The Jewish community of Greece might be unable to pay its bills by 2013 unless it receives aid from Jewish organizations abroad, local leaders have told the Jerusalem Post.
Benjamin Albelas, president of the Jewish community of Athens, said his organization has been hard hit by the deep recession afflicting the European nation and won’t be able to meet its financial commitments a year and a half from now in the current conditions.
“The financial situation, which as we know is very bad, has affected the Jewish community very much, and the situation of the Athenian Jewish community in Athens — the largest in the country — is dire,” said Albelas, whose organization runs a synagogue, a school and a museum that serve the city’s 3,000 Jews.
Since the recession began last year, revenues from Jewish assets and donations have dropped precipitously, making it increasingly difficult for communities around the country to pay for services to their 6,000 members.
Greek Jewish Community Asks for Financial Support
Mexican Poet Homero Aridjis to Hold Lecture at Athens Concert Hall
“To me poetry is a way of life. A way of understanding the world, time and my own self” says Mexican famed poet-activist Homero Aridjis adding that “The earth is made of poetry, just like the time and space; and most of all, our dreams are made of poetry. Should God ask me when I die about what I did while I was living, I would answer I was writing poetry”.
Homero Aridjis was born in 1940 to a Greek father and a Mexican mother. After a shotgun accident that almost cost him his life at the age of 10, Aridjis became an avid reader and began to read and write poetry.
Today he is one of the most recognized modern Mexican poets, whose work has been praised for its intensity and beauty. The poet has won many prizes over the years, while his work is considered to have had a tremendous impact on modern poetry.
The renowned poet has authored more than 40 books of poetry and prose and he is a fervent activist for the environment protection. Homero Aridjis has served as Mexico’s ambassador to the Netherlands and Switzerland and to the UNESCO in Paris. For six years he was President of International PEN, the worldwide association of writers.
On Friday, November 4, Mr. Aridjis will be holding a lecture under the title “Homero Aridjis: Poet of the Solar” on his theses about poetry at the Athens Concert Hall at 7pm. The 71-year-old poet will engage in a dialogue with Greek poet Dinos Siotis, read some of his poems and take part in an open discussion with the audience. At the end of the event, Mr. Aridjis will be signing copies of his book “Solar Poems”.
Actor Konstantinos Tzoumas will be reading in Greek some of the Mexican’s poems, while all conversation will be practiced in Spanish and Greek.
Admission is free to everyone following the priority cards distribution commencing at 5:30pm at the Concert Hall.
Central Athens Mosque Ready by Spring 2012
The construction of the first mega-mosque in Athens is estimated to be completed within the next 3 months given the rapid paces of the building company. The architectural designs were assigned to Tompazis Architectural Office, which is the only office in Greece specializing in such architectural works and has enough experience due to its designs for countries in the Middle East.
According to Vima daily, the mosque project calls for the plain and discrete renovation of an existing state building – on a disused navy base – in the industrial district of Votanikos near the centre of Athens. The total acreage of the mosque will not exceed 1.000 square meters and will have enough space for 350 worshipers, while no minaret (tower) will be featured.
The project’s estimated cost lies at around €16 million. The Greek government has committed to have the mosque ready by spring 2012, while analysts say that the Papandreou government is pushing the mosque project out of fear that the Muslim rallies in Athens over the past months would become more violent if it did not meet the Muslims’ demand for an official religious place.
The construction plan is financially undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and will function under its attendance according to the respective 2006 bill.
Until now, Athens had been the only capital from among the original 15 member states of the EU that did not have a mosque. Muslims in Greece have been praying so far in makeshift mosques in basement apartments, coffee shops, garages and old warehouses.
48th Annual Greek Festival of Corpus Christi Begins
The 48th annual Greek Festival at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Texas is opening its gates to the crowds today with tasty Greek food treats and pastries, a wide variety of Greek wine and beer, a bazaar, lots of ethnic dance performances and live music by the band Hellenic Keys.
The tradition of the Greek Festival is a celebration of the Greek culture and an educational event as well. However, the parish is formed by more than just one ethnic background including Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish.
Father Stelios Sitaras, who has been leading the Church for the past 11 years, will lead tours of the church and will be welcoming questions on the Greek Orthodox faith.What started decades ago as a small bake sale, has grown to a key church fundraiser. Proceeds from the festival will help fund a local, national and international ministry.
“The Greek Festival is our parish’s opportunity to display our cultural and spiritual warmth with the Corpus Christi area,” Father Sitaras said.
