Terry does an exceptional job of working with panelists to dispense the information that is important to the future of business,” said NACC President and CEO Nicki Anderson.

Joining Calamos on the expert panel are Gus Faucher, Chief Economist for the PNC Financial Services Group, and Caroline L. 14

OCT/NOV 2019

NEWS & NOTES

ANCA-WR and American Hellenic Council Sign MOU on Collaboration

Back row, left to right: Arsen Shirvanyan, Governor Affairs Director ANCA-WR, ANCA-WR Board Member, Alexandra Warren, Vice President of AHC, ANCA-WR Board Member, ANCA-WR Board Member, ANCA-WR Board Member, Christianna Kontou, Executive Director of AHC, ANCA-WR Board Member, Zoi Palla, AHC Board Member, Armen Sahakyan, ANCA-WR Executive Director. Signing at the table, left to right: ANCA Western Region Chairperson Nora Hovsepian, Esq and Dr. James F. Dimitriou, AHC President and Chairman.

government bonds, just and enduring reunification of Cyprus; stopping Turkish violations of Greece’s sovereign air and water ; justice for the cultural and civilizational destruction in Nakhijevan by Azerbaijani authorities; international recognition of Artsakh; and a number of other priorities.

The American Hellenic Council of California and the Armenian National Committee of America–Western Region signed recently a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation during a special ceremony signaling a new chapter of even deeper and more institutionalized relations between the two organizations.

The ceremony took place at the ANCA-WR headquarters in Glendale, with ANCA Western Region Chairperson Nora Hovsepian, Esq. and AHC President James F. Dimitriou, PhD signing the document that went into effect immediately.

The Memorandum recognizes the historic relations between the Armenian and Hellenic communities, accentuates the importance of collaboration and mutual understanding, and commits both communities to ensure comprehensive cooperation.

“We look forward to the great opportunity for the AHC to work with ANCA in a common commitment for justice and respect for the rule of law,” said Dr. Jim Dimitriou, AHC Chairman. “Turkey must not be allowed to continue to violate international treaties and law.

The Greek and Armenian people share a long and turbulent history and now share a common purpose. We must stand united against a Turkish rogue regime that violates human rights, internationally recognized territorial borders while promulgating continual threats and violations against its neighbors.” He added, “Our time is now!

The opportunity is great. The value is justice, and in the words of Plato, ‘Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.’”

“The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation elevates our relationship with the AHC to a deeper institutional level,” remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “Our nations have lived side by side for millennia, and we’re codifying both traditional as well as novel areas for our extensive collaboration, taking our advocacy work to new heights.”

Following this memorandum, both AHC and ANCA-WR have agreed to continue in collaboration to undertake joint advocacy measures and public education initiatives promoting human rights, peace, and the rule of the law, and continue their commitment in seeking justice for the Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian Genocide.

In recent years, both groups have worked tirelessly to fight for truth and justice for the Genocide of 1915 and have garnered the support of elected officials from all throughout the western U.S. Moving forward, the parties will also undertake joint activities and initiatives aimed at genocide education; divestment from Turkish 16

OCT/NOV 2019

NEWS & NOTES

The close collaboration between AHC and ANCA-WR stretches back many years, as both organizations have already worked on a number of joint projects, most notably on seeking truth and justice for the Greek, Armenian, and Assyrian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish government.

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States.

Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

by Athena Efter

From Tosca to La Boheme to Madama Butterfly, Soprano

i n e l E

s o n e l a C Scales the Heights of the Opera Repertoire

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OCT/NOV 2019

COVER STORY

While opera enthusiasts and aficionados are always searching for the next Maria Callas, they also know she was the one and only La Divina. We can’t necessarily recreate her, but we can rediscover her breath through a new wave of unique and soulful progeny. If we listen with a fresh ear to a new voice, without drawing a trite comparison, we discover a rising star in Eleni Calenos. What started out as a cello bow, swaying back and forth into a waltz or tango across a quartet of strings, became a journey into new notes on a musical scale that would take her to a higher plateau. It’s her where she continues to stretch her mellifluous chords into a running brook of fresh water moving upstream. Eleni Calenos has been on the opera scene for a while now, performing at various venues and festivals throughout the world, but with her recent performance of Tosca, she created a big stir, being touted in Opera News for giving a “performance for the ages, both vocally and dramatically.” Born and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece, Eleni came to the US in 2006 and became a member of Boston University’s Opera Institute. In 2009, she went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance Queens College in New York. Below, Eleni shares her thoughts, experiences, and goals with NEO Magazine.

-What made you pursue a career as an opera singer? Is that something you always wanted to do?

Opera was not what I always wanted to do. My exposure to all kinds of music, however, started very early on. I was seven years old when I started studying classical music and violoncello in my hometown Thessaloniki, Greece. While in the conservatory, I also sang in various choral ensembles. After I obtained my cello diploma, I experimented with singing various styles of Greek music (traditional, folk, singer - songwriter style etc.) professionally. At that moment, I decided to take voice lessons in order to learn technique and protect my voice. Those few lessons revealed to me my potential for classical singing and opera which turned out to be my path until today.

-I read that you also studied the violoncello a t t h e Mu n i c i p a l C o n s e r v a t o r y i n Thessaloniki. Do you still perform as a cellist?

I performed as a cellist in Thessaloniki’s Municipal Orchestra for a period of time, and always played cello during my freelance Greek singing days. For a while, I was also a studio recording musician. Once my operatic career became my focal point and the demands changed, the time I dedicated to cello was gradually less. Now, I do not perform professionally anymore, but I mostly play for pleasure.

-You have performed in various productions throughout the United States and also internationally, receiving rave reviews from various press publications, among them being the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Opera News for your role as a compelling Tosca. Does Eleni, the woman, identify with her character at all?

Title role in "Tosca" - LOFT Opera

Mimi in "La Bohème" - Opera Idaho

I find it hard to interpret a character if I cannot identify with it at least a little. Most of characters -as all human beings - are often simple, but at the same time complex and almost never one-dimensional. During my role study and character preparation period, I try to discover the human elements that connect me with all these interesting people.

other. Acting in opera is bigger than life since we perform mostly in big theaters, where the stage is further away from the audience and where you also have an orchestra in between.

Our sound, and our physical presence, has to reach the last rows of the theater. Gestures

Tosca is a strong woman, a person who lives for art and love, and a singer at a time when women are not empowered. She lives and loves passionately. She is religious and giving, but at the same time mercurial, and jealous.

She’s not flawless at all. Yes, there are many sides of her that I identify with as Eleni the woman. She is definitely a spicy character to portray.

-Do you find it challenging to sing and deliver a t h e a t r i c a l performance at the same time? How is acting in an opera different from acting, besides the obvious?

Yes, singing AND delivering a t h e a t r i c a l performance at the same time is challenging, and marrying these elements is an integral part of our training as opera singers.

Title role in "Tosca" - Opera Idaho

become bigger. Yet, it’s all in the music. Unlike straight theater actors, our main vehicle to convey messages and emotions is music.

There are moments that we, as actors, make the music happen, and instances where music makes the moment happen. I find that when I am connected to the music and committed to it each and every moment, the text is conveyed in a more organic way and acting becomes more natural and not exaggerated. If you cross that thin line as an interpreter, the result may not feel well-balanced and realistic. It is indeed a game of proportion and balance!

-Who are some of the greats you admire in your craft?

I admire mostly old school opera singers. My favorite soprano is Claudia Muzio and I love Ettore Bastianini’s (famous Italian baritone) singing. Needless to say that our own Maria I cannot imagine Callas was one of the greatest interpreters that singing and acting I deeply admire. separate from each

COVER STORY

OCT/NOV 2019

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Gilda in "Rigoletto" - Sarasota Opera

-Do you who have a favorite opera?

My favorite opera is the one I am working on, at each given moment. However, I have to say I love Italian opera, the verismo style, Verdi and especially Puccini. I have a weak spot in my heart for Madama Butterfly.

-What would be your dream role – the one you haven’t performed yet?

The repertoire is so vast, that there are so many roles that I have not performed and would love to perform. I would like to explore more, some roles in Verdi operas such as Amelia in “Un

name a few – where would you perform your After my Madama Butterfly production with Opera Santa Barbara this fall, I will return to dream role?

Shreveport Opera in the spring, to perform To me, where I sing does not make any the role of Countess Almaviva in Mozart’s “Le difference. If I had the choice, I would love to Nozze di Figaro” (The Marriage of Figaro). perform in all the theaters you mentioned. If I Right after, I will be performing the role of Liu had to choose one to perform my dream role, I in Puccini’s “Turandot” with the Evansville would say Italy’s La Scala, just because of its Philharmonic Orchestra, and will return to rich history and tradition. It’s been the home Athens, Greece in order to be a soloist in for so many great singers and singing of the Mahler’s 8th symphony with the Athens State Orchestra at the Megaron Concert Hall. I am past. particularly excited to return to -Is there anyone in the world of opera today Glyndebourne, one of the most well-known with whom you would love to have the operatic festivals in the world, to perform the title role in Madama Butterfly during their opportunity to perform?

2020 fall tour.

Yes. I would love to have the opportunity to perform with conductor Riccardo Muti and learn from him.

-How do you feel about the future of opera in Greece, and the arts in general, under the current economic crisis?

