Federation Newsletter

Transcript

1 Federation Newsletter FEDERATION BRINGS COLLEGE SOCIETIES TO ONASSIS FOUNDATION EXHIBIT ON ANCIENT HEROES Winter 2011 Volume 2, Issue 1 Inside this issue: On December 4, 2010, a bus full of college students from New Jersey arrived in New York last Sunday to view the Onassis Foundation exhibit on Heroes and Mortals in Ancient Greece. The trip was organized by the Federation of Hellenic American Organizations of New Jersey. The students came from Rutgers University and The College of New Jersey. They were members of the Hellenic Societies at those colleges. At the Onassis Foundation the students participated in a guided tour organized by the Foundation. Continued on p. 2 New Gen NY trip 1 Parade meeting 3 October 28 Lecture 4 Cyprus Society 4 Career workshop 5 Inside Story 2 Dr. Vahaviolos 6 The students at the Onassis Foundation with the President of the Federation Tassos Efstratiades and the Treasurer Nick Poulis. 1

2 College Societies Visit Onassis Foundation Exhibit Continued from p.1 After visiting the Exhibit, the group went to Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree and take picture along with thousands other tourists. After Rockefeller Plaza the group continued to Uncle Nick e Restaurant on Ninth Avenue, where they were treated to a Greek lunch. The group was joined by some recent graduates of Rutgers HCA. The trip ended with a bus ride back to t. George in Piscataway where the trip had started. The students were very excited about the experience and are looking to more Federation events. They were especially grateful to the sponsor of the trip the PGEI Charitable Foundation. Above: The students in front of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Plaza. Below: A meeting of presidents: Past and current presidents of the Rutgers HCA joined the trip. Left to Right: Matthew Haddoto ( ), Pantelis Efstratiades ( ), Stathis Theodoropoulos ( ), Anna Zalacosta ( ), and TCNJ Hellenic Club President Natasha Manolas. 2

3 NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY FEDERATIONS JOIN IN A PANOMOGENIAKI IN NEW JERSEY FOR THE MARCH 27 PARADE On Sunday, February 13, 2011 at the Community Center of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Piscataway, the Federation held its first Panomogeniaki for the 2011 Parade. All communities and organizations had been invited. A large delegation from the New York Federation also came led by the President Elias Tsekeridis and included General Secretary Petros Galatoulas, Parade Chairman Dr. Frixos Goussis, Vice President Konstantis Lambrakis, Parade Cochair Kostas Katsanos, Education Committee Chairman G. Kalyvas, and Parade Journal Chairman Mr. Kitsios. The meeting opened with prayer by the Very Rev. Alexander Kyle. Then the President of the New Jersey Federation Tassos Efstratiades spoke and delivered a greeting from His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos, who charged the Omogenia with the task of an even greater participation in the parade this year. Mr. Efstratiades then outlined the importance of the parade as a major event for the Greek Americans in the United States. He was followed by remarks by New York Federation President Elias Tsekeridis. He spoke with excitement about the good relations between the two Federations and the era of cooperation that has developed in the last two years. He congratulated the NJ Federation for having a Panomoganiaki in New Jersey and wants to repeat it every year. Also present was the President of the Hellenic American National Council, Mr. Pavlos Kotrotsios, who spoke and congratulated the two Federations for working together on the parade. He was followed by several other speakers, including the Founding president of the NJ Federation Andreas Comodromos, the Vice President for Central New Jersey Panos Stavrianidis and several members of the New York Delegation. In addition, Savas Tsivicos, who, in addition to Vice President of the Federation, is the Lieutenant Governor of District 5 of AHEPA, spoke to the assembly and said that AHEPA District 5 will parade with the New Jersey contingent. Finally, the Federation officials were impressed with the participation of the college societies in the Panomogeniaki. Several members were present from the Hellenic Societies of Rutgers and New Jersey Institute of technology. Speaking to the participants, NJ Federation President Tassos Efstratiades is joined by NJ Federation VP Panos Stavrianidis, Founding President Andreas Comodromos, NY Federation president Elias Tsekeridis and NJ Federation Secretary Giorgos Antoniou. Also present but not in the picture were: From New York: General Secretary Petros Galatoulas, Parade Chairman Dr. Frixos Goussis, Vice President Konstantis Lambrakis, Parade Co-chair Kostas Katsanos, Education Committee Chairman G. Kalyvas, and Parade Journal Chairman Mr. Kitsios. From NJ Federation: Vice President for North Jersey Nick Poulis, Vice President for Government Affairs Savas Tsivicos, Treasurer John Makropoulos, Pan_Gregorian President and Founding Board member George Siamboulis, Founding Board Member John Blazakis and National Issues Co-Chair Spyros Derdemezis. 3