The 2011 Greek Festival is November 4, 5 & 6, 2011 at 502 S. Chaparral St. , Corpus Christi , TX.
Admission is free to everyone.
Friday, November 4- 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 5- 12:00 noon to 11:00 p.m.
Panayiotis Psomiadis Attends New York Thessaloniki Society Event
Panayiotis Psomiadis, Governor of Greece’s Central Macedonia Region travelled to New York and was cordially welcomed by the Pontians and Macedonians of New York.
Psomiadis attended the event organized by the Thessaloniki Society in New York and was awarded during this event last Saturday.
On Sunday Psomiadis took part in the celebration events of the eve of ‘Ochi’ organized by the Federation of Greek Unions. Representatives of the Thessaloniki Society were waiting for Psomiadis at Kennedy airport, where Pontian musicians were playing the lyre and two Pontian young girls offered him a bouquet of flowers.
During his speech in front of the members of Thessaloniki Society, Psomiadis thanked the attendees of the event as well as the president of Thessaloniki Society, Theodoros Moschokarfis. He also talked about the current situation in Greece in brief, stating: “Division and strong adherence at political parties dominate contemporary Greece”.
Moreover, Psomiadis praised Greeks abroad and especially Pontians, emphasizing, “Our homeland owes many things to Greeks abroad but it often forgets their contribution.
Psomiadis concluded, “All Greeks abroad should teach their children to remain Greeks. Grandparents and priests did contribute to the preservation of the Greek identity and not the Greek country”.
Moment of Truth for Papandreou
Today is another crucial day for Greece. The debate on the vote of confidence on the socialist government, asked by Premier G. Papandreou himself, will come to a conclusion at midnight, but the outcome is highly uncertain after the political development of the past 24 hours. Once again, the country as back at the centre of attention of its European partners and creditors. Inside the parliamentary group of the ruling Pasok party anger and disappointment are spreading regarding the Prime Minister’s most recent initiatives. The position statements that were made yesterday by many socialist MPs make it unclear whether the government will get its vote of confidence. Today the meetings between MPs of the government party and members of parliament of the two largest parties, Pasok and Nea Dimocratia – the main opposition party (centre-right) – continue frenetically.
Antonis Samaras, leader of Nea Dimocratia, said last night in parliament during the debate on the confidence vote that he had asked several time for the resignation of Papandreou as a condition ”sine qua non” for the formation of a transitional government that should take the country to early elections within six weeks. A technical government, able to approve the Greek bailout deal with its European partners. Samaras also pointed out that he had been against the referendum from the start, because, in his words, it is ”very dangerous” for the country. He accused Papandreou of ”risking to destroy Greece, Europe and the euro.” After the speech of Samaras, the Nea Dimocratia MPs left the parliament, where they will return this evening for the confidence vote on the government.
A Real Greek in London and the Seven Wonders of the Restaurant Industry
My father owned a very successful restaurant in Kolonaki, called ‘Jimmy’s Cooking’, so I grew up in the restaurant industry. I worked in the family restaurant until 2004, then left to go and work for the Athens Olympic Games
In 2005, I moved to London to develop a Greek restaurant concept for a Greek businessman. I fell in love with the hospitality industry here in the UK almost immediately and have been here ever since.
- The Real Greek – Bankside
Can you now tell me about ‘The Real Greek’ restaurants and what it is like working with celebrity chef, Theodore Kyriakou, who Founded the first restaurant in Hoxton, in 1999, and then went on to open more of them.
Theodore started The Real Greek as an independent fine dining establishment in Hoxton, however he is no longer involved in the restaurants. The group has grown steadily in recent years and we now has seven outlets (Westfield,Westfield Stratford City, Hoxton, Bankside, Marylebone, Spitalfields and Covent Garden) across London, offering market leading Greek cuisine. In line with the relaxed Mediterranean theme, diners are encouraged to order a range of dishes to share around the table – all food is freshly made, with many of the ingredients being shipped directly from Greece.
What were you doing before you joined the team as head of operations at The Real Greek restaurants and how difficult was it to leave Greece and go to a country with a very difficult culture?
After opening the London restaurant ‘As Greek as It Gets’ in 2005, I moved to PONTI’S GROUP, where I stayed for 3 years. I started as manager and worked my way up to become Operations manager for the West End and the City. I then moved to the Spanish Tapas restaurant, La Tasca, where I stayed for 8 months before joining The Real Greek.