When the economy is not stable and in crisis, music and the arts are usually the first to take the hit. It’s not only in Greece today, but in the whole world that the state of the arts in general is not what it used to be. Opera was never a part of Greece’s musical tradition, as it is for some other European countries. Yet, there is Cio-Cio San in "Madama Butterfly" an audience that supports it. There is only one - Charlottesville Opera major opera house in Greece (Greek National Opera) that is active and producing high Ballo in Maschera” and Elisabetta in “Don quality productions. I don’t think I am in position to say if this is enough to secure the Carlo”. future of opera in Greece, but I want to be -There are several prestigious opera houses optimistic. around the world – La Scala, The Vienna State Opera, the Sydney Opera House, and -Can you tell us more about your upcoming our own Metropolitan Opera here in NY to performances?

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OCT/NOV 2019

COVER STORY

Cio-Cio San in "Madama Butterfly" - Annapolis Opera

Hellenic Classical Charter School - Park Slope (HCCS-PS) recognized as National Blue Ribbon School Left to right: Hellenic Classical Charter School Principal Natasha Caban-Vargas, Superintendent Christina Tettonis, and Chief of Operations Joy Petrakos.

Photo: Courtesy of Hellenic Classical Charter School

The U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that The Hellenic Classical Charter School is being recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. It is of 19 schools from New York State to be recognized and one of the 362 schools nationwide. The recognition is based on the school's overall academic performance.

“I'm pleased to celebrate with you as your school is named a National Blue Ribbon School," said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in a video message to the honorees.

"We recognize and honor your important work in preparing students for successful careers and meaningful lives. Congratulations on your students' accomplishments and for your extraordinary commitment to meeting their unique needs."

The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. Now in its 37th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition to high performing schools. On November 14-15, the Secretary and the Department of Education will celebrate the HCCS achievement at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. 22

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The Hellenic Classical Charter School Park Slope opened its doors on September 6, 2005 and celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.

HCCS provides students in grades prekindergarten through eighth with a rigorous, classical education, rich in challenging content. The education model uses a standards-based curriculum, coaching, and intensive academic support to promote intellectual curiosity and independent learning. Supported by an exemplary teaching “We are receiving this staff, students are prepared to succeed at the award as an Exemplary best high schools in New York City upon High Performing School. graduation.

HCCS is among New York State’s highest performing The culture of the school and philosophy of schools. This is truly an student learning ensures high-level critical honor to have our school thinking and communication skills. Students selected among the best in in all grades regularly participate in Paideia the nation. This National (Socratic) seminars in which they have Blue Ribbon designation conversations developed by open-ended acknowledges the hard questioning, respecting their peers’ thinking, work and team effort being building on others' ideas, listening closely, and performed at HCCS-PS by responding to viewpoints other than their our faculty, staff, students own. Students study the language, history, art, and families,” said Board and other cultural aspects of Greece. Middle C h a i r C h a r l e s School students receive Latin language instruction as part of their classical education.

Capetanakis, Esq.

Superintendent Christina Tettonis stated, "We are thrilled to receive this incredible recognition from The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

Our goal is to build upon this success and continue preparing all of our students to succeed at the best high schools in New York City and contribute to the global community as responsible citizens.

Our children, families, and faculty are amazing - we applaud them for their hard work, team spirit, and dedication.

Congratulations to our entire HCCS family."

Also, an Ancient Greek Theatre Program has been initiated in which students study Ancient Greek literature and perform Ancient Greek plays. Other enrichment programs include a history fair program where students travel to Greece to research topics connected to the history of Greece and annually compete on city, state and national levels. “Our work celebrates a classroom that is diverse and representative of the district. The families of our students are a strong part of our fabric and are highly involved in school events,” added

" We a r e e x t r e m e l y elated, humbled and honored to be a National Blue Ribbon School! We will continue to fulfill our promise to provide a rigorous learning curriculum in a safe and creative environment for all children," said HCCS Chief of Operations Joy Petrakos.

“It is truly an honor to receive this nationwide recognition validating the teamwork and tireless efforts of our faculty, students and families. Everyone at HCCS is beyond excited,” commented HCCSPS Principal Natasha Caban.

Joy Petrakos. HCCS has been designated by New York State Education Department as a high-performing, recognition, reward school and has been granted an approval to replicate in Staten Island.

Greenhouse Project For Youth Entrepreneurship in Greece Supported By THI

The GreenHouse helps anyone who wants to grow their business ideas regardless of age or range of economic activity. This year, thanks to THI’s support, GreenHouse has broadened its horizons and expanded its efforts to support entrepreneurship throughout Greece, both geographically and in terms of the project’s overall results.

GreenHouse is transforming from a three-day entrepreneurship workshop into a five-day mo du lar ac t ivity organize d in cit ies throughout Greece to enhance entrepreneurial action.

An attendee of GreenHouse Project at Sparta stated: “GreenHouse helped me expand my horizons on entrepreneurship and overcome uncertainties and blind spots in bringing potential business ideas into life.

Getting to know people with whom I share similar interests was of equal importance. I think that knowledge a n d Organized by The Hellenic Initiative collaboration in collaboration with the Alba are the most Graduate Business School of The valuable American College of Greece over the past six elements for seeking and building new years, GreenHouse has already hosted events business ideas. I would like to thank in six cities: Athens, Patras, Heraklion, GreenHouse for the experience.”

Kalamata, Corinth, and Chalkida, having supported 442 entrepreneurs so far.

GreenHouse is just one of the many aspects of the Venture Garden, an entrepreneurshipThe project was educational program conducted by Alba also held under Graduate Business School, The American the auspices of the College of Greece in Athens, and the Municipality of American College of Thessaloniki under the Sparta and the auspices of The Hellenic Initiative. It has L a c o n i a n evolved into one of Greece’s premier C h a m b e r a n d entrepreneurial educational programs, having i n c l u d e d a helped over 415 ideas to grow into businesses. multitude of freeo f - c h a r g e George P. Stamas, President of the Board of activities mainly Directors of The Hellenic Initiative, said, “The d e s i g n e d f o r Hellenic Initiative, through its many entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, as well endeavors in Greece, especially its annual as university and high school students.

Venture Fair, knows very well the talent and energy of the country’s young entrepreneurs Attendees of Sparta’s GreenHouse had the and we are committed to providing them with chance to participate in the two-day the knowledge, mentoring, and networking entrepreneurship workshop, in educational opportunities that will enable them to succeed sessions on digital media use in business, as and to soar.” well as in open discussion forums with entrepreneurs. Prominent business persons Peter Poulos, THI’s Executive Director, stated: such as Paschalis Tilellis - Plexiart, Elina “The Hellenic Initiative is very proud to Kakuru – Kakuru, and Katerina Exacoustidou support such an exemplary endeavor like – Vitabroad, shared their thoughts and GreenHouse as boosting youth Greek experience with the event’s participants, entrepreneurship is imperative for the Greek including over 50 students of the 2nd High economy. Similar projects will eventually help School of Sparta and many more local higher growth rates return, addressing one of stakeholders. The goal of GreenHouse Sparta our country’s major issues, the continuous loss was to combine Alba Graduate Business of precious human capital.”

School's expertise with local Spartan entrepreneurial spirit and to provide For more information please visit the website comprehensive support to business efforts in of Greenhouse. the city.

The GreenHouse, created to enhance and promote Greek entrepreneurship, presented GreenHouse Sparta in cooperation with The University of Peloponnese, The Public Central Library of Sparti, and Sparti TechLab in Sparta October 8-12.

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THI President George Stamas with Archbishop Elpidophoros

Dean Metropoulos with John Catsimatidis, PHOTO: ETA PRESS

The Hellenic Initiative's (THI) 7th Annual Gala held in New York City on Friday, September 27 raised more than $2.3 million, making it the most successful fundraising event in the Greek Diaspora globally, according to THI President George Stamas. More than 850 guests attended from the U.S., Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia. The event honored the work of The Coca-Cola Foundation.

"This year's Gala was our best ever and it is a t e s t a m e nt t o t h e e nt hu s i a s m a n d dedication of the Greek Diaspora who want to connect to and support the Greek homeland," said THI Executive Director Peter Poulos.

Now in its seventh year, THI has provided grants of more than $15 million to support its twin missions of building entrepreneurial programs that help keep talented young Greeks from leaving the country and providing crisis relief for underserved communities in Greece, particularly children.

THI founder and Chairman Andrew Liveris offering the organization's highest award to Beatriz Perez, Senior Vice FOX 5 NY Personalities Mike Woods, Nick Gregory, Ernie Anastos, PHOTO: ETA PRESS President and Chief Communications, Public Affairs, Sustainability and Marketing Assets Officer for The Coca-Cola Company

From left, Mark Arey, Anthoula Catsimatides and Margo Catsimatidis

Calamos CEO John Koudounis with Chryssa Avrami Michael Psaros

th

The Hellenic Initiative's 7 Annual Gala Raises More Than

$2.3 Million!

During the Gala, THI and The Coca-Cola Foundation announced a new $1 million donation to ReGeneration, Greece’s largest internship program, which has engaged with more than 400 companies. The Coca-Cola Foundation, The Hellenic Initiative, and the Coca-Cola Company are founding donors of ReGeneration, "This $1 million donation represents an intensified commitment to ReGeneration," said Poulos. "It will be used to help alleviate tragic unemployment in Greece by creating 1,000 more jobs beyond the 1,100 already generated by the program." He noted that the grants will be distributed over the next three years.

