Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on December 5, 2021

San Francisco favorite Liholiho Yacht Club is gearing up to close its temporary Mission District pop-up and reopen as a different restaurant with an exciting new menu and an ambitious mission.

Good Good Culture Club will open on Jan. 11 at 3560 18th St. It will be distinct from Liholiho in several ways. The kitchen will be led not by owner Ravi Kapur but by co-chefs Kevin Keovanphang and Brett Shaw, who are cooking food inspired by the Asian diaspora, like taro leaf salad and adobo-spiced ribs.

The restaurant will be open 5-9 p.m. five days a week, with the shorter hours meant to create a healthier work-life balance for employees, Kapur said. Good Good will be a tipless restaurant, with a 20% service charge distributed equitably among workers. In addition, customers will order from QR codes to free up servers time, in part a response to the ongoing labor shortage.

Liholihos original Sutter Street space is still under construction and wont reopen until next year.

The new restaurant will be a casual spot, the more lively, rambunctious cousin to Liholiho, Kapur said. The menu, with a lot of small bites geared toward sharing, reflects Keovanphangs Laotian heritage, but also has Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Bay Area influences. Sashimi will be served with a tomatillo ponzu sauce, for example, while crispy pig ears are tossed in housemade ploy, a Thai sweet chili sauce. Liholiho fans will recognize the foundation of some dishes, like steamed poppyseed buns, filled at the original restaurant with beef tongue, but here with smoked beef belly rendang instead. A fried cornish game hen, meanwhile, will get glazed in achiote and honey instead of Liholihos combination of cashews and tamari. For dessert, theres Lao-style halo halo with fresh jackfruit and ube ice cream, plus pandan-flavored bibingkas (Filipino coconut rice cakes).

The drinks program will be overseen by Janice Bailon, Liholihos bar director, though that menu is still in the works.

Good Good Culture Club is founders Kapur and Jeff Hanaks effort to address longstanding issues in the restaurant industry, from wage inequity to mental health, concerns that came under renewed attention during the pandemic. They, like many Bay Area restaurateurs, seized the opportunity of Liholihos forced closure to retool the overall business.

The new business will join a growing wave of local restaurants getting rid of tips (a service charge has been in place at the Liholiho pop-up, too), but also points to another, still emerging trend of restaurateurs trying to make their businesses more equitable and fair places to work. Oaklands Daytrip, for example, was able to staff up amid the labor crisis because of what employees said was an unusual level of transparency about pay and benefits. Restaurants like Daytrip, though, are still in the early stages of testing these new models.

Even pre-pandemic we were like, We gotta look at how we operate. Maybe we need to change our model ... to provide sustainability and longevity, Kapur said. Nows the time to focus on whats next, whats in front of us not trying to rebuild something the way it was.

The 18th Street space is already colorful and airy with a sunny, plant-filled rooftop, but the restaurateurs plan to add more pops of bright color, neon touches and new artwork, including murals by local artists.

Kapur, whose name has been synonymous with Liholiho since it opened in 2015, purposefully took a step back on Good Goods menu to encourage other employees growth. Liholihos Hawaii-inspired fare, like house-made Spam with kimchi fried rice and tuna poke, was an immediate hit in the Bay Area and attracted national media attention.

Liholihos last day at 18th Street will be Dec. 31.

Good Good Culture Club. Opening Jan. 11, 2022. 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. 3560 18th St., San Francisco. goodgoodcultureclub.com

Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany

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Acclaimed Liholiho team is opening a new SF restaurant inspired by the Asian diaspora - San Francisco Chronicle

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Posted By admin on December 5, 2021

BY NORA VOSBIGIAN

Vahagn Vardanyan is a dynamic political geographer who teaches at Han Academy in Hong Kong and holds a senior leadership position there. Working with Armenian communities for nearly two decades in Singapore, Hong Kong, Kolkata, and especially Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, he has introduced a whole new perspective even language in Armenia and Diaspora Studies. Furthermore, in a more practical mode, he has applied his knowledge and worked with Armenian authorities to pave a new avenue in Armenias relations with diasporan communities.

One of the critical concepts Vardanyan introduces in his new book, National Identity, Diaspora, and Space of Belonging (Gomidas Institute, 2021), is the definition of diasporan Armenians as a group of people who share a critical notion of diaspora return in their everyday lives. These are people who relate to modern Armenia as an actual or surrogate homeland: Many visit Armenia, some move there, but most relate to it symbolically in their everyday lives. They care about Armenia. This defining characteristic excludes Armenian non-diasporan ethnies, that is, people who are ethnic Armenians who live their lives outside Armenia with no reference to a homeland.

Vardanyan then makes the two-fold case for engaging diasporan Armenians, as he defines them, in an informed and sympathetic manner to strengthen both the Armenian homeland and diaspora communities. He makes practical suggestions and advocates major changes for Armenia to become more accommodating and inclusive of diasporan Armenians. As the second side of the inclusion, Vardanyan calls for setting a strategy to transform non-diasporan ethnies into diasporans.

Over the years, Vardanyan has written on these issues, usually in the Armenian popular press. He has also liaised with Armenian authorities to nurture Armenian national identity, both in Armenia and the diaspora.

Vardanyans work is bold and to the point. It deserves proper engagement and reflection.

Bibliodetails: Vahagn Vardanyan, National Identity, Diaspora, and Space of Belonging An Armenian Perspective, London: Gomidas Institute, 2021, viii + 266 pp, maps, tables, illust, ISBN 978-1-909382-69-5, pb., UK25.00/US$30.00. For more information contact [emailprotected] or visit http://www.gomidas.org/books

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Exciting New Study of Armenia and the Diaspora: National Identity, Diaspora, and Space of Belonging ... - Armenian News by MassisPost

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Posted By admin on December 5, 2021

The Herald

Dr Masimba Mavaza

The Zimbabwean community in the United Kingdom recently hosted a Christmas dinner in London.

