SAVE the ArQ

Brimming with Accomplishment and Promise: By Ani Nalbandian

2011-10-25T22:42:00.002-05:00

Sts. Tarkmanchatz Armenian School of Jerusalem Surges Forward

Jerusalem - It is often the case that the telltale sign of the longevity and prosperity of a
community is the progress of its youth. This is certainly true of the Armenian Quarter of
Jerusalem, where the vigilance on the part of the administration and faculty of Sts. Tarkmanchatz
Armenian School to impart an excellent and meaningful education, steeped in the Armenian
tradition, is yielding noticeable results.
Over the course of its 83 year existence, Sts. Tarkmanchatz has had to keep pace with countless
evolving factors, both externally and internally. Examples of such changes include the expansion
of the school to encompass all grades, K-12, the multi-linguality of the curriculum, which spans
Armenian, Arabic, English and Hebrew, and the rising standards for admission into local
universities. Add to these factors the more universal phenomena of globalization, the demands
for technology in the classroom, or the advancing international standard of education post high
school, and the amount of change to keep abreast of is in one word, overwhelming.
The central tenet of Sts. Tarkmanchatz is to deliver an exemplary education while seeing to the
well-being of its steadily-increasing student population, now totaling 117. Indeed, not only
should the faculty and administration be commended for reversing the trend of a declining
student body, but for fostering a nurturing environment where learning is enjoyable, and
comradery among students is encouraged through various aferschool activities, such as the
popular Theater Club or overnight camping fields trips. Moreover, with the constant fund-raising
efforts on the part of the school administration, the entire school edifice has received an
extensive facelift in recent years, including newly refurbished classrooms, a science lab, library,
computer lab, teacher’s lounge and more, all at no expense to the Armenian Patriarchate of
Jerusalem, but coming from outside benefactors and resources.
Efforts and plans to continue on this track are only gaining speed. In the coming year, the
administration will look to develop an interactive school website, replete with academic and
other information for students, parents, faculty, and alum. Established programs and academic
competitions such as Geography Challenge or the school Talent Show will likely inspire others
of the sort. Already, the 2011-2012 academic year was marked by a memorable, festive occasion
on September 5th, when more than 30 clowns from Spain performed for the community in a
spectacular Festiclown display, entertaining young and old alike.
But perhaps the most signficiant strides taken under the principalship of Fr. Norayr Kazazian,
who assumed this post in 2007, are the curricular advances to keep pace with the ever-rising
standards of education. As a result of willingly and openly subjecting the school to evaluation
from within and without, the administration has made an extensive list of areas of necessary
improvement. During the past several years, the school faculty has gone from having only a
handful of teachers with university degrees, to now boasting of approximately 75%, including 12
with BA’s, 5 with MA’s and 3 with PhD’s. Moreover, the administration has been in close
collaboration with the British Council to obtain and incorporate new textbooks across various
subjects in accordance with the General Certificate of Education (G.C.E.) curriculum, which Sts.
Tarkmanchatz adheres to. In addition, the need to strengthen the English language curriculum in
order to better prepare students for the subject-specific G.C.E. exams administered in English has
been realized through the hiring of native-speaking English teachers, and extra daily exposure to
the English language.
Of course, alongside the emphasis on the English language, the school administration has been
particularly concerned with fortifying the emphasis on the Armenian language and culture as Sts.
Tarkmanchatz has been and seeks to be, an Armenian institution, first and foremost. With regards
to this matter, the administration has always been frank in wishing to leave no stone unturned to
instill in its students the Armenian identity. However, the challenges that the administration face
here are universal throughout the Diaspora - the lack of qualified Armenian language teachers,
the influence and lure of American pop culture, the enveloping swell of globalization, and so
forth. The remedy, if there is one, is to continue to vigorously expose the children and youth of
the community to the unique facets of the Armenian heritage and identity. In this regard, at Sts.
Tarkmanchatz Armenian School, where the church feast days and historic events in the Armenian
nation’s history are incorporated into the school calendar and widely-celebrated, and where, due
to intertwined existence of the school with the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Armenian
history is a living history in which the students partake, the task is made a bit easier.
It is true that the road ahead for the Sts. Tarkmanchatz Armenian School community of
Jerusalem is laden with existing challenges, and even new challenges which may emerge. But I
personally believe that one who has been witness to all that I describe herein cannot feel
anything but awe-inspired at the work of this tireless community to preserve and enlighten its
greatest asset, the youth. Yes, indeed, the chalice of this community is lifted high, and it is
brimming with the promise of what lies ahead. Vartskerneet gadar!
Ani Nalbandian,
Washington, D.C.

MICHAEL ARAM HELPS RAISE FUNDS FOR JERUSALEM’S DWINDLING COMMUNITY

2010-11-09T22:54:00.003-06:00

Over 240 guests enthusiastically came to support Michael Aram and Save the ArQ at Tabula Tua in Chicago, IL during an October 21 fundraiser benefiting the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem.

