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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 73, No. 41; Oct. 13, 2007
Community:
1. Happy Anniversary Holy Cross!
By Tom Vartabedian
2. Parsekian Bikes Cross Country to Assist Youth
By Tom Vartabedian
3. Baxter Does Armenian Food Like Bourdain Does Beirut
By Andy Turpin
4. ‘East Coast Should Play Larger Role in Telethon’
An Interview with Armenia Fund USA Chairman Festekjian and Board Member
Hajjar
***
1. Happy Anniversary Holy Cross!
By Tom Vartabedian
I happen to be a product of the Armenian Mekhitarist Fathers, proud to
admit.
Much of my childhood was spent as an acolyte and deacon of a tiny church
smack dab in Harvard Square called Holy Cross.
It is here that Father Luke Arakelian pastored for more than three decades-a
place I could honestly call my home away from home.
Father Luke, as he was affectionately called, was like a second dad to me.
He educated me, nurtured me and when it came time, sent me to the
Motherhouse in Vienna where I spent a year studying with the Vartabeds. He
wore his name well and so have I. One of my ancestors happened to be a
priest.
Today, that church is gone. In its place is a business complex. A new
building was constructed 10 years ago in Belmont that has the appearance of
an Armenian cathedral-resembling Soorp Hripsime I’m told-with the
architectural skills of Yervant Nahigian.
Had Father Luke been around, he would have been exalted to see the progress
after laying out the groundwork of building a community.
Father Raphael Andonian has served as a most dutiful replacement and saw the
project through fruition with a congregation that was energized. Even more
amazing is the fact this devoted parish burned that mortgage quickly as
members took a united stand with a moral and financial commitment.
"The edifice was built from the ground up, as if in the magic of a dream and
in an unexpected manner," said Father Andonian. "Placing our trust in God
and envisioning a better future, we all joined hands to bring this
magnificent church to completion."
It was the Catholic community’s "field of dreams." Build a church and they’ll
come. That’s what happened at 200 Lexington St. And they’ve been coming ever
since, new families, new spirit, new ideas.
Father Luke labored until his death in 1990. So frugal was his lifestyle, he
would often sleep without heat in the basement of his church to save money.
He would make the solitary rounds all over New England tending to his flock
like the good shepherd he was.
The man would have been better suited for the business world with a penchant
for raising money and getting projects done. His camp in East Falmouth was a
haven for young and old alike.
Father Raphael came along in 1993 after two other Mekhitarists served as
pastors, and has been there ever since, building his parish to one of
respectability and, in some ways, envy. After all, what Armenian Christian
wouldn’t want a church like this?
Had you been there Sept. 16, you would have seen an enthusiastic parish
celebrating a very pious moment. Bishop Manuel Batakian, eparch of Armenian
Catholics in North America, celebrated the Pontifical High Mass.
Doves were released and a new statue of Abbot Mekhitar, founder of the
Mekhitarist Order, was unveiled.
The church remains a tribute to people like my own mom Jennie, who was her
own benefactor during the Father Luke years, and centenarian Carmen
Habosian, who lived to see such a parish prosper.
Carmen remained a woman steeped in sacrifice, surviving one battle after
another since her birth in Erzerum. She lost a son to cardiac arrest and
single-handedly nursed an ailing husband until his death before giving way
herself to macular degeneration.
This church remains Carmen’s khatchkar.
An anniversary book unveils a multitude of color photographs showing
children making First Communion, adults in their conventional poses, and a
church undergoing various phases of development. Each page is a testament to
prosperity.
For leader Marcel Karian, this became a spiritual revival of sorts.
"The experience repeats itself every Sunday," said the restaurant owner. "It’s
my church and I feel secure."
It’s been a long time. Distance has taken me away from Holy Cross in favor
of the Apostolic faith. But the memories of that little sanctuary in Harvard
Square continue to remain indelible.
Had it not been for Father Luke, I surely would not have been so involved
with my heritage. And it is in his memory that I shall begin teaching an
Armenian language course at my local community this fall.
I was not alone in Vienna. Two other teenagers came with me in this
year-long pilot program. Kenny Maloomian became a hero in Vietnam when he
saved others from dying. Aram Kribian went on to become a college professor
and I a journalist.
Yes, Father Luke would have indeed been proud-in more ways than one.
——————————————— ————————————————
2. Parsekian Bikes Cross Country to Assist Youth
By Tom Vartabedian
BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)-When you’ve already climbed Mount Ararat and run more
marathons than you would care to count, what do you do for an encore?
Well, if your name is Harry Parsekian, you hop aboard a bike and pedal cross
country-a 3,200-mile trek from Boston to Los Angeles.