The culture in very different here, but it was easy to adapt, as I am still working in the same industry, and the UK is full of opportunities for people with experience and passion for what they do. I wasn’t looking for a similar life to the one I had in Athens.
After owning a catering business back in Greece, how would you compare it to the job that you do now?
My passion is for the hospitality industry and food, so although it’s a big change, the fundamental aspects are the same. Working for The Real Greek is without a doubt the highlight of my career so far.
What are your day-to-day responsibilities as head of operations?
I oversee the all the managers and the day to day running of the business, my duties include everything from developing new dishes with our Head Chef, Alan, to implementing new marketing ideas. Essentially, it is my job to make sure each of the restaurants is a success in its own right.
What motivates you and the other staff working there? What different personalities are there?
Our name, ‘The Real Greek’, motivates me every day, it inspires me to be the very best, because I want to believe our food offering and the standard of service lives up to our name. The team are also very motivational, there is a strong sense of family here and no one wants to let anyone down.
What percentage of Greeks visit The Real Greek restaurants regularly?
Approximately 20 % in total, but in certain restaurants we have more because of the location.
What do you think sets the restaurants apart from other competitors?
The authenticity of our food, we ship many of our ingredients from Greece and the dishes are exactly what you would get if you experienced Greek Street Food. It’s also the only Greek branded operation with 7 locations in the UK.
OK. Let’s hear about the menu. What kind of Mediterranean dishes am I likely to be tempted by?
The Real Greek is famous in London for its traditional and contemporary Greek favourites and is loved for its hot and cold sharer meals, such as the Dolmades, Chicken Skewers and Grilled Halloumi. Our grilled Calamari and our grilled Octopus are also very successful dishes.
What are the differences between traditional Greek cooking when compared to British cuisine?
Traditional Greek cooking is more of an informal relaxed style of dining than British cuisine, because most of our favourite dishes originated on the streets. I would also say, in general, our dishes are lighter and better suited for sharing than traditional British favourites.
How difficult is it to get hold of the correct ingredients for the Greek dishes? Is it expensive to put seafood on the menu?
No problem at all. We import everything we can’t find here from Greece, but when it comes to the fish, meat and vegetables, we use locally sourced British produce.
With Britain’s climate and changing seasons, does the menu reflect these differences?
Yes indeed, we change the menu in the winter and the summer, altering the dishes to reflect the changing season. For example, in the summer months, when it comes into season, we feature asparagus on our menu. People want lighter dishes when we go into the summer months.
Is it true Christo, that The Real Greek restaurants were the first UK restaurants to provide calories on the menu? Tell me a little about this.
The Real Greek was the first restaurant group in the UK to include a calorie count on every single item on its menus, from side dishes to desserts, and on the drinks list, from wines to beers. The company continues to work closely with the FSA (Food Standards Agency) and, as a pioneer of the FSA’s calorie counter menu, TRG appeals to today’s diner, with its emphasis on light and healthy food, using fresh and natural ingredients.
Greek food is naturally nutritious; using olive oil rather than saturated animal fat, and featuring healthy grilled fish and meat strongly, rather than stodgy carbohydrates. Some modern Greek favourites are surprisingly low in calories; Grilled Halloumi at The Real Greek comes in at 151 calories, Lamb Kefte has just 344 calories and a bottle of white Retsina contains 655 calories.
What have been some of your most successful promotions?
The £20 meal deal for 2 people, which includes 7 dishes and 2 drinks, has proven to be very successful.
As far as you know, was it difficult to get The Real Greek restaurants off the ground?
I believe the restaurant group has grown fairly quickly over the last decade and we are still growing, we opened our latest restaurant in Westfield Stratford this September and it’s exceeded every expectation.
Bankside and Convent Garden restaurants are in excellent locations as they are within walking distances of popular venues, i.e. The Globe Theatre and Tate Modern. Was it easy to acquire these most sought after premises?
Both locations are wonderful, but let’s not forget the two sites in the Westfield shopping centres, Spitafields Market, even Marylebone, one of London’s top residential areas. In the UK, if a brand is strong and a company is healthy, then landlords are happy to give you the best premises.
Do you get the chance to speak Greek, living in the UK?
We now have a number of Greek employees here at The Real Greek and of course I have to talk with all our Greek suppliers daily, so yes I do.
What is your favourite dish at the restaurants? What would you recommend to someone trying Greek food for the first time?
My favourite dish is the Pork souvlaki. To a first time customer, I would recommend the Greek dips: Teramosalata, tzatziki, Htipiti etc with pita bread, our tirropittakia, Calamari and Dolmades and on their second visit, the souvlaki of course.
Do diners listen to Greek music and do you have live music and traditional Greek dancers?
Every Friday and Saturday at the Bankside restaurant we do a live Rebetiko music night, while in Hoxton we have instrumental Bouzouki music, so yes diners do listen to Greek music at our restaurants.
Where do you see The Real Greek restaurants in ten years time? Will we see a lot more of them around the UK?
In ten years time, I believe the group will have grown to 10-15 restaurants, with more souvlaki bars and perhaps even some Real Greek Delis.
What advice would you give to a young person interested in opening a restaurant?
First, you have to learn how to run a restaurant successfully and in a profitable way. I would suggest that a young person looking to open up a restaurant should work for an established restaurateur first, someone who can act as a mentor and show them the ropes. Once they have proved themselves, they can think about going it alone; but only then.
Finally, Christos. Is there anything you miss about Greece and how do you feel about the present economical situation in your home country? Is there the possibility of you returning one day?
I will always miss Greece, it’s where I’m from. I was in Athens two weeks ago and I loved being back in the hustle and bustle. Summers on the Greek islands will always be a must for me, but my life is in the UK now.
With regards to the current economical climate, it’s a similar situation to the one which we have faced here in the UK over the last 4 years, but the British people have turned things around and are thinking about growth again. If the Greeks do the same, then soon the outlook will improve.
For more information and bookings at the restaurants, contact:
The Real Greek – Hoxton: Tel: 020 7739 8212/Email: hoxton@therealgreek.com
The Real Greek – Bankside: Tel: 020 7620 0162/Email: bankside@therealgreek.com
The Real Greek – Marylebone: Tel: 020 7486 0466/Email: marylebone@therealgreek.com
The Real Greek – Convent Garden: Tel: 020 7240 2292/Email: coventgarden@therealgreek.com
The Real Greek – Westfield London: Tel: 020 8743 9168/Email: westfield@therealgreek.com
The Real Greek – Spitalfields: Tel: 020 7375 1364/Email: spitalfields@therealgreek.com
The Real Greek – Westfield Stratford City: Tel: 020 8503 1844/stratford@therealgreek.com
TOTAL Greek Yogurt Launches Charity Competition in UK
TOTAL Greek Yogurt will be producing a healthy recipe 2012 e-book, with all proceeds donated to UK charity Action for Children.
Food enthusiasts can submit their tasty recipes containing the creamy product as a healthier substitute for cream, crème fraiche or mayonnaise to TOTAL Greek Yogurt’s Facebook page.
The recipes chosen for inclusion in the e-book will be voted for by TOTAL’S Facebook community. The recipe with the most votes will earn an iPhone 4S and iPad 2 complete with smart cover. The runner up will receive an iPad2.
In addition, all participants voted into the recipe e-book will receive a free cool bag and a published name credit in the book. The new digital cook book will be available to download on Amazon as a Kindle e-book from early 2012.
The deadline for recipe submissions is Friday 20th January 2012. All money raised by the e-book will be donated to the UK charity Action for Children which works to support the UK’s most vulnerable and neglected young people.
The competition officially begins today.
Obama Says He’s Pleased Greek Opposition Embraced Bailout
President Barack Obama said Friday he is pleased Greece’s opposition party has backed Europe’s economic bailout plan for the country.
“The international community is going to stand ready to assist,” he said at the G-20 economic summit in Cannes, France.
Obama said recent events in Greece have underscored the importance of implementing a Greek economic bailout plan fully and quickly, adding that “global demand is weakening” and “the world faces challenges that put our economic recovery at risk.”
Diplomatic Incident with Cypriot MEP in Ankara
A diplomatic incident unfolded against the Republic of Cyprus during a meeting of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment being held in Ankara.
Cypriot MEP Eleni Theocharous protested that her accreditation referred to her as representative of the ”Greek Cypriot administration of the South” and not of the Republic of Cyprus. Mrs. Theocharous asked for explanations and under the guidance of the High Commissioner of Cyprus in Ankara decide to withdraw from the meeting.
The Turkish side claimed that the European Commission had sent them the titles and names of the MEPs’ conference badges but a Commission representative attending the meeting denied the truth behind this claim.
According to later information, the change in the Cypriot representative’s title was instructed by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
The MEP contacted immediately the Permanent Representative of the European Commission in Ankara, Marc Pierini, who gave instructions to the representative of the European Commission to withdraw from the meeting as well. Pierini announced that he would also contact Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu demanding further explanations.