Kessabtsis: U.S.A., Canada, and Australia – 63rd KEA Yearbook and Directory

Vahe H. Apelian

 

The 63^rd edition of the Kessab Educational Association (KEA) of Los Angeles’ yearbook and directory was in our mail box today. It might have been delivered yesterday but I had not checked the mail box. It had snowed yesterday and our mail box is at the end of our long driveway. But I was  waiting to receive it, especially that Mike Apelian had told me that he had found this year’s yearbook and directory well prepared and had praised to me Tsolag Apelian for having edited the yearbook and directory. Mike Apelian edited the yearbook for over a quarter of century at at time when word processing was not available and he painstakingly typed the entire yearbook. 

The 63^rd edition boasts a colorful cover depicting aspects of Kessab and Kessabtsis and is 275 pages long. Its table of content is as follows, as listed bilingually in the yearbook:

Chairperson’s Message – Ատենապետին Խօսքը

The board members are: Soghomon Poladian, Garin Demirjian, Vartan Poladian, Esther Chelebian Tognozzi (Chairperson), Hratch Marjanian, Suzan Ayanian, Sevag Terterian, Nichan Hovsepian. Chairperson Esther Chelebian Tognozzi’s message is bilingual. (Pages 4-7)

Editorial – Խմբագրական

The Editorial Board consiss of Nora Demirjian-Kardzair, Tsolag Apelian, and Garin Demirjian. The editorial is a bilingual message from the editorial board. (Pages 8-10)

The Honoree - Մեծառեալը

The Board of the Trustees has designated Haig Manjikian M.D. as this year’s KEA of LA’s honoree and has presented a bilingual biography, and his and as well as his family’s contributions to Kessab and to Armenia during the past many decades. (Pages 11-17)

Directory- Հասցէարան

The directory lists the addresses of Kessabtsis living in the U.S.A., Canada and Australia. Obviously, those who have not sent their addresses to the editorial board are not included. The director lists the family, naming the children, the telephone numbers, at times listing only the land line, the email. The directory has been and remains one of the main features of the directory and yearbook so that Kessabtsis will be able to remain in contact with each other. This section starts from page 18 to page 146. The last page lists only 3 addresses. The addresses are listed alphabetically. The Abadjian family is the first listed family and Zinzalian family is the last. Consequently, 128 pages are devoted for the directory. Each page lists 8 addresses, save the last. Therefore, approximately 1019 addresses are listed. I detailed this section to draw attention to the work the editorial board does just to keep the directory section of the annual yearbook updated year after year. (Pages 18-146).

Births – Ծնունդներ

Having done with the directory section of the yearbook, the next section begins and it starts with the the listing of the newly born, the Kessabtsis families have brought to the attention of the board to share and rejoice with their compatriot Kessabtsis the birth of their child . Each new born is listing with the newborn’s name, the names of the parents and both paternal and maternal grandparents and naturally the pictures of the new borns are included. This year the yearbook lists 12 births. (Pages 147-152).

Graduates – Շրջանաւարտներ

This year, the names of 17 graduates are listed as high school and college graduates in different disciplines. Along with the graduate’s name and picture; the names of the proud parents and maternal and paternal grandparents are listed, understandably as long as the information is provided to the editorial board. (Pages 153-162)

Weddings – Պսակներ

In the 63^rd edition of the KEA of LA’s legendary yearbook the names of 8 weddings are included listing the couple’s picture and the newlyweds parents and maternal and paternal grandparents. As said earlier, as long as the information has been provided ot eh board. (Pages 163-166).

Family Corner – Ընտանեկան Անկիւն

This section is devoted to family milestones, such as celebrations of wedding anniversaries and special family celebratory occasions Kessabtsi families have opted to share with their comptriorts in the U.S.A., Australia and Canada. (Pages 167-169).

Achievements - կատարումներ

This section is devoted to the literary, academic, artistic, athletic and social achievements of Kessabtsis. This year the yearbook lists an author, a Fullbright scholar, a 3^rd Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo achiever and other notable achievements. (Pages 171-186).

Articles - Յօդուածներ

This section is devoted to articles that Kessabtsis have written pertaining to Kessab and to their experiences as Kessabtsis.  (Pages 187-216).

