Amerikai Magyar Hírlap, 2002 (14. évfolyam, 4-45. szám)
2002-03-29 / 13. szám
We Wish You a Happy Easter! AMERICAN Hungarian Journal MEDITATIONS by Dr. Bela Bonis Pastor (562) 430-0876 First Hungarian Reformed Church, Hawthorne THE NEW TESTAMENT Readings: Acts 10:34-43,1. Cor. 15:1-11, John 20:1-18, or Mark 16:1-8 clearly point to the inseparable relationship of Good Friday and Easter in the message of the church. I recall the dramatic Paschal service of the Eastern Orthodox tradition which I several times attended in Geneva, Switzerland while studying there at the university. The service takes place at midnight on Holy and Great Saturday, just as the "Day of the Re-/ surrection" begins. The context is important. Unlike gothic church architecture and the spire architecture of Reformed Churches in Hungary, the architecture of the typical domed Eastern Orthodox church doesn’t provoke an upwardreaching movement in the worshiper. Rather, it serves as an architectural manifestation of the Christian universe. The dome, with its traditional icon of Christ the King looking down toward the earth, is heaven. The floor, representing the earth, is divided into three parts: the entrance or narthex, the place for those who do not yet believe (historically, the place for the catechumens); the sanctuary, where the people of God worship under the observance of their heavenly King; and the altar area, where icons, eclesial furniture and the altar table represent the things that connect heaven and earth. The church building and the people in it are an ecclesial microcosm. The Paschal liturgy is carried out in this cosmic context. The light-darkness and life-death motifs of the Johannine telling of the Gospel story take on an experiential character in this powerful and dramatic liturgical service. The priest steps forward with the light of the Paschal candle raised high and chants. "Come, receive light and glorify Christ who is risen from the dead." Crucifixion and resurrection are tightly bound together in paean of conquest over death and the affirmation of new life in Christ. We begin to understand the Christian message for humankind, the message of salvation, redemption, hope and growth in the love and grace of the Risen Lord. Even though somehow, for whatever reason, that which we know - a job, a marriage, a friendship - is dead, gone, useless, over, is suddenly, somehow, given new life, new hope, and we are reborn and love anew. It happens through no power of ourselves, but in the power, presence and love of God in Christ. Alleluia! We Wish Our Readers Of The Jewish Faith Hajyy PASSOVER! With this first announcement it is our pleasure to inform you about the upcoming "Culture and Tourism" 3rd International Conference and Trade Show event, Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 7- 9, 2002. Supporters of the event: Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Education Municipality of Budapest City For futher information please contact: Kult-Turist Ltd. - event organizer - 1094 Budapest, Angyal u. 31, Hungary Phone: +36-1-218-6558 * Fax: +36-1-218-6560 E-mail: corvin@mail.datanet.hu or the Hungarian Consulate Commercial Section in Los Angeles, Mrs. Agnes Király-Végi, itdh.mtrt@verizon.net Address: ITD - The Hungarian Investment and Trade Development Agency, 11766 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. #410, Los v Angeles, CA 90025, USA f Hungary’s “Agenda” Ambassador Jeszenszky’s Reply to the Washington Post Jackson Diehl’s March 4 column said that Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán “embraced a nationalist agenda worthy of the 1930s while tacitly allying himself with anti-Semites,” and that he “has become so toxic with his talk of Lebensraum for the Hungarians that he has been refused a White House visit.” Mr. Diehl’s article was a smear by innuendo and unnamed sources. He offered nothing to substantiate such defaming assertions or seek comment from the Hungarian government. It should be noted that the State Department has distanced itself from Mr. Diehl’s article and that Prime Minister Orbán has a fine working relationship with President Bush. The allegation of a “tacit alliance” between the Prime Minister’s Fidesz party and anti-Semites is completely false. Presumably Mr. Diehl referred to the Hungarian Life and Justice Party led by István Csurka. The Prime Minister has stated that the two parties are incompatible on fundamental policy goals. Fidesz chairman Zoltán Pokomi has said that his party will not form a government with radicals of the left or right. Mr. Diehl’s use of the sinister term “Lebensraum” to describe the Prime Minister’s policy toward the.3 million Hungarians living in neighboring countries is inflammatory and misleading. The Orbán government is building a cooperative relationship with all of Hungary’s neighbors and supports the efforts of Hungarians outside Hungary to maintain their identity. Recently a law offering mainly cultural benefits to those Hungarians was adopted by 92 percent of the votes in the Hungarian Parliament. The law is designed to improve the stability of Central Europe by helping people not to emigrate or seek illegal employment in Hungary. Finally, Mr. Diehl suggested that the Prime Minister and, by extension, the people of Hungary, have a strong streak of anti- Semitism. Hungary has the third largest Jewish population in