The celebration was not only limited to Zimbabweans, but some guests from African nations and also included other international guests who are staying away from home during the festival season.

Mr Mambo Bedford Chimbima, one of the organisers of the dinner said: Usually the celebration is limited to the Zimbabweans, however, due to Covid-19 pandemic scenario and travel ban, many nationals have to celebrate the festival here in the UK.

The pandemic calls for unity and keeping that in mind we decided to include all international guests in the Christmas celebration. Considering the pandemic scenario all precautions were taken at the venue.

After food and other celebrations, the floor was opened for guests to share their footwork experience and meet new friends.

Mr Chimbima said organising the large-scale charity event was a fantastic way to promote awareness, raise the name of the country and have fun.

However, the undertaking can be a lot of hard work, and pulling off a successful large-scale event requires a great amount of planning, organisation and creativity, he said.

Mr Chimbima went on to say: Our common denominator was Zimbabwe. We met as Zimbabweans and for the first time we flew the Zimbabwean flag as Zimbabweans without any political inclination.

Mr Chimbima thanked all Zimbabweans in the UK who graced the function with their presence and support.

With this gathering, there isnt many protocols, but the primary idea with the event, is to afford friends and family to meet in a happy atmosphere and be merry, he said.

One thing evident from those in attendance was that everyone had an associate within the room and thats not by coincidence, but by design and thats what this event stands for. Its a platform to cherish ones friendship with as many friends as possible under one roof.

After a positive response to our first gathering in 2019, this year was the second anniversary and again we had quite an overwhelming response and unfortunately had to turn away some as agreed numbers had been met and in line with hotel guidelines.

Mr Chimbima said last years gathering had to be cancelled due to events and circumstances beyond the organisers control.

I really think it a blessing that we able gather once again and socialise with friends in such an environment, he said. I also really appreciate the support we got from all our guests who came from almost every corner of UK.

A dinner and dance is a formal social event that is held annually to celebrate your success and milestones.

It is a celebration that includes exquisite dcor, interactive games, delectable foods, and of course, fun and laughter.

Zimbabweans from all walks of life attended the dinner dance which was held at a splash hotel in Woking.

The exciting Master of Ceremony was Mr Brian Nyakudya who reminded the people that home is best. The event was captured by the gifted photographer Mr Charlie Rumveye.

Speaking at the event, Mr Perkins Matereke and his wife Irene said: This year the organisers decided on an exciting venue. The event was blessed with the good Zimbabwean songs of the seventies and early eighties.

The organisers knew how to wow guests with traditional Zimbabwean songs and dancing. Zimbabweans took advantage of the dinner and created a bond far away from home.

This was not a high-end charity event, but it was a great way to generate a big audience, as the glamour associated with it was truly often enough to encourage people to buy a ticket for next year.

There is a feeling you feeling you feel in the Diaspora described by many as Severe Home Sickness.

Being homesick is a normal feeling, one that many people feel from time to time to express their nostalgia or longing of the familiar, especially if they have been away for a while.

You miss home; you miss the smell of summer and the smell of the rains hitting the baked soil for the first time after a dry spell.

You even miss a social gathering where you speak in your language. You have day dreams of crossing flooded Masekandauya river or just seeing a cow or milking it.

So many things we take for granted at home become a wonder abroad. By meeting and dancing together, it does help to deal with the home sickness.

The insensitive ones will be quick to say pack your bags and come home, but some do understand the sacrifices others make while languishing abroad.

Now, with the new variant hovering above the world, any hopes of going back to Zimbabwe have been dashed away.

Home sickness is technically classified as an anxiety and can express itself in mild to extreme forms and can happen to anyone: children, adults, seniors, short term travellers, long term travellers, and expatiates.

Many people feel this way if they see something close to home or reminds them of home which is usually what triggers my homesickness.

People tend to vent their frustration in African or home movies, some will just brood and pray to be home sooner rather than later.

But this year, Zimbabweans gathered together and dealt with home sickness.

Most Zimbabweans feel home sickness because the culture shock is too intense, they feel unstable in their new surroundings, feel frustrated by the language barrier or trying to deal with the lack of close friends.

Home sickness is a feeling that affects everybody at some point while they try to sort out their new life as an expat and one that most struggled with in the beginning of the year living abroad.

December is usually a month of travel to Zimbabwe, but this year the travels were covered in the smoke of uncertainty.

This is not always love, but serious home sickness.

Any person old enough to be your mother and speaks your language becomes your mother. Maputi becomes a delicacy.

But its a little different when your oldest and best friends come, theres something about seeing the familiar face of a relative whom youve known for a long time that just brings you that feeling of comfort and joy.

The closing of the borders has become a pain and its effects can be eased by this meeting.

The failure to visit home this year has overcome many with a huge feeling of nostalgia.

We make many friends, but its different when its somebody that youve known for years and has been by your side during good and bad times.

Staying abroad makes one realise that home is best and that so many things you took for granted are very important and naturally healing.

Its really easy to sort of isolate yourself when you live abroad.

When youre living in a different country, its not exactly possible to pick up the phone and ask friends to hangout. There is no time for social life, but work.

We go out about daily lives and lose touch over time if we dont work at keeping in touch.