Obituaries - Դամբանականներ

This section is devoted to the obituaries for the Kessabtsis who passed away during the year. It is the most emotionally laden section of the yearbook as the Kessabtsis relate to each other in many ways, be it family ties, shared experiences and legacy. Nine obituaries are listed this year. (Pages 217-241)

Donations - Նուիրատուութիւններ

The donners to Kessab Educational Association of LA are acknowledged in this section, whether they were made in memory of a deceased Kessabtsi, or  are memorials, or in response to appeals by the Board. (Pages 244-258).

Events & Galley – Առիթներ եւ Նկարներ

This section displays pictures of event that the KEA Board has organized or has participated. (Pages 259-275).

Arguably nothing of this sort has been done by another compatriotic organization. For 63 years, Kessabtsis have volunteered their time and vested effort to have KEA yearbook and directory published year after year. Over the years it has grown in size and enriched in its content. Naturally, it is the participation of the Kessabtsis in sharing with the rest of their compatriots the year’s events pertaining to their lives, that enriches the yearbook and renders it a valuable archive. 

I am very encouraged to read the names from the upcoming generation who have taken the responsibility of editing this year’s KEA yearbook and directory. Their input is palpable this year with their inclusion, of what I learned today are called, QR notes, which open a whole new read by hoovering a smart phone, such as iPhone, over them.

Nora Demirjian-Kardzair, Tsolag Apelian, and Garin Demirjian, bravo, thank you and well done.

Antranik: The Death of the Hero – the Burial (2/2)

 Dr. Antranig Chalabian, my maternal uncle, was endearingly called “Antranigaked -Անդրանիկագետ), which means someone who has expert knowledge about Andranik, born on February 25, 1865. Attached is an excerpt from the last chapter of Antranig Chalabian’s book, “General Andranik and the Armenian Revolutionary Movement” that has been translated in a few languages.

Andranik's cemetary thomstone in Paris 

" More than ten thousand Armenians from all over California and other places came to pay their respects at the funeral services on September 7 (1927). Out of admiration for the great Armenian, the mayor of Fresno and other dignitaries attended the service. Andranik’s former second-in-command, Smbat, who was still in Fresno at that time, insisted that the funeral not be the sponsorship of any single political party. He wanted it to be a dignified observance and completely Armenian in tone. One of Andranik’s soldiers led a horse draped with a black blanket and carrying Andranik’s uniform, sword and boots -symbolizing Andranik’s life as a fedayee – at the head of the procession to Ararat Cemetery where the hero’s remains would be buried temporarily. A military band played Chopin’s funeral march. Andranik’s comrades-in-arms served as pallbearer. Next to the coffin loaded flowers, walked General Andranik’s widow, Nevart, overcome with grief. A low flying airplane strewed flowers on the road that ten thousand mourners tread to the cemetary.

When the procession reached the grave, funeral orations were given by the leaders Jim Chankalian, Haid Bonapartian, and Smbat Baroyan. Smbat dressed in a colonel’s uniform spoke briefly. He then opened the coffin and kissed the hero’s forehead as a last farewell on behalf of his soldiers and the Armenian people.

Then a fair young girl in black dress approached the coffin to recite a poem. Choked with grief, she was hardly able to begin. When she finally managed to utter the word “Andranik”, she began to sob. She continued crying until her wailing and loud laments enveloped the crowd. Ten thousand mourners joined her in sobbing, wailing, and shedding tears. The wailing reached such a proportion that a group of soldiers, in order to turn the tide of lamentation and divert the attention of the people, came to attention and began to sing one of the songs dedicated to the hero.The whole crowd of mourners joined in and the atmosphere reverberated with thousands of voices singing together To Andranik (see footnote):

To Andranik

Like an eagle o’er the mountains and rocks, you soar

The heaven and earth welcome outroar,

You name through the ages, shall live evermore

Armenia’s cliffs be your refuge, Andranik!

Your enemies base, of your deeds when they hear,

To their nests they crawl! Like serpents in fear,

Heroic your blood is and pure and sincere,

May it course on for age and age, Andranik!