This was the second annual fundraiser for Save the ArQ and the evening was so successful thanks in part to Michael Aram-who personally engraved any of his stunning gift and tableware collections bought that evening; Carrie Nahabedian and Michael Nahabedian of NAHA restaurant-who donated and provided the incredible spread of Mediterranean-inspired appetizers, autumn drinks as well as their staff; and Grace Tsao-Wu-the owner of the upscale boutique, Tabula Tua, who initiated this meaningful event and gave ten percent of all Michael Aram purchases to Save the ArQ.

The highlight of the evening was auctioning Michael Aram's original sculpture and masterpiece Perpetual Perseverance which Michael so graciously donated to Save the ArQ.

The sculpture-Michael's interpretation of the khacthkar-was open to all bidders globally through ebay; nonetheless, a Chicago Armenian had the highest bid.

Michael gave a heartfelt speech explaining how his own personal feelings were so intricately intertwined in the making of this one-of-a-kind piece which was made in remembrance of all the Armenians who sadly perished and survived the Armenian Genocide.

Michael further shed light on the significance-and urgent need-to support Save the ArQ as he says:

"Preserving the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem is a responsibility for all of us who value our historic and cultural legacy. Working on Perpetual Perseverance and donating it for Save the ArQ's fundraising efforts was a wonderful experience for me.

"In studying various old stone khatchkars and seeing wonderful examples of them in Armenia, I was able to interpret the art form in my own style; yet, full of the narrative and symbolism which comes directly from our artistic and cultural and past.

"Without safeguarding the Armenian Quarter's great legacy, future generations of Armenians will not be able to reference and understand our great and ancient culture."

Jerusalem's Armenian Quarter is unquestionably the most significant area in the Armenian Diaspora. Armenians are the only people to have a Quarter in the Old City with the three great monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

These Four Quarters, which make up the Old City of Jerusalem, is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and consists of a one-third square mile walled area with the Armenian Quarter encompassing one-sixth of this area.

Historically, Armenians have lived in Jerusalem unscathed, their antiquities have remained intact and the very reason why survivors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide traveled to this area seeking refuge. Once a thriving Armenian community with over 30,000 people; today, this area has vastly dwindled to fewer than 500 Armenians and cannot survive without the help of Diasporan Armenians.

As Chef Carrie Nahabedian of NAHA restaurant stated "I hope this is the start of many more fund raising events on raising the awareness of the Save the ArQ project to Armenians worldwide."

Save the ArQ is passionate about helping to sustain this community and promote the Armenian life which has existed in the Old City of Jerusalem for the last two millennia.

Truly An Amazing Event!

2010-10-22T22:49:00.003-05:00

Last night's event to welcome Michael Aram at Tabula Tua in support of Save the ArQ was incredible! On behalf of Save the ArQ, THANK YOU to Michael Aram; Chef Carrie Nahabedian and Michael Nahabedian of NAHA restaurant; the NAHA team; Grace Tsao-Wu, Owner of Tabula Tua; the Tabula Team; Jodi Barke and all the amazing people who came to support the event. It was a delightful evening by all!
And Michael's AMAZING MASTERPIECE, PERPETUAL PERSEVERANCE, sold!
Here are PHOTOS of the evening for those of you who could not join us.

Michael Aram Original Masterpiece! PERPETUAL PERSEVERANCE

2010-09-08T21:31:00.005-05:00

This meaningful one-of-a-kind Michael Aram sculpture is his interpretation of the khatchkar—the traditional Armenian cross—crafted out of metal. The khatchkar is represented by an apricot tree with an open outer frame. The frame represents the historical attempt to diminish the Armenian people, but there is one tree limb that extends beyond the frame symbolizing their perseverance. This extended limb’s branches are the only ones with leaves to signify those who survived the Armenian Genocide as well as a symbol of life. A dove sits atop the highest branch representing hope and the Holy Ghost. At the base of the tree lay fallen leaves—representing all the Armenians who sadly lost their lives during the genocide. The leaves of the apricot tree are heart-shaped honoring all these Armenian souls. The sculpture is entirely dark bronze except the leaves attached to the highest branches which are a golden bronze while the dove is cast out of silverplated bronze. The dimensions are 33” x 22 1/4” x 12”.

It is a piece being made in honor and in remembrance of all those who perished and survived the Armenian Genocide.

This original creation titled, Perpetual Perseverance, will be auctioned on ebay starting OCTOBER 12th. The auction will finish the evening of the reception for Michael Aram in Chicago: Thursday, OCTOBER 21st at 8:30 p.m. (CDT) with access to ebay for those attending the reception. Michael has so kindly donated this piece to Save the ArQ with all proceeds benefiting the nonprofit. In addition, Michael will be signing all pieces purchased this evening and Tabula Tua will be donating 10% of all proceeds to Save the ArQ.

More Photos of Michael Aram's Original Masterpiece: Perpetual Perseverance

2010-09-08T21:26:00.002-05:00

Michael Aram: The Artist...The Armenian

2010-08-11T11:52:00.014-05:00

Internationally acclaimed sculptor and artist, Michael Aram, continuously broadens his creative talents all the while remaining deep-seated in his Armenian roots.

When most of us hear “Michael Aram” images of his metalware designs come to mind; albeit, our favorite piece or something new from his continuously evolving collections thoughtfully displayed in magazines and stores worldwide. Even as these collections keep growing, Michael has ventured outside the confines of metal and has collaborated with Waterford designing both china and stemware and more recently, Hartmann, creating beautiful, lightweight and practical luggage.

