An island of Greek culture

At the Kassian Benevolent Society’s Greek community center in Kingsbridge Heights, photos from the old country line the walls, along with a map boldly depicting one Greek island in particular. Tiles on the floor spell out its name: KASOS.

“If I have a chance to go back, I’m going to go back no matter what,” says community member Papageorgiou “Tony” Antonios, who comes from the island between Karpathos and Crete with a population of 1,000. “The life over there, it’s amazing.”

For the club’s approximately 200 members, most of whom are former Kasos residents, the center on West 230th Street is a safe haven of sorts. Families come to connect with other Kasos emigrants and maintain the culture and values of the island.

“This building belongs to the club, but actually, to everybody,” said member Mike Vailas. “Everybody helps each other,” he added.

After work, many of the center’s male members gather around tables in the main room — surrounding the “KASOS” tiles on the floor — to play cards, drink coffee and watch highly anticipated soccer matches featuring Greek teams like Olympiacos F.C. and AEK Athens. They also catch up on Greek news via satellite channels.

Many, like Mr. Antonios, traveled from Kasos to the U.S. to find work,, which he says is scarce for many on the island. He reunited with community members in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood, who provided support as he learned English and settled his wife and children into their new home.

The neighborhood around the center is home to nearly 800 Greek residents, one community member estimated, many of whom own restaurants throughout the city. 

Others, like Mike Zoulis, discovered the community after some time in the U.S. He came to the city to attend Columbia University, in 1974. Now, he lives on Bailey Avenue with his wife and three children and works for a coffee company. 

The community’s younger members attend Greek school in Pelham Bay, but take dance and music lessons at the community center. Some learn to play the lyre, or “lira,” too.