4 Cyprus Society of Greater Philadelphia Honors Federation President On Saturday, November 20, 2010, the Cyprus Society of Greater Philadelphia Makarios III at its annual dinner dance honored Tassos Efstratiades, President of the Federation of Hellenic American Organizations of New Jersey. The event was attended by the Consul General of Cyprus, Koula Sofianou, as well as representatives of the Cyprus Federation of America, including its Executive Vice President, Costas Tsentas, and the Governor for New Jersey Chris Karamanos. Also present were past presidents of the Cyprus Federation Mr. Andreas Comodromos and Mr. Savvas Tsivicos. The evening was opened by the president of the Society, Dr. Kostas Koumenis. The honoree was introduced by Mr. Comodromos and the Chairman of the Board of the Society, Joanna Savvides. Mr. Efstratiades, in accepting the Society for preserving the culture and customs of Cyprus and urged everybody to continue fighting for freedom in the occupied parts of the island. The Cyprus problem, Mr. Efstratiades stated, should be the problem of all Hellenes. ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΗ ΓΕΩΡΓΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ 28 Η ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ ΣΤΟ TENAFLY Την Κυριακή 31 Οκτωβρίου, ο καθηγητής Πάνος Γεωργόπουλος έδωσε ενδιαφέρουσα ομιλία για τη σημασία της 2 ης Οκτωβρίου στη παγκόσμια ιστορία. Η ομιλία έγινε στο Καθεδρικό Ναο της Μητροπόλεως Ν. Ιερσέης στο Tenafly, NJ, παρουσία του Διοικητικού Συμβουλίου της Ομοσπονδας και της κοινότητας, του ιερατικού προϊσταμένου του Καθεδρικου, π. Παναγιώτη Λέκκα, και πολλών ομογενών. Την εκδήλωση οργάνωσε η Ομοσπονδία Ελληνοαμερικανικών Οργανώσεων Ν. Ιερσέης υπο την αιγίδα της Μετροπολης. Ο καθηγητής Γεωργόπουλος κατ αρχήν αναδρόμησε στα Ρωμαϊκά χρόνια, και μας θύμησε ότι η 28 η Οκτωβρίου ήταν η μέρα που ο Μέγας Κωνσταντίνος κέρδισε τη μάχη της Μουλβίας, φέρωντας το λάβαρο με την επιγραφή Εν τούτω Νίκα και το σήμα του Σταυρού. Συνέδεσε αυτή την ήττα των Ρωμαίων με τη επιμονή του Μουσολίνι να επιτεθεί κατά της Ελλάδος την 28 η Οκτωβρίου, και έτσι να εκδικηθεί τους απογόνους της Ανατολικής Ρωμαϊκής Αυτοκρατορίας, που εμείς γνωρίζουμε ως Βυζάντιο. Ο κ. Γεωργόπουλος συνέχισε με το έπος του 1940, την μετα απο μήνες μάχη της Κρήτης και την Ελληνική αντίσταση. Αναφερόμενος σε διεθνείς ιστορικούς, ο κ. Γεωργόπουλος συνεπέρανε ότι αυτές οι ηρωϊκές πράξεις των Ελλήνων είχαν ως αποτέλεσμα να καθυστερήσουν τον Χίτλερ στην εκστρατεία του κατά της Ρωσίας κατά αρκετό χρόνο, ώστε να βρει τα στρατεύματα του ο Ρωσικός χειμώνας. Ο εγκλωβισμός του Γερμανικού στρατου απο το Ρωσικό χειμώνα ήταν η αρχή του τέλους για τους Ναζί, και σ αυτό συνετέλεσε η γενναιότης των Ελλήνων. Federation Elects New Officers At a special meeting of the Executive Committee of the Federation, Nick Poulis was elected Vice President for Northern New Jersey. Nick resigned his position as treasurer in order to take the Vice Presidency, previously help by the late Stacey Savva. Also, at the same meeting, the Executive Committee elected John Makropoulos as treasurer to fill the unexpired term previously held by Nick Poulis. John Makropoulos is a CPA, with extensive involvement in the Hellenic community in Piscataway. He is a delegate of the Cephalonian Society to the Federation. Federation President Tassos Efstratiades said after the election: Both Nick and John are individuals committed to the Hellenic community who will make a substantial contribution to the Federation. 4