Of course, there is WhatsApp, Facetime, Facebook, email, more than enough tools in our hands to stay connected, but theres nothing like hugging an old friend and seeing that excited look on their face. Sometimes you miss sitting in the dust or queuing for a kombi.

Most people are those who get lonely easily if they dont talk to someone or see someone often and theyll miss them a lot.

They like to stay connected, be informed and like to hear about peoples lives, especially the big changes. They hope to have long calls chatting.

As we get older, everybody goes on their separate paths at one point; friends grow apart, the time and distance gets bigger and longer.

People abroad miss out on weddings, funerals and parties.

In most cases, people think about going back home. But some would have spent their savings on tickets and had hoped to help their families back home.

Going back home is not an option for those in the diaspora. When times were tough and they felt so out of place due to the culture shock, that thought crossed their minds a few times.

However, they knew that this was something they needed to do and it was their first time truly being away from home.

It is true that it does not matter where you are in the world, all that mattered is who is there with you.

You could be living in a huge city filled with people, but still feel lonely if you dont have friends and family to enjoy life with.

You could be living in the desert, on an island or in an igloo, but having the best time of your life if you are surrounded by your loved ones.

It is very true that home is where the heart is and where the heart will always be.

Those in the diaspora must learn that their home is where they feel the happiest and it doesnt technically have to be in Zimbabwe.

People abroad are actually very lucky to have this amazing opportunity, to learn a new culture and language and to be introduced to new things.

The best way to deal with home sickness is to remind yourself how blessed you have been so far, with great family, an amazing life and meeting old friends and new friends.

The quality of life for your children and the opportunity to help those back home in need should give you comfort in diaspora.

You cant keep wishing that everything and everyone that you love could all be in the same place all the time. There is time to let go of those desires.

Each time I see Sondon Stalin Mugaradziko, it feels like we have always been together. Friendship is not watered by closeness, but it is watered by truthfulness.

If you let home sickness take over you every time you felt it, you would have been back in Harare.

And you would have never forgiven yourself for missing out on this opportunity.

Part of travelling, exploring and seeing the world is to let go of the past, free yourself of whatever it is that was holding you back.

Most in the diaspora have changed professions and are now assisting the whole tribe back home. They are grateful they left home.

Sometimes all it takes is just to hear the familiar voice of your parents, or siblings to remember that home sickness is just a temporary feeling and will pass.

Being abroad is all about seeing things in a positive perspective and not letting that anxiety take over because if you do, you might miss out on some amazing experiences.

Yes, home is best, but make where you are a home for your children and for you and your spouse.

[emailprotected]

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Early party in Diaspora cheers up homesick citizens - The Herald

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Posted By admin on December 5, 2021

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In his famous and immortal novel Kanthapura (1938), Raja Rao, one of the Big Three of Indian-English novelists (the other two being R. K. Narayan and Mulk Raj Anand), says, Then the wind comes so swift and dashing that it takes the autumn leaves with it, and they rise into the juggling air, while the trees bleat and blubber. Then drops fall, big as the thumb the earth itself seems to heave up and cheep in the monsoon rains. It churns and splashes, beats against the treetops, reckless and wilful, and suddenly floating forwards, it bucks back and spits forward and pours down upon the green, weak coffee leaves, thumping them down to the earth.

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The protagonist of this novel, Moorthy, can be seen in every single farmer participating in the agitation, sitting at the border of New Delhi opposing new agricultural laws.

This was the biggest post-Indian independence non-violent movement. The Moorthies won. Bade Khan and Bhatts lost. The Kanthapura of Raja Rao in the 1930s is the Sighu and Tikri Borders of the farmers in New Delhi in the 2020s.

On the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first master and founder of Sikhism, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Nov. 19 declaring he would repeal three contentious agricultural laws that sparked more than a year of protests, in a rare apparent climb down ahead of pivotal provincial elections.

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In a previous column , I said this agitation had divided the Indian diaspora in Canada. The Punjabi news media outlets in Canada overwhelmingly supported farmers, whereas other language media chose to align itself with New Delhi by promoting pro-India rallies.

In Ontario, Hindu Forum Canada sponsored billboards overseeing major highways thanking Modi for sending COVID-19 vaccines. The timing of such advertising conflicted with ongoing protests causing more tension on religious lines within the diaspora.

Sikhs alleged provocation on part of those supporting Modi. Canada also received COVID-19 vaccines from Germany and the U.S. Why no billboards to thank those countries? they wondered.

Polarization on religious, ideological lines has no place in Canada. Sadly, the widening gulf between Hindus and Sikhs, moderates and radicals, did damage the multicultural fabric of our adopted home.

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But with the new declaration, the diaspora is happy again. The Sikhs are happy the contentious laws are repealed. The Hindus are happy the BJP government in India has won the hearts of the people of India and people of Indian origin all over the world. The previous clear divide seems to have faded away, luckily.

Meanwhile, more than 600 farmers lost their lives. The diaspora in Canada, Australia, U.S. and U.K. overwhelmingly supported this agitation. If doctors of Indian origin from different countries camped there with the agitating farmers, the local artists (singers, lyricists, actors) threw their support for the farmers. Everybody had the farmers backs.

Some Indian provinces are going to elections early next year and this farmers agitation was a major hurdle for the Modi government in winning those elections. The prime minister in his address to the nation apologized, though Prof. Sukhpal Singh , the principal economist of the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana (Punjab) calls it a half-hearted apology.

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No doubt the agricultural reforms are direly required, but the way the government intended to do so was not accepted by the majority. The biggest democracy in the world should have taken care of that.