The 71-year-old fitness buff started out May 14 and completed his quest 49
days later, covering 15 states on his journey.
Although the mission was personal, any proceeds he collected along the way
were turned over to the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of South Boston, where he
works and lives.
"The physical aspects of such a ride were extremely comforting to me," he
said. "I got to see the beauty of America such as I’ve never seen before-not
>From a car, train or any other mode of travel. It was quite the experience."
It ranked right up there some years back when he climbed Mount Ararat and
the many Boston marathons he’s completed. Parsekian is a highly regarded
public speaker in the Armenian community who has shared his thoughts on the
ACAA Armenian Cruise among other venues.
"Mount Ararat represents the bosom of my people and I was fortunate to
receive such an opportunity," he said. "A second request had been turned
down by the Turkish government. It was such a thrill to reach the summit
(16,000 ft.). And quite challenging at that, given the thin air at the top."
Now, he’s got a new chapter in his life-the country he got to see, whether
it was the Native Americans he encountered along the way, farmers, Mexicans
or simply ordinary folk. He spent the night in motels, dined in restaurants
and kept in contact with family and friends by cell phone.
Other than one or two rude motorists along the way, there were no
repercussions or mishaps. He wound up averaging 65 miles a day in
near-perfect weather and riding conditions, except for occasional rain and
cross winds. Most spectacular was the scenery in California, Arizona and New
Mexico, where he encountered renowned artist Richard Tashjian.
A reception followed at a Burlington hotel.
"I was amazed at how wide open this country is, under a big sky," Parsekian
said. "My only advice to others who may want to try this ride-or any
challenge for that matter-is just do it, whatever it may be."
Previous to this, he’s biked from Boston to Provincetown twice, a distance
of 100 miles, and has toured Armenia on bicycle. Last year he went to
Armenia and Karabakh with the Armenian Technology Group and recalls with
fervor that winter of 1996 when he distributed food in Armenia.
"I’m not a cyclist per se," he admits, "just someone who likes physical
challenges and adventures. My idea of a good vacation is to meet people of
various cultures.
No glutton for punishment, Parsekian isn’t one to sit still very long. At an
age when most are retired, he still dabbles in real estate, visits Turkey at
the drop of a hat, and welcomes another hike up Ararat if the opportunity
were to arise.
On Sept. 23, he biked 25 miles with the second annual Hub on Wheels, which
drew some 3,000 riders. U.S. Senator John Kerry and Boston Mayor Thomas
Menino were there at the starting line to welcome the riders.
Parsekian spoke with the Senator and thanked him for his continued support
of Armenian issues and urged the mayor to support the Armenian Genocide
Monument.
Menino’s comment?
"It should be okay."
***
Profile of Harry Parsekian
Age: 71
Hometown: Watertown, Mass.
Occupation: Real estate (45 years)
Type of bike used: Trek Pilot 5.2
Education: Watertown High School
College: Evening classes at Northeastern University
Family: Three sons, Mark, Steven and Robert
Years bicycling: 20
Music: Classical, Armenian
Entertainers: John Denver, Harry Minassian
Favorite junk food: Ice cream
TV show: "Bill Moyer’s Journal"
Favorite spot in Greater Boston: Mount Auburn Cemetery, Castle Island (South
Boston)
Outside vacation spot: Provincetown, Mass. (spring and fall), Sedona, Ariz.
Screen stars: Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Kim Novak
Book: The Adventures of Haji Baba of Ispahan. Also, anything by Khalil
Gibran.
Favorite athlete: Marathoner Bill Rodgers
Statesman: Eugene McCarthy
Favorite Armenians: John Hanessian and Kirk Krikorian
Armenian connections: Turkish-Armenian relations, Armenian Assembly
Proudest accomplishment: Biking across Armenia and America; food
distribution in Armenia during the winter of 1996; climbing Mount Ararat;
visitingparents’ villages in Turkey.
Favorite quote: "Life is an adventure. Fear and worry spoil it."
—————————————- —————————-
3. Baxter Does Armenian Food Like Bourdain Does Beirut
By Andy Turpin
WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-OK, perhaps Dr. Harold H. "Buzz" Baxter doesn’t have
the rugged mystique of Anthony Bourdain, but when it comes to Armenian
cookbooks, "The proof is in the pudding," as they say.
In the Armenian kitchen, the dignity is in the dolma and diversity-with lots
of cilantro and paprika-are the spices of life.
Dubbed "The Gutsy Gourmet," Baxter’s latest cookbook Dining at Noah’s Table
(Xlibris.com, 2007) is a recent addition to the cult number of Armenian
cookbooks.
