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.”
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.”
