S O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news W ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of E ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek- Americans N c v A wEEkLy GrEEk-AmEriCAN PuBLiCATiON www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 18, ISSUE 895 December 6-12, 2014 $1.50 AHEPA NFL’s Chief Litigator, Anastasia Danias, Speaks with TNH Delegation Top Concern is to Make Football as Meets With Safe as it Can Be Al. Tsipras By Constantine S. Sirigos TNH Staff Writer Officials Call NEW YORK – That a woman can command attention not only Diaspora “Best in the male-dominated legal Face” of Greece field but in one of the most po - tent arenas of maledom – pro - fessional football – speaks vol - TNH Staff umes for the energy, intelligence, and dedication of ATHENS – After attending Pope Anastasia Danias. Francis’ official visit with Patri - She is the Senior Vice Presi - arch Bartholomew in Constan - dent and Chief Litigation Officer tinople, members of an AHEPA at the National Football League delegation traveled to Athens, (NFL), where she manages an - where they met not only with titrust and other complex com - members of the Greek govern - mercial litigation for the League ment, but also with the leader and its teams. Among other of the opposition party. things, she told TNH her priority Headed by AHEPA’s Supreme is to make football as safe as it President Philip Frangos, the can be, particularly as it is visit included a meeting with poised to become an interna - Greek Prime Minister Antonis tional sport. Samaras, as well as SYRIZA “I was always interested in leader Alexis Tsipras. Accompa - sports although I did not play nying Frangos were former much,” she told The National Supreme President and Chair - Herald the week after Thanks - man of the Board Nicholas giving, but she was well-trained Karakostas, AHEPA Greece at Fordham University School of Supreme Commander Nicholas Law for the intellectual contact Papadopoulos, and AHEPA Pi - sport of litigation. raeus President Pantelis Mar - She was looking for oppor - avelias. tunities in the sports and enter - It was the first time, SYRIZA AP PHOTO/L'OSSErvATOrE rOmANO, officials told TNH, in at least Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, right, kisses Pope Francis' St. George in Constantinople. The two expressed optimism for Continued on page 5 two years that AHEPA has met head during an ecumenical prayer at the Patriarchal Church of continuing the efforts to unite all of Christianity. with the opposition party leader. Jokingly, in reference to what has been written about him the international media, Tsipras Pope Visits, Prays with Patriarch in Constantinople Successful said: “you would think I have a diabolical plan” in store. Growing more serious, By Theodore Kalmoukos genuine fraternal sentiments, homes. It even seems that the dition,” and called upon “all par - Surgery For Tsipras acknowledged the im - Muslims and Christians are value of human life has been ties involved to pursue the path portance of AHEPA and the U.S. CONSTANTINOPLE – Ecumeni - called to work together for the lost, that the human person no of dialogue and of respect for Diaspora in general, noting they cal Patriarch Bartholomew and sake of justice, peace, and re - longer matters and may be sac - international law in order to Anastasiades are close to the decisionmakers. Pope Francis of Rome de - spect for the dignity and rights rificed to other interests. And, bring an end to the conflict and As for the Greek crisis, Tsipras manded an end to the violent of every person.” tragically, all this is met by the allow all Ukrainians to live in TNH Staff attributes it 50-50, to Greece persecution of Christians in the Pledging their unity for peace indifference of many.” Accord - harmony.” and to Europe, and points out Middle East and called for dia - and stability in the Middle East, ingly, “we call on all those who Pope Francis was enthusias - NEW YORK – The National Her - the flaws in Germany’s “puni - logue with Muslims to work to - both religious leaders pro - bear responsibility for the des - tically greeted with the ringing ald has been informed that the gether to promote peace and claimed that “we cannot resign tiny of peoples to deepen their of church bells upon arrival at heart surgery undertaken by Continued on page 6 justice in the region, during the ourselves to a Middle East with - commitment to suffering com - the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Nicos Anastasiades, the Presi - Pope’s official visit to the Ecu - out Christians, who have pro - munities, and to enable them, November 29 on the occasion dent of the Republic of Cyprus, menical Patriarchate last week - fessed the name of Jesus there including the Christian ones, to of the celebration of St. Andrew was successful. end. The two