While all this creativity flows through Michael’s gifted mind and hands, in his heart is an astonishing Armenian advocate.

American-born and raised, Michael also grew up in a traditional Armenian household where the language was spoken and his family attended the Armenian Church frequently. Furthermore, Michael’s Armenian attributes have influenced his creativity as he grew up crawling on oriental carpets appreciating the intricate patterns, colors and richness as well as the detailed gold applications used inside the churches.

Most importantly, like all Armenians, Michael’s background was heavily influenced by the preparations and traditions involving food all the while surrounded by family and friends. It is this ritual of food that brings Armenians together—to laugh, to lament, to evolve, tell stories or merely “just be”…together.

Armenians are a tribal people who move forward in this modern-world bound to the richness of tradition and history. Michael is no exception. His grandparents were genocide survivors and later in life they shared their heartbreaking first-hand accounts to Michael. His grandfather, whose family members were farmers from Tadem (a village in the Kharpert region of Eastern Turkey), enlightened Michael with stories about village life, the foods and various cooking methods. This distinctive identity transpires in Michael’s collections; two of which are the fig and pomegranate.

I love the images of the fig and the pomegranate as they are central fruits in our culture. The fig is a symbol of knowledge and plentitude while the pomegranate is a symbol of life, abundance, fertility and marriage. Pomegranate groves can still be found growing around ancient Armenian settlements. The first time I used the pomegranate image was, in fact, when I created the alter railing in the Westchester, NY church.

In April, 2009, Michael Aram contributed and helped the nonprofit, Save the ArQ, go public stating, “[t]he Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem has been an important cultural and religious living monument for the past 1700 years and requires international awareness as well as support in order to be preserved and maintained”.

Save the ArQ aims to create awareness of the significant religious, cultural, and historical presence of Armenians in Jerusalem and to encourage the revitalization of the Armenian Quarter in the Old City. The Armenian community of Jerusalem continues to vastly dwindle and the current number of residents is 500 Armenians.

On October 21st, Michael Aram is returning to Chicago for a private reception held at Tabula Tua again benefitting Save the ArQ. He will personally engrave all items purchased and a percentage of the evening’s proceeds will go towards the nonprofit. Co-hosts for the event are: Mary Hoogasian, co-founder of Save the ArQ; Carrie Nahabedian and Michael Nahabedian, of NAHA restaurant; and Grace Tsao-Wu, owner of Tabula Tua.

Grace Tsao-Wu of Tabula Tua has carried Michael Aram pieces since her store opened in 1994. As this is Michael’s first appearance at Tabula Tua, Grace felt it should be a meaningful event that would benefit Chicagoans. It became an ideal situation to create a momentous occasion for both Chicago Armenians and non-Armenians alike.

Culinary creative force, Carrie Nahabedian—a past winner of the nationally distinguished James Beard award—is joining fellow friend and artist, Michael Aram, to ensure the evening is a spectacular event. Carrie and cousin, Michael Nahabedian, both owners of NAHA restaurant in Chicago are providing Mediterranean inspired food and drink for the reception.

In addition to the reception, Michael is producing a one-of-a-kind sculpture specifically for the Armenians. This meaningful piece is Michael Aram’s interpretation of the khatchkar—the traditional Armenian cross—crafted out of metal. The two-foot khatchkar is represented by an apricot tree with an open outer frame. The frame represents the historical attempt to diminish the Armenian people, but there is one tree limb that extends beyond the frame symbolizing their perseverance. This extended limb’s branches are the only ones with leaves to signify those who survived the Armenian Genocide as well as a symbol of life. A dove sits atop the highest branch representing hope and the Holy Ghost. At the base of the tree lay fallen leaves—representing all the Armenians who sadly lost their lives during the genocide. The leaves of the apricot tree are heart-shaped honoring all these Armenian souls. The piece is entirely dark bronze except the leaves attached to the highest branches which are a golden bronze while the dove is cast out of silverplated bronze.

It is a piece being made in honor and in remembrance of all those who perished and survived the Armenian Genocide.

This original masterpiece titled, Perpetual Perseverance, will be auctioned on ebay starting October 12th. The auction will finish the night of the event: Thursday, October 21st at 8:30 p.m. (CDT) with access to ebay for those attending the reception. Michael has so kindly donated this piece to Save the ArQ with all proceeds benefiting the nonprofit. In addition, Michael will be signing all pieces purchased this evening and Tabula Tua will be donating 10% of all proceeds to Save the ArQ.

The event at Tabula Tua:
1015 W. Armitage, Chicago (Lincoln Park neighborhood)
Thursday, October 21st, 2010 from 6-9 p.m.

RSVP (required) to 773.525.0816 or rsvp@tabulatua.com

Michael Aram and Save the ArQ Plan Fall Fund Raiser in Chicago

2010-04-08T13:25:00.003-05:00

Michael Aram has so graciously joined Save the ArQ again to help raise money for the nonprofit.
The event will take place in Chicago Thursday, October 21st at Tabula Tua.
Further details to follow.