Let Armenia’s maiden weave laurel wreath fair,

For their tender hands gently crown your hair,

And bring for you dauntless breast pearls rich and rare,

May you live evermore, O brave Andranik.

Let Armenia’s nightingales chant loud and free,

Your praises forever from ticket and tree!

Brave warrior, unconquered for ages shall you be,

Our home’s defender, our hero Andranik.

*****

Unfortunately, the great hero’s will was not carried out. Conditions in the motherland were such that its leaders were not in a position to allow a few square feet of space for the burial of a man who dedicated his entire adult life for the liberation of his ancestral lands.

Nearly five months after the funeral service in Fesno, Andranik’s remains were exhumed and enclosed in an oaken coffin to be taken to Armenia, but the central government in Moscow prevented the transfer. Nevart then asked the French ambassador in Washington, D.C., for permission to transfer her husband’s remains to Paris. The ambassador informed Nevart that the French government would gladly allow the transfer of Andranik’s remains to the French capital. Soon after, the coffin containing Andranik’s remains was moved to San Francisco, where the French consul completed the formalities and arranged the paper work. The coffin sealed, to be opened only in Paris, Andranik’s widow, Nevart would escort the coffin.

After three days, Nevart with Andranik’s coffin in her care, left New York harbor abroad the ship Lili de France. Andranik’s body arrived at the Saint Lazare train station on the 20^th of January 1928. After the formalities were arranged, the coffin was delivered to the Armenian Prelacy. Andranik’s remains were buried in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Seven thousand mourners attended the funeral service on January 29, 1928.

The Archbishop Vramshabouh Kibarian, who had baptized Andranik as a revolutionary in Shabin Karahisar and officiated at his wedding in Paris, also performed his memorial service. The same cross was used on all three occasions. "

Footnote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?=5UKuAOvfFZE

*****

p.s. Andranik’s remains were moved to Armenia in 2000, and a memorial was built on his grave with the phrase Zoravar Hayots—"General of the Armenians"—engraved on it.

Andranik's cemetary thombstone in Yerevan

 

Andranik: The Death of the Hero (1/2)

https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/02/antranik-death-of-hero-1_26.html 

 

 

 

Andranik: The Death of the Hero (1/2)

Dr. Antranig Chalabian, who was my maternal uncle, was endearingly called “Antranigaked -Անդրանիկագետ), which means someone who has expert knowledge about Andranik who was born on February 25, 1865. Attached is an excerpt from the last chapter - "The Death of the Hero" of Antranig Chalabian’s book, “General Andranik and the Armenian Revolutionary Movement” that has been translated in a few languages.

“Friends in California encouraged Andranik to try farming, tending vineyards, or working in the fruit packing industry. He tried these activities but could not work steadily, because his health was failing. Andranik became weaker and weaker, even less active, and still lower in spirits. Maybe due to chain-smoking and excessive consumption of coffee, he began having heart trouble. He made trips to Boston in hopes of finding a cure, but all the treatments were ineffective.

In March, 1927, Reverend Father Garegin Tevletian paid a visit to Andranik in Fresno. Reminiscing about the past Andranik said, “Father Garegin, we did more (in connection with liberation) than the Bulgarians, the Serbians, and the Greeks did, but we had no luck and no friends. If the Bolshevik revolution had come one year later, Turkish Armenia would have been liberated.”

That same spring while in Boston, Andranik had a serious heart attack. In order to prevent his patient from worrying, the Armenian doctor told Andranik that the heart attack was due to a cold.

Another morning he had a mild heart attack. Friends brought the doctor, who advised the patient to limit his coffee intake to one or two cups per day and not to smoke more than five cigarettes per day. Andranik drank two cups of coffee and smoked five cigarettes while the doctor was still in the room. Then turning to the doctor, he said, “The result of advice cannot be better.”

Andranik was a commander, accustomed to exercising authority. He was used to ordering his soldiers to do certain tasks. He expected that the doctor would also order him to quit smoking entirely and strictly forbid his drinking coffee or brandy.

Back in 1923, when Avedis Terzipashiab was in Tiblisi, he paid a visit to Hovhannes Toumanian. The poet asked about Andranik’s health. The visitor answered, “It’s deteriorating”. Toumanian said, “The only thing Andranik can be afraid is to be afraid that he might be afraid.”