Now, when these agricultural laws are on the verge of going back to the suitcase of the central agriculture minister, farmers and labourers have shown a new path to the new generation of India that big battles can still be won non-violently. The diaspora is happy!

Rishi Nagar is the news director at Red FM 106.7 in Calgary and a member of the City of Calgarys Anti-Racism Action Committee and the Calgary Police Services Anti-Racism Committee.

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Nagar: India's reversal of farm reforms a victory for non-violent protesters and the diaspora - Calgary Herald

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Posted By admin on December 5, 2021

Michael Psaros and Archbishop Elpidophoros during the last in-person THI gala in 2019. Credit: The Hellenic Initiative

The Hellenic Initiative (THI) will host its Annual Gala in New York aiming to raise funds for pandemic crisis relief and economic recovery in Greece on Saturday, December 4.

The 9th Annual Gala will be held in person, after last years virtual-only event, but the festivities will also be available to stream live online. Titled Moving Forward Together, it will highlight stories of Greek resilience in the face of adversity.

Since its founding, THI has raised USD $17 million for grants supporting NGOs and economic development projects in Greece.

At its annual London Gala on September 30, THI raised more than $270,000 for charities that benefit and protect children in Greece. At the renowned Dorchester Hotel, 300 Diaspora Hellenes and Philhellenes raised funds for ELEPAP, one of the oldest charitable organizations in Greece, and the ELIZA Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Greeks have always come together to aid those in less fortunate situations, THI Board President and Gibson Dunn Partner George P. Stamas said. This was true of immigrants who left the homeland at the beginning of the last century and continues today. The spirit of philotimo () interpreted as helping others and pride in community is alive and well. Were proud to be the catalyst that helps the diaspora continue this proud tradition.

THI, the leading group uniting the Greek diaspora and philhellenes internationally, will honor Johnson & Johnson Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Alex Gorsky during the event.

From 1983 to 1984, Gorsky was stationed in Drama, Greece as part of his military service and he learned to speak Greek at the Defense Language Institute.

A philhellene, he was instrumental in developing a relationship between Johnson & Johnson and THI. Johnson & Johnson has been an essential hiring partner for THIs successful ReGeneration program since the programs inception.

Launched in 2014 to train, mentor, and place highly qualified millennials in internships at top Greek and multinational companies, the program has created more than 1,600 youth job placements, unlocking more than 11.5 million in salaries. Recognized as the top internship program in Greece, more than 80 percent of participants secure a contract extension or are hired.

The event will be emceed by one of Greeces most popular recording artists, Sakis Rouvas.

At the same time, THI is offeringan array of auction items that focus on giving to those in need. Charitable auction items include those that support programs for hunger relief, health and social welfare support, and vocational training.

As in prior years, Greek artists, food and wine purveyors, luxury destinations, and fashion and jewelry designers from around the world have come together to donate items. A bidding website is under development and will be available online soon.

The Hellenic Initiative is a global nonprofit organization that brings together Diaspora Greeks and Philhellenes to invest in the future of Greece through programs focused on crisis relief,entrepreneurship, and economic development.

THI was founded in 2012 by Greeks of the diaspora and philhellenes to provide direct philanthropy and aid to Greece and the Greek people.

For more information on the event please follow this link.

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The Hellenic Initiative Gala to Raise Funds for Greek Causes - Greek Reporter

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Posted By admin on December 5, 2021

Demonstrations in Yerevan calling for the unification of Karabakh with Soviet Armenia (Photo: Ruben Mangasaryan, circa 1980s)

Most people who pursue public service believe their perspective on policy is essential. When accompanied with the interpersonal dynamics of political life, we sometimes find ourselves unable to compromise. Its commonly referred to as partisan politics. Party loyalty is admirable, but it also contributes to legislative and governing gridlock. When does a parochial view begin to limit whats in the national interest? The easy part is forming a view. The hard part is implementation. The only time in politics when compromise is not required is in a dictatorship. I always find it interesting when a politician wins an election by, say 52 to 48 percent, they declare they have a mandate. A mandate for what? To govern or to push their agenda? The mandate is that you have been entrusted in a democratic society to govern the entire population. They certainly have no issues with the 52 percent that supported them, but what about the responsibility to the 48 percent? Successful leaders know how to bring everyone along for the journey. That requires compromise without abandoning the national interests.

Some call compromise a betrayal to the ideals (the 52 percent), while others view it as a process of inclusion. At one point, we will all be on either side of that distribution, yet we tend to change our perspective depending on which end we reside. Patriotism involves always working truly in the best interests of the nation which requires us to closely examine the views of those who did not vote for us. It is challenging to find consensus, but with power of authority comes the responsibility to find solutions.

This is a theme that bears repeating for our dear homeland and the worldwide diaspora. We can safely make two assumptions about the political climate in Armenia and Artsakh. The first is that there is no greater priority today than the national security of the Armenian homeland. The other is that the instability of the political environment is weakening Armenias ability to address that priority. The climate of conflict is toxic. Endless arrests, investigations, political undermining and staffing changes only lead to the perception of aimless governing and bitter adversarial relations. How can Armenia improve the political landscape? Private and discreet negotiations between the parties are certainly important, but for too long the message of inclusion and compromise has been missing in public discourse. The public has been encouraged to take to the streets, use the media and express hopelessness to promote personal attacks and divisive rhetoric. Regardless of your perspective, it is difficult to defend this as helpful for Armenias future. Most of the attacks center around forcing the resignation of Pashinyan. This is the same tactic used prior to the June elections. Now with a mandate to serve, the same approach is wasteful. It creates more animosity and more division, further weakening our position. Can Armenia survive the turmoil connected to regime change? Our enemies view this as an open invitation to attack Armenia and further pressure the government to subscribe to unfavorable peace. Pashinyans people likewise respond with charges of past corruption from previous administrations (now opposition) which has the same negative impact. Is it that difficult to understand the futility of this approach or is patriotism now defined as synonymous with partisan positions?