Reform in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem

2009-06-09T11:23:00.001-05:00

Yev Yeghev Luys (“And there was light”)

Reform in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem

By Bedross Der Matossian

The Armenian Reporter

ISSUE: Jun 30, 2007

In 2005, I was invited to the Armenian Bar Association of America’s 16th annual national meeting in San Diego, to take part in a panel on the future of Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter. The other panelist was Karnig Kerkonian J.D., an expert on international law from Chicago. I dealt with the current challenges facing the community from an historical perspective; Karnig addressed the legal dimension of the Quarter’s future. The panel was followed by a question period during which the ABA members unanimously suggested the creation of a legal body that would deal with the Quarter’s legal problems. After the panel I was approached by some lawyers and judges, most of whom felt deep concern over the condition of the Armenian Quarter, though a significant number expressed pessimism that Armenians have no voice in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, let alone in the issues pertaining to the future of Jerusalem. Two years have passed since that gathering, and the challenges for Jerusalem’s Armenian community have only increased, due to socio-economic and political factors in the region. I still hold firm the belief that the main remedy to the decline of the Armenians in Jerusalem would be the establishment of an advisory council that would address the relevant problems. This article will argue along these lines by providing an historical analysis on the intra-communal relationships and challenges facing the Armenian community. To conclude I will suggest some necessary steps to dealing with the decline in one of the Armenian diaspora’s most important communities.

* * *

One can hardly understand the current condition of the Jerusalem Armenians without understanding the historical transformations that Armenians in general experienced under the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, and later under the British Mandate, Jordanian rule, and the current administration by Israel. Under the Ottoman Empire, political changes coupled with the Tanzimat reforms led to the emergence of an Armenian constitutional movement, which aimed at conducting Armenian community affairs on the basis of written regulations – i.e., a constitution. A long struggle ensued between “constitutionalists” and “conservatives,” but an Armenian National Constitution was ratified in 1863, and the Armenian National Assembly that formed had equal rights with Istanbul’s Armenian Patriarch. In addition to ratifying the election of the Patriarch in Istanbul, the ANS also ratified the election of the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. Thus, in the second half of the 19th century, the Armenian National Assembly sitting in Constantinople assumed the right to elect the Patriarch of Jerusalem and to supervise and control the Patriarchate’s finances, the negotiation of loans, and the sale and purchase of properties. Up until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Armenian National Assembly had the right to interfere in the affairs of the Armenian community of Jerusalem. The situation changed after the empire’s collapse, however, as Jerusalem’s St. James Brotherhood emerged as an autonomous entity. The following points should be taken into consideration to understand the historical background of the community’s present condition.

(a) Implementation of the constitution: The Armenian National Constitution promulgated in 1863 did not have as direct an impact on the Armenian community of Jerusalem as it did on the Armenians living in the other cities of the Ottoman Empire. However, up to the collapse of the empire, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem did remain subordinate to Istanbul’s Patriarchate and Armenian National Assembly. During this period, no internal reform of Jerusalem’s Armenian community took place – most likely because a large independent community did not exist there at the time. Most of the local population was affiliated with the Armenian Patriarchate in some way, and the compounds inside the Armenian cathedral were rarely inhabited by the local population; they served only as accommodations for the pilgrims, whose status was that of temporary visitors.

(b) Collapse of the empire: The collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the Armenian Genocide during the First World War led to a mass migration of Armenians from Cilicia to Jerusalem – leading ultimately to a major change in the on-the-ground reality in Jerusalem, with thousands pouring into the Armenian Quarter seeking shelter. Previously, the Armenian Patriarchate had dealt only with temporary pilgrims; now it had to deal with “pilgrims” permanently residing in the Armenian Quarter. The collapse of the empire also led to the detachment of the Jerusalem Patriarchate from the authority of the Istanbul Patriarchate and the Armenian National Assembly. The election of Patriarch Yeghishe Turian (1921-1929) was done according to the Armenian National Constitution, but the election was ratified by the British Queen. During Patriarch Torkom Koushagian’s reign (1929-1939), the constitution of the St. James Brotherhood was modified to vest authority for the election of the Patriarch exclusively in the brotherhood’s General Assembly – negating any “popular” element to the decision, and so denying any kind of “national” character to the election.