"The ReGeneration program helps to keep the best and brightest here in Greece," Poulos said, "and turns the nation's brain drain, into a brain gain. We look forward to the day when thousands of educated citizens no longer feel the need to leave Greece for opportunities abroad."

John Calamos, PHOTO: ETA PRESS Kyriake and Argyro Livanos, PHOTO: ETA PRESS

is in charge of programs within Greece and in other countries.

ReGeneration is not just an internship • Evi Barouda, HR program, but a holistic career development Assistant, The pro g r am t hat of fe rs s i x - mont h p ai d J a n s s e n employment to young graduates, along with mentoring, professional training and Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & development, and community ser vice Johnson. After completing her studies in the U.K., Evi received offers to work there, but opportunities with NGO partners. wanted to return to her native Greece.

More than 85 percent of ReGeneration Working with ReGeneration, she received an p a r t i c ip a nt s h av e s e c u re d f u l l - t i m e offer at Janssen in human resources, her employment through the program, and 6,000 preferred field of interest. Currently, she is young people each year receive customized helping to coordinate the company's developmental feedback, strengthening their recruitment efforts and, in a happy turn of events, is actively interviewing and hiring ability to get a job. other "ReGenerators."

Young beneficiaries of the ReGeneration Founded in 2012, THI is a global, nonprofit, program who spoke at the Gala include: secular institution mobilizing the Greek • Yannis Lagiopoulos, EHSQ Analyst, Imerys. Diaspora and Philhellene community around A geologist by training, Yannis participated in the world to support sustainable economic the ReGeneration program and received an recovery and renewal for the Greek people. offer from Imerys, a French multinational THI's programs build entrepreneurial skills in company which specializes in the production a new generation of business leaders and also and processing of industrial minerals. Yannis address crisis relief through strong nonprofit was promoted after six months and currently organizations.

NEWS & NOTES

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WHAT IF GREECE DID NOT SAY “OXI”?

By Endy Zemenides Most of us are at least one generation removed from World War II, but generations of Greek Americans have lived OXI Day over and over and over again. This cycle continues this year through programs in Greek schools around the U.S., in events put on by the OXI Day Foundation, HALC, AHI, in lectures at universities.

But as we become further removed from the greatest generation, as the world order that has prevented a World War III unravels, and as the world starts reminding many of the World War epochs, it is fair to ask whether the significance of OXI Day -not only as a historic event, but as an example -- is being lost. What if Greece did NOT say “OXI”?

In debating that question, let’s recall what brought the Axis to Greece in the first place.

Mussolini – desperate to keep up with Hitler’s conquests – had zeroed in on Greece. Along strategic sea and air routes, Greece became the key to Italy dominating the Mediterranean.

Before October 28, Mussolini admitted that invading Greece was “an operation which I have thought over for months and months before my entry in the war, even before the outbreak of war.”

Mussolini estimated that it would take him two weeks to conquer Greece. He soon learned that he had underestimated the strength of Greek resolve. On October 28th, after rejecting Mussolini’s demands, Metaxas addressed the Greek people, ending with this line from Aeschylus’ play The Persians: “The struggle now is for everything!” And the Greeks resisted accordingly.

By November 3rd, the Greek army had forced Italian forces to stall, and they began a counter attack. By November 13th, Greek forces had regained all territory lost, and on the 14th they went on the offensive against the Axis by invading Albania. By March of 1941, the original nine Italian divisions had been increased to twenty eight and Mussolini personally led another offensive, which the Greeks defeated again.

Stung by Mussolini’s defeat, Hitler diverted Nazi forces from his planned invasion of the Soviet Union and sent them to the Balkans. The German blitzkrieg came, and the Greeks kept fighting back. The German invasion would culminate in the Battle of Crete. Greece fell, but not before changing the course of the war. In the Battle of Crete, Hitler’s paratrooper corp was decimated, never to be used again. 40% of Hitler’s airforce was used in Crete – with 250 planes destroyed and another 170 damaged.

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strategy

στρατηγική Greece – like most of Europe – was now occupied. But consider the cost to the Axis.

Yugoslavia fell in 11 days. Poland in 30. France in 43. Norway in 61. Greece held out for 219 days.

We should do more than celebrate this history in a “remember the Alamo” type spirit. And we also have to reexamine the s o m e w h a t conventional wisdom that the greatest effect of Greece’s “OXI” was to slow down Operation Barbarossa and ultimately c o nt r i b u t e t o t h e Nazis getting stuck -and defeated -- in Russia’s brutal winter.

No less an authority than historian John Keegan believed that gaining control of Greece more easily could have given Hitler another route to winning World War II. In an essay entitled “How Hitler Could Have Won the War: The Drive for the Middle East, 1941”, Keegan point at the option of using Italian controlled Rhodes to invade Cyprus, and then use Cypru a n d t h e It a l i a n Dodecanese islands to invade Syria and Lebanon. Giving Rommel such support would have allowed Hitler to conquer Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia and control access to the Suez Canal.

Keegan concluded that “the oil wealth yielded would have solved all Hitler’s difficulties in m ai nt ai n i ng h i s military machine.”

There would have been no need for an invasion of the Soviet Union at that point; there would have been no opening for General Patton’s dominance in the Mediterranean theater.

Instead, Hit ler’s valuable 7th Airborne Division was decimated -- or in Keegan’s words

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

“uselessly thrown away” -- in the Battle of Crete.

Airborne invasions were no longer part of Nazi war planning -- not in the Soviet Union, not in Cyprus, Syria or Egypt. Greece denied the Axis Powers quick control of the Mediterranean.

As we go through another cycle of reliving OXI Day, we should go beyond celebrating the history and the spirit of OXI -- we must celebrate the geography of it. World War I went to the side that won the Mediterranean. The victors of World War II also won the Mediterranean. And one of the US’s great strategic victories in the Cold War was locking the Soviets out of the Mediterranean.

Greece played a key role in each one of the Mediterranean victories. This history validates renowned author Robert Kaplan’s assertion that “Greece is the register of the balance of power between East and West.” As today’s Greece is pressed to say “OXI” -- to Russian influence, Chinese investment, Iranian oil -- let’s remind Greece’s friends and allies of the costs of previous “OXIs”. Greece will be on the right side of history again, but this time it should have some more help.

Reigniting Hellenic Spirit: Kazantzakis Literary Symposium

by Chris Salboudis manuscripts. At the global level, countless exhibitions and symposia are regularly organized by a variety of foundations and scholarly institutions.

The 2019 Kazantzakis Literary Symposium was primarily inspired by the mission of Cultural Crete USA (culturalcrete-usa.org) to preserve and promote art, culture and community spirit through charitable and educational activities. With this in mind, Founding Director Emmanuel Velivasakis opened an international dialogue between the contributing members of the event and offered to serve as primary sponsor.

The speakers. From left, Emmanuel Velivasakis, Georges Stassinakis, Nicholas Alexiou, Despina Afentouli and Dean Efkarpidis On October 8th, 2019 Kazantzakis enthusiasts took New York by storm at the 2019 Kazantzakis Literary Symposium, an event c o l l ab or at i ve l y pre p are d by v ar i ou s organizations dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the Hellenic community, past, present and future. The Symposium took place at Queens Hall, CUNY Queens College, which is home to the Hellenic American Project's new Center.

Canonical Greek philosophy and literature has laid the foundation for the development and flourishing of western thought, culture and civilization. Nikos Kazantzakis is truly a titan in Modern Greek Literature and Philosophy, having written and published a variety of essays, memoirs, novels, poems, plays, travel books and other pieces that are still preserved and discussed today, both in the classroom and beyond. He is perhaps most famously recognized for the popularlyacclaimed novels and films, Zorba the Greek (published 1946, film release 1964) and The Last Temptation of Christ (published 1955, film release1988). Kazantzakis was the recipient of numerous awards and commendations, including the International Peace Award (1956, Austria) and a notable nomination by the Society of Greek Writers to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature (1946), which he lost to Albert Camus by only one vote – which Camus himself publicly declared to be unfair given the remarkable 28

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international impact of Kazantzakis work. It was also thanks to systematic sabotage on behalf of the official Greek state that Kazantzakis' candidacy for Nobel was not duly promoted.

The goal was at once to celebrate the famed author, to showcase various institutions dedicated to the preser vation and advancement of the Hellenic community, and to allow those assembled the opportunity the unique lecture of internationally-renowned scholar, Georges Stassinakis, Knight of the National Order of Merit of the French Republic, author of numerous publications, editor of the annual review Le Regard Crétois and Founding President of the International Society of Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis. In an exclusive interview following the event, Mr. Velivasakis shares, “Nikos Kazantzakis' writings and philosophy shaped my own persona and my thinking as a young adult. It is my honor and duty to be able to assist in promoting his works and philosophy as an adult. And I do it with joy and gusto!”