Last week, we broached this matter with some suggested actions to break the apparent gridlock. It starts with the authority structure which is the current government. In this chess game, they have the first move. No one should be exonerating past corruption, but the country cannot endlessly continue a process that began in 2018. On the back of the Velvet Revolution, there was a place for anti-corruption. What began as standing up to the faces of corruption and a public cry for justice continued with political overtones. Exonerations added to this perception. The war of 2020 simply added to the feeling of anxiety that fueled public opinion.

The gridlock and political civil war are not in the interests of a sovereign prosperous Armenia. The answer in Armenia always seems to be demanding the replacement of the government. It has happened with the Ter Petrosyan, Kocharyan, Sargysyan and now the Pashinyan administration. Whether its street demonstrations, elections or other forms of pressure, the exit of one government has rarely improved the climate. Poverty remains a critical issue. Population migration is crippling, and now national security is threatening sovereignty. We have seen many leaders with different styles over the last 30 years in a variety of landscapes. One approach that has not been attempted is a comprehensive national reconciliation and political unity movement. The reconciliation is required to enable the healing caused by the bitter internal conflict. Political unity can only happen when there is a common unifier. In this moment of porous borders and huns at the gates, can there be any greater purpose than overcoming the nefarious intentions of our enemies? Many Armenians today have abdicated their impact by claiming that the future of the country is in the hands of others. We are all too familiar with Armenias dependency on Russia, but sovereignty starts with a spirit of self-determination. Once that is lost, the decline is significant.

What can Armenia do to protect its sovereignty? We can start by acting as one nation. Division always reduces the whole, and we need every ounce of the whole at this time. Political debate can certainly be an important part of the democratic process, but not when it is motivated by acquiring power or making change that does not inspire confidence. Armenia is at a point where the inability to find consensus and work together has become the major obstacle. In a divided political society, one group takes power and discounts the others. Change in this environment simply rotates the chairs with the same result. At the end of the day, this political process does little to improve the lives of the citizens.

Bold action is required to bring our nation together. But how? Pashinyan has spent considerable effort bringing charges against former government officials. The list is long. Supporters say it is tedious work because the problem is rampant. My observation is that this process has not been particularly successful. Some have been released, and others have been found innocent. On the other hand, this has fueled an opposition that views this as revenge. The truth has become almost irrelevant as the country sinks into civil conflict. Perhaps a conditional general amnesty is a better way for the nation. A good friend of mine who is active in Armenian politics suggested that rather than endless investigations, we should consider a conditional amnesty where individuals would compensate the nation in return for amnesty. These funds would be substantial and would be directed toward the national security of the nation. A conditional amnesty should be declared to relieve the country of the atmosphere of investigations and arrests that have gained a perception of political motivation.

Fortifying both sides of Syunik and improving armament and military research are just a few uses for this funding. The nation receives compensation for the past, and the individuals start with a clean slate. I cannot think of any more significant change to reduce the internal political conflict. We must find a way to put these conflicts behind us. Patriotic expression should be encouraged and valued. Let those who refuse to participate in a national reconciliation movement be isolated. This will take incredible will on the part of the political elite, perhaps more than they may believe they are capable of. We must also appeal to the egos of the elite. One possible opening to convince these individuals may be in appealing to their legacy. At some point, most influential individuals care about how they are perceived, remembered and how their impact is sustained. It will require all parties to subordinate their personal feelings and embrace a sense of national collaboration. Are patriotic values stronger than the cultural norm of disunity? This approach has the possibility of de-escalating the domestic political firestorm and focus our resources on the external threats instead of being dissipated in partisan conflict.

Pan-Armenian behavior has become prevalent in the diaspora as old wounds heal and the need for collaboration becomes essential. The lack of such in the homeland is a dark cloud hovering over our people and represents a significant threat. It has taken many painful years to come to this realization. Armenia needs a similar epiphany and the catalyst may be the national security crisis.

A wounded bird unable to fly cannot protect the nest. Most major wounds heal from the inside. The rhetoric expounded about patriotism and the homeland has little practical value unless it leads to recovery. An engine with cylinders misfiring is not very effective and will probably break down. The pain and suffering of the Armenian nation requires unprecedented action by the powerful to reconcile those in conflict and to restore hope in the citizenry. Are we expecting perfection? Of course not. Conflict is part of human nature. Civil discourse can be valuable as long as it does not impede decisiveness and stays below the threshold of dysfunction. No one should be above self-reflection. We should all examine our approach during this critical moment in our history. One of the greatest expressions of patriotism is to subordinate oneself to the needs of the nation. Our people will follow a path of reconciliation, self-sacrifice and the compromise required to survive.

Stepan was raised in the Armenian community of Indian Orchard, MA at the St. Gregory Parish. A former member of the AYF Central Executive and the Eastern Prelacy Executive Council, he also served many years as a delegate to the Eastern Diocesan Assembly. Currently , he serves as a member of the board and executive committee of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). He also serves on the board of the Armenian Heritage Foundation. Stepan is a retired executive in the computer storage industry and resides in the Boston area with his wife Susan. He has spent many years as a volunteer teacher of Armenian history and contemporary issues to the young generation and adults at schools, camps and churches. His interests include the Armenian diaspora, Armenia, sports and reading.

