HAVERHILL, Mass.—It all started in 1938 with a gasoline pump and sound business acumen.

Fred Jaffarian, the first Armenian American born in this city, leased a gas station on Haverhill’s River Street. Together with wife Alice, who worked at a nearby shoe factory, the two began an automotive dynasty that stretched 75 years through 4 generations.

City of Haverhill honored Jaffarian Volvo & Toyota for 75 years of continuous business through four generations. (L-R) Gavin Jaffarian, Mayor James Fiorentini, and brothers Gary and Mark Jaffarian, who spearhead the enterprise.

The two entrepreneurs left the management antics to cousin Charlie while they both labored in the factory. Every day they would go straight from the sweatshop to work the gas station, eventually phasing out the grueling schedule when the station became successful.

Fred’s gregarious personality kept customers coming back while Alice’s frugality maximized profits. Together, they cultivated the perfect formula for the American dream.

Today, it ranks as the oldest Volvo-Toyota dealership in New England, donating thousands of dollars each year to the welfare of their community, much of it dedicated to the Haverhill High School Athletic Fund for the welfare of its youth.

“We owe it all to my grandparents and parents,” said President Gary Jaffarian. “They laid out the groundwork so diligently. You build up a reputation for good service and it matriculates on its own. We’ve been blessed with a steady and growing clientele.”

The city turned out Oct. 19 to celebrate the milestone with a family-spun atmosphere, a citation from Mayor James Fiorentini, and plenty of non-stop congratulatory offers from visitors.

Rev. Stephan Baljian, the newly appointed pastor of St. Gregory Church, North Andover, stopped by with his family to offer his blessings. The function hall in his church is named after the Jaffarians.

Fred and Alice ultimately turned the business over to their son Richard, who cultivated it before passing it along to his three sons, Gary, Mark, and Paul, who has since passed. Gary’s son Gavin is the latest to hop aboard the bandwagon, running the Volvo service.

According to the Family Business Review, less than 30 percent of family-owned businesses in the United States survive to the second generation, and less than 12 percent to the third generation, with only a 3 percent survival rate to the fourth generation.

The dealership expanded to sell tires, lawnmowers, and Hudson automobiles. In the early 1950’s, they switched from Hudsons to Ramblers and added more service bays.

Unsatisfied with Rambler’s quality, Richard wanted something better. Haverhill at that time (1958) had enough domestic-auto showrooms so he looked further. Hours of library research led him to a solution: Volvo of Sweden.

Richard’s ability to handle the business gave his dad time to help the community. Fred sponsored athletic teams and volunteered often, eventually landing a hallowed place in the Haverhill Sports Hall of Fame.

The brothers came along and were weaned slowly into the rotation, sweeping floors and cleaning bathrooms. Gary so relished this work that he’d hitchhike there after school.

The gas islands gave way to a state-of-the-art showroom in 1967. Through smart business tactics and diehard determination, they survived the 1970’s gas crisis, sky-high interest rates, and recessions.

The family gradually acquired adjacent properties to expand, including a 6,000-square foot Collision Center. Mark found his niche in the body shop while Paul built a far-reaching reputation as the go-to-guy for auto parts.

The current showroom opened in 2003. Mark continues to run the Collision Center. Gary is president and CEO, while his son handles the Volvo enterprise.

Talk about it with Gary and he’ll quickly admit, “It’s the Jaffarian way.”

“My brothers and I did fine together,” he says. “Dad was able to sit back the last 25 years of his life and enjoy watching us and my son Gavin working the business. His eyes sparkled when he saw us making deals. The American Dream turned out to be even more than my father and grandfather ever expected.”

NEW YORK—His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, had deemed 2013 the “Year of the Mother of the Armenian Family” and asked Armenians throughout the world to organize activities to reflect on and explore the central role of mothers in the past and present of our nation. With this idea in mind, the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) sponsored a symposium on Sat., Oct. 5, titled, “Armenian Women as Mothers and Artists,” to offer insights into the richness, depth, and breadth of the issue. The symposium was held at the Pashalian Hall of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Cathedral in New York.

ANEC sponsored a symposium on Sat., Oct. 5, titled, “Armenian Women as Mothers and Artists,”

After the welcoming remarks by Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, the pastor of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Cathedral and a member of ANEC, the symposium was opened and conducted by fellow member Sossi Essajanian. “Even though ANEC’s primary mission is to give support and advice to the Armenian schools under its jurisdiction, we also believe that the concept of education encompasses much more than just our schools,” she began. “The idea of taking upon this and, hopefully, other subjects in the future is geared towards our community as a way of learning and sharing knowledge.”

The three featured speakers belong to the new generation of Armenian studies scholars, and introduced refreshing topics during the symposium, which were warmly welcomed by the audience. The first presentation was by Dr. Melissa Bilal, a postdoctoral fellow and lecturer at Columbia University’s department of music. She recently defended her Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Chicago. She has written on the historical and ethnographic aspects of the Armenian lullaby in Turkey as a genre of intimacy, testimony, and protest. Unfortunately, due to health problems, Dr. Bilal could not attend the symposium; Essajanian read her paper, which was illustrated with musical fragments. The paper discussed how songs, especially lullabies, powerfully mediate the transmission of loss, particularly with relation to the Armenian Genocide. She argued that lullabies created, remembered, and sung by Armenian “grandmothers,” either in Armenian or in Turkish, provided the listener with an orientation toward a mode of knowing and feeling. The lullaby, at the same time, enabled silent mourning.

Afterwards, Jennifer Manoukian, a graduate student in the department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African studies at Columbia University, considered the life of Zabel Yessayan, the foremost female author of Armenian literature in the first half of the 20^th century. Her lively discussion highlighted Yessayan’s roles as a mother and activist during the Adana massacre of 1909, the Armenian Genocide, and the first years of the diaspora. Manoukian, whose B.A. thesis was on Yessayan’s early writings and who has translated several of her works into English, included largely untranslated autobiographical texts, personal letters, and accounts of Yessayan’s family members in her presentation.

A coffee break was followed by the final presentation, by Dr. Vartan Matiossian, the executive director of the ANEC who tackled the little-known figure of Armen Ohanian. Despite her male name, Ohanian was a dancer, actress, writer, and translator, whose life journey allowed her to construct a multidimensional identity. Her life across borders, languages, and cultures embodied some elements that, today, are intimately intertwined with the concept of a diaspora. Matiossian, who co-authored a book in Armenian on Ohanian in 2007, drew upon a wide array of sources in several languages to offer an entertaining presentation about a fascinating life and biography.

The presentations highlighted various manifestations of Armenian women in their role as mothers in different spaces and places, and left the audience with new considerations for Armenian mothers in the 21^st century.

The Armenian National Education Committee is a joint project of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Eastern Region, and provides guidance, coordination, and assistance to the Saturday Armenian schools and day schools within the jurisdiction of the Prelacy. ANEC also releases publications and organizes lectures, language courses for adults, summer studies for teens, and seminars for teachers. For more information, visit www.armenianprelacy.org/anec; write to Armenian National Education Committee, 138 E. 39^th Street, New York, NY 10016; call (212) 689-7231/7810; or e-mail anec@armenianprelacy.org.

BELMONT, Mass.–On Fri., Oct. 4, the Greater Boston Armenian community had the pleasure of enjoying a monologue performance by Vahe Berberian entitled, “Yete,” at the Chenery Middle School in Belmont. The event was hosted by the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Cambridge “Shushi” Chapter. The chapter’s president, Heather Krafian, welcomed the 425 guests in the auditorium and thanked the ARS members for their many years of dedicated and tireless service to the Armenian community. She noted that with the success of the evening’s event, the chapter can continue to support the many projects of the ARS, including building, operating, and subsidizing Armenian schools; sponsoring orphans in Armenia and Artsakh; operating Armenian one-day schools; providing university and college scholarships; funding the development of Armenian educational curricula and resource materials; and funding and supporting Armenian youth camps.

