HOME FOR THE ARMENIAN AGED (NO. 7/7): EXTRA CURRICULAR

Vahe H. Apelian

N.J. Home For The Armenian Aged

SOCIAL EVENTS

The community wide support of the Home throughout its evolution rendered the Home a center of many community activities, especially during its formative years. The fund raising drives were coupled with various social activities. The Home organized receptions, concerts, theatrical presentations, and testimonial dinners. The completion of every phase of construction was followed by a reception.

Many Armenians of national and international acclaim, such as the world famous French Armenian singer Charles Aznavour visited the Home.  The heads of the Armenian religious denominations also visited the Home. Catholicos Karekin II Sarkissian of blessed memory visited the Home during his first pontifical visit to the United States after his election.

The Martyrs Memorial Monument on the Home ground became a focal point for the Genocide commemoration. The students of the Hovnanian Armenian School commemorated the Armenian Genocide day on April 24 at the monument.

The ladies’ guilds of the Armenian churches regularly visited the Home as did the clergy from the different Armenian denominations and offered church services on holidays in the Calfayan Chapel.

 

HYEDOUN

The Hyedoun is the official publication of the Home. It means Armenian Home. However, the English translation was never adopted. The first issue of the Hyedoun appeared on November 1947 with a bold promise of publishing it ever month except the months of July and August. The Hydedoun did not live up to its promise. However the continued publication of Hyedoun reflects the commitment of the successive Board of Trustees to relate to the community the events taking place at the Home. The motto of the Hyedoun was "Honor the elderly so that when you get old you merit the honor" (ՊԱՏՈՒԷ ԾԵՐԸ ՈՐ ԵՐԲ ԾԵՌԱՆԱՍ ԾԵՌԻՆ ՊԱՏԻՒՆ ՍՏԱՆԱՍ)

For a few years Hyedoun issues were almost exclusively in Armenian, the language commonly spoken by the community at large congregated around the Home.  Over time Hyedoun started appearing both in Armenian and in English and at times only in English. The Hyedoun is the only avenue for the community across the nation to keep abreast of the Home.

THE FATHERS’ DAY PICNICS

The first picnic of the Home took place on the last Sunday of June 1944. The idea of the Home organizing a picnic is credited to Karnig H. Solakian. The Fathers’ Day picnics were held yearly until mid1990’s and was a popular event with hundreds attending it  not only from NJ but other states as well. The early annual picnics were one of the major sources of income for the Home and volunteers undertook elaborate preparations for a successful picnic. The picnics were usually chaired by an active supporter/s of the Home. In time the picnics ceased to be an avenue for income and were held to maintain the bond between the Home and community that made it possible.

ST. NERSES SHNORHALI BUST

The Board of Trustees held the first picnic on the last day of June 1944. The new elected Catholicos, His Holiness Karekin Hovsepiants, attended the picnic. He was so impressed by the purpose of the Home that he requested it to be dedicated to the memory of Catholicos Nerses the Great, Armenia’s greatest humanitarian and the pioneer of public social services.

Catholicos Karekin I Hovsepian was the prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in North America since 1936 and had encouraged the very first efforts to start the Home. He was elected as the Catholicos of the Catholicosate of Cilicia on May 16, 1944 but had not been able to leave for Antelias in Lebanon to occupy the vacant seat because of the ongoing world war. He became the first Catholicos to bestow pontifical blessings on the Home.

FRIENDS OF THE ARMENIAN HOME (FAH)

The Home For the Armenian Aged (presently Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center) continues to enjoy the support of the community through Friends of the Armenian Home (FAH) group. Elbiz Baghdikian, who has been its treasurer for the past 18 years, informed that the FAH was formed by Bertha Vanishikian and Linda Aprahamian 21 years ago. The group is very active.  Thus far it has spent upwards of a quarter-million dollars towards upgrading the Home. Last year they broke grounds for a new addition that is expected to cost up to 30 million dollars.