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Political compromise is the work of patriots - Armenian Weekly

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Each of them program Diaspora program systemizes all computes that caused by internet based talk in conjunction with health suggestions - ADOTAS

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Posted By admin on December 5, 2021

Recently, while driving from Great Barrington to Stockbridge, another car went to pass me. I was in the narrow stretch heading north after passing Windy Hill Farm. I was driving the speed limit and had my 4-year-old son in the backseat. As the other vehicle passed by, instead of zipping by, he slowed down and came up next to me, holding that position for several seconds. The other driver stared me down, holding up an obscene hand gesture. I was stunned, especially as I eyed the oncoming traffic moving headlong toward him. I slowed down, forcing him to pass. As my nerves settled, my son asked what that person was doing. He had never seen someone do that before.

Not only did I have to explain to my son what the rude hand motion meant, but the interaction with this other driver also shook me. Retracing my driving, I tried to imagine what I had done to warrant such a reaction from him, but I came up short. I had been in his way, and he let me know he was angry about it. The other driver probably forgot about the interaction a few minutes later. To me, it was an insult that I am still carrying.

Public expressions of anger and aggression are becoming more common the longer we live under pandemic conditions. Over the last several months, airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration have all reported an increase in passenger violence. In major urban areas, road rage shootings are becoming more common. The pandemic has isolated us from one another. No longer are we neighbors with one another, but strangers. Couple our anonymity with the isolation we have all experienced, along with the everyday pressures we each carry, and I better understand the formula that creates the aggression. Explaining road rage, University of Wisconsin psychologist Ryan Martin writes, Everyone is anonymous to us, and we are to them. We do things we wouldnt normally do give people the finger, yell at them, cut them off. If Im walking down a hallway at work, I wouldnt do these things. Being on the road brings out and exacerbates anger. The man who passed me might have had good reasons to be angry. Still, nothing justifies the way he treated me, a drive-by stranger.

As we move through the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year, our celebrations are reminders to draw ourselves close to one another, fighting against anonymity. We gather at candle lightings, tree lightings, holiday parties and worship services all to be in community, to be known by one another.

Right now, in the Jewish community, we are closing out Chanukah, our Festival of Lights. Chanukah is the eight-night celebration of the Maccabees victory over the Seleucid Empire. We commemorate their success by lighting a Chanukiyah, a unique candelabra. The candles we light each night symbolize the miracle the Maccabees experienced during their struggle. When we light these lights, our tradition also instructs us to put them in our windows, to remind passersby about the miracle we celebrate. Chanukah is a holiday celebrated primarily in our homes, but by placing the lights in our windows, we fight against anonymity, seeking to connect and share with our neighbors the warmth created each night.

Moreover, sharing the light at this time of year reminds us that the darkness does not last forever. Soon, the solstice will pass, and we will add light each day. The ancient rabbis debated how to light Chanukah candles, wondering whether to add a candle each night or take one away. They decided that we should add a candle every night because, when it comes to sacred matters, we are only to increase joy. We never willfully diminish that which is holy. I have come to believe that we put our Chanukah candles in our windows just like many put their Christmas trees in the window: to communicate hope and joy.

My heart breaks for that other driver because he changed nothing. He successfully spread ill will. His anger is understandable but far from the holiday spirit. In this holiday season, we seek to increase joy and sanctity for ourselves and others. I hope we each give and receive kindness, that leads to a hopeful and joyous life, for ourselves and for our neighbors, during these holidays and every day.

Rabbi Neil Hirsch serves Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, a reform synagogue in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

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Rabbi Neil Hirsch: The importance of kindness in the season of light - Berkshire Eagle

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An Open Letter to My Fellow Educators

Dear Colleagues,

I remember the first time my rabbi took me to the mikvah.

It was the early 1970s, and I was ten years old, living in a small town in Massachusetts. Our small, homey synagogue had recently hired a new rabbi before the holidays. Its customary for Jewish men to immerse in a mikvah (ritual bath) before Rosh Hashanah. The rabbi, who often drove me to prayer services during the week and to other Jewish events to help me learn more about Jewish practices, asked me if I want to go with him to the mikvah. I was ten and didnt know what a mikvah was, and I trusted the rabbi. Also, the rabbi was a really fast driver, which was so cool. So I said yes.

There was no mikvah in our town, so the rabbi drove us to the nearest large city. Along the way, he explained what a mikvah was, and what it was for. My ADHD was in high gear, so I dont remember much of what he said. What I remember was that he drove really, really fast. Somewhere at around 80mph he said that you get undressed, and dunk three times completely under the water. Now I was listening. That seemed strange, the whole naked thing.

The mikvah was in an old house. To me it looked creepy and even haunted. There was a dimly-lit waiting room with a few people and a washing machine. It was very quiet.

When it was our turn to use the mikvah, the rabbi said Im going into this room here to get undressed. You wait here, and Ill call you.

The specific moment that he called me to join him in the doorway of the preparation room is seared into my memory, because up until now I had only ever seen my rabbi in a suit and tie. He wore a suit in school, when we played kickball, even when he mowed the lawn. And now he was covered only in robe and a towel. It was a shock.

I know what you might be thinking and fearing that the rabbi took off the towel and molested me. But thats not what happened. Instead, he showed me another door to the mikvah room, explained the dunking procedure, and made it very clear that I was not to enter the mikvah until he himself had finished dunking and had left the room. Only come into this room when I am finished, he said. I remember those words. They meant that we were not going into the mikvah together. It was crystal clear. I was not, under any circumstances, to enter the mikvah at the same time as the rabbi.