(c) Relations between the Patriarchate and State: During the Mandatory Period, the Patriarchate kept its relationship with the British authorities on good terms. The British largely maintained the Ottoman millet system, which meant that local administrative matters concerning the Armenian refugees and the local population were still referred to the Patriarchate. However, following the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 and the subsequent withdrawal of the British, the situation changed. Jerusalem became a hotly contested locale between the Jordanians and the Israelis -- a competition frequently reflected within the Armenian community on the issue of the patriarchal elections. The Cold War had its own impact on the inter-communal relationships, as Jerusalem became a contested place between the holy sees of Etchmiadzin and Cilicia. In the 1970s and 80s, the Patriarchate pursued a subtle and sophisticated policy with the Israeli government. But in 1987 the first Intifada broke out, leaving an immense impact on the Armenian shopkeepers in Jerusalem, and leading to the departure of dozens of Armenian families. The Patriarchate’s policies towards the state of Israel and the Palestinian Authority cooled into a generally apolitical sentiment following the 1990 death of Patriarch Derderian and the arrival that same year of Patriarch Torkom Manoogian. Nevertheless, in spite of this evident desire to stay out of the political fray, as the leader of one of the three Christian patriarchates of Jerusalem, Patriarch Manoogian is regularly led, along with the Greek and Latin patriarchs, to take public stances on the prevailing issues, and has co-signed a number of “common declarations” with the other Christian communities on the status of Jerusalem and on the political situation in general. It should not be forgotten that the position of Patriarch Manoogian is quite different from that of his predecessor. Patriarch Derderian was a political man first and foremost, and during his reign the situation was significantly less hostile, both with the Jordanians (until 1967) and within the municipality controlled by Israel’s Labor party. Beginning in 1980, however, the situation of East Jerusalem moved from bad to worse, as the rightist Likud party began running the municipality. The larger truth today is that it is not easy for any church to intercede effectively with the government regarding the problems faced by its lay population, because the churches themselves have their own problems with the current Israeli policies.

(d) Relations between the Patriarchate and laity: As mentioned above, in the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide, Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter filled with “permanent pilgrims,” and the Patriarchate, long used to housing and dealing with “temporary” pilgrims only, now had a larger problem on its hands. Eventually the Armenian lay population organized its own clubs and organizations, and a period of revival began during the period under the British Mandate. However, the lay community never developed a unified body through which to represent grievances and issues pertaining to the community to the religious authorities. Exacerbating this deficiency were the ideological currents extant elsewhere in the Armenian diaspora – and as elsewhere magnified by the Cold War -- which also had an impact on Jerusalem’s Armenian community. During the internal rivalries over the election of the patriarch, for example, these ideological loyalties were manipulated by the clergy and by the political parties themselves to support one or the other rival faction. As a consequence, a deep schism developed in the community, precluding the hope for a unified lay body. In the absence of a unified approach, the ideological parties through their clubs acted as mediators between the “community” -- most of the time representing the interests and the grievances of their own club members -- and the Patriarchate. However, these channels proved to be unproductive on issues involving with the genuine collective interest of the community. And when the political and the socio-economic situation began to deteriorate, especially within the last three decades, these channels proved to be utterly incompetent in representing the grievances of their members. It is reasonable to say that the very lack of such a unified lay body to provide a unified channel for the collective interest of the Armenians was itself an important factor in the process of decline.

(e) The Patriarchate vs. a unified body: The inability of the Armenian community to present grievances through a unified body is a direct result of the ideological rivalries in Jerusalem. It is certainly true that the Armenian Patriarchate in the second half of the 20th century favored, and even unofficially endorsed, one group over the other; and that the parties themselves attempted to advance their political agendas by backing one clerical faction over the other, especially during the Cold War period. In the main, however, it is clear that the Armenian Patriarchate as an institution was reluctant to see the formation of any kind of a unified lay body that would advance the collective interests of the Armenians of Jerusalem.

* Challenges facing Jerusalem’s Armenian community

Today the shrinking Armenian community of Jerusalem faces serious challenges threatening its continued existence. I will discuss some of these challenges below, and provide suggestions as to how to deal with them.

Citizenship status: Most of the Armenians living in Jerusalem are not Israeli citizens. Most of them are Jordanian citizens de jure, and so fall under the legal category of “Eastern Jerusalemites.” This means that in their dealings with the governmental bureaucracy they have to deal directly with the Eastern Jerusalem institutions. The most important institution in this regard is the Israeli Ministry of the Interior branch of East Jerusalem. Issues relating to obtaining traveling documents, marriage, divorce, family reunion, and death (among other things) need to be addressed through this institution. For the Armenians of Jerusalem and most of the Palestinians of East Jerusalem, this has been one of the most stressful obstacles with which they have had to contend. In past years, simply entering the Ministry of the Interior facility was a substantial challenge – a precursor to the difficulty of dealing with the presiding regulations. In response, Palestinian media and some Israeli human rights groups have raised the issue of bureaucratic abuse in East Jerusalem. The ministry recently obtained a new building, and so the situation has improved slightly. However, serious bureaucratic obstacles still stand with regard to marriage and family regulations. For example, Jerusalem Armenians who marry Armenians from elsewhere in the diaspora continue to face significant obstacles in bringing their spouses to Jerusalem, due to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ intolerable regulations on family reunion. This is precisely the type of grievance that a unified Advisory Council would be able to address, through a sub-committee of legal experts. As it stands now, those who face serious problems with the ministry have no sympathetic body at all to take up their causes.

Business opportunity: Business opportunities for Armenians in Jerusalem are limited. A poor economic situation discourages the venture of opening a private business in East Jerusalem. But it is also impossible to open a business in West Jerusalem because of the economic and the political status of the Armenians. This lack of business opportunity in East and West Jerusalem was an important factor in the immigration of the local Armenians to the U.S. and Canada. Meanwhile, though the Armenian Patriarchate owns a couple of important buildings in West Jerusalem, with over 150 shops rented to Israelis, the local Armenian community does not benefit at all from these properties.