leaders issued a for two thousand years. Many remain in their native land.” the Apostle, patron saint of the The team of surgeons and WITH THIS ISSUE common declaration in which of our brothers and sisters are They echoed those senti - Church of Constantinople. The nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital they wrote: “Inspired by com - being persecuted and have been ments regarding Ukraine, “a in Manhattan is led by known mon values and strengthened by forced violently from their country of ancient Christian tra - Continued on page 15 well-known cardiologist David Adams and includes distin - guished Greek-American physi - cians. An official says the surgery Parthenon of Produce at Astoria’s United Bros. was to repair a heart valve and that he remains in stable condi - tion. TNH Staff Cyprus government spokes - man Nicos Christodoulides says ASTORIA – Ever since the Anastasiades will remain in in - Greeks first passed through Ellis tensive care for the next few Island, they have made their en - days. trepreneurial marks in neigh - Christodoulides said that a borhoods throughout New York surgeon performed the opera - and across the country. They tion to repair the mitral and tri - were most famous for sweet cuspid heart valves. shops and florists in the begin - The Maze-type procedure ning, and of course later it was also aimed to repair Anastasi - all about the restaurants. The ades' occasional heart arrhyth - immigrants succeeded in many mia and was completed "with - venues thanks to their simple out any complications or formula of hard work, excel - lence, and neighborliness. Continued on page 15 The Kourkoumelis and Matafias Families have thrived in the produce business since the 1970s. Next Stop on In 1969, Tom, Jerry, and Nicolaides: George made the journey from Cephalonia to Manhattan the The N Train: same times as Spiro and Dami - 19th Century anos Matafias. When the two sets of brothers met in New Marital Bliss York, they decided to go into DC Importer business. In 1974, they opened United TNH Staff Brothers Fruit Market in Man - By Steve Frangos hattan’s Washington Heights, TNH/COSTAS BEJ TNH Staff Writer NEW YORK – Hector Irakliotis, but the crime situation was so The United Brothers Fruit Market is open 24/7 in Astoria. The colorful store has been a welcome 26, and Tatyana Sandler, 25 bad they soon decided to move sight daytime and nighttime to fruit lovers and passersby alike since the 1970s. brought smiles to the faces of to Astoria. CHICAGO- Between 1830 and their fellow straphangers on the Hard work and success gave 1870 only several hundred N Train on November 28. most of the brothers the re - Greeks lived in the United States On New York City’s subways, sources and opportunity to re - of America. Curiously the sta - when a young man surrounded tire to Florida, but Tom Kourk - JFK Met Greeky Jakomas, Pre-Crisis tistics on Greeks residing in by a group of people makes an oumelis, 61, has remained in America, during that period announcement, riders grit their New York. On most days he conflict. Nevertheless, that era teeth. When he blurts out “it’s spends 10 hours at the hand - By Constantinos E. Scaros Cuban Missile Crisis. On October spent some time with the Greek- this was a key transition period showtime” and his colleague some, brightly colored and well- 14, 1962, the United States con - American mayor of McKeesport, in Greek-American history. blasts his boom box he is lit store the New York Times MCKEESPORT, PA – Mention firmed that the Soviet Union, un - PA Andrew “Greeky” Jakomas, The year 1830 marks not greeted with a mix of delight called 30th Avenue’s “Parthenon the date September 11, 2001 der its Premier, Nikita and addressed a crowd of over simply the successful conclusion and groans depending on the of produce.” and virtually any person over the Khrushchev, was placing nuclear 25,000 who turned out to hear to the Greek War of Indepen - quality of the “show.” “The market is open 24 hours age of 25 – and many younger weapons in Cuba, a mere 90 the president campaign for local dence, but also the end of the The response was completely a day, every day of the year. But than that, including some who miles from the United States. In Democratic candidates ahead of Grecian Fever this do-or-die positive, however, when Irakli - even at dawn, a line slinks along were not even born yet – under - response, President John F. the following month’s midterm struggle sparked in North Amer - otis said, “Everyone, hi. I have 33rd Street, underneath the stand its significance all too well. Kennedy dispatched a fleet to elections. ica. The first massive wave of an announcement to make…I store’s yellow and green As the first airplane struck Tower form a blockade to prevent fur - “I was so excited to see Presi - Greek immigrants to the United am going to be getting married awning.