The rest of my story is memorable not because of what the rabbi did next, but because of what I did next: I started following all the Mikvah Preparation Guidelines written and affixed to the wall. If you have any questions, call the attendant, it said. But the instructions seemed straightforward enough, so I cut and filed my nails, combed my hair, flossed and brushed my teeth . . . how was I supposed to know the instructions were only for women? Around the time that I was on the floor giving myself a breast exam, the rabbi knocked on the door and asked me what was taking so long, and said I should just get in the mikvah and lets go.

As a rabbi and educator, I think often of this incident, which happened nearly 45 years ago, because it taught me something about setting boundaries. And over the last 45 years, it has also taught me about how boundaries can change.

At the time, when sexual abuse by rabbis was more hidden and my parents, and I, and all of us had the luxury of naivete, my rabbi did everything exactly right: he took me to the mikvah, set a line that, at least according to that time, was a healthy one that his student should not see the rabbi in any state of undress and stuck to it. I had been afraid of the mikvah building, but at no time was I afraid of the rabbi. And I knew everyone in our community knew and everyone throughout his illustrious rabbinic career knew, that this rabbi understood and respected boundaries. No one could ever suspect him of inappropriately touching a child, because his standard was uncompromising, and the boundaries he set were clear, and have remained clear to all.

Today that standard is impossibly low, so low it seems quaint at best and dangerous at worst. But just as my rabbi knew how, according to 70s culture, to draw lines, we too must draw lines though now the lines have shifted. For the sake of both our students and ourselves, it is crucial for rabbis, teachers, youth group leaders, and anyone for that matter, not just to not-abuse, but to never put themselves into situations wherein anyone could think or suspect that they could have been inappropriate.

In 1993 I was appointed Regional Director of New England Region of NCSY. My wife (who is a therapist) and I immediately implemented a mandatory training program for all staff. Our college-age volunteer counselors learned lots of fun things: educational techniques, halachic Q & A, issues around group dynamics.

Staying above the fray. Rally for Israel, Washington D.C. April 2002

We also talked about boundaries how to create them, and how to maintain them, to create a safe environment. Never be alone with any child, not even a child of the same gender. If you must meet with a child individually, leave a door open. Dont talk with kids about your own emotional baggage. And more, much more, rules that now seem obvious but in 1993 were novel, or even considered absurd. We told them that if they ever crossed the protective boundaries defined by Halacha (Jewish Law) or by our written guidelines they could not remain on our staff.

I wasnt talking only about the safety of the children. I was also talking about the safety of the counselors themselves. Of course, our highest priority were the teens in our charge. My second-highest priority was making sure our staff never put themselves into a situation that could be misinterpreted. I urge you, my rabbinical colleagues and friends, to do the same.

We have all heard of rabbis wave away warnings about their dangerous behavior because of course I would never abuse anyone. Its true, they would not. It is also true that we live in an age when perception becomes reality. We live in an age when clergy are often accused of molesting children. We live in an age when, unfortunately, many rabbis who abuse remain un-accused. And, equally unfortunately, many rabbis who have not abused are nevertheless accused.

To be a good rabbi or mentor, its not enough to inspire children and take care of them. We also need to take care of ourselves. Part of being a mature, responsible person is showing good judgment by creating boundaries, and sticking to them consistently. Part of being a brave leader is accepting that we live in a time when people are afraid of what their clergy might do and never, ever giving anyone a reason to even suspect that we might be among the bad apples. Ultimately, if a rabbi isnt able to protect himself, why would anyone believe he can protect others?

The boundaries have moved over the last 50 years, and the times have changed as well. Accept that. Embrace it. Behave consistently on the right side of the new boundaries.

And, I might also add, try to drive within the speed limit.

With best wishes for success in all your holy work,

Ari M. SolomontAshkelon, Israel

Rabbi Ari Solomont is the Director of International Admissions for Yeshiva University in New York. Prior to making aliyah eighteen years ago, Ari was a licensed nursing home administrator and the executive director of New England NCSY. (National Conference of Synagogue Youth) Well known as an expert in the field of informal education, Rabbi Ari has been a sought-after consultant for several national and international educational initiatives. Rabbi Ari's warmth, humor, love of people, and compassion have inspired generations of Jewish youth. Rabbi Solomont is an off road cycling enthusiast who can often be found riding through the Hills of the Holy Land and along trails across the globe. He and his wife Sarah Beth live in Ashkelon, have 4 children and 6 grandchildren. Their youngest daughter is currently serving in the Israeli Air Force. [The views and opinions expressed by Rabbi Solomont on this blog are his own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organization or institution to which he is affiliated]

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When my rabbi took me to the mikvah - The Times of Israel

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New York Jewish Week via JTA After 18 months of barely performing any weddings at all, Rabbi Howard Buechler of the Dix Hills Jewish Center on Long Island found himself with not just one but two requests to officiate on a recent Saturday night.

So he enlisted his daughter, Rabbi Yael Buechler, to officiate at one of them. The bride, Pamela Rosen, and her parents knew her because she has led an alternative service at the synagogue during the High Holidays.

Meanwhile, one of the senior Rabbi Buechlers sons, Rabbi Eli Buechler, assistant rabbi at The Jewish Center, an Orthodox synagogue in Manhattan, was officiating at still another wedding that weekend in the city.

This is the first time we ever had a Buechler trifecta, Howard Buechler said.

The unusual feat was driven by an explosion of weddings this fall as couples scheduled the big nuptials that were unsafe during the height of the pandemic. Along with growing guest lists, the trend has put pressure on rabbis, caterers and vendors across the New York City area who are working their way through a backlog of weddings.