Housing: Housing remains one of the biggest problems facing the Armenians of Jerusalem -- arguably one of the prime factors for the community’s decline. Jerusalem’s Old City is overly populated, and it is almost impossible to find an empty space. In the last two decades the price of real state began to rise steeply: for example, a house of two rooms would cost $150,000 (and we are not talking about modern apartments here; usually these houses are characterized as “caves,” where humidity is a frequent visitor). The average monthly income of an Armenian in Jerusalem ranges from $800 to $1,200; the economic condition of Armenians was better in the past when most of them benefited from tourism with their goldsmith and souvenir shops, but now 80 percent of the Armenian shopkeepers have left Jerusalem as a result of the political situation. It is extremely difficult for an Armenian living in East Jerusalem to obtain a house in West Jerusalem, first because he is most likely not an Israeli citizen, and second because of the high prices. Even if he considered buying an apartment, he would need to take out a mortgage from a bank – which is only possible for citizens. If the local Armenians were living in an equitable society where they had equal access to resources, then they would not be dependent on the Patriarchate, and would have less to complain about regarding its policies. But because of the hurdles situated in the path of Israel’s non-citizens, the Armenian Patriarchate has become the only venue which can act on behalf of Jerusalem’s Armenians. With regard to the housing issue, the Patriarchate as an institution -- despite its vast properties and empty compounds -- has failed to tackle this major concern. On the contrary, Armenians who apply for housing to the Patriarchate itself still face huge obstacles. Beyond this, the Patriarchate’s perennially empty compounds and territories are always vulnerable to “loss,” state confiscation, or illicit sale. It is worth noting that the last housing project in the Armenian Quarter was a three-story building built by the Gulbenkian Foundation – some 50 years ago.

Education: The Armenian St. Tarkmantchats Secondary School in Jerusalem follows neither the Israeli nor the Palestinian educational systems. It follows the educational system put in place under the British Mandate. So in order to enter institutions of higher learning, Armenian students need to pass the GSCE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) exam. As a result it has become more difficult for Armenians to enter Palestinian or Israeli universities, and most students now tend to go to Armenia to study at Yerevan State University. A reform in the educational system at St. Tarkmantchats needs to take place in order to elevate the school’s educational and teaching standards, and to bring it into conformity with the prevailing societal norms.

Armenian lands and the “final solution” for Jerusalem: In 2005, Jerusalem’s Greek Patriarchate faced a huge property scandal. In March of that year, Maariv, one of the leading Israeli papers, revealed in a lengthy article a secret deal that had been struck between the Greek Patriarchate and two Jewish investors from Cyprus. According to this deal, the Patriarchate had sold two important buildings with 72 shops in the most strategic area of East Jerusalem, near the Jaffa Gate. It was reported that the deal was signed by the real state director of the Greek Patriarchate, a priest named Niko, who thereupon vanished and escaped to South America. The Armenian Patriarchate has had its own homegrown “Niko’s,” and has been likewise involved in land scandals. One reason for the abuse of position and the mismanagement of real estate holdings is the lack of transparency in the management of the Patriarchate’s real state. In order to have transparency, all the Patriarchate’s properties would have to be recorded and published in a publicly-accessible way. In the meantime, any mishandling of the Patriarchate’s property inevitably redounds to the detriment of the vulnerable Armenian community – making the inspection the Armenian real state holdings one of the primary tasks for the hypothetical unified advisory council. Creating such an entity needs to be done soon, before the pending “final solution” of the Jerusalem issue. In the past, the Armenian Quarter has been the center of attention during peace talks, in particular during the Camp David accords. Now once again, the Armenians of Jerusalem are on the verge of seeing their fate decided by great international powers. It should be our task to challenge any decision regarding the Armenian community of Jerusalem that contradicts the collective interest of the Jerusalem Armenians. Any decision should be made through a referendum -- and for this purpose we would need a competent legal body to play an important role in the proposed advisory council.

* An “Armenian Advisory Council” for Jerusalem?

Those involved in deciding the fate of the Armenians of Jerusalem need to understand that the Armenian community members themselves need to have a voice in the process. Clinging to partisan ideology has failed to serve the collective interest of the Armenian community in the past, and will fail again. In light of that, reform in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem is necessary at this critical moment of history. I am not suggesting that the constitution of the St. James Brotherhood needs to be modified, nor that the Patriarchate needs to be made subordinate to a reborn Armenian National Assembly. Such objectives would be impossible to realize. Instead, I am suggesting the establishment of an Armenian Advisory Council in Jerusalem that would advise the Patriarchate on issues pertaining to the political, economic, and social dimensions of the Armenians of Israel/Palestine in general, and of Jerusalem in particular. This Advisory Council would consist of members from the Armenian community of Jerusalem, the diaspora, and the Armenian government. (Partisan representation would be undesirable so as to avoid a repetition of the Cold War experience.) A committee of legal experts within the Advisory Council would tackle issues pertaining to law and legality in the Armenian Quarter. In 2005, the Armenian Bar Association of America expressed its readiness to take part in such a project. Taking into consideration the deplorable condition of the Armenians of Jerusalem, and the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, creating such an Advisory Council represents the most promising path to a new phase for the remnants of the community, characterized by a more equal distribution of resources, an evaluation of the real living conditions of the community, and a commitment to identifying appropriate solutions. After Armenia itself, Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter is one of the most important Armenian centers in the world, with a rich history of 1,500 years, and a claim to be one of the pre-eminent spiritual and cultural centers in the diaspora. The perpetuation of this treasure is presently in question; its preservation will depend on the survival of both the Armenian Patriarchate and the Armenian community of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem Armenian school turns 80, celebrates

2009-06-09T11:19:00.000-05:00

Jerusalem Armenian school turns 80, celebrates

by Bedross Der Matossian

The Armenian Reporter, May 2, 2009, p.14.