Toumanian’s insight into Andranik’s character was borne out having lived all his adult life under the threat of death, the dauntless warrior was now waging his final battle against death.  He complained to Nevart that this time the pain was persisting. He made a final request: “If this pain ends my life, don’t leave my body in foreign lands. Take me to Armenia.” Seeing Nevart nearly suffocating from trying to hold back her tears and control her emotions, he continued: “If that proves to be impossible, take my body to Varna (Bulgaria) an bury me near my sister’s grave.” (Nazeli, Antranik’s sister had died three months earlier.)

Sixty years before, when Antranik was only one year old, his mother Mariam, lay on her death-bed. She called Nazeli over to her and said: “Nazeli don’t let my Andranik be an orphan.” Fulfilling her wish, both children lived long and full lives. 

After expressing his wish for eternal rest, Andranik uttered his last words: “My work remains half finished.” Then Andranik collapsed and closed his eyes forever. The date was August 31, 1927. 

The fact that Andranik had long expected to be buried in Armenia is proven by his first remarks on the subject. Andranik had spoken about death for the first time in 1917 in a conversation with Levon Tutunjian, editor of Hayastan. “Levon,” he has said, “we’ll transfer our printing press to the Holy Apostles’ Monastery in Armenia. I want to die there and be buried at the foot of the Holy Translators’ grave, not that I deserve to be buried there, but rather as a solider guarding the graves of the great men who lit the torch that kept our nation alive for centuries.”

 

Haleb in its Hey Days: A Diaspora Treasure Chest.

Levon Sharoyan posted this article in segments on his Facebook page during June 2014 and titled it “Ո՞ւր Կը Կայանայ Հալէպահայ Գաղութին Արժէքը” (What Constitutes the Worth of Aleppo Armenian Community?) and wrote in the present tense. I had the article translated and posted in Keghart.com titling it “Glorious Armenian Aleppo”.  I changed the title to “Haleb in its Hey Days”, because I am reproducing the article in my blog. Much changed in the Aleppo Armenian community during the past nine years. I retained the verb tense but opted to use the term Armenians use for Aleppo, Haleb. Abridged and translated by Vahe H. Apelian 

Armenia and the Diaspora for decades perceived the post-genocide Armenian Aleppo as an isolated, self-contained and traditional community. It did not have the luster and the flamboyance of the Paris, Los Angeles and Beirut Armenian communities. The latter regarded Aleppo a backward village. For consolation, Aleppo had been crowned the “Mother Diaspora Community”. We were happy with the designation.

The unprecedented turn of events in the last three years due to the Syrian Civil War and especially the deliberate destruction of Kessab and of the Aleppo Armenian neighborhood of Nor Kyugh, focused the attention of the Diaspora on the “Mother Diaspora Community”, the “Dreamy Haleb”. Armenians began lamenting the possible loss of the community. Armenian Diaspora was mobilized to save its Haleb community and to safeguard its values, but alas …" after breakage”.

What were the characteristics of this community that the Diaspora is intent on safeguarding? It is one of life’s unmistakable order
s to appreciate the value of something after its loss. But let us, for a moment, ponder about the values of the Haleb community. What were its characteristics? What did the Haleb Armenian community offer that the others do not as well? I will present a cursory listing of these characteristics and let readers do the critical and in-depth evaluation. 

1.  Community’s religious and church life.

Haleb hosts eleven Christian denominations, among them the three mainstream Armenian denominations: Apostolic, Catholic, and Evangelical. Each denomination is organized and active. The religious and church lives of the Haleb Armenian community has always been exemplary. The Holy Forty Martyrs Church of the Armenian Apostolic denomination dates more than five hundred years. Our churches have always been filled to capacity on Sundays and on holidays. Should you ever have attended the early mass during the holidays you would have remained mesmerized by our all-volunteer large choirs. I would like to emphasize the "volunteer” designation because in Europe and in the United States even the scribes (դպիրներ) are paid. Weddings and baptisms had to be booked months in advance because there were so many them. I insist that the Haleb Armenian community’s rich and traditional church life may have come second only to Istanbul’s. We had a very rich church life here. No wonder that the seminarians in Antelias liked to come to Aleppo to perform mass. No other Armenian community could possibly have matched the regal reception the community extended to the visiting catholicos during his pontifical visit.

