Monthly Archives

December 2012

News

An Exemplary Christmas Appeal

Glendale, CA - As the crisis in Syria continues, so do the acts of kind-hearted Armenian-Americans to help the Syrian Armenians. Rafi and Sarkis Ourfalian of the law firm Ourfalian & Ourfalian contributed $7,000 to the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF) in lieu of gifts and greeting cards for this Christmas season. They sent a letter to their friends and associates urging them to do the same, "We encourage all our friends to remember those less fortunate than ourselves in the spirit of the holidays and do what you can to help their plight." SARF Executive Council Chairperson, Zaven Khanjian, said of the donation, "It is exemplary and very encouraging that the Christmas spirit continues to direct charity-minded individuals and…
SARF Fund
December 21, 2012
News

Chamlian Raises over $28,000 for Syrian Armenians

GLENDALE - Several months ago, Chamlian school's administration, faculty, staff and students decided to help the Syrian Armenian community by organizing several fundraising activities. Various student clubs started selling pastries and ice cream, and the office staff organized a lottery with an IPad as the top prize. The school then dedicated the proceeds from its November 4 Cultural Day ticket sales. Next, with a donation of $10,000, Chamlian became the first school to officially sponsor the November 11 Benefit Concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. A few weeks later, the School Administration also made a contribution of $15,000. Finally, during the Armenia Fund Telethon on November 22, Chamlian students announced a donation of $3458.46, earmarked entirely for the Syrian Armenian…
SARF Fund
December 20, 2012
News

“Help Your Brother” Campaign Continues Syrian Relief

YEREVAN - The "Help Your Brother" campaign launched on September 18 comtimues assistance programs to Syrian-Armenians and has switched its operation to distribution of cash instead of sending assistance directly to Syria. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation-led initiative is also concentrating its efforts on assistance programs to Syrian Armenians who have sought refuge in Armenia and Artsakh. "We faced a number of problems with the delivery of humanitarian aid through filights. For example, because of the military attacks it is simply impossible to transport the humanitarian aid to Armenian-populated regions other than Aleppo. Therefore, now we simply transfer money to Syrian Armenians," Parliament member Vahan Hovannesian told reporters Wednesday. The "Help Your Brother" campaign has already transferred 5 million drams to…
SARF Fund
December 19, 2012
News

Forrest Gump Goes to Beirut

By Chris Bohjalian from The Armenian Weekly We all have a little Forrest Gump in us. A bit of Leonard Zelig. We've all had those moments when, suddenly, we are not merely witnesses to an instant fraught with meaning, but we are participants in the scene. We see ourselves both in the minute and with a cinematic distance: Camera pulls back wide to reveal the majesty of the spectacle, the sheer grandeur. And there, much to our surprise, we see ourselves. We are at once in the moment, and an observer of it. Bohjalian: Forrest Gump Goes to Beirut I had one of those experiences when I was in Beirut in December. I was in Lebanon as a guest of Hamazkayin and…
SARF Fund
December 17, 2012
News

ԱՆԴՐԱԴԱՐՁ – Սուրիական Օրագրութիւն

Քրիստոս յարեաւ, երկինք Երկրում թողեց պատուէրներ, Բայց պատուէրը գետնին մնաց Ու աշխարհը յածում է դեռ Յ. ԹՈՒՄԱՆԵԱՆ Մինչ ժողովուրդը ըսի-ըսաւներով հեքիաթներ կը հիւսէ այս մղձաւանջին վերջանալուն կամ յարատեւելուն շուրջ՝ անդին գրոհայինները օրէցօր նոր ուժերով կը համալրուին, մեծ գործողութիւններու կը դիմեն: Եթէ բանակը կը յաջողի գէթ կորսնցուցած դիրքերը վերագրաւել՝ կը ցնծան կրակոցներու այնպիսի տարափով, որ մարդիկ կ՛ահաբեկուին: Իրողութիւն է հնամեայ, թէ պատերազմներուն կը հարստանան անոնք, որ սրբութիւն չունին։ Բոլոր տեսակ խանութպաններու համար ալ տօնական շրջան է՝ գիները կ՛աճին ժամերու հետ ու արդէն՝ տոլարի արժէքին հետ կապուած, նոյնիսկ՝ երանելի օրերէն մնացած ապրանքներ։ Ի՞նչ սրբութիւն կը պահանջես այս մարդոցմէ, երբ անդին մեծ ու նողկալի առեւտուր կ՛ընթանայ երկրագունդի՛ն համար։ Հէ՜յ, ագահ մարդ, հէ՜յ անգոհ մարդ, միտքդ երկար, կեանքդ՝ կարճ... Միտքն ալ միտք ըլլա՜ր... Մեր…
SARF Fund
December 17, 2012
News

His Holiness Aram I: Helping Syrian Armenians Should Be a Priority for All Armenians

His Holiness Aram I, the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, received representatives of the Armenian Relief Fund of Lebanon and the Director of the Karagozyan fund. They briefed His Holiness on the ongoing activities, particularly the humanitarian aid to Syrian Armenians. "I'm confident other charity organizations are also engaged in the same work. Helping Syrian Armenians should be a priority for all Armenians. We must spare no effort to lend a helping hand to our brothers and sisters in Syria on these difficult days," the Catholicos said. He noted that the Armenian Government also provides assistance to Syrian Armenians, who have found refuge in the Motherland. His Holiness Aram I urged to provide Lebanon-based Syrian Armenians with jobs.…
SARF Fund
December 13, 2012
News

Armenian Church Launches Rapid Response Program for Syrian Armenians

With the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and in conjunction with the Armenia Round Table Charitable Foundation, a Rapid Respons Program to aid Syrian Armenians has been launched in Yerevan. The program is being funded by Acting Churches Together (ACT Alliance), an ecumenical network of churches and aid organizations that combine their efforts to address problems and challenges for people affected by poverty and injustice. The program is designed as a rapid response effort to aid recently relocated Armenians of the Syrian Republic who are now living in Armenia. The purpose of the program is to deliver food, first aid, and hygienic items to the 200 families who are most in need.…
SARF Fund
December 11, 2012
News

The Momentum to Help Syrian Armenians Continues with a $250K Transfer

Glendale, CA - The Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF), a consortium of religious, political and charity organizations in the Western U.S.A. made another milestone by making a third transfer of funds for Syrian Armenians. Meher Der Ohannessian, treasurer of the SARF Executive Committee, reported that a $250,000 transfer was made to the Catholicosate of Cilicia account set up especially for Syrian Armenian relief efforts. The latest transfer was possible after a concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium was held on November 11, 2012, and other ongoing fundraising efforts. A dinner organized by the "Kaghouteh Kaghout" volunteers, which was held at the Pasadena Armenian Center on October 26, 2012, raised $48,000. A breakfast fundraiser was held on November 5, 2012, at…
SARF Fund
December 6, 2012
News

A Christmas Appeal From SARF “I Wish I Could Feel Happy”

It sums it all. The collective sentiment of what we are feeling at SARF. "I wish I could feel happy" Despite the seemingly good news of having raised half a million dollars. Despite the seemingly good news of having transferred $350,000 to the Armenian communities in Syria. That’s how a tireless activist at SARF described our feelings. "I wish I could feel happy" We cannot. We will not. Until this unwarranted, unprecedented and undeserved crisis is over. Until the black clouds are disbursed. Until the dove of peace returns soaring to the skies of Syria. We will not feel happy. We will not rest. We will not halt our efforts in raising funds to help support and sustain the Syrian…
SARF Fund
December 6, 2012