JERUSALEM (April 28)_ – Sts. Tarkmanchatz School was built in 1929 under the patronage of Patriarch Yeghishe Tourian to satisfy the educational needs of the Armenian community of Jerusalem. The school has played a dominant role in the life of the Armenian community
of Jerusalem.

The legacy of Bishop Kapigian

One of the most important figures who brought the school into its current shape was Bishop Guregh Kapigian (1921–2003), who in 1952 was named principal of the school. He devoted most of his time and thought to developing and strengthening the school. After years of hard work, Bishop Kapigian succeeded in expanding the institution to include a secondary school by adding a second floor to the building. This led immediately to a rise in the number of the students. Moreover, the school became a self-sufficient charitable institution, supported by donations, chiefly from abroad. Thousands of Armenians graduated from this Armenian educational institution to become physicians, scientists, lawyers, politicians, engineers, architects, historians, and educators. In the last two decades of Bishop Kapigian’s leadership, the school became renowned in the district of Jerusalem.

The growth of the school’s renown owed much to the efforts of Prof. Roberta Ervine, a prominent armenologist who is currently associate professor of Armenian studies at St. Nersess Seminary. Lifelong educators such as Yeghia Dickranian also played an important role in developing the curriculum of the school. With its five mandatory languages (Armenian, Arabic, English, Hebrew, and French) and 15 subjects, ranging from classical Armenian to physics to Arabic literature, the history of Europe, and essential scientific subjects, the school attracted the attention and admiration of the other schools in the district of Jerusalem.

A celebration

On April 20, the 80th anniversary for the establishment of the Armenian Secondary School of Sts. Tarkmanchatz was celebrated in Jerusalem with the attendance of more than 300 alumni, community members, guests, and pilgrims. The event took place in the courtyard of the Gulbenkian Library within the Armenian Cathedral of St. James. Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, Director of Ecumenical and Foreign Relations of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, presided over the celebration. He was accompanied by more than 14 clergy members of the St. James Brotherhood. Tsolag Momjian, honorary consul of the Republic of Armenia, was also present at the event. The masters of the ceremonies were Harout Baghamian and Angela Dikbikian, both directors of the cultural activities at Sts. Tarkmanchatz School. After singing the Armenian national anthem and the anthem of the school, Vork Zartaretsin, Mr. Baghamian and Mrs. Dikbikian made the opening speech, in which they highlighted the historical background, aims, and objectives of establishing the school. After a rich program of musical performances and poetry recited by the students of Sts. Tarkmanchatz, Nora Nakashian, English teacher, took the podium and discussed her experiences of teaching at the Sts. Tarkmanchatz School.

The Husseini gift

Very Rev. Father Norayr Kazazian, the Dean of Sts. Tarkmanchatz Secondary School, delivered the keynote speech, in which he emphasized the important role that Sts. Tarkmanchatz had played and still plays in the life of the Armenian community of Jerusalem. He spoke about the latest renovations that were undertaken in the school thanks to a generous donation from the Faisal Husseini Foundation. The foundation has been established in memory of Faisal Husseini (1940–2001), who was Palestinian Authority Minister for Jerusalem Affairs. The foundation, which is run by Abdulqader Husseini (Faisal’s son) aims to serve Jerusalem, its residents, and its institutions and ensure their continued survival and prosperity. The foundation has been instrumental in renovating and building a laboratory, computer lab, and other facilities.

In his speech Fr. Kazazian also thanked Mr. Momjian for his kind donations, which will be dedicated to renovating the main hall of the school. He also thanked him for his annual scholarship given to one of the most qualified graduates of the school to pursue an undergraduate degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Fr. Kazazian also thanked the head of Sts. Tarkmanchatz Alumni Association, Nahabed Melkonian, for initiating the idea of the commemoration, although for personal reasons he was not able to attend the ceremony. Fundamental changes Fr. Kazazian emphasized that the school was undergoing fundamental curricular and structural changes and that it was high time that community members sent their children to the school. Fr. Kazazian also thanked his predecessors for their dedication to the school in the past 80 years. He especially emphasized the dominant role that Bishop Kapigian had played. Archbishop Shirvanian made concluding remarks. He thanked all the patriarchs of Jerusalem, especially the current patriarch, Torkom Manoogian, for supporting the school.

At the end of the celebration the attendants moved to the Sts. Tarkmanchatz School, where a khachkar, donated by Shahe Boyadjian, an architect and graduate of Tarkmanchatz now living in Los Angeles, was consecrated. In addition, beautiful tile work was also revealed at the site prepared by the famous Jerusalem artist Vicken Lepejian in memory of his parents.