2. The Organizational Structure of the Community.

The organizational structure of the Aleppo Armenian community has passed on from one generation to the next unchanged for almost 150 years. It is based on the fundamental tenants of the Armenian National Constitution adopted in Istanbul in 1863. Accordingly, the Armenian Apostolic Church National Prelacy is the official body that represents the Armenian community to the government and is its nerve center and trigger. The prelate, in addition to being the spiritual head of the community, acts as its temporal leader and thus shoulders dual responsibilities. This is a unique form of representation that has been inherited from the Ottoman days. It has advantages because it centralizes the administration of the community and its dealing as well as it establishes bilateral relations with the government. If you were to look carefully at the administration of the National Prelacy of Aleppo you would find that it is a veritable government within a government. It's interesting to note that at one time Sultan Abdul Hamid II suspended the Armenian National Constitution for this very same reason... that it acted much like a government within a government. 


The legislative body of the National Prelacy is the National Representative Assembly. As the name indicates, the community elects its members. This body appoints and oversees executive boards in matters of education and administration of schools under its jurisdiction, religious education, judicial, financial, social services, real estate holdings and others. The effectiveness by which the Haleb community is governed can stir the envy of not only the other Armenian communities but also local Christian and Muslim communities: Compare the functioning of the Armenian community of Aleppo with those in North America, Latin America, France, Britain and Australia... and you will find that the Aleppo Armenian community is more effectively organized and administered.

The National Prelacy is the backbone of the community. 
Our elders speak of a time when the community was even more vibrant. I remember reading an interesting article by Antranig Dzarougian in his “Nayiri” weekly where he reminisced, as a young reporter in '40s, about attending the open-door deliberations of the National Representative Assembly where opposing viewpoints would converge to a middle ground and form a consensus on how to run the community.

With the passing decades, much water has flown under the proverbial bridge. The picture nowadays may not be the same but the organizational structure of the Armenian community in Aleppo is one of its distinguishing characteristics and is worth preserving and emulating. 

 




3. Our Unmatched Schools

Can Haleb breathe, let alone survive, without its schools? Such a scenario is impossible to imagine. Haleb loses its glitter without its schools and its vivifying graduates. We would not be mistaken in stating that the Armenian schools are the Aleppo community’s very lungs.
 Without them, we would suffocate. And what glorious schools we have: the Karen Yeppe Armenian College (Քարէն Եփփէ Ազգ. Ճեմարան), the historical Haigazian (Հայկազեան) and Sahagian (Սահակեան) schools, the more recently built Gulbenkian (Կիւլպէնկեան) and Grtasirats High School (Կրթասիրաց-Չէմպէրճեան) school, the A.G.B.U. Lazar Nadjarian-Calouste Gulbenkian Armenian Central High School (Լազար Նաճարեան), the Cilician (Giligian) (Կիլիկեան) Armenian High School, the Mekhatarian (Մխիթարեան) school and others.

For Haleb Armenians, their homely and lovely community life is best illustrated through the unfolding of the academic year. We witness the buses of the Armenian schools, each bearing in large Armenian characters the name of the school, crisscross the city from one neighborhood to next, traversing the thoroughfares of the city collecting the students to bring them to school.

Throughout that season I remain overwhelmed by a burst of emotions at the scene. 
Our schools are much like beehives, where every morning bees enter and work diligently to produce honey. The Haleb honey is just that, authentic and unadulterated. We have always shared our honey generously with our blood relatives overseas. Our honey is sufficient for all. Diaspora communities, big or small, have their schools, in Istanbul, Beirut, Tehran, Cairo, Athens, Marseilles, Paris, Los Angeles, Montreal, Sydney, and Buenos Aires. I will muster the courage and state that the Armenian schools in these cities cannot possibly compete with ours in imparting to their students an Armenian education. Can you possibly name an Armenian Diaspora high school that can equal the Karen Yeppe Jemaran? Could you point to any other Armenian Diaspora high school that had the same pre-Civil War enrollment of 1,400 students we had at the A.G.B.U. Nazarian-Gulbenkain Central High School?