Contemporary scholars and commentators broadly state that both works show aspects of post-war Greek culture to reveal the raw perspectives on nationalism, politics, religion, and cultural Emmanuel Velivasakis, Nicholas traditions. The deepest beauty Alexiou and Georges Stassinakis of his work comes from the distinctive revelation that Greece – both geographically and conceptually – does not belong strictly to the East or the West but to the world, the starting point of a valiant legacy that moves beyond all times to speak to our hearts, feed our souls, and keep us moving for ward despite adversity and desolation in the face of increasing complexities of the real world. It represents the inescapable truths of hu m a n i t y. T h e w o r k s o f Kazantzakis recognize this and reflect the Mr. Velivasakis enlisted the Executive Board delicate balance between heart, mind, spirit of the Philo4Thought Hellenic Mentoring and body in a way that has always reached his Init i at iv e t o m a n a g e a d m i n i s t r at i v e coordination for the Symposium and readers. collaboratively arranged all conceptual and In Crete, a permanent museum was created to creative aspects of the event with Prof. Nancy p r e s e r v e K a z a n t z a k i s ' l i b r a r y a n d Biska, Journalist and Adjunct Professor of PHOTOS: ETA PRESS

Modern Greek Language & Culture at St. John's University, Mr. Dean Efkarpidis, Writer and Board Member of the Greek Cultural Center and Prof. Nicholas Alexiou, Founding Director of the Hellenic American Project and Professor of Sociology at CUNY Queens College.

When asked why Kazantzakis is still relevant to the 21st Century, Prof. Biska states, “Nikos Kazantzakis was the most translated Greek writer, poet and philosopher of the twentieth century and truly transcended the boundaries of his own country to reveal a literary talent of ecumenical range and resonance that will still touch souls today. His work is truly timeless and constitutes an inexhaustible source of wisdom that will always reach and inspire. It is our obligation to pay homage to this great thinker by hosting events like this and to keep sharing his work with the new generation at colleges and universities.”

The Greek Cultural Center fosters opportunities for creative expression, cultural flourishing and educational programming to explore Hellenic roots and traditions and raise awareness about our Hellenic roots. In light of this mission Mr. Dean Efkarpidis recruited the assistance of Dr. Despina Afentouli, Journalist and Sociologist, to prepare an original dramatic contribution to the Symposium. In an exclusive interview, Mr. Efkarpidis shares, “The Greek Cultural Center could not stay away from an opportunity to celebrate and honor this Giant of contemporary Greek

thought…. Nikos Kazantzakis is as relevant today as the writings of Sophocles & Euripides, Socrates' dialectical method, the ideas of Plato & the sciences of Aristotle. He got there by doing what the ancients did: he studied, he learned, he examined, he synthesized. From this he crafted characters through which he dramatized and explored many philosophical issues: Good vs evil, flesh vs spirit, slavery vs freedom… these and other themes are laid out in front of readers in his expert hand – not to choose, but to wonder along with him.”

Over 200 students, scholars and cultural enthusiasts from across the tristate area and beyond gathered to attend the Symposium.

The evening opened with an introductory commentary by Prof. Nicholas Alexiou on Kazantzakis “Odyssey” followed by Mr. Velivasakis presentation on Kazantzakis' life and work and Mr. Stassinakis Keynote Address, “Nikos Kazantzakis and the Spirit of Hellenism.” The Symposium ended with Mr. Efkarpidis' and Dr. Afentouli's recitation of their dramatic composition, “Famous Quotes of Kazantzakis”. A lovely reception followed, celebrating the official launch of the Hellenic American Project's new Center as well as the successful event.

At the conclusion of the Symposium, Prof.

Alexiou shared: “Our event presented contemporary insight on Kazantzakis as an Ambassador of Hellenism as well as a poet. I would like to thank all the sponsors and

organizers who volunteered their time and resources in making it a success. I would also like to thank those who attended the event and visited the Hellenic American Project's Archive, Library & Museum here at Queens Hall. We plan to host events of similar scope and interest in the coming months, providing opportunities to learn about the Greek immigrant experience and to browse the archival material we have procured.”

The extensive local, regional and national support of this type of event helps keep the Hellenic legacy alive, sets an example for f ut u re g e n e r at i on s a n d c re at e s n e w opportunities to make our community stronger. To date, the event has received very positive feedback for reigniting an interest in Kazantzakis and other great scholars. It has also inspired discussions to enhance the efforts of New York City's Chapter of the International Society of Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis.

hellenes without borders

Alexander Billinis is a writer and lawyer in Chicago, Illinois. He and his family returned to the US after nearly a decade in Greece, the UK, and Serbia. He writes prolifically on Balkan topics. His books, The Eagle has Two Faces: Journeys through Byzantine Europe, and Hidden Mosaics: An Aegean Tale, are available from Amazon.com.

The “Case” for AHEPA The recent election of New Democracy’s Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Greece has been greeted with a fair amount of relief and optimism by many in Greece, abroad, and in the large Greek Diaspora. It is early days, but there is a fair amount of optimism that “this time it will be different.” We have of course heard this before, and I am by no means a natural supporter of Mitsotakis, but as the father of children (who are also, incidentally, Greek citizens) I feel compelled to have a bit of cockeyed optimism.

Certainly, the management consultant-style set of goals for each minister promises at least a titular respect for performance metrics, and specifically the appointment of a Greek American publisher as Diaspora Minister points to an active engagement with the Diaspora—the real Diaspora. I view this as positive.

We Diaspora Greeks often deride Greeks in Greece as calcified and corrupt, but perhaps this is an opportunity now to consider our own role in the global Greek context and the relative strengths and weaknesses of our own institutions. How representative are they, who do they represent, are they effective? A bit of navel gazing is in order.

I am partially excepting the Greek Orthodox Church from this discussion from the outset, because the Church is not designed as a representative but rather a hierarchical organization. We can debate the merits of this or the problems, but I for one accept and subscribe personally to the spiritual and cultural role of the church as generally positive and representing the majority—but by no means all—of Greek Americans.

There are also the numerous organizations who focus on their places of origin in Greece (or outside Greece) and while these often foster local ties within the particular region in Greece, we may question their role in a future where most Greek Americans struggle to keep ties with Greece in general, much less a particular region. A fourth-generation person of half Greek background will have enough challenges connecting with his Greek background, much less his, say, Cretan background. We wish these organizations well, but their future role is likely limited under the present circumstances.

What about the several Greek lobbying and advocacy organizations that often—but not a l w a y s — h a v e a Wa s h i n g t o n D . C . headquarters? This is a mixed bag. Only one could possibly claim to be representative 30

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(more on this later) of a large Greek American constituency or membership. Therefore, for these organizations to claim they are acting on behalf of the Greek American community is rather a stretch. They often advocate issues which resonate with their fellow Greek Americans, but generally they are acting either on their own account, or on behalf of large donors, or the Greek or Cypriot governments who have commissioned their services.

most Greek communities of any size continue to have an AHEPA chapter, usually—though not always—a shadow of its former size. This organizational and often brick-and-mortar presence is not shared by any other Greek organization and even in an age of the internet, the physical presence does matter. It matters to your representative or senator, who is more likely to listen to a delegation of registered voters at the district level, than to a delegation in Washington. Sometimes too, chapters have endowments waiting for profitable use. Think of scholarships for our young people, educational programs for Greek Americans, and, crucially, our fellow

Let us ask, further, what are these services? What milestones can they point to, and how do they evaluate their performance? To be fair, this is not easy. Did a piece of Greece- or G r e e k c o m mu n i t y - f av o r a b l e legislation pass due to their efforts, or due to shifting politics globally and domestically? Often there is no easy answer, but do we not owe it to ourselves to ask the questions?

Particularly if they claim to act on behalf of Greek Americans? If you are acting in my name, I should know what Americans, or targeted, thoughtful and you are doing. It seems fair to me, but (crucially) effective aid to Greece.

Washington in general does not seem to act Having said that, AHEPA is not without its that way—if indeed it ever did. own calcifications. That said, many chapters As I hinted earlier, and in the article’s title a r e g r o w i n g , d e s p i t e t h e n a t i o n a l itself, I do believe that one organization has the organization’s problems. The young people in potential to act on behalf of Greek Americans, both the Sons of Pericles and the Maids of both in Washington and abroad. It is AHEPA, Athena have shown great faith in this t h e A m e r i c a n He l l e n i c E d u c at i o n a l venerable organization and form a cadre of several generations of a f lowering Progressive Association. organization, if they are just given a chance.

At first glance, AHEPA seems a strange choice These youth then mentor younger members, but please bear with me. I am a historian, and I such as my own son, at age 15 the youngest appreciate AHEPA’s deep American roots. member of the Sons of Pericles New Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, in large part as a Renaissance 5 Chapter. riposte to the nativism and bigotry of the e r a — w h e n G r e e k s a n d o t h e r Exhibiting a sense of history as Americans and Southern/Eastern Europeans were the “other,” He l l e n e s , t h e s e y o u n g p e o p l e h a v e the organization taught American values championed the recognition of the Greek along with pride in heritage. Its successes Genocide during the last years of the Ottoman included massive war bond drives during Empire, liaising with state and federal officials, World War Two, and millions of dollars in aid to bring this issue to the forefront—long for Greek War Relief. According to a recent overdue. This energy and technocracy from a article by my friend Greg Pappas in The very well-educated younger generation, Pappas Post, AHEPA raised $500 million in backed by an infrastructure bequeathed to it war bonds, more than any other single US by their elders and history, can propel AHEPA organization. AHEPA stewarded generations forward domestically and internationally. of young Greek American men and women into adulthood with sports and cultural It is time that we tap the reservoir of intellect, activities, and the occasional political action passion and technocracy within the Greek when needed. AHEPA’s values were present community, not just the donor class, but the when the late great Archbishop Iakovos regular people with strong middle class marched arm-in-arm with Martin Luther American and Greek values. They have been the key to our community’s success in the past, King. a n d A H E PA g r e w w i t h t h e m a s a n Beyond the historical gravitas, there is infrastructural and cultural center of gravity. It AHEPA’s infrastructure. It is national and is time to draw on our history to do it again.