Speaking about the future prospects of the school, Fr.Kazazian told the Armenian Reporter he was cautiously optimistic regarding the current situation. He argued that despite the renovations, still more work needed to be done in the school. “Currently our biggest challenge is the financial condition of the school. We need to have a good budget in order to transform the school into a better academic institution both from the perspective of bringing modern facilities and appointing a qualified teaching cadre.” Speaking about his vision for the school, Fr. Kazazian emphasized that the school was undergoing fundamental curricular and structural changes: “My vision is that within a couple of years, we will be able to raise the educational level of the school and facilitate our students’ entrance to the local institutions of higher education.”

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Launching Save the ArQ Publicly

2009-05-10T19:42:00.007-05:00

On April 17, 2009, a private cocktail reception for Michael Aram was held at Neiman Marcus in Chicago with co-hosts Oscar Tatosian, Mary Hoogasian, Carrie Nahabedian and Michael Nahabedian. Chicago Armenians and non-Armenians were invited to view his gift and tableware collections as well as have Michael Aram personally inscribe each item purchased. Additionally, a percentage of the evening’s proceeds was so graciously given by Michael Aram to the newly formed nonprofit, Save the ArQ thus allowing the committee to go public with their campaign.

Save the ArQ aims to create awareness of the significant religious, cultural, and historical presence of Armenians in Jerusalem and to encourage the revitalization of the Armenian Quarter in the Old City. Armenians are the only people to have a Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem with the three great monotheistic faiths: Islam, Judaism and Christianity. The Armenian Quarter encompasses 1/6 of the Old City which the Armenians have inhabited since the 4th century.

The Armenian community of Jerusalem has been vastly dwindling. Today, the current number of residents is between 500-1000 Armenians. Michael Aram contributed and helped this cause go public because he says, “the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem has been an important cultural and religious living monument for the past 1700 years and requires international awareness and support in order to be preserved and maintained”.

At the reception, guests were taken by Michael Aram’s modest yet exceptionally kind-hearted nature as well as his incredible ability to connect with each individual. He is the reason the evening was a huge success as guests perused and purchased his innovative works to the live sounds of Mark Gavoor playing oud and John Paklaian the guitar.

Carrie Nahabedian, co-owner and chef of NAHA restaurant was enthralled stating, “Armenians love Armenians! The love of the art…supporting the community and a fellow Armenian who is a creative force in his field made the evening a smashing success!” Oscar Tatosian of Isberian rugs, concurred and added that it was a “wonderful evening; great to see the entire community support the decorative arts of a talented Armenian-American”.

This internationally known, successful artist maintains deeply rooted with his Armenian heritage. Tania Lopez Meyer, a non-Armenian and guest was truly impressed stating, “Being a modest collector of Michael's incredibly versatile and exquisitely artistic pieces, it was a pleasure to meet the artist and celebrate his culture and his works. It was also an honor to have met him under such poignant cause; I find his generosity to equal his talent”. As the evening ended, Gloria Hachikian reflected on the event noting that we were all “so thrilled by the generous spirit of Michael Aram. He not only is a great artist and businessman, he is a great Armenian. His work reflects his heritage and he is proud to bring that to the world”.

Save the ArQ is passionate about helping to sustain the community and promote the Armenian life which has existed in the Old City of Jerusalem for the last 1700 years. For further information or support, please contact Mary Hoogasian at: savethearq@gmail.com.

A Few Facts about the Armenian Quarter and surrounding area

2009-03-17T16:25:00.001-05:00

There is so much about the Armenian Quarter many of us know so little about. Like most of you, I am not from Jerusalem and thought by providing a few facts which strike me as fascinating, might be of interest to you. I recently found this information in a book on Jerusalem architecture published in fall, 2008.

In St. James Cathedral, there is a forest of gold and silver lanterns suspending from the ceiling—one of the most famous images depicting the Armenian Quarter. What I did not know is that most of these (200+) lamps were donated by Armenian villages which no longer exist as they have been hanging in the cathedral prior to the 15th century.

In 1918, David Ohanessian came to Jerusalem from Syria specifically to redo the interior tiles at the Dome of the Rock. Originally from the Kutahaya region of Anatolia, an area well known for their ceramics, Ohanesian was considered one of the best ceramists. Even though 1918 Jerusalem was newly under British Mandate, the Turkish Sultan in Jerusalem would not hear of an Armenian working on the Dome of the Rock. No decision was made until 1924. It was then decided a Turkish company would redo the tiles. Still, Ohanessian stayed in Jerusalem and thus the famous Armenian Ceramics of Jerusalem commenced.

My favorite story has to do with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as the Catholics, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox own different areas within this church. Throughout history, each denomination has been territorial over their areas. In 1852, a status quo was created by the Sultan to try and absolve this tension. The status quo stated that each group would maintain control of their existing areas—nothing more and nothing less. Now, the Armenians own a window on the second floor of the church. They used the outside ledge of the window to grow vegetables, but to get down to the ledge, they had to use a ladder. The ladder was outside the window when the status quo went into effect. To this day, there is a ladder outside this window and whenever it becomes tattered; an exact replica is made to replace it!