Europe. Violence against members of the Jewish community is almost unheard of. Further, the Jewish community is ably represented in the cabinet and at all levels of Hungarian political life. Every Jewish child in Hungary is entitled to free tuition from kindergarten to university in schools run by Jewish institutions - for the first time ever in our history. The Orbán government also instituted an annual day of remembrance in honor of the half-million Hungarian victims of the Holocaust. GÉZA JESZENSZKY, Ambassador - Embassy of Hungary CHICAGO, ILL - Illinois First Lady Lura Lynn Ryan (center) met with Maria and Zoltán Baksay, officers of the Hungarian (Magyar) Club of Chicago. They discussed the many accomplishments of the club during its 80-year history. Mrs. Ryan commended Maria and Zoltán for their commitment and dedication for the Hungarian American community. NEW YORK, NEW YORK Hotef Casino, Us Vegas (CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK) 12. Next, I sat down in front of a nickel machine that said, “Regis Philbin’s Cash Club” and inserted my card. I love the way these club cards greet you, and Barbary Coast was one of the first to use them: “Hello, Susan! Welcome to my casino!” - the message line said, and then Regis himself took over. Although I was not winning, he kept reassuring me that I was getting there, just a little more patience and I’ll be a winner. I pretended to believe him - such a nice man, he was the Grand Marshall of the Rose Parade this year - how could I doubt his word? Still, when my ten dollar bill was disappearing down the drain without even a pair of cherries to boast of, I discreetly pressed the “cash out” button, picked up my remaining two nickels and started to move away. I was just wishing good luck to a guy at the machine next to me when . - what do you know? - Regis called after me and stopped me in my Vacks: “Hey, where you going? I was just beginning to enjoy our session!” Now that’s what I call interactive! My neighbor was shaking his head, as if saying: these damn machines will get the better of us someday... From then on, the evening went down faster than an airplane in a tailspin. It seemed that my luck had run out for good. Whatever I touched turned out to be a disaster. Perhaps I should have given up and gone home, but this was my last night in Las Vegas! Tomorrow I would be packing up and taking the long bus ride home. I couldn’t face the prospect of looking at the four walls of my room - well, three walls and a showcase window - for the rest of the night. Even the thought of the dancing fountains could not get me out of the casino now. In the end, my patience paid off. It was almost 2 a.m. when I found the row of “The Price Is Right” machines. By that time, 1 had gone through the hundred I had changed at the Aladdin for nice, crisp ten dollar bills, and I had no winnings to touch in spite of my principles, because there were none. There was one last resort, though: the fifty-dollar bill I kept in my travelling prayerbook for just such an eventuality. That money had always brought me luck when all else failed. I’ll let it do the trick one more time. I started to play TPR, and as always when I am low on money, the old dilemma came up: whether to play all nine lines with one coin only, or to play only five lines with two nickels each. The fact that I did not know how the lines worked would have suggested the former, while I knew from experience that one coin per line was not enough to make the winnings substantial enough when a minor jackpot hit. I chose the second option, and soon it paid off: I got five copies of the same lady contestant on a conventional winning line, paying 500 coins for one set, and since I had two, I was over a thousand and ready to call the attendant. I carefully put the money into the envelope marked “winnings” and set down to the next machine (there were three in a row, back-to-back, six in all). Strangely enough, the second one proved every bit as good as the first. Not only did it come up with a series of four fellows in a blue shirt that turned out to be worth 500 coins, it also got me into the contest modeled on “The Price Is Right” TV show. First a big wheel started rolling and I had to hit a number higher than 55 but not more than a hundred. I got 85, and that was used as a multiplying factor (I think) for the winnings. Next, I had to pick yellow price tags from a long row, allocated to items in two groups: a TV, a sofa, a boat, a car, a trip to Paris etc. The prices in the group on the left were in the 100’s, while the group on the right was approaching 500. And that, luckily, was the one I completed first, achieving my second $50 jackpot and a chance to call it a night. Before leaving the lucky spot, I noticed that the attendant put a blue marker into the slot of the winning machine. Probably signaling to the mechanics that the machine was too generous - would someone please come and put it in its place so it won’t spill its guts out again. I had a better idea. I took the marker and wrote the date and amount of my jackpot on it, slipping it into the envelope next to the money. I would have to come back and see whether my adventure was more than a one-night-stand, whether my generous friend would still give me the time of day in the morning. (TO BE CONTINUED) „CITY ©FLIGHTS’' B Y SUSAN JANCSO ■■■■■■■■ AMERIKAI " PPgl HUmma |fl|