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No one suggests that the pandemic is over, and the uncertainty of case surges, new variants and gaps between who is and isnt vaccinated brings with it its own anxiety. (At all three November 13 weddings, Buechler said, he believed guests were required to be fully vaccinated.)

Still, families have been scrambling to reschedule postponed weddings and dealing with rising prices, limited venues and ever-changing medical recommendations as they do so.

The number of weddings this year is off the charts, said Bill Vidro, the owner of Azure Limousine in St. James, New York, in Long Islands Suffolk County. People are getting married this year who rescheduled their wedding from last year. There are weddings now from 10 am until 3 or 4 pm because the venue was already booked for the night. We are picking up brides and grooms as early as 6:30 in the morning. They go for pictures and then for an afternoon wedding. Its insane. And people are getting married during the week because weekends are booked.

The wedding blitz is a microcosm of a global economy still mired in a pandemic, from shifting medical protocols and rising prices to staffing shortages and supply chain disruptions.

Ariel Bick, 28, said that when she and her husband Steven Victor married on November 6 at The Beekman hotel in Manhattan, they followed city regulations requiring all her guests to be fully vaccinated. Guests were asked to email their vaccination records to her before the wedding; those who didnt had to show them at the door.

When Ariel Bick and Steven Victor married, on November 6, 2021, at The Beekman hotel in Manhattan, they followed city regulations requiring all guests to be fully vaccinated with at least two shots. (Ariel Bick/ via JTA)

Some 350 guests were invited; 220 attended. About 10 to 15 didnt come because they were not vaccinated, she said.

One challenge: the rising price of flowers. Flower growers were very conservative when they planted this year because of the losses they sustained last year when many events were canceled, explained Jay Riether, an owner of Fleurs du Mois in Manhattan.

That has created a shortage, he said. The New York wedding scene is now like what it was pre-pandemic, but flowers are scarce and costs are inflated and the more esoteric flowers are impossible to get. As a result, prices have gone up 20 to 50 percent.

That was Bicks experience. We booked the flowers a year before the wedding and as we got closer to the date, they told me that the price was going up and that they had to pass along the increase, she said. We paid about 20% more because of what they said was an increase in the cost of labor and materials.

Employers across many industries say they are having a hard time finding willing workers, a dynamic that is fueled by a number of pandemic-related factors. The hospitality industry, which includes caterers, has been hit particularly hard, and Gayle Wilk, an owner of Gala Event & Food Artistry in Melville, Long Island, said costs are going up also for wait and kitchen staff.

It is very difficult getting help and we are paying them a lot of money, Wilk said. We pay a premium for dishwashers everybody is getting paid more.

Wilk said her staff wears masks and that there are special precautions in place because of COVID-19. Frankfurters in dough blankets are usually served with a communal bowl of mustard; instead, Wilk serves the finger foods with a plastic syringe filled with mustard that guests can squeeze themselves. (COVID-19 spreads in the air, not on surfaces.)

Rabbi Yael Buechler (center) officiated at the wedding of Pamela Rosen and Jared Daniels, on November 13, 2021, a weekend in which her father and brother, both rabbis, also officiated at Jewish weddings. (Pamela Rosen and Jared Daniels/via JTA)

Guests dont take anything by themselves, everything is served to them, Wilk said.

Heather MacLeish, manager of Deborah Miller Catering & Events in Manhattan, said next year promises to be even busier because we will be seeing three years worth of weddings in one year. There will be brunch weddings, two weddings in one day and more Sunday weddings and weekday weddings. Thursday is going to be a big day. And we are already booking 2023 weddings because a lot of dates next year are filled up and we are seeing people who are already married and want to have a party.

People are anxious to put the pandemic behind them and turn to some semblance of normalcy, said Wilk.

People are trying to forget about COVID and they are inviting big numbers again, she said, adding that some invited guests decline because they dont want to travel or are not back mentally.

As a result, she said, parties for 300 end up with 250 because 50 are afraid to come.

But 250 is a bigger crowd than the handful who attended weddings held during the worst of the pandemic. Marlene Kern Fischer of Armonk, New York, said her son and his fiancee had planned a wedding for 220 to be held at a hotel in July 2020. The pandemic forced them to cancel the hotel and the party and Fischer said the couple, Eric Fischer and Danielle Clemons, held their wedding July 2, 2020, in her backyard with just 14 people.

Eric Fischer and Danielle Clemons held their wedding on July 2, 2020 in her familys backyard in Armonk, New York with just 14 people. (Eric Fischer and Danielle Clemons/via JTA)

It ended up being so beautiful, so intimate and special that now my middle son says he wants a small wedding, she said. I feel like the pandemic has given people license to do things differently now. Weddings dont have to be in a hall and the couple may not want to share the intimate thoughts they were able to express in their vows before 220 people.

Fischer noted that the brides parents drove to her home from Maryland and, because they did not want to stay in a hotel, rented an RV that they parked in her driveway.

The newlyweds had thought of having a large party after the pandemic, but Fischer said the bride decided against it because she did not want to insult her beautiful little wedding by having something else.

The event proved so special, Fischer said, that she wrote a book about it, Gained a Daughter but Nearly Lost My Mind: How I Planned a Backyard Wedding During the Pandemic.

For all the hassle, however, the months of waiting to get married have made the wedding day all the more special, according to Rabbi Jack Dermer of Temple Beth Torah in Westbury, New York.

There is real gratitude to be able to be together, he said. I officiated at weddings for couples who postponed their marriages for close to two years. Their marriage now is so much sweeter and holy.

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US Jewish weddings are back along with rising prices, staff shortages, uncertainty - The Times of Israel

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