Dear Editor:

It seems that everything in the Greek-American community is under construction: The Archdiocese, the New York Federation, and who knows what else in parts of the country I don’t know about. Now, this is a good thing, not only because some of these institutions have been mismanaged for so long, but because – as is natural after 120 years in our accelerated times – our community is changing in dramatic ways that present both challenges and opportunities. Some leaders, with views stated at conferences and on the pages of the National Herald, have spoken about this for years. The main fact to be addressed is our 90% intermarriage rate. I say decades  because I had first become aware of it around 1990 – when it around 70%.

That was more than 30 years ago. It is a challenge because many fewer of our children hear Greek at home – since spouses in mixed marriages do not speak Greek – Newsflash! But what was a problem in 1970 has a solution in 2022 – kids can learn Greek through apps on their phone, as TNH has reported on initiatives by the Niarchos Foundation and the Archdiocese – and why are our imaginations limited – can’t kids and parents learn TOGETHER playing games with such apps? And can’t they learn their Orthodox faith in such fun and convenient ways too?

By the way, the opportunity is to turn those millions of non-Greek in-laws into Philhellenes – and THEY too can learn Greek with those same apps for when they visit Greece.

But my main question is: why aren’t these things being discussed at what are the hearts of our community – the parishes? Why can’t there be a ‘road show’ of general meetings at parishes for discussion on these issues. For input and ideas? Maybe TNH can sponsor them.

Demetrios Pappas

New York, NY