5 THE NEW GENERATION COMMITTEE OF THE FEDERATION OF HELLENIC AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS OF NEW JERSEY and THE GREEK AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE In cooperation with The Rutgers University Hellenic Cultural Association The College of New Jersey Hellenic Society and The NJIT Hellenic Cultural Association Presents a Career Workshop for Greek American college students The Cretan House White Mountains Building 1152 Raritan Avenue, Highland Park, NJ On Saturday, February 19, a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Program: 10 am Registration 10:30 Interview Techniques for Success - Mrs. Maggie Stavrianidis, Director of HR at J&J 11:30 Panel of Greek American professional discussing their career choices 12:30 Lunch Registrations on a first come first serve basis (students who belong to Federation member societies are given preference) To register contact: Tassos Efstratiades at tassos@obermayer.com or your Hellenic College Society president with your name, Hellenic Society that you are a member of, address and phone number. STACEY SAVVA, ESQUIRE With sadness we were informed of the Passing of one of our Federation s founding board members, Stacey Savva, Esquire, after a long illness. Stacey was a staunch proponent of involving Greek women in community affairs. She presided over the New jersey chapter of Hellenic American Women s Council (HAWC) and in that capacity she joined the founding board of the Federation. She was elected Vice president for Northern New Jersey at the first General Assembly. Stacey will be missed. Her fervor for Hellenic issues was an example to us all. ΑΙΩΝΙΑ Η ΜΝΗΜΗ ΑΥΤΗΣ. 5

6 News of Members Δρ Σωτήρης Βαχαβιώλος Παρουσιάζει στο Εμπορικό Επιμελητήριο και τον Ελληνικό Σύνδεσμο Από τον Εθνικό Κύρηκα. Η ομιλία του Δρα Σωτήρη Βαχαβιώλου, προέδρου και διευθύνοντα συμβούλου του «Ομίλου Μιστράς», η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε το βράδυ της Πέμπτης, 11 Νοεμβρίου 2010, στο Πρίνστον της Νέας Ιερσέης, κέντρισε έντονα το ενδιαφέρον του ακροατηρίου διότι αναφέρθηκε διεξοδικά στην μακρά και γεμάτη κινδύνους διαδρομή του επιχειρηματικού τομέα, συμπεριλαμβανομένου και του δικού του ομίλου, από το Πρίνστον της Νέας Ιερσέης στο Χρηματιστήριο της Νέας Υόρκης. Η ομιλία εντάσσεται στο πλαίσιο της ετησίας διαλέξεως «Η επιτυχία δεν είναι τυχαία, αλλά συνήθεια», που θέσπισε προ ενός έτους το παράρτημα του Ελληνοαμερικανικού Εμπορικού Επιμελητηρίου της Κεντρικής Νέας Ιερσέης και διοργανώθηκε σε συνεργασία με τον Ελληνικό Σύνδεσμο της Νέας Ιερσέης. Μιχ. Χατζιλούκας, Πάνος Σταυριανίδης, Δρ. Σωτήρης Βαχαβιώλος,, Τάσος Ευστρατιάδης και Δρ. Σπύρος Σπυρέας. Ο ομιλητής, αρχικά εξήγησε τη διαφορά μεταξύ της επιτυχίας και της επιχειρηματικής επιτυχίας και, μεταξύ άλλων, τόνισε ότι η επιχειρηματική επιτυχία συνοδεύεται πάντα με τη δημιουργία θέσεων εργασίας και πλούτου. Αν και παραδέχτηκε ότι η επιτυχία μπορεί να οφείλεται και στην τύχη, εν τούτοις τόνισε ότι ως επιστήμονας δεν πιστεύει στην τύχη και ότι το πιο δύσκολο είναι να διατηρήσεις την επιτυχία. Στη συνέχεια, αναφέρθηκε στη γεμάτη κινδύνους οδό της προσωπικής του επιτυχίας και τόνισε με έμφαση ότι ο επιχειρηματίας πρέπει να ρισκάρει. Παράλληλα, τόνισε τι πρέπει να προσέχει ο επιχειρηματίας, υπενθύμισε ότι «ακόμη και τα δέντρα χρειάζονται κλάδεμα», ότι πάντα πρέπει να έχεις θετική στάση, να λες πάντα το μπορώ και να είσαι «συντηρητικός σοσιαλιστής» προς όλους. «Μάθε πάντα να ακούς, ειδικά όταν ανεβαίνεις, συγκρότησε ένα ισχυρό συμβούλιο, αλλά διατήρησε τον διευθυντικό ρόλο για τον εαυτό σου», πρόσθεσε. Ο πρόεδρος του Επιμελητηρίου της Κεντρικής Νέας Ιερσέης, Πάνος Σταυριανίδης, στην εναρκτήρια ομιλία του αναφέρθηκε εκτενώς στους στόχους αυτής της εκδήλωσης, εξέφρασε την ικανοποίησή του για τη μεγάλη συμμετοχή και μεταξύ άλλων τόνισε ότι τέτοιου είδους διαλέξεις σου παρέχουν τη δυνατότητα να διδαχτείς από τις επιτυχίες, αλλά και από τις αποτυχίες των άλλων. Ο πρόεδρος της Ομοσπονδίας Ελληνοαμερικανικών Οργανώσεων Νέας Ιερσέης, Τάσος Ευστρατιάδης, που είναι και διευθύνων σύμβοθλος του Ελληνοαμερικανικού επιμελητηρίου, αναφέρθηκε στις προσπάθειες που καταβάλουν για την προσέλκυση των νέων επαγγελματιών και επιχειρηματιών. Η Δρ. Κατερίνα Λευτέρη, γραμματέας του Ελληνικού Συνδέσμου της Νέας Ιερσέης, αναφέρθηκε στις προσπάθειες του Οργανισμού για τη διοργάνωση σεμιναρίων για την προώθηση του πολιτισμού και των επιστημονικών διαλέξεων. Η εκδήλωση έγινε στην αίθουσα του Buckingham Place, οίκου υπερηλίκων παυ διευθύνεται απο τον Ελληνοαμερικανό επιχειρηματία Κωνσταντίνο Βλεσίδη. 6