For those just getting their feet wet in Armenian culture or cooking, Noah’s
Table is an upbeat and easygoing jaunt through the culinary mosaic of
Anatolian region fare. All the basics are covered: dolma, baklava, shish,
basterma, lahmahjoon, soojookh, matsoon, moussaka, tabouli, and everything
else found on the Armenian banquet table. The book is peppered with nuggets
of food history to make anyone attempting the recipes feel educated and well
versed to boot.
Cookbooks, like history, can never be overdone in number to be fair, because
no one cooks a recipe or remembers an event the same way. In this spirit,
Dining at Noah’s Table is a welcome addition to the up-and-coming Armenian
chef’s repertoire. And with its easy-to-follow instructions, it would make a
great stocking stuffer for grandma or for those little Armenian chefs with
anxious filo-dough fingers.
—————————————– ————————————————– —
4. ‘East Coast Should Play Larger Role in Telethon’
An Interview with Armenia Fund USA Chairman Festekjian and Board Member
Hajjar
WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-The Armenia Fund USA is preparing for what has
become a tradition-the yearly telethon, which will take place this fall on
Nov. 22.
Hairenik Weekly editor Khajag Mgrditchian recently spoke with Armenia Fund
chairman Raffi Festekjian and board member Jean-Jacques Hajjar about the
Fund’s plans, preparations and expectations from the Eastern U.S.
Festekjian is the co-founder and CEO of PCi Corporation. A member of Armenia
Fund USA Board of Directors, he succeeded Kevork Toroyan as chairman of the
organization in January 2007.
"For years the telethon was organized by the Western U.S. and the Eastern
U.S. contributed less, especially when it came to organizational efforts,"
said Festekjian. "In the last few years the participation of the East Coast
has increased, but it still hasn’t reached the desired level, especially
when it comes to popular participation."
"If we don’t take into consideration the large-scale donors from the Eastern
U.S.," he added, "the sum total of small donations collected from the East
Coast last year is only about $120,000, which is even less than what was
collected in Armenia. This makes us think that more can be done in terms of
popular participation."
Given this reality, the new Board has set increasing participation from the
Eastern U.S. as one of its goals. "It’s important for us to receive large
donations, and we greatly appreciate the donors who provide those donations,
but in our opinion, large-scale participation of the community is more
important, and I’ve become more convinced of this after become chairman,"
said. Festekjian, "Therefore, in our future efforts, one of our main
priorities is to increase this participation."
According to Festekjian and Hajjar, popular participation from the Eastern
U.S. can greatly influence the content of the telethon, so that the
community there sees itself represented. "Until now, the telethon has had a
clear emphasis on Armenia-the guests, singers, presenters and topics have
usually been from or focused on Armenia," Festekjian explained. "But, if we
want to interest people in watching and in contributing, the Armenians from
the East Coast must see themselves and their community represented, must
understand and relate to the hosts and presenters. For example, when the
telethon has guests from Western Region schools and organizations, the
community there become more interested in donating to those projects."
Festekjian and Hajjar confess that the geographic distribution of
communities on the East Coast and the relatively low level of knowledge of
the Armenian language are hurdles. They are also aware that they don’t have
much time to significantly increase the participation of Eastern Region
communities in this year’s telethon, but said they will do their best. "We
need to include portions in the telethon that interest the Eastern Region
communities. For this we need the help of organizations, institutions, and
individuals who want to help Armenia," they said.
Festekjian and Hajjar also expressed their concern that many people seem to
think the Fund has grown constrained to its yearly telethon, and does not
seem to be a year-long presence. In response, the Fund plans to hold more
meetings and educational events to educate the community about its efforts.
In the past, earnings from each of the telethons have generally gone to
support specific projects. Mgrditchian reminded Festekjian that one of the
telethons was supposed to be dedicated to the city of Shushi in Karabakh,
though such plans haven’t materialized. Festekjian said that the Corporate
Board of the Fund decides the goals, although the contributors-and the
regions-can specify where they want their donations to go. "When we first
took charge," said Festekjian, "there were many plans and projects suggested
to us, but Shushi was not one of them, I don’t know why. But if individual
donors want to make sure their donation supports Shushi, we can help them do
that, and we can also try to initiate some interest in the donors about
Shushi," he added.
Festekjian and Hajjar noted that the Fund’s efforts are no longer in the
domain of relief; rather, the Fund has begun to pursue projects that
establish permanent, productive institutions in order to resolve
agricultural, educational, social and economic needs. As an example,
Festekjian said, "On average, in the last 15 years the Fund has built a
school every two months in Armenia."