Following Berberian’s performance, the chapter hosted a unique dinner event with Vahe Berberian at the “Papken Suni” Agoump in Watertown.

Krafian introduced Berberian as an Armenian painter, author, playwright, director, and actor. His parent’s home in Beirut, Lebanon, once served as a stage where personalities from the worlds of theater, literature, and the arts interacted passionately—where conversation flowed and humor filtered intensely. This is where Vahe Berberian the storyteller was formed.

His stand-up comedies recognize absurdity and embrace laughter. His plays unfold absurdity and validate co-existence. His novels magnify absurdity and blur the lines between reality and fantasy. His paintings are the absurd. Berberian has worked tirelessly in producing more than 65 solo and group exhibitions, 4 one-man shows, 2 published novels, and over a dozen plays written and directed worldwide. Berberian thoroughly entertains his audience with a hysterically funny show, as a master of finding the comedy in personal, social, and cultural topics. In “Yete,” he finds the humor in anxiety. Although Berberian’s anxieties are numerous, he allows one to ponder the humorous side of their fears. He gives the perspective that though your anxieties can overwhelm you and leave you paralyzed, there is humor in anything if you look deep enough.

The profits of the evening’s event will enable the “Shushi” Chapter to continue to provide assistance to the Fund for Syrian-Armenian Relief, three additional ARS-sponsored programs in Syria that assist Armenian schools, the Hot Meals Program in Aleppo, a “Sponsor a Syrian Armenian Family” program (for $100 a month for a year), the St. Stephen’s Armenian Saturday School, St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School, AYF camperships to Camp Haiastan, the annual Armenian Genocide program at the Massachusetts State House, local genocide commemorations, local ARS social programs, and the Armenia Fund.

Following Berberian’s performance, the chapter hosted a unique dinner event with Vahe Berberian at the “Papken Suni” Agoump in Watertown. The guests enjoyed a lavish spread of wine, mezze, and kebab during this rare dining opportunity with their favorite Armenian comedian. More than $1,000 was raised solely from the dinner, which will go to the various ARS relief efforts in Syria.

WATERTOWN, Mass.—For the 14^th consecutive year, St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (SSAES) held its annual Armenian Cultural Day celebrations on its campus at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) on Thurs., Oct. 24.  The event brought together students, teachers, administrators, and families to commemorate the rich cultural heritage shared by Armenians around the world.

Grade 2 students presenting their family trees

The day began with a presentation of Gomidas Varabed by two guest musicians, Ara Sarkissian and Martin Haroutunian.  Both played a medley of traditional Armenian melodies, including “Gakavig,” “Antsrevn Yegav,” “Keleh Keleh,” and “Yeranki.” The performance was followed by a presentation by the grade 5 students, in both Armenian and English, about Armenian language, religion, and history. Next in the program was a talent show featuring the musical gifts of several SSAES students from grades 3-5.

“It was heartwarming to see the children radiate such pride in their Armenian culture and heritage,” said Tanya Haserjian, an SSAES parent whose two children attend the school.

Following the student performances, Diana Adamyan, a 14-year-old guest violinist from Armenia, took to the stage and charmed the audience with a phenomenal performance that included “Keler Tsoler” and “Groung” from Gomidas, and a few violin pieces from Kreisler.  The event concluded with a display of SSAES students’ culturally based projects, which ranged from dioramas and paintings depicting traditional Armenian scenes to family trees.

The celebrations left attendees with a renewed sense of pride and enthusiasm for the community’s Armenian heritage and the school’s commitment to keeping the Armenian language and culture alive and thriving.

“As a new teacher at the school, I am not only enjoying learning more about Armenian culture but am encouraged to see that my third grade students are proud and eager to share their heritage with me,” said teacher Morgan Grunwald.

St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School was founded in 1984. The school has distinguished itself with its bilingual curriculum, academic strength, devoted staff, and low student-to-teacher ratio. SSAES is the only Armenian day school to be fully accredited by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE), the accrediting body for independent elementary schools. AISNE has commended the school for “creating an environment where all the students love to read and appear committed to academic excellence” and for recruiting a remarkably talented and dedicated staff. To learn more about SSAES, visit www.ssaes.org.

For Randy Sapah-Gulian, the future of Armenia depends on assisting young people. “The plan of our foundation is to build a broad yet inter-locking range of programs directly focused on the Armenian youth. We believe that the youth in all societies are the foundation from which you can develop something of substance that endures,” said entrepreneur and benefactor Sapah-Gulian during a recent phone conversation.

Dr. Edward Seferian and Randy Sapah Gulian with Ambassador John A. Heffern.

He founded his family’s Sapah-Gulian Foundation in 2012, which works through the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR). He explained that programs supported by the foundation emphasize several youth-oriented initiatives, such as the Pediatric Critical Care Program, promoted by his brother-in-law Dr. Edward Seferian of Cedar Sinai Hospital. “This Medical Training Program–Pediatric Critical Care, which is an international program in scope, will emphasize the healthy growth of children so they may become productive members of society,” he explained.

Complete life cycle

The Sapah-Gulian Foundation focuses on children from an “early age on having the right kinds of care, such as what the pediatric care program provides all the way through the educational process, ultimately leading to job training and employment. It is the life cycle from birth through to their early 20’s,” stressed Sapah-Gulian. “Further, the challenge, of course, with developing these types of programs is to maintain a high level of quality and to not lose focus. Better to do 3 or 4 things really well rather than 10-20 things adequately. The Pediatric Care Program is an international program with the highest training and certification standards run by leading pediatric doctors from around the world. To be perfectly frank, when Ed [Seferian] suggested bringing it to Armenia to my wife Corinne, it probably took me 30 seconds to agree.”

A generous benefactor who has been to Armenia more than 40 times, Sapah-Gulian is chairman of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), which since the 1988 earthquake has been deeply committed to assisting, rebuilding, and providing educational and training programs for Armenia’s population. His expertise as a CEO and president in providing human capital solutions to large corporations around the world makes him a seasoned and dedicated team player for the FAR’s ambitious programs in Armenia. “In the world outside of what I do for Armenia, through my company we now have large-scale Human Capital Programs running in 62 countries for our clients. We should be able to use those learnings to benefit the people of Armenia.”

On his last visit to Armenia in July, Sapah-Gulian met with Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern to explain and promote the goals of his foundation. With him were his wife Corinne (nee Seferian), his two younger daughters, and his niece.

His daughters, Alexa, 20, Olivia, 16, and Gabrielle, 15, have all been to Armenia and volunteered at the FAR Children’s Center in Yerevan, one of FAR’s most important projects. “Our three daughters will one day be the trustees of our foundation,” he emphasized, “and they know they have a large responsibility.” He then quoted Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese (Eastern) and the president of FAR, who has often said, “One of the greatest gifts that a parent can give a child is to teach them how to give.”

Doctors from around the world

Dr. Seferian and the team of medical doctors that are part of the Pediatric Critical Care Association were also in Armenia in July. This group meets once a year for training and education. During last year’s meeting, they decided to make this training available to doctors and nurses in Armenia. Seferian and four non-Armenians from different hospitals in the U.S. made this trip to Armenia. Seferian headed the team. A pediatric critical care specialist, he worked at the Mayo Clinic for eight years, and has been at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles for the last four.

Ambassador Heffern visited the Muratsan Hospital, where the team’s program is housed, to observe the training and make a presentation to the doctors. The 30 local doctors and nurses who took part will be involved in the follow-up training that will take place every year with help from a grant from the Sapah-Gulian Foundation. While in Armenia, these five “very eager” doctors visited other hospitals, demonstrating the commitment and energy with which they pursued their work, said Sapah-Gulian.

The July trip was Seferian’s first visit to Armenia. “We were all engaged to provide better care and train the trainers, especially outside of Yerevan, which was the center of the training,” he explained. “We taught didactically, using hands-on simulation equipment to mimic real life situations.” In Yerevan, the 5-person team worked with 20 local doctors and 4 nurses, including 2 medical translators. Their plan is to continue this project in Armenia so they can educate local physicians and others who provide help to critically ill children.

For Seferian, it was also “breathtaking to stand on the soil of our homeland, and to see the snow-capped mountains, especially Mt. Ararat, the strong symbol of Armenia. This trip is the beginning of an ongoing and long-term relationship. It was very rewarding to give back to Armenia, and it will definitely continue.”

And for Sapah-Gulian and his family, establishing this crucial program in Armenia through the foundation accentuates his life-long belief that “everyone has to have something that speaks to them. For our family, it is children, Armenia, and Armenians,” he said.

BOSTON, Mass.—Intellectuals who survived the Armenian Genocide struggled to come to grips with the enormity of their nation’s loss and find a way to reflect this predicament in their creative work. The writer Zabel Yessayan experimented with several different approaches in her post-genocide writing.

Prof. Nanor Kebranian

A well-recognized author, Yessayan had been the only woman on the Turkish government’s list of intellectuals to be arrested and sent to exile and death on April 24, 1915, but she managed to evade the police and escape abroad. The 1920’s found her living in Paris and publishing various fiction and non-fiction books and articles.

In a talk at the Armenian Cultural Foundation (ACF) on Sun., Nov. 17, Columbia University Professor Nanor Kebranian will examine the topic “The Survival of Empathy: Zabel Yessayan and Post-Genocide Armenian Literature.”

Kebranian cites words of journalist Hrant Dink that “echo the wisdom of numerous Armenian intellectuals who survived the Young Turk’s genocidal campaign during the First World War” and “signal a veritable crisis of empathy understood in its psychoanalytic sense.” Yessayan recognized “both the perils and promises of Armenian-Turkish empathy, of positioning oneself as the other,” Kebranian points out. Her talk will explore the implications of this recognition as evidenced in some of Yessayan’s post-war writing, especially in terms of survival.

Nanor Kebranian is assistant professor at Columbia University in the department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African studies. She received her doctorate from the University of Oxford with generous graduate fellowships from both the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and the Clarendon Fund (Oxford). Her specializations encompass, but are not limited to, late Ottoman social, political, and cultural history, and literary studies. Current projects include a book monograph on late Ottoman prison narratives and a study of “diaspora” as an anti-communal ethic.

The program is sponsored by the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA) as part of a current project that focuses on translating into English the works of pioneering Armenian women writers of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Yessayan is a major figure of the period, and AIWA plans to release two volumes of translations into English by the end of the year: one, the complete edition of Yessayan’s memoir of her childhood and early education in Istanbul, The Gardens of Silihdar; and the other, Yessayan’s multi-layered novel My Soul in Exile, along with other short works.

Co-sponsors of Kebranian’s talk are the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) and the Armenian Cultural Foundation.

The event is free and open to the public, and begins at 2 p.m. at the ACF, 441 Mystic St., Arlington, Mass. A discussion period and reception will follow the program. For more information, contact AIWA by calling (617) 026-0171, e-mailing aiwainc@aol.com, or visiting www.aiwainternational.org.

YEREVAN—Several bright, young university students who conducted their thesis work at the Cosmic Ray Division (CRD) of the Yerevan Physics Institute (YerPhI) recently entered a new milestone in their careers. Hripsime Mkrtchyan and Hasmik Rostomyan successfully finished their master’s in physics coursework at Yerevan State University and accepted offers to join the staff at the CRD. There, they presented the results of their research at the Thunderstorms and Elementary Particle Acceleration (TEPA 2013) international conference hosted at CRD’s Nor Ambert Research Center on Armenia’s Mt. Aragats from Sept. 9-13.

The Harutyun and Nadya Vaporciyan bonus recipients: (Front row, L-R) Tigran Karapetyan, Hasmig Rostomyan, Narine Khachatryan, Mari Gasparyan, Bagrat Mailyan, Anoush Hakopyan, and Artur Reymers. (Back row, L-R) Karen Arakelyan, Ara Babayan, Levon Vanyan, Hayk Avagyan, Pavel Solakhyan, and Hripsime Mkrtcyan.

Mkrtchyan’s Master’s theses was titled, “The Electrical Structure of Thunderclouds and Initiation of the Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs).” Rostomyan’s was titled, “The Maximal Energy of Solar Acceleretors: Evidence from Space and Earth’s Surface Measurements.” Both researchers described mechanisms by which subatomic particles are accelerated by natural forces  in the environment. The CRD frequently presents opportunities for promising young scientists and engineers, including students, to present their research results at international scientific forums.

Both Mkrtchyan and Rostomyan were recent recipients of the Kirakos Vapurciyan Scholarship for CRD students. This scholarship was established by the Vapurciyan family according to the will of the late Kirakos Vapurciyan of Michigan. In her letter of gratitude to the Vapurciyans, Mkrtchyan wrote, “I would like to express my gratitude to you and thank you for such an honorable reward. I am deeply appreciative for your support. This award has encouraged me to do deeper  observations in my field of science.  Thank you again!”  Rostomyan expressed  similar sentiments in her letter to the Vapurciyans.

Computer scientist Hayk Avagyan, a recent graduate from Yerevan State University, also acceped a position at the CRD.  He is helping develop new algorithms for data analysis and the correlation of data from the Aragats Space Environmental Center with data from other astroparticle physics experiments.

From the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., physics undergraduate Patrick Fasano, with the support of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies at Notre Dame, interned at the CRD this past summer. Fasano spent 10 weeks assisting graduate students with upgrades and improvements to CRD’s data storage and processing software, as well as studying the physics of Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements, a newly discovered high-energy phenomena that accelerates cosmic ray particles within thunderclouds.

When Notre Dame physics professor Ani Aprahamian suggested to Fasano that there may be an internship available in Armenia, he did a quick Google search and study of Armenia: Where is it, and what is it like there? There was little time for him to consider this opportunity, but he decided to go for it.

Fasano was mentored  by  Bagrat Mailyan and Artur Reymers, both young physicists who received their Ph.D.’s within the past few years. According to Mailyan and Reymers, Fasano is a very bright young man with a bright future in science.  Besides his work at the CRD, he enjoyed touring the country and participating in lunch-time debates with the other young scientists.  He says he would go back to Armenia and the CRD in a heartbeat.

Thirteen of the CRD’s young scientists and staff received performance-based bonuses from the Harutyun and Nadya Vaporciyan family for their outstanding work and their resolve to continue pursuing excellence in Armenia.  “I have their picture on my mirror, and I look at them every day and I am so proud,” said Harutyun Vaporciyan, regarding these talented young people.

“All in all, we are pleased with the progress of our students and our young and seasoned scientists who mentor our students,” said Prof. Ashot Chilingarian, the director of Yerevan Physics Insitute and the head of its Cosmic Ray Division. “I, together with the CRD’s entire staff, express our profound thanks to the Vaporciyan family, some of whom have visited CRD’s  facilities in Armenia.” CRD’s  staff, as well as members of the Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division (SCACRD), congratulate Mkrtchyan and Rostomyan for their recent accomplishments, offer them their support, and wish them well in the coming years.

For more information on the Cosmic Ray Division and the Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division, visit http://crdlx5.yerphi.am and www.crdfriends.org, respectively.

By Kit Kaolian

TRUMBULL, Conn.—At Armenian Church of the Holy Ascension on Nov. 3, Dr. Richard Hovannisian’s presentation on the people and culture remaining in historic Western Armenia left the more than 50 attendees from New York and Connecticut wanting more.

Dr. Richard Hovannisian has just blown out his birthday cake candles and receives a well-deserved applause from the approximately 50 attendees. In the background: Dn. Tom Dabakian and (seated next to Hovannisian) Fr. Untzag Nalbandian, pastor at Armenian Church of the Holy Ascension in Trumbull.

After a luncheon and a surprise birthday cake and wishes for Hovannisian, he embarked on a fantastic journey through his multi-media presentation. He opened with Smyrna and showed a brief video, which was a collage of old photos and footage of life up to and including the burning of Smyrna in September 1922. Smyrna was a port for much trade and was in the vanguard: In as early as the 1840′s the Armenians in Smyrna had a newspaper, something relatively unheard of in the Ottoman Empire. A discussion of many of the provinces of historic Western Armenia followed with engaging discussion and photos.

Dr. Hovannisian outlines the journey of his special presentation in Trumbull, a consolidation of three other presentations.

Near the end of Hovannisian’s June 2013 trip to Turkey, his group headed north to the Black Sea into the mountains in search of the Hamshens. The video of the discussions with the Hamshen people was intriguing. The video footage of the interactions with some of the last few remaining Armenians in Dikranagerd/Diyarabkir was enlightening and humorous at times.

Hovannisian is UCLA emeritus professor of Armenian and Near Eastern history and has authored or edited more than 20 books. He sold and autographed some of his books after the presentation and Q&A session in the church hall. One can look forward to his next volume, which will focus on Asia Minor. The event was hosted by the Men’s Club at Armenian Church of the Holy Ascension.

WATERTOWN, Mass.—After two hit theatrical productions, what does one do for an encore?

Cast members from ‘The Way We Were’ Ensemble staged ‘The Hye Legion: The Gamavor Story’ at St. Stephen’s Church in Watertown on Nov. 10. (Tom Vartabedian photo)

If you’re Hourig Papazian-Sahagian, you keep the wheels of mobility turning.

The 87-year-old executive producer/director is relentless in her pursuit to tell the Armenian story through dignified stage work, music, and a bit of sass.

It’s not always easy working with a group of amateurs, but she’s managed to turn the diamond in her rough into a sparkling jewel with an ensemble that calls itself “The Way We Were.”

Her latest performance of “The Hye Legion: The Gamavor Story” on Nov. 10 at St. Stephen’s Church was played to a standing ovation.

The event was sponsored by the Ladies Guild, which left no stone unturned with a reception that followed. More than 100 attended the 75-minute musical and there wasn’t a passive moment in the crowd.

When asked how many had Gamavors (Legionnaires) in their family, half the audience stood to its feet wearing star medallions made especially for the occasion.

Executive Producer/Director Hourig Papazian-Sahagian is all smiles after her production of ‘The Gamavor Story’ at St. Stephen’s Church (Tom Vartabedian photo)

“The bus trip from New Jersey was just as spirited as the production,” she reported. “We have three generations tightly woven together and they collaborate very well.”

The Watertown appearance of “Gamavor” marked the 5^th for this 35-member ensemble with previous New England stops at North Andover and Providence, R.I.

Prior to this, the group enjoyed rave reviews with “Hello Ellis Island,” a story also done to music on the immigration process following the genocide years. This, too, hit home with its libretto.

If anything, Papazian-Sahagian is mulling a third script—this one having to do with the melting pot theory and assimilation. Although still in the working brain, the playwright feels it has identity power with folks, particularly inside the American mainstream.

“Who hasn’t gone through it?” she asks. “We’ve all tried to keep our kids ethnically sound and adherent to their roots. It could be the perfect scenario for another show. I’m giving that some thought.”

So excited was the octogenarian after the show, she barely had a moment to enjoy her choreg and coffee. People approached her to offer their appreciation. Tiring as it was playing the keyboard and directing her cast, she greeted one and all with her usual charm.

“Judging by the emotional reaction of Gamavor relatives in attendance during all our shows, it’s safe to say that if Gamavor veterans were alive today, they would take pride in the knowledge that they have finally emerged from the faded pages of forgotten history,” she added.

Rev. Archpriest Antranig Baljian welcomed the gathering to his church, calling the Gamavors an integral part of America’s history and the catalyst behind its liberation movement during World War II.

“It was a very emotional time for those living in the diaspora to send their loved ones off to war in the homeland,” he said. “The courage and humanity of these unsung heroes epitomizes our strength and vitality as a nation serving God.”

Special thanks went to the Guild and Sona Aslanian for their efforts in bringing the troupe to Watertown.

RIDGEFIELD, N.J.—On Wed., Dec. 4, the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of New Jersey, in conjunction with the ANCA Eastern Region Endowment Fund, will host a social workshop for community activists featuring Tim White, the vice president of public affairs with Beckerman, an independent full-service strategic communications agency. The event will take place at Bibiz Lounge & Restaurant in Westwood from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Open to professionals and community activists in the New Jersey and New York area, the event will focus on developing an effective grassroots advocacy campaign.

“We look forward to having Tim White speak to our local activists, and help us further engage and collaborate on pressing issues facing our community,” said James Sahagian, chair of ANC-NJ. “Grassroots mobilization and leadership are the key components and foundation of the Armenian National Committee of America. White’s insight will add significantly to help strengthen our effectiveness.”

Tim White is a registered government affairs agent in New Jersey and manages issue advocacy campaigns for local and statewide regulatory/legislative initiatives. He has extensive experience developing and managing strategic programs designed to obtain regulatory approval and stakeholder support for real estate projects and public utilities. Prior to his move to Beckerman, White was vice president at MWW Group and was a political consultant, communications director, and campaign manager for several statewide, legislative, county, and municipal campaigns for elected office. He served as political director for the New Jersey Republican State Committee in 2004, as special assistant to the Mayor of Jersey City and as special assistant to the Bergen County Executive. He is frequently featured as a political commentator and policy analyst on Fox News’ “America Live” with Megyn Kelly, My9 News’ “New Jersey Now,” and on NJTV’s “NJ Today,” and was a member of Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop’s transition team in 2013.

To register for the event, visit https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=ba4b1b. The $25 registration fee includes appetizers, beer, and wine. For more information, e-mail anc.nj@anca.org or call Sarine Adishian at (646) 265-5144.

BELMONT, Mass.—On Thurs., Dec. 12, Former Secretary of the Navy Paul R. Ignatius will speak in conjunction with the publication of his new book, 5 x 3: Fifteen Books by Three Great Armenian Writers (by NAASR’s Armenian Heritage Press), highlighting NAASR’s 2013 Christmas Open House. The Open House will begin at 6 p.m. with Ignatius’s talk set for 8 p.m. The evening’s events will take place at the NAASR Center, 395 Concord Ave., in Belmont.

Paul R. Ignatius

NAASR’s bookstore will be open both before and after the lecture, and will feature a one night only 20 percent-off sale, with additional discounts of 40 percent or more on selected titles. Numerous recently published titles will be available. Refreshments will be served. Ignatius’s book 5 x 3 will be available for purchase and signing by the author.

A descendant of Armenian parents from the Kharpert region of Historic Armenia, Ignatius is a native of Glendale, Calif., and a graduate of the University of Southern California. He earned an MBA from Harvard University after serving as a naval officer in World War II. He is also the author of the memoirs On Board: My Life in the Navy, Government, and Business (Naval Institute Press, 2006) and Now I Know in Part (the second edition of which was published by NAASR in 2011).

Ignatius served for eight years in the presidential administrations of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, first as an assistant secretary of the army, then as under secretary of the army and assistant secretary of defense, and finally in 1967 as secretary of the navy. Following his government service, he was president of the Washington Post for 2 years and president of the Air Transport Association for 15 years. Ignatius is the recipient of the Army Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award. Earlier this year, the U.S. Navy announced that a future Navy destroyer will bear the name USS Paul Ignatius.

5 x 3: Fifteen Books by Three Great Armenian Writers offers summaries, commentaries, and anecdotes by Ignatius on a selection of works by Leon Z. Surmelian (I Ask You, Ladies and Gentlemen, 98.6, The Daredevils of Sassoun, Apples of Immortality, and Techniques of Fiction Writing); Michael Arlen (The London Venture, The Green Hat, Hell! Said the Duchess, Babes in the Woods, and Man’s Mortality); and William Saroyan (The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, Inhale & Exhale, Three Times Three, My Name is Aram, Sons Come & Go, Mothers Hang In Forever), three major 20^th-century Armenian authors writing in English.

Mixing the keen observations of an astute and experienced reader with the personal observations and witty asides of a born raconteur, Ignatius brings a fresh perspective to books that are both familiar and obscure.

Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). The NAASR Center is located opposite the First Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post Office. For more information, call (617) 489-1610, e-mail hq@naasr.org, or write to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

In Vanadzor, Armenia, there are exactly 10 foreigners. Pelin Özmen knows all of them, and without her, there would only be 9. She is probably the only Turkish resident of the city of approximately 100,000 people, located in the Lori Province of northern Armenia.

(L-R) Armine Sadikyan, Pelin Özmen, Daniel Laaber, Opfelia Zalyan. (Photo by Vardine Grigoryan)

Özmen is quite experienced at adapting to new environments, and has always defied easy categorization. Born in Yeşilyurt, a small town in the Tokat province of Turkey in 1989, she moved at the age of three with her family to Voralberg, Austria. Members of the Alevi minority, the Özmen family is all too familiar with the dark side of Turkish nationalism and its intolerance of deviation from the state-approved cultural mold. Özmen’s recently published paper about the Alevi perspective on the Kurdish Question in Turkey appeared in the Vienna Kurdish Studies Yearbook.

Özmen had always been sympathetic to the Armenian position, and during an internship at the Austrian Embassy in Ankara, she heard about a volunteer opportunity with a human rights organization, the Helsinki Citizen’s Assembly (HCA), in Vanadzor, Armenia. Referred to the 9-month-long program by the Austrian Minister in Ankara, Özmen was accepted, and has been living in Vanadzor since April of this year. The program is funded as part of the European Commission’s European Voluntary Service (EVS). The EVS is a program for people between the ages of 18 and 30, who are encouraged to volunteer in other countries in capacities that further informal learning and cultural exchange.

The largest project undertaken this year at the HCA was a photo exhibition for World Refugee Day on June 25. After three months of preparation, the exhibition was successfully completed. The photos documented the lives of people living in refugee villages in Armenia, the majority of them refugees from Azerbaijan, but also some from Iraq and Syria.

For the International Day of the Disappeared, the HCA volunteers screened a film about missing Armenian soldiers from the Karabagh War, called “Hope Dies Last.” The film and subsequent discussion highlighted the lack of state support for the families of missing soldiers. The staff is currently looking for new projects, and is considering projects related to Armenia’s ascension to the Custom’s Union.

Özmen arrived at the program with an open mind regarding her new home. “I came here, and I was really surprised because in the beginning, everything was so different than anything I had ever seen before, like the city structure, the architecture, everything, the people, it looked really different. I was completely overwhelmed by this difference, because I always try to compare it with something which I know to categorize it… But then somehow I realized that it is very similar to Turkey, to east Anatolia, the landscape, the villages, and also the people—like sometimes I would see an elderly person on the street and I thought it’s my grandpa or something. “

This dawning familiarity, coupled with a warm reception from her organization, mentor, and fellow volunteers, helped allay lingering anxieties about possibly being the sole Turk in Vanadzor. “The thing is that I don’t tell anyone that I’m Turkish on the street. If I go to the market or something and people ask me where I’m from, I say that I’m from Austria and that I’m Austrian, so if they don’t ask me more questions, and if they’re satisfied with that answer, that’s it. I don’t tell everyone about my origins so I don’t have any problems with it. And even when I have told it to strangers, I didn’t have any bad or negative reactions… Most people who learn about my origins ask first of all about the genocide and if I recognize it, and if they see that I’m not a nationalistic person and that I don’t have any problems with Armenia or Armenians, they’re quite nice. They see that I don’t have any negative feelings against Armenian culture or Armenia, because I guess they realize that I came here to learn about their culture and live here, so why should I have any bad feelings about Armenia. “

Indeed, Özmen has found that many residents of Vanadzor are excited when they hear about her background and her work there with the HCA. “They’re really really happy [that I have this interest in Armenian culture] not only because I’m Turkish, but because I’m a foreigner, and I’m learning their language, and they’re so happy about every word which you know… They always think that we know Russian, and they try to talk Russian with us, and we say, ‘No, please, talk Armenian with us,’ and then they get so excited about it and they are so happy that we know Armenian. They’re really proud of these foreigners who know Armenian. So, in general, if they see that you respect their culture, and if they see that you are really interested in their culture, they’re very very nice, very friendly.”

Özmen’s observations of Armenian culture have often reminded her of her own. “For me, it’s very similar to my own culture. I can see a lot of similarities, like how people behave, how the gender roles are…the importance of family, traditions, somehow the conservative ideology, how important religion is. I can see that it’s a regional thing, it’s also very similar to Georgian culture, Turkish culture, Kurdish culture, so I think it’s just very close to the other cultures in the region. There’s huge hospitality, they’re very very friendly and nice to guests.”

She recalled an early encounter that embodied this spirit of hospitality. “One of our first experiences in Armenia, in our second week or something, we were hiking in the mountains and we passed a group of people who had khorovats, and they just invited us to have khorovats with them, and they didn’t know us and we didn’t know them but it was like, ‘Come come, you have to eat, please please, join us,’ so they brought us plates full of meat and then they gave us a lot of vodka. ‘Eat, eat, eat!’… They are so generous, I really love this generous culture.”

As someone who has completed more or less back-to-back assignments in two countries that are not on speaking terms, Özmen has a unique perspective on the current state of Armenian-Turkish relations. Her prognosis is not as bleak as I had expected, even compared to conversations we had had as recently as last year when she was working in Ankara. “I can see a lot of progress, from both sides, that they both want to have good relations. Of course, there will always be extremists, like nationalist people, and of course I guess there will always be people who will deny the genocide, but I can see that there is progress because in June when there were these protests in Istanbul and Ankara, there were people who were also fighting for the rights of Armenians, and also were there talking about the genocide, and said, ‘Oh, and this park will also be Hrant Dink Park, and this will also be commemorating the genocide.’ And you could not hear or see these kind of things several years ago. So you can see that there is progress—and these were not Armenians, these were Turkish people fighting for the rights of Armenians, so this is something good.”

She sees the progress coming from both sides. “In Armenia…they say that they don’t have problems with Turkish people, they always say they just have problems with the government. There is a will to improve the relations, and that’s why I think in several years the Turkish state will recognize the genocide. I don’t believe it will continue like this forever. And the borders will open, I’m sure about that… This government will not, maybe, but we are all hoping for change… I don’t think that the political situation will continue like this in Turkey, so I just hope that the people and the government will get more liberal. I don’t think that this government, with Erdogan, will do it, but I think in several years when there will be a change, there will be something with the border…”

The role of civil society is paramount, according to Özmen. The strengthening of civil society in Turkey, combined with the power of internet communication and social media, has shifted the power dynamic between the Turkish people and their government, enabling popular protests on an unprecedented level. The protests of the past summer were both catalysts for and symptoms of the increased robustness of civil society, Özmen believes, and she argues that this newfound “power of the people” does not stop at the Turkish borders. Indeed, the “Barevolution” movement surrounding Armenia’s last presidential election suggests that she has a point. “You can see that the civil society is doing something, and this has to influence the politics. It needs time, but it will influence [it], because I can see the will. I can see that Turkish people are more open now, that they talk about the genocide, and I can see improvement, but it will take a long time and it’s a long process.”

GLENDALE, Calif.—Actress and activist Arsinée Khanjian will be part of the “Film & Arts” panel at ANCA Grassroots, with her presentation scheduled for Friday November 29 at 6 p.m., organizers announced over the weekend.

Arsinée Khanjian (photo by Giulio Muratori)

Khanjian will join an impressive roster of filmmakers, musicians, artists and authors who will discuss advancing the Armenian Cause through film and the arts.

“We are ecstatic that Ms. Khanjian will be a part of this important panel at ANCA Grassroots,” said Ara Khachatourian, chairman of this year’s event committee.

“Her decades of activism through the arts will bring much perspective to the discussion and, with the other prominent artists on the panel, will ensure that this year’s event will kick off on the right foot,” added Khachatourian.

The ANCA Grassroots conference will take place from November 29 to December 1 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel and will bring together artists, academicians, legal experts and activists from throughout the world to discuss pertinent issues relating to the Armenian Cause and will provide practical tools to the participants for advancing the Armenian Cause.

Genie and Gemini Award-winning actor Arsinée Khanjian has worked with distinguished Canadian and international filmmakers, including Ken Finkleman and Atom Egoyan, as well as Michael Haneke (CODE INCONNU), Catherine Breillat (FAT GIRL), Olivier Assayas (LATE AUGUST, EARLY SEPTEMBER), The Taviani Brothers (THE LARK FARM), and Gerald Hustache-Mathieu in POUPOUPIDOU. Khanjian has just recently completed ATLIT, a film by Shirel Amitay, produced by En compagnie des lamas (France).

She was co-producer of the acclaimed feature film CALENDAR, as well as artistic collaborator on the documentary STONE TIME TOUCH. Khanjian has also acted extensively in theatre in both Canada and Europe, and was nominated for a Dora Award for Judith Thompson’s PALACE OF THE END. She played the title role in ANDROMACHE as part of the Luminato Festival in Toronto, June, 2011. Early 2012, Khanjian starred in Martin Crimp’s CRUEL AND TENDER for Canadian Stage.

She was a member of the Cinéfondation and Short Films Jury at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival.

Khanjian received the 2005 Crystal Award for Creative Excellence from Women in Film and Television. In a poll conducted by SLATE Magazine, which analyzed review scores from the influential ‘Rotten Tomatoes’ film website – Khanjian was voted Best Actress, according to international critical response to her body of work.

In 2012, she returned from a three-city tour (Berlin, Istanbul, and Yerevan) with Turkish Human Rights activist Fethiye Cetin in a provocative series of historic and political conversations surrounding the Armenian Genocide for Civilitas. In March of this year, Khanjian joined the cast of THE CUT, an upcoming film by Fatih Akin.

During the ANCA Grassroots ‘Film and Arts’ panel Khanjian will be joined by Los Angeles-based music producer Sebu Simonian of Capital Cities, Emmy-Award-winning filmmaker Bared Maronian, famed artist and comedian Vahe Berberian, filmmakers Edwin Avaness and Serj Minassians and acclaimed author Micheline Aharonian Marcom. Award-winning playwright and theater critic Aram Kouyoumdjian will moderate the panel.

The conference is open to the community, but requires registration. Register now by visiting itsmyseat.com /ANCAWR or by calling 818.500.1918. To obtain updates on the conference, like the ANCA Western Region Facebook page at Facebook.com/ANCAWesternRegion or visit ancawr.org.

The ANCA Grassroots Conference will bookend the annual ANCA Gala Banquet, which will take place on Saturday, November 30 at the Roy Dolby Ballroom and will feature a special menu created for the banquet by renowned chef Wolfgang Puck.

This year’s honorees include, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Primate of Artsakh Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan, Legendary Coach Jerry Tarkanian, Lifelong Philanthropist Manas Boujikian, Assembly member Katcho Achadjian, and Activist and Filmmaker Ara Soudjian.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential 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.

NEW YORK—On Wed., Dec. 4, the Armenian Center at Columbia University will host “Survivor Meaning: After the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, and Hiroshima: A Symposium with Robert Jay Lifton, Peter Balakian, and moderator Marianne Hirsch,” which will feature discussions about survivor experience with a focus on psychological and social notions of meaning in the wake of three traumatic historical events.

Each of the panelists has made significant contributions to the study of survivor experience and memory. Robert Jay Lifton, the author of more than 20 books, is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at CUNY/Graduate Center and John Jay College for Criminal Justice, and the Winner of the National Book Award for Life In Death: Survivors of Hiroshima.

Marianne Hirsch is William Peterfield Trent Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University as well as professor in the Institute for Research on Women and Gender. She is the author of many books, including her most recent The Generation of Postmemory: Writing and Visual Culture After the Holocaust.

Peter Balakian is Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor of the Humanities at Colgate University and currently the Ordjanian Visiting Professor in Armenian ,Studies at Columbia University. He is the author of many books including his New York Times best-selling memoir Black Dog of Fate, which won the PEN/Albrand Prize.

The panel will begin at 7:45 p.m. in Room 614 of the Schermerhorn building (located at 1198 Amsterdam Avenue). This event is free and open to the public.

Roupen Barsoumian, a loyal friend, brother, and Armenian, unexpectedly left us a week ago. A resident of New York for more than four decades, he was one of the last representatives of the post-genocide, second-generation Aleppo-Armenian teachers and community leaders, whose personal virtues and extraordinary intellectual stature was unknown to many due to his modesty.

Roupen Barsoumian

He was one of the founders of the New York branch of Hamazkayin, an organization he served tirelessly for more than four decades. A close friend of American-Armenian writers, such as Hagop Garabents and Jirayr Attarian, Roupen once half-jokingly said they told him not to write, “so we have a reader,” in recognition to his sharp literary critic’s eye.

The proud son of Ayntap Armenians, his first language was Turkish. When he was five years old, he returned home crying from his first day at school, as he had been unable to understand his classmates and they had not understood him. “Ermenice konuşurlar, yavrum” (“They speak Armenian, my child”) his grandmother had told him. He left this world mastering Armenian as very few do, a language he revered. One of his greatest concerns was the restoration of the classical or Mashtotsian orthography in the homeland, a goal he pursued without being deterred by the considerable obstacles for its accomplishment. The unhealed wound of his life was his brother Hagop Barsoumian’s kidnapping and disappearance in unknown circumstances in Beirut, during Lebanon’s civil war.