Speaking Armenian in schools, however, changed these days, is still predominant among our students even out of school.  
Some may claim that the Education Ministry of Syria has curtailed the number of classes in the Armenian language. 
In my modest opinion, that allegation is not devoid of lapses in judgment. The Armenian language and literature have always maintained their rightful place in the overcrowded curriculum of our schools. These subjects are properly taught with much care. We have some schools that have voluntarily abrogated the educational privileges granted to them and have curtailed the number of such classes or have completely eliminated some. It would be unproductive to dwell on this phenomenon now.

The raging destructive war in Syria is testing the Armenian schools in ways they have not been tested before. Their very existence is at stake, especially due to the economic collapse. The situation is alarming and its consequences dire. It is vital to assist the Haleb Armenian schools financially so that they, as the beehives of the community, continue to produce honey.

4. An Armenian Diaspora Treasure Chest.

Let us take a rapid trip through the Armenian neighborhoods of Aleppo and visit our social clubs. We will find the names of these clubs in a bilingual inscription at their entrances: Aram Manougian People’s Home, A.G.B.U. Tekeyan Cultural Association, Kermanig-Vasbouragan Cultural Association, Ourfa Compatriotic Cultural Association, and tens of others such associations and social clubs.

All of these associations have extended an open arm to embrace our Armenian compatriots who, having graduated from the local Armenian schools, come to socialize under their roofs to maintain their umbilical cord with their nation. The denominational affiliation and the political partisan leaning of the person do not matter, neither do the types of interest a person has for there is an Armenian association and a social club for the person.

Do you like to sing? Then come and join the Hamzakayin’s “Zvartnots” choir.

Do you have acting talents? Then A.G.B.U.’s “Atamian” theatrical group or “Zavarian” will be welcoming you.

Are you interested in dancing? There are two to three dance groups for you.

Is your interest to serve the Armenian literature? Then you may join the Syrian-Armenian Writers’ group monthly meetings.

Are you interested in or do you want to hone your skills in painting or photography? You may join “Arshile Gorky” or “Sarian” art academies.

Are you athletic? Knock H.M.E.M’s door and it will be open for you.

Are you a scout or do you like to bring your child as one? You have the options of having your children to tough it out with excursions and camps organized by H.M.M’s or H.M.E.M’s athletic clubs.

Do you want to contribute to the current youth movements? Syrian Youth Association and Dkhrouny clubs are there for you. 

Are you interested in preserving your grandparents’ heritage? Among many, you have the option to join, Marash, Kilis, Dikranagerd, Zeytoun, Daron, Ourfa compatriotic organizations.

Are you interested to render social services? The Syrian Armenian Relief Organization might be the place for you.

Haleb Armenians often have to choose from the many concurrently ongoing events. All these events take place in splendid social halls that we, as a community own, the likes of which other local organizations do not have. Our halls get filled to capacity.

In a city of 4-million residents, we as Armenians, present a unique communal picture. The non-Armenian communities with whom we co-habit have not been able to build what we have built and hence do not have the means to offer to their community what we can. That is why Haleb has become the ideal community to preserve the Armenian heritage where an Armenian is born as one and is interred as one.

No wonder the Haleb communal life stirred the imagination of the eminent writer  Dzarougian who penned his recollection in “Dreamy Haleb”. The newly appointed director of the AMAA (Armenian Missionary Association of America) Zaven Khanjian was born and raised in Haleb. He also penned his memoirs in the recent "Aleppo, First Station" about growing up in the city. Undoubtedly, the Aleppo Armenian community is the “Little Armenia” of the Diaspora, even though it has not been named so in an official capacity.

Indeed, the Armenian Diaspora has all the reasons to be alarmed by the ongoing war in Syria whose consequences may be disastrous to the once-thriving Armenian community of Aleppo and by extension to the beehive it was that provided bees and honey to the other Diaspora communities.