Master Blender

Nicholas Syris, Founder of LH Premium Cigars and Lounges:

“The cigar is the great equalizer”!

Nicholas and his cigars

by Demetrios Rhompotis

Each time that I go to Owl Cigar Shop/lounge in New Heaven, CT I look for something new to try. Needless to say that as the time goes by that's becoming harder and harder. But even when you think you've tried them all, and you know what you want, surprise! My eye caught a box with some delicious-looking dark cigars, banded as Nick & Jim PBE. I took one, and after ceremoniously lighting up and taking a few puffs, I came to like it. Not mild, not full, kind of medium with a kick, just what I needed then and there. I always Google each new cigar I smoke to learn more about it and that's how I came to find out that the master blender's name is Nicholas Syris. That rang a bell, and I thought that it must be Greek. I was right, and after looking him up further, I was able to contact him, talk and produce the interview that follows.

Like almost all his colleagues, Greek American master blender Nicholas Syris comes from a tobacco-growing family and as a kid, he helped pick and sort the tobacco leaves.

Not in Cuba, though, or another South American country, but in ...Macedonia, 32

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Greece! In fact, one of his dreams is to roll a cigar with tobacco grown in the small estate he inherited from his father (talking about ...My Father's Cigars!). That would be a great tribute to his family, to the centuries-old tobacco tradition in Greece and a remarkable addition to his high end, boutique line of LH (Lavida Habana) Premium Cigars.

Nicholas started his professional life as a very successful audio video electronics specialist. Thankfully, it was his passion for good cigars that won him over and also led him to a side career on a radio talk program, “Smooth Draws” a weekly program dedicated to Cigars and the Cigar Lifestyle. It was also his love of cigars that opened the door, back in the mid-90s, to Saudi Arabian Royalty and subsequently the creation of the first of a several Lavida Habana Cigar Lounges. “The cigar is the great equalizer, where people from all walks of life, different cultures and various socioeconomic backgrounds can all bond over the experience of enjoying a cigar,” says Nicholas. And despite the anti-smoking hysteria that has befallen on the US and other parts οφ the world, “we are strong in our convictions and our desires to enjoy the pleasures that we derive from smoking premium cigars!”

You were born in Macedonia. What part It has become increasingly more difficult to the Lavida Habana Cigar Lounges. Part of my exactly and how was life in a tobacco growing enjoy a cigar anywhere in the world, not just in responsibilities were to assist procuring hardNew York, or in this country. I have seen to-find, limited edition and “special” cigars for family? country after country succumb to the anti- the private clientele of the lounges. A number I was born in Neapolis, Kozani, which is in the tobacco laws that have taken over the world. I of our members are royals and they were heart of the Macedonia region of Greece. My don’t know about the rest of my fellow brothers accustomed to the finer things and that didn’t grandfather relocated to that region from the and sisters of the leaf, but I for one, will continue stop at cigars. They expected excellence when it Black Sea area of (present day) Turkey during to enjoy my passion and love for cigars. Even came to their own enjoyment of premium the Antallagi (population exchange between though we are but a very small minority, we are cigars. Through a series of events, the LH Greece & Turkey). My paternal grandfather was strong in our convictions and our desires to Premium Custom Rolled Cigar was created. It a tobacco farmer (kapna) for most of his adult enjoy the pleasures that we derive from was originally crafted by master rollers in Cuba made specifically for their pallets and particular life. My father and all his siblings were also smoking premium cigars. tastes. tobacco farmers from birth practically, as was the practice in the villages. My father later What did you do before you started learned another trade, as a tailor. He came to the making cigars?

US with his wife and me in tow, his one son at the time, when I was only two years of age. I I’ve been an entrepreneur my entire spent a several summer vacations back in life. I started my first business (a Neapolis and got to help out with the family computer consulting firm) when I business, sorting leaves and just being a part of was still in high school. I cultivated it the tobacco experience at a very young age. I through my college years and I never was so intrigued, but never smoked cigarettes, looked back! Eventually I sold the but discovered premium cigars right out of computer consulting firm to pursue college, and I was hooked! I don’t know if these my first real passion – electronics. experiences contributed or if it is that tobacco is I’ve always been a gadget and just in my blood, but it definitely seemed like technology junkie so my evolution something I quickly became passionate, what into the electronics industry was seamless. I always loved music and movies so my passion turned into a LH Premium Cigars Blender su c c e ss f u l re t ai l and c ustom and Owner Nicholas Syris installation audio/video business.

With an anchor retail store based in New Jersey, my company designed and inst a l le d p ers ona l home One of Lavida Habana Cigar Lounges theaters. We started out in the northeast part of the state but worked with And that led to you having a radio program! c l i e n t s n a t i o n a l l y a n d e v e n t u a l l y, internationally. It was a fun and dynamic I was initially interviewed as the brand owner of business that allowed me to meet and befriend LH Premium Cigars. Gary Laden, the driving many interesting people. Ironically, it was force and host of the Smooth Draws Radio sharing a cigar that led to a unique friendship Show, based out of ESPN Radio 1230, The Fan, with a Saudi Royal Prince. He also became a in Atlanta was very interested in my Cuba client and I traveled to the Middle East, where I travels and experiences. He asked me if I would designed theaters for his palaces and other be interested in being a contributor to the show. started out as a very consuming hobby ended up royals. It was the bond of the cigar that we What started out as a weekly segment, “Nick’s became my present day vocation. Who would shared that was the genesis of our friendship.

Notebook: A Cigar Enthusiast’s Guide to Cuba," have predicted! I’m a husband and a father that turned into me being a regular in a co-hosting believes you should always follow your dreams, Is that what led to LH Cigars and Lavida capacity. It was also available as a podcast that do what you love, work hard and strive for Habana Cigar Lounges? was streamed by audiences in 81 countries. success! Success for me is defined as the Unfortunately, after several years doing the continuous journey toward the achievement of After almost 20 years in the technology show, Gar y passed away due to health my goals! business, I found myself being more consumed complications, and I was asked to continue the by my interest for premium cigars. Throughout show, but could not add that to my already very Have you ever thought of making a "Greek my adult years, cigars were always instrumental full schedule of growing my cigar brand Cigar," not just in name, but made in Greece in forming great bonds with clients and internationally. from Greek leafs that are produced there for colleagues in business. Eventually, it became centuries and are especially sought after for my business. A long-time friend and business their aroma? colleague was tasked with putting together what became our first It is a goal of mine, and a passion project to one private cigar lounge in day be able to produce a cigar utilizing not only Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. tobacco from Greece, but from the very He was the personal “stremmata” (acres) that I inherited from my business manager for father! that first prince I met.

Our business Although the cigar industry has greatly re l at i ons h ip g re w expanded the last 20 years, at the same time it through the years, but faces nume rou s obstacles in te r m s of a g a i n i t w a s t h e regulation that sometimes go beyond reason, m u t u a l l o v e a n d to say the least. In New York we are not even passion for cigars that allowed to smoke in parks, in the open air! was the foundation of What's your thoughts, not just as a cigar our friendship. I was professional, but also as cigar smoker: member asked to be a part of of a persecuted minority? as I call us. that project, and that project turned into NEWS & NOTES