Until the last days of his life, the fate of his brother weighed on his soul. Orphaned at an early age, Hagop, Roupen, and their sister Silva (currently living in New York) spent their childhood and teenage years at Aleppo’s “Badsbaran.” Always surrounded by friends and loved by them for his unconditional generosity of the Ayntap Armenian, fate had it that he parted alone and orphaned.

Roupen passed away without any moral debt and left us indebted to him. We hope he joins his brother and his two friends, who left us a year ago—Aris Sevag, one of his closest friends in New York, and Bedros Hadjian, a friend and colleague from their youth in Aleppo. They were all devoted Armenians, who kept the torch of Armenian culture burning and passed it on to the new generations. Fundamentally, in the purest sense of the word, they were good men. God bless Roupen’s soul and give solace to his family and loved ones.

On Nov. 7, Roupen Barsoumian passed away at his home in Queens, N.Y. He left behind a dear sister, Silva Barsoumian (also of New York), and countless friends and loved ones.

Roupen Barsoumian

Roupen was born on May 5, 1937, in Aleppo, Syria. He lost his parents at a young age, and was then cared for by his grandmother, Eliza Kahkedjian. A few years later, Roupen, along with his brother Hagop and sister Silva, were placed in a youth shelter run by the Armenian Relief Society. He enrolled at the newly founded school, Karen Yeppe. After completing his secondary education, Roupen spent a year teaching at the Armenian school in Kamishli.

After graduating from Haigazian College in Beirut, he continued his studies at the American University of Beirut, specializing in business accounting, after which he moved to New York in 1969. For some time, he owned and operated his own business that specialized in leather products. Later, he worked in transportation. In 1986, Roupen received the devastating news that his brother had been kidnapped in Beirut, during the Lebanese Civil War. Roupen would not see his brother again, and he carried that grief until the end.

Roupen’s lifelong commitment to serving the Armenian community led him to become one of the founders of the New York branch of Hamazkayin. He also brought his services to the Armenian Prelacy in New York, and was a cherished face in the Armenian intellectual circle of New York. Those who knew him remember his dedication to the Armenian language, and his dream that one day the Mesrobian orthography would be revived in Armenia.

NEW YORK—The Armenian General Benevolent Union’s (AGBU) New York Special Events Committee (NYSEC) is holding its 6^th annual Performing Artists in Concert event on Sat., Dec. 7, at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall. The concert will be dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the 1988 earthquake that devastated Armenia.

The AGBU NYSEC’s 6th Annual Performing Artists in Concert will feature (top row, L-R) Tomas Barreiro (composer, conductor), Pierre Bedrossian (oboe, duduk, English horn), Ani Kalayjian (cello), and Henrik Karapetyan (violin, viola); (second row, L-R) Solange Merdinian (mezzo-soprano), Nazig Tchakarian (violin/artistic director), Varta Tchakarian (piano), and Adam Tendler (piano).

The commemorative event promises to bring together young talents from Bulgaria, France, Mexico, and the U.S., including Tomas Barreiro (composer and conductor), Pierre Bedrossian (oboe, duduk, and English horn), Ani Kalayjian (cello), Henrik Karapetyan (violin and viola), Solange Merdinian (mezzo-soprano), Nazig Tchakarian (violin/artistic director), Varta Tchakarian (piano), and Adam Tendler (piano).

Through the AGBU Scholarship Program, each artist has received an AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship that supported their training at some of the world’s finest institutions, such as at the National Music Conservatory of Paris, the Juilliard School of Music, Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory, and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Their influences are diverse: Tomas Barreiro’s “Rossignol Mecanique,” which will make its world premiere at the event, is inspired by the sounds of his native Mexico City, as well as New York and Paris. It is a variation of “The Death of the Nightingale,” the piece that made Barreiro a winner in AGBU’s 2012 Sayat Nova International Composition Competition and earned him the prize to showcase his work at Carnegie Hall.

AGBU Performing Arts Department Director Hayk Arsenyan awarded Barreiro the Carnegie Hall Special Prize at the competition gala concert last year, which was organized by AGBU France. “Everyone who was present for that performance in Paris was amazed by the organic way ‘The Death of the Nightingale’ wove together Armenian and Mexican traditional art,” he said. “I am immensely excited to hear this new piece and share it with our New York audience.” The program will also feature works by Aram Khachaturian, in honor of the 110th anniversary of his birth, as well as the late Alexander Arutiunian and Edward Mirzoyan.

“As Armenians it is our responsibility to support each other as we preserve our cultural heritage,” said AGBU NYSEC member Nila Festekjian. “NYSEC is proud to help put on stage talented young Armenians who are pushing the boundaries, creating exciting new pieces while keeping the music of our past alive. We’re looking forward to a great evening celebrating these performers and our culture.”

Tickets for this benefit concert are on sale now. Orchestra and front balcony tickets are available for $65. For the special price of $35, limited seating is available in the rear balcony. Reserve your seat today by calling the AGBU events coordinator Sharis Boghossian at the AGBU office, (212) 319-6383; by calling the Carnegie Hall Box Office at (212) 247-7800; or by visiting www.carnegiehall.org. Donors who contribute $1,000 or more will be recognized in the NYSEC Concert Booklet and will receive two complimentary tickets as well as two invitations for dinner with the evening’s performers immediately following the concert. For more information, call (212) 319-6383. For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, visit www.agbu.org.

By Robert Dulgarian

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—The Erevan Choral Society and Orchestra of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston will celebrate its 46^th year with two Christmas Holiday Concerts. The first, on Sun., Dec. 1, at 7 p.m., will be held at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, 175 Oaklawn Avenue, in Cranston, R.I., and celebrates the 100^th anniversary of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church of Providence, R.I. Soloists will include soprano Narine Ojakhyan, tenor Giovanni Formisano, and soprano Noune Karapetian.

The second concert, to be held on Dec. 15, at 7 p.m., at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle Street, in Cambridge, will feature soloists, mezzo-soprano Victoria Avetisyan and tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan. This concert is also held in observance of the 25^th anniversary of the earthquake that devastated the Gyumri region of Armenia in 1988. The Rev. Fr. Vasken A. Kouzouian, pastor, stated the parish is honored that His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and His Excellency Garen Nazarian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations, will be in attendance that evening.

Composer Konstantin Petrossian will conduct both concerts. The concerts are a gift to the community, but those interested in supporting the Erevan Choral Society may make contributions to the Holy Trinity Armenian Church with a direction that the contribution is to benefit the Erevan Choral Society.

WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)—The St. Stephens Armenian Church in Watertown hosted the first New England Prelacy Seminar on Public Relations on Nov. 16. The objective of the event,  which was organized by the Armenian Prelacy, was to help churches and communities utilize various media resources to enhance the visibility of their programs and activities.

The St. Stephens Armenian Church in Watertown hosted the first New England Prelacy Seminar on Public Relations on Nov. 16.

Representatives from five New England churches participated in the four-hour seminar, including St. Stephens Church (Watertown), St. Gregory Church (North Andover), Sts. Vartanantz Church (Providence), St. Gregory Church (Indian Orchard), and Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church (Whitinsville). Also present were Rev. Archpriests Antranig Baljian and Aram Stepanian, and Rev. Stephan Baljian.

Group photo of the participants

After the opening prayer by Rev. Archpriest Baljian, longtime Armenian Weekly contributor Tom Vartabedian, who helped organize the event, began the program. He highlighted the need and importance of successful public relations and distributed a sheet of guidelines he had prepared on how to boost PR in churches. Vartabedian, who spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer with the Haverhill Gazette, discussed the ways churches can establish communication with media outlets, editors, and journalists. He also spoke about the types of stories churches could submit for publication, and how to best go about telling those stories. Vartabedian stressed that each church has a well of stories, because many churchgoers have stories worth telling. He gave examples from a list of article he had written for the Armenian media, and also distributed a list of story ideas for parishes. Participants periodically raised their hands throughout the seminar to ask questions or add comments, sometimes giving way for discussions.

Following an introduction by Vartabedian, Armenian Weekly Assistant Editor Nanore Barsoumian talked about the types of stories that fare well with readers of the Weekly. She also spoke about the importance of a good photograph, and the different ways churches could publicize their events in the Armenian and local media. Barsoumian highlighted the importance of establishing an online presence through social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, and how to best use the tools available online to create and expand virtual communities. She then gave examples of how other churches have adapted to these new tools, and encouraged those present to adopt similar methods.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Kurkjian spoke next. He began by stressing the significance of Boston’s Armenian Heritage Park, and the tremendous efforts of those who brought the project to fruition, and suggested that churches organize trips to the park. Kurkjian, who retired from the Boston Globe in 2007 following a 38-year career, talked about the need for increased action by the Armenian communities regarding the White House’s refusal to lend the Armenian Orphan Rug to a Smithsonian exhibit. He also talked about the importance of including schoolchildren in events, and publicizing their involvement in local media.

After a break for lunch, participants split into three groups to discuss how to best implement some of the ideas shared, and to talk about challenges and hesitations. In his closing remarks, Vartabedian noted that other seminars on public relations are being planned for the Mid-Atlantic and Mid-West regions, as well.

The next time you go by an Armenian church or community center, take a good look around and you may notice something peculiar.

Jeremy Oldham is ordained a sub-deacon in the Armenian Church.

Many of the top executive roles are being filled by “odars” who beckon the call to duty. Yes, they are non-Armenians who answer to the name of Smith, Jones, and Rogers.

Not that this is bad. In some cases, they are more Armenian than the spouses they married or the lineage they relinquished. Many enjoy the best of both worlds.

A while back, I attended a Badarak in which the Hayr Soorp gave an entire sermon about our heritage being diluted by mixed marriages and encouraged his congregation to mobilize their own race by “sticking to their own kind.”

Most of those attending church that day took exception to his remarks. There were non-Armenians in the choir and even had roles on the altar. They were the ones who enhanced his church population, not diminished it.

A month ago in Merrimack Valley, an Armenian church honored two individuals who were woven into the Armenian mainstream by spouses born into the race. Jeremy Oldham was ordained a sub-deacon at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Chelmsford, while Pat Amboian was honored for her years of dedicated service and commitment.

In Pat’s case, her work throughout the general Armenian community remains exemplary, especially her role with genocide commemoration, while husband John continues his role as an activist in many causes. They make the perfect pair and are rarely seen apart.

Rev. Fr. Leonard Faris got his upbringing inside an Armenian church before turning to the priesthood.

As for Oldham, he became attached 15 years ago after meeting his Armenian wife Denise Adamian. A barbequing stint at a church bazaar led to a role at the altar. In that capacity, he learned to perform different parts of the Holy Badarak at Sts. Vartanantz.

“Jeremy is truly a unique individual in terms of his dedication and determination to learn how to read classical Armenian and the various chants in our service,” said Deacon Ara Jeknavorian, with whom he serves. “He certainly is a source of inspiration for others of his kind. We have a culture that’s meant to be shared and appreciated by all humanity.”

When Oldham was baptized into the Armenian church at St. James shortly after proposing to his wife, his father-in-law Harry Adamian opted to serve as his godfather.

“For me, it’s been a series of invitations, each one carrying me a little further down the Armenian path,” Oldham brought out. “There was no turning back.”

He’s become a Parish Council secretary and has attended Armenian school over the years to learn the language. Two children, Samantha, 10, and Harry, 7, are involved. His mother-in-law, Diana Adamian, lives with the family.

“Learning the dialect and chants was daunting at first,” he admits. “I had a hard time pronouncing the words and making the correct sounds. Many people helped me with the pronunciations. It’s remained a work in progress.”

His ordination was truly a memorable day, being in front of a packed congregation and given the rites by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, primate. His pastor, Der Khachatur Kesablyan, was bursting with pride. In attendance was Oldham’s family from North Carolina.

“I’m hoping my next step will be a full deacon,” he confirms.

Amboian is Irish through-and-through. She’s described as a “Jill-of-all-trades” inside the Armenian church, even serving as Parish Council chairwoman. She sings in the choir, taught Sunday School, and remains a staunch performer on committees.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to embrace such a beautiful heritage,” she has often repeated to others. “I may be considered an ‘odar’ but I feel very Armenian.”

The first time Father Lenny Faris walked into Holy Cross Armenian Church in Lawrence, he was a young man working at his dad’s grocery store where the late Rev. Fr. Vartan Avakian was a familiar customer.

One day, he decided to investigate after hearing the sounds of a beautiful choir from an open window and began attending Sunday Badarak. His Lebanese background was no deterrent.

The director (Mary Bogosian) invited him to join and he remained a part of the chorale for the next 10 years, learning how to read and write Armenian, and to pray as well.

Through those fateful moments in his life, it led to a career with the church. He is now Rt. Rev. Archmandrite Leonard Faris, pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Lowell, a parish with 150 families comprised mostly of Middle Eastern faction.

“Though we have no Armenian blood in our family, we have many Armenian friends,” he points out. “I still remember my prayers in Armenian and can celebrate the Soorp Badarak with one of the Armenian priests.”

His closest friend was the late Rev. Vartan Kessabian. The two often visited one another and sermonized in each other’s churches.

“I have been inspired by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan and His Grace Anoushavan Tanielian,” he notes. “We’re all spiritual brothers in Christ, committed to perpetuating our faith and heritage. I often think back to those earlier days and how they influenced my life.”

Hearing Karen Guzelian sing the Badarak on Sunday mornings at St. Gregory Church in North Andover, one would never know she was of Greek ancestry (Plakas) without an ounce of Armenian blood. She married an Armenian named Charles. You see her regularly. He appears less often.

The two children became woven into the heritage, thanks to her. Michael was ordained as an acolyte. Both he and sister Krista were part of the Armenian/Sunday School. Krista also sang in the choir before college.

Karen served four years as a trustee member and taught Sunday School for many years.

“My husband’s glad to see his children involved with the heritage,” she brought out. “The kids needed another influence in their lives and they found it inside an Armenian church.”

At one point, every major executive post inside St. Gregory Church was assumed by an “odar.” Trustees. Men’s Club. Ladies’ Guild. Bingo chairman when it existed.

Today there’s a scholarship in memory of two individuals—David Brundage and Hector Bizios—both of whom wed Armenians. Hector was indispensible with the Bingo mission, helping to raise thousands of dollars to nurture the upkeep.

As for Brundage, nobody sold more Prelacy raffle tickets than this man, making the church his second home. A Distinguished Service Award from the Prelacy was well deserved though modestly accepted.

“The fact I’m not Armenian has nothing to do with my Christian spirit and love of God,” he once proclaimed.

Perhaps it was his 44-year marriage to an Armenian, the former Theresa Kalousdian, that detonated the spark. Or maybe it was his trip to Historic Armenia and a visit to the Island of Aghtamar and to the village of Hisanig, the birthplace of his mother-in-law, that resulted in an article for The Armenian Review.

And yes, there was that dash of humor so often typified his nature.

“People who are so wrapped up in themselves make small packages,” he once said philosophically. “So what if my name didn’t end in IAN. It’s what’s in the heart that counts and my heart rests with the Armenians.”