Aleppo Today: February 24, 2023

Levon Sharoyan

Attached is my translation of Levon Sharoyan’s posting on his Facebook page today. The original is attached. I have also linked my translation of his depiction of Aleppo when it was "in its hey days"  (June 2014). Vahe H. Apelian

“ Since February 6, (2023), the life of the Armenians of Aleppo has fundamentally changed. "Life" had already lost a lot of its tastes and pleasures for us due to loss of life, mental upheavals, severe economic declines, and the loss of our dreams for the future because of the six years long civil war,

And now, the terrifying beast called EARTHQUAKE has been clinging to our collars for the past twenty days. It continues to remain clinging on our shoulders and spins its deadly wings above our heads, day and night...

We experienced 3 very powerful earthquakes, two on February 6 and one on February 20. Among them, the most terrifying and indescribably horrific was the first one that had a long duration. It happened before dawn, and was almost globally unprecedented in its magnitude and intensity. Many cities of Cilicia were erased from the map, and Aleppo absorbed all the bitterness of the deep mental shock caused by the shake.

Until today, almost every day, we also feel the aftershocks on our skin (which, we are told, will continue...). Consequently, we get neither sleep nor rest. HOME, which is the safest nest for human beings, the most reliable shelter, has now turned into a DANGEROUS TRAP, an unwanted place that causes nightmares. What a contradiction with reality!  I remember Moushgh Ishkhan’s book "The Song of the Homes" where "It is sweet to have a roof ", the poet sang...

Almost all of us have become “homeless”.

My family and I, like hundreds of others, have found shelter in the hall of the A.G.B.U. kindergarten. Others have found shelters elsewhere such as in the inner hall of the Mother of God Church, Mkhitarian College, in the hall of Bethel School, in the Aghajanian Hall, and in the HMEM family garden, and also in non-Armenian institutions.

These institutions, in these difficult days of ours, have really become a LIFE RAFT for us. They not only opened their doors to us, but also take care of us, so that we can get rid of our nightmare as much as possible, at least put a smile on our children's faces.

We are grateful to our officials for their services. We are grateful for the friendly and humanitarian and moral support they render to us.

    We are grateful to our spiritual leaders who visited the gathering places and the halls and expressed solidarity with us. A few days ago, Prelate Magar Srpazan's uplifted us with his surprise visit to the A.G.B.U. hall during the evening. His words of encouragement and solidarity were soothing for all us, be it the grown-ups and the youngsters.

It is true that we have not yet saved our collars from the beast’s paw. We know that it will show us its scary face again and again. Will we be able to confront it? Will we be able to strengthen our nerves and withstand its blows?

Providence has always protected our beloved Aleppo and the Armenians of Aleppo. It probably will not want to take its eyes off of us.  It will not want us to change our age-old "policy", which is our peaceful and goodwill existence on these lands. 

 Aloppo in its hey days 

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/02/haleb-in-its-hey-days-diaspora-treasure.html

Բնագիրը

 

ԵՐԿՐԱՇԱՐԺԻՆ ԱՌԹԱԾ ՄՂՁԱՒԱՆՋԸ...

   6 Փետրուարէն իվեր հիմնովին փոխուեցաւ մեր՝ հալէպահայերուս կեանքը: Այդ «կեանք»-ըարդէն իսկ շատո՜նց կորսնցուցած էր իր համն ու հաճոյքը՝ վեց տարի տեւած ներքին պատերազմինու անոր յաջորդած մարդկային կորուստներուն, հոգեկան ցնցումներուն, տնտեսական թաւագլորանկումներուն եւ ապագայի երազներու չքացումին հետեւանքով:

   Ու հիմա՝ ԵՐԿՐԱՇԱՐԺ կոչուած սարսափազդու ճիւաղը, որ ահա՛ շուրջ քսան օրէ իվերկպչած է մեր օձիքին, կառչած է մեր փէշերուն եւ իր մահաշունչ ստուերը կը պտտցնէ մեր գլխունվերեւ՝ գիշեր-ցերեկ...:

   Ապրեցանք 3 շատ զօրաւոր երկրաշարժի փորձութիւններ. երկու հատը՝ Փետրուար 6-ին, հատ մըն ալ՝ Փետրուար 20-ին: Ասոնցմէ ամէնէն վախազդուն եւ աննկարագրելիօրէն ահարկունառաջին երկարատեւ շարժն էր, լուսածագէն առաջ պատահածը, որ համաշխարհայինտարողութեամբ ալ գրեթէ աննախընթաց էր: Կիլիկեան բազմաթիւ քաղաքներ քարտէսէ ջնջուեցան, իսկ Հալէպ ըմպեց ատոր առթած հոգեկան խորունկ ցնցումին ամբողջ դառնութիւնը...:

   Քանի որ առ այսօր, գրեթէ օրընդմէջ, մեր մորթին վրայ կը զգանք նաեւ հետընթաց շարժերը(որոնք դեռ պիտի շարունակուին եղեր...), ուրեմն՝ ոչ քուն ունինք, ոչ հանգիստ: ՏՈՒՆԸ, որ մարդարարածին ամէնէն ապահով բոյնն է, ամէնէն վստահելի ապաստանարանը, այլեւս վերածուած էՎՏԱՆԳԱՒՈՐ ԹԱԿԱՐԴԻ մը, մղձաւանջ պատճառող անցանկալի վայրի մը...: Ի՜նչ հակասութիւն՝իրականութեան հետ: Յիշեցէ՛ք բանաստեղծ Մուշեղ Իշխանի «Տուներու երգը» հատորը. «Քա՜ղցր էերդիք մ՛ունենալ», երգած էր բանաստեղծը...:

   Հիմա «անտուն» դարձեր ենք գրեթէ բոլորս: 

   Ես ու ընտանիքս, հարիւրաւորներու նման, երեք օրէ իվեր ապաստանած ենք Հ. Բ. Ը. Միութեան մանկապարտէզի սրահին մէջ: Ուրիշներ՝ այլ վայրեր, ինչպէս՝ Ս. Աստուածածինեկեղեցւոյ ներքնասրահը, Մխիթարեան վարժարան, Բեթէլ վարժարանի սրահ, Աղաճանեան սրահ, Հ.Մ. Ը.Մ.-ի ընտանեկան պարտէզ, բայց նաեւ՝ ոչ-հայկական հաստատութիւններ:

   Այս հաստատութիւնները, մեր այս դժուար օրերուն, իսկապէս մեզի համար դարձանՓՐԿՈՒԹԵԱՆ ԼԱՍՏ ՄԸ: Անոնք ոչ միայն բացած են իրենց դռները մեր առջեւ, այլեւ հոգածու ենմեզի, որպէսզի գէթ կարելի չափով թօթափենք մեր մղձաւանջը, գոնէ որոշ ժպիտ մը ուրուագծուիմեր երեխաներուն դէմքերուն վրայ...:

    Շնորհակալ ենք մեր միութենական պատասխանատուներուն՝ իրենց ցուցաբերածծառայասիրութեան համար: Շնորհակալ ենք՝ մեզի ընծայուած ընկերային-մարդասիրականօժանդակութեանց ու բարոյական նեցուկին համար: 

    Շնորհակալ ենք մեր հոգեւոր պետերուն, որոնք քանիցս այցելեցին համախմբումի վայրերնու սրահները ու զօրակցութիւն յայտնեցին մեզի: Առաջնորդ Մակար Սրբազանին անակնկալ այցը՝Հ.Բ.Ը.Մ.-ի սրահ, առջի իրիկուն, ու իր գօտեպնդիչ խօսքերը ապաստանեալներուս, բալասանի դերխաղացին բոլորիս համար՝ մեծով-պզտիկով...:

    Ճիշդ է, որ դեռ չենք փրկած մեր օձիքը ճիւաղին թաթէն...: Գիտենք, որ անիկա տակաւինատեն-ատեն իր վախազդու դէմքը ցոյց պիտի տայ մեզի: Պիտի կարենա՞նք դիմադրել անոր, պիտիկարենա՞նք մեր ջիղերը ամրացնել ու տոկալ այս աշխարհացունց հարուածներուն...: 

   Նախախնամութիւնը, որ միշտ ալ պահած-պահպանած է մեր սիրելի Հալէպն ուհալէպահայութիւնը, հաւանաբար իր աչքը պիտի չուզէ հեռացնել մեր վրայէն, պիտի չուզէ փոխել իրդարաւոր «քաղաքականութիւն»-ը, որ է՝ մեր խաղաղ ու անդորրաւէտ գոյութիւնը այս հողերուն վրայ: