Jonathan Varjabedian

Can anybody give me some background information on Simeon Lehatsi, and whether or not any of his writings have been translated into English. Thanks Jonathan Varjabedian

I made a mistake there--I should have said, written in Turkish using Armenian letters. Thanks Jonathan

Does anybody know of any good translators who are fluent in Armenian, Turkish, and English? I have hundreds of pages of handwritten letters from 1912-1927, written in Armenian using Turkish lettes. I am trying to find a good translator. Thanks Jonathan Varjabedian efkere@aol.com www.efkere.com

Does anybody have any suggestions for trying to track down an Armenian in Greece? I have been working on my family tree for quite some time now, and a few years ago I cam accross a letter, apparently from a relative, living in Athens, named Mihran Kotsaian (Kojaian). The letter was written in 1947. But, I am at a loss as to how to track him (or, more likely, his descendents), down. Any suggestions? I have already posted messages on GenForum in the Greece and Armenia sections. It is too bad we don't have some sort of world-wide directory. Thanks Jonathan Varjabedian

Thank Garo, Steve. You made it pretty easy for me, Garo. Is there any way I could edit that so that just a single picture could not be downloaded, rather than the whole page? Steve, I agree with you, but right now I am just grateful to be able to see them. Personally, I think this type of material needs to get out there as much as possible.

ProjectSAVE in Watertown was kind enough to let me use a few of their images, provided that they can't be downloaded. Which, it seems, is impossible. I guess I just won't be able to post their pictures. Personally, I like it when my photos are downloaded. Thanks for your help Jonathan Varjabedian

I have set up a web site using Microsoft Front Page, which was fairly easy. However, I want to put a few pictures on the site, and make it so that these photographs cannot be downloaded. Is this possible? Does anybody know how to do this? I am not all that swift with computer lingo, so please try to make it easy! Thanks a lot Jonathan Varjabedian www.efkere.com

Thanks, Steve, that's a really good point.

Steve: Is there any chance you have a copy of that article in Asiatic Review. I would really love to see it. I am getting a bit fanatical about documenting every scrap of information I can about the village and the monastery. Please let me know. Thanks Jonathan Varjabedian

Thanks, Steve, for the feedback, but both Hewsen and Tozer were referring to the monastery in Efkere. Hewsen was quoted from page 193: "18km/11 mi east of Kayseri stood the great monastery of St. Garabed (E. Arm. Karapet) "the Holy Forerunner" (i.e. St. John the Baptist), one of the wealthiest, most frequented, and most sacred shrines of the Armenian Church." On map 179, on page 192, at the site of the monastery, is written: "The most important spiritual center of Central Anatolia, S. Garabed dated back at least as far as the 12th century." And yes, Tozer was absolutely referring to this monastery as well. It is a bit confusing, and I think it could be easily argued that the Surp Garabed in Mush was the most important religous site for Armenians in all of the Ottoman Empire, but a close second would have to be the Surp Garabed in Efkere. The remains of John the Baptist, incidentally, are divided between the two monasteries. Sadly, the monastery in Efkere is now largely in ruins, and much of it has simply disappeared. I appreciate your input. It is amazing to me that a monastery this important has simply been forgotten. It is shameful. If you, or anybody else, knows of any photos at all of this monastery, old or new, in good or bad condition, I would be grateful for the information. Also, if you have any other input on the web site, please let me know. Thanks Jonathan Varjabedian

I am trying to track down a copy of an article that appeaed in Gotchnag in 1913 or very early in 1914, entitled "Father and Son". I came accross a letter recently from my great uncle in Talas, Turkey to his father in America, thanking him for sending him a copy of this article. The letter is dated March 10, 1914. I would really like to read what was in this article. If anybody has any suggestions, let me know. I am in the Los Angeles area. By the way, I have greatly updated my website, www.efkere.com.

I could not get into the church all of the doors and windows were blocked with stones. I thought, though, that Arroyan did get in the church. The video footage from one of his videotapes seems to have been taken from the floor of the church. I did crawl on top of the church, however. The dome was completey removed, and I was able to look down from there.

No, I went on my own. A little scarry, but I got to spend a fair amount of time looking for the villages I am most interested in.

I appreciate the tip. No response from them yet, so, if anybody out there has the book and they are willing to sell it, please let me know. Thanks Jonathan

Vart: I am sure you can burn it to disc, then take it to a photo shop that des digital work and have them print it up. I hope, hope, to have the whole thing translated into English in the next year or so--I just don't have time to get going on it now. I am glad you found the map useful.

I have been desperately trying to find a copy that I could purchase of a two volume set of boos by Arshak Alboyajian called "Hye Gesaria". The actual title is a bit longer than that, but that is what the book is generally known as. It was published in Egypt in 1937, but a lot of copies did make it to the U.S. At this point, I am willing to pay an arm and a leg for it and, if necessary, a couple of toes. Thanks for your help! Jonathan Varjabedian

Dear Vart: You're right. It is very hard to find much about the numerous villages surrounding Efkere. I do know that Moonjoosoon was the neighboring village immediately to the west of Efkere. I do not know if there is anything standing. When I was in Efkere in 1998, I could not find it. Perhaps others will know The best source of information on Moonjoosoon, provided that you read Armenian, is a book by Arshak Alboyajian, puclished in 1937, in Egypt: Hye Gesarea. Actually, it is a two volume set, and has a couple thousand pages. Finding a copy is tough, but I believe it has about 4 or 5 pages just on Moonjoosoon and, I believe, a couple of pictures. Incidentally, there was another village with a very similar name: Manjusun. This village was about a 45 minute walk to the southwest of Efkere. Regardless, there's info on Manjusun as well in Alboyajians book. Do you read Armenian? If so, I can email you a copy of the excellent map that is on my website, and that is from Alboyajians book (for some reason, it is not all coming up on the website). Incidentally, I don't have the book, but I borrowed one via inter-library loan from Harvard. And no, I don't know about the Union of Gesaria. I do think, though, that this extremely overlooked region needs to be further documented.

I know this is a bit of self-promotion, but if you get a chance, check out my web site, www.efkere.com, which is about the history of Efkere, Turkey--a small village northeast of Kayseri (Gesaria). There are going to be a lot of updates in the next couple of months, particularly in the history section. Still, I hope you like it now. Thanks. Jonathan Varjabedian [ November 25, 2001: Message edited by: Garo ]