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How and when did you start making LH non- available to the American cigar smoker. With literally over five thousand options available, Cuban? did I really want to become the five thousand The first LH Custom rolled cigars were made and first choice in an already crowded market? entirely from Cuban tobacco. Initially it was The LH cigar grew organically overseas as our initial private clientele difficult for our took and shared their LH clients to appreciate cigars with their friends the evolution of the and fellow cigar lovers in cigars and how by other parts of the Middle blending tobaccos East and world. I you can achieve thought I should do the more complex same and started getting flavor profiles. The people to smoke them entire world here in the U.S. I am (outside of the U.S.) slowly and methodically has a very skewed introducing it to new view of premium markets, one at a time. cigars. The Currently we have prevailing view is retailers in pockets that only Cuban throughout the U.S. We cigars are really are looking for the right worth enjoying and partners and brokers to the rest are inferior. h e lp u s c ont i nu e t o It’s thought that spread the LH word. If Americans have to Making the LH Premium cigars you contact us at our smoke non-Cubans because they can’t smoke the “real” thing. They website lhcigars.com, we would be happy to even go so far as to call all non-Cuban cigars, direct you to a retailer near you. If there are no “fakes!” I wasn’t subscribing to any of that and it local tobacconists near you that carry LH we became my mission to introduce non-Cuban have a couple of our retailers that will ship to cigars to my clients. The task proved more you! difficult than I initially expected. Just getting them to try non-Cuban cigars proved a How did you meet Jim Robinson and how the struggle. You have to understand their Nick & Jim cigars came about? viewpoint. If you are used to a regular diet of a particular taste and flavor profile, as soon as Our collaboration with Jim Robinson started something different was sampled, it was when we met in Cuba. Robinson soon became a dismissed. They would immediately put it fan of LH Cigars and asked me to blend him a down and it was the end of discussion. It was a cigar he could use for a house blend for his Leaf process that took years of putting together an and Bean retail stores. I designed a cigar taking initial blend that was similar enough to what into account Robinson’s personal taste profile. their palates expected, but just different enough The cigar not only became a house cigar at Leaf to peak their curiosities. This process and Bean, it also grew to be a personal favorite culminated in the first non-Cuban blend of LH of Robinson’s! As a result, we made the decision to take the brand national and it received an Cigars. overwhelmingly positive response. Originally What is the blend in the LH line today, where we had announced we were releasing Lavida are they made at and what can people expect in Isla, but shortly after the announcement, some hurdles were encountered in terms of using the terms of strength, body and flavor profile? name. As opposed to delaying the release, we LH Cigars today use wrappers from Ecuador, all decided to release the initial batch as Nick & from the same farm! The current mild, medium Jim’s P.B.E. (Pre-Band Edition). We decided to and full bodied blends are all wrapped with take a challenge put in front of us and turn it into Connecticut shade, Habano and Criollo seeded a positive. The packaging has a simple, yet rustic wrappers. The binders and fillers are primarily look. At the same time, cigar enthusiasts will be from Peru and Nicaragua. We also use getting the same great cigar that was slated to be Dominican, Honduran as well as tobaccos from called Lavida Isla. Nick & Jim’s P.B.E.is a Brazil. For me this is the most rewarding part of medium-bodied cigar featuring a dark the business. We are constantly experimenting Ecuadorian wrapper. It is available in one size, a with tobaccos from regions from all over the 6 x 54 Toro. world. I love coming up with interesting and unique blends. It is especially rewarding when In terms of expansion, not just territorially, when it comes to exploring new possibilities in my fellow aficionados enjoy them. the cigar making, what are ideas that you are LH Cigars became a global success and they are working on and you could perhaps share? also available to us in the US. Where can we I am always growing in my knowledge and purchase them? experiences in the tobacco industry. I will I always considered LH Cigars an international continue to use the same century-old processes cigar because they were first available outside of making a quality premium cigar; from seed to the United States. But for me as an American it finished product, but also continue to was always my dream to offer LH Cigars to the experiment in the latest techniques and U.S. market. Having been in retail all my life, I innovations as my journey continues down my understand the plethora of choices already chosen path in the cigar industry.

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Who are some of the great maestros you have met and been influenced by?

I have been influenced by many great masters from many different parts of the tobacco world.

My greatest mentor has been Master Blender Raul Vallardes Diaz of Cuba, who devoted more than a half century of his life to the cigar world.

Mr. Vallardes, for those who are not familiar, participated in the development of many iconic blends for Habanos. One of his latest blends was the coveted Cohiba Behike, as well as being apart of the development of the Trinidad blends, as well as the Cohiba Maduro 5 and Cohiba Gran Reserva. Mr. Vallardes has not only been a wealth of knowledge and experience that I have been able to tap into and learn from but a true inspiration for me as he has contributed so much to this industry.

What is your favorite place or places in Cuba to smoke a cigar?

The first place that comes to mind for me, as well as for many cigar aficionados, is at the Hotel National. The back terrace, or patio, to be more precise is ideal. It’s a very popular meeting area for cigar lovers that have traveled from around the world to come, meet fellow cigar enthusiasts and have a fantastic smoking experience.

How long you’ve been going there and how often do you go?

I’ve been legally traveling to Cuba now since 2009. As of late, my travels take me there on a very regular basis. In fact, now, because of my radio segments on Cuba travel and cigars I began to host guided trips to Cuba. Initially our radio show listeners, and those that follow me on social media can legally travel with me on one of my trips. If anyone is interested in joining me in Cuba, and love cigars, please visit: http://cigartourstocuba.com for more information.

Besides the obvious enjoyment, what else is cigar smoking for you?

Smoking a cigar for me has always about the experience. It revolves around a premium cigar, but that’s just the beginning. The ambiance of your venue always affects that cigar’s personal enjoyment. The social aspect of the cigar experience is really a critical component. I’ve always said that the cigar is the great equalizer where people from all walks of lives, different cultures and various socioeconomic backgrounds who can all bond over the experience of enjoying a cigar. It’s where a Greek-American can connect and become friends with royals from Saudi Arabia. It’s all about the cigar. I’m sure that is what the Taino Indians first discovered when they smoked tobacco. Then you had the peace pipe…. Okay, I’m really getting off topic here. My point being simply, cigar smoking is all about the experience. Sure, the flavors and aromas enhance the ambiance and the social aspect complete it and make it an event! That’s what drew me to first becoming a lover of the leaf and then to wanting to be a part of this industry!

Bullies

s e v l e s m e h T Hate Others! t s u j ot

n

seems that negatively talking about someone behind their backs has become part of people’s daily routine. We have all done this, either because we don’t like the person, we don’t agree with something they are doing or wearing, or we might be gossiping to one of our friends and venting. It’s just part of our nature and we can’t help ourselves without making a comment about someone.

This is very damaging and hurtful, and it shouldn’t happen, but I am also being realistic, and I know that these comments that we will make about someone will continue. Wanting to comment about something is fine, but when you are aware of how this could damage and hurt someone and their reputation it’s better not to say anything, just like my mother taught me if you have nothing good to say, don’t say it at all. Many times, we have had problems with ourselves and dealt with certain issues, so when we negatively comment about someone else, we feel like it’s not only us that we are not perfect, that person isn’t either.

By Melina Giannakouli*

Humanity wants to reach as close as it can to being perfect, although we strive so much to becoming perfect that we don’t realize what actually matters. This phrase is so widely used and repeated, but I’ve come to the realization that it is so true. When people are happy with themselves and in general just happy, they don’t pay attention to others, they only focus on themselves and the people close to them.

Don’t you remember a time where you just where happy, simply happy and you didn’t care about making comments about others or what others had to say about you because you were happy with yourself and who you are?

In our world we are dealing with so many problems and each day it seems like a new one is being added. However, an old issue that we haven't always dealt properly with is bullying.

Bullying by definition is when someone seeks to harm or intimidate another person and usually this other person is perceived as being vulnerable. We have had so many cases and lately and it seems that this problem is I do remember that time and it was last year at the beginning of my school year, I was so reaching its peak. happy with how my life There are 4 types of bullying: us; Everything starts with se was going, el e I w a s we can t love someon Ÿ Social Bullying s first. pleased if we don t love ourselveghts and w i t h Ÿ Physical Bullying The more negative thou yourself myself, I t ou ab ve ha you m cis iti cr d i d n’ t amount Ÿ Verbal Bullying you will have double the for others. w o r r y a b o u t Ÿ Cyber bullying things that In my opinion the most common bullying is I couldn’t control and the things I could Social Bullying. Social bullying is when nasty control, I made sure to make the best decisions comments are being made behind someone’s possible that wouldn’t affect how I felt, I just back, and many times the aim is to damage was being the best version of me. Being the someone’s social reputation. We see this in our best version of yourself takes time and daily lives, not only in high school, between patience, you just need to wait because if you teenagers, but also adults in the workplace. It rush things they might easily fall apart. But 36

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trust me on this, being patient and making tiny steps everyday even if it might feel pointless at the time, it will get you where you need to be.

Everything starts with us; we can’t love someone else if we don’t love ourselves first.

The more negative thoughts and criticism you have about yourself you will have double the amount for others. Living the life that you want will take time because nothing will ever come easy, for the things that matter you will have to work for. Instead of being in people’s lives and making it worse, why not enter someone’s life and make it better. What does hurting others even gain for us, what is our gain out of this? Let me tell you absolutely nothing, maybe comfort for a while but this discomfort with ourselves won’t stop by making comments and hating on others. The best thing to do is strive to be you and happy, be the best you that you can possibly be, that’s what will get you the life you want, not hating on others.

Tomorrow wake up as early as you can, an hour earlier than you usually do. Study and get those grades that you so really deeply want, you know how happy that will make you. Do the assignment you have for next week, start it now.

Tomorrow get up and go say “I love you” to your parents. Get up, go grocery shopping and try to swap unhealthy foods for healthier options, instead of white bread get black bread. There is no excuse of having no time, it’s what we prioritize that matters.

Now there is no way that I am going to tell you how to live your life, but I know that just like me and just like everyone, you imagine of how your best scenario of your life outcome would be, so why not make it a reality.

About all these negative comments we always say we try to get into other people’s shoes but in reality, do we? Would you want the nasty comments and the hate you give to someone to be given to the person you love the most? It’s in our hands literally to make a change.

You can’t change from one day to another your bad habits either if it is nasty comments, eating unhealthily or anything, you start slow and steady. Just don’t forget that we should always reward ourselves even for the tiniest victory.

Melina Giannakouli, a victim of bullying, is a student of IB2 at Pierce, The American College of Greece.

Pioneer filmmaker Filopoimin Finos remembered by his longtime collaborator Nikos Kavoukidis worked at Finos studios from the age of fifteen and talks to NEO

by Kelly Fanarioti The studio of 80-year-old filmmaker Nikos Kavoukidis on a corner of Karea Avenue in Athens resists the passage of time. Inside are black-and-white photos of the stars of old Greek cinema, and images of film pioneer Filopoimin Finos and an archive of the 1930s vintage cameras he used to film the historic events on the Albanian front and the subsequent fighting in Athens.

"My father had enough golden British pounds then and funded the film starring Dimitris Horn and Aemilios Veakis. It was the first film made during the Occupation and it became a national sensation,” claims the 80-year-old cinematographer. Enthusiasm for the premiere in Athens led the venue to be t r a n s f e r re d t o a r a l l y of c a n d l e s at Panepistimiou Street, a fact that angered the Germans.

"I have been in cinema nearly seventy years and I owe it to Finos," says Nikos Kavoukidis

Filopoimin Finos, founder of Finos Films and patriarch of the Greek cinema Kavou k i d is is one of t he fe w l iv i ng collaborators of the "patriarch"—as he calls him--of the Greek film industry and founder of Finos Films. In fact, he left school at 15 to work at Finos studios in Exarchia. "In the mornings I was at Finos studios, and at nights I attended the night high school on Koletti street. I have been in films for sixty-three years and I consider Finos to be my spiritual father,” he tells NEO.

Kavoukidis explains Finos's glorious career in Greek cinema was due to the passion that distinguished him even under the most difficult conditions. "He lived for it. From morning till night he was in his studio. He did not come out to eat,'' he says, singling out all the remarkable personalities of Greek cinema who worked at Finos Films. "Aliki Vougiouklaki, Jenny Karezi, Zoi Laskari, Alekos Alexandrakis, as well as directors such as the great Alekos Sakellarios and Nikos Tsiforos, started their career with Finos."

Another characteristic of the great producer was his loyalty to his colleagues, who were paid every 15 days. But when he made the film "One Life We Have" with Dimitris Horn for which he spent a fair amount of money, he was unable to pay the crew because the proceeds were too low. "So he applied for loans to pay us--that’s how good a person he was," says Kavoukidis. "He then told filmmaker Alekos Sakellarios to make a movie quickly so that Finos Film could get back on top. So Sakellarios wrote 'Elias of the 16th' and in four weeks we filmed and edited it and a few days later sent it to theaters. Finos gave us vitamins to stay strong during the long hours of work.

The movie was highly successful and so Finos Film returned to good times.”

One of the many nicknames his crew called Finos was "screwdriver,” because he liked to repair the cameras himself. "He did not stint the money, he was always getting the best out of France and Germany, but he bought them secondhand and had to fix them all the time with his screwdriver,” says Kavaoukidis. When Finos brought the Nagra tape recorders to Greece he started fixing them one by one with his screwdriver and sent a letter to the Swiss company that made them urging their technicians to make corrections.

"The camera’s designer, Stefan Kundelsky, adapted the corrections but Finos never asked any money for them. He was not greedy,'' says Kavoukidis, and he remembers an incident from the shooting of the film "Klotsoskoufi" with Aliki Vougiouklaki. ''I worked as a

During the Italian attack on Greece, Kavoukidis’ father Giorgos-a pioneer filmmaker in his own right-worked with Finos to film the Greek resistance on the Albanian front. Most of this footage was destroyed by the Germans at the beginning of the German Occupation.

In fact, Alekos Sakellarios earned his st ar t in f i lms t hroug h Finos' encouragement. When Finos wanted to do the film "The Germans Return" with Vassilis Logothetidis and Georgia Vasiliadou in 1948, he wanted Alekos Sakellarios to direct it, though until then Sakellarios was known only as a theater director.

cinematographer on this movie and half of it was filmed with Michalis Nikoulinakos.

When Finos saw the plans, he decided that he did not like Nikoulinakos and asked Alekos Alexandrakis for the role. We made the shots During the Italian attack on of the film from the beginning with the new Greece, Kavoukidis’ father actor. This process had a lot of costs, but Finos Giorgos-a pioneer filmmaker did not charge anything. His perfectionism on in his own right-worked with "Sakellarios said he the quality of his films was unprecedented.''

Finos to film the Greek had no idea how to resistance on the Albanian direct a film; he did Closing our conversation, Kavoukidis front. Most of this footage not want to do it, but remembered the last years of Filopimin was destroyed by the Finos insisted and put Finos's life which, he says, was passed in Germans at the beginning of h i m w i t h D i n o s typical fashion in the studio. And just before the German Occupation, but Karydis, who knew he died Finos bought his first brand-new s o m e o f i t w a s s a v e d . Giorgos Kavoukidis how to set up the shots camera, which sat next to his bed and he often Kavoukidis’ passion for film a n d h a n d l e t h e caressed. "He was a multifaceted personality, led him in 1942, the worst year of the famine cameras. That was how Aleko's grand career in an insightful filmmaker unparalleled in and German reprisals in Greece, to the cinema began. I worked with him for the film Europe. I have been in cinema nearly seventy creation of his first film named "The Voice of 'Doloma' with Aliki Vougiouklaki." years and I owe it to Finos,” he says. the Heart."

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13TH ANNUAL NYC GREEK FILM FESTIVAL IN NY

beginning in 2018, the New York City Greek Film Festival has broadened its content, functions and activities to include an international meeting platform which welcomes cinematographers from around the world.

The program now includes:International Competition Program for films with a Greek element – fiction and documentaries, both short and feature length – judged during the festival with awards in two categories: best feature film (fiction or documentary) and best short film (fiction or documentary).

International Competition Program for short films – judged online before the festival. The best film is awarded a screening during the festival.

Opening night kicks off Thursday, October 17th with the opening ceremony and the unveiling of the digital exhibition “The Legend of Alexander the Great as Ancient Greek and Byzantine Legacy” at FIAF Gallery, followed by the screening of the film “In This Land Nobody Knew How to Cry” and a reception at the Tinker Auditorium. The digital exhibition will run until Sunday, Oct. 20th.

“This year, apart from the Greek features, documentaries and shorts, the festival launches a new section with international productions of Greek interest -meaning films with Greek elements no matter the country of t h e i r or i g i n . Fu r t h e r m ore , a pu re l y international section of short films from all over the world will be introduced, at the online edition of NYCGRFF only.” said NYC Greek Film Festival Executive Director Maria Tzompanaki.

The festival also has the honor of presenting, in col lab orat ion wit h not able Gre ek archeologists and in world premiere, a digital exhibition of listings from the sublime history of the world’s greatest Greek of all times: Alexander the Great. An expo already sheltered at the Greek Institute of Venice. In the 14th century, Alexios Komninos, the emp eror of Trabzon, commissions a manuscript with Alexander the Great’ s recounting of events for his private library.

Compiled by the era’s most able copyists, the manuscript is also enriched with 250 miniatures narrating the entire life course of the magnificent warrior. The main goal of this unique init iat ive is to showcas e t he Macedonian ruler who spread the Greek spirit and the Greek culture throughout the then known world, to portray the man who was loved and honored like no other Greek.

Within this context, an exhibition of Alexander the Great-themed engravings, carved by important artists from “XOTARIS” Gallery, will also take place.

NYC Greek Film Festival closes its 13th year on Wednesday, October 23rd at the Florence

Greek film Program with Audience Awards (by vote), and monetary prizes in all four categories: best feature film (fiction), best Gould Hall Theater with the closing ceremony documentary, best short film and best new followed by the concert “Greek Female New director Yo r k e r s Pe r f o r m S o n g s f ro m G re e k Composers” presented by Maro Theodoraki. Special tributes for great Greek films of all time and tributes for exceptional Greek Reception to follow at Le Skyroom. filmmakers. Opportunities for international Some of the films of special note being shown cooperation between Greek and international throughout the fest include Still River, Pause, filmmakers at a technical and artistic level.

The Mountain Tears, Nia on Vacation, The Parallel events of cultural and educational Waiter, Marble Homeland, Clementine and A nature that serve to promote Greek culture and world cinema. The purpose of the Festival Tree Remembers. is the presentation of Greek cinema to the New The Waiter and Nia on Vacation are York audience. Entertainment and education specifically targeted to younger audiences and o f t h e p u b l i c o n t h e o c c a s i o n o f students. Sports fans will most enjoy Akra and cinematographic art, with screenings of films, Crete Arising, religion-oriented people will organization of artistic events of all arts, like Filothei, the Jewish community will want seminars and discussions. Creating and to see Romaniotes and the aforementioned A presenting tributes to cinema creators, artists Tree Remembers and history buffs will love – actors – musicians – costumers – critics – The New Greek Americans. Exarcheia, The technicians – script writers and their work.

Campfire Project and We Are Not Together Seminars and open discussions between will appeal to an audience with a strong social artists and audiences. conscience; and older viewers will relate to In this Land Nobody Learned to Cry, Epiphany, The festival's goals are the communication of Greek cinema to international and Greek Still River and Pause. audiences, the education and entertainment of Past attendees to the festival include the public, the communication of Greek actors/actresses/writers/directors such as Culture in the city of New York, but also in George Kimoulis, a famous Greek personality other states of the USA, in any part of the in theater and cinema, among others. This world, through cultural and educational year there is a special tribute to Nickos Perakis, activities, either in the time frame of the films an internationally known Greek director, who or at regular intervals throughout the year. will be in attendance. In addition, this year’s Either alone or in cooperation with another festival has also organized a special tribute to cultural entity. The organization and the female gender, and more precisely to the development of all cinematic art activities in Greece and abroad, working with artistic and topics of Women’s Abuse in modern society. other actors in Greece, New York and abroad.