7 Federation Event Celebrating 2,500 Years from the Battle of Marathon On Friday, November 5, 2010, the Federation of Hellenic American Organizations of New Jersey hosted an event to commemorate the 2,500 year anniversary of the victory of the Greeks over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. The event took place at the Cultural Center of Saint Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Paramus, NJ and was held under the auspices of the Greek orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey. The event is part of a series of cultural and historical lectures presented by the New Jersey Federation under the auspices of the Metropolis in community centers around the state. The November 5 event was attended by His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey. Also present was the Consul General of Greece, Ambassador Aglaia Balta, the Consul General of Cyprus Mrs. Koula Sofianou and the Consul of Greece Mr. E. Kyriakopoulos. The President of the Federation, Mr. Tassos Efstratiades, gave the opening remarks, welcoming the dignitaries and the audience and emphasizing the importance of remembering the Battle of marathon as the first in a series of conflicts throughout the ages where the Hellenes with their bravery saved the western world. Mr. Efstratiades also thanked the Metropolis of New Jersey for working with the Federation to bring under the auspices of the Metropolis interesting cultural and historical programs to Greek orthodox communities in New Jersey. Mr. Efstratiades then introduced the Consul General of Cyprus, Mrs. Sofianou, who spoke. The Consul General of Greece, Ambassador Balta, spoke next, on the importance of organizing such events in order to educate the public of the substantial contribution of the Hellenes to the western civilization. The historical aspects of the Battle of Marathon were presented in a speech and slide presentation by Professor Katherine Panagakos, Ph.D. who teaches Classical Languages at Stockton College and is part of the Hellenic Studies Program in that institution. Dr. Panagakos spoke of the events that led to the Persian attack upon Athens. She explained how an Athenian soldier ran from Athens to Sparta and back (each way about 150 miles) to ask help from the Spartans. She explained the military strategy of Athenian general Miltiades during the battle and how he led the 10,000 Athenians and few Plataeans to a victory over a much bigger Persian army. It was interesting to hear Dr. Panagakos explanation of the physical stress that the soldiers of those days had to go through to fight in the battle, as well as the legend of the messenger running back to Athens to announce the victory, which has created the modern 26 mile race, known as the Marathon. His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos closed the proceedings by speaking to the audience and urging them to advance the Hellenic ideals of freedom and democracy. His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos speaking to the Assembly. Professor Katherine Panagakos delivering her lecture on the battle of Marathon. 7

8 MISSION OF THE FEDERATION The Federation of Hellenic American Organizations of New Jersey was organized for the purpose of assisting its member organizations and coordinating their activities in order to promote, preserve and protect the Hellenic culture, heritage, language and history, as well as the Democratic Hellenic and American ideals. To achieve this mission, The Federation will undertake and support activities of its member organizations which strive to: increase communication and cooperation among the institutions and organizations of The Hellenic Community of New Jersey; promote interaction with The Greek Orthodox Church of America and other Federations in the Hellenic Community in America; undertake programs in support of Hellenic education, and activities that serve the youth and those in need of our community, and promote the Hellenic heritage and ideals. 200 Lake Road East, Suite 110 Cherry Hill, NJ Federation Executive Committee President Tassos Efstratiades Executive Vice-President John Sakellaris Founding President Andreas D. Comodromos Vice-President - Northern New Jersey Nicholas Poulis Vice-President - Central New Jersey Panos Stavrianidis Vice-President - Southern New Jersey George Pappas Vice-President - Government Affairs Savas Tsivicos General Secretary Giorgos Antoniou, Ph. D. Alternate Secretary Dimitrios Kontolios Corresponding Secretary Maria Archontoulis Treasurer John Makropoulos Assistant Treasurer Nikos Panagiotou, MD Upcoming Events New Generation Career Workshop February 19 Panomogeniaki, March 6, 2011 Lecture on the Destruction of Smyrna, March 13, 2010 Greek Parade on Fifth Avenue, March 27, Gala Banquet Sunday, June 5,