Additionally, most of the NYC Greek Film To carry out either on his own or in Festival film lineup are accompanied by Q & collaboration with third parties, the recording Answer sessions with cast and celebrity guests. and reproduction of all kinds of events in Learn more about festival activities at sound and image as well as in the publication of books, magazines and publications. Annual nycgreekfilmfestival.com Regular Grant from Institutions, Private The festival opened in 2007 as a showcase of Sponsors, Revenue from Tickets from new and older Greek film productions. It Electronic Advertising or any other form. The introduced the New York Greek audience to festival is taking place in cooperation with the Greek filmmakers and their works. The public Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce embraced Greek cinema with enthusiasm and (HACC). the festival gained many supporters and followers. After a steady and successful course, NEWS & NOTES

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Kurds against ...Turds !

Greece should demand permission from the US to occupy 30 kilometres worth of Turkish territory in order to relocate there the illegal immigrants that come from Turkey! Sounds like a joke? It shouldn't be! It's exactly what Turkey is doing in Syria-along with what it knows best: killing civilians! And the pretext for invading a foreign country is as ridiculous as was the 1940 ultimatum by the Italians, delivered at 3:00 to the Greek prime minister. That, however, was 80 years ago and we'd expect that in this day and time, bullies would elaborate their schemes more, to make it easier for the public that--thanks to the mass media, social or otherwise, is the entire world--to swallow. But Erdogan and his Turks don't have time for niceties: to them rules are good so long as they serve their plans.

When first elected, Turkey's modern day sultan was proEuropean, pro-human rights and for more democracy. All that until he got rid of the Kemalist deep state, only to put his own in place with the aim to recreate the Ottoman Empire at the expense of the surrounding “infidel” countries. Well, Kurds and Syrians are also Muslim: but, again, not Erdogan's type, so they are expendable.

Too bad President Trump seems to believe the same, greenlighting Erdogan's latest adventure and then brokering a cease fire that concedes everything to the invader! But when you give Erdogan whatever he wants it's not a negotiation--it's surrender, Mr. President and I'm surprised that you, “the Master of the Deal”, failed to notice that! What's with this fricken Erdogan, anyway? First he mesmerized Obama, and now he’s domesticating Trump! And to think we were afraid of ...Putin!

Moreover, Turkey's aggression and lack of consequences, as was the case in 1974 with the brutal invasion of Cyprus, opens up her appetite for more, and rightly so. A few days ago, the Turkish foreign minister spoke with a map showing areas of Syria, Iraq, Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria as parts of Turkish territory—using it as his background! Weeks prior to that, Erdogan spoke with a map indicating that half of the Aegean Sea belongs to Turkey!

Trump let Erdogan open his Pandora's Box by invading Syria and the mess won't be restricted to that country and the victims won't be just Kurds, as if that weren't enough! The Turkish de facto dictator will go for more and Greece and Cyprus have every reason to feel threatened, especially after seeing how Washington treated its steadfast allies, the Kurds.

Until Erdogan is swallowed by his own hubris and removed from power, Turkey will be a pariah and an unpredictable aggressor putting at risk the entire region. It's time for the US to take action, and not just sanctions, to ensure that Ankara will learn a lesson.

Guaranteeing Cyprus and Greece territorial integrity and Exclusive Economic Zones will send the right message and will restore confidence in the US foreign policy and power that, after Erdogan's invasion in Syria, has reached its nadir…

...B.S. 1)Life is like a cigar! It may last long but eventually comes to an end...

2) A selfish person is like a ...shellfish! Shelled in himself…

3) When everything looks like a bad joke a real joke might save the day…

4) Turkey already harbors jihadists! Erdogan is one of them!

5) You don't need to study the American politics for years as I did, nor read thousands of books. Just watch "The Distinguished Gentleman" with Eddie Murphy! It came out in 1992 but it's as fresh as our daily bread!

Greek mom of triplet boys in Port Washington, NY, in need of a kidney Spread the word that Living Kidney Donation saves lives!

strength and the love of a mother trying to stay alive in order to devote her life to her husband, Erik and their triplet boys, age 8: Michael, Alex, and Dino. Everyone calls them “The Close your eyes and imagine. Three Kings.” She is an incredible mom.

You are in your twenties, full of life. You have many hopes Vivian continues to be very active in her a n d d r e a m s . Yo u j u s t community and church. She worked all day at graduated from college…so the local Greek festival a few weeks ago while happy and excited to show still tending to her triplet b oys and the world who you are and maintaining her good sense of humor. This is what you will accomplish. just one of the many reasons why Vivian holds Your body is strong, and your a special place in many people’s hearts and in mind is clear. Like lightning, mine. She is selfless, fun and kind. This

by Penny Gallis suddenly, your journey takes a swift turn and at 21, you are diagnosed with Lupus. Then comes kidney failure and a transplant at 31. This was Vivian Vonortas Jepp’s new reality. After marriage to her beloved, Erik and repeated tries to have children, her healthy triplet boys were finally born with the help of a surrogate. Four years ago, her kidney failed again and Vivian was forced to leave her career as a schoolteacher.

She is now on dialysis three times a week, four hours a day. This machine she is connected to while giving her more time, more life, is also wearing her body down, reducing the quality of her life. Dialysis is a burdensome and temporary solution. Despite all this, nothing holds Vivian down. She just keeps going.

Every day, she gets up and gives selflessly for her family, her community, and her three healthy boys who keep her on her toes.

Like the lady that she is, Vivian has patiently and quietly waited on the transplant list.

Nevertheless, the fact is that last year, Vivian was consistently in and out of the hospital, which took her away from her children. She will NOT survive the 4+ additional years wait for a deceased donor. The hope she is holding onto is that a viable Living Kidney Donor, someone who is willing and able to donate, takes action and steps up to save her precious life. This is Vivian’s story.

Vivian Vonortas Jepp-52 years young…. “I’m not done raising my boys,” said my friend Vi v i an du r i n g ou r re c e nt p h on e conversation…two moms discussing their children, their to-do lists, their hopes, and fears.

If you look into her eyes, you can see the 46

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NEWS & NOTES

years. She keeps in contact with 40 living donors that have all been in good health since their donations. She is a connector, setting up individualized campaigns for everyone she helps. A living donor herself, Rhoda successfully donated a kidney to her husband 20 years ago. In the last 18 years, Rhoda has devoted herself passionately to this cause and has successfully helped more than a dozen individuals to find living organ donors. She is a true resource and cheerleader, shining light on living kidney donations and the positive effect they have on the quality of life for people in need and the donors as well. She has helped form team TRIKIDVIV, with a group of friends and family who have been spreading the word via social media, card distribution, and word of mouth to help Vivian find a donor in time. From flyers, postcards, t-shirts and answering vital questions to collaborating with the media, this team has been on fire. So what is our message? Our message is to keep spreading Vivian’s story and keep spreading the word that Living Kidney Donations Save Lives. Awareness changes the game.

Did you know that we are all born with one extra kidney? WE ONLY NEED ONE to live a full, healthy, long life. This means that we all have the opportunity to save a life. No matter what you decide to do…donate…get tested…or Spread The Word, you can experience what it feels like to give the voluntary gift of love and hope. But...you have to respond to the call of ACTION. Family, friends, and strangers who are able to donate, can get tested. A kidney from a living donor lasts longer than that of a deceased donor. How many opportunities do you get in life to save someone’s life? Not many. Please consider joining our forces to save lives by spreading awareness.

The benefit of a living donation is that it can be done immediately…SAVING VIVIAN’S LIFE. It is a proven and successf u l, laparoscopic procedure that will take place at New York Presbyterian Hospital in NY. This hospital is one of the most experienced in living donation in the country, with some of the most highly skilled surgeons in the country. Donors are tested thoroughly to Vivian Vonortas Jepp with husband Erik ensure a HEALTHY outcome for both the D onor and t he R e c ipi e nt . D ONOR S and their three sons, Michael, Alex and Dino MATTER. All medical expenses, travel, ongoing battle has been very difficult for her. lodging, and time lost at work by the donor are Her husband, Erik told me that he wanted covered. everyone to know, “Vivian is a loving mother who puts everything and everyone in front of Email tripletmomneedskidney@aol.com for her own illness and will not let anybody know more info or how to get involved. how she is feeling, so that she doesn’t ruin anybody’s day.” Vivian has been a very private LEARN MORE ABOUT VIVIAN: search on woman all her life, but now her story has to be Facebook.com Triplet Mom Needs Kidney told to make the public informed and aware of the Living Kidney Donation process in order LEARN ABOUT LIVING to save her life and many other lives. Vivian is DONATION:LKDN.ORG (Living Donors) now opening up and getting her story told LEARN ABOUT DONATING TO VIVIAN: with the help of a friend, Rhoda Schneider.

NYP/Cornell (212) 746 – 3922 Rhoda is a Roslyn resident and a former teacher at Manhasset Public Schools for 30 